I could see the women rushing out by an opening at
the other side; pigs, dogs, nets, and other valuables were being carried
off; they were rushing off wildly away into the bush. I was very anxious
to get right in, and meant to before I went to the boat. My beads were
all done up in small parcels, so I could throw them about easily. A poor
old woman was sitting under the nearest house, bewailing her sad lot,
with an infant, the mother of which had very likely gone off to the bush
to hide the valuables and to return for the child, or perhaps she was
upstairs packing up. I threw the poor old dame a packet of beads for
herself and another for the child. Spying another old lady close by on
the opposite side, I threw her one. It had the desired effect; my
friend, the chief, who stood guard at the opening, now conceived the
"happy thought" that something could be made out of me.
"Would you like to walk round and look at the village?"
"Yes, I should."
"Come, then;" and, giving me his hand, he led me, attended by an armed
crowd, to every house, on the verandahs of which I deposited a packet of
beads.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110