AN ELEPHANT 221 



among unknown and not dependably friendly 

 people of untravelled countries. If I am to make 

 mistakes, I much prefer them to be on the side of 

 safety; and then, too, I do not believe in putting 

 temptation in another 's way. So I had my belong- 

 ings in sight, and slept where there was but one 

 avenue of approach, for I never lost sight of the 

 pretty box I should be in if my disgruntled fol- 

 lowers together with some of the settlement natives 

 found it easy to desert me and carry off my guns. 

 But though I would not sleep in the house of 

 my host, I spent the evening under his roof with 

 much interest in the entertainment he offered me, 

 and some amusement at the airs given themselves 

 by my Malays, whose hearts I now made joyous 

 by handing over to them all the " too, too old " 

 fish, and much of the fruit. While I smoked the 

 villainous cigarettes my host offered me, and 

 which out of respect to his feelings I did not re- 

 fuse, the room filled with gaping natives— men 

 and women. They came silently, squatting in- 

 stantly and staring intently, the while chewing 

 betel-nut industriously. By and by, as the evening 

 wore on and curiosity wore off, some not unpleas- 

 ant, weird chant-like singing arose outside, accom- 

 panied by drums (two feet long by eight inches 

 in diameter) played upon with the fingers. Now 

 and again there came the long-sounding, not un- 



