ng round and round, as if to catch each other at a
disadvantage, but seeing that nothing was to be gained by this caution,
and that the loss of time might effectually turn the tide of battle
either way, they apparently made up their minds to attack at the same
instant, for, with a wild shout and simultaneous spring, they swung their
heavy clubs, which met with a loud report. Suddenly the yellow-haired
savage tripped, his enemy sprang forward, the ponderous club was swung,
but it did not descend, for at that moment the savage was felled to the
ground by a stone from the hand of one who had witnessed his chief's
danger. This was the turning-point in the battle. The savages who
landed first turned and fled towards the bush, on seeing the fall of
their chief. But not one escaped. They were all overtaken and felled to
the earth. I saw, however, that they were not all killed. Indeed, their
enemies, now that they were conquered, seemed anxious to take them alive;
and they succeeded in securing fifteen, whom they bound hand and foot
with cords, and, carrying them up into the woods, laid them down among
the bushes. Here they left them, for what purpose I knew not, and
returned to the scene of the late battle, where the remnant of the party
were bathing their wounds.

Out of the forty blacks that composed the attacking party, only twenty-
eight remained alive, two of whom were sent into the bush to hunt for the
women and children. Of the other party, as I have said, only ten
survived, and these were lying bound and helpless on the grass.

Jack and Peterkin and I now looked at each other, and whispered our fears
that the savages might clamber up the rocks to search for fresh water,
and so discover our place of concealment; but we were so much interested
in watching their movements that we agreed to remain where we were; and,
indeed, we could not easily have risen without exposing ourselves to
detection. One of the savages now went up to the wood and soon returned
with a bundle of fire-wood, and we were not a little surprised to see him
set fire to it by the very same means used by Jack the time we made our
first fire,--namely, with the bow and drill. When the fire was kindled,
two of the party went again to the woods and returned with one of the
bound men. A dreadful feeling of horror crept over my heart, as the
thought flashed upon me that they were going to burn their enemies. As
they bore him to the fire my feeling