CHAPTER VII.

I return to Jala-Jala--An Excursion on the Lake--Relempago's
Narrative--Re-organisation of my Government--A Letter from
my Brother Henry--His Arrival--He joins me in the Management
of my Plantations--Cajoui, the Bandit: Anten-Anten--Indian
Superstition--A Combat with the Bandit--His Death--A Piratical
Descent--My Lieutenant is Wounded--I extract the Ball, and
cure him.

My prolonged absence from home caused great uneasiness. Very
fortunately my wife remained at Manilla, and was totally ignorant of
the journey I had recently undertaken.

My patient had not exactly followed the prescribed regimen, so that
his distemper had increased, and he was impatiently expecting to
return and die, he said, in his house: his wishes were complied
with. A few days after my arrival we set out and arrived the next
day at Manilla, where my poor friend rendered his last sigh in the
middle of his family. This event damped, of course, the pleasure I
should have enjoyed in beholding my wife once more.

A few days after the demise of our friend we embarked, and set sail
for Jala-Jala.

We glided most agreeably upon the lake until we left the strait
of Quinanbutasan, but, once there, we met with so violent an east
wind, and the water of the lake was so ruffled, that we were obliged
to re-enter the strait, and cast anchor near the cabin of the old
fisherman, Relempago, whom I have already noticed.

Our sailors landed to prepare their supper; as for ourselves, we
remained in our boat, where we stretched ourselves at our ease, the
old fisherman, as he sat doubled up in the Indian fashion, amusing
us in the best way he could by the narration of brigand stories.

I interrupted him all on a sudden, saying to him:

"Relempago, I should prefer hearing the history of your own personal
adventures; do, therefore, relate your misfortunes to us."

The old fisherman heaved a sigh, and then, unwilling to disoblige me,
began his story in the poetical terms so familiar to the Tagal tongue,
and which it is almost impossible to reproduce by a translation:

"Lagune is not my native place," said he; "I was born in the
island of Zebou, and was at the age of twenty what is called a
fine young man; but, pray believe me, I was by no means proud of my
physical advantages, and I preferred being the first fisherman of my
village. Nevertheless, my comrades were jealous of me, and all that
because the young girls w