AMUSE THE NATIVES. 69 



necklaces of jointed grass twisted round the throat, 

 and sat down behind their husbands quite easy and 

 confident. I observed, however, that wherever the 

 man moved, his gin moved and followed him imme- 

 diately, crouching down behind him again ; and if 

 he inclined to sleep, putting her foot under his head 

 for a pillow 7 , while she leaned her head on his 

 shoulder, or sat up talking and laughing behind his 

 back. We amused them in all kinds of ways, by 

 shewing them a watch, a measuring tape, a dog 

 whistle ; the last especially delighted them, and they 

 begged one after another to be allowed to whistle 

 through it, being greatly pleased when they suc- 

 ceeded. On holding a watch to Thomas's ear, he 

 listened attentively, looked at it, listened again, and 

 then his astonishment got vent in a long drawn 

 cooh ! ending in wurhrh ! phut ! phut ! phut ! One 

 of our men began to drill two or three of them, and 

 the gravity with which they imitated his motions 

 and words as far as they could, taking enormously 

 long strides when they marched; and then "halt/' 

 " right about face," and " march again," afforded 

 us much amusement. One young fellow, however, 

 to amuse whom I had lighted some gunpowder 

 among the grass with my cigar, was more frightened 

 than gratified, and ever afterwards if he turned 

 round and found me standing near him he hastened 

 to hide himself on the other side of the fire as fast 

 as possible. I have no doubt he set me down for a 

 terrible magician. On our men striking up a song 



