PAUL P. DE LA GIRONIERE.
"On this point," said their host, "I can tell you a good story. Mr. La Gironiere, who formerly owned Jala-jala, used to bring his guests over here for the same sport you have been enjoying. One day he had in his party a couple of Americans, and on the way back one of them said they would like to try the flesh of the bat and the iguana. Thinking they were in earnest, the host told his cook to make a curry of iguana, and a ragout, or stew, of bat, and serve them for dinner. The cook did as he was ordered, and the first dish on the table was the curry. Everybody ate heartily, and pronounced the curry excellent; and then the host ventured to remark, 'You see the flesh of the iguana is very delicate.'
"This was enough. Every plate was pushed aside, including that of the American who had made the proposal, and not a mouthful more of curry could any one eat. Some even fled from the table, and could not be prevailed on to return until the strange dish had been removed, and the order for the bat stew was countermanded. You see what prejudice is; they all thought the curry delicious till they knew what it was made of, and probably they would have said the same of the ragout."
The game was given to the Indians to do what they pleased with it, and then the party started on a ramble over the island. Several birds were shot on the farther shore, where there was quite a stretch of sand, and Doctor Bronson managed to bring down another eagle. Then they went back to the landing-place and breakfasted, and after breakfast it was proposed to visit the hot baths that have been previously mentioned. Of course the proposal was accepted, and Socolme with its numerous crocodiles was left to itself.
The breeze was favorable, and in due time the hot baths were reached. Not far from the baths was an Indian village, and our friends paid it a visit; while they were strolling about the place Frank made a discovery, and quickly called the attention of the Doctor and Fred.
THE GIRL WITH THE LONG HAIR.
A native girl was sitting in a hammock, with one foot hanging over the side; she eyed the strangers with some curiosity, but did not show half as much as they did in looking at her. The particular object of their attention was her hair, which hung to the ground on each side of the hammock, and would doubtless have reached to her feet if she had stood erect. The hair was jet black, and apparently fine; though of this latter condition the youths could not speak positively.
The Doctor told the boys that the Indians of the Philippines were famous for fine heads of hair, and they are naturally proud of them. He said there was a story, of very doubtful veracity, that there is a tribe of Indians in one of the islands of the group that always choose their queen by the length of her hair. When a queen dies every woman in the tribe falls to measuring her hair; and the one with the longest measurement, even though it be only a hair-breadth greater than that of any other, is proclaimed queen.