Tuesday
October 19
1926

Oompah returned today for with the arrival of the transport from Head Camp, Jordans sent another convict and a Dyak after them. Van [Leeuwen] sent back a note saying they had seen nothing of interest as yet but were not far enough away. He reported finding a new and unknown specimen of orchid, he would write again. Matt finished {F4.45} packing the collection and it was all ready for the transport tomorrow. Igoone and the rest of the natives with one or two exceptions were not present. Later in the evening we learned that he had returned with the visiting women who had made a special trip down to see these strange people who were visiting Igoone. The little Pygmy woman is still here though. There was some trading done during the day and before the collection is even packed more comes in for another bunch. Matt divided it and Jordans selected for Leroux and that was added to the transport[’]s load going down. It goes quickly. In the evening, Dick, Matt and I went over to the village after Igoone and his little girl and several others had visited with us. Dick brought one of his movie flares and when it was dark enough he put a match to it. The entire village and tropical background made a beautifyl [sic] picture as the flare burned and made everything light as day. The people got a big thrill out of it. They were not afraid but intensely interested and talked excitedly as they came out of the houses to witness this unusual day time scene in the jungle blackness of night. It will make a good picture. The flash light also aroused them considerably. Dick returned to develop the remainder of his still pictures taken at Aeimba and Matt and I sat in the men[’]s house with Igoone and the rest of them. About twelve were present. They sang songs for us and it was a congenial atmosphere as we sat around the log fire in the center of the house and listened to their songs. The songs are very musical and are slow and soft. After they had sang [sic] several for us Matt and I gave them a few of ours. The corn in Ioway, Sweet Adaline [sic, = Sweet Adeline,] expecially [sic] the latter went over big. Excited tapping of the penis cases and a cry of who whoo after [the] college yell style greeted the finish of the well known American song which has become so famous as a result of prohibition. They are extremely {F4.46} fond of modulation and sat spell bound with interest as we with our poor attempt sang soft and low and then broke out loud and boisterously. The house of course was quite dark by [sic, = but] the glowing embers in the fire threw just enough light about to make the scene an interesting one. It was an interesting experience to sit around and watch them. Their singing is lead [sic] by one of them and the rest of them join in after taking a deep inhale similar to that of their smoking. Matt says their songs remind him of the Southern Negro revival meeting singing. After one of our spirit[ed] Sweet Adaline [sic] demonstrations the wife of Igoone shouted sonething [sic] from her house. He said she was pleased with the song, but it might also have been a regular wife’s retort to can the noise for the women folks wanted to sleep. We know not. It rained the usual amount during the evening.