ularly
cheerful, I told them to go on, and go off to the vessel--that I should
wait and return to the village. Stamping my foot, as if in a towering
passion, I told the chief, "Go with all your people to the boat; as for
me, I shall return." It had the desired effect. The people fled, and
the few who remained listened to the old man, and came no further. We
got to the boat and away, glad to escape without any unpleasantness.

Entering Orangerie Bay, we anchored off the village of Daunai, from which
the whole district takes its name. When here, our Chinese cook lost his
knife, and, spotting the thief, determined to have it; but our captain
prevented him from jumping into one of the canoes, and so avoided
trouble. There were over one hundred canoes round the vessel, and
altogether over four hundred men.

We stopped all trading, and frightened the canoes away by blowing the
steam whistle--they were much afraid of it, and kept at a very respectful
distance.

We went up the long sheet of water we saw when we crossed Meikle Bay,
finding it in every way suited to its native name, Paroai, or piggish
water, and quite useless as a harbour for anything larger than an
ordinary boat. I went ashore in one of the canoes, to be landed at
Bootu, and walk across to Milne Bay. Before leaving the vessel I engaged
with the natives to take me right away to the head of the lagoon, and
when I had seen Milne Bay, to return me to the vessel, when they would be
paid for all their trouble. So with our bags and a few eatables, we
started; when about a mile away from the vessel, they headed the canoe
more in towards the right shore, and no amount of talk in calmness or
wrath would get them to do otherwise. We touched at a place not far from
a village we visited overland--some left us, and we were certainly now
too weak to proceed. We ran down to the village, where we landed with my
bag, and away went my native canoe men. Love or money would not move the
villagers, and they were exceedingly impudent, knowing well that we were
quite in their hands. My friend the mate, who insisted on accompanying
me, agreed with me that things were rather out of the common with us, and
that a sharp eye, and quick ear, and quick action were of some
importance. They at once went to get their clubs and spears, and begged
and insisted on presents; but they were astonished, I doubt not, to find
their begging of little avail.

"Go to the vessel, if you wan