, though we all used
our hatchets without remorse, Gatty bestowing much unnecessary labour in
the matter. We were beginning to think our adventure rather stupid; not
a sign of any animal had we seen, great or small, no dragons, no
griffins, no snakes, no anything. Our dissatisfaction might soon have
found words, had not Oscar, from his elevated seat, called vehemently on
Smart to stop. "What is it, Sir, a beere or a helephant?" "Go back,
Smart, just under that tree. Now then stop, stand steady, while I
scramble up here. I thought so, look! look! did you ever see anything so
droll." So saying, he pulled out from the branches of a huge tree two
quiet, wise-looking parrots, not quite fledged, that were seated side by
side in a hole in the tree. They did not seem in the least discomposed,
but gazed on us with great gravity. "They are neither blue nor yellow,
but dear mother, they will just do for the little girls. Pray let me
take them home." I was very loathe to give leave, I could not help
thinking somebody might be only in the next bush, ready to take away my
nestlings. Everybody added their entreaties, so it was agreed as we must
return the way we came, if we found them again we would politely request
their company home with us.

So that matter being settled, Smart resumed his burden, warning his
young master to be more quiet in his next announcement, if he had
nothing better to encounter than a nest of parrots. We found grapes in
every direction. Benjie also showed us the Banana tree, gave us a
perfect volume of his discovering yams, and danced with glee before a
small plantation of sugar canes. Yet all this time we saw no living
thing but birds. We were enchanted with the flowers, their size and
colour were beyond all description, at last we came to an open glade,
and through this ran the stream, which fell over the cliffs into the
sea. The trees were gigantic, and Benjie in his broken English,
endeavoured to describe them all to us, telling us their Indian names,
and their qualifications. Here following the stream a little way, we
peeped over the precipice, and by the help of glasses I saw all our
belongings at dinner, our feeble shouts were of course unheard, and now
for the first time, we heard a noise, a rustling in the bushes. I turned
pale, Sybil, Gatty, and Serena ran to each other. Schillie raised her
gun and looked at the bushes with a determined eye. We all stood
breathless. It came nearer and nearer, the bu