“Indians,” replied Mr. Thorne. “Know who they are, Colcord?”
“No, Chief,” replied the Boviander. “I ’spect they’s Wapisianas or Macusis from topside.”
As he spoke two bronze-skinned figures approached the fire, clad only in their scarlet “laps” or loin cloths. Without uttering a word they passed around the fire, shaking hands with each member of the party, and then, squatting down, remained motionless and silent for a full minute. Evidently this was bush etiquette for Colcord and Mr. Thorne seemed to regard it as a matter of course. Then the explorer passed the new arrivals a tin of tobacco, Colcord filled a tin dish full of food and set it before them, and, as the Indians began to eat, the explorer spoke.
“You fellow makeum walk Rockstone?” he asked. “Come all time topside?”
“Makeum walk Bartica,” responded one of the red men. “Come Pakarima like so.”
“How you callum, Macusi mebbe?” inquired the explorer.
“Arekuna,” replied the other Indian.
“Eh, eh! Arekuna!” exclaimed Mr. Thorne. “You sabby white man makeum fly all same bird like so?” The explorer made a sound like the exhaust of an airplane’s motor.
The Indians glanced sharply at the explorer and muttered some words in their own tongue.
“Me sabby,” vouchsafed one of the two at last. “Me hearum. No sabby him white man. Me sabby him peai. No likeum plenty.”