下载辰思小说免费APP
sangitagainandagain，andnothingcouldbemoreludicrousthanhisvainattemptstocatchtheairandthewords。Theroyalsavageseemedtothinkthatbyscrewingallthefeaturesofhisfaceintotheendofhisnose，hemightpossiblysucceedintheundertaking，butitfailedtoanswerthepurpose；andintheendhegaveitup，andconsoledhimselfbylisteningtomyrepetitionofthesoundsfiftytimesover。
PrevioustoMehevi’smakingthediscovery，Ihadneverbeenawarethattherewasanythingofthenightingaleaboutme；butIwasnowpromotedtotheplaceofcourtminstrel，inwhichcapacityIwasafterwardsperpetuallycalledupontoofficiate。
Besidesthesticksandthedrums，therearenoothermusicalinstrumentsamongtheTypees，exceptonewhichmightappropriatelybedenominatedanasalflute。Itissomewhatlongerthananordinaryfife，ismadeofabeautifulscarlet-colouredreed，andhasfourorfivestops，withalargeholenearoneend，whichlatterisheldjustbeneaththeleftnostril。Theothernostrilbeingclosedbyapeculiarmovementofthemusclesaboutthenose，thebreathisforcedintothetube，andproducesasoftdulcetsound，whichisvariedbythefingersrunningatrandomoverthestops。Thisisafavouriterecreationwiththefemales，andoneinwhichFayawaygreatlyexcelled。Awkwardassuchaninstrumentmayappear，itwas，inFayaway’sdelicatelittlehands，oneofthemostgracefulIhaveeverseen。Ayoungladyintheactoftormentingaguitar，strungaboutherneckbyacoupleofyardsofblueribbon，isnothalfsoengaging。
SingingwasnottheonlymeansIpossessedofdivertingtheroyalMeheviandhiseasy-goingsubjects。Nothingaffordedthemmorepleasurethantoseemegothroughtheattitudesofapugilisticencounter。Asnotoneofthenativeshadsoulenoughinhimtostanduplikeaman，andallowmetohammerawayathim，formyownpersonalgratificationandthatoftheking，Iwasnecessitatedtofightwithanimaginaryenemy，whomIinvariablymadetoknockundertomysuperiorprowess。Sometimes，whenthissorelybatteredshadowretreatedprecipitatelytowardsagroupofthesavages，and，followinghimup，Irushedamongthem，dealingmyblowsrightandleft，theywoulddisperseinalldirections，muchtotheenjoymentofMehevi，thechiefs，andthemselves。
Thenobleartofself-defenceappearedtoberegardedbythemasthepeculiargiftofthewhiteman；andImakelittledoubtbutthattheysupposedarmiesofEuropeansweredrawnupprovidedwithnothingelsebutbonyfistsandstouthearts，withwhichtheysettoincolumn，andpummelledoneanotheratthewordofcommand。
Oneday，incompanywithKory-Kory，Ihadrepairedtothestreamforthepurposeofbathing，whenIobservedawomansittinguponarockinthemidstofthecurrent，andwatchingwiththeliveliestinterestthegambolsofsomething，whichatfirstItooktobeanuncommonlylargespeciesoffrogthatwassportinginthewaternearher。Attractedbythenoveltyofthesight，Iwadedtowardsthespotwhereshesat，andcouldhardlycredittheevidenceofmysenseswhenIbeheldalittleinfant，theperiodofwhosebirthcouldnothaveextendedbackmanydays，paddlingaboutasifithadjustrisentothesurface，afterbeinghatchedintoexistenceatthebottom。
Occasionallythedelightedparentreachedoutherhandtowardsit，whenthelittlething，utteringafaintcry，andstrikingoutitstinylimbs，wouldsidlefortherock，andthenextmomentbeclaspedtoitsmother’sbosom。Thiswasrepeatedagainandagain，thebabyremaininginthestreamaboutaminuteatatime。Onceortwiceitmadewryfacesatswallowingamouthfulofwater，andchokedandsplutteredasifonthepointofstrangling。Atsuchtimes，however，themothersnatcheditup，andbyaprocessscarcelytobementionedobligedittoejectthefluid。Forseveralweeksafterwar
