I think she never let a day go by without favourably
impressing the chiefs concerning me, my prowess and my powers; and
without her help I simply could not have lived through the long and weary
years, nor should I ever have returned to civilisation.

The very next day after my "marriage," having been still further
enlightened as to the manners and customs of the natives, I waited upon
Gunda, and calmly made to him the proposition that we should exchange
wives. This suggestion he received with a kind of subdued satisfaction,
or holy joy, and very few further negotiations were needed to make the
transaction complete; and, be it said, it was an every-day transaction,
perfectly legal and recognised by all the clans. Yamba was full of
vigour and resource, while the only phrase that fitly describes her bush
lore is absolutely miraculous. This will be evinced in a hundred
extraordinary instances in this narrative.

But you may be asking, What of my dog, Bruno? Well, I am thankful to
say, he was still with me, but it took him a long time to accustom
himself to his new surroundings; he particularly objected to associating
with the miserable pariah curs that prowled about the encampment. They
would take sly bites out of him when he was not looking, but on the
whole, he was well able to hold his own, being much more powerful than
they.

I settled down to my new life in the course of a few days, but I need
hardly remark I did not propose staying in that forlorn spot longer than
I could help. This was my plan. I would, first of all, make myself
acquainted with the habits and customs of the blacks, and pick up as much
bushmanship and knowledge of the country as it was possible to acquire,
in case I should have to travel inland in search of civilisation instead
of oversea. I knew that it would be folly on my part to attempt to leave
those hospitable regions without knowing more of the geography of the
country and its people. There was always, however, the hope that some
day I might be able either to get away by sea in my boat, or else hail
some passing vessel. The blacks told me they had seen many pass at a
distance.

Every morning I was astir by sunrise, and--hope springing eternal--at
once searched for the faintest indication of a passing sail. Next I
would bathe in a lagoon protected from sharks, drying myself by a run on
the beach. Meanwhile Yamba would have gone out searching for roots for
breakfast, and she seldo