ed
with mats. He begged us to sit down near him, while he squatted on a
mat at one end of the room.

As we could only talk by signs we didn't say much. Presently a number
of girls appeared, bringing clay dishes, with fish and fowl and
vegetables. As soon as they were placed on the ground, he told us to
fall to, and a very good meal we enjoyed, after the uncooked food we had
lived on so long.

The mate made signs that we had come from the eastward, and were bound
west for the Philippines, of which he seemed to have heard.

After dinner he took us down to the shore, and showed us some fine large
canoes, with the stems and sterns well carved. They were used for going
about between the islands, but I don't think they could have done much
in a heavy sea. Some were large enough to hold thirty or forty men. He
then had a look at our boat, and seemed to wonder that we had come so
far in her.

The mate explained to him that, though she was shorter, she had much
higher sides, and was much lighter built than his canoes. From the way
he behaved we had no doubts as to his friendly intentions, or any
anxiety about the men who were attended to by other natives.

In the evening he gave us another feast, and then took us to a clean new
hut, which by his signs we understood we were to occupy. From the way
he behaved we agreed that, though he looked liked a native savage, he
was as civilised a gentleman as we could wish to meet. The rest of our
party were billeted in huts close to us, and from the sounds of laughter
which came from them we guessed that they and their hosts were mightily
amused with each other. The chief, after making signs to us to lie down
and go to sleep, took his leave, and we were left alone.

"I hope our fellows will behave well, and not get into any quarrel with
the natives," observed the doctor.

"I don't think there's any chance of that, though it would be a serious
matter if they did," answered Mr Griffiths.

"If you'll give me leave, sir, I'll go and speak to them," I said. "I'm
sure Jim and my brother Jack will behave properly, and so I should think
would Brown."

"It doesn't do always to trust men," said the mate. "Just tell them to
be careful. I would rather that we had been all together, but it won't
do to show that we're suspicious of the natives."

I accordingly got up, and, directed by the sounds I heard, went to the
other huts. I found Jack and Jim in one of them, with a number