The tribesmen come to the dance fully armed, bearing spears 10 feet long, which were often splendidly decorated with birds’ feathers; over the point would be slung a pod full of seeds, which rattled as the spear was brandished in the dance. When we left Waley we pursued a very winding path through steep valleys, zig-zaging up the face of precipices and along the tops of almost razor-like ridges. On our return to the Kebea we picked a very fine crop of beans of our own sowing. The Papuan bean is broader than ours, and is gathered at a rather later stage; it is largely cultivated in the native villages. Once at the Kebea we had seriously to face the problem of getting down to the coast. Here we were with all our collections on our hands, as well as our stores and “trade” to meet the charges of our carriers none too plentiful. Obviously, the right plan would be to get the natives to engage to carry for us right down to Pokama on Hall Sound, for if we should be faced with the necessity of paying off a gang at Ekeikei, we should be cleaned right out of the equivalent of ready cash. I opened negotiations tentatively, and allowed the idea to get wind among my followers; then the thing began to be mooted in camp conversations, and the men would go off to discuss it with their womenkind. At first they were in great doubt, saying that it was very far, they did not know the country beyond such a place, and they would be very frightened in strange districts, especially on their return. At our invitation they gathered for a great conference, and I may be said to have summoned a Papuan Parliament, which immediately went into committee to discuss ways and means. I sent out Ow-bow, and several reliable fellows whom we knew to be willing to go all the way with us, to induce the others to come to the congress, and when we got them together we told them that if they would go to Hall Sound with us, we would make each man a certain payment, enumerating the different articles we were prepared to pay on our arrival at Pokama. We added that if any one preferred that his wages should include a preponderance of tobacco, or beads, or calico, over other articles, we should be quite agreeable. [Illustration: FISHING WITH THE SPIDER’S-WEB NET. The natives are here using the curious net prepared in the manner shown in another picture. ]