The whole population would race and fight for the prize, often bringing the establishment, on the top of which it was suspended, to the ground in their efforts to secure it. Having established these relations with the natives, we had usually little difficulty in getting men to paddle us on our way the following morning. If our camp the next evening happened to be situated among people of the same tribe, or among a tribe friendly to our former host, we found that our reputation had preceded us, and we were received with open arms. Occasionally, however, the other side to the question presented itself, and all did not proceed so smoothly, the trouble usually arising through the disobedience of my own men.

On one or two occasions when I was on shore arranging matters with the chief, and