94 A COOL RECEPTION. 



trial we could make of the ladies' good humour to take 

 up the trimmer or stick and commence to trim the 

 light, which I may as well mention we never learned 

 to do properly, and even Yaneenga, in whose yarang I 

 could do just as I liked, though she never prevented 

 me, yet was always in a fidget until I ceased meddling 

 with the lamp ; one must be careful too in this 

 operation ; or else the well-nigh boiling oil spatters 

 over face and hands most unpleasantly. 



From some cause unexplained, Metra did not 

 appear to evince great pleasure at our visit ; he 

 seemed cool, and his manner constrained ; and 

 this was the more to be wondered at, as Messrs. 

 Simpson and Martin, who had paid a visit here some 

 days before, gave a most flattering account of their 

 treatment. I did not, indeed, expect Metra, whose 

 manner was always so very deliberate, to display 

 any frantic demonstrations of delight ; but I was 

 obliged to coincide with the view that the agreeability 

 of our visit was more than questionable, which was 

 surprising, as this honour was rarely paid by our 

 chief. We had not, however, come so long a distance 

 to sit down in displeasure and discomfort, and 

 accordingly made all necessary arrangements for the 

 night's sojourn, the first consideration being to make 

 some tea and take supper. To our own provision 



