BURIAL AND WITCHCRAFT 
distant, through an almost inaccessible mountain 
region. They left at eight o'clock in the morning, 
and came into camp again at five in the afternoon 
of the following day, having accomplished the whole 
journey of sixty miles, and the latter half while they 
* ; : , : : 
were burdened with their loads of rice, tinned provi- 
sions, tobacco and hardware, and all the other mis- 
cellaneous articles known as “‘trade.” The women’s 
loads weighed about 50 lbs., the men’s somewhat less, 
for the women are the great burden-bearers in New 
Guinea. 
The difficulties of our march were heightened by 
certain natural features, particularly the stinging-trees, 
which occurred close to Madui. The tree in shape, 
size, and foliage resembles a sycamore, and has a 
leaf of which the under side is extremely rough and 
covered with spines. ‘These possess a stinging power 
like that of the nettle, only much worse, and the 
irritation lasts far longer. The slightest touch is 
sufficient to wound. First a white blister appears, 
then redness, covering about a square inch around 
each pustule ; rubbing aggravates the irritation, which 
shortly becomes maddening. ‘The pain is not allayed 
for at least twelve hours; and I have never observed 
any natural antidote growing in the vicinity of this 
stinging-tree, as the dock-leaf grows near the nettle. 
Needless to say, the natives take the utmost care to 
give these trees a wide berth. 
A smaller stinging-plant, resembling our nettle, 
only larger, with a rough under side of pale pea-green, 
is also found at intervals in the forest; both sides of 
the leaf possess the power of irritation. ‘The natives 
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