were idle ; they were afraid of us, and also of the chief
on the hill. If it was cold they would sit crouched
Over small fires of wood, and appear numb and utterly
incapable of work. Then they insisted on eating at the
inconvenient hour of 10.30 a.m . food brought for them
by their women, paste of millet meal and caterpillars;
and for every little extra duty they clamoured for a
present, or a parsella, as they called it. These difficulties
gradually disappeared. Some of them became
excellent hands with pick and shovel; they got accustomed
to us ahd our hours, and worked with a will,
and for a teaspoonful of beads they would do any
amount of extra work. Their chief skill was displayed
in clearing. I almost despaired of getting rid
of the thick jungle which filled the large circular
ruin, so that it was almost impossible to stir in it.
This they contrived to do for us in three or four days,
hacking away at stout trees and branches with their
absurd little hatchets, and obtaining the most satisfactory
results. Also they were excellent at removing
piles of fallen stones, singing as they worked and
urging one another on. Altogether we had no cause
to complain of our workmen when confidence had
been thoroughly established between us. Poor
cowardly things that they are, anything like harshness
made them run away at once. Our cook, whose
temper was exceedingly capricious, one day pursued
his native kitchen boy with a hatchet, and he never
could get a kitchen boy to stay with him after th a t;
they would poke their fun at him and rouse his ire
exceedingly, but always at a respectful distance.