that is not often used,
but when it is it implies that certain matters or things must not be
further alluded to, but must be for ever buried in oblivion. I put my
hand on his tough, naked, and wrinkled shoulder, and again repeated my
question.

"I know of no dead white man," he replied, looking me steadily in the
face, and yet answering me in his usual respectful manner. Then he sat
down beside the low stone wall surrounding the house, and began to pluck
the fowl, casually remarking that it was fat for its age.

Somewhat puzzled at the reticence of my servants, I walked across my
compound towards the native village, which, as I have before mentioned,
was some distance from my house, and as I walked I felt at every
footstep a renewed bodily vigour, and almost unconsciously I took out my
pipe, filled it, and began to smoke with an enjoyment denied to me for
many months.

The day was gloriously bright and cool, and the westering sun on my
right hand shone on a sea of the deepest blue, whose placid bosom was
dotted by a fleet of canoes with their mat sails spread to the now
gentle trade wind, cruising to and fro catching flying fish. This seemed
strange to me, bearing in mind the events of the past few hours. The
death of a white man, even from natural causes, was of itself generally
a matter of such importance to the natives of any of the mid-Pacific
isles, that their daily avocations were suspended, and the house of the
deceased man would not only be surrounded on the outside by a circle
of people sitting on their mats and awaiting their turn to enter and
express their condolences with his wife or children, but filled inside
as well.

The first houses I passed on the outskirts of the village were occupied
only by women and children, who all gave me their usual cheerful
greeting of _Tiakapo, Simi!_ ("Good-day, Jim") and one or two of them
added a few words of congratulation upon my improved appearance, and
then calmly went on with their work, such as mat-making, mending fishing
nets, cooking, etc., but no one of them gave the slightest indication of
even having heard that anything unusual had occurred.

[Illustration: Directed my steps towards the great open-sided moniep
062]

Crossing the village square--if it could be so called--I directed my
steps towards the great open-sided _moniep_, or council house, from
which came the sound of many voices, talking in the vociferous manner
common to all natives of the Gilbe