we sat, I observed some curious flies with slender bodies, and
wonderfully long legs, which raised their bodies high above the surface
on which they stood; but the remarkable thing about them was the large
horns which projected from below their eyes, very nearly as long as the
animals themselves, something in shape like the horns of a stag. Their
eyes were violet and green, and the bodies and legs yellowish brown, and
their horns black. We had been silent for some time, each of us
occupied in his own thoughts, when, looking up, we saw a long snouted
animal approaching slowly and rubbing his nose into the soft ground as
he advanced. "Pig, pig," cried Macco, starting up and giving chase,
spear in hand. The pig, however, was far too quick for him, more active
considerably than the cuscus or the tree kangaroo, and though Macco ran
fast, piggy, who knew the country, ran faster; and in a short time Macco
returned, somewhat crestfallen at his want of success. "If we kill
three animals dey tink we great hunters," he exclaimed. "We look for
another piggy, and try cachy."

We now thought it time to continue our journey. We had not got far,
however, when we heard shouts behind us, and turning round, we saw a
number of black fellows, their countenances expressive of rage, pursuing
us with clubs uplifted. To fly through that jungle would have been
folly, so we stopped and faced the savages. I fully believed from their
gestures that our last moments had arrived. They were within a dozen
yards of us, and in another moment our brains would have been dashed out
on the ground, when a cry was heard coming from one side, and in an
instant afterwards a young woman burst through the thicket, and threw
herself between us and our enemies. We recognised her as the kind
person we had seen bathing her baby in the large shell. She held up a
branch between us and the men, and appeared to be expostulating
earnestly with them. She used much gesture and spoke with vehemence.
Gradually their countenances somewhat calmed, and their clubs, which had
been raised, slowly descended to the ground. As they stood leaning on
them she pointed to the animals we had killed. Macco had been watching
both parties attentively.

"Dey tink we run away. She say no," he observed. "We take dem and give
dem to her."

On this we lifted up the kangaroo and cuscus, which we had placed behind
the trunk of a tree, and exhibited them to the savages, laying the