t see us yet; so we must be patient, my friend."

"Well," cried Jack, rising, "if he won't come to see me, I'll e'en go
and see him. Besides, I have a great desire to witness their
proceedings at this temple of theirs. Will you go with me, friend?"

"I cannot," said the teacher, shaking his head. "I must not go to the
heathen temples and witness their inhuman rites, except for the purpose
of condemning their wickedness and folly."

"Very good," returned Jack; "then I'll go alone, for I cannot condemn
their doings till I have seen them."

Jack arose, and we, having determined to go also, followed him through
the banana-groves to a rising ground immediately behind the village, on
the top of which stood the Bure, or temple, under the dark shade of a
group of iron-wood trees. As we went through the village I was again
led to contrast the rude huts and sheds, and their almost naked,
savage-looking inhabitants, with the natives of the Christian village,
who, to use the teacher's scriptural expression, were now "clothed and
in their right mind."

As we turned into a broad path leading towards the hill, we were
arrested by the shouts of an approaching multitude in the rear. Drawing
aside into the bushes, we awaited their coming up; and as they drew
near, we observed that it was a procession of the natives, many of whom
were dancing and gesticulating in the most frantic manner. They had an
exceedingly hideous aspect, owing to the black, red, and yellow paints
with which their faces and naked bodies were bedaubed. In the midst of
these came a band of men carrying three or four planks, on which were
seated, in rows, upwards of a dozen men. I shuddered involuntarily as I
recollected the sacrifice of human victims at the island of Emo, and
turned with a look of fear to Jack as I said:

"Oh Jack! I have a terrible dread that they are going to commit some of
their cruel practices on these wretched men. We had better not go to
the temple. We shall only be horrified without being able to do any
good, for I fear they are going to kill them."

Jack's face wore an expression of deep compassion as he said in a low
voice, "No fear, Ralph; the sufferings of these poor fellows are over
long ago."

I turned with a start as he spoke, and glancing at the men, who were now
quite near to the spot where we stood, saw that they were all dead.
They were tied firmly with ropes in a sitting posture on the planks, and
seemed, as they