Etc.
At Length Manuel Came In, Looking Very Solemn And Frightened, And
Said To Me In English, "Sir - Must Take
Care, - no safe here; - want
cut throat." On further inquiry, I found that the Malay had been
telling them that
The Rajah had just sent down an order to the
village, that they were to get a certain number of heads for an
offering in the temples to secure a good crop of rice. Two or
three other Malays and Bugis, as well as the Amboyna man in whose
house we lived, confirmed this account, and declared that it was
a regular thing every year, and that it was necessary to keep a
good watch and never go out alone. I laughed at the whole thing,
and tried to persuade them that it was a mere tale, but to no
effect. They were all firmly persuaded that their lives were in
danger. Manuel would not go out shooting alone, and I was obliged
to accompany him every morning, but I soon gave him the slip in
the jungle. Ali was afraid to go and look for firewood without a
companion, and would not even fetch water from the well a few
yards behind the house unless armed with an enormous spear. I was
quite sure all the time that no such order had been sent or
received, and that we were in perfect safety. This was well shown
shortly afterwards, when an American sailor ran away from his
ship on the east side of the island, and made his way on foot and
unarmed across to Ampanam, having met with the greatest
hospitality on the whole route.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 222 of 419
Words from 60594 to 60870
of 114260
