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

RECRUITING FOR NATIVES 65

eyes roll unsteadily, and their dark and penetrating
look is in no wise softened by the brown colouring
of the scela. The nose is only slightly concave,
the sides are large and thick, and their width is
increased by a bamboo or stone cylinder stuck through
the septum. Both nose and eyes are overhung by a
thick 107m. The upper lip is generally short and
rarely covers the mouth, which is exceptionally large
and wide, and displays a set of teeth of remarkable
strength and perfection. The whole body is covered
with a thick layer of greasy soot. Such is the
appearance of the modern man-eater.

Just at first we did not feel any too comfortable
or anxious to go ashore, and we watched our neigh-
bours very carefully. They, however, were hardly
less frightened and suspicious; but after a while,
through the excitement of trading, they became more
confident, forgot their suspicions and bargained
noisily, as happy as a crowd of boys ; still, any violent
movement on our part startled them. For instance,
several of them started to run for the woods when I
hastily grabbed a pipe that a roll of the boat had set
‘ slipping off the seat.

After having filled the boats to the brim with
yams, and the first eagerness of bartering over, we
ventured ashore. A suspicious crowd stood around
us and watched every movement. We first showed
1 them our weapons, and a violent smacking of the lips
and long—drawn whistles, or a grunting, “Whau!”
bespoke a gratifying degree of admiration and

wonder. The longer the cartridges and the larger
5