“That’s strange. You’ve been acquainted with the Coast a long time, too. Well, the mud-fish is a stupid kind of fish, that, instead of trying to escape, buries itself in the mud, and allows itself to be easily caught by the hand. The Governor used the expression to mean that he wasn’t a fool.” About ten minutes afterwards one of the innumerable secretaries remarked to me:-- “Did you catch that wonderful simile of His Excellency’s about the mud-fish?” “Oh! yes,” I replied. “You know what it means, of course?” “Yes; the mud-fish is a stupid kind of fish that, instead of trying to escape, buries itself in the mud and allows itself to be easily caught by the hand. The Governor used the illustration to mean that he wasn’t a fool.” “Oh dear no. You’re quite wrong. I’ll tell you what it is. The mud-fish is a cunning kind of fish which, when pursued, stirs up the mud all round, to make the water thick, so that it can’t be seen. The Governor said that he wasn’t a mud-fish, meaning that he had no necessity for hiding his whereabouts.” This man had hardly moved away before another came up to me, and said:-- “What did you think of His Excellency’s simile of the mud-fish?” “Oh! I didn’t think much of it.” “What!! You didn’t think much of that marvellous simile? Why not?” “Because nobody seems to know what it means.” “Well, I know, and I will tell you what it means--it is most ingenious. The mud-fish is a fish covered with venomous spines, which cause nasty wounds if you happen to touch them. The Governor said he was not a mud-fish, to re-assure Buaki, and let him know that he was not going to hurt him.” In the evening a high Colonial official said to me:-- “A pretty simile that of the Governor’s about the mud-fish, wasn’t it?” “Yes; but its meaning doesn’t seem very clear.” “Doesn’t seem very clear? Why, my dear fellow, it is patent to the meanest intellect. The mud-fish is a worthless kind of fish that nobody would take the trouble to catch: the Governor used the comparison to mean that he was somebody of importance.” I have not made up my mind which of these interpretations to adopt; the reader can take any one he likes, but it seems to me that there is a good deal of haze about the subject.