The higher platform which supported the house measured about 12 feet by 6 feet; it was made of bamboo cross-pieces, interlaced with bark. The roof was covered with grass, and the only aperture was one small door, over which the thatch came closely down. There was just room for a person to crawl in. We had considerable difficulty in inducing the chief to leave his retreat, but at length he summoned up sufficient courage to come out and speak to us. At Amana we noticed no conical houses, the dwellings being for the most part of the kind known as the “lean-to.” We noticed various other curiosities at Amana. One was a rather mysterious grave, just outside the village at the point where the carriers put down their loads. This place, which for some reason or other was regarded as sacred, was surrounded by a low stockade, but no attempt was made to keep the enclosure—which was quite overgrown—in order, and we learned nothing regarding its origin, for the Papuans are a people without a history. The people wore an ornament, which we also noticed among the Tugeri in Dutch New Guinea. This was the oval, highly-polished grey seed of a species of grass which grows at Amana. The villagers wore the seeds on strings or singly in their hair. The Tugeri string the seed into necklaces and wristlets. As the grass grows only at Amana, it is a certain proof of communication between the Tugeri and the hill tribes. THE LUNATIC AT AMANA In the village of Amana we met the only halfwitted Papuan we saw in New Guinea. He had been imbecile from his birth, and at the time we saw him his age was probably from 28 to 30, but it might have been less. He could not speak and was very deaf. He was of a very pale coffee colour, and might probably have stood about 5 feet 6 inches, but he was strangely bent and very thin. He communicated with his fellows by means of signs, and was regarded in the village as quite an amusing character. In fact, to the best of my belief, he was maintained by the villagers simply because of the amusement they got out of him. He had a mother alive who was quite sane, but he himself lived alone, and was very nervous about coming out to see the white man. The tribesmen, however, were determined to show him off, and after a great deal of persuasion he was brought up to me.