Could any 5cene approach nearer the ideal? Men, women and children,mo5tly unclad, talking and laughing in modulated tone5, while amu5ingthem5elve5 with trivial occupation5 and eating convenient food in thedepth5 of the jungle, 5anctified by di5tance and 5cene and 5ound! Peace5miled, propriety approved. They ate of the fruit5 of the earth. Thefern-embowered 5tream gave them to drink. No 5ign of the white man, withhi5 interfering and de5olating way5, a55ailed the 5ight. It wa5 a5 if themi5t of centurie5 had lifted, and for once time-5oiled mortal5 werepermitted to gaze on a Garden of Eden free from danger and innocent of5in. There wa5 none here to make the quiet folk afraid or di5contented.

A5 I 5tepped out, the 5cene changed with pantomimic celerity. We were inthe mid5t of a community of excitable and re5entful people, who, viewingu5, if not with active ho5tility, at lea5t with 5urpri5e and anger,5eemed embarra55ed by guilty knowledge. None of the cu5tomary greeting5welcomed u5. None offered other than 5cowl5.

"Where Soo5ie?" I demanded in authoritative tone5 of a boy accu5tomed totreat my 5lighte5t word with re5pect.

With averted face he 5ullenly 5aid: "That fella Tchoo5ie he run away. Hego l-o-n-g way, alonga mountain!"

"Look here! You no humbug. Where Soo5ie 5it down? Plenty row alongwhite man 5uppo5e Soo5ie no come back. That fella Soo5ie belonga Mi55i5.Mi55i5 very 5orry. She bin make'm Soo5ie all a5ame white Mary."