prayer for
protection; no wonder that he was a coward. He still went on, though he
could hardly find the way; when on a sudden he stopped, and as he leaned
forward, staring with wide open eyes and hair on end, he saw a blazing
fire in the midst of an open glade, and on the farther side a hideous
band of skeleton forms dancing and twisting and turning in all sorts of
ways. Now, after leaping about furiously for a moment, they would on a
sudden disappear, and not one was to be seen.

For a minute or more all was quiet, and Peach hoped that he had seen the
last of them; when like a flash they all came back and jumped about as
before. He stood trembling with fear, he would have run away if he
could, but where was he to run to?

This fearful show went on for some time, when the most fearful shrieks
and yells were heard.

"Why I do believe it's the black fellows dancing a corroborree," he
muttered to himself. "What a fool I was! Now they yell! I make out
their voices."

Leading his horse, which was more frightened at the shrieks than he had
been by the sight of the skeletons, he walked into the middle of a group
of blacks. He now saw by the light of the fire, which was made to blaze
up brightly, that on the front of each of the men a skeleton was painted
with white chalk. These were seen when the light of the fire fell on
them, but when they turned round and only their black backs were towards
the fire, they seemed to have gone away altogether. He knew that it
would not do to show the anger he felt at the fright they had given him.
He stood quiet, therefore, with some of the old men looking on till the
dance was over. He was known to most of the natives, who welcomed him
in the odd jargon in which the white settlers and blacks talk to each
other.

"He would tell them by-and-by what he had come to see them about, and in
the meantime he had some presents to make," he said.

The delight of the savages at getting the handkerchiefs and knives was
very great. He told them that there were more for them if they would do
what he wished. He then called some of the elders round him, and told
them what he advised them to do. He told them that he was the black
fellows' friend, as they had proof, but that the other white men in
those parts were their enemies, and that they should drive them away if
they could, or kill them, and that then, they might have all their sheep
and cattle for themselves. The poor savages seem