WOREKA. 105 



not at all obtrusive, and waited until we directed our 

 attention to them before they approached us ; then 

 they surrounded us, a dozen at a time asking, how 

 much this was, all their English ; but we were not 

 anxious to part with our goods before discovering the 

 state of the market. Soon a man joined us whose com- 

 plexion presented a queer appearance, being formed 

 of half a dozen different shades, arranged in spots, 

 differing in size as in color, from the size of a five 

 cent piece to that of a silver dollar, and in shade 

 from a light yellow to a deep copper tint ; he was 

 well made, and had the appearance and manners of 

 one of the better class ; he conversed in intelligible 

 sailor English, mixed with French and Spanish, and 

 evidently considered himself a great linguist. From 

 his account of himself I suppose that he Avas the 

 rajah's clerk. He seemed anxious for me to describe, 

 on the sand, some English speaking, as he termed it; 

 and after I had complied with his request, he, in 

 return, took the stick and drew several characters to 

 me unintelligible. lie stated that his name was 

 Woreka, and, as this was difficult of remembrance, 

 he was, by common consent, christened John, and 

 seemed quite proud of his title. He assumed 

 the office of chaperone to us, and through his 

 instrumentality quite a number disposed of their 

 calico. I was importuned for some time, by a native, 

 for mine, and finally agreed to let him have it for 

 four hundred pice. After some demurrage, he agreed 

 to purchase it, but did not possess sufficient current 

 funds about him. He desired me, by signs, to accom- 

 pany him to his house, where, he said, he had plenty ; 

 and on my reiterating the price, he repeated, "I sabe, 



