nder the impression, it presently appeared, that we intended
to turn them adrift to shift for themselves as best they could, but when
I explained that Billy and I intended to go with them their fears
vanished, and they seated themselves contentedly enough in the bottom of
the boat in the places which I indicated. It was perfectly clear that
not only they but also their fellow-savages regarded the expedition upon
which we were embarking as a quite notable adventure, for they assembled
in force to witness our departure, admiration and apprehension in about
equal proportions being the dominant expressions upon the countenances
of those we left behind us as the boat glided smoothly and rapidly away
from the shore.

I took our guests, first of all, to West Island, upon which grew the
trees from which I had obtained the wood found to be suitable for the
making of bows; and, having directed Bowata's attention to the
characteristic peculiarities of the trees, as distinguishing them from
others, I shinned aloft into one of them, carrying with me a small
hatchet that had come from the wreck, and proceeded to lop off about a
dozen suitable branches which, with an ample supply of thorns to form
arrow-heads, were duly placed aboard the boat. Then, shoving off again,
we proceeded by way of the North-west Channel round to Shark Bay, in
North Island, where, running the boat into the swamp, we cut a goodly
stock of reeds from which to make shafts for the arrows. These two
tasks, including the time occupied in sailing from place to place and
returning, occupied the entire day, so that it was already dusk when,
having landed Bowata and his son, and our cargo of branches and reeds,
we arrived back at our own island of Eden.

The next day Billy and I again sailed for Cliff Island, where, with an
old sheath knife as a tool, I showed Bowata how to make bows and arrows,
at the same time presenting him with the hatchet, the knife, and a
quantity of cord from which to make bow-strings. We spent three days
with the natives, supervising their work of making bows and arrows; and
by the time that they had used up all the material with which I had
supplied them, they had attained to a degree of proficiency that I felt
would justify me in leaving them henceforth to their own devices.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

ISLANDS OF FIRE!

We had by this time been on the group eight months; and although, with
brief intervals spent in visits to the wreck, a sh