death, even if I had lost my life. At last the old monster
let go her hair, spurning her away with his foot, so that she rolled
over on the sand, and then turning to the unhappy man, with an upward
slanting blow of his sabre, he ripped him up from the flank to the
chest, so that his bowels fell down at his feet; he then looked round at
us all with an aspect which froze our blood, and turned away sulkily to
his hut, leaving us to recover our spirits how we might.

Poor Whyna, terrified and enraged at the same time, as soon as I had led
her to her hut, and we were by ourselves, gave way to the storm of
passion which swelled her bosom, execrating her husband with the utmost
loathing and abhorrence, and lamenting in the most passionate manner her
having ever been connected with him. Trembling alike at the danger to
which I had exposed her, and moved by her condition, I could not help
mingling my tears with hers, and endeavoured by caresses and condoling
with her to reduce her excitement. Had the old king seen me, I know
what both our fates would have been, but at that time I cared not. I
was very young, very impetuous, and I was resolved that I would not
permit either her or myself to die unavenged. At last she sobbed
herself to sleep, and I took my usual station outside of the hut. It
was well that I did so, for not five minutes afterwards the old wretch,
having got over his temper, came out of his tent and bent his steps
towards the hut, that he might make friends with her, for she was too
necessary to his happiness, he soon treated her with his accustomed
kindness, but I perceived that after the scene I have described her
aversion for him was doubled.

There were some scores of women in the various huts within the palisade,
all of whom I understood were wives to the old monarch, but none but the
four we found with him when we were first brought into his presence were
ever to be seen in his company. I had, by means of my kind mistress,
the opportunity of constantly supplying my companions with fowls and
venison, which was left from the king's table, and through her care,
they always met with kind and gentle usage.

For another two months did I thus remain happy in the company of Whyna,
and miserable when in the presence of the king, whose eye it was
impossible to meet without quailing; when one morning we were all
ordered out, and were surrounded by a large party armed with spears,
javelins, and bird-arrows--I sa