The man came every day to teach me the language,
but my real dictionary and grammar were Yram; and I consulted them to
such purpose that I made the most extraordinary progress, being able at
the end of a month to understand a great deal of the conversation which I
overheard between Yram and her father. My teacher professed himself well
satisfied, and said he should make a favourable report of me to the
authorities. I then questioned him as to what would probably be done
with me. He told me that my arrival had caused great excitement
throughout the country, and that I was to be detained a close prisoner
until the receipt of advices from the Government. My having had a watch,
he said, was the only damaging feature in the case. And then, in answer
to my asking why this should be so, he gave me a long story of which with
my imperfect knowledge of the language I could make nothing whatever,
except that it was a very heinous offence, almost as bad (at least, so I
thought I understood him) as having typhus fever. But he said he thought
my light hair would save me.
I was allowed to walk in the garden; there was a high wall so that I
managed to play a sort of hand fives, which prevented my feeling the bad
effects of my confinement, though it was stupid work playing alone.
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