"No need to. They all fly to their work. Then you go round. Every company in turn is found sitting down, or eye-serving.
"'Down with that tree, my lad—you with the felling-axe! Not know how to use it?'
"For three days I felled trees myself, till I found that I could get the tree felled equally well by merely showing the cracker of the hunting-crop. The men had loved to see me work. The crop came to be called 'Volapük,' because it was understood by every tribe. But, though often shown, it was never used.
"The bush-clearing company are sitting down, not a yard of bush cut. 'Why?'
"'Oh, we are fishermen by occupation, and don't know anything about bush-cutting.'
"The bush soon comes down nevertheless, and, what is more wonderful, by sunset there is an open space of some seven or eight acres where this morning there was nothing but a sea of bush jungle. Large palm thatched sheds have sprung up in regular lines, and in the centre stands a nearly finished fort, with its earth rampart bound up by stockade and wattle. Within it are two huts, for hospital and storehouse. Trains of carriers are already arriving with hundreds of boxes of beef and biscuit to be checked, arranged, and stored. At sunset sounds the drum, the treasure box and ledger are opened, and the command comes up for pay.
"'First company—how many men present?'
"'Sixty-eight, sir.'
"'But it has only got fifty-nine on its establishment!'
"'Next company.'