rsion
of the heathen.

While we were thus engaged a canoe put off from shore and several savages
leaped on deck, one of whom advanced to the teacher and informed him that
Tararo could not come on board that day, being busy with some religious
ceremonies before the gods, which could on no account be postponed. He
was also engaged with a friendly chief who was about to take his
departure from the island, and therefore begged that the teacher and his
friends would land and pay a visit to him. To this the teacher returned
answer that we would land immediately.

"Now, lads," said Jack, as we were about to step into our little boat,
"I'm not going to take any weapons with me, and I recommend you to take
none either. We are altogether in the power of these savages, and the
utmost we could do, if they were to attack us, would be to kill a few of
them before we were ourselves overpowered. I think that our only chance
of success lies in mild measures. Don't you think so?"

To this I assented gladly, and Peterkin replied by laying down a huge
bell-mouthed blunderbuss, and divesting himself of a pair of enormous
horse-pistols with which he had purposed to overawe the natives! We then
jumped into our boat and rowed ashore.

On reaching the beach we were received by a crowd of naked savages, who
shouted a rude welcome, and conducted us to a house or shed where a baked
pig and a variety of vegetables were prepared for us. Having partaken of
these, the teacher begged to be conducted to the chief; but there seemed
some hesitation, and after some consultation among themselves, one of the
men stood forward and spoke to the teacher.

"What says he?" inquired Jack when the savage had concluded.

"He says that the chief is just going to the temple of his god and cannot
see us yet; so we must be patient, my friend."

"Well," cried Jack, rising; "if he won't come to see me, I'll e'en go and
see him. Besides, I have a great desire to witness their proceedings at
this temple of theirs. Will you go with me, friend?"

"I cannot," said the teacher, shaking his head; "I must not go to the
heathen temples and witness their inhuman rites, except for the purpose
of condemning their wickedness and folly."

"Very good," returned Jack; "then I'll go alone, for I cannot condemn
their doings till I have seen them."

Jack arose, and we, having determined to go also, followed him through
the banana groves to a rising ground immediately beh