ion I thought it
advisable to allow him to retain his shirt, at any rate for a time, as
his skin was not so inured to the burning sun as my own.

We had to provide him with food, which he accepted, of course, without
gratitude. Then Yamba had always to build him a shelter wherever we
camped, so that far from being an invaluable assistance and a companion
he was a burden--so great that, in moments of depression, I regretted not
having left him to die. As it was, he would often have gone to his death
in the great deserts were it not for the ever-vigilant Bruno. Still, I
always thought that some day I would be able to take the man back to
civilisation, and there find out who he was and whence he had come. And
I hoped that people would think I had been kind to him. At first I
thought the unfortunate man was suffering from sunstroke, and that in
course of time he would regain his reason. I knew I could do very little
towards his recovery except by feeding him well. Fortunately the natives
never called upon him to demonstrate before them the extraordinary powers
which I attributed to him. Indeed his strange gestures, antics, and
babblings were sufficient in themselves to convince the blacks that he
was a creature to be reverenced. The remarkable thing about him was that
he never seemed to take notice of any one, whether it were myself, Yamba,
or a native chief. As a rule, his glance would "go past me," so to
speak, and he was for ever wandering aimlessly about, chattering and
gesticulating.

We placed no restrictions upon him, and supplied all his wants, giving
him Bruno as a guide and protector. I must say that Yamba did not like
the stranger, but for my sake she was wonderfully patient with him.

It was whilst living on the shores of this lagoon that I received a very
extraordinary commission from a neighbouring tribe. Not long after my
arrival I heard a curious legend, to the effect that away on the other
side of the lagoon there was an "evil spirit" infesting the waters, which
terrified the women when they went down to fill their skins. Well,
naturally enough, the fame of the white man and his doings soon got
abroad in that country, and I was one day invited by the tribe in
question to go and rid them of the evil spirit. Accordingly, accompanied
by Yamba, and leaving Bruno to look after our helpless companion, we set
off in response to the invitation, and in a few days reached the camp of
the blacks who ha