eing, who, from his size and
peculiarity, I concluded was a chief. His hair was frizzed out to an
enormous extent, so that it resembled a large turban. It was of a
light-yellow hue, which surprised me much, for the man's body was as
black as coal, and I felt convinced that the hair must have been dyed.
He was tattooed from head to foot; and his face, besides being tattooed,
was besmeared with red paint and streaked with white. Altogether, with
his yellow turban-like hair, his Herculean black frame, his glittering
eyes, and white teeth, he seemed the most terrible monster I ever
beheld. He was very active in the fight, and had already killed four
men.

Suddenly the yellow-haired chief was attacked by a man quite as strong
and large as himself. He flourished a heavy club, something like an
eagle's beak at the point. For a second or two these giants eyed each
other warily, moving round and round, as if to catch each other at a
disadvantage; but seeing that nothing was to be gained by this caution,
and that the loss of time might effectually turn the tide of battle
either way, they apparently made up their minds to attack at the same
instant, for, with a wild shout and simultaneous spring, they swung
their heavy clubs, which met with a loud report. Suddenly the
yellow-haired savage tripped, his enemy sprang forward, the ponderous
club was swung; but it did not descend, for at that moment the savage
was felled to the ground by a stone from the hand of one who had
witnessed his chief's danger. This was the turning-point in the battle.
The savages who landed first turned and fled towards the bush on seeing
the fall of their chief. But not one escaped; they were all overtaken
and felled to the earth. I saw, however, that they were not all killed.
Indeed, their enemies, now that they were conquered, seemed anxious to
take them alive; and they succeeded in securing fifteen, whom they bound
hand and foot with cords, and carrying them up into the woods, laid them
down among the bushes. Here they left them, for what purpose I knew
not, and returned to the scene of the late battle, where the remnant of
the party were bathing their wounds.

Out of the forty blacks that composed the attacking party only
twenty-eight remained alive, two of whom were sent into the bush to hunt
for the women and children. Of the other party, as I have said, only
fifteen survived, and these were lying bound and helpless on the grass.

Jack a