me hot potatoes (which were quickly devoured) and a curious stringed
instrument that had been left behind in the hasty flight.

Having taken the usual precautions for the night, too tired out to care
for the dangers that might be menacing us, dangers that might prove
worse than those we had experienced the previous night (for we knew what
we had to expect from quadruped enemies, but were ignorant of how our
biped foes would treat our presence in their domain) unmindful and
heedless of everything, dizzy with the need of rest, I threw myself down
on the rude floor and fell heavily asleep.

* * * * *

Towards two o'clock in the morning (as far as we could judge) my
Sam-Sam, who had been keeping watch, awoke me. It was his turn to sleep.
Nothing had happened, as yet, to excite suspicion or inquietude and this
made me hope that we should not receive any serious hostility from the
Aborigines.

By straining my gaze into the darkness of the forest I discerned that
some fires were lighted not very far off, a sure sign that the Sakais
were still near us. Was this a good or a bad omen? Day would without
doubt bring the answer. And day soon came, gladly welcomed by all
Creation save by those people and beasts whose deeds are better suited
to obscurity.

I was preparing a nice strong cup of tea to refresh my stomach and cheer
up my spirits (for recent events had greatly depressed them) when
something lightly whistled above my ear and glided over my head.

I gave a violent start and taking off my hat discovered that it had two
little holes in it, one on each side. At a few steps from me lay an
arrow, which had just fallen there, after having perforated my
head-covering and softly touched my thin locks. It was a hair breadth
escape, in a true sense of the saying, for the sharp missile shot at me
from the Sakais infallible blow-pipe had first been carefully poisoned.

That unexpected and not very friendly "good morning" called me back to
the bitter reality of my position, and warned me not to delay coming to
an understanding with them at once.

Prudence forbade my presenting myself in their midst because the colour
of my skin, although well sunburnt, would have drawn upon me certain
death. I was convinced that in their primitive superstition they would
have believed me an evil spirit and as such would have speedily
despatched me to another world. The only thing to be done was to send
hither my in