d we hoped to see them in about an
hour, or at the most two hours; after waiting and no one coming, we
descended, and when at the creek met a youth coming slowly along and
saying others were following. I felt sure they delayed their coming to
meet us until we should be near the village, where they would take the
bags and receive tobacco and salt; but they were sold; we trudged on, and
would not let them have a bag. We took no notice of those we met, and to
their solicitations asking to carry bags we turned a deaf ear. The
chief's eldest son came along and begged to have my bag. No, on no
condition. The poor old chief was in a sad state; but as we are likely
to require their services some future day, it is necessary to teach them
that for work or service they will be paid, but for skulking, and hoping
to get tobacco and salt, their hopes are futile. We reached the village,
and Oriope did all he possibly could to keep us. No, on we will go; his
sleepy boys may sleep on. We gave him and his little grandchild who
accompanied him presents, bade him good-bye, and away.

6_th_.--Here, and in all the villages we have been, we have seen very few
women and girls, and very few of the young men seem to be married. Do
they kill the girls when born?

7_th_.--Left this morning for a mountain close by, hoping to see the
windings of the Laroki from it. We had to descend 1000 feet, and then
ascend 1800. From the droppings about, I should say the cassowary and
pig abound in the gullies about this mountain. We found on the top a
deserted village and five cocoanut-trees. We could make nothing of the
Laroki, because of thick bush on top. We saw that the Munikahila creek
flows west and south, until, due north of this, it turns sharp and flows
north-by-east and falls into the Goldie. We reached camp with thoroughly
whetted appetites, and enjoyed breakfast and dinner of pigeons and taro.
We call the mountain Mount Elsie. It is north of Vetura, and west and
south of Keninumu. We have seen four new villages close to one another
where a teacher could work well. We have now five positions for
teachers, and I hope before we have finished with this inland trip to
have thirty, giving four and five villages to each teacher. In crossing
one of the spurs, a native and his son brought us bananas, and water in a
bamboo. It is difficult to drink out of a bamboo. Place the open end to
the mouth, raise gradually, look out, here it comes--