not want them to. Sometimes they are wanted for misdemeanors in the native village. It is in such instances that the recruiters run into trouble with them and the skirmishing begins. The niggers will do anything to get back from a recruiter a nigger who has signed on as a means of escape. Often a boy signs on when his family have arranged a marriage for him. The recruiter, of course, will do anything to keep the boy, as each one is worth fifteen pounds to him. Sometimes a recruiter will come back with as many as thirty recruits (Capt. Bert Hall returned from Santa Cruz with 110) and make a very neat profit. Other times they get none. All sorts of wile and strategem have been brought into the game and some recruiters have been known to give away presents to the boys as they sign on. The chances for getting a good haul of recruits run in direct proportion to adversity of the times in their tribe, and it turns out to be a parasitical proposition from beginning to end. Walked over the only mountain on the island today. Nothing else doing. We still postpone shoving off for Gizo. Tuesday, September 27. (Tulagi). Hannibal, I and Tom Elkington rowed over to Gala this afternoon to do some collecting. We had quite a lot of fun with the little cook nigger of the 'Awa' who steered for us and guided us through the bush to the village of a Gala tribe living on the top of Gala Mountain. We were still looking for the white pigeon that Beck asked us to get for him. We saw no signs of it, however. Tom Elkington shot a bird which re- sembles a large Australian eagle and a dark pigeon of some variety. We shall take them up to Beck and find out what they are and if he has any use for them. Hannibal and I had another very pleasant evening with Mr. Scrivinger and Mr. Heritage playing bridge. Afterwards we stayed