SEEVVAI COMES ON BOARD. ^47 



Seewai had sent for some cocoa-nuts for us, and 

 when they came, presented four to the Captain and 

 two to me. He and Keouck then came on board 

 with us, Seewai bringing his son, a boy about eight 

 years old. 



On passing Keriam, both Seewai and Keouck 

 begged to be allowed to squat down in the stern- 

 sheets of the boat, so that they might not be seen ; 

 Seewai saying, "Keriam no good! Mamraoos no 

 good ! sarreg, sarreg ! " We, from this, concluded 

 that Mammoos and Seewai had quarrelled, and that 

 their respective partisans were at war with each 

 other, and that this was the reason of the excite- 

 ment we observed on the island, and probably of 

 the new fences round the huts. 



We saw Mammoos and others waiting for us at 

 Keriam, but at Seewai's request kept out, and 

 steered for the ship, shouting to them we would come 

 and see them to-morrow. 



On getting on board we set to work to explain to 

 Seewai that two of our boats were missing, and we 

 feared either wrecked or got among the New Guinea 

 people. By the aid of the vocabulary, and by 

 Melville's extempore sketches, we made them clearly 

 understand this, and that Mr. Millery, who was a 

 great favourite of their's, and known by them as 

 " Tarn," was one of those that were lost. We then 

 explained to Seewai that we wanted him to go 

 with us to talk to the people of Dowdee, that they 

 might inform us where our people were. At this 



