TOWARDS THE UNEXPLORED 
so thick that one could hardly put food in one’s 
mouth or take an aim with a gun. 
While we passed through Epa on this occasion, 
I noticed specially the extraordinary method of water- 
supply there in vogue. A spring which supplies the 
community was distant some twenty minutes’ walk 
down-hill, and twice every day, in the morning and 
just before dusk, the women went down to draw 
water. This they carried in long bamboos, measur- 
ing at least 12 feet. The partitions dividing the 
sections of bamboo had been knocked out with a 
long, hard stick, the bottom one was allowed to 
remain, and these light but unwieldy receptacles, 
capable of holding about thirty-six pints each, were 
taken to the spring and filled. The open end was 
plugged with a green leaf, and the women carried 
the vessels up-hill held slantwise over their shoulder. 
Lhe bamboo was set up against a shady wall, beside 
the house door, and the method of procuring a small 
supply of water was comical in the extreme. When- 
ever you wanted a drink two people had to officiate ; 
a native took hold of the bamboo by the lower end 
and you proceeded to the other. It was then gingerly 
lowered towards you, for the greatest care had to be 
taken not to tilt it too far, otherwise more water 
than you wanted would have come out with a rush 
and drenched you. 
On my reappearance at that village 1 was very 
heartily welcomed by the chief. I found him busily 
engaged in hunting the cassowary and the pig, 
and generally keeping up his reputation of a great 
sportsman. 
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