FL661473

add a little anecdote which will illustrate
the subject. On one occasion we had two young
lads under our instruction who were to attend
this ceremony, one of whom was most promising
and I was lothe to loose him even for a time.
[original text was crossed out] However defensible, this ceremony
and its tendency might be in their savage state
I knew it proved an obstacle to our influence
and instruction. I therefore tried with the one
[original text was crossed out] who was the most promising or
most spirited [crossed out: to act idependently] to dis-
saude him from attending the ceremony. The Blacks
had much difficulty to gain over him & at
length he yielded to go. This roused my
indignation & I began to lecture them
and expose their imposition
[inserted in margin: and their various manouvers to impede any effort we might make for their im-provement, [indecipherable]. Who is therfore
Babu? I [crossed out: called I asked said in their own language], why it
is only one of you old men that makes
that strange noise at night [crossed out: a little off the camp]
to call the young men. And that strange looking
[crossed out: being] fellow appearing at the Burbong is again one
of you elderly men. Thats the way you impose
on these boys. This gave great offence & one
of the men told me afterwards, very gravely
that very wrong of you Mr Gunther to say what you
did. Why I said, I only told the truth. "May be
truth, he replied, but you ought not have told
it before all the women & children."