Seas

A Severe Bout of Malaria in the Wilds - The "Seamy Side" of Exploration - Unfortunate Shooting of the Chief's Dog - Filipino Credulity - Stories of the Buquils and their Bearded Women - Expedition Planned - Succession of CONTRETEMPS - Start for the Buquil Country - Scenes on the Way - A Negrito Mother's Method of Giving Drink to Her Baby - Exhausting Marches Amid Striking Scenery - The Worst Over - A Bolt from the Blue - Negritos in a Fury - Violent Scenes at a Negrito Council of War - They Decide on Reprisals - Further Progress Barred in Consequence - Return to Florida Blanca.

Expedition against the Doboduras - We hear reports about a Web-footed Tribe - Landing at the Mouth of the Musa River - A Good Bag - Barigi River Reached - A Flight of Torres Straits Pigeons - A Tropical Night Scene - Brilliant Rues of Tropical Fish - Arrival of Supplies - Prospects of a Stiff Fight - Landing of the Force - Pigs Shot to Prevent them from being Cooked Alive - Novelty of Firearms - A Red Sunrise - Beauty of the Forest - Enemies' War Cry First Heard - Rushing a Village - Revolting Relics of Cannibal Feast - Doboduras eat their Enemies Alive - Method of Extracting the Brains - E

A Night Attack - A Little Mistake - Horrible Barbarities of the Doboduras - Eating a Man Alive - A Sinister Warning - Saved by Rain - Daylight at Last - "Prudence the Better Part" - The Return - Welcome by the Notus - "Orakaiba."

Further Expedition Planned - Thank-offerings of Notu Chiefs - The Voyage - A Gigantic Flatfish - Negotiating a Difficult Bar - Moat Unhealthy Spot in New Guinea - Hostility of Natives - Precautions at Night - Catching Ground Sharks and a "Groper" - Shark-flesh a Delicacy to the Natives - Wakened by a War Cry - A False Alarm - A Hairbreadth Escape - Between "Devil and Deep Sea" - Dangers of the Goldfield - Two Miners Eaten Alive - Unexpected Visit from a White Man - "Where's that Razor?" - Crime of Cutting Down a Coconut Tree - Walsh's Camp - Torres Straits Pigeons - My Boy an ex-Cannibal -

Horrible Fate of one of our Enemies - Collecting in Cannibal - Haunted Forest - I Shoot a new Kingfisher, and a Bird of Paradise - Natives' Interest in Bird-Stuffing - Return Journey begun - Tree-house in a Notu Village - Peacemaking Ceremonies - Notu Village described - Our Allies sentenced for Cannibalism - Parting with Walsh and Clark.

Rumours at Cape Nelson of a "Duckfooted" People in the Interior - Conflicting Opinions - Views of a Confirmed Sceptic - Start of the Expedition - Magnificence of the Vegetation - Friendliness of the Barugas - The "Orakaibas" (Criers of "Peace") - Tree-huts eighty feet from the ground-Loveliness of this part of the Jungle - Description of its Plants - A Dry Season - First Glimpse of Agai Ambu Huts - Remarkable Scene on the Lake - Flight of the Agai Ambu in Canoes - Success at Last - A Voluntary Surrender - The Agai Ambu Flat-footed, not Web-footed - Sir Francis Winter's subsequent Visit and

Nearly five years elapsed after Cartier's return to St Malo before he again set sail for the New World. His royal master, indeed, had received him most graciously. Francis had deigned to listen with pleasure to the recital of his pilot's adventures, and had ordered him to set them down in writing. Moreover, he had seen and conversed with Donnacona and the other captive Indians, who had told of the wonders of their distant country. The Indians had learned the language of their captors and spoke with the king in French.

Great doubt and uncertainty surround the ultimate fate of Roberval's attempted colony, of which Cartier's expedition was to form the advance guard. Roberval, as already seen, had stayed behind in France when Cartier sailed in 1541, because his equipment was not yet ready for the voyage. Nor does he seem to have finally started on his expedition for nearly a year after the departure of Cartier. It has been suggested that Roberval did set sail at some time in the summer of 1541, and that he reached Cape Breton island and built a fort there.

Adapted from Baxter's 'Memoir of Jacques Cartier'

VOYAGE OF 1534

April 20 Monday Cartier leaves St Malo.

May 10 Sunday Arrives at Bonavista.

'' 21 Thursday Reaches Isle of Birds.

'' 24 Sunday Enters the harbour of Kirpon.

June 9 Tuesday Leaves Kirpon.

'' 10 Wednesday Enters the harbour of Brest.

'' 11 Thursday St Barnabas Day. Hears Mass and explorescoast in boats.

by Stephen Leacock