ind the village, on
the top of which stood the Bure, or temple, under the dark shade of a
group of iron-wood trees. As we went through the village, I was again
led to contrast the rude huts and sheds, and their almost naked savage-
looking inhabitants, with the natives of the Christian village, who, to
use the teacher's scriptural expression, were now "clothed and in their
right mind."

As we turned into a broad path leading towards the hill, we were arrested
by the shouts of an approaching multitude in the rear. Drawing aside
into the bushes we awaited their coming up, and as they drew near we
observed that it was a procession of the natives, many of whom were
dancing and gesticulating in the most frantic manner. They had an
exceedingly hideous aspect, owing to the black, red, and yellow paints
with which their faces and naked bodies were bedaubed. In the midst of
these came a band of men carrying three or four planks, on which were
seated in rows upwards of a dozen men. I shuddered involuntarily as I
recollected the sacrifice of human victims at the island of Emo, and
turned with a look of fear to Jack as I said,--

"Oh, Jack! I have a terrible dread that they are going to commit some of
their cruel practices on these wretched men. We had better not go to the
temple. We shall only be horrified without being able to do any good,
for I fear they are going to kill them."

Jack's face wore an expression of deep compassion as he said, in a low
voice, "No fear, Ralph; the sufferings of these poor fellows are over
long ago."

I turned with a start as he spoke, and, glancing at the men, who were now
quite near to the spot where we stood, saw that they were all dead. They
were tied firmly with ropes in a sitting posture on the planks, and
seemed, as they bent their sightless eye-balls and grinning mouths over
the dancing crew below, as if they were laughing in ghastly mockery at
the utter inability of their enemies to hurt them now. These, we
discovered afterwards, were the men who had been slain in the battle of
the previous day, and were now on their way to be first presented to the
gods, and then eaten. Behind these came two men leading between them a
third, whose hands were pinioned behind his back. He walked with a firm
step, and wore a look of utter indifference on his face, as they led him
along; so that we concluded he must be a criminal who was about to
receive some slight punishment for his faults. T