ell, and the things we left just as
we hung them up. They are very anxious to have teachers here. We were
telling them that we could see no people, and they have gone and brought
in great crowds, saying, "No people! what are these?" I cut up tobacco
and spread it out on a leaf in the centre of the crowd, and called out,
"For Sogeri." One of their number was appointed by them, and he
distributed it, all sitting quietly round. I got some salt in a paper,
and did as with the tobacco. All rose, and in order approached, took
some and retired, leaving the remainder, nearly half, for a very old man.
The beads I gave to the women, the men saying they ought to have had them
too. "Come and live with us; there is no place like Sogeri--it is good,
it is large, it is peaceful, and there is plenty of food." So say the
Sogerians. I was sitting on the ladder of the house, the crowd sitting
round. Rua was in the bush with his gun; he fired at a bird, and it was
amusing to see the simultaneous jerk of the crowd when they heard the
shot.

28_th_.--Last night, a chief, Biaiori, of Eribagu, slept in the house
with us, to be ready to lead us to his village and other villages about
in the morning. We started about half-past seven; but it was evident at
the start he had been talked over during the night in quiet whisperings,
so as not to take us anywhere but his own village. We walked about a
mile and a half, and came to his village, in a fine dry position, much
preferable to the one we had left--good houses, one house floored with
cedar slabs, and having a fine verandah all round. I wished to see a
chief I had met yesterday, Jaroga, and was told he was at the next
village, so we up with our bundles and away for about half a mile further
on, to a nice clean village. I at once asked Jaroga to lead us to the
places he named yesterday; he was quite willing, and began pointing in
the various directions, and naming the villages, but was soon silenced by
signs and words from others; he then said he could not go; so we left to
go to Epakari; a young man very much attached to Maka, and who has been
with us for ten days, having promised yesterday to lead us there. We had
to carry our bags--not a very agreeable job. We had great excitement at
leaving, our old chief insisting on our going back to Uakinumu; but we
had discarded him, and were determined to find our own way should Someri,
Maka's friend, fail us. I gave orders to keep a good