110134 “Now listen to this, son,” Captain van Toch said to him in Malay (he could just as well have spoken to him in Dutch or English as the honourable old Batak knew not a word of Malay, and everything said by the captain had to be interpreted into Batak by the half-cast of Cubanese and Portuguese, but for some reason the captain thought Malay would be more appropriate).
110135 “Now listen to this, son, I need a few big, strong, powerful lads to go out on a fishing trip with me.
110136 Understand what I mean?
110137 Out on a fishing trip.”
110138 The half-cast translated this and the mayor nodded his head to show he understood; then he turned round to face the wider audience and said something to them, clearly meeting with great success.
110139 “Their chief says,” translated the half-cast, “that the whole village will go out with the captain wherever the captain might wish.”
110140 “Very well.
110141 So tell him were going to fish for clams in Devil Bay.”
110142 There followed about fifteen minutes of animated discussion with the whole village taking part, especially the old women.
110143 Finally the half-cast turned to the captain.
110144 “They say it’s not possible to go to Devil Bay, Captain.”