Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/180

138 to the situation. Imagine these absolute savages being suddenly brought into all this, and how terrified and bewildered they must be! No doubt they awaited some dreadful death. Their strained, anxious faces were not pleasant to see.

One of them had a little child with her, and when I approached and held out my hand to it she clasped it to her convulsively. I waited with outstretched hand and the little mite suddenly toddled to me with glee, gurgling all over with delight, and put its little paw in mine at once. The anguish on the mother's face was almost startling—she evidently thought I was going to take away, or kill and eat it perhaps—probably thought the arrival of us men meant her own death—who can say what was in her mind? But I knew just what to do to make her understand I was no enemy. I moved beside her, placed one of her little kiddy's hands in hers, closing hers over it with a nod and a smile, but still holding the other little paw. She gave a gasp of relief, and the wannest of smiles broke through the anguish on her face. Just then I could see right down into that savage woman's heart, so I just kept on looking, smiling and nodding at her whilst I tickled the crowing child. In a few minutes she was at ease with me, smiling at the antics of the little one, whilst the Sisters were absolutely delighted; as it was the first sign she had given of any feeling in her stony despair since they had had her. She perfectly understood, as I knew she would, what I meant by closing her hand over the child's—that it was hers, and that I did not mean to take it away. We left her looking pleased and wondering. She and the others did not know that after some time they were to be returned safe and sound, laden with presents, to their own island. I wonder what she