They behave to each other with the greatest justness and openness of
heart. It is a crime to keep anything hidden. On the other hand, the
least pilfering is unpardonable, and punished by death. And indeed
there can be no great temptation to steal when it is reckoned a point
of honour never to refuse a neighbour what he wants; and when there is
so little property of value it is impossible there should be many
disputes over it. If any happened, the wise-ones interposed, and soon
put an end to the difference.
In all my travels I never met with happier or more gently disposed
persons than the people of the Male and Female Islands of Engano.
CHAPTER XXXIX
I BECOME A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC INFELICITY
Next morning the wise-ones, according to promise, informed me, by means
of their power of second sight, that my ship was in the place where I
had left her, which seemed probable, as it would no doubt be on land
that Hartog and my friends would be looking for me.
I passed my word to the wise-ones that Hartog's vessel would not visit
the Engano Islands, since strangers were not welcome; and, having bid
good-bye to the Amazons, I once more embarked with Sylvia in her canoe,
and was paddled round the east end of the Great Barren Island, where,
in the distance, was the "Golden Seahorse" still at anchor in the bay
where I had last seen her.
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