onvinced that the prediction would in all
probability be fulfilled.

Three days had elapsed from the time the avenging party had gone on their
mission, when, at midnight, a messenger, faint and nearly exhausted,
arrived on our beach with the following dreadful intelligence; and that
night no other sounds were heard than those of agony and woe, the yelling
of women, and the shrieks of slaves.

The substance of the man's information was, that George and the offending
party had met; but, as several days had passed since the murder of their
friend, their feelings were in some degree appeased, and they had
contented themselves with a general plunder of whatever property their
enemies possessed. They had spared their lives, and the outrage was
considered as atoned for. The chiefs were on their return home, laden
with spoil, when, like other coalesced armies, disagreements began to
take place among themselves, and discord long smothered, broke out in
every quarter of the camp.

George, the principal person of their party, was the one marked to be
dissatisfied with. All were jealous of him, in consequence of his
possessions at Kororarika giving him such a decided advantage over every
other tribe, by his trade and intercourse with Europeans. It is probable,
also, that as the other tribes went forth with an intention to fight,
they were resolved not to be disappointed, and therefore determined to
create a feud among themselves, rather than return home devoid of the
pleasures or the trophies of a combat.

Some irritating language had been uttered by both sides, when an accident
of a fatal nature took place, which produced an instantaneous and general
appeal to arms. At the close of the day a halt was made, as usual, and
each party began erecting their temporary huts to pass the night in. One
of George's wives, assisted by a little boy, his nephew, was busily
engaged in constructing one; arms and baggage of every description being
strewed about in all directions. At this period a lad took up one of
George's muskets, and began to play with it; but not understanding the
management of it, he, by his injudicious handling, accidentally
discharged the piece, and killed both the wife and nephew, the ball
passing through both their bodies.

The sensation produced by this unfortunate accident may readily be
conceived. As the woman who was killed was related to the tribe who had
been disputing with George all day, her death furnished an