o prove that
we would be useful to them, we might obtain better treatment."

"Very true," I answered; "I will do my best to help you, if you can
think of anything."

We could distinguish Macco sitting near the stern of the other canoe by
the different shape of his head, as well as by the seaman's woollen
shirt he wore. He seemed to be sitting quietly, as if listening to the
conversation of those around him. However, it was not likely that he
could comprehend anything of their language. Hour after hour the
savages paddled on, till at length we approached some rocky islets,
towards which they steered. Here they landed, and lighting a fire,
rudely cooked the remainder of our kangaroo. Not till we petitioned
very hard did they condescend to give us any portion of it. At length,
however, they made signs that we might cut off what flesh we required,
and we eagerly took advantage of the permission they granted. At the
same time, finding a bamboo cask of water at hand, we soon drained its
contents, and afterwards felt very much refreshed. The meal over, they
again took to their canoes, and continued their voyage. How they could
manage to cook their food on a long voyage, I could not discover.
Oliver suggested that they perhaps lived on those occasions on cold
provisions; indeed, their sago-cakes would provide them with sufficient
food, if they ever did make long voyages, which, however, I suspected
they did not.

At length, however, we got close in with the coast, which we took to be
that of New Guinea. On either side, as far as the eye could reach, it
was covered with tall forest trees and dense brushwood. They were
considerably taller than those on our island--some of the most lofty
being draped with festoons of the creeping ratans, which gave them a
peculiarly graceful appearance. The sands, unlike many of those of the
volcanic islands we had passed, were white and glittering, and the water
of the most transparent nature, so that, looking over the side, we could
see far down into the depths of the ocean. In the distant interior rose
up ranges of lofty mountains, appearing one beyond another, and
extending, till lost to view by distance, both to the north and south.
Altogether the country appeared magnificent in the extreme. Under other
circumstances I should have been delighted to visit it; but the idea of
having to live among such fierce-looking savages was terrible,
especially when we could not help thinki