ch. xiv.] An Evening Party. 295 



left off too soon." Here, however, it is the customary 

 fashion, and as such is honoured. How graceful were 

 the figures of some of these young girls ! Perfect little 

 Amazons, lithe of limb and having regular features, eyes 

 full of gentle expression, and a richness of raven hair most 

 European ladies might envy. It is pleasant to know 

 that these dusky girls, lovely as some of them are, will 

 never be degraded to anything worse than field labour, 

 which is a far better lot than that of their Malayan 

 sisters along the coast, whose personal charms chance to 

 be interesting. AVe found out later on in the evening 

 that the pretty damsel who had first brought us fruit was 

 the headman's daughter, " Sa' Tira" by name. Most of 

 the evening she knelt by the fire, her dainty little fingers 

 busily making cigarettes for her papa's guests, many of 

 whom had arrived from other villages near to look at us. 

 Altogether we spent a very pleasant evening with these 

 hospitable people, and we have no doubt but that they 

 will long look back to our visit themselves, seeing that 

 whole months frequently elapse without their seeing any- 

 one from the coast even, much less a white man or two 

 from far-off Labium. 



August 21st. — Our buffalo had wandered from her moor- 

 ings during the night, and so we lost some time in finding 

 her. She was brought in at last, however, and we pre- 

 pared to start on our way. "Beuhan/' the headman here, 

 had been very hospitable to us, first in setting aside a 

 good clean house for us, and he also gave our men rice 

 and fruit, as their supplies, like our own, were very small. 

 Indeed, the fellow seemed so pleased to have us at his 

 village, and behaved so well to us, that I felt bound to 

 make him a fair repayment. I found out from " Suong " 

 that " Lapayang " had told him of the musket which Mr. 

 Veitch and myself had given to him, and that " Beuhan " 



