The Doctor’s birthday came round after we had been on the island six months and a half.  The people made a great public holiday of it and there was much feasting, dancing, fireworks, speech-making and jollification.

Towards the close of the day the chief men of the two tribes formed a procession and passed through the streets of the town, carrying a very gorgeously painted tablet of ebony wood, ten feet high.  This was a picture-history, such as they preserved for each of the ancient kings of Popsipetel to record their deeds.

With great and solemn ceremony it was set up over the door of the new palace:  and everybody then clustered round to look at it.  It had six pictures on it commemorating the six great events in the life of King Jong and beneath were written the verses that explained them.  They were composed by the Court Poet; and this is a translation:  I

(His Landing on The Island) Heaven-sent, In his dolphin-drawn canoe From worlds unknown He landed on our shores.  The very palms Bowed down their heads In welcome to the coming King.

II

(His Meeting With The Beetle) By moonlight in the mountains He communed with beasts.  The shy Jabizri brings him picture-words Of great distress.

(He liberates The Lost Families) Big was his heart with pity; Big were his hands with strength.  See how he tears the mountain like a yam!  See how the lost ones Dance forth to greet the day!

IV

(He Makes Fire) Our land was cold and dying.  He waved his hand and lo!  Lightning leapt from cloudless skies; The sun leant down; And Fire was born!  Then while we crowded round The grateful glow, pushed he Our wayward, floating land Back to peaceful anchorage In sunny seas.

V

(He Leads The People To Victory in War) Once only Was his kindly countenance Darkened by a deadly frown.  Woe to the wicked enemy That dares attack The tribe with Thinkalot for Chief!

VI

(He Is Crowned King) The birds of the air rejoiced; The Sea laughed and gambolled with her shores; All Red-skins wept for joy The day we crowned him King.  He is the Builder, the Healer, the Teacher and the Prince; He is the greatest of them all.  May he live a thousand thousand years, Happy in his heart, To bless our land with Peace.

THE SECOND CHAPTER

THOUGHTS OF HOME

In the Royal Palace Bumpo and I had a beautiful suite of rooms of our very own—­which Polynesia, Jip and Chee-Chee shared with us.

Officially Bumpo was Minister of the Interior; while I was First Lord of the Treasury.  Long Arrow also had quarters there; but at present he was absent, traveling abroad.