“Ah! I heard that two men had been put on shore. Where is your companion?”
“He is here, but absent just now.”
“My name,” said the officer I had spoken to, “is Hoogstraaten, commander of the Selwaert; this is my second officer, Herr Arendsoon.”
The gentleman indicated inclined his head haughtily, and I gave him an equally stiff nod.
“Prince Zolca,” I said, “wishes me to ask you gentlemen to his house. I will guarantee your safety.”
Commander Hoogstraaten bowed an assent; I heard the other whisper something about “a trap”, but he was frowned down.
“We first went to the Cross, and I told Hoogstraaten of De Gonneville’s visit and how we had been welcomed as friends of his. He had read of the Norman’s voyage and was deeply interested in what I told him. We then went forward to the scattered town of the Quadrucos. Hoogstraaten looked with intelligent interest on the strange and novel sights, whilst Arendsoon dawdled along, twirling his moustache and leering at any of the pretty girls we passed; for the Quadrucos, after their usual simple, harmless fashion, had lined the sides of the pathway to see the strangers, although there was no rude pushing or crowding.
Arrived at the palace I invited the two officers in, and Azolta received them as I had instructed her to do. The boy brought cups of green cocoa-nut milk, and Zolca and I pledged our guests. While a meal was being prepared in another room, for we had enlarged the palace, I showed Hoogstraaten the Latin missal and sword left by De Gonneville. Zolca despatched some men to the boat’s crew with refreshment.
During our meal I related the details of our journey to the commander, who was anxious to get some knowledge of the country for the Company. I could only assure him that all we had passed through was barren and unprofitable. The natives were half-starved wretches who just managed to live, and that was all. There was nothing whatever to induce the Company to form settlements. Even the valley we were in was but a small patch of fertile country surrounded by a wilderness.
Hoogstraaten, who was evidently devoted to his work, seemed much pleased at obtaining so much reliable information of the unknown land, and when we rose from our meal, to which the strangers had done ample justice, he gladly acceded to my invitation for a stroll up the valley. Arendsoon, who had greatly annoyed me by staring openly and admiringly at Azolta during our repast, excused himself on the ground of being unused to walking, so he stayed behind.