less than two cable-lengths from the Nautilus. I
distinguished them easily; they were true Papuans, with athletic
figures, men of good race, large high foreheads, large, but not broad
and flat, and white teeth. Their woolly hair, with a reddish tinge,
showed off on their black shining bodies like those of the Nubians.
From the lobes of their ears, cut and distended, hung chaplets of
bones. Most of these savages were naked. Amongst them, I remarked
some women, dressed from the hips to knees in quite a crinoline of
herbs, that sustained a vegetable waistband. Some chiefs had
ornamented their necks with a crescent and collars of glass beads, red
and white; nearly all were armed with bows, arrows, and shields and
carried on their shoulders a sort of net containing those round stones
which they cast from their slings with great skill. One of these
chiefs, rather near to the Nautilus, examined it attentively. He was,
perhaps, a "mado" of high rank, for he was draped in a mat of
banana-leaves, notched round the edges, and set off with brilliant
colours.

I could easily have knocked down this native, who was within a short
length; but I thought that it was better to wait for real hostile
demonstrations. Between Europeans and savages, it is proper for the
Europeans to parry sharply, not to attack.

During low water the natives roamed about near the Nautilus, but were
not troublesome; I heard them frequently repeat the word "Assai," and
by their gestures I understood that they invited me to go on land, an
invitation that I declined.

So that, on that day, the boat did not push off, to the great
displeasure of Master Land, who could not complete his provisions.

This adroit Canadian employed his time in preparing the viands and meat
that he had brought off the island. As for the savages, they returned
to the shore about eleven o'clock in the morning, as soon as the coral
tops began to disappear under the rising tide; but I saw their numbers
had increased considerably on the shore. Probably they came from the
neighbouring islands, or very likely from Papua. However, I had not
seen a single native canoe. Having nothing better to do, I thought of
dragging these beautiful limpid waters, under which I saw a profusion
of shells, zoophytes, and marine plants. Moreover, it was the last day
that the Nautilus would pass in these parts, if it float in open sea
the next day, according to Captain Nemo's promise.

I therefore