the similarities
in distribution upon the bodies of their decorations, and bearing
in mind the evidence obtained from native sources, which, though
obviously only fragmentary and insufficient in character, is so far
as it goes distinctly confirmatory, I am impelled to suggest that
Father Clauser's theory is not without foundation, and indeed amounts,
subject to the question of the species of bird of paradise, to a very
substantial possibility. And it is undoubtedly an interesting one. [94]

Toys and Games.

The Mafulu children have neither dolls nor other toys, and do not
make cat's-cradles. The young boys amuse themselves with small bows
and arrows and spears, which they make themselves. One common sport
is for the boys, armed with their spears, to stand in a row and for
another boy to roll in front of them a ball, made out of the root of a
banana tree, with its many rootlets intertwined, and for the boys to
try to hit it with their spears as it passes them. A similar game is
played in Mekeo and on the coast; but there the ball is often made
out of the outer fibre of a cocoanut. Small boys and girls amuse
themselves with glissading down the steep grassy slopes. There is
also a sort of fighting game for boys, in which young men sometimes
join. A number of them divide themselves into two opposing groups,
all armed with little darts, made of reeds on which a few leaves
are left at the head ends; and these two groups mutually attack
each other, advancing and retreating, according to the fortunes of
the fight. Boys, and men also, play at tug-of-war, using long canes
for ropes; and boys and girls have swings, constructed either by
looping two flexible rope-like tree stems together at the bottom,
or with a single rope, with a loop at the bottom, in which to place
their feet. But there are no racing or jumping or gymnastic games,
and no group or singing children's games.

CHAPTER XV

Counting, Currency and Trade

Counting.

Mafulu counting is accomplished by the use of two numerals (one and
two) and of the word "another" and of their hands and feet [95];
and with these materials they have phraseology for counting up to
twenty as follows:--

1 = _Fida_ (one).

2 = _Gegedo_ (two).

3 = _Gegedo minda_ (two and another).

4 = _Gegedo ta gegedo_ (two and two).

5 = _Gegedo ta gegedo minda_ (two and two and another) [or _Bodo fida_
(one hand)].

6 = _Gegedo ta gegedo ta gegedo_ (two and two a