4

(4) [centred] 11 [written in pencil]

away in their huts. Amidst much laughter, scraping of
hands and incessant shouts of Marbiack taag -
taag!* the trading went briskly on, and in a very
short time I had purchased 200 pair of shell. At first
all the usual precautions adopted when trading with
Savages were observed, one man covering me with
his carbine while I was stooping over the trade box, but
before long the arms were laid aside and all hands
were busy receiving and stowing away the shell.

Neither then, nor afterwards during my whole intercourse
with them, was there the least attempt to extort more than
the stipulated price; indeed, some weeks later when
a dearth of tomahawks was impending, and I raised
the price to 15 pair of shells, there was no dissatis-
faction expressed. By this time mutual confidence
had been established, and two of the tribe volunteered
to go with me to Mulgrave island, and were away
in the boat for three days. On returning to Marbiack
I went on shore and was received by some 30 or 40
men of the tribe. From much whispered consultation
in which the words "Ipikagee, and taag - nino -
taag⁺, were frequently repeated, I gathered that they
were debating as to whether the women should be
sent for, and the matter was apparently decided by
my two friends vouching for our peaceful intentions -
A present of beads distributed among the women and
children who then came forward from the mangroves,
behind which they watched our proceedings, was re-
ceived with much rejoicing, and, what is rare among
Savages there was no begging for more. In five sub-
sequent visits to these people in each of which I spent
a week at the island I never had reason to alter
the very favorable opinion I formed of them during

*Jervis island. Peace! Peace! --- ⁺ Women - Peace, really Peace!