"But what made me anxious was what the chaps canoes might think came back 'd seen me boat before I went down, and without the helmet on--for they spying and hiding since over night-- very likely take different view others in deuce of stew for hours, as it seemed, until the shindy arrival began

"But they took it down--the whole blessed village took it down cost of sitting up stiff and stern, like those sitting Egyptian images one sees as manage, for pretty nearly twelve hours, guess , on end, I got over it You'd hardly think what it meant heat and stink I don't think any dreamt man inside just wonderful leathery great joss that had come up with luck water But the fatigue ! the heat ! the beastly closeness ! the mackintosheriness rum ! fuss ! They lit stinking fire on kind of lava slab before me, and brought in lot of gory muck--the worst parts of what they were feasting on outside, the Beasts-- and burnt it all in my honour getting bit hungry, but I understand now how gods manage without eating, what smell of burnt-offerings brought in lot stuff they'd got off the brig and, among other stuff, what bit relieved , the kind of pneumatic pump that was used compressed air affair, and then lot of chaps and girls came in and danced about me something disgraceful It's extraordinary the different ways different people have of showing respect If I'd had hatchet handy I'd lot --they made me feel that wild All I sat as stiff as company, not knowing anything better And at last, when nightfall came, wattle joss-house place got bit too shadowy for their taste--all these here savages are afraid dark, --and I started sort of 'Moo' noise, they built big bonfires outside and left me alone in peace darkness hut, free to unscrew my windows bit and think things over, and feel just as bad as I liked And Lord ! sick

" weak and hungry, and my mind kept on behaving like beetle on pin, tremendous activity and nothing done end of it Come round just where before sorrowing other chaps, beastly drunkards certainly, but not deserving such fate, and young Sanders spear through his neck wouldn't go out mind the treasure down there Ocean Pioneer_, and how one might get it and hide it somewhere safer, and get away and come back And the puzzle where anything to eat I tell you fair rambling afraid to ask by signs for food, for fear of behaving too human, and so there I sat and hungered until very near the dawn Then the village got bit quiet, and I couldn't stand it any longer, and I went out and got some stuff like artichokes in bowl and some sour milk left I put away other offerings, just them hint tastes And morning they came to worship, and found me sitting up stiff and respectable on their previous god, just 'd left me overnight I'd got my back against the central pillar hut, and, practically, asleep 's how I became god heathen--false god, , and blasphemous, but one can't always pick and choose

"Now, I don't want to crack myself up as god beyond my merits, but confess that while god people they was extraordinary successful I don't say there's anything , mind you They won battle with another tribe--I got lot of offerings I didn't want through it--they had wonderful fishing, and their crop of pourra was exceptional fine counted the capture brig benefits I brought 'em say I don't think that was poor record for perfectly new hand And, though perhaps you'd scarcely credit it, I tribal god beastly savages for pretty nearly four months .

"What else could , man ? But I didn't wear that diving-dress all the time 'em rig me up sort of holy of holies, and deuce of time I had too, making them understand what them That indeed great difficulty--making them understand my wishes I couldn't let myself down by talking their lingo badly, even if I'd been able at all, and I couldn't go flapping lot of gestures at them So I drew pictures in sand and sat down beside them and hooted like one o'clock Sometimes the things all right, and sometimes them all wrong They was always very willing, certainly All the while puzzling how the confounded business settled Every night dawn I used to march out in full rig and go off to place where I the channel _Ocean Pioneer lay sunk, and once even, one moonlight night, I tried to walk out to her, but the weeds and rocks and dark clean beat me I didn't get back till full day, and then all those silly niggers out beach praying their sea-god to return I vexed and tired, messing and tumbling about, and coming up and going down again, punched their silly heads all round started rejoicing Hanged if I like ceremony

"And then came the missionary That missionary ! What Guy ! Gummy ! afternoon, and sitting in state in my outer temple place, sitting old black stone of theirs, when I heard row outside and jabbering, and then his voice speaking to an interpreter 'They worship stocks and stones,' , and up, in flash I had one windows out for comfort, and I sang out straight away spur moment 'Stocks and stones ! ' I says 'You come inside,' I says, 'and I'll punch your blooming Exeter Hall of head '

" kind of silence and more jabbering, and in , Bible in hand, manner --a little sandy chap in specks and pith helmet I flatter myself that me sitting there shadows, with my copper head and my big goggles, struck him bit of heap at first 'Well,' I says, 'how's the trade in scissors ? ' for I don't hold with missionaries

"I had lark missionary raw hand, and quite outclassed by man like me He gasped out who was I, and him to read the inscription at my feet if There wasn't no inscription; why should there be ? but down he goes to read, interpreter, being as superstitious as any , more so by reason seeing missionary close to, took it for an act of worship and plumped down like shot All my people gave howl of triumph, and there wasn't any more business in my village journey, not likes of him

"But, , fool to choke him off like that If I'd had any sense told him straight away treasure and taken him into Co I've he'd have come into Co child, with few hours it over, seen the connection between my diving dress loss Ocean Pioneer week after he left I went out one morning and saw the Motherhood_, the salver's ship from Starr Race, towing up the channel and sounding The whole blessed game was up, and all my trouble thrown away Gummy ! How wild ! And guying it stinking silly dress ! Four months ! "

The sunburnt man's story degenerated again "Think of it," , when he emerged to linguistic purity once more "Forty thousand pounds' worth of gold "

"Did the little missionary come back ? " I asked

"Oh yes ! bless him ! And he pledged his reputation man inside the god, and started out with tremendous ceremony But wasn't--he got sold again I always did hate scenes and explanations, and long before out of it all--going home to Banya along the coast, hiding in bushes by day, and thieving food villages by night Only weapon, spear No clothes, no money Nothing My face, my fortune, saying is And just squeak of eight thousand pounds of gold--fifth share But the natives cut up rusty, thank goodness, because they thought him had driven their luck away "