“She no speak English.”
“But I was speaking Wapishiana.”
“She Macushi woman.
All these people Macushi people.”
“Oh.
I didn't know.
Where are the men?”
“Men all go hunting three days.”
“When will they be back?”
“They go after bush pig.”
“When will they be back?”
“No, bush pig.
Plenty bush pig.
Men all go hunting.
You give me cigarette.”
“Listen, Rosa, I want to go to the Pie-wie country.”
“No, this Macushi.
All the people Macushi.”
“But we want to go Pie-wie.”
“No, all Macushi.
You give me cigarette.”
“It's hopeless.” said Dr. Messinger.
“We shall have to wait till the men come back.”
He took a packet of cigarettes from his pocket.
“Look,” he said, “cigarettes.”
“Give me.”
“When men come back from hunting you come to river and tell me.
Understand?”
“No, men hunting bush pig.
You give me cigarettes.”
Dr. Messinger gave her the cigarettes.
“What else you got?” she said.
Dr. Messinger pointed to the load which the second nigger had laid on the ground.
“Give me,” she said.
“When men come back, I give you plenty things if men come with me to Pie-vies.”
“No, all Macushi here.”
“We aren't doing any good,” said Dr. Messinger.
“We'd better go back to camp and wait.
The men have been away three days.
It's not likely they will be much longer … I wish I could speak Macushi.”
They turned about, the four of them, and left the village.
It was ten o'clock by Tony's wrist watch when they reached their camp.
Ten o'clock on the river Waurupang was question time at Westminster.
For a long time now Jock had had a question which his constituents wanted him to ask.
It came up that afternoon.
I should like to ask the Minister of Agriculture whether in view of the dumping in this country of Japanese pork pies, the right honourable member is prepared to consider a modification of the eight and a half score basic pig from two and a half inches of thickness round the belly as originally specified, to two inches.”
Replying for the Minister, the under-secretary said:
“The matter is receiving the closest attention.
As the honourable member is no doubt aware the question of the importation of pork pies is a matter for the Board of Trade, not for the Board of Agriculture.
With regard to the specifications of the basic pig, I must remind the honourable member that, as he is doubtless aware, the eight and a half score pig is modelled on the requirements of the bacon curers and has no direct relation to pig meat for sale in pies.