| caption: |
Chapter Eighteen. A Skirmish with Head-Hunters |
| caption: |
description of Noklak village |
| text: |
Today we are received with great friendliness in Noklak. The people have seen the flames of Pangsha mounting high into the sky, and they have no desire to share the same fate, or perhaps they are secretly relieved that their powerful neighbours have received a blow to their pride. They wait for us at the gate of the village with great mugs of rice-beer, and very grateful we are for a refreshing drink; yet, despite all this outward show, our hosts do not quite trust us, for again there is not a woman or a child to be seen in the whole village. |
