KULU-KAMBA INGENUITY 205 



end was tied to the stanchion and the other to her neck, 

 and she could find no loose end to draw through. First 

 one way and then the other she drew this noose. She 

 saw that in some way it was connected with the stanchion. 

 She' drew the noose along the rail until it was .near the 

 post ; she climbed down upon the deck, then around the 

 post and back again ; she climbed up over the rails and 

 down on the outside, and again carefully examined the knot ; 

 she climbed back, then through between the rails and back, 

 then under the rails and back, but she could find no way 

 to get this first knot out of the line. For a moment she 

 sat down on the deck and viewed the situation with evi- 

 dent concern. She slowly rose to her feet and again ex- 

 amined the knot ; she moved the noose back to its place 

 in the middle of the rail, climbed up by it, and again drew 

 it out as far as the strands would allow. Again she closed 

 it ; she took one strand in her hand and traced it from the 

 loop to the stanchion ; then she took the other end in the 

 same manner and traced it from the loop to her neck. She 

 looked at the loop and then slowly drew it out as far as it 

 would come. She sat for a while holding it in one hand, 

 and with the other moved each strand of the knot. She 

 was in a deep study and did not even deign a glance at 

 those who were watching her. At length she took the loop 

 in both hands, deliberately put it o\ r er her head and crawled 

 through it. The line thus released dropped to the deck ; 

 she quickly descended, took hold of it near her neck, and 

 found that it was untied ; she gathered it up as she 

 advanced towards the other end that was tied to the 

 post, and at once began to loosen the knots about it. In 



