ndita_. On the way I met a
man of the tribe carrying spring-water in a bamboo, which he tilted
to give me a drink. To my inquiries if he were a Christian, and if
he knew the _Castilian Pandita_ (Spanish priest), he replied in the
affirmative; continuing the interrogation, I asked him how many gods
there were, and when he answered "four," I closed my investigation of
his Christianity. My guide was too cunning to take me by the direct
path to the _Pandita's_ bungalow. He led me into a half-cleared plot
of land facing it, whence the inmates could see us for at least ten
minutes making our approach. When we arrived, and after scrambling up
the staircase, which was simply a notched trunk of a tree about nine
inches diameter, I discovered that the _Pandita_, forewarned, had fled
to the mountain close by, leaving his wives to entertain the visitor. I
found them all lounging and chewing betel-nut, and when I squatted
on the floor amongst them they became remarkably chatty. Then I went
to the cacique's bungalow. In the rear of this dwelling there was a
small forge, and the most effective bellows of primitive make which I
have ever seen in any country. It was a double-action apparatus, made
entirely of bamboo, except the pistons, which were of feathers. These
pistons, working up and down alternately by a bamboo rod in each hand,
sustained perfectly a constant draught of air. One man was squatting
on a bamboo bench the height of the bellows' rods, whilst the smith
crouched on the ground to forge his kris on the anvil.

The headman's bungalow was built the same as the others, but with
greater care. It was rather high up, and had the usual notched
log-of-wood staircase, which is perhaps easy to ascend with naked
feet. The cacique and one of his wives were seated on mats on the
floor. After mutual salutations the wife threw me three cushions, on
which I reclined--doing the _dolce far niente_ whilst we talked about
the affairs of the settlement. The conversation was growing rather
wearisome anent the Spanish priest having ordered huts to be built
without giving materials, about the scarcity of palm-leaves in the
neighbourhood, and so forth, so I bade them farewell and went on to
another hut. Here the inmates were numerous--four women, three or four
men, and two rather pretty male children, with their heads shaven so
as to leave only a tuft of hair towards the forehead about the size of
a crown piece. To entertain me, six copper tom-to