cales flashing every now and then as they turned
on one side or dashed up towards the surface and leaped clean out of the
water.

In some places the sand was of a beautiful creamy white and as pure as
could be, Uncle Dick saying that it was formed out of the corals which
were being constantly pounded up by the waves.

But whenever the breeze rose I had to be quickly on board again, and on
we sailed till, after a long dreamy voyage, we came one morning in sight
of some mountains; and as we drew nearer I could see that the rocks rose
straight up from the sea, which, calm as it was, sent up columns of
spray where the waves broke upon the solid stone.

"There, Nat," said my uncle, "that is our present destination."

"What! that rocky place, uncle?" I said, with a tone of disappointment
in my voice.

"Yes, my quick young judge," he said laughing. "Wait till we get closer
in," he continued, using his glass; "or no, you can see now; look, Nat."

He handed me the glass, and as I looked through, my heart seemed to give
a great throb, for the lovely picture I gazed upon seemed to more than
realise my dreams.

For what at a distance looked to be a sunlit rocky shore, proved through
the glass to be a land with lovely shaped trees growing to the edges of
the cliffs, which were covered with wonderful shrubs and creepers. Even
the rocks looked to be of beautiful colours, and every here and there I
could see lovely little bays and nooks, edged with glistening white
sand, upon which the crystal water played, sparkling like diamonds and
sapphires in the sun.

"Oh, uncle!" I cried.

"Well, Nat, will that place do for a beginning?"

"How soon can we get ashore?" I cried excitedly in answer.

"In a couple of hours, now, Nat; but I said will this place do?"

"Oh, uncle!" I cried, "it was worth coming all the way to see. I could
wander about there for months. Shall I get the guns out of the cases?"

"Gently, gently," he said laughing; "let's get into harbour first."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

I FIND THE BLACK WAYS STRANGE.

We were not very long in getting to the harbour, a snug landlocked cove
where the great prahu in which we had come could lie well protected from
the rollers. Our passage in was made easy, as the great sails were
lowered by the men in a couple of canoes, who paddled out, shouting and
singing, and splashing the water; and then, after ropes had been made
fast to their sterns, they paddled away again,