a period of two months more I was hunted over the entire southern
portion of the island, and finally driven into the mountain. Between six
and seven months after the shipwreck, in a moment of carelessness, I was
taken by a tribe in the south, and held in confinement for over a month,
when I was to be offered up as a sacrifice.

"On the day appointed there was a terrible uproar in camp, and I could
see that a neighboring tribe had attacked, and escaped, only to be
captured by the successful invaders. This was the tribe that Osaga,
here, was a member of. Again escaping I secured one of their spears and
a bow with some arrows, and fought my first captors with such
determination that Osaga's people became my friends and I was given
limited liberty, and began to learn the language.

"Before long the two most powerful tribes united and attacked us, and
defeated Osaga's people, and I escaped to the mountains. This was fully
eleven or twelve months after being cast ashore, and on the last day
they were in sight I can remember going down a steep precipice. The only
recollection of my former self came day before yesterday when I awoke
from a refreshing sleep."

CHAPTER XV

CHIEF AND THE POISON PLANT

John was visibly exhausted from the effort he had made, and soon passed
off into a quiet sleep. During the evening the Professor suggested that
they might retire to the shop, so that he would not be disturbed, but
John insisted that it was so good to hear their voices again, and would
like to have them all present.

Harry and George kept them interested a great portion of the time with
stories of their adventures. They told about the bear fight for the
possession of the honey; the shooting of the wild animals in South
Forest, the making of the flag, the capture of the yaks, the flagpole
incident, the fight between the bulls, and the amusing affair connected
with the removal of the yaks to their new home.

This latter occurrence is what amused John the most, and suggested that
probably if they had adopted some of the hitches which sailors used the
yaks could have been controlled more easily. This interested George.

"Won't you please tell us something about the hitches and knots which
the sailors make?"

"They have a great many forms, each designed for some particular
purpose, and if you get a rope I will try and give you some of the
principal ones. Get a piece long enough so that the knots and hitches
can be kept