"
Carlos looked at it in ecstasy.
"Oh, my brothers!" he cried. "To think that I should not have known
you! You torture each other just as we do. You are tattooed just as we
are! You have bigger feathers and bigger dances and bigger tom-toms.
You are bigger savages than we are! Come, let us feast together."
The repast was soon prepared in the center of the clearing. The
prisoners, now unbound, washed and happy, were seated in the place of
honor on each side of the chief. A huge pot of miscellaneous food was
set down in the midst, and they all began to eat with their fingers,
the chief picking out the tid-bits for his guests and putting them in
their mouths. They were so much delighted with the results of the day's
work that they ate heartily and asked no questions. When the meal was
over, Cleary turned to the chief and thanked him in a little oration,
which was received with great favor.
"We have found our brothers," he said in conclusion, "and you have
found yours. You believe us now when we say that we have come to bless
you and not to injure you. We will not take your land. We will
generously give you part of it for yourselves. You see how we all love
you, the aged warrior and the red-headed chief as well as I. Why will
you not come with us when we set out on our journey to our great chief,
or why, at any rate, will you not send your chiefs with us, to tell
him that you have received us all as brothers and that we shall always
be friends and allies?"
Carlos translated this speech sentence by sentence.
Pages:
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155