e walls, while carefully disposed in the dryest corners were
the claymores and muskets which formed their weapons of defence.

One large building was set apart for public worship, and here services
were daily held by the Presbyterian ministers, several of whom had
accompanied the expedition, and were much given to lengthy sermons.
Another building was the storehouse, to which the provisions brought
out by the ships were removed. Now, mention has already been made of
advantage being taken by those who supplied the expedition to palm off
much inferior stuff than they had contracted to furnish; and this
rascality became revealed when it was discovered that the greater part
of the stores, upon which the colonists must depend until they had
raised their own harvests, was absolutely unfit for human food, and had
to be cast into the sea, where it attracted swarms of sharks that
henceforth infested the harbour, rendering its waters full of danger.

This was a terrible blow to the hopes of the settlers, who were already
disappointed at the failure of their expectations in the matter of
gold, which they had counted upon being able to obtain in abundance,
whereas all the gold they had seen were the ornaments of the King of
Darien.

It was determined to dispatch one of the ships to the island of Jamaica
for a fresh supply of provisions, and in the meantime, through the
influence of Mr. Paterson, the King of Darien placed the services of a
large body of Indian hunters at his disposal, and these men, through
their knowledge of the country and their skill, were able to secure
game and fish in abundance when the Scotsmen could get nothing.

As soon as Donalblane had recovered from his wounds, nothing daunted by
his thrilling experience, he devoted himself to hunting, as that suited
his taste far better than tilling the ground or working on the
fortifications.

Keen of eye, quick of ear, light of foot, long of wind, and well-nigh
tireless, he set himself to learn from the Indians their hunting wiles
and devices, and was so apt a pupil that ere long he became a match for
the best of them, particularly as his musket and pistols, always kept
in perfect order, were immensely superior weapons to their spears and
arrows.

The magnificent region round about afforded a hunting-field vast and
varied enough to satisfy the most exacting sportsman. The forests were
full of animals, from the amusing, harmless monkeys up to the fierce
wild b