Journal of Edwin H. Bryan, Jr. while with the Whitney Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History on the schooner France, February to October 1924
Page 491
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by American Museum of Natural History. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Caught a series of blue bugs with red and white spots, yellow brown beneath, on the seedy-looking lettuce plants which I was told were "mustard." At the village bought a small pandanus mat for a shilling and a piece of tapa 3/. There were no stone implements. After diligent enquiring through an interpreter I was shown a modern circular grindstone and then a metal adze. They had apparently long ago lost their stone utensils. The houses are ovate elliptical of very simple construction. A rectangular frame on four posts supports the slant roof, which is straight and not curved like the two ends. The side walls are about 51/2 feet high, covered by overlapping laced coconut leaves, tied to a light framework of coconut wood. (Side Elevation) (end view) (Plan.) The posts are of yesi. The roof is thatched with pandanus leaves on light framework of coconut trunk "scantlings." At one end is a bed, made of light framework over which are spread several of the large pandanus mats. The red and orange fringes hang at different levels on the side, making the entire side of the bed a series of colored bands. Followed trail north and east across to sand beach about half way up east coast. Did not cross stream marked on chart.