THE MAN OF THE FOREST. 53 



after which he is running everywhere about the 

 settlement, stealing the cassava bread or picking 

 bits of meat from the barbecue. He is never 

 beaten by his parents, and hardly interfered with 

 in any way, even when he plays tricks on the 

 dogs and other half-domesticated animals, which 

 have free range of the settlement. No one cares 

 if he injures them he is to be a huntsman, and 

 like most other boys has cruel instincts. 



When a little older his father makes him a little 

 wood-skin canoe and a pretty ornamented paddle, 

 in which he goes wandering up and down the 

 creek. He is also provided with a bow and 

 arrows suited to his height and strength, with 

 which he shoots at the dogs, monkeys, and 

 parrots, and drives them to take shelter in the 

 neighbouring bushes. Not being confined in any 

 way, these tame animals can easily hide and 

 return when he gets tired. Then he goes with 

 his father and helps to lay the spring hooks on 

 the creek, or assists in hunting deer and labba. 

 He goes to no school, nor does he receive what is 

 generally considered as an education. Yet, every 

 day he is learning lessons which will be of the 

 greatest importance to him in after life. There is 

 only one profession for him, and he can never know 

 too much about that. His father tells him but 



