Adventures in the Philippine IslandsLa Gironière, Paul P. de
History
Adventures in the Philippine Islands
La Gironière, Paul P. de
Philippines
My faithful Alila retired with me into one of the low-storied
cabins to pass the night, as we had been in the habit of doing
while staying with the Tinguians. For our better security we were
accustomed to watch one another alternately; we never both slept at
the same time. Without being timid, ought we not to be prudent? This
night it was my turn to go to sleep the first. I went to bed, but the
impressions of the day had been too strong: I felt no inclination to
sleep. I therefore offered to relieve my lieutenant of his watch; the
poor fellow was like myself--the heads of the Guinans kept dancing
before his eyes. He beheld them pale, bloody, hideous; then torn,
pounded, broken to pieces; then the shocking beverage of the brains,
that he also so courageously swallowed, came back to his mind,
and he suffered sufficiently to make him repent our visit. "Master,"
said he to me, looking very much grieved, "why did we come among these
devils? Ah! it would have been much better had we remained in our good
country of Jala-Jala." He was not perhaps in the wrong, but my desire
to see extraordinary things gave me a courage and a will he did not
partake of. I answered him thus: "Man must know all, and see all it is
possible to see. As we cannot sleep, and that we are masters here, let
us make a night visit; perhaps we shall find things that are unknown
to us. Light the fire and follow me, Alila." The poor lieutenant
obeyed without answering a word. He rubbed two pieces of bamboo one
against the other, and I heard him muttering between his teeth:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account