of Borneo, the Fijian of the Pacific, and
the red savage of North America, are much alike; and identically the
same change is wrought in all when the light of truth is brought among
them, and the Christian's faith sheds its softening influence over their
hearts. Many such ideas as those I have alluded to passed through my
mind as I sat, unable to move, watching the proceedings of the savages,
and I felt with a pang of intense remorse how utterly I had neglected
doing anything towards sending the gospel of salvation in which I
believed and thought I trusted, to them or any other of the heathen
nations of the world.

The red-skins went on talking fast and furiously; then they put out
their hands, and called on the old chief to serve them out further
draughts of their loved fire-water. He dared not deny them. He helped
himself, and his eyes began to roll round and round with a frightful
glare, and every now and then they turned upon me, and I thought my last
moment had come; but one of his companions, in a tone which had lost all
respect for him, called off his attention for a moment, and I had a
reprieve. It was but for a few minutes. I became once more the subject
of conversation. Again the cups were filled and quaffed. I sat as
motionless as a statue. A sign of fear, or even of consciousness, would
only tend to enrage my captors. The countenance of the old chief grew
more terrific. He grasped his deadly tomahawk, and, drawing it from his
belt, lifted his arm to hurl it at my head. I expected that instant to
feel the horrible crash as the sharp weapon entered my skull. I,
notwithstanding, fixed my eye steadily on him. He bent back his arm;
the tomahawk flew across the tent, but the spirits he had swallowed had
unnerved his limbs and confused his sight, and, unconscious apparently
of what he had done, he rolled over on his side. His companions were
too far gone to take notice of his state. They rather seemed to rejoice
at it, that now they could help themselves to as much liquor as was to
be got. As the savages went on drinking, and I saw the condition to
which they were reducing themselves, hope once more revived in my
breast. I might work my way out of the leather thongs which bound me,
and get clear of my captors; but then where was I to go? I was again
tolerably strong, and I could run some miles, but in what direction
should I bend my steps? I could scrape together a little food from that
left by