IN.TIMOIt-LAUT, 



30n 



either of us with the most .pleasjint reflections* bnt we deter- 

 mined to close oitr eyes on all bnt the bright side of the 

 picture of which we had got a gliraj->se. 



The vilkgers seemed perfectly well disposed towards m, 

 without fear or suspicion of ns. We ventured to look into 

 their homes aa we returned from our survey, and they beckoued 

 us in with a snu'Ie. 



Our fii-st care was to obtain a house, and at once on our first 

 morning I get nUmt looking for a site. Those who know best 

 what uncivilised ways are will understantl our vexation at the 

 difficulties now encountered, the excuses for refusing one sjKit 

 after another, the whole-day palavers abandoned at night 

 without resnlt, and day after day for eight days. By a large 

 present all round I had the satisfaction of at last cajoling the 

 old men into deciding on a site lying within the tide mark, 

 which forth witJi was occupied before they could change their 

 minds. 



During the progress of the building which of necessity 

 had to be a pile dwelling, and when my presence and 

 actual help were not necessary, we made short excursions to 

 the immediate neighbourhood on which we were always 

 accompanied by some of the natives, who seemed to take 

 the liveliest possible interest in our doings, and with whom 

 we mixed us much as we coidd. I'erceiving that I recorded 

 their names for everything wo enconntere<l, they themselves 

 adopted the role of teacher — the young women liot less 

 than the men — repeating to us the name of every tangible 

 oj^ject, fis well as trying to bring us to a comprehension of 

 their expressions for abstract ideas. After some days they 

 l)egan regularly to catechise us in past lessons, bringing us 

 various objects whose names they had already given us, 

 and by signs rerpiiring us to repeat to them their names', 

 laughing heartily at us when we made a failure or a mis- 

 pronunciation. The buttons on our garments formed ex- 

 cellent objects on which to teach us numeration, and many 

 a score of times we have had to stand while some Venus- 

 formed maiden encountering us in the village insisted on 

 hearing m recount their tale again. Bo assiduous and 

 apparently interested in our acquiring their language were 

 they^ that their willing lessons are to ns now one of the most 



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