ay, at stated hours, the tribe
assembled round the fires, when they were served with their portions,
which they greedily devoured. There were no birds upon the island, or I
might have added game to our bill of fare, but turtles were plentiful,
and, when captured, were cooked under my directions in a manner which
convinced the savages that I was of divine origin. The method of
fire-making I kept to myself, rightly conceiving that so long as I
preserved this secret my life would be spared.

But notwithstanding the improvement in their mode of living which I had
brought to these people by the introduction of the use of fire amongst
them, I could see that Ackbau still regarded me with disfavour. His
cruel nature, moreover, began to suggest to him another use to which
fire might be applied. One of his slaves inadvertently picked up a
burning brand, which burnt his fingers, and the pain which it caused
suggested to Ackbau that fire might be employed in torture. He ruled by
fear, and the fear of fire had now become universal among the
islanders. Ackbau spoke to me privately with regard to the making of
this new element, and even offered to give me a seat on the council if
I would surrender to him my flint and steel, but I told him that to me
alone was committed the power of making fire, and that any other
attempting it would bring upon himself inevitable disaster. Ackbau's
ambition to become a fire-maker was checked for the moment, but I could
see it was not satisfied.

CHAPTER XX

THE SNAKE GOD

I was now to meet with a surprise. The chief deity worshipped by the
people of the Island of Gems was a snake god, a monster who at regular,
intervals visited a coral cave rising out of a pool of water said to be
fathomless, from which I conjectured it was connected with the sea. The
water in this pool was of a deep blue colour, salt to the taste, which
further convinced me of its link with the ocean. On the first night of
each full moon a human sacrifice was offered, with which the monster
retreated into the coral cave, where it remained feasting upon its
victim three days. During this period the natives continued without
sleep, and fasting. At the end of three days the snake god disappeared,
nor was it seen again until its next periodical visit.

There ran, a legend among the people of the Island of Gems that if a
human sacrifice was not made to the snake god at the time of its
coming, the island would be destroyed and