HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 47 



were not slow to take advantage. Leaving the others to 

 get out as much as possible, I ran off to the boats, and 

 brought them to the nearest point ; ten extra pairs of hands 

 made short work, and anchors and chains, barrels of salt 

 junk, boring powder, Winchester cartridges, and a spare 

 suit of sails were quickly bundled out and carried down to 

 the boats. Just as we were finishing, down came the 

 Governor, purple with wrath, accompanied by the inter- 

 preter and another yakonin, to whom he seemed to .be 

 using what Mark Twain calls " familiar quotations," and 

 half-a-dozen coolies. The two yakonins, after chattering 

 away with the Governor in a high key for a minute, sprang 

 into the godown, fairly turned us out, and locked the door. 

 We took it all in good part and fairly laughed at their 

 impotent rage, for we had obtained all we required, other- 

 wise the turning out would have been on the other side, 

 for Englishmen have a strong objection to be handled by a 

 native. Such a proceeding might have entailed serious 

 consequences, as we were quite unarmed, while they each 

 carried the usual complement of two swords, a long one for 

 offence and a short one, or long dagger, for use upon 

 themselves in the- event of having recourse to the Harukin, 

 or happy dispatch, which consists of disembowelling them- 

 selves, while a friend stands behind to complete the act by 

 decapitation. With unsuccessful governors of fortresses, 

 unable to hold out, and with beaten generals, this has 

 always been a common and convenient resource, avoiding 

 both courts-martial and executioners' fees, besides possess- 

 ing the advantage of removing all stain and disgrace from 

 the surviving family of the self-" dispatched." The other 

 sword, a double-handed, heavy weapon, is used very 

 dexterously, considering its weight, and we had more than 

 once seen a man's head taken off at a single blow, without 

 apparent effort. The first, or drawing, cut as the sword 

 leaves the scabbard is very clever and sudden, so much so 

 that it was always the rule in case of dispute to shoot 

 down a man who laid his hand on his sword, for that meant 



