Yes, he had eaten many men. How many? He could not remember the
tally. Yes, white men, too; they were very good, unless they were
sick. He had once eaten a sick one.
"My word!" he cried, at the recollection. "Me sick plenty along him.
My belly walk about too much."
Bertie shuddered, and asked about heads. Yes, Sumasai had several
hidden ashore, in good condition, sun-dried, and smoke-cured. One was
of the captain of a schooner. It had long whiskers. He would sell it
for two quid. Black men's heads he would sell for one quid. He had
some pickaninny heads, in poor condition, that he would let go for ten
bob.
Five minutes afterward, Bertie found himself sitting on the
companionway-slide alongside a black with a horrible skin disease. He
sheered off, and on inquiry was told that it was leprosy. He hurried
below and washed himself with antiseptic soap. He took many antiseptic
washes in the course of the day, for every native on board was
afflicted with malignant ulcers of one sort or another.
As the _Arla_ drew in to an anchorage in the midst of mangrove swamps,
a double row of barbed wire was stretched around above her rail.
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