living statue--Here or
there?--An unrelished supper--A dreaded immigration--A glance into
the past--A rape which was not a rape--A noble task--Towards the
mountain--Tiger-shooting--The Sakais in town--Alloyed sweets--
Musical tastes--Hurrah for the free forest!

My gold mania was transient. My spirit was very soon liberated from its
thrall and I turned with alacrity to the study of a more practical and
satisfactory enterprise.

In that brief period of uncertainty I had somehow felt convinced that
fortune (if indeed fortune was reserved for me) would have to come to me
through the ground. But in what way?

I often accompanied the Sakais in their visits into the thick of the
forest where they were in the habit of going in search of poisons, and
sometimes I would even go by myself. During these excursions I tortured
my brain with the everlasting question of how to initiate a new line of
work and gain.

One day the forest itself answered my puzzling query!

There were extensive woods of rattan, and other magnificent reeds which
are called in England Indian and Malacca cane; there was resin oozing
copiously from the trunks of the trees. What more could be desired?

I began gently to make my Sakais comprehend how much I should like to
gather these products and transport them to where I might exchange them
for other articles that we were without. It was of no use to speak to
them of money because they had not the smallest idea of what it meant.

At first they responded roughly that they did not care anything at all
about the matter, for, as I before said, the Sakais from habit and an
innate spirit of independence will never hear of submitting themselves
to any regular, ordinate labour. Knowing, however, with whom I had to
deal, and divining what a great amount of patience would be necessary to
bring them round to my way of thinking, I began to distribute gifts,
especially tobacco, freely and frequently amongst them, only mentioning
my wish occasionally, as if by chance. And my prodigality had its
reward.

One day I saw them returning from the forest abundantly laden with the
products I wanted.

It was a good beginning and was followed up by a constant supply. I
stored up the bamboo and gum and when I had accumulated enough I went to
the coast to sell my merchandise coming back well provided with tobacco,
iron, coloured beads, matches, salt, rice padi and maize. These things I
dispensed amongst my friends a