TOWARDS THE UNEXPLORED 
During this visit to Mavai, the excellent chief, 
who kept fowls, presented me with two eggs; these 
we boiled with lively anticipations of a treat, but we 
broke the shells only to discover that the eggs were 
of a remote antiquity. We passed them on, however, 
to Ow-bow, who received them with gratitude, for 
he regarded chicken in this form as a very great 
delicacy indeed. 
I purchased some sago from the chief, and when 
we got bearers together I started for Ekeikei. One 
day’s journey brought us to our destination, which 
was situated 1500 feet above sea level, on the foot- 
hills of the Owen Stanley range. This point I had 
already selected in my mind as the scene of my 
future labours, and I at once set about building a 
permanent camp. I chose the site in a part of the 
forest overlooking a fine valley, and we set to work 
speedily, felling the forest trees to make the necessary 
clearing. It was a big business, much bigger than 
founding our establishment at Dinawa, but I intended 
to erect much more permanent structures, which were 
to be built large enough not only to serve for scien- 
tific work, but as a depdt for expeditions to other 
districts. The house and two collecting verandahs 
were all in one building, one verandah facing the 
forest and the other the valley, so as to permit of 
work being carried on whatever the direction of the 
wind. ‘The whole structure was built on poles 6 feet 
6 inches off the ground, so that my natives could 
shelter, sling their hammocks, and take their meals 
below. ‘This work occupied us three weeks, and in 
it we were assisted by Mavai’s people, who were 
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