218 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



Shelley and I concluded to go to the coast and bring 

 back many things we needed. 



We hired two natives to pack our things, and started 

 away with George the next morning, bright and early. 

 The day was fine, and we had a delightful walk to the 

 coast, where we arrived about dark. 



A good many of the natives had never before seen 

 the ocean, except from a distance, the coast tribes 

 not allowing them to go down, and, as they are very 

 fond of salt probably from eating so much fresh food 

 the first thing they did on reaching the shore was to 

 wade in, and drink their fill of salt water. We remon- 

 strated with them ; but it was of no use, and some half- 

 dozen were very sick in consequence. One would 

 think they had had enough of it by that time ; but 

 when they came to go back, they filled large hollow 

 bamboos with the salt water, and carried them home 

 for future use. We remained one night at the shore ; 

 and the natives slept on the bare ground, back of the 

 tent. 



In the middle of the night, I was awakened by a 

 noise, resembling the whining of dogs ; and, on going' 

 out, found that it came from the natives. They were 

 all curled up on the ground in a mass, which in the 

 moonlight looked not unlike a knot of earth-worms ; 

 and when I asked them what the matter was, they 

 answered they were cold. It was no wonder they 

 were cold, lying on the damp ground without a par- 



