acquaintances, however, reassured them and made them come up to me and shake hands. I then tried to induce a few men to enter our service as carriers, but failed, so I determined to return and started at once. When I had gone a little way up the ridge, Ow-bow, for some reason best known to himself, persuaded me to let off my gun, whereat the whole of the merry-makers turned out and began to jabber at the rate of nineteen to the dozen. I returned to the camp at Mount Kebea, and for the next week or so experienced rainy weather and great discomfort. All my provisions were gone, and I had to live on sweet potatoes and a few birds we could shoot. I tried eating the _Drepanornis Albertisii_, but it was the most shocking flesh I have ever eaten. We roasted the bird on a split stick and found it as bitter as gall; as was to be expected, I did not go further than the first mouthful, although I was very hungry. CHAPTER XI _A BOY OF SIXTEEN ALONE WITH CANNIBALS_ Further into the Mountains—A Murder—The Settlement of the Blood Price—A Pig for a Life—Harry’s Further Adventures alone among Cannibals—Various other Murders—The Village of Amana—A Tree-House—The Lunatic at Amana— Foula—A Pretty Village. CHAPTER XI ALONE WITH CANNIBALS The next day or two are thus outlined in Harry’s diary:— “_July 17th, 1903._—Some natives arrived from Deva-Deva and two from a village close by called Coo-lu-coo-lu. These natives are going for us to Ekeikei to fetch up our things, but they ask for a gun as they are afraid of the Madui people—likely! “_July 21st._—Father down with fever. “_July 23rd._—Yesterday’s report that a man had been killed proved correct. Getting some fine moths, about 300 last night—good nights are rare. Sam returned to-day with the three boys he took with him; they are to have a few days’ holiday and then they will return to us. Warm, misty, dark nights such as we are having are best for moths. “_July 28th._—To-night the best night we have had as yet, 750 specimens—94 of which were Sphingadae. On nights like this we do not go to bed at all. Getting short of boxes. We have to send to Ekeikei for material.” NOTE ON THE MURDER OF OW-BOW’S BROTHER One evening we heard a woman wailing down in the village and knew that something was wrong. Shortly afterwards the natives began calling, and we learned that some one had been killed. A messenger came up to tell us it was Ow-bow’s brother who had been murdered. The latter man was much disconcerted, and tried to persuade himself that it could not be so. Later on, however, the messenger came up with indisputable news, and we heard that the murder had been occasioned by a proceeding that was to some extent romantic.