0 feet, and then along a fine level country for some
miles, when we began to descend. Soon our old friend began shouting, and
received an answer from a village a long way off. Close by us was a very
steep descent, down which we went till we came under the shadow of a
great rock, where we rested, and in about an hour up came ten natives
unarmed, touched our chins, and we theirs, then all squatted to smoke.
One of them, some time ago, had been to the coast, and knew Rua; his joy
at now seeing him in here was great. A shot had been fired at a cockatoo
before they heard the shouting, and they were much afraid. When all
seemed satisfied, and the crust of the news broken, I proposed a start,
so up bundles, and away we went. When having gone about two miles, there
was a halt in an open space, and we were given to understand we must camp
there. I could not agree to it, "We must go on to the village." "No,
you must stay here."

"We cannot; we must go on."

"If you go on you will be devoured by the _boroma badababa_ (great pig)."

I insisted upon going on; they called to those in the village, and on
being answered we again went on for about half a mile, when every bundle
was put down and a halt called, and again we had to listen to the
unintelligible story of the wild animal or animals that would destroy us.
We sat down and tried to get them to see as we did, that a house was
necessary for our comfort. A thunderstorm was working up, and soon the
rain would be down on us--let us be off for the village. They had a long
confab with those in the village on the ridge, which, when ended, seemed
favourable; and so up the steep side of the ridge we went. When halfway
up they halted, and wanted us to camp under the shelter of a great rock.
Seeing some young men with bundles rounding the rock, I joined myself to
them, and away we went, followed by the others to the village. Under the
first house in the village sat a man, with a large pig standing by him,
which he was clapping and scratching, as if to keep it quiet; and as we
went along we saw great pigs under the houses. Certainly they were
savage-looking pigs. We were given an open house, and the rain was
coming on. I was ascending, when it became necessary to spring from a
pig that was after me. Is this Goldie's big beast the natives told him
of? This is a fine country. We passed through large plantations of
yams, taro, sugar-cane, and bananas. During the evening we ha