CHAP. XXXTf.] 



Mr HOUSE AT BESSIR, 



533 



the \vator fit the point of a small island. The cliief fooil 

 of the peo]>le was evidently sbelhfisli, since great heaps of 

 the shells liad acenmulated in the sbaliow water betwefii 

 the houses and Ibe land, forming a regular '* kitchen-mid- 

 den " for the exploration of some fnture arebfeologbt. We 

 spent the nit^ht in the cluefa bouse, and the oext morniiig 

 went over to tbe mainland to look out for a place where I 

 conkl reside. This part of Waigiou is really anolbev island 

 to the south of the narrow channel we bad passed through 

 in coming to MuktL It appears to consist almost entirely 

 of raised coj-al, whereas tbe nortliern island contains hard 

 CT;>'stalline rocks. Tbe shores were a range of low lime- 

 stone cliffs, worn out by the water, so that the upper part 

 generally overhung. At distant intervals wei'e little coves 

 and openings, where small streams came down from the 

 interior ; and in one of these we landed, pulling our boat 

 u]) on a patch of white sandy beach. Immediately above 

 was a lai^e newly-made plantation of yams and plantains, 

 and a anmll but, which tbe chief said we might have the 

 use of, if it would do for me. It was quite a dwarfs house, 

 just eight feet square, raised on |X)Sts so that the floor was 

 four and a half feet above the ground, and the highest part 

 of tbe ridge only five feet above the floor. As I am six 

 feet and an inch in my stockings, I looked at this with 

 some dismay ; but finding that tbe otlier houses were 

 much further from water, were dreadfully dirty, and were 

 cnnvded with people, I at once accepted tlie little one, and 

 determined to make the best of it. At first I thought of 

 taking out tbe floor, which would leave it higli enoni^h io 

 walk in and out without stooping ; but then tliere would 

 tiot be room enough, so 1 left it just as it was, bad it 

 thoroughly cleaned out, and brought up my baggaga Tlie 

 upper story I used for sleeping in, and for a store-room. In 

 the lower part (which was quit^i open all round) I fixed up 

 a small table, arranged my boxes, put up hanging-shelves, 

 laid a mat on the ground with my wicker-chair upon it» 

 hung up another mat on tbe windward side, and then 

 found tlmt, by bending double and carefully creeping in, 

 I could sit on my chair wath my head just clear of the 

 ceiling. Here I lived pretty comfortably for six week.s, 

 taking all my meals and doing all ray work at my little 



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