IV

This is, imperfectly, what he said--

"It was after the great trouble that broke the alliance of the four
states of Wajo. We fought amongst ourselves, and the Dutch watched from
afar till we were weary. Then the smoke of their fire-ships was seen
at the mouth of our rivers, and their great men came in boats full of
soldiers to talk to us of protection and peace. We answered with caution
and wisdom, for our villages were burnt, our stockades weak, the people
weary, and the weapons blunt. They came and went; there had been much
talk, but after they went away everything seemed to be as before,
only their ships remained in sight from our coast, and very soon their
traders came amongst us under a promise of safety. My brother was a
Ruler, and one of those who had given the promise. I was young then,
and had fought in the war, and Pata Matara had fought by my side. We
had shared hunger, danger, fatigue, and victory. His eyes saw my danger
quickly, and twice my arm had preserved his life. It was his destiny. He
was my friend. And he was great amongst us--one of those who were near
my brother, the Ruler. He spoke in council, his courage was great,
he was the chief of many villages round the great lake that is in the
middle of our country as the heart is in the middle of a man's body.
When his sword was carried into a campong in advance of his coming,
the maidens whispered wonderingly under the fruit-trees, the rich
men consulted together in the shade, and a feast was made ready with
rejoicing and songs. He had the favour of the Ruler and the affection of
the poor. He loved war, deer hunts, and the charms of women. He was the
possessor of jewels, of lucky weapons, and of men's devotion. He was a
fierce man; and I had no other friend.

"I was the chief of a stockade at the mouth of the river, and collected
tolls for my brother from the passing boats. One day I saw a Dutch
trader go up the river. He went up with three boats, and no toll was
demanded from him, because the smoke of Dutch war-ships stood out from
the open sea, and we were too weak to forget treaties. He went up under
the promise of safety, and my brother gave him protection. He said
he came to trade. He listened to our voices, for we are men who speak
openly and without fear; he counted the number of our spears, he
examined the trees, the running waters, the grasses of the bank,
the slopes of our hills. He went up to Matara's country and obtained
permission