94 
Wild Life in Southern Seas. 
probably wanted to meditate a while on the 
responsibilities of his position, I withdrew. 
Hakala, the senior nurse, had been strongly 
recommended to me by Captain Packenham as 
a most excellent and deserving woman; and, 
more than that, as the widow of a white man 
who had been hanged in Queensland. She was 
a pleasant-looking, smiling-eyed woman of 
about forty, with her long hair dressed a la 
Suisse ; and although she could not speak a 
word of English, I felt sure my little girl 
would like her. Besides that she was a widow, 
and who can resist the claims of the widow 
upon our pity ? I could not. And presently 
my daughter ran out to her and put out her arms 
to be lifted up. The woman’s eyes sparkled 
and danced with pleasure, her brown cheeks 
dimpled, and a soft, cooing, mother-like laugh 
gently shook her ample bosom, and then sub¬ 
sided into an endearing, whispering tuk , tuk, tuk 
—-just the sweet, crooing sound a mother hen 
makes as her chicks cuddle up beneath her 
loving wing. And because of this, and of her 
widowhood, I gave Hakala the billet of boss 
nurse. (She entered on her duties at once, and 
when night came she lay down upon her couch 
