we were met by some women howling and wailing, and on inquiring
the reason, we were informed that queen Hugga Mugga, the favourite wife
of the king, was desperately ill, and had been bewitched, and that the
king had sent for a learned sorcerer to discover the guilty persons. On
inquiring for Captain Roderick we found also that he, during our
absence, had been away. We saw him, however, coming along the street.
Charley and I went out to meet him, advising Harry to keep in the house.
He appeared to be in a very different humour to that in which we had
before seen him. He appeared greatly out of spirits. Seating himself
in our veranda, without attempting to enter the house, he turned to
Charley.

"You have been more successful even than I expected," he said, "and I
have to compliment you on your skilful hunting. You might remain out
here and make your fortunes in a very short time, but I suspect that
your lives would not be safe in this place. You have already excited
the jealousy and hatred of Mundungo, and he is, I have discovered, a
friend or relative of the fetish doctor who has been sent for, and will
probably accuse you of causing, by your incantations, the illness of
Kickubaroo's wife. Come here," and he approached a palm tree which grew
on one side of the house, from which he cut a long branch. "If I
ascertain that you are in danger, I will find means to send you a
similar branch to this, in the basket with your provisions, in which
case do not leave the house until nightfall, then, as soon as the people
have gone to their houses, and are asleep, make your way directly to the
bank of the river, where I will cause two canoes to be prepared with
paddles and food in them. Embark at once, and make your way down the
stream. You must not ask why I did not long ago follow the course I
advise you to take."

I was struck by the man's melancholy countenance and the mournful tone
in which he spoke, so different to his usual overbearing confident
language.

Charley and I expressed our thanks, feeling more pity for him than we
had ever done before. Keeping the palm branch in his hand, he resumed
his seat in the veranda, then turning to me he said--

"If you ever reach home, tell my brother that you met me, and that I
asked his forgiveness for my conduct towards him. I do not suppose that
he will withhold it, when he knows that I intend never again to resume
my former mode of life. I wish I could feel as certain