WE STRIKE INLAND 
and I have seen him administer personal chastisement 
to recalcitrant villagers. He is a mighty hunter, a 
fact attested by his crushed right hand, which 
was maimed by a bite from a wild pig. Our 
friend is a great polygamist, and formerly had 
fifteen wives. When we were there at Epa he pos- 
sessed only five, to whom he was extremely kind, 
although he made them work pretty hard. One of 
them was specially appointed to wait upon her lord 
at his meals. On the death of another he was 
deeply affected, and cut off his mop of hair. He 
kept up considerable state, and at meal-times sat in 
his house in a different apartment from that in which 
he slept. He was not above taking food with us, 
and used to ask for tobacco in a very lordly way. 
He smoked a European pipe, of which he was par- 
ticularly proud, and when it was between his lips 
he used to touch the bowl consequentially and say, 
“ Parki,” thus signifying to me that he was no small 
beer. He would pay the deepest attention through- 
out a long story, looking steadily at you, and when 
you had finished he would tell you what he thought, 
giving elaborate reasons. In the centre of his house 
hung a hurricane lamp, which he had got from Jack 
Exton, the sandalwood trader. He understood the 
working of the lamp quite well, and kept a supply of 
kerosene in the house in a tin. He was also indebted 
to Mr. Exton for a further adjunct of civilisation, viz. 
a pair of trousers very unfashionably big at the knee. 
His Highness used European spoons, forks, and 
knives. 
Mavai had adopted a coloured orphan, whom he 
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