DEATH OF AARON AND ELISHEBA 137 



huge figures with white faces, long skirts and big 

 coats, they were almost frantic with fear. They 

 had never before seen anything like it, and they 

 crouched back in the corner of the cage, clinging to 

 •each other and screaming in terror. 



When they saw me standing by them they rushed 

 to me, seized me by the legs, and climbed up to my 

 arms. Finding they were safe here, they stared for 

 a moment, as if amazed at the crowd, and then Eli- 

 sheba buried her face under my chin, and refused to 

 look at any one. They were both trembling with 

 fright, and I could scarcely get them into their cage 

 again ; but after they were installed in their quarters 

 with Dr. Cross, they became reconciled to the sight 

 of strangers in such costumes. 



In their own country they had never seen any- 

 thing like this, for the natives to whom they were 

 accustomed wear no clothing as a rule, except a 

 small piece of cloth tied round the waist, and the 

 few white men they had seen were mostly dressed 

 in white ; but here was a great crowd in skirts and 

 overcoats, and I have no doubt that to them it was 

 a startling sight for the first time. 



During the first two weeks after arriving at this 

 place, Elisheba improved in health and temper until 

 she was not like the same creature ; but about that 

 time she contracted a severe cold. A deep, dry cough, 

 attended by pains in the chest and sides, together 

 with a piping hoarseness, betrayed the nature of her 

 disease, and gave just cause for apprehension. 



During frequent paroxysms of coughing she 



