MESSAGE-STICKS 265 



practise it. When he produced the "letter," more than 

 usual interest was taken in it, for it seemed to offer an 

 exceptional opportunity for ascertaining the extent of 

 his literary pretensions. I asked him — "Who this for, 

 George ? " George looked at the stick long and curiously 

 with a puzzled, concentrated expression, as one might 

 assume when examining a novel and interesting problem 

 demanding prompt solution. With an enlightening smile 

 he in time replied — " This for Charlie." 



" Charlie " is the name of a boy who recently visited 

 the island, but who hitherto had not been known by 

 George. 



"Well, what this letter talk about?" A very long 

 pause ensued during which George appeared to be putting 

 his imaginative powers to frightful over-exertion. His 

 forehead wrinkled, his lips twitched, his head moved this 

 way and that, once or twice a gleam of inspiration passed 

 over his face, and then the expression of the deep and 

 puzzled thinker came on again. Finally he said — " Y-e-e-s. 

 Me tell 'em, sometimes me see Toby." 



Toby is the tallest of the survivors of Dunk Island, 

 another acquaintance of George's, who refers to him as 

 a hard case, for it is said Toby's affections are very fitful 

 and uncertain. 



"Then that letter tell 'em something more?" The 

 strenuous pause, the desperate plunge into thought again, 

 and George continued — " This for Johnny Tritton, 

 before alonga Cooktown ; now walk about somewhere 

 down here. Might be catch 'em alonga mainland." 



This message-stick was freshly made, and its meaning, 

 had it possessed any, might have been repeated pat. But 

 it was evident that the boy was putting a devastating strain 

 upon an unexuberant and tardy wit when he endeavoured 

 to ascribe to it a literary rendering. His hesitancy and 

 contradictions were at least amusingly ingenuous. 



Exceptional opportunities were available in this 

 neighbourhood recently for the formation of an opinion 

 upon the value of message-sticks for the transmission of 



