o
the cabin, where the first sight that met our eyes was Vaka-ta-Bula,
holding Captain Duck's bloodstained sword in his hand. He was surrounded
by many other chiefs and, greatly to our relief, he went up to Mr.
Mariner and embraced him. Then, in broken English, he said that Mr.
Brown and many of those who had gone on shore were already killed;
that now that he had possession of the ship he was satisfied, and was
inclined to spare those on board who yet remained alive. Then he asked
us how many were left.

"'Three,' said the young gentleman, pointing to himself, the cooper, and
myself.

"'Good,' said Vaka-ta-Bula, handing the bloodied sword to a native;
'three no too many.' Then he told us we must follow him ashore, and
motioned us to go on deck.

"A very shocking sight there met our view. Upon the quarter-deck lay
twenty-five bodies, all perfectly naked, and placed closely together
side by side. Only one or two could we recognise, for the poor fellows'
heads had been battered out of all human semblance by blows from the
heavy native clubs, and from their still warm bodies ran a dreadful
stream of red that flooded the quarter-deck and poured along the
covering-board to the deck below. But even worse than this was the
appearance of a short, squat old native whose head was covered with what
had a few minutes before been snow-white hair, but was now dyed deep
with the life-blood of our unfortunate companions.

"Over his left shoulder was thrown poor Mr. Dixon's jacket, and his
frightful appearance was increased by his being--save for this one
garment--absolutely naked, and holding across his huge and ensanguined
thighs a heavy ironwood club, bespattered with blood and brains. So
terrifying an object was he that we could scarce believe him human till
he opened his horrid mouth, and with a dreadful laugh pointed to the
mutilated bodies of our shipmates. I saw no more then, for I swooned.

"When I came to I found myself in a house in the village, but my
companions were not visible; and, indeed, I never saw them again, for
I was taken away the next day to another island, where, although I was
kindly treated, I remained a prisoner for two long weary months, knowing
nothing of what befell those of my shipmates who had been spared from
the general massacre.

"About ten weeks afterwards, when the shock of that dreadful slaughter
which I had witnessed had somewhat worn off, I began to take an interest
in my surroundings. My