n was found on the seashore not far from Observation
Hill, and the wrecked portions of a boat, and to this may be added the
discovery of a lifeboat, similar to their own, among debris on South
river, fully ten miles inland, which must have come from the interior.

[Illustration: _Fig. 1. The First Boat._]

In this boat was found, accidentally, a note written by a captive in
distress, showing that some of the party had been taken by the
inhabitants of the island, and this occurrence determined them the more
to put themselves in condition to aid the captives.

The last important development grew out of the finding of a cave, or a
series of caverns, not far from their home, which contained numerous
skeletons and a vast amount of treasure, showing that it was a pirates'
cave, but up to this time it had not been fully investigated in view of
the more serious need of haste to relieve those who were in the hands of
the savages.

Shortly before leaving on the present expedition, and after returning
from the expedition by sea, which had wrecked the boat, they were
surprised to find a man at their home, who had entirely lost his memory.
This happened six weeks before the occurrence in the opening page, and
during that time he had not uttered a single word, and seemed to be
entirely unconscious of his surroundings.

He was evidently a cultured man, but how he came to the island, or in
what manner his faculties were lost, they could get no clue. He had
proven himself to be harmless, and in many ways he was of great service
to them, and was now with the party, this being the fifth day of the
journey, and the distance from their home was from sixty to seventy
miles.

It should not be forgotten to mention Red Angel. Over eight months
before a baby orang-outan had been captured. He had grown rapidly, and
George, the elder of the two boys, had taken a special delight in
teaching or training him, and the result was that the imitative quality
of the animal made him useful to the party in many ways. Angel was with
them also, and was the only amusing element in their days of stress and
tension.

The condition before them at this time was one of intense interest. For
the first time since their arrival, savages had been seen. From the
first view it was apparent that the party sighted were on the point of
meeting a hostile tribe, and while it was their intention to journey
west to the large stream called by them West River, it was conc