394 A NATURALIST'S WANDEBINGS 



have been almost unbearable, but for the frequent flash of 

 insect — bright Papilios and Ornithopteras — and of bird — the 

 orange Pachycephalas; the yellow White-eyes (Zosterops), lazily 

 flapping Herons, and the blue-plumaged scarlet-billed Water- 

 hens (Porphyrio melanopterus) — which darted to and fro across 

 the stream. 



At dark, in the midst of a heavy rain, we reach the con- 

 fluence of the Wai Eloi, about 200 feet above the sea, where 

 several Alefurus — the name by which all the natives of the 

 interior I met call themselves — were waiting to carry us on 

 suspended chairs to the village about a mile distant. The 

 Alefurus can scarcely be said to inhabit villages ; they live 

 more frequently in isolated houses on the patch of land they 

 cultivate or in small communities. Those, however, ^^ithin 

 certain regions denominated Soas seem to have claims on each 

 other of consanguinity or friendship ; as if the members of a 

 large village had dispersed, and, while living separately, still 

 recognised all the former ties in times of difficulty or war. 

 Each Soa has its chief, and Merinyo or under chief, who is 

 responsible to Porterus, officials who receive in the name of 

 the rajah the tribute of their gardens and fields as well as 

 compel them to give their produce, in exchange for coast goods 

 at an exorbitant profit. 



Next day we took a westward course through fields of tall 

 Kussu grass dotted with Kayu-puti trees, a;id through swamps 

 full of sago palms. At early forenoon we rested for a little at the 

 village cluster of the River Grelan, one of the tributaries of the 

 River Apu. Overarching the path was an open shed. with 

 benches along each side on which we reclined, serving possibly 

 as a general meeting room or rest-house for passers correspond- 

 ing to the Balai of Sumatra, or the Baluai of Amboina. 

 When we arrived we found a sleeping child tied in a blanket 

 swaying to and fro at the end of a rope hung from the rafters. 

 It had been thus left to be rocked and nursed by the wind, till 

 its mother returned from the fields ! As soon as a traveller 

 arrived I noticed that he was at once waited on by the women 

 of the village who brought siri, betel and chalk, and a hot 

 ember to light his cigarette. The women seemed to live in 

 great subjection to the men, who never did anything for them- 

 selves if a woman was within call. 



