CHAP. V.] 
“ MOY ” AND HIS LADIES. 
215 
for liis wife, or she would be in a bad humour ;—ac¬ 
cordingly a present for the lady was added to the 
already large pile of beads that lay heaped upon the 
carpet before him. After surveying his treasures with 
pride, he heaved a deep sigh, and turning to the in¬ 
terpreter he said, “ what a row there will be in the 
“ famity when my other wives see Bokke (his head wife) 
“ dressed up with this finery. Tell the 4 Mattat 9 that 
“ unless he gives necklaces for each of my other wives, 
“ they will fight!” Accordingly I asked him the number 
of the ladies that made him anxious. He deliberately 
began to count upon his fingers, and having exhausted 
the digits of one hand, I compromised immediately, 
begging him not to go through the whole of his estab¬ 
lishment, and presented him with about three pounds 
of various beads, to be divided among them. He ap¬ 
peared highly delighted, and declared his intention of 
sending all his wives to pay Mrs. Baker a visit. This 
was an awful visitation, as each wife would expect a 
present for herself, and would assuredly have either a 
child or a friend for whom she would beg an addition. 
I therefore told him that the heat was so great that 
we could not bear too many in the tent, but that if 
Bokke, his favourite, would appear, we should be glad 
to see her. Accordingly he departed, and shortly we 
were honoured by a visit. Bokke and her daughter 
