s almost overpowered me. I gasped
for breath, and seizing my club, endeavoured to spring to my feet; but
Jack's powerful arm pinned me to the earth. Next moment one of the
savages raised his club, and fractured the wretched creature's skull. He
must have died instantly, and, strange though it may seem, I confess to a
feeling of relief when the deed was done, because I now knew that the
poor savage could not be burned alive. Scarcely had his limbs ceased to
quiver when the monsters cut slices of flesh from his body, and, after
roasting them slightly over the fire, devoured them.

Suddenly there arose a cry from the woods, and, in a few seconds, the two
savages hastened towards the fire dragging the three women and their two
infants along with them. One of those women was much younger than her
companions, and we were struck with the modesty of her demeanour and the
gentle expression of her face, which, although she had the flattish nose
and thick lips of the others, was of a light-brown colour, and we
conjectured that she must be of a different race. She and her companions
wore short petticoats and a kind of tippet on their shoulders. Their
hair was jet black, but instead of being long, was short and
curly,--though not woolly--somewhat like the hair of a young boy. While
we gazed with interest and some anxiety at these poor creatures, the big
chief advanced to one of the elder females and laid his hand upon the
child. But the mother shrank from him, and clasping the little one to
her bosom, uttered a wail of fear. With a savage laugh, the chief tore
the child from her arms and tossed it into the sea. A low groan burst
from Jack's lips as we witnessed this atrocious act and heard the
mother's shriek, as she fell insensible on the sand. The rippling waves
rolled the child on the beach, as if they refused to be a party in such a
foul murder, and we could observe that the little one still lived.

The young girl was now brought forward, and the chief addressed her; but
although we heard his voice, and even the words distinctly, of course we
could not understand what he said. The girl made no answer to his fierce
questions, and we saw by the way in which he pointed to the fire that he
threatened her life.

"Peterkin," said Jack in a hoarse whisper, "have you got your knife?"

"Yes," replied Peterkin, whose face was pale as death.

"That will do. Listen to me, and do my bidding quick. Here is the small
knife,