ves outside were all astir, and breakfast in an
advanced state of preparation. During the course of it we made sundry
attempts to converse with the natives by signs, but without effect. At
last we hit upon a plan of discovering their names. Jack pointed to his
breast and add "Jack," very distinctly; then he pointed to Peterkin and
to me, repeating our names at the same time. Then he pointed to himself
again, and said "Jack," and laying his finger on the breast of the chief,
looked inquiringly into his face. The chief instantly understood him and
said "Tararo," twice, distinctly. Jack repeated it after him, and the
chief, nodding his head approvingly, said "Chuck." On hearing which,
Peterkin exploded with laughter; but Jack turned and with a frown rebuked
him, saying, "I must look even more indignantly at you than I feel,
Peterkin, you rascal, for these fellows don't like to be laughed at."
Then turning towards the youngest of the women, who was seated at the
door of the bower, he pointed to her; whereupon the chief said, "Avatea;"
and pointing towards the sun, raised his finger slowly towards the
zenith, where it remained steadily for a minute or two.

"What can that mean, I wonder," said Jack, looking puzzled.

"Perhaps," said Peterkin, "the chief means she is an angel come down to
stay here for a while. If so, she's an uncommonly black one!"

We did not feel quite satisfied with this explanation, so Jack went up to
her and said, "Avatea." The woman smiled sadly, and nodded her head, at
the same time pointing to her breast and then to the sun, in the same
manner as the chief had done. We were much puzzled to know what this
could signify, but as there was no way of solving our difficulty we were
obliged to rest content.

Jack now made signs to the natives to follow him, and, taking up his axe,
he led them to the place where the battle had been fought. Here we found
the prisoners, who had passed the night on the beach having been totally
forgotten by us, as our minds had been full of our guests, and were
ultimately overcome by sleep. They did not seem the worse for their
exposure, however, as we judged by the hearty appetite with which they
devoured the breakfast that was soon after given to them. Jack then
began to dig a hole in the sand, and, after working a few seconds, he
pointed to it and to the dead bodies that lay exposed on the beach. The
natives immediately perceived what he wanted, and, running