s of the canoe,
whilst his body was evidently entangled in the meshes of the net. So
desperate had been the charge that our little craft was now actually a
serious encumbrance to the monster. It struggled madly to free itself,
leaping almost clear of the water and lashing the placid lagoon into a
perfect maelstrom.

Several times the canoe was lifted high out of the water; and then the
fish would try to drag it underneath, but was prevented by its great
buoyancy. In the meantime Yamba and I swam safely ashore, and watched
the struggles of the "evil spirit" from the shore, among a crowd of
frantic natives.

We waited until the efforts of the fish grew feebler, and then put off in
another bark canoe (the celerity with which Yamba made one was something
amazing), when I easily despatched the now weakened creature with my
tomahawk. I might here mention that this was actually the first time
that these inland savages had seen a canoe or boat of any description, so
that naturally the two I launched occasioned endless amazement.

Afterwards, by the way, I tried to describe to them what the sea was
like, but had to give it up, because it only confused them, and was quite
beyond their comprehension. When we dragged the monster ashore, with its
elongated snout still embedded in the little canoe, I saw at a glance
that the long-dreaded evil spirit of the lagoon was a huge sawfish, fully
fourteen feet long, its formidable saw alone measuring nearly five feet.
This interesting weapon I claimed as a trophy, and when I got back to
where Bruno and his human charge were, I exhibited it to crowds of
admiring blacks, who had long heard of the evil spirit. The great fish
itself was cooked and eaten at one of the biggest _corroborees_ I had
ever seen. The blacks had no theory of their own (save the superstitious
one), as to how it got into the lagoon; and the only supposition I can
offer is, that it must have been brought thither, when very small and
young, either by a rain-cloud or at some unusually big flood time.

So delighted were the blacks at the service I had done them, that they
paid me the greatest compliment in their power by offering me a
chieftainship, and inviting me to stay with them for ever. I refused the
flattering offer, however, as I was quite bent on getting back to
Cambridge Gulf.

On returning to my friends on the other side of the lagoon I learned for
the first time that there was a half-caste girl living