 denominated a nasal flute.
It is somewhat longer than an ordinary fife, is made of a beautiful
scarlet-coloured reed, and has four or five stops, with a large hole near one
end, which latter is held just beneath the left nostril. The other nostril being
closed by a peculiar movement of the muscles about the nose, the breath is
forced into the tube, and produces a soft dulcet sound, which is varied by the
fingers running at random over the stops. This is a favourite recreation with
the females, and one in which Fayaway greatly excelled. Awkward as such an
instrument may appear, it was, in Fayaway's delicate little hands, one of the
most graceful I have ever seen, A young lady in the act of tormenting a guitar,
strung about her neck by a couple of yards of blue ribbon, is not half so
engaging.
 
                                   * * * * *
 
Singing was not the only means I possessed of diverting the royal Mehevi and his
easy-going subjects. Nothing afforded them more pleasure than to see me go
through the attitudes of a pugilistic encounter. As not one of the natives had
soul enough in him to stand up like a man, and allow me to hammer away at him,
for my own personal gratification and that of the king, I was necessitated to
fight with an imaginary enemy, whom I invariably made to knock under to my
superior prowess. Sometimes, when this sorely battered shadow retreated
precipitately toward a group of the savages, and, following him up, I rushed
among them, dealing my blows right and left, they would disperse in all
directions, much to the enjoyment of Mehevi, the chiefs, and themselves.
    The noble art of self-defence appeared to be regarded by them as the
peculiar gift of the white man; and I make little doubt but that they supposed
armies of Europeans were drawn up provided with nothing else but bony fists and
stout hearts, with which they set to in column, and pummelled one another at the
word of command.
 
                                   * * * * *
 
One day, in company with Kory-Kory, I had repaired to the stream for the purpose
of bathing, when I observed a woman sitting upon a rock in the midst of the
current, and watching with the liveliest interest the gambols of something,
which at first I took to be an uncommonly large species of frog that was
sporting in the water near her. Attracted by the novelty of the sight, I waded
toward the spot where she sat, and could hardly credit the evidence of my senses
when I beheld a little infant
