He comes up to me and begins feeling the muscles of my arms, my legs, my back. He seems impressed. Then he indicates he wants to put something around my wrist.

"What's does he want, Budi?" I ask.

"He wants to weave a friendship bracelet."

Other Mentawai are making bracelets on the other trekkers. These are made of fine brown stems, and when finished are so tightly made, they can not come off readily. Though there is a secret trick. Put your hand in a plastic bag, stuff it under the bracelet all around, double it back, grab the extended part and give a quick jerk. Presto. But now you can't get it back on.

Montro seems quite interested in me and periodically converses with Budi as they both look at me. Finally Budi explains, " He believes his dead mother's spirit went to America and came back in you to see how he's doing. He wants you to come and live with him."

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