ALONE WITH CANNIBALS 
ings being for the most part of the kind known as the 
“lean-to.” 
We noticed various other curiosities at Amana. 
One was a rather mysterious grave, just outside the 
village at the point where the carriers put down their 
loads. ‘This place, which for some reason or other was 
regarded as sacred, was surrounded by a low stockade, 
but no attempt was made to keep the enclosure—which 
was quite overgrown—in order, and we learned nothing 
regarding its origin, for the Papuans are a people with- 
out a history. 
The people wore an ornament, which we also 
noticed among the Tugeri in Dutch New Guinea. 
This was the oval, highly-polished grey seed of a 
species of grass which grows at Amana. The villagers 
wore the seeds on strings or singly in their hair. ‘The 
Tugeri string the seed into necklaces and wristlets. 
As the grass grows only at Amana, it is a certain proof 
of communication between the Tugeri and the hill 
tribes. 
THe LUNATIC AT AMANA 
In the village of Amana we met the only half- 
witted Papuan we saw in New Guinea. He had been 
imbecile from his birth, and at the time we saw him 
his age was probably from 28 to 30, but it might have 
been less. He could not speak and was very deaf. 
He was of a very pale coffee colour, and might 
probably have stood about 5 feet 6 inches, but he 
was strangely bent and very thin. He communicated 
with his fellows by means of signs, and was regarded 
in the village as quite an amusing character. In fact, 
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