ne rock, and
came forth armed with a stout spear tipped, as we afterwards found, with
a shark's tooth.

"I suppose we must trust to fortune," said Denviers, as we carefully
followed the black in single file over a surface which seemed to be
covered with a mass of holes.

"We must get food somehow," I responded. "It will be just as safe to
follow this Tamil as to remain on the shore waiting for daybreak. No
doubt, if we did so the news of our arrival would be taken to the tribe
and an attack made upon us. Thank goodness, our pistols are in our belts
after all, although our other weapons went with the rest of the things
which we lost."

[Illustration: "WE SLOWLY FOLLOWED HIM."]

The ground which we were traversing now began to assume more the
appearance of a zigzag pathway, leading steeply downward, however, for
we could see it as it twisted far below us, and apparently led into a
plain. The Tamil who was leading the way seemed to purposely avoid any
conversation with us, and Denviers catching up to him grasped him by the
shoulder. The savage stopped suddenly and shortened his hold upon the
spear, while his face glowed with all the fury of his fierce nature.

"Where does this path lead to?" Denviers asked, making a motion towards
it to explain the information which he desired to obtain. Hassan hurried
up and explained the words which were returned in a guttural tone:--

"To where the food for which ye asked may be obtained."

The path now began to widen out, and we found ourselves, on passing over
the plain which we had seen from above, entering a vast grotto from the
roof of which long crystal prisms hung, while here and there natural
pillars of limestone seemed to give their support to the roof above. Our
strange guide now fastened a torch of some resinous material to the butt
end of his spear and held it high above us as we slowly followed him,
keeping close to each other so as to avoid being taken by surprise.

The floor of this grotto was strewn with the bones of some animal, and
soon we discovered that we were entering the haunt of the Tamil tribe.
From the far end of the grotto we heard the sound of voices, and as we
approached saw the gleam of a wood fire lighting up the scene before us.
Round this were gathered a number of the tribe to which the man
belonged, their spears resting in their hands as though they were ever
watchful and ready to make an attack. Uttering a peculiar bird-like cry,
the savage th