[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

84 WITH NATIVES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

quite soaked, and looking in through the portholes,
we could see everything floating about in the cabin
~——blankets, saucepans, tins and pistols. We did not
MIND much, as we hoped to be at home by evening.

Rest, cleanliness and a little comfort were very
tempting after a fortnight in the filthy narrowness of
the little craft. We had no reason to be vain of our
succeSS; but such trips are part of the game, and we
planned a second visit to Big N ambas to reconcile the
chief. We were glad to greet the cloud-hung coast
of Santo, and soon entered the Segond Channel.
There we discovered that the old boat had leaked to
such an extent that we could have kept afloat for only
a few hours longer, and had every reason to be glad
the voyage was at an end. It was just as well that
We had not noticed the leak during the passage. *

We brought Belni ashore; the thin, flabby fellow
was a poor compensation for vigorous Bourbaki. He
was set to work on the plantation, and as the Govern-
ment was never informed of the affair, he is probably
there to this day, and will stay until he dies.