r, let us return thanks to our merciful Father in Heaven, that
what we thought so great a misfortune has been the means of our
preservation," said Oliver; "and never let us mistrust the kind
providence with which he watches over us."

We knelt down in the bottom of the canoe, and I joined Oliver in the
prayer he offered up, the savages looking at us with surprise, unable
probably to comprehend in the remotest degree what we were about.

I should say that some time had been spent after the events I have
briefly described had taken place. We had got to a distance from the
burning island, and were once more in safety. Having become very
hungry, we made signs to our captors that we should like to have some
food. With a careless air they handed us some lumps of our own sago,
and some pieces of cocoa-nut. We were compelled to take it, uncooked as
it was; for though we showed by signs that we should like to have some
bread made of it, they laughed at our request, and seemed to tell us
that it was good enough for such white-skinned slaves as we were.

These New Guinea men had apparently been on a voyage to the northward,
and were returning to their native land, which lay, we judged, somewhere
to the south. We ate our hard sago-cake, which we could scarcely have
got down without the aid of the cocoa-nut. We again made signs that we
should like an entire cocoa-nut, that we might drink the juice. They
pointed in return to the water alongside, and mockingly, by signs,
intimated that we might drink that. In vain we entreated that they
would give us some fresh water or a cocoa-nut. Our distress seemed to
amuse them amazingly; for both, the chief and his men indulged in most
uproarious shouts of laughter, rolling about as if they were thoroughly
tipsy. At length, however, when they had amused themselves sufficiently
at our expense, one of them threw a cocoa-nut, which hit Oliver on the
head. He could not help exhibiting some signs of suffering, which made
them again burst into fits of laughter; indeed, they appeared to be the
merriest fellows, though savage in their merriment, that I had ever met
with. The juice, however, which we got from the cocoa-nut, Oliver
declared, made ample amends for the treatment we had received.

"I do not think they can intend to kill and eat us," he observed, "or
they would feed us better than they are doing. We must see how we can
best win their good graces. If we could but do something t