illagers was the head
man, swarthy-faced, clean-shaved Kusis; beside him Tulpe, his wife, a
graceful young woman of about five-and-twenty, and her husband's little
daughter by a former wife. This child was named Kinie, a merry-faced,
laughing-voiced sprite, ten years of age, with long, wavy, and somewhat
unkempt hair hanging down over her shining copper-coloured shoulders.

Kusis spoke English well, and the moment I got out of the canoe he shook
hands with me, his wife and daughter following suit, and said he was
glad that I had left the settlement at Utwe; that King Togusa and Queen
Se had sent him word that I intended leaving the other white men, and
that if I came to Leasse or any other Tillage on the lee side of the
island I was to be well cared for; "but," he added, "you an' me will
talk 'bout this by and by. Come first to my house, and eat and smoke."

Here an old man, renowned as a great wild boar hunter, thrust himself
through the surrounding crowd, and asked my name. His keen, wrinkled
visage was all but enshrouded by a mass of snowy-white hair that made
him present a very curious appearance--much like that of a Poland fowl.
He shook hands with me vigorously, and then made a speech to the others,
pointing his finger alternately at myself and then to his own breast.
Knowing but little of the difficult Strong's Island language, I was
at first under the impression that the old man was not pleased at the
advent of a white man; but I was soon pleasantly undeceived, for at the
conclusion of his speech every man, woman, and child came up in turn and
solemnly shook hands with me.

Motioning to Sru and Nana--my crew--to hand my few little effects, which
consisted of clothing, tobacco, and a Winchester rifle and ammunition,
out of the canoe, the whole party of us started off for Kusis's house,
the old pig-hunter proudly carrying the Winchester in advance, and Kusis
and his wife each holding one of my hands.

Not one of them now spoke a word, and only that it would have given
serious offence, the temptation to laugh at being led about like a
child was very great. In another minute or two we reached the head man's
house, a handsome, well-built structure of coral stone, with a thatched
roof and cane-work floor raised some two feet or so off the ground. Here
all the males in the company sat down to eat, while the women waited
upon them.

In the whole village there were but a hundred people, and, with the
exception of tw