hat means we must now send a message to the landing place.
Muro, did you see enough of the shore line to enable you to describe
it?" asked John.

"I was not near enough to tell exactly, but I believe it is directly
east of our landing place, but, of course, on the opposite side of the
island," was his response.

"That will be near enough. Our work is on this side of the island. As
soon as we have quieted down a little you will hear some news," said
John as he glanced at the boys significantly.

The runner was directed to proceed to the landing place, and to remain
there during the night. He was then to return the first thing in the
morning, and would find the party camped at the rocky height beyond.

Without waiting for further explanations, and details of experiences,
they started for the place where they might find some shelter from the
numerous foes, and at which place they might be able to formulate a plan
to get into communication with the natives.

It was late in the afternoon when they gained the rocky heights, and saw
the wild nature of the surroundings.

"How did you know this place was here?" asked Harry.

[Illustration: _Fig. 1. The Marimba._]

"I was here day before yesterday, and it was from this place we started
when we heard your first guns in the battle you had with the natives,"
was John's answer.

"But how does it happen that you did not see the ocean?"

"Well, are you able to see the ocean anywhere from this point?" he was
asked.

The question was a natural one, for when Muro came over the last hill to
the south the sea was visible, but the rocky point was to the north, and
thus out of range.

"Did you hear the singular drum-like sounds this afternoon?"

"They were drums," answered John, "and most peculiar ones, too. I have
not seen the ones used by the natives here, but they have the same
resonant sounds made by certain African tribes, and also by some South
American savages."

"What is it like?" was Harry's next question.

"They are made of flat pieces of wood, very thin, laid over open-topped
gourds. The gourds are, of course, dried, and the dryer they are, the
more resonant the sound."

"Why, that is something like the Xylophone."

"Exactly so. That instrument is of savage origin. Instead of gourds some
tribes use calabashes, which grow to enormous size, and they are highly
prized owing to the quality of the sound they produce when used in this
way."

"But the ones we heard