steady. Ah, too
much raised; it is a deluge streaming over you and nearly choking you.
Try again--well, a little better, yet far from perfect. Choking, are
you? Never mind, practise, and you will soon be an expert--a native in
drinking, truly. The natives have been having a feast. They began with
boiled bananas and finished with a large snake cooked in pots. It was
cut up and divided out amongst all--sixteen eggs were found in her, a
little larger than a good-sized fowl's egg. They seemed to relish it
much, and the gravy was much thought of. They say pig is nothing
compared to snake. Ah, well, tastes differ.

9_th_.--We had a few noisy strangers in the village, and they seemed to
be anxious that all they had to say should be heard in every house. The
conversation is kept up by the inmates of the various houses, and at
times all are speaking and trying to drown one another. A lull comes,
and you fancy the turmoil is ended, and so roll on your side for a sleep;
but, alas, it was only drawing breath, the noise being perhaps worse than
before. Our chief and his wife had a quarrel over something or other
last evening. Of course the woman had the best of it. Strange, she said
very little, but that little seemed to be to the point. Every now and
again he would shout, _Pirikava_! _pirikava_! _pirikava_! (Dear me! dear
me! dear me!), and then scream and rage. The wife would then laugh at
him, which made him worse, screaming and dancing more than ever. She
would then say something, which he would answer, and so quieted him down
a little. All have gone hunting to-day--men, women, and children, pigs
and dogs. Before leaving, they told us if we saw any one sneaking about,
we were to be sure to shoot them; but if they came up openly to us, and
pointed to the nose and stomach, they were friends, and had come for salt
and tobacco. We get our water in canvas bags, and teachers or
missionaries coming inland will require a set of water-bags made from the
very best canvas.

11_th_.--A number of natives have gone to Port Moresby, to help Rua and
Maka with tomahawks, salt, &c. After they left, we went to the bush, and
cut down a number of trees for posts for a house. The chief, Poroko, has
given us land, at an elevation of 1260 feet; splendid view all round; and
if not healthy, I know not where to go, unless it be to the top of Mount
Owen Stanley. There will be plenty of room for taro, sugar-cane, and
coffee plantati