OF THE SOUTH SEAS 183 



When Alex had shuffled out of the cottage, I gave 

 the Dutchman the course of his narrative again. 



"You were safe on Easter Island, and ill from stuff- 

 ing yourself with fresh mutton," I prompted, "And 

 now what?" 



Steve spat over the rail. 



"Ram, lam', sheep, und muddon for a hundred und 

 fife days. Dere vas noding odder. Dot 's a kveer 

 place, dot Easter Island, mit shtone gotts lyin' round 

 und det fulcanoes, und noding good to eat. Ve liffed 

 in a house de English manager gif us. Dere 's a Chile 

 meat gompany owns de island, und grows sheep. 

 Aboud a gouple of hundred kanakas chase de sheep. 

 Ve vas dreaded veil mit de vimmen makin' luff und 

 the kanakas glad mit it. Dere vas noding else to do. 

 De manager he say no ship come for six months, und 

 he vanted us to blant bodadoes, und ve had no tobacco. 

 He say de bodadoes get ripe in eight months, und I 

 dink if I shtay dere eight months I go grazy. Ve vas 

 ragged, und efery day ve go und look for a vessel. Ve 

 gould see dem a long vay ouid, und ve made signals und 

 big fires, but no ship efer shtopped. De shkipper made 

 a kvarrel mit de mates, und de old man he say he go 

 away in de boat, und he hick Alex und me because ve 

 was de bestest sailormen. Ve vas dere nearly four 

 months ven ve shtart ouid. De oder men dey vas sore, 

 but dey vanted de old man to bromise to gif dem big 

 monej^ und ve go for noding. Ve fix oop de boat und 

 ve kvit." 



Steve went on to describe how they fixed up the boat 

 for the voyage by making guards of canvas about the 

 sides, and an awning which they could raise and lower. 



