[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

170 WITH NATIVES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

With regard to the pygmies I must not omit
to mention the following experience. The fact that
among them husband and Wife live together, and
that I had nowhere seen a man with two wives, made
me suspect that this race was monogamous, as other
pygmy races are. I made frequent inquiries, and
was assured that each man was allowed but one wife.
Still, I was not quite convinced, for it seemed strange
to find a monogamous population in the midst of
polygamous tribes. Others having given me similar
information, I began to accept this theory as a fact.
At last, however, I found I had been deceived, as
all the peOple had taken me for a missionary, and
had fancied I was asking them questions in order to
interfere with their matrimonial customs by sending
them a teacher or a “ mission—police-man.” My error
was cleared up, thanks to the investigations of a trader,
for which I am much indebted to him.