puckered into a thousand wrinkles, and they presented no vestige of a
beard. But the most remarkable peculiarity about them was the appearance
of their feet; the toes, like the radiating lines of the mariner's
compass, pointed to every quarter of the horizon. This was doubtless
attributable to the fact, that during nearly a hundred years of existence
the said toes never had been subjected to any artificial confinement, and
in their old age, being averse to close neighbourhood, bid one another
keep open order.

These repulsive-looking creatures appeared to have lost the use of their
lower limbs altogether; sitting upon the floor cross-legged, in a state of
torpor. They never heeded us in the least, scarcely looking conscious of
our presence, while Mehevi seated us upon the mats, and Kory-Kory gave
utterance to some unintelligible gibberish.

In a few moments, a boy entered with a wooden trencher of poee-poee; and
in regaling myself with its contents, I was obliged again to submit to the
officious intervention of my indefatigable servitor. Various other dishes
followed, the chief manifesting the most hospitable importunity in
pressing us to partake, and to remove all bashfulness on our part, set us
no despicable example in his own person.

The repast concluded, a pipe was lighted, which passed from mouth to
mouth, and yielding to its soporific influence, the quiet of the place,
and the deepening shadows of approaching night, my companion and I sank
into a kind of drowsy repose, while the chief and Kory-Kory seemed to be
slumbering beside us.

I awoke from an uneasy nap, about midnight, as I supposed; and, raising
myself partly from the mat, became sensible that we were enveloped in
utter darkness. Toby lay still asleep, but our late companions had
disappeared. The only sound that interrupted the silence of the place was
the asthmatic breathing of the old men I have mentioned, who reposed at a
little distance from us. Besides them, as well as I could judge, there was
no one else in the house.

Apprehensive of some evil, I roused my comrade, and we were engaged in a
whispered conference concerning the unexpected withdrawal of the natives,
when all at once, from the depths of the grove, in full view of us where
we lay, shoots of flame were seen to rise, and in a few moments
illuminated the surrounding trees, casting, by contrast, into still deeper
gloom the darkness around us.

While we continued gazing at this sight,