TOWARDS THE UNEXPLORED 
not ascertain that they had done any actual damage, 
and they had the grace not to fall down upon us. 
As soon as the camp was finished we settled 
down to our old routine of work, very similar to that 
observed during our stay at Dinawa, and for a time 
all went smoothly. But suddenly a cloud loomed 
upon our horizon in the shape of our neighbour 
Kafulu. This worthy, whose village was an hour's 
journey off, had often visited the camp while the 
building was in progress. He was a very low type 
of Papuan, with a receding forehead and a face 
altogether ape-like. After his people, who helped 
me in my building operations, had been paid off, I 
did a little business with the chief himself, and 
ordered sago stalks for wattling the sides of the 
house. For these I paid in advance, but the sago 
was not forthcoming. I made no complaint at first, 
and this probably deceived him into thinking I 
might be treated with further contumely, for he 
suddenly began to threaten my boys, until at last 
they would no longer venture out into the forest 
to collect. Accordingly, I sent my trusty advocate 
Ow-bow and his wife down to Kafulu’s village to 
know the reason why he did not deliver the sago, 
which was several weeks overdue. Ow-bow was 
allowed to take a gun with him, but no cartridges, 
and his empty weapon evidently was not impressive. 
My emissary’ experience was painful; Kafulu did 
not take his life, but he took his effects. Now, 
every Papuan carries with him as his most cherished 
possession a little net-bag, containing a charming 
collection of oddments dear to the savage mind—his 
192 
