96 
THE RAJAH OF WAAL 
time a dearth of alcohol in Waai, and on the 
arrival of fresh supplies he has evidently been 
making up for previous privation. He came 
about eight in the morning, inspired with a 
valiant desire to go to the chase, and begged the 
loan of a gun and some powder and shot. But 
he had indulged so deeply that the intoxicant 
had made him purposeless, and it was hours 
before lie rose to go. H. sent one of our men 
in his rear to see that he did not by mistake 
shoot himself, or some of his equally incapable 
companions, and we were relieved when towards 
evening they all came back safe. The chief 
stumbled to a chair, from which he did not man- 
age to rise for hours, prating on with thick utter- 
ance till we were heartily tired. How changed 
from his sober hours I 
Natives sail round the coast, and even to the 
adjacent islands, in tiny skiffs, scooped from a 
log, which they have under such control that 
they are in perfect safety. Some are fitted with 
outriggers, which make capsizing impossible, but 
they prefer them without this incumbrance, for 
on coming in, riding on the crest of a wave, the 
rower picks up his boat and marches off with it 
on liis shoulders. The usual size is just wide 
enough to seat one, and about five feet in length. 
