It was most amusing to witness his delight at a
string of fifty little "berrets" (opal beads the size of marbles) which
I had brought into the country for the first time, and were accordingly
extremely valuable. No sooner had he surveyed them with undisguised
delight than he requested me to give him another string of opals for his
wife, or she would be in a bad humour;--accordingly a present for the
lady was added to the already large pile of beads that lay heaped upon
the carpet before him. After surveying his treasures with pride, he
heaved a deep sigh, and turning to the interpreter he said, "What a row
there will be in the family when my other wives see Bokke (his head
wife) dressed up with this finery. Tell the `Mattat' that unless he
gives necklaces for each of my other wives, they will fight!"
Accordingly I asked him the number of ladies that made him anxious. He
deliberately began to count upon his fingers, and having exhausted the
digits of one hand, I compromised immediately, begging him not to go
through the whole of his establishment, and presented him with about
three pounds of various beads, to be divided among them. He appeared
highly delighted, and declared his intention of sending all his wives to
pay Mrs. Baker a visit. This was an awful visitation, as each wife would
expect a present for herself, and would assuredly have either a child or
a friend for whom she would beg an addition.
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