r waist, assisting to support the
little creature. She then beckoned to us to follow her. We did so in
Indian file, proceeding along the coast towards the south. As soon as
we had got well out of sight of the village, she led us along the beach
close to the water, where the tide would obliterate our footmarks. The
moon soon rose, and gave us ample light to see our way. It was a lovely
night. The water rippled brightly on the sand, while the moonbeams
played softly over the calm ocean. On the other side rose up the dark
forests with their curious tracery of creepers. Here and there our feet
struck against shells of rare beauty, such as would delight a collector
in England. Just then, however, we thought of little but making our way
as rapidly as we could from our captors. I asked Macco if he could make
out where the princess was leading us.

"Not know," he answered. "S'pose to friends."

"I suspect," observed Oliver, "that, from her appearance, she belongs to
some other tribe, and has been married to the chief of the people who
captured us, and that she is going to take us to her own relations."

This seemed the most probable explanation of her conduct.

"She can scarcely wish to lead us away, and then leave us to our own
devices," said I. "Perhaps she thinks we are such good hunters that we
should be able to support ourselves."

We travelled on the whole night as rapidly as we could move, close to
the edge of the water, which, rising, soon covered the impress of our
feet. Just before the sun rose, a thick mist came over the land,
completely hiding all objects, except those in our immediate
neighbourhood. Still the princess led on. Daylight at length stole
over the world; but the mist yet hung down upon us as much as ever. Our
conductress at length stopped. She was evidently somewhat weary, and
although Macco offered to carry her child, she would not allow it out of
her arms. She now made signs that we had better rest, putting her head
upon her hands as if to go to sleep. We were too glad to follow her
advice, for having been on foot the whole of the previous day, we were
completely worn out, and could not have gone many miles further. In
spite of the exercise we had taken, the damp air made us feel very cold.
She observed that we shivered, and instantly leading the way into the
woods, took us to a place where we could cut a quantity of long leaves--
a sort of fern, apparently, of gigantic size.