ir guests.
The elderly women and the youngsters formed the third line.

Thus the hosts waited for the arrival of their guests. The original idea
was that the tribe arriving would take a certain amount of the drink
offered to them, enough to fortify themselves so as to arrive at the end
of the jetty in fairly good condition. But the hopes of the hosts were
unjustified. There was nothing left on the trolley at the end of the
jetty but empty beer barrels and glass bottles. Watching them as I did,
from the little fort just overlooking the jetty, I was wondering how the
advance of the visiting tribe down the jetty was going to be carried out.
I gathered, from what I had seen, that the amount of spirits consumed
would produce some comical effects. I was quite disappointed. I wondered
also whether the procession down the jetty was to be carried out in the
clothes in which they arrived, which were nil. It would have been a
quaint experience to have seen a whole naked tribe arriving at quite a
respectable English settlement. But, no. Their coverings had been
carefully carried by the swimmers on the top of their heads and kept dry.
And while they refreshed themselves from the friendly truck they donned
such garments as made them quite respectable.

The order for the advance was then formed. It was similar to that which
was to receive them on the shore end of the jetty. One could not help
admiring their methods. Ceremonial parades all over the world, held at
coronations of kings, in commemoration of the proclamation of a country's
victories, aided by the pomp and glory of all modern accessories, failed
to convey the solemnity, such as it was, of the advance of that tribe
down that jetty. Led by the chief and chieftains of the tribe, followed
by their "braves," that is, their fighting men, the march down the jetty
began. There was no band, and no music but their battle-cry--a battle-cry
that had made them redoubtable enemies and had forced us to send a large
expeditionary force, with all the then best military resources, to
overcome them. Down the jetty they came, moving in complete unison that
shook the structure itself as they beat it in their advance. As they came
forward their hosts joined in rhythm with their advance, stamping on the
shore end till the ground, too, shook. The scene became quite inspiring.
I have never been present at any review or parade--and I have seen many
in many parts of the world--which has so impressed