veled.

Cautiously evading the dangerous currents here ruffling the lagoon,
we rounded the wall of cliff; and shot upon a smooth expanse; on one
side, hemmed in by the long, verdent, northern shore of Juam;
and across the water, sentineled by its tributary islets.

With sonorous Vee-Vee in the shark's mouth, we swept toward the
beach, tumultuous with a throng.

Our canoes were secured. And surrounded by eager glances, we passed
the lower ends of several populous valleys; and crossing a wide, open
meadow, gradually ascending, came to a range of light-green bluffs.
Here, we wended our way down a narrow defile, almost cleaving this
quarter of the island to its base. Black crags frowned overhead:
among them the shouts of the Islanders reverberated. Yet steeper grew
the defile, and more overhanging the crags till at last, the keystone
of the arch seemed dropped into its place. We found ourselves in a
subterranean tunnel, dimly lighted by a span of white day at the end.

Emerging, what a scene was revealed! All round, embracing a circuit
of some three leagues, stood heights inaccessible, here and there,
forming buttresses, sheltering deep recesses between. The bosom of
the place was vivid with verdure.

Shining aslant into this wild hollow, the afternoon sun lighted up
its eastern side with tints of gold. But opposite, brooded a somber
shadow, double-shading the secret places between the salient spurs of
the mountains. Thus cut in twain by masses of day and night, it
seemed as if some Last Judgment had been enacted in the glen.

No sooner did we emerge from the defile, than we became sensible of a
dull, jarring sound; and Yoomy was almost tempted to turn and flee,
when informed that the sea-cavern, whose mouth we had passed, was
believed to penetrate deep into the opposite hills; and that the
surface of the amphitheater was depressed beneath that of the lagoon.
But all over the lowermost hillsides, and sloping into the glen,
stood grand old groves; still and stately, as if no insolent waves
were throbbing in the mountain's heart.

Such was Willamilla, the hereditary abode of the young monarch of Juam.

Was Yillah immured in this strange retreat? But from those around us
naught could we learn.

Our attention was now directed to the habitations of the glen;
comprised in two handsome villages; one to the west, the other to the
east; both stretching along the base of the cliffs.

Said Media, "Had we arrived at Willami