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

58 WITH NATIVES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

cabin was about 2 metres long, 1% metre wide,
and 1;: metre high, and was crammed with stuff
—-tinned meats, cloths, guns, trading goods, etc.
One person could wriggle in it, crawling on hands
and knees, but two had to wind round each other
in impossible positions, and it was quite unthink-
able that both should spend the night below. But
with the happy carelessness and impatience of a
long - delayed start, we did not think of the
hardships of the future, and in fair weather, when
the stay on deck in the brisk breeze was extremely
pleasant, as on that first morning, existence on board
seemed very bearable; but when it rained, and it
rained very often and very hard, it was exceptionally
disagreeable.

Mr. George took no interest in such details.
Although he could have improved matters without
much trouble, he was too lazy to take the trouble.
The sun— and rain-sail was fixed so low that one could
not stand upright, and anyone who has experienced
this for some time knows how irritating it is. For
food George did not seem to care at all. Not only
did he lack the sense of taste, but he seemed to have
an unhuman stomach, for he ate everything, at any
time, and in any condition; raw or cooked, digestible
or not, he swallowed it silently and greedily, and
thought it quite unnecessary when I wanted the boys
to cook some rice for me, or to wash a plate. The
tea was generally made with brackish water which
was perfectly sickening. George had always just
eaten when I announced that dinner was ready, and