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Tirau came in timidly, clothed only in an AIRIRI or girdle, and slunk into a far corner. "Fine girl, Charley," said the skipper, digging him in the ribs. "Ought to suit you, eh! Make a good little wife." Negotiations then began anew. Father willing to part, girl frightened commenced to cry. The astute Charley brought out some new trade. Tirau's eye here displayed a faint interest.
Each ear-lobe bore a load one had two or three sticks of tobacco, twined in and about the distended circle of flesh, and the other a clasp-knife and wooden pipe. Stripped to the waist he showed his muscular outlines to perfection, and he sat down unasked in the bold, self-confident, half-defiant manner natural to the Line Islander. "Where's Tirau?" asked the trader.
As a practical proof of the solemnity of the occasion, the bridegroom then and there gave Tirau his bunch of keys, which she carefully tied to a strand of her AIRIRI, and, smoking one of the captain's Manillas, she proceeded to bash out the mosquitoes from the nuptial couch with a fan.
Charley threw her, with the air of a prince, a whole piece of turkey twill, 12 yards value three dollars, cost about 2s. 3d. Tirau put out a little hand and drew it gingerly toward her. Tibakwa gave us an atrocious wink. "She's cottoned!" exclaimed Charley. And thus, without empty and hollow display, were two loving hearts made to beat as one.
We assisted her, an hour afterwards, to hoist the sleeping body of Long Charley therein, and, telling her to bathe his head in the morning with cold water, we rose to go. "Good-bye, Tirau!" we said. One day Ned Burr, a fellow trader, walked slowly up the path to my station, and with a friendly nod sat down and watched intently as, with native assistance, I set about salting some pork.
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