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

RECRUITING FOR N ATIVES 7 5

delights ; then he picked up a cocoa-nut and tore the
husk off with his strong teeth. It made me shudder
to watch his brutish movements, but he was perfectly
happy that morning, willing and obedient. At noon
he went away to his horrid feast, and for two days we
saw nobody.

We passed the time as usual; the weather was
rainy again, and everything seemed grey,~—the sky,
the sea and the shore, and our mood. One is so
dependent on surroundings.

On the third day Bourbaki came back, a little
tired, but evidently satisfied. Some of his friends
accompanied him, and he brought word that the chief
had given permission for a few boys to enlist, but
that we would have to wait about ten days until he
could come to the shore himself. Not wishing to
spend the ten days there, doing absolutely nothing,
we decided to go farther south, to Tesbel Bay, and
try our luck at recruiting there, as we had another
boy, Macao, from that district. George gave leave
to Bourbaki, who had been somewhat savage these
last days, to stay at home till our return, and he
seemed delighted to have a holiday. We were all
the more surprised when, just before we weighed
anchor, Bourbaki came back, shaking hands without
a word. We were quite touched by this remarkable
sign of his affection, pardoned his many objectionable
‘ Ways, and never thought that perhaps he might have
ample reason not to feel altogether safe and comfort-
able at home.

The wind being contrary, we had to tack about