ng of Ternate is preparing a formidable expedition
against us; and as my garrison is a very small one, and the natives
are not to be relied upon to fight against those of the other
island, the addition of four such experienced soldiers as yourself
will, in no slight degree, strengthen us."

The boys replied that their swords were at the service of their
host; and, well content with the turn things had taken, they
proceeded with him up the road into the interior of the island.

Upon gaining the higher land, they were surprised at the aspect of
the island. In place of the almost unbroken forest which they had
beheld, in other spots at which they had landed, here was fair
cultivated land. Large groves of spice trees grew here and there,
and the natives were working in the fields with the regularity of
Europeans. The Portuguese method of cultivating the islands which
they took differed widely from that of the English. Their first
step was to compel the natives to embrace Christianity. Their
second to make of them docile and obedient laborers, raising spice
and other products, for which they received in payment calico,
beads, and European goods.

The castle, which stood in the center of a small plain, was built
of stone roughly hewn; and was of no strength which would have
resisted any European attack, but was well calculated for the
purpose for which it was designed. It consisted of a pleasant house
standing in an enclosure, round which was a wall, some fifteen feet
in height, with a platform running behind it, to enable its
garrison to shoot over the top. A ditch of some ten feet in depth
and fifteen feet wide surrounded it; so that, without scaling
ladders to ascend the walls, or cannon to batter holes in them, the
place could be well held against any attack that the natives might
make upon it.

The garrison was not a formidable one, consisting only of some
thirty Portuguese soldiers, whose appearance did not speak much for
the discipline maintained. Their uniforms were worn and rusty in
the extreme. They were slovenly in appearance, and wore a look of
discontent and hopelessness. A large portion of them, indeed, had
been criminals, and had been offered the choice of death or of
serving for ten years, which generally meant for life, in the
eastern seas. Ned judged that no great reliance could be placed
upon this army of scarecrows, in the event of an attack of a
serious character.

"My men would scarcely show to a