250 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



We reached the village at last, where I met the girl's 

 mother; and, tired and hungry, I was very glad to 

 partake of their hospitality. Our supper consisted of 

 pumpkins, bananas, and kangaroo. I staid till quite 

 late in the day, and then my handsome hostess started 

 out with me, to show me the right path for Narinuma. 

 She was very pleasant, full of fun and laughter, and the 

 loveliest savage I have ever seen. She came over to 

 Narinuma once or twice, carrying large bunches of 

 bananas, to trade with us. The old chief said she 

 was a pretty little girl, and that her mother was very 

 fortunate in having such a handsome daughter, as she 

 would get a large quantity of trade for her when she 

 sold her for a wife. 



One day, after we had been in Narinuma a good 

 while, and had learned enough of the language to be 

 able to talk freely, Lohier came to us, and by his 

 actions we judged he had something very important to 

 say. We were skinning birds under the house, and he 

 sat on the ground in front of us, as usual, evidently 

 not knowing just how to arrive at what seemed to be 

 uppermost in his mind. He began by asking if we 

 liked the Coyara men and their country, and when we 

 told him they had treated us very kindly, and that 

 their country was as beautiful and fertile as any we 

 had seen, he seemed pleased, and looked as if he had 

 gained a point. 



"Is it as warm and comfortable in America as at 

 Narinuma ? " he asked. 



