r no insult or injury to their god, and
secondly, that we should not set foot on the island in the lake. It was
not till afterwards that it occurred to me that this must refer to
the mountain top which appeared in the inland sheet of water. To those
stipulations we made no answer. Indeed, the Orofenans did all the
talking. Finally, they ratified their oaths by a man who, I suppose, was
a head priest, cutting his arm and rubbing the blood from it on the lips
of the idol; also upon those of the chief. I should add that Bastin had
retired as soon as he saw that false god appear, of which I was glad,
since I felt sure that he would make a scene.

The operation took place that afternoon and on the ship, for when once
Marama had made up his mind to trust us he did so very thoroughly. It
was performed on deck in the presence of an awed multitude who watched
from the shore, and when they saw Bickley appear in a clean nightshirt
and wash his hands, uttered a groan of wonder. Evidently they considered
it a magical and religious ceremony; indeed ever afterwards they called
Bickley the Great Priest, or sometimes the Great Healer in later days.
This was a grievance to Bastin who considered that he had been robbed
of his proper title, especially when he learned that among themselves he
was only known as "the Bellower," because of the loud voice in which he
addressed them. Nor did Bickley particularly appreciate the compliment.

With my help he administered the chloroform, which was done under
shelter of a sail for fear lest the people should think that we were
smothering their chief. Then the operation went on to a satisfactory
conclusion. I omit the details, but an electric battery and a red-hot
wire came into play.

"There," said Bickley triumphantly when he had finished tying the
vessels and made everything neat and tidy with bandages, "I was afraid
he might bleed to death, but I don't think there is any fear of that
now, for I have made a real job of it." Then advancing with the horrid
tumour in his hands he showed it in triumph to the crowd beneath, who
groaned again and threw themselves on to their faces. Doubtless now it
is the most sacred relic of Orofena.

When Marama came out of the anesthetic, Bickley gave him something which
sent him to sleep for twelve hours, during all which time his people
waited beneath. This was our dangerous period, for our difficulty was
to persuade them that he was not dead, although Bickley ha