We asked him to come up on the deck with only one companion that his sickness might be ascertained, and after much hesitation he consented to do so.  Bickley made an examination of the growth and announced that he believed it could be removed with perfect safety as the attachment to the neck was very slight, but of course there was always a risk.  This was explained to him with difficulty, and much talk followed between him and his followers who gathered on the beach beneath the ship.  They seemed adverse to the experiment, till Marama grew furious with them and at last burst into tears saying that he could no longer drag this terrible burden about with him, and he touched the growth.  He would rather die.  Then they gave way.

I will tell the rest as shortly as I can.

A hideous wooden idol was brought on board, wrapped in leaves and feathers, and upon it the chief and his head people swore safety to us whether he lived or died, making us the guests of their land.  There were, however, two provisos made, or as such we understood them.  These seemed to be that we should offer no insult or injury to their god, and secondly, that we should not set foot on the island in the lake.  It was not till afterwards that it occurred to me that this must refer to the mountain top which appeared in the inland sheet of water.  To those stipulations we made no answer.  Indeed, the Orofenans did all the talking.  Finally, they ratified their oaths by a man who, I suppose, was a head priest, cutting his arm and rubbing the blood from it on the lips of the idol; also upon those of the chief.  I should add that Bastin had retired as soon as he saw that false god appear, of which I was glad, since I felt sure that he would make a scene.

The operation took place that afternoon and on the ship, for when once Marama had made up his mind to trust us he did so very thoroughly.  It was performed on deck in the presence of an awed multitude who watched from the shore, and when they saw Bickley appear in a clean nightshirt and wash his hands, uttered a groan of wonder.  Evidently they considered it a magical and religious ceremony; indeed ever afterwards they called Bickley the Great Priest, or sometimes the Great Healer in later days.  This was a grievance to Bastin who considered that he had been robbed of his proper title, especially when he learned that among themselves he was only known as “the Bellower,” because of the loud voice in which he addressed them.  Nor did Bickley particularly appreciate the compliment.

With my help he administered the chloroform, which was done under shelter of a sail for fear lest the people should think that we were smothering their chief.  Then the operation went on to a satisfactory conclusion.  I omit the details, but an electric battery and a red-hot wire came into play.

“There,” said Bickley triumphantly when he had finished tying the vessels and made everything neat and tidy with bandages, “I was afraid he might bleed to death, but I don’t think there is any fear of that now, for I have made a real job of it.”  Then advancing with the horrid tumour in his hands he showed it in triumph to the crowd beneath, who groaned again and threw themselves on to their faces.  Doubtless now it is the most sacred relic of Orofena.