Uraso explained the new proceeding. They had conspicuously displayed the ramie cloth, made in different colors, which had been woven during the past two weeks. Not a word was said about that. The goods displayed seemed to be of more value than the coins. It was something they could wear, and they envied the manner in which the white people clothed themselves.
John went up to Jim, who had the fiber cloth in charge, and asked him for a piece, indicating the length of the yardstick, which he held, and when he was told that it was worth one of the small coins, John made a great show of taking one of the coins from the cord and paying for the goods which Jim cut off.
Tom did likewise, and this was very soon repeated, some taking two yards or more. The natives regarded this as a new species of barter, and it did not take them long to see the peculiar features of the transaction. Before night fully half of the coins were again back in the hands of the treasurer.
The next day the boys, at the instigation of the Professor, began a species of trade with the natives, purchasing some trinket or other article, for which coins were offered in exchange. This spirit began to take possession of the natives. Regularly each week the pay for work performed was given, and as the weaving of cloth went on, the sale of the goods began to increase.
Soon the Professor called the chiefs, and said: "We ought to send some of these men to their homes, each week, and bring others here, so that all may have an opportunity to work and to learn, and also be able to buy the goods we make."
There was a twofold purpose in this: The warriors would, he knew, take their purchases home, and thus give their families the benefits of the cloth, and it would incite a desire for them to again return and work for the purpose of acquiring more goods.
This was the first object lesson. In the following week, the second one was quietly brought to their attention. The workers had been fed from the common table. It was desirable to stimulate individual effort.
For this purpose the Professor, John and Blakely, as well as the boys, went to the different workers, and made bargains; some offered a coin for the bringing in of a brace of fowl; others for a certain amount of vegetables; and some for particular quantities of fruit and for barley.