finement, by
taking up a loose stone from the floor, with which he had battered a
hole in the door. This, however, he stoutly denied, asserting that,
whilst he was asleep, sorcerers from the north, having a spite against
him, had entered through some air-holes in the wall and done this; and,
on his persisting in the story, he was told that, in future, he would
be well whipped for neglect, if he did not give the alarm when these
strange visitors came. Meanwhile, the governor was half inclined to whip
him for telling a story, but he satisfied himself with giving him a
lecture upon the crime of lying, to which the cunning little rogue
replied, by arguing upon the general usefulness and prevalence of that
vice in the world, entirely setting aside its evil nature and
sinfulness.

The very same day Peerat made his appearance with a very pitiful
tale. He had two wives, and to govern them both was no easy task, but,
although they had been soundly beaten, they could not be induced to come
into the settlement, until he had threatened to spear them. This threat
had, at last, succeeded, and in recompense for his sufferings from the
loss of his son, and from the obstinacy and bad temper of his wives, he
begged to be allowed to beat the latter himself. They were ordered to
the spot where the robbery was committed, and there the native women
soon appeared, dreadfully cut and mangled from the beating they had
already received. One was a nice looking girl, about fourteen, but an
incorrigible thief. Peerat was going to hit her a tremendous blow upon
the head, which must have laid it open. She stood with her back to her
husband, trembling and crying bitterly. The governor caught Peerat's
arm, picked up a little switch from the ground, and told him to beat her
on the shoulders with that, instead of with his _meero_. Two slight
blows, or rather taps, were given her, in order to know where it was
that the governor meant her to be struck, but the poor girl cried so
bitterly from fear, that she was pardoned, and so likewise was the other
woman, who had already been severely beaten, and had at that moment a
little child sitting upon her shoulder, and crying piteously at the
sight of its mother's tears. Before the crowd dispersed a lecture was
given them, and they were warned not to presume upon the governor's
clemency in the present instance.

In the afternoon, the governor, attended by Peerat, his wives, and a
crowd of natives, walked up to