I noticed that one man wore a small white bone or ivory trinket, seemingly carved to represent a child.

Pointing to it, I held out a butcher-knife,--a good bargain, I fancied.

Somewhat to my surprise, he _negga-mai-ed_ with a very grave shake of his head.

Two or three others who saw it shook their heads too.

Wishing to test him, I brought up a bar of iron, and made another tender of both knife and iron.