NO THIEVING. 157 
rejoiced in the name of Vuniwaivutuku, and consisted 
of about thirty houses, some of which were neatly fenced 
in with Dracewnas. The place where we had squatted 
down was in front of the Buri ni sa, an old and not 
very large building, surrounded by a good many erect 
stones, indicating the number of dead bodies eaten 
under its hospitable roof. The grass-plot in front, and 
several fine leaf plants, gave an air of neatness to the 
whole; whilst the extensive view it commanded over 
the whole valley, proved the situation a well-chosen 
one for a strangers’ house. Kuruduadua informed us 
that there were two roads from here to Namosi, and 
that he should take us the longest, and bring us back 
the shortest, so that we might see as much as possible 
of his territory. He told us the road would be rather 
a rough one, and, without any exaggeration, it proved 
quite equal to the worst roads I traversed in South 
America. Now we had to climb perpendicular rocks, 
now creep underneath low bowers formed by reeds, now 
again wade through rivers and rivulets, or pass over 
swampy ground. Our clothes were torn by brambles, 
our hands and faces cut by sharp-edged leaves of grasses ; 
indeed, one was forcibly reminded of the flight of the 
mechanics through the forests, which Puck relates with 
roguish delight in the ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream:’ 
“For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch ; 
Some sleeves; some hats; from yielders all things catch.” 
On proceeding, Colonel Smythe discovered that he 
had left his purse at Nagadi, having placed it last night 
under his mat, and forgotten to put it in his pocket be- 
fore starting. ‘Make yourself perfectly easy about it,” 
