. But we would cheerfully
incur almost any danger that promises to increase our prospect of
ultimately reaching home.

There is some talk of a preliminary reconnoitring expedition, by Wakatta
and two or three of his people, for the purpose of getting some definite
information as to the present position of affairs at Tewa, before
setting out for it in a body. Max, yesterday, finished his miniature
ship, and exhorted me to "wind up" our history forthwith, with a Homeric
description of the great battle at the islet, and our heroic defence of
the banyan tree. He declares it to be his intention to enclose the
manuscript in the hold of the vessel and launch her when half-way to
Tewa, in the assured confidence that the winds and waves will waft it to
its destination, or to use his own phrase,--"that we shall yet be heard
of in Hardscrabble."

Five days ago, the canoe was completed, and on the succeeding afternoon,
Wakatta, accompanied by "the doctor," and two other of his people,
sailed for Tewa, for the purpose of endeavouring to learn whether it
would be prudent for us to venture thither at present.

We have been living of late at the cabin, and our "allies" have made an
encampment by the lake, within a hundred paces of us. The state of
feverish expectation naturally produced by our present circumstances,
prevents any thing like regular occupation. We do nothing all the day
but wander restlessly about among the old haunts which were our
favourites in the peaceful time of our early sojourn here. Max has
endeavoured to relieve the tedium, and get up an interest of some sort,
by renewing his attempts against the great eel. But the patriarch is as
wary, and his stronghold beneath the roots of the buttress tree as
impregnable as ever, and all efforts to his prejudice, whether by force
or stratagem, still prove unavailing. To escape, in some measure, the
humiliation of so mortifying a defeat, Max now affects to be convinced
that his venerable antagonist is no eel after all, but an old
water-snake, inheriting his full share of the ancient wisdom of the
serpent, and by whom it is consequently no disgrace for any mortal man
to be outwitted.

For several days past we have even neglected preparing any regular
meals, satisfying our hunger as it arose with whatever could be most
readily procured.

Max pronounces this last, "an alarming indication of the state of utter
demoralisation towards which we are hastening, and, in f