(SPECIALLY comereD FOR THE
"out Cutwa Darty News.") early morn I was up to drink the milk of " fine large cocoanut, " delicious rink and good for the stom: ch, There was time to take a good Twk at the sur rounding country, magnificent with hills, and to gulp duim along draught of pure cvol morning air before breakfast at seven. My hosts ad spread for me a fowl, with vegetables "ud fruit, and a glass of good gin "8 an xppetiser. Ifared worse when, after breakfast, I went down to the beach again for my large ease of belongings, which I had left covered up but out' of doors through the night, It se-med to be a bit lighter, though T could not di-cover it_had been opened. However, on getting it ap to the house, I found it had certainly been plundered and Fitzpatrick afterwards explained to my ignorance that the natives make exceedingly clever thieves.
Johnny, whom I had engaged to accompany me on the first stage of my trip round the island, turned out most excellent guide and I had to thank him for many kindnesses. I took for myself only my lunch, some tobacco, and matches, which I had learned by experience natives always expect to get from a white man. Johnny marched ahead, his gun ready loaded over his shoulder and prepared for ai. emergencies. I also was well in practice with my gun at that time and should have known how to make the natives run before me. We had tramped just about six miles when we came in sight of a house evidently occupied by foreigners. We were still a quarter of a mile away when three big black dogs came tearing out viciously towards us. I grabbed the gun from Johnny, brought it to bear on one of the brutes, and, when it came within a few yards, fired and fetched it down. The others turned yelping back. Johnny reloaded and we Followed straight on to the house, where at the door stood three white men and two dogs barking around them.
"Come in," said one of the men.
No I won't," said 1 all indignant, you saw me coming along and you ak-lowed those brates of dogs to try and hunt me away. Is that the way you hunt people before they come near your house? If these dogs had got at us they would hare torn us in pieces. Luckily I shot one, and the other two came come T shoot hem both, Bow it, buck in quick '-me, bat if they attempt to for I'ma man of my werd."
And with that we turned and left these inhospitable people. Teould very well see they wanted 1 visitors, Not much further on we came to the territory of another tribe and s" I must lose the company of Johany. We parted with mutual good wishes, he declaring that he would give the house of the dogs good wide berth, and I furnishing him with matches for nis journey. I went on nlone and presently arrived at the en: rance of a native village. A few blacks came stealing round me and it seemed a good opportunity to ask about land. One man armed with a double-barreled gun asked we if I wanted socoanuts. I answered that my requirement was land and tried to make him understand by motions. All the time 1 had my eye on the barrel of his gun, but he managed to get it pointed at my breast and I would have been in a bad way had it not been that other natives rushed out to my aid. "As they swung the man round from behind, the triggers went off and both shots flew harmlessly into the air. One of the men who knew a little English told me my wsailant was not the chief of the tribe, and after he had given me some other information, I arranged with him to come on with me as guide.
Our road took us along the sandy sea beach and we saw no more islanders for aten mile stretch. My intention was to call next on Ross Lucien, the oldest settler on the island, a man much disliked by the natives. To protect himself he not only kept savage dogs but also maintained a bodyguard of 100 armed Sandwich Islanders. It must have been four o'clock in the afternoon when I arrived on his cultivated estate. I saw a collection of fine dwellings and other indications that the owner was living in some sort of luxury. We passed a large field of tomatoes, and then, a little further on, some of the Sandwich Islanders, who looked sharply at us from out of the whites of their eyes. After my previous experience I had some misgivings but hoped that a man who had so many blessings bestowed on him would receive a poor wayfarer kindly. At last by an out-house I saw standing tall red-haired Scotsman, whom I saluted and congratulated on the fine place he had got. He led me up to the house itself and made me acquainted with his people. When I told them how tired I was after my long tramp and asked if I could stay the night, they put me up at once, but I did not feel inclined to enter into any great confidence with them until I should know more about them. For the present I had made up my mind to return to Wargoose, but I passed a very comfortable night anyway.
At daybreak I set about putting my resolve into effect and started back with my guide for Wargoose. Except that I took good care to keep clear of the settlers with the dogs nothing exceptional happened on the way, and by two o'clock I yas at my journey's end, Fitzpatrick had not really much to offer in the way of a partnership: the hut was a miserable enough shanty, but I decided to work with him for a while at all events. And to comfort me there was always my friend Johnny, who would tell me the most blood-curdling yarns of the natives and their sneaking treacherous ways. On the first morning after my return I had what seemed at first a rather alarming experience. I was out early on the estate, looking at the crops of cotton and coffee and thinking how well almost anything would grow in this rich, dark, loamy soil. Across the Black Beach there was a high rocky headland, and chancing to look in that direction I saw a long file of natives all laden with burdens climbing round the shoulder and making in our direction. I asked Johnny
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.