Canda
was not jealous of this preference, but seemed delighted with it; she,
in her turn, caressed my daughters, admired their glossy hair and fair
skin, and pointed them out to her husband; she repeated Minou after
them, but always added another _Minou_, and appeared to think this name
beautiful. After some words with Parabery, she placed Minou-Minou in
Sophia's arms, and they both departed, making signs that they would
return; but we did not see them for some time after. Sophia and Matilda
had their full enjoyment of their favourite; they wished to teach him to
walk and to speak, and they assured me he was making great progress.
They were beginning to hope his parents had left him entirely, when they
came in sight, Parabery bending under the weight of two bear-skins, and
a beautiful piece of matting to close the entrance to my grotto; Canda
carried a basket on her head filled with fine fruit; the cocoa, the
bread-fruit (which they call _rima_), pine-apples, figs, and, finally,
a piece of bear's flesh, roasted at the fire, which I did not like; but
I enjoyed the fruits and the milk of the cocoa-nut, of which Minou-Minou
had a good share. They spread the bear-skins in the midst of the grotto;
Parabery, Canda, and the infant, between them, took possession of one
without ceremony, and motioned to us to make our bed of the other.
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