if there yet lurked any ice of indifference towards me in the pagan’s breast, this pleasant, genial smoke we had, soon thawed it out, and left us cronies. he seemed to take to me quite as naturally and unbiddenly as i to him; and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married; meaning, in his country’s phrase, that we were bosom friends; he would gladly die for me, if need should be. in a countryman, this sudden flame of friendship would have seemed far too premature, a thing to be much distrusted; but in this simple savage those old rules would not apply.