payment for him. Some of the Másingára men refused to take payment, and once when Soráre, a certain Mawáta man, ignorant of danger, went alone to his garden a bushman who was climbing a tree at a distance saw him and together with some of his friends came and shot him. Soráre shouted for help, and his people came and carried him home where he died, but the Másingára men ran away. After the dead man was buried the Mawáta people debated whether they should take revenge or claim compensation, and they decided for the latter. Two men went to Másingára and were given a girl in payment by Soráre, and she married his brother, whose. name was Móre, and their child should in time come to fill Soráre's place. In addition to the girl the Másingára people presented the family of the dead man with a great number of bows and arrows.

But Móre's desire for revenge had not ceased, and after a time he and some friends laid a trap for one of the bushmen. They asked him to fetch down some coconuts and when he was climbing down, they caught hold of him and killed him by dislocating his limbs and neck. Then they left him under the coconut tree, making the people believe that he had fallen down by accident. After a time the bushmen came to ask for their missing friend, and the Mawáta men said that he had gone back to Másingára. The bushmen's attention was drawn to some fresh coconuts lying on the ground and on going to investigate they heard the buzz of the flies swarming over the body of their friend and smelt the stench, and thus found him. He was carried home, but the truth was never discovered. (Sáibu, Mawáta).

344. When hunting pigs in the bush the Mawáta people once came across the tracks of some Bádu bushmen with whom they were at enmity. The bushmen were busy stealing the coconuts of the Mawáta people. Cautiously following the tracks the Mawáta hunters stole upon the enemy, and when sufficiently near they shot at them, and some they struck with their clubs. A certain Mawáta man named Kanári shot one of the Bádu men in the eye, and in the frenzy of the fight the bushman became cranky", so he drew out the arrow and handed it back to Kanári, and the next time the latter shot him dead with the same arrow. The heads of the dead bushmen were cut off. Whoever had killed many people was formerly regarded as a big man", said the narrator. (Amúra, Mawáta).

345. Once a certain Másingára man came and told the Mawáta people that some bushmen were stealing their coconuts. The Mawáta men armed themselves and went to fight the bushmen. Auda, the narrator's elder brother, caught hold of a bushwoman and called his brother saying, ,,Námai, you come fight (strike) him that woman here." And Námai ran up to her with his stone club but felt reluctant to kill her as she was a woman. ,,I no want head belong woman," he said. I want head belong man." Another man then came and killed her and out off her head. The Mawáta people returned from the fight with two captured heads. (Námai, Mawáta).

"

346. Gaméa, the son of the great Mawáta leader Máinou, had married a Kiwai woman, and Máinou thought to himself, I want pay for woman belong boy, go kill bushman." He sent word to the Kíwai men to come and fight the Djibáru bushmen, and the Másingára and Saibai men also joined the expedition. When they came to Kúru on the coast Máinou leaving the rest.

to wait, went on alone to ask a number of Djibáru men to come to Kúru promising to give them coconuts and shell-fish. The Mawáta men waited on the beach, but the rest of the varriors lay hidden in the bush, for otherwise they would have frightened the Djibáru people prematurely.

The Djibáru men arrived and sat down with the Mawáta people on the shore. All of a sudden the bushmen were attacked by their hidden enemy, and everyone of them were slain. Their heads were cut off and given to the Kíwais in payment for Gaméa's wife. (Gaméa, Mawáta).

A. Máinou summoned the Mawáta, Kíwai, and Sáibai people to Kúra and there laid an ambush for the Djibáru people. He went himself and brought the Djibáru men thither promising them coconuts. The canoes had been hidden out of sight excepting Máinou's. Without suspecting danger the Djibáru men were surrounded and Máinou gave the signal to attack by rising and holding up his hands, and the sound of the fight was like that of a strong wind. The captured heads were given to the Kiwais, who presented the Mawáta and Sáibai people with canoes and received sago in return. (Sáibu, Mawáta).

When Sáibu, the narrator, was a small boy, he and his father Dágai, his mother. Idábe, and two sisters Óibu and Súruka were once returning in a canoe from Mábudaváne to Mawáta, paddling close to the shore. At Rámedji they were attacked by a party of bushmen who ran towards them and caught hold of their outrigger. The canoe capsized, and all the things inside were lost, before Dágai had time to save them. The people on board sought shelter under the canoe which was floating bottom up, keeping their heads above the surface inside the dug-out craft. Dágai pushed the canoe further and further away from the shore. The bushmen shot at them, and many of the arrows stuck in the bottom of the canoe but did not hit the people in the water. At length the canoe came out on deep water, and Dágai got up and looked round. The bushmen could not swim and went away. Then Dágai managed to turn the canoe upon an even keel, he was obliged to tie up the children to the cross-poles, for they were half dead and could not keep upright. The canoe was full of water, and they had nothing to empty it with. The man and woman paddled it ashore at Kúra with their hands and left it there. At Wadáia they met some of their fellow-villagers, and a fire was lighted, and the fugitives were given food. Dágai related their adventure, and the canoe was brought home.

Some time afterwards the Mawáta people went to take revenge upon the bushmen, Dágai leading the way. They saw two bushmen in a garden and formed a cordon round them. Dágai caught the one bushman by the hand saying, „Here, you fellow play along me; I go pay back along you fellow now!" The people rushed into the garden, and Dágai killed the two men with his stone club, and their heads were cut off. The outrigger of the canoe was stuck in the ground close to the two bodies to show why the men had been killed. After a time the two dead men were found by their friends who understood their history from the outrigger. The bringing home of the two heads to Mawáta was celebrated with a pipi dance. (Sáibu, Mawáta).

348. Once a Mawáta boy named Gagáre went alone in the direction of the Gésóvamúba point to shoot fish, using a five-pronged arrow. Presently he was seen by a Bádu bushman who thought to himself, „Oh, one man he come (he comes alone)!". The bushman laid himself down in wait on the beach and covered himself with sea-weed so as not to be seen. Without suspecting

any danger the boy walked along, and all of a sudden the bushman jumped up and shot him dead. He unstrung the boy's bow, thrust the bow in his victim's mouth right through the body, the end protruding through the anus, and then he refastened the string. In that position he left the body and went home.

The boy was found by his friends who were filled with rage. They drew out the bow and buried the boy with great lamentation. Afterwards they went to take revenge, but they did not treat the bushmen in the same fashion. They only cut off their heads. (Amúra, Mawáta).

THE FIGHT BETWEEN MASINGARA AND DARU.

349. The Híamu or ancient Dáru people once went to visit Másingára, that was before the Mawáta people had moved to their present village. Before the Híamu reached their destination they rested in the bush a little distance off and portioned out the different lots of fish and dugong meat which they intended to give to their friends. On their arrival to the village they found the men away hunting pigs and cassowaries. Both parties had previously decided upon the day of the visit by splitting a coconut leaf between them for a tally, each people keeping a half of the leaf which they hung up in the men's house, and a part of the leaf was removed each day to keep an account of the time. The Másingára men had forgotten to count one day, and expecting their visitors on the morrow they had gone to procure food. The women were at home, and among them was the wife of one of their leaders, and she had given birth to a child the night. before.

The Másingára women called out, „Oh, Dáru people! Oh, Dáru people!" and they welcomed their friends. A certain Dáru man went to the woman with the new-born baby, for her husband was a friend of his, but she said, "Oh, you no come close to me, I been born pickaninny last night, I stop no good. By-and-by I ask somebody give you kaikai." "Never mind," said he,,,I come close to you. No good you tell him other woman bring kaikai, more better you bring him self." ,,Oh, I no strong now, pickaninny been leave him empty body, too much I shake, I no can take kaikai." Thus she remonstrated, but he kept on asking her to fetch him some coconuts, till at length she yielded (abbrev.). She had only a short grass petticoat on, which did not screen her from his gaze while climbing. When she came down, he commanded her to husk the coconuts, and as she sat down, he caught hold of her and outraged her.

The Dáru people did not await the arrival of the Másingára men but departed after having received presents of coconuts for which they gave fish in return. The Másingára women asked them to come back soon to receive more food, and again a coconut leaf was split between the two peoples to enable them to keep an account of the days till their next meeting The Dáru man who had outraged the woman painted himself with clay and put some red flowers in his hair, and his friends concluded that he had done some particular thing at Másingára.

The Másingára hunters all brought home a lot of game except the man whose wife had been outraged, and she scolded him for having left her alone so shortly after her delivery, ind told him what had happened. He said nothing but went away from the other men who were drinking gámoda and made a number of bow-strings. Then he returned to the village and put

down one bow-string and one arrow in each of the men's houses, and without mentioning the Dáru people he said to the men,,,Who man he strong, he take this one." The people wondered among themselves, "What name (why) he put that thing? More better you me believe (obey) him." And the great fighting leaders picked up the bow-strings and arrows. They brought home some branches of a certain bush with gay-coloured leaves called pía, which is associated with fighting, and at each of the men's houses a certain man vigorously pulled one branch through his hand, so that the leaves fell to the ground where they were left to decay; this action also referred to war.

The Másingára men were ready for war and awaited the arrival of the Dáru people. Some of them had friends in Dáru whom they wanted to save, and in such a case it is customary among the bushmen to chew some betelnut and spit the red juice at the man in question who thus marked will he spared by everybody.

The Dáru people went, and speared dugong and turtle in order to take the meat with them to Másingára. The man who had outraged the Másingára woman anticipated trouble and said to a friend of his, I been do something along Másingára woman, more better you me (we) stop, by-and-by (otherwise) them fellow kill you me." And the two pretended to be ill and remained at home. The rest of the people set off to Másingára and when they came near the place, they rested and divided out the portions of meat which they intended for their various friends.

On the appointed day the Másingára boys who had been set to watch called out, „Oh, Dáru people! Oh, Dáru people!" The mats were removed from the men's houses, and some leafspathes of a certain palm were spread out instead to prevent the blood from defiling the floor where the people slept. Some men said to their wives, "I kill him that Dáru man; you kill him wife belong him." It was also arranged to spare certain good men and women, for after the fight the bushmen wanted to make friends again with the Dáru people.

The visitors arrived and were asked to sit down in the different houses. The outraged Másingára man waited for his particular enemy to come before starting the fight; but the man did not turn up. The bushman asked for him and heard that he was ill and had remained at home. „Oh, that no good," thought he, but he wanted to fight all the same, for he was „too. much strong inside". So he drew his bow at another Híamu man and shot him, calling out at the same time, „Dime (fight)! Where that man heen humbug my woman? You think I small boy?" There was a great fight and bloodshed, some Dáru people were shot and others run through with wooden spears (bágari). A few were saved by their friends and ran away. Some wounded fugitives dropped down on the path. A number of people lost their way in the bush. The Másingára men ran in pursuit and killed anyone they could get hold of. Two or three Dáru canoes escaped, and the Másingára people shouted after them,. „Next time no more fight. Next time byand-by friend." Whereupon they explained the cause of the fight.

The Dáru fugitives wailed in their canoes,

1, Eh, iviri kutáigo eh sáradi kutáigo eh djódji vurája eh djódjí vurája eh djódji kutáigo. Oh, altogether my good brother, altogether poor people he dead now."

2. „ĺviri mawári mógiwúda káwaríma sȧbu sáeba. people, this time too short (few), no much people."

That time me come, me plenty.

The fugitives who had lost their right way walked along the beach to Aberemúba. There they constructed rafts to ferry themselves over to Dáru, but some of the rafts were made of heavy timber and sank, and the people were drowned. The Dáru people made up the following songs: 3. „Eh, djamdjangápa úbugánu taiane úbuganúa djámdjangápa táiane djámdjangápa. Altogether he been sink, big wind make him man lose. You me (we) fool go big wind time." 4. „Nágatáta ima nágatáta ima sára gimia buibuiáva - Some man he look from beach: 'All same wood, all same man?' Oh, he come shore now."

The survivors reached the shore and related their misfortunes to the people (abbrev.). Bad news came from every quarter to Dáru. The people were told the cause of the fight with Másingára and determined to kill the man who had neglected to warn the people, although he was the origin of the trouble. But none of them cared to do the killing part. Then they resolved to kill him by means of sorcery. One man was found to possess puripuri" for causing bad sores, another for causing the victim to become very thin and feeble, and a third for causing him to be taken by a shark, but none of these methods were approved of. At last the right man was found, though he had been afraid to speak before of his secret power. He poisoned" the culprit and his friend. Their people wailed and buried them but did not dare to start any quarrel. After this incident the old folks used to warn the people not to humbug" the bushwomen when visiting their villages, for that would cause great trouble. Contrary to the women of the coast the bushwomen tell such secrets at once to their husbands, said the narrator. Mawáta).

A. The Dáru people sailed off in five canoes to visit Másingára and landed at the mouth of the Bínatúri where at that time there was no Mawáta village. The Másingára men were away hunting. One of the Dáru men named Witámu compelled the wife of his Másingára friend Akáru to climb up a coconut tree to fetch him fruit and outraged her, although she had given birth to a child the previous night. The visitors left, and Akáru was furious when hearing of the treachery of his friend. He made new bow-strings and prepared poison for the arrows of his fellow-villagers, and they determined to attack the Dáru people on their next visit. Which they did, and Akáru shot Witámu with two arrows. But although badly wounded, Witámu had strength to retaliate; he first shot Akáru's wife dead and then killed Akáru himself with his stone club. Witámu himself was slain by the Másingára men and with him a great many Dáru people. A few only were saved by their Másingára friends.

The Dáru fugitives found their canoes missing, for Akáru had sent some people to cut off the ropes and let the canoes drift away. They had to walk to Aberemúba, and there they constructed rafts to get over to Dáru, but those built of heavy wood sank, and the people perished. The people at home were told the bad news and wailed. At sunset the sky was very red (,,all same red calico"), and the people thought, "That (is) blood belong poor brother belong me fellow. And they sang, Blood belong Dáudai (the part of the mainland of New Guinea facing the Torres straits) he fast along cloud, close to Adíri (the land of the dead)." The Híamu people were so disheartened after their great losses that nearly all of them abandoned Dáru and sailed to Múralag. Originally their language was different from that of Mawáta, but those who remained in Dáru adopted the Mawáta language. (Gaméa, Mawáta).

,Dáudai kurka mataiba Daudáia kibu kibúia.

1. Oh, míakurka oh kúrkamatáiba eh Dáudaia kúrka kúrka matáiba oh Dáudaia kibúia igarmáiba igarpálagidja. Oh, I look blood there along. Dáudai, he been kill man belong me fellow."