Show ct 3 dr drI 3 I MONDAY Feb These These sud sudden sudden den tropical showers 1 I Late this nf- nf afternoon af afternoon I I decided to go swimming ofT off the bridge where the river is deep and inviting but inviting but it turned out cut to be an unwise decision for forno forno forno no sooner had I jumped in than a thunder shower hit us R struck for shelter in the trees but before I could dim out of the river my shoes on the bank were filled with water and my clothing soaked I got a n bit chilled and after d diving ing in off ofT the bridge once more I ga- ga gathered gathered ga gathered my wet vet clothes under my arm and hit for home in the rain and anel and in my trunks I looked like a bedraggled rat by the time the mile from bridge to house was covered cov- cov covI covered cov covered ered I TUESDAY Feb Fec Have you ever watch a glorious day day- daybreak daybreak break brcak on a n tropical isle 1 7 1 Its It's worth getting up to see seel l furnished me with I another er hook today so s my r red d n I was out for several hours with I alternating periods of scorching sunshine and chilling rain much rain to my discomfort The result of my foolhardiness is a badly sun sun- sunburned sunburned sunburned burned but body body but why write of ot it now to remind me of its torture in inthe inthe inthe the future Suffice it to say that I am in for one awful night tonight with several more probably to fol- fol follow follow fol follow low Anyway I caught 25 fish to- to today today to today day Shades of the ancients We spent the twilight hour looking through graveyard grIl read reading reading reading ing the inscriptions in French and Tahitian at least we could under under- understand understand understand stand the dates and trying to im imagine agine what those who inhabited the graves saw mv and felt and did in their life span What histories could be written if we but knew WEDNESDAY Feb Our hosts are going to kill a tiny pig or would you yoa call it piglet for tor us tomorrow and roast it in a n DA na- na native native tive or underground It is an act of arona because we weare weare weare are shortly leaving them and one cannot realize the full fuU import import- of it unless one understands to what ex extent extent extent tent the Polynesians love their roast suckling pig It is a delectable delectable delectable able delicacy over here And Vie we weare v eare are to be the honored guests 1 We observed one man calling his child and he motioned AWAY from himself with his bis arm when he meant for the tot to COME TO HIM Just like we would motion go away awny I was just thinking that if the native girls do likewise some of the strangers who make advances toward them might be dis discouraged discouraged without reason r-eason It would seem as though they were saying no when they really meant i yes but but then they say that a womans woman's no no really means yes the world over THURSDAY Y Feb R R has hasI hasben hasben hasben I ben giving a lot of or his excess stuff such as sheet bed swimming trunks etc to different natives in preparation for leaving All An day daylong daylong long we have been besieged with caners callers bringing bragging bananas guavas limes and some mangoes mangoes some no doubt expecting to share chare in the gUts gifts but others giving out of their true Polynesian hearts killed a tiny long foot foot pig and roasted it with bananas and uit in itt a native nativa oven I havo heard the word succulent used in describing native nathe roast pig and Ill I'll say it fits I This little crea crea- creature creature ture was tops Even the finicky R could not restrain his praise for it They divided it up equally hall equally for us two and half for about ten of them R gets his Tahitian words mix mix- mixed mixed mixed ed and it is very ery funny to hear bear him say to the natives we pass on the road He thinks he heis hela is saying hello bello but bat he is b actually I saying thank yon you No wo they they smile back at t us nal j |