carry it into practical effect. Some other curious
details respecting this group of islands, are given by Mr. Romilly. The
old women it appears, become adepts in the occult sciences, and the men
occasionally find the trade of wizard lucrative. They are chiefly called
upon to bring about a change in the weather, and their plan of
operations is to gain time. It resembles, in some striking features, the
method adopted by the 'inspired statesman' of our own latitudes when he
is trying to feel his way towards the development of some scheme which
he is half afraid of himself, and which the public view with profound
suspicion. Surely the most of us could find a counterpart to the
individual described in the following passage:--

'One old sorcerer of my acquaintance was a most interesting
study. If he was asked for fine weather (which, by the way,
in the Solomons is the usual request, the rainfall being
enormous), he used to temporize in a truly masterly manner.
First he would hold out for more payment. This policy he
could continue for an indefinite length of time, as he would
of course require payment in a form which he knew was
difficult or impossible for the natives to comply with.
Then, if he thought there was any likelihood of fine weather
for a day or two, he would become possessed of a devil which
would leave him at once if the sun made its appearance, but
if the bad weather lasted the devil would last too; and
finally, if the bad weather was very obstinate and would not
come, he would hold out again for more payment. In this
manner my old sorcerer was very seldom mistaken in his
forecasts, and the influence he exerted over the clerk of
the weather must have been very irksome to that functionary.

This leader of his tribe, we are further informed, had a 'great hold
over the imagination of his dupes.' We are more civilized--or _we_ think
so--than the islanders of the Western Pacific; but human nature is
pretty much the same there as here. As for the philosophy of such
matters, it is thus summed up by Mr. Romilly: 'I have often wondered
what the sorcerer thinks of himself; whether he really believes himself
to be a magician, or whether he realizes the fact that he is an arrant
old humbug. I think there is a mixture of both feelings.' It would be
useless to pursue this enquiry any further.

Another of the unexplored islands of these se