Conversation was at once opened up, and proceeded somewhat as follows:
Quambo. "Are you the king of this island?"
Ota. "I am King Ota, the greatest king in all the world."
Quambo. "And we are poor white men who want food and water."
Ota. "I have brought this pig to make you a present of. How much will you pay me for this pig?"
"That's a queer way of making a present," said Fred, when the king's words were interpreted. "Tell him we will give him a beautiful jacket and a pair of white duck trousers to hide his dirty black legs. Hold up the garments."
Quambo (holding up the trousers and blue jacket). "Here, O great and good king, we have brought you a coat for your brave body, and a pair of white ducks for your lovely legs!"
Ota. "Land and leave them."
Quambo. "No, leave the pig, and we will land and exchange; but you must retire."
Fred now determined to bring matters to a crisis. These savages had never seen or heard of fire-arms, so now raising a rifle to his shoulder he took aim and fired, and, lo! Ota's pig dropped dead at his feet. The smoke had hardly cleared away till, with terrible shouts and shrieks, the savages had fled in all directions. For just one brief moment the greatest king in all the world stood looking down at poor piggie weltering in its gore, then with an eldritch scream he too fled away.