252 TIMEHRI. He 
man. The door was pushed open. The strapping young — 
fellow came out, followed by the old women, one st 
whom, as attentively as is the custom of the women of 
these simple folk, was carrying and folding up the man’s — 
hammock. Without a word, he strode up to the package — 
which had been the cause of all the trouble, and on which. 33 4 
I happened to be disconsolately sitting, pushed me gently _ 
off it, lifted it on to his back, stooped down fora moment _ 
while the woman fastened his hammock on to the pack, ; 
and then strode off silently in the dire&tion of the journey. 
It is only fair to add that this young fellow thenceforward “ 
accompanied me for some weeks, during which he wasas _ 
helpful, good-tempered and friendly as any ran r ze 
companion I ever had. a 
It is time to return to the story of the journey with 
which we are now specially concerned. On that occasion — 
there was luckily no very great difficulty in getting off — 
the first morning ; and by eight o’clock a noisy group of 
between fifty and sixty redfolk, men, womenand children, — 
all duly burdened, stood on the white sand ready for a 
start. Generally it is my praétise to start first, with one k 
or two of the most aétive men, and to leave the others to — 
follow behind in long straggling line. On this first 
morning, however, by way of holding a sort of review, 9 
I stood aside while the party filed off. When the last had a 
passed, I started, and it was not long betore I was in my — 
proper place at the head of the line. My comparatively — 
light burden, for, according to my experience it is 4 
impossible for an ordinary European to carry much under 
that tropical sun, naturally gave mean advantage over the. 
others. But I havealways found that a European in average — 
condition can easily beat even the best of the redmen in 
