A Tlolltldii hi Ihc ^Vl'sl Jndicn. 
295 
old " moko " poiild walk, and no doubt a fow yoars before 
could have i-aisod a trot, but was now ready for an old age 
pension. I had so much chaff to put up with before starting 
that it was I assure you touch and go whether T went or 
not; however, after my friends liad assembled and wished me 
all the luck I started, but did not ride. Snowball was very 
indignant and expressed his indignation in words more forcible 
than polite. We made for the high wooded land in the 
interior of the Island where I was assured birds were as 
thick as bees. There is always a crowd of natives loafing 
about, but this morning they were more numerous than usual. 
I took no notice of this until we were fairly on the way, they 
were following us, not only the men and boys, but women 
with children slung round their backs, anfl they stuck to us 
like leeches. We travelled about two miles in the hope of 
shaking them off, but no they were not going to miss seeing 
"White man catch birds." We made a halt and I am afraid 
I lost my temper. I threatened to shoot them if they did 
not turn back, and I thought I had got rid of them. We 
found a good place to set the nets, and I put out the call 
birds with the nets ])aited. Some of those ebony gentlemen 
however soon re -appeared on the scene and as more turned 
up got very cheeky and finally surrounded the nets, squatted 
down aiuf rc^fusod to luoxc. They had conic a Imig way to see 
" White man catch birds " and were not to ))c done out of 
the fun. They shouted to me to catch tlic liiids. " \Miite 
man no catch birds?" " Massa no catch anything?" " Where 
all birds white man?" and such remarks. T left Snowl)all 
to pack up the nets and do what he liked with them, while T 
left in disfj^-ust. When I reached the Hotel aj;;i,in, T learned 
that my compani'in had sjjread the news amongst tlu^ niggers 
the ])revious niijlit, that a white man with wonderful 
traps was about to star't on a l)ird catching expedition 
and that it was worth quite a fortune to any catcher to obtain 
the secrets. This was my last attempt at catching. 
To he continued. 
