AMONG PAPUAN PEAKS 
to run low. We found that the tinned provisions 
had been tampered with, and suspected native thieves ; 
our suspicions one day being confirmed, when our dog 
Yule brought in from the forest two empty meat tins 
which had been broken open with the axe. This 
evidence was incontestable, for we ourselves always 
used the tin-opener. Of course, when we taxed our 
Papuans they were ignorant of the whole affair. This 
theft did not improve our larder; meat ran out, we 
had very little tea and no sugar, only a scanty supply of 
flour, and, worst of all, no salt. We were accordingly 
dependent upon sweet potatoes and yams, which we 
purchased from the Mafulu people, and occasionally 
a few bananas were obtainable. ‘The boys soon began 
to grumble about the cold and lack of food, but the 
real reason of their discontent was, of course, fear 
of the Mafulu people. Every day deputations waited 
on Sam and myself and threatened to leave. It was 
evident that the discontent was stirred up by two 
ringleaders, so we found out who these were and 
talked to them very severely, telling them they might 
go; but two men would not dare to venture back to their 
own village through a hostile country, so, of course, 
our permission to leave was not taken. These troubles 
were very annoying, for we wanted to remain as long 
as we could, as we were getting admirable specimens, 
but about the fourteenth day of our stay matters had 
come to such a pass that we had to give the men a 
definite promise that we would leave in a week. 
With such a state of things constant vigilance 
became necessary, and we had to divide the nights 
into watches. Sam would take three hours and 
253 
