Part 13 (2/2)

I had till now been under the dreadful impression that the people were cannibals; but there was nothing in the repast set beforeto partake of it On the contrary, as I was very hungry, I set to with a will, and the people standing round seeood an appetite

Several days passed by; the chief and his wife seemed to consider that I had taken the place of their lost child, and treated me as such withof dick, and I gave Motakee to understand that I wished to go out and look for hierous for me to wander about by ht kill me, and that I must remain quietly where I was

I re time ere in our solitary island, and I cut a stick, on which I et either his parting advice toI knelt down and said my prayers The natives understood what I was about, and never interrupted me, and treated me with more respect than even some of the men did on board the _Dolphin_

At the end of a couple ofplace in the village The ed inprovisions This led me to suppose that an expedition of some sort was about to take place

Motakee calledaway, and that he would place ood care ofhis absence I told him that I should be very sorry to be parted fro that by soht hear of dick He shook his head, and told er would have to be encountered, I was too young as yet, but that when I grew older, he would teach me the use of the native weapons, and allow me to accompany him to war He then led me to another house, somewhat smaller than his own, in which the principal inh Moola--that was her name--was very old and dry and withered, from the expression of her countenance and the way in which he treated her, I was led to suppose that she was Motakee's mother Such, indeed, was the case She spoke kindly to me, and I had no reason to fear that I should be ill-treated

After this Motakee led out his people, all armed with clubs, and hatchets, and spears; the heads of the principaldecorated with plumes of feathers, but, with the exception of cloths round their waists, entirely destitute of clothing From this I knew that they were about to proceed on soh they felt confident of success, I could not help reht be defeated; and should they be so, ould becoive me any information about dick? My heart sank within me; for, from the reply he made, he led me to suppose that some accident had happened to my faithful friend

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

MOOLA

Old Moola kept a watchful eye onto o in search of dick on the first opportunity which ht occur

I concluded that if the warriors were away he would be less carefully looked after than usual, and would try to find me; for I was very sure that he was as anxious about ood e, and I used to play with them, and did my best to excel them in all their sports I found, after some practice, that I could walk on stilts as well as they could

I induced them to run races, and I very frequently ca htly clad than I was, that is to say, while I worewhatever

The women, meantime, were e cloth by beating out the bark of the paper- mats and baskets I afterwards observed that they were always employed in such occupations, while the ht fish with nets and fish-hooks, the latter formed of mother-of-pearl, as also with bone, and wooden harpoons Besides the articles I have ourds, and kava-cups formed of the cocoa-nut, as also cradles for their children, hollowed out of a log with great neatness They also use small chests, which are in like manner hollowed out of solid pieces of wood, with covers to them, and wooden bowls and stands, on which various objects are hung out of the way of the rats Those anireat pests, and to preserve their more valuable articles, the natives suspend them in baskets froh the bottoms of inverted calabashes, so that, should the creatures reach the polished surface of the calabashes, they slip off on to the ground, without being able to climb beneath them

Moola's house was furnished with all the articles I have mentioned, supplied to her by the people of her tribe, who looked up to her with great respect As I was under her charge, and was ht of a chief's son, no one interfered with reat advantage, and I hoped would enable me to carry out my plan Besides my amusements on shore, I soon learned to swim and to paddle a canoe, and other boys and I used frequently to go out in the bay It occurred to ht be able to get along the shore to some distance, and there land and make my way into the interior To do this, however, I found that I should require two or ht not be disposed to assistwith the line and hooks and in spearing fish, but I could not e to dive in the way the natives did Some of them, with a hoop-net in one hand, and a stick in the other, would dart down into the deep water a its recesses into the net This operation was not unattended with danger Sharks were constantly prowling about, to snap up a person unprepared for their attacks; and one day, a young ht by it a the coral, and, unable to extricate hio to his assistance

When the sea rolled in a heavy surf on the shore, it was coirls, to paddle out on little rafts,to the top of the surf, and if the raft was upset, which frequently happened, they would dive under the sea, and coain on the other side

Besides these amusements, in which I took a part, I tried to learn some of the arts practised by the natives I never found the ti how I couldthethe attempt by water, and resolved to try and escape by land

Fearing that the warriors would return, I determined to put it into execution without delay I had secreted as much food in the pockets of edto a rock which projected frohed atthat I should have no chance, and willingly agreed to givethat, encumbered as I was, they could easily co my intentions, came out from her hut, and promised to reward the victor We took our places, and ae started I exerted myself to the utmost to keep ahead of my coaining on theh they in the end, I have no doubt, would have overtaken ht, hidden by a ridge over which I had passed, I turned off to the right, and ran on along the valley, where the even ground allowedinto a wood, ju the hushes, continuedcultivated land or any huts where Idarkness compelled me to stop I had no dread of wild beasts or venomous snakes, as I knew the island was free frorass, and recover th without fear; and I hoped that the other boys wouldforso

I slept soundly, and soon after I awoke the first streaks of dawn appeared in the sky Having taken a little food, and drank some water fro to lie in wait near the first village I should colishive me information about dick, should he hithe trees, till I saw several native huts before h the wood, I discovered a tree which I could cliet up it, and, when near the top, concealed by the leafy boughs, I could survey all that went on in the village below an to come out of their huts, but I saw only wo part of the population had not returned In vain I watched for dick, or one of the other whitethem, I descended froht coot to no great distance, when I heard voices fro that, had I not escaped when I did, I should have been found out

I could by this tih to make o up and speak with confidence, as if I had full right to be at liberty

In a short tie Here I watched as before, but though several natives wereabout, none of my shi+pmates were to be seen, and the dreadful idea occurred to me that they had all been murdered My heart sank, still I detere to village was very much shorter than the road I was compelled to take, as I had to make wide circuits to avoid observation I was now at a considerable distance froe, and I hoped, even should I be seen by any of the natives, there was notsent back This one to a bright spring which gushed out of a rock, to drink, when, on looking up, I saw a young girl with several gourds, which she had brought to fill ater She cast an astonished glance at me, and inquired where I had come from I told her at once that I knew froood; that I had belonged to the shi+p which had been taken by her people, and that I was in search of uardian ”I have not mistaken you,” I added; ”you will help me, if you can?”