The tale he told was a very pitiful one.

He had two wives, and to govern them both required no ordinary ability; he assured me that he had beaten them both soundly, but notwithstanding he could not induce them to come into the settlement until, finally losing his temper, he had threatened to spear them, and had thus induced them to follow him; he assured me that he had done nothing but weep and lament since he had last seen me, at one time for the loss of his son, and then again at the obstinacy and bad temper of his wives, and as some recompense for his sufferings he begged to be allowed to beat his wives himself.
I told him to bring them at once to the garden they had robbed, and then, followed by several natives, I repaired to the appointed place.

The native women soon appeared, dreadfully cut and mangled from the beating they had already suffered.

One was a nice-looking girl, about fourteen, but an incorrigible thief.

Peerat threw back his skin to give his arm fair play, and then, brandishing his meerro, was going to hit her a tremendous blow upon the head, which must have laid it open.