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

280 WITH NATIVES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

Solomons. My first task was to find servants, as
none had dared accompany me from the New
Hebrides to the ill-famed Santa Cruz Islands.
Through his coprah trade Mr. M. knew the people
well, and by his help I soon found two boys who had
some vague notion of biche la mar, real savages, who
served me well in a childish, playful way. They were
always jolly, and although they seemed to look upon
what they did for me rather as a kindness than a duty,
we got along fairly well. When it became known
that my service implied good food and little work,
many others applied, but I only chose one young
fellow, probably the most perfect specimen of a man
I have ever seen. He kept himself scrupulously
clean, and in his quiet, even behaviour there was
something that distinguished him from all the rest.
It is difficult to put the beauty of a human body
into words; I can only say that he was of sym-
metrical build, with a deep chest and well-developed
limbs, but Without the great muscles that would have
given him the coarse aspect of an athlete. His
greatest charm was in the grace of his movements
and the natural nobility of his attitudes and his walk ;
for he moved as lightly and daintily as a deer, and it
was a constant pleasure, while walking behind him
during our marches through the forest, to admire his
elastic gait, the play of his muscles and the elegant
ease with which he threaded the thicket. I tried to
take some photographs of him, but without great
success, owing to technical difficulties; besides, the
face had to be hidden as much as possible, as to a