tle wonder that these poor ignorant savages, who were born
and bred in familiarity therewith, should think nothing of them at all,
and should hold human life in so very slight esteem.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Mischief brewing--My blood is made to run cold--Evil consultations and
wicked resolves--Bloody Bill attempts to do good and fails--The
attack--Wholesale murder--The flight--The escape.

Next morning I awoke with a feverish brow and a feeling of deep
depression at my heart; and the more I thought on my unhappy fate, the
more wretched and miserable did I feel.

I was surrounded on all sides by human beings of the most dreadful
character, to whom the shedding of blood was mere pastime. On shore were
the natives, whose practices were so horrible that I could not think of
them without shuddering. On board were none but pirates of the blackest
dye, who, although not cannibals, were foul murderers, and more
blameworthy even than the savages, inasmuch as they knew better. Even
Bill, with whom I had, under the strange circumstances of my lot, formed
a kind of intimacy, was so fierce in his nature as to have acquired the
title of "Bloody" from his vile companions. I felt very much cast down
the more I considered the subject and the impossibility of delivery, as
it seemed to me, at least for a long time to come. At last, in my
feeling of utter helplessness, I prayed fervently to the Almighty that he
would deliver me out of my miserable condition; and when I had done so I
felt some degree of comfort.

When the captain came on deck, before the hour at which the men usually
started for the woods, I begged of him to permit me to remain aboard that
day, as I did not feel well; but he looked at me angrily, and ordered me,
in a surly tone, to get ready to go on shore as usual. The fact was that
the captain had been out of humour for some time past. Romata and he had
had some differences, and high words had passed between them, during
which the chief had threatened to send a fleet of his war-canoes, with a
thousand men, to break up and burn the schooner; whereupon the captain
smiled sarcastically, and going up to the chief gazed sternly in his
face, while he said, "I have only to raise my little finger just now, and
my big gun will blow your whole village to atoms in five minutes!"
Although the chief was a bold man, he quailed before the pirate's glance
and threat, and made no reply; but a bad feeling had been raised and ol