like birds;
but the way lay in and out of rocks, with quite a little precipice to
descend at times, so that the journey must have been double that length.
The hope of a good meal, however, made us trudge on, and after a few
stops to rest I saw that we must now be nearing the shore, for the
ground was much more level.

So different did it appear, though, that I hardly recognised some of it,
and had it not been for Ebo I am sure we should have gone astray; but,
savage like, he seemed to have an unerring instinct for finding his way
back over ground he had been over before, and we had only to look back
at him if we were in front for him to point out the way with the
greatest of confidence.

We were trudging on in front, talking in a low tone about making another
expedition into the mountainous part, in the hope of finding it, the
higher we climbed, more free from risk of meeting natives, and we were
now getting so near the shore that we could hear the beat of the waves
upon a reef that lay off our hut, and sheltered the boat from being
washed about, when all of a sudden, as we were traversing some low,
scrubby bushes which were more thorny than was pleasant, Ebo suddenly
struck us both on the shoulder, forcing us down amongst the leaves and
twigs, and on looking sharply round we saw that he had dropped our
splendid specimens, and, wild-eyed and excited, he was crouching too.

"Why, Ebo," began my uncle; but the black clapped his hand upon his
mouth, and then pointed to the shore in front.

I felt my blood turn cold; for there, not fifty yards away, and dimly
seen through the shade of leaves, was a party of about fifty New Guinea
men, with a couple of dozen more in three canoes that were lying just
outside the reef. They were a fierce-looking lot, armed with spears,
axes, and clubs, and they were gesticulating and chattering fiercely
about our boat.

I heard my uncle utter a groan, for it seemed as if the labours of all
these months upon months of collecting were wasted, and that specimens,
stores, arms, everything of value, would fall into the hands of these
savages. He was perfectly calm directly after, and crouched there with
his gun ready for a chance, should there be any necessity for its use;
but he knew that it was useless to attempt to fight, all we could do was
to save our lives.

After about half an hour's talk the savages embarked, taking our boat in
tow behind one of their canoes, and we saw the bright