The
natives of Oriramamo, the highest village, told us they went from there
to Eikiri in one day.
The people of Meroka are very mixed, some very dark, others very light.
Some of the women had quite an Eastern Polynesian look; some of the
children were well-formed, and really pretty. A few men had
light-coloured whiskers; curly heads abounded, although a number had
straight hair. They say they are not Koiari. The Koiari comprises
Munikahila, Eikiri, Sogeri, Taburi, Makapili Pakari; and Eikiri is N.W.
from Oriramamo; Mount Bellamy is W.N.W. A high round mountain, I have
named Ben Cruachan, east; Mount Nisbet, W.S.W. The high rock on the
easterly side of Mount Nisbet is just over the house where we slept, and
will be known in future as the Clachan. They say there are five kinds of
wild animals on the mountains at the back, and but for these they could
easily cross to Kupele. The Jakoni, Gomina, and Agila are very large and
fierce. The Papara and Gadana are small, but fierce. We were eating
biscuits, and they begged for a very small piece each, to keep as a charm
to help them catch pigs.
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