l appeared in order; and certainly, if they had reached
here, there was much to tempt them: our cotton mattresses, our osier
seats, and some household utensils that my wife had left here. Our geese
and fowls did not appear to have been alarmed, but were pecking about as
usual for worms and insects. I began to hope that we might get off with
the loss of our canoe,--a loss which might be repaired. We were a
sufficient number, being well armed, not to be afraid of a few savages,
even if they penetrated further into the island, and showed hostile
intentions. I exhorted my sons to do nothing to irritate them; on the
contrary, to meet them with kindness and attention, and to commit no
violence against them unless called on to defend their lives. I also
recommended them to select from the wrecked chest, some articles likely
to please the savages, and to carry them always about with them. "And I
beseech you, once more," added I, "not to alarm your mother." They
promised me; and we continued our road unmolested to Falcon's Nest. Jack
preceded us, delighted, he said, to see our castle again, which he hoped
the savages had not carried away. Suddenly, we saw him return, running,
with terror painted on his countenance.

"They are there!" said he; "they have taken possession of it; our
dwelling is full of them. Oh! how frightful they are! What a blessing
mamma is not there; she would have died of fright to see them enter."

I confess I was much agitated; but, not wishing to expose my children to
danger before I had done all in my power to prevent it, I ordered them
to remain behind till I called them. I broke a branch from a tree
hastily, which I held in one hand, and in the other some long nails,
which I found by chance in the bottom of my pocket; and I advanced thus
to my Tree-Castle. I expected to have found the door of my staircase
torn open and broken, and our new guests ascending and descending; but I
saw at once it was closed as I had left it; being of bark, it was not
easily distinguished. How had these savages reached the dwelling, forty
feet from the ground? I had placed planks before the great opening; they
were no longer there; the greater part of them had been hurled down to
the ground, and I heard such a noise in our house, that I could not
doubt Jack's report. I advanced timidly, holding up in the air the
branch and my offerings, when I discovered, all at once, that I was
offering them to a troop of monkeys, lodged in