oat, which had been lowered to pick up the swimmer. The
latter was pulled into it dripping wet, and in a rare state of
excitement.

He seized Sir George, to salute him in Maori fashion, and the roll of the
boat sent them both sprawling among the thwarts. Not minding that, the
Maori kept vigorously rubbing the nose of his Excellency, who made the
plaintive comment, 'I could not help myself. Besides, I had no grievance,
unless that the Maori was using up, with his nose, precious minutes, to
which he might better have given his tongue. That's an unusual compliment
to pay the latter human member.'

The Wanganui crisis was settled by a show of strength, and a shrewd
ukase, for Sir George set himself against more fighting. The recalcitrant
Maoris had been accustomed to come down the river to trade, getting in
return, sugar, tobacco, and other dainty necessaries.

'I shut them off from all that, until such time as they should submit,
and undertake to live in peace. Neither could they meet their friends,
and tiring of these laws, they gave in.' It was the boycott, employed by
a Queen's servant, long before the word itself entered our language.

During the disturbances, a Maori leader, in sincere quest for tobacco,
found something more deadly. He was rummaging a provision chest, not his
own, when a wandering bullet plunged through the roof of the wooden
cottage. It entered his head and put out his pipe for ever. The
occurrence gave the Maoris an eerie shiver, for it was as if death had
fallen straight from Heaven. They were learning to look up there, though
a chief, the story went, once rebuked a missionary: 'You tell me to turn
my gaze to Heaven, not to care for earthly things, and all the time you
are grabbing my land.'

XI THE THRILL OF GOVERNING

Nothing is small in the making of an empire. It is the seeming trifles
that often shape the way, fair or foul. This was a clear article of faith
in Sir George Grey, and he would give it picturesque sittings. It had
been with him wherever he carried the flag; it dotted Australia, New
Zealand, and South Africa with milestones of policy. These might not be
visible to others, but he knew, having planted them. They told of what
had been done, by means of the little things; a bulwark against the
undoing of the great things. Ever, the handling of personal elements was
the master touch, the vast secret.

Take Sir George's entrance into the circle of Knights Commanders of the