to my waist in the stream. As soon as Kory-Kory comprehended
from my motions that this was to be the extent of my performance, he
appeared perfectly aghast with astonishment, and rushing towards me,
poured out a torrent of words in eager deprecation of so limited an
operation, enjoining me by unmistakable signs to immerse my whole body.
To this I was forced to consent; and the honest fellow regarding me as a
froward, inexperienced child, whom it was his duty to serve at the risk
of offending, lifted me from the rocks, and tenderly bathed my limbs.
This over, and resuming my seat, I could not avoid bursting into
admiration of the scene around me.

From the verdant surfaces of the large stones that lay scattered about,
the natives were now sliding off into the water, diving and ducking
beneath the surface in all directions--the young girls springing
buoyantly into the air, and revealing their naked forms to the waist,
with their long tresses dancing about their shoulders, their eyes
sparkling like drops of dew in the sun, and their gay laughter pealing
forth at every frolicsome incident. On the afternoon of the day that I
took my first bath in the valley, we received another visit from Mehevi.
The noble savage seemed to be in the same pleasant mood, and was quite
as cordial in his manner as before. After remaining about an hour, he
rose from the mats, and motioning to leave the house, invited Toby and
myself to accompany him. I pointed to my leg; but Mehevi in his turn
pointed to Kory-Kory, and removed that objection; so, mounting upon the
faithful fellow's shoulders again--like the old man of the sea astride
of Sindbad--I followed after the chief.

The nature of the route we now pursued struck me more forcibly than
anything I had yet seen, as illustrating the indolent disposition of
the islanders. The path was obviously the most beaten one in the
valley, several others leading from each side into it, and perhaps for
successive generations it had formed the principal avenue of the place.
And yet, until I grew more familiar with its impediments, it seemed as
difficult to travel as the recesses of a wilderness. Part of it swept
around an abrupt rise of ground, the surface of which was broken by
frequent inequalities, and thickly strewn with projecting masses of
rocks, whose summits were often hidden from view by the drooping foliage
of the luxurious vegetation. Sometimes directly over, sometimes evading
these obstacles wi