it was decided to press the enemy, and
to leave them no time to recover from the demoralization caused by
the loss of their boats, and the junction of the two parties of
white men. The forces were, therefore, divided into two equal
parts, and these started in different directions. Clump after clump
of trees was searched, and the enemy driven from them. At first
some resistance was made; but gradually the natives became
completely panic stricken, and fled without striking a blow.

Until nightfall the two parties continued to hunt, and shoot down,
a large number of the natives. Then they returned to the castle.
They now had a consultation as to the terms which they should grant
the natives; for they had no doubt that victory had declared
itself, finally, in their favor Some were for continuing the strife
until the enemy were exterminated; but the governor of the island
was opposed to this.

"In the first place," he said, "mixed up with the Ternate people
are all the natives of this island, and to exterminate them would
be to leave us without labor, and to ruin the island. In the next
place, the havoc which has been already wrought in our plantations
is such that it will take years to repair; and the longer this
fighting goes on, the more complete will be the destruction. I
think, then, that we should grant them the easiest terms possible.
They will be only too glad to escape, and to get back to their own
land, and will be long before they invade us again."

"I think," the officer who had arrived with the reinforcements of
soldiers said, "it would be well, senor, if you were to consult
with the priest who is on board. He is a man who has the ear of the
council at Goa. He was but recently arrived, and knows but little
of the natives; but he is full of zeal, and it would be well, I
think, were we to make an arrangement of which he would perfectly
approve; so that his report, when he reached Goa, should be
altogether favorable"

The governor agreed to this proposal, and decided to send a party
down to the shore, in the morning, to bring the priest up to the
castle.

Early in the morning, a large crowd of natives were seen at a short
distance. In their hands they held boughs of trees, and waved them
to express their desire to enter into negotiations. The governor,
however, fired two or three shots over their heads, as a signal to
them to keep farther away, as their advances would not be received.
Then, while a party we