| caption: |
Chapter Sixteen. Into the Blue |
| caption: |
Chang scouts from Chingmei lead column |
| text: |
The six Chingmei men, acting as scouts, go ahead. They are pleased to accompany us, rather for the love of adventure than for the promised reward. The picked warriors of a warlike village -- and their rich tattoo and ornaments tell of many victories -- they seem dangerous men indeed. But today they have a strange appearance, for we have tied white bandages round their heads and chests, and they look as if they had come from, rather than were hopefully advancing to battle. The bandages are marks of identification, lest our Chang scouts be taken for enemies in the confusion of the fight. Their leader is Chingmak's son. He is not yet twenty-five, but is already a famous warrior and has captured eight heads. |
