186 
BUKU. 
plantains, and other fruit, together with some tame pigs, 
which this tribe appears to use as decoys in capturing 
the wild animals. The inhabitants invariably abandoned 
their houses on the approach of the parties ; but on one 
or two occasions the men were induced to return for a 
short time, and hold friendly communication with their 
visitors. On one of these occasions they gave some 
information reapectiug their mode of hunting, " showing 
to LfBipsig (the commander of the first expedition) how 
they caught the wild pigs with the aid of the tame 
ones,"* 
This fact will probably afford an explanation of the 
mysterious value which the New Guinea natives place upon 
their tame pigs^ according to Modera and Bruijn Kopa. 
Valentyn further says : ** They took such little account of 
the clothes, and even money, that were offered to them, 
that it is to be wondered at that people who have nothing 
but a strip of bark to cover their nakedness, were not 
more covetous ; but habit is to them, as to other people, 
a second nature ; and having been accustomed to the 
bush cold from youth, they do not suffer from it as 
strangers do. Our people saw swords and chopping- 
knives among them, a clear proof that the natives of the 
coast have communication with them, and can speak 
intelligibly to them, as they could not have obtained 
these articles elsewhere : and they have neither materials, 
means, or knowledge to make them themselves. They 
requested the commander to drink matakau with them 
(a mode of plighting troth), in order to assure them that 
♦ Valentyn, " B^schryringe van Amboina," p. 17. 
