th wonder and delight, and ran
through the village exhibiting it to the people, who looked upon it with
great admiration. The chief then, tying a string to it, hung it round
his neck as an ornament! He afterwards told me that if he had seen it
before he became a Christian he would have made it his god!"

As the teacher concluded this anecdote we reached his door. Saying that
he had business to attend to, he left us to amuse ourselves as we best
could.

"Now, lads," said Jack, turning abruptly towards us, and buttoning up his
jacket as he spoke, "I'm off to see the battle. I've no particular
fondness for seein' blood-shed, but I must find out the nature o' these
fellows and see their customs with my own eyes, so that I may be able to
speak of it again, if need be, authoritatively. It's only six miles off,
and we don't run much more risk than that of getting a rap with a stray
stone or an over-shot arrow. Will you go?"

"To be sure we will," said Peterkin.

"If they chance to see us we'll cut and run for it," added Jack.

"Dear me!" cried Peterkin,--"_you_ run! thought you would scorn to run
from any one."

"So I would, if it were my duty to fight," returned Jack, coolly; "but as
I don't want to fight, and don't intend to fight, if they offer to attack
us I'll run away like the veriest coward that ever went by the name of
Peterkin. So come along."

CHAPTER XXXI.

A strange and bloody battle--The lion bearded in his den--Frightful
scenes of cruelty, and fears for the future.

We had ascertained from the teacher the direction to the spot on which
the battle was to be fought, and after a walk of two hours reached it.
The summit of a bare hill was the place chosen; for, unlike most of the
other islanders, who are addicted to bush-fighting, those of Mango are in
the habit of meeting on open ground. We arrived before the two parties
had commenced the deadly struggle, and, creeping as close up as we dared
among the rocks, we lay and watched them.

The combatants were drawn up face to face, each side ranged in rank four
deep. Those in the first row were armed with long spears; the second,
with clubs to defend the spearmen; the third row was composed of young
men with slings; and the fourth consisted of women, who carried baskets
of stones for the slingers, and clubs and spears with which to supply the
warriors. Soon after we arrived, the attack was made with great fury.
There was no science displayed