abin, which was
a real hut, having but the ground-floor. The surrounding parts were
closed in by very thick piles, covered with a roof in the form of a
bee-hive. There was but one issue, through which it was impossible to
have either egress or ingress, except in crawling on all-fours. In
spite of this difficulty I would see the interior of this Indian
dwelling; so, having made a sign to my lieutenant to keep watch, I
penetrated into the hut. The Igorrots seemed quite surprised at my
so doing, but they made no opposition to it. I found myself within
an obnoxious hole, or hovel, through a small opening in the summit
of which the daylight peeped in and the smoke crept out. The floor
was thickly covered with dust, and it was upon such a soft couch that
the whole family laid down to rest. In one of the corners I perceived
some bamboo lances, a few cocoa-nuts divided into two parts, so as to
serve as cups, a heap of good-sized round pebbles, that were used in
case of attack, and a few pieces of wood, of very common workmanship,
that served as pillows.

I soon got out of such a den, from which I was driven by the nauseous
smell it contained in its every part, but I had been able to see
everything in it. I then inquired, by signs, of the Igorrot, the way
I should go, in order to join the Christians. He fully understood
me, showed me the road with his finger, and we then proceeded on
our journey. As I journeyed on, I remarked here and there fields
of patates and sugar-cane, which of course must have been the only
husbandry of those miserable savages. After about an hour's journey
we were near running into a very great danger. On entering into a
vast plain we saw an Igorrot, flying away as quickly as possible. He
had remarked us, and I attributed his flight to fear, when suddenly I
heard the sound of the tom-tom and gong, and saw, at the same time,
twenty men armed with lances, rapidly advancing towards us. I felt
that a fight was about to ensue, so I told my lieutenant to fire at
the group, so as to injure none of them.

Alila fired: his bullet passed over the heads of the savages, who were
so astonished at the detonation that they suddenly halted, and examined
us attentively. I prudently took advantage of their surprise, and an
immense forest presenting itself on our right, we entered it, leaving
the village on our left, but the savages did not follow us into it.

During the whole of this scene my lieutenant did not utter a