28 



JUNGLE ISLAND 



overseeing his cattle, his alligator-pear orchard, or 

 some other venture. He spoke very good English, 

 Spanish, and a little ''African," whatever that 



Fig. 12. John English 



may be. With him were Santiago, the workman 

 I had had the day before, who spoke English, 

 Spanish, and a French patois, and Necto, who 

 spoke only Spanish, but who was extremely polite 

 and pleasant in that language. Before he took 

 my pack he was always particular to shake my 

 hand and ask after my health. 



Santiago was clever in many ways, and I found 

 him especially useful because he was a good 

 camp-fire cook, and could be trusted to boil the 



