Dominie in Difficulties

By Old Charlie

TEACHING in the Cannibal Isles is something quite out of the ordinarv but nevertheless, it is not without its attractions.

Quite apart from the usual idiosyn cracies of the pupils there are a number of things to occupy one's mind; at least I have found this so. School is held In a bure, or native house, in this case a circular building about 24 feet across and fe . e f t hl £h at its conical top.

Thatched with makita and reeds it is degrees cooler than any European-sfviP house. With wooden floor and Fow balus class 0 -room° Und ’ 18 a m ° St comfort able Unfortunately we are not the only oc cupants. The centre pole which, native fashion, does not reach the top is cauaht by a; cross girder some six feet up and provides an excellent winter home for thousands of large, yellow hornets which cluster around it in a seething mass De spite the assurance that “they won’t hurt you at this time of the year” I keen a wary eye on the intruders, being from time to time reminded of their presence by the arrival on my head of a pair locked in mortal combat. These hornets mlnu ?„ 1 t er ’f 1 t£ S - Sanitary ' habltS ’ t 0 re mind one of their presence.

Sometimes a heavy blow on the head or shoulders signals the sudden descent of a gheko lizard who has decided to seek terra firma. And, while on the subject of lizards, I should mention that, seated on the balustrades, are sundry cats of all ages, colours and sexes and sizes, who find lizards a useful article of diet and prefer the class-room for their meal. Being of sportive nature they do not hurry over it and the victims’ sufferings are often ended by the intervention of one or other of the children ejecting the feline in ques tion. H Then again there are the toads, of the giant species—but incidentally, the smallest giants I’ve ever seen—who feel that they, too, are interested in the curri culum and hop unafraid across the floor to gaze fixedly at the blackboard. They too, are not without hope of an extra meal’ m the shape of the hornets that drop to the floor.

A TALK on the law of gravity is pointedly illustrated by the dull thud of a coconut dropping to earth or the swish of falling palm branches. To both these sounds, disconcerting at first, one becomes accustomed, though the noise of a large nut hurtling down the slope (did I mention that we are situated on a slight eminence?) or even rolling into the bure, is somewhat startling.

Then there is a dog, an intelligent Al satian, allergic to strangers both human and canine. Should the former appear, a rescue is the order of the day and les sons are temporarily suspended. Should the intruder fall into the latter category, however, then it is yoicks and tally-ho, with the protesting yelps fading away Into the distance and the elated heroine coming back with a look of smug com placency that, at times, is almost un bearable.

We are in view of the main traffic route and so can enliven our day by the antics of the passers-by—bullock teams, small children and hard-working (sic) Indians.

One must overlook the small birds which swoop in and out of the class room to alight on a chair-back or cross-beams, while their larger and more frivolous

cousins, the noisy Mynahs, chatter and gossip the livelong day.

Daily there are the mosquitos which are not the most attractive room-mates Un less one wishes to be eaten alive then recourse must be had to some repellent usually so evil-smelling that everyone be comes mutually repellant.

Perhaps, however, the most disconcert ing thing is the sudden look of intelli gence that appears on the faces of the pupils. The momentary satisfaction at the thought that some bon mot of yours has penetrated, is rudely dispelled by the cry of, “There’s the Tui Bua!” and you realise that the class has caught the dis tant sound of the monthly steamer chug chugging up the river—an event, naturally, of extreme importance.

However, with these things with which to contend, who will dare to say that life here is not far more pleasant than in more distant and civilised climes? At least we have no strikes, blackouts and “commos.” Sa moce.