was thrown across his shoulders, and away we started for the bush.  It was often difficult for the possessor of a good stock of biscuit to shake off other useless volunteers; these hangers-on, with few exceptions, were more remarkable for their capacity for food than for their powers of endurance, showing a deeply rooted antipathy to any exertion not actually necessary, and for every trifling additional service asking for bisiker muro, choka muro, neipa, or some such thing.  Still a few of these same blacks make a very agreeable addition to a shooting party, as besides their services as guides, and in pointing out game, they formed amusing companions and enlivened many a noonday bivouac or dull thirsty march in the hot sun with their songs, jokes, and mimicry.

(Footnote.  Derived from the Kowrarega word Kutaig (younger brother); here in the jargon used between us it signified friend, associate, companion, etc.)

INDUCE THEM TO GET UP A NIGHT DANCE.

One evening I was asked to join a party made up for the purpose of witnessing a native dance.  Many strange blacks were then encamped on the margin of the beach, and altogether about 150 people belonging to four or five tribes had collected.  Not being apprised of our coming they showed much surprise and suspicion at our landing after dark, but, with some trouble, a number were induced by the promise of a quantity of biscuit to get up a dance round a large fire on the sand to the music of a drum which we had taken with us to announce our approach.  The dance after all was a very poor affair—­none of the performers were painted and decorated, there was little scenic effect, and they seemed glad when it was over.  The bag containing the promised biscuit was most injudiciously handed over to an old woman named Baki, or queena woman Baki, as someone had taught her to call herself, for distribution among the party.  She doled out a few handfuls to some women and children who had not been at all concerned in the matter, and would have marched off with the remainder had she not been prevented.  The appointment of a woman to this office gave great offence to the men who had been dancing—­while not one among them would have scrupled forcibly to deprive her of the whole on the very first opportunity, yet every man there scorned the idea of having to ASK a woman for anything—­the consequence was that the performers were not rewarded, and naturally imagined that we had broken faith with them.  The discontent increased, some of the men left in a state of great excitement, and went for their spears and throwing sticks.  One or two rockets were sent up soon after to amuse them, on which the few remaining women and children hurried to their sheds of bark and hid their faces in terror.  When a blue light was burned, and lit up the gloomy shadows of the neighbouring bush, it disclosed the spectral figures of many armed men among the trees, singly and in groups, intently watching our motions.  Paida, who with other native allies of ours still remained with us, was very urgent for us to be off, telling me that spears would be thrown immediately (kaibu kalaka muro); being a kotaig of mine, he considered himself bound to attend to my safety, so conducted me to the boat which he assisted in shoving off, nor did he retire from the beach until we had got into deep water.