st, and I will dye your body. I
have dyes of two colours here; one for the skin, and the other to
draw lines on the face, so as to make you look older; and with this
I can also imitate tattoo marks on your chest and shoulders. Here
is a long knife, such as everyone wears, and here is the cord.

"As soon as it is getting dark you must carry up two of the bamboo
poles, taking care that no one observes you do so. There is seldom
anyone in the courtyard. I have had the knife sharpened, and it
will cut through the thatch, easily enough. When you get away, walk
straight to the market that lies nearest to us. I will be at its
entrance. It will take you, I suppose, two hours to make your
ladder and get out. You cannot begin until the guard closes your
door. You tell me he never comes in."

"No, he brings the last meal an hour before sunset. I generally sit
on the top of the steps, till he comes up to lock the door, which
is about nine o'clock; and I do not see him again until he unbars
the door in the morning. I should not think that it will take as
long as two hours to make the ladder, and cut the thatch; at any
rate, by eleven I ought to join you.

"I suppose the gates are open."

"Oh, yes! They are never closed, though of course they would be, if
an enemy were near. There is no guard anywhere."

After staining Stanley's skin, the officer waited a quarter of an
hour for it to dry thoroughly; and then proceeded to draw lines on
his face, across the forehead, and from the corners of his eyes;
and then spent nearly an hour in executing rough tattoo marks on
his body and arms.

"This dye is very good, and will last for weeks before it begins to
fade. I will bring with me another bottle, tonight, so that you can
at least re-dye your skin.

"Here is some wax. You must turn your hair up from the neck, and
plaster it in its place with it. The turban will prevent anyone
seeing how short the hair is. Here is a little bottle of black dye,
with which you had better colour it, before fixing it with the
wax."

Stanley's hair had not been cut for some time before he had been
captured by the Burmese and, in the two months that had since
elapsed, it had grown very long; and could therefore be turned up
as the officer suggested. Putting on his usual garments, he sat at
his place, at the door of the cell, until the guard brought up his
evening meal. Having eaten this, he dyed his hair and, half an hour
later, turned it up, plasterin