“From God And We.”

DESPITE the primitive nature of the native people of Boigu—an island only three miles away from the south-east coast of New Guinea, but still in the administrative tangle of Northern Australia, a part of Queens land —there is always a warm welcome for the rare and occasional visitor who drops in.

When a party consisting of Mr. C.

Buxton, Protector of Aborigines, Dr. and Mrs. W. Bevington, of Thursday Island, and the writer, recently called at the island there was intense excite ment, which culminated in an enthu siastic presentation, accompanied by some perfervid native oratory.

The first indication of this ceremony was when the frantic squawks of a harassed fowl reached the ears of the party while it was being pursued by a number of small boys and dogs in pre paration for the presentation. Finally, the unfortunate bird was run down, and when nearly everybody had assembled in the centre of the village a native councillor made a speech which, for its spontaneous warmth, would have done credit to a suburban alderman extend ing a civic welcome to some visiting celebrity. Then the fowl, accompanied by an assortment of mangoes, yams, bananas, and eggs, was handed over with the intimation that it came “from God and we.”

When we returned to the dinghy to row out to the Melbidir, the entire population of the island assembled on the beach and kept up a musical chorus of “Yoh-waw” —which means “Good bye”—until we were back on the ketch again.—Linda Burkitt.