scovered that another double canoe was fitting out to carry Alea
to her intended husband. My heart bled for the poor girl, and I would
have done anything to save her, I thought over all sorts of plans. They
were, however, needless, for the next morning I heard that she had
disappeared. No one knew where she had gone. At first I feared that
her father had sent her off secretly; but Hoolan's rage and undisguised
fears of the consequences which might occur when the old chief
discovered that he had lost his bride, convinced me that such was not
the case. I suspected that Vihala might have had something to do with
it when I found that he had disappeared about the same time. We were at
first suspected, but I convinced Hoolan that we had had nothing to do
with the matter.

Several days passed, and not a clue was gained as to what had become of
the young princess. One evening, when the men had knocked off work, as
I was sitting under an awning on deck, I saw a large canoe entering the
harbour. It struck me that it might contain the old chief come to claim
his bride; so, as it was not my watch, I jumped into a boat and went on
shore to see what would happen. As the canoe drew near, however, I saw
that instead of her deck being crowded with tattooed, naked, and painted
warriors, dancing, and shouting, and sounding conch-shells, all the
people on board were well clothed, while in the after part stood a
venerable-looking man with long white hair escaping from under his
broad-brimmed hat, and by his side a young lady, both evidently
Europeans. I at once naturally walked towards the part of the beach
where they would land, and waited for them. No sooner did the canoe
touch the shore than several natives from the crowd rushed forward, and
lifting the strangers on their shoulders, bore them, with every
demonstration of respect, to dry ground. I at once went forward and
addressed them in English, and was warmly greeted in return. The old
man said he came from a station about fifty miles off. The young lady
was his daughter. They had come over on a periodical visit to the
Christian converts of this island, and were much concerned to hear that
Vihala and the young princess had disappeared.

"They should have abided the storm," the old man remarked. "I will go
see this heathen chief, and try again if by God's grace his heart may be
softened."

I undertook to get Pat Hoolan out of the way, as it was evident that all
his i