made to our visiting the
apartments of the women. They were clothed in long loose garments, of
native cloth, suspended from the waist, their shoulders being bare.
They were small, but well shaped. Their hair, which was long and dark,
was twisted up at the back of the head; the front locks being plaited
and drawn off the forehead. Their skins were of a light brown colour,
smooth and glossy. They wore ear-rings of some mixed metal, of a size
very disproportionate to their small figures, and very far from
becoming. Their countenances, if not pretty, were highly good-humoured
and pleasant. The younger women were diligently employed in pounding
rice in mortars of large dimensions. There were groups of children
playing in the verandah, who at first were very shy of us; but as we
made them little presents of beads, and other trifles, their confidence
was quickly established, and wherever we went they followed, laughing
heartily, and dancing round us. At length, our curiosity being
satisfied, we descended from the bird-like nest, and returned on board
the brig.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

The information I had received, vague as it may appear, seemed to me of
the greatest importance. I felt almost certain that this brig which had
visited the river could be no other than the _Emu_; and the account of
the behaviour of the crew tended to confirm my suspicions that she had
been run away with by the mate, Richard Kidd, for the purpose of turning
pirate on the high seas. I dreamed of it all night or rather lay awake
the greater part of the time, thinking of the subject till I was almost
in a fever. I pictured to myself my sweet little Eva in the power of
the ruffians, probably employed as their slave, to tend them in their
cabin at their meals, and forced to listen to their horrid conversation,
while I trembled still more for the fate of poor Mrs Clayton, if she
survived the grief, and terror, and anxiety to which she must have been
exposed. I talked the subject over with Fairburn, who agreed with me
that the brig was probably the _Emu_, while he, at the same time, did
his best to relieve my anxiety respecting the fate of her passengers.

"You know, Seaworth," he observed, "even the most abandoned wretches
have generally some feelings of humanity about them. No one would be
bad enough to injure your little sister; and, situated as these men are,
they would very probably treat Mrs Clayton with respect, that, should
they be