He Obtains A Box From The Carpenter Of The Factory, Or Buys
A Tin One, And Puts Therein His Tobacco
And small things, and then
he buys a padlock and locks his box of treasure up, hanging the key
with
His other ju-jus round his neck, and then he has peace
regarding this section of his belongings. Peace at present, for the
day must some time dawn when an experimental genius shall arise
among his fellow countrymen, who will try and see if one key will
not open two locks. When this possibility becomes known I can
foresee nothing for the Kruboy but nervous breakdown; for even now,
with his mind at rest regarding the things in his box, he lives in a
state of constant anxiety about those out of it, which have to lie
on the deck during the return voyage to his home. He has to keep a
vigilant eye on them by day, and sleep spread out over them by
night, for fear of his companions stealing them. Why he should take
all this trouble about his things on his voyage home I can't make
out, if what is currently reported is true, that all the wages
earned by the working boys become the property of the Elders of his
tribe when he returns to them. I myself rather doubt if this is the
case, but expect there is a very heavy tax levied on them, for your
Kruboy is very much a married man, and the Elders of his tribe have
to support and protect his wives and families when he is away at
work, and I should not wonder if the law was that these said wives
and families "revert to the State" if the boy fails to return within
something like his appointed time.
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Words from 171790 to 172091
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