t stones, leaves, and earth at the top of all. We soon had an
opportunity of tasting them, and I can answer for their being most
delicious.

As the king didn't appear we walked some little distance into the
country, for we knew that we were perfectly safe while the king's
brother remained as a hostage. Going into a hut we found a young woman
about to light a fire. I watched the process. She first took half of
the log that had been split in two and laid it down with the split side
upwards; then taking a small piece of hard wood about a foot long and
pointed at one end, she sat down astride of the log and commenced
rubbing the sharp point of the stick up and down the grain of the large
piece, thus making a groove, and shoving the shavings which she worked
out to the farther end, till at length they ignited, when immediately
catching up some dry leaves which lay handy, and blowing gently, she
soon obtained a blaze. I tried the experiment under her directions and
succeeded very well. Though simple and easy as is this method of
obtaining fire, I have never seen it tried in any other place.

On our return to the village we found the king, who invited us to feast
on the fish and yams which I had seen cooking. We were now joined by
the captain and Dr Cockle, with the second mate and several men, and I
was directed to go back with the king, who had to take his brother's
place on board.

His majesty preferred going alone in his own canoe. I sat in the bows
with a long pole to keep the bow off the rocks as we went down the
creek, and he placed himself astern with a paddle in his hand. He
giving the canoe a shove from the bank, away we went. I was highly
amused at the thought of carrying off the king as a prisoner. He,
however, seemed to take it as a matter of course, and chatted and
laughed as we glided along. Presently he asked--

"You young Englishman ever been here before? I think I know your face."

"When was it your majesty fancied that you saw me?" I inquired.

"Let me see," he said, holding his paddle in the air for a moment; "were
you ever aboard the ship that my rascally people sent to the bottom out
there?" and he pointed to where the _Harriet_ lay.

"No," I answered, a dreadful thought coming into my mind. "Was the
person you fancy I am killed with the rest of the crew?"

"I think not. If I think so, I no ask you," he answered. "I see him
with the captain when he visit the shore, and each time I