thirsty, and the American, smoking all the while, offered the chief a
cigar. The cigar was refused, but the headman ordered a couple of
natives ashore, and in five minutes we had wild bananas and fish to eat,
and water to drink. But that five minutes of waiting were filled with
awkward incidents. Blithelygo, meaning to be hospitable, had brought up
a tumbler of claret for the headman. With violent language, MacGregor
stopped its presentation; upon which the poison of suspicion evidently
entered the mind of the savage, and he grasped his spear threateningly.
Van Blaricom, who wore a long gold watch-chain, now took it off and
offered it to the chief, motioning him to put it round his neck. The
hand was loosened on the spear, and the Chicagonian stepped forward and
put the chain over the head of the native. As he did so the chief
suddenly thrust his nose forward and sniffed violently at the American.

What little things decide the fate of nations and men! This was a race
whose salutation was not nose-rubbing, but smelling, and the American had
not in our worst straits failed to keep his hair sleek with hair-oil,
verbena scented, and to perfume himself daily with new-mown hay or
heliotrope. Thus was he of goodly savour to the chief, and the eyes of
the savage grew bright. At that moment the food and drink came. During
the repast the chief chuckled in his own strange way, and, when we
slackened in our eating, he still motioned to us to go on.

Van Blaricom, who had been smiling, suddenly looked grave. "By the great
horn-spoons," he said, "they have begun already! They're fattening us!"

MacGregor nodded affirmatively, and then Van Blaricom's eyes wandered
wildly from the chief to that group on the shore where he thought he had
seen the "she-queen." At that moment the headman came forward again,
again sniffed at him, and again chuckled, and all the natives as they