for many hours. The doctor said he
was attacked with delirium tremens, brought on by his intemperate
habits; and thus he continued, without being allowed a moment of
consciousness to be aware of his awful state, till he was summoned hence
to stand before the Almighty Judge, whose laws, to the last moment of
his earthly probation, he had systematically outraged. We buried him
just outside our fort, at night, that the savages might not observe that
our number was still further reduced.

Three or four days passed away. Both night and day we were equally on
the alert, but the stock of provisions we had brought with us from the
wreck was growing very low, and it was necessary to devise some plan for
obtaining more. The savages, on the other hand, finding that they could
not easily surprise us, changed their tactics, and once more came
towards us in friendly guise, bringing fruits and vegetables, and pigs
and poultry. Had they been aware of our starving condition, they could
not have hit upon a better plan to win our confidence. Still, however,
Cousin Silas did not trust to them.

"They may really be friendly," he remarked, "and let us behave towards
them as if they were; but never let us for a moment be off our guard."
When, however, the natives began to spread out their banquet before the
very eyes of the famished sailors, and invited them to come down and
partake of it, very few could resist the temptation. One after another
went down, till only the doctor and Ben, Jerry and I, with Cousin Silas,
remained on the hill. Even old Surley thought he might as well join the
party, but after he had gobbled up a good supply of pork, which some of
the sailors gave him, he hurried back to us. We watched anxiously what
would next happen. In a short time Jerry exclaimed that he thought it
was a pity we should not benefit by the feast, and before Cousin Silas
could stop him he had run down the hill and was among the savages. At
that moment, what was our horror to see the natives start up, each
dealing the white man nearest him a terrific blow on the head. No
second one was needed. Every one of our late companions lay killed upon
the ground. Jerry started back, and endeavoured to run to us, but a
savage caught him by the shoulder, and (how my blood ran cold!) I
thought would brain him on the spot. Jerry looked up in his face with
an imploring glance. Something he said or did, or the way he looked,
seemed to arrest the