or's birthday came round after we had been on the island six
months and a half. The people made a great public holiday of it
and there was much feasting, dancing, fireworks, speech-making and
jollification.

Towards the close of the day the chief men of the two tribes formed a
procession and passed through the streets of the town, carrying a very
gorgeously painted tablet of ebony wood, ten feet high. This was a
picture-history, such as they preserved for each of the ancient kings of
Popsipetel to record their deeds.

With great and solemn ceremony it was set up over the door of the new
palace: and everybody then clustered round to look at it. It had six
pictures on it commemorating the six great events in the life of King
Jong and beneath were written the verses that explained them. They were
composed by the Court Poet; and this is a translation:

I

(His Landing on The Island) Heaven-sent, In his dolphin-drawn canoe From
worlds unknown He landed on our shores. The very palms Bowed down their
heads In welcome to the coming King.

II

(His Meeting With The Beetle) By moonlight in the mountains He communed
with beasts. The shy Jabizri brings him picture-words Of great distress.

(He liberates The Lost Families) Big was his heart with pity; Big were
his hands with strength. See how he tears the mountain like a yam! See
how the lost ones Dance forth to greet the day!

IV

(He Makes Fire) Our land was cold and dying. He waved his hand and lo!
Lightning leapt from cloudless skies; The sun leant down; And Fire
was born! Then while we crowded round The grateful glow, pushed he Our
wayward, floating land Back to peaceful anchorage In sunny seas.

V

(He Leads The People To Victory in War) Once only Was his kindly
countenance Darkened by a deadly frown. Woe to the wicked enemy That
dares attack The tribe with Thinkalot for Chief!

VI

(He Is Crowned King) The birds of the air rejoiced; The Sea laughed and
gambolled with her shores; All Red-skins wept for joy The day we crowned
him King. He is the Builder, the Healer, the Teacher and the Prince;
He is the greatest of them all. May he live a thousand thousand years,
Happy in his heart, To bless our land with Peace.

THE SECOND CHAPTER. THOUGHTS OF HOME

IN the Royal Palace Bumpo and I had a beautiful suite of rooms of our
very own--which Polynesia, Jip and Chee-Chee shared with us.

Officially Bumpo was Minister of the Interior; while I was First Lord