operator was able to send any message to a person who understood
this code. The operator seized one mallet with each hand and gave
the thickest section, the _Do_ slat, a blow, followed by a blow with
the left hand mallet on the _Re_ slat; a blow on the _Mi_ slat and on
the _Fa_ slat followed in quick succession. These four notes, given
rapidly and repeated several times, represented the tuning up of the
"wireless," calculated to catch the attention of the operator at the
_maloca_ up-creek. The sound was very powerful, but rather pleasant,
and made the still forest resound with a musical echo. He repeated this
tuning process several times, but received no answer and we proceeded
for a mile. Then we stopped and signalled again. Very faintly came
a reply from some invisible source. I learned afterwards that at
this time we were at least five miles from the answering station. As
soon as communication was thus established the first message was sent
through the air, and it was a moment of extreme suspense for me when
the powerful notes vibrated through the depth of the forest. I shall
never forget this message, not only because it was ethnographically
interesting, but because so much of my happiness depended upon
a favourable reply. I made the operator repeat it for my benefit
when we later returned to our village, and I learned it by heart by
whistling it. When printed it looks like this:

After each message the operator explained its meaning. The purport
of this first message was so important to me that I awaited the
translation with much the same feelings that a prisoner listens for
the verdict of the jury when it files back into the court-room.

Questions and answers now came in rapid succession. "A white man
is coming with us; he seems to have a good heart, and to be of good
character."