er stiff mountains, wet, draggled,
moody, and cross, crawling along after the little black figure in
front, that held steadily on its way, as though hunger and fatigue were
to it things unknown.

At length, about three o'clock in the afternoon, we found ourselves in
a sort of natural funnel in the rock, the end of which grew narrower
and narrower as it wound about in curious curves.

"Close up now," said Lizzie, "water sit down along of other side; baal
black fellow get away."

We halted for a few minutes to get breath, and to steady ourselves, and
then, keeping close together, stepped out of the gloomy passage into
the broad daylight. It was a beautiful sight. The "bora ground" had
been selected in a miniature bay, of about three acres in extent,
closed in by perpendicular rocks, and attainable only by boat, or by
the passage through which we had just arrived. In this secluded spot a
quantity of coca-nut palms were growing, waifs, carried there by the
ocean from the distant South Sea Islands, fructifying and multiplying
on the hospitable shore, and shielded from the tomahawk of the native,
on account of the shelter they afforded his mysterious retreat. Under
the palms stood several conical huts, or lodges, of considerable
dimensions, used, I presume, on state occasions for the deliberations
of the elder warriors. But the thing most pleasing to our eyes, was
the sight of some two hundred natives, of both sexes, and all ages, who
now started to their feet, with wild cries of alarm, and motions
expressive of the utmost terror, at this sudden invasion of their
retreat by the dreaded white man.

Some of the blacks flew to arms at once, and stood with poised spears
in a menacing attitude, whilst the gins and piccaninnies cowered
together on the beach. We had our carbines in hand, cocked, and
prepared to defend ourselves in the event of hostilities, which we
earnestly hoped to avoid. Lizzie, who had at last begun to understand
that slaughter was not our object, and who had been reconciled to our
tame proceedings by the promise of much finery, now advanced towards
the threatening natives and made a speech in their own language, to the
effect that we wished to do them no harm, beyond ascertaining whether
there were any whites among them, though, if we found murder had been
committed, we should discover the perpetrators, hold them answerable,
and punish them. Rewards were offered for any information that would
lead t