garland of the rosa cinensis about
her neck; when satisfied that he had drawn our attention to the right
person, he gave us to understand, with an air of great complacency, that
she was `Olla,' his wife. While thus engaged, we were suddenly
discovered, being betrayed by Mowno's gaudy tiputa, seen through the
foliage by the quick eye of his better half, who immediately sprang up
with a clear, ringing laugh, scattering a lapful of flowers upon the
ground, and came running like a fawn towards him; the rest of us still
keeping concealed. She was very pretty, graceful as a bird in every
movement, and had a singularly pleasing expression of countenance.

"On witnessing the greeting which she bestowed upon Mowno, Barton
whispered me that he ought to consider himself a happy savage, and to do
him justice, he seemed to be of the same opinion himself. She commenced
talking at once, with wonderful vivacity, pouring forth a continuous
torrent of words, with little gushes of laughter interspersed here and
there by way of punctuation, and making no longer or more frequent
pauses than were absolutely necessary for the purpose of taking breath.
Notwithstanding her amazing volubility, I could understand enough of
what she said, to perceive that she was inquiring after `the pale-faced
youths,' and presently she appeared to be scolding her husband in a
pretty lively strain, for having failed to bring them with him according
to his promise. It was amusing to witness Mowno's ludicrous struggles
to look grave, while he made feigned excuses, and explanations of our
absence. His demeanour resembled more that of a boy, whose head has
been turned by becoming, for the first time, the actual and uncontrolled
owner of a watch, or a fowling-piece, than of a stern warrior, or savage
chief. He could not, with all his efforts, maintain sufficient gravity
and self-possession, to carry out the jest, poor as it was, which he had
undertaken; but kept glancing towards our hiding-place, and finally,
burst into a boisterous explosion of laughter; when Olla, peeping into
the thicket, caught sight of us, and instantly darted away with a pretty
half-scream, and rejoined her companions. Mowno now beckoned us forth,
and we approached the group, whereupon they made a show of scampering
off into the grove, but apparently thought better of it, and concluded
to stand their ground. At first, they seemed actually afraid of Barton
and myself, peeping cautiously a