110 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



chantey rang out, what a hubbub it caused ! and from 

 the Solomons men : ' Oh, capataine, no go yet, plenty 

 boy along of evening, very good, no go.' 



To them the skipper : ' All right, boys, no go yet, 

 only want anchor cleaned.' 



This steadied the boys. The look the old salt forward 

 gave as he was sent to chip the rust off our bestt 

 bower was a sight to see, and the captain whispered 

 me : ' Great Scott ! G * , you were right ; these 

 beggars would have been over in a second had they 

 seen a sail stirred.' 



After dinner twenty more stalwart warriors came 

 off in their canoes, and were put on the books with 

 the usual formalities, and they signed on as cheerily 

 as possible all fighting men, too. This made sixty 

 of these wretches ; the game was getting interesting 

 now, and the stakes were our lives. 



In the gloaming the pigs came off, presents from 

 the Suluhow chief to his men on board would the 

 captain allow them to be accepted? 



' Oh, yes, up with them.' An immense big, long 

 pig, baked whole and decked with flowers and greenery, 

 was passed up first ; the Solomons gathered round to 

 receive it, jostling aside all others. Great was the 

 dismay when I strode among them and insisted on 

 opening the pig. They made every objection, but I 

 was firm, and there was a panic as a boat -boy at 

 my order ripped up the string sewing up the stomach 

 a layer of splendid yams done to a turn. * Move 

 them aside,' was the order, and there, row on row, lay 

 forty war -axes, shining in grease, and handles gleaming 

 with pearl. The first mate's ruddy face paled and fell, 

 the second's jaw dropped, the forecastle men's hands 



