as possible to get ashore without having the boat knocked to pieces.
He and Bob then went as near the cone as the falling stones would allow,
and took as good a survey of the place as could be done under the
circumstances. That there would be soil, and plenty of it, sooner or
later, was plain enough; and that the island might become a scene of
fertility and loveliness, in the course of ages, like so many others of
volcanic origin in that quarter of the world, was probable. But that day
was distant; and Mark was soon satisfied that the great use of the spot
was its being a vent to what would otherwise be the pent and dangerous
forces that were in the course of a constant accumulation beneath.

The party had been about an hour on the island, and was about to quit
it, when a most startling discovery was made. Bob saw a canoe drawn
close in among the rocks to leeward, and, on a further examination, a
man was seen near it. At first, this was taken as an indication of
hostilities, but, on getting a second look, our mariners were satisfied
that nothing of that sort was to be seriously apprehended. It was
determined to go nearer to the stranger, at once, and learn the whole
truth.

A cry from Peters, followed by his immediately springing forward to meet
a second person, who had left the canoe, and who was bounding like a
young antelope to meet him, rendered everything clear sooner even than
had been anticipated. All supposed that this eager visitor was a woman,
and no one doubted that it was Peggy, the poor fellow's Indian wife.
Peggy it proved to be; and after the weeping, and laughing, and
caressing of the meeting were a little abated, the following explanation
was made by Peters, who spoke the language of his wife with a good deal
of facility, and who acted as interpreter.

According to the accounts now given by Peggy, the warfare between
Ooroony and Waally had been kept up with renewed vigour, subsequently to
the escape of Jones and her own husband. Fortune had proved fickle, as
so often happens, and Waally got to be in the ascendant. His enemy was
reduced to great straits, and had been compelled to confine himself to
one of the smallest islands of the group, where he was barely able to
maintain his party, by means of the most vigilant watchfulness. This
left Waally at liberty to pursue his intention of following the party of
whites, which was known to have gone to the southward, with so much
valuable property, as well as