University of Virginia Library

1. CHAPTER I.

The building of the houses, and of the schooner, was
occupation for everybody, for a long time. The first were
completed in season to escape the rains; but the last was
on the stocks fully six months after her keel had been laid.
The fine weather had returned, even, and she was not yet
launched. So long a period had intervened since Waally's
visit to Rancocus Island without bringing any results, that
the council began to hope the Indians had given up their
enterprises, from the consciousness of not having the
means to carry them out; and almost every one ceased to
apprehend danger from that quarter. In a word, so
smoothly did the current of life flow, on the Reef and at
Vulcan's Peak, that there was probably more danger of
their inhabitants falling into the common and fatal error
of men in prosperity, than of anything else; or, of their
beginning to fancy that they deserved all the blessings that
were conferred on them, and forgetting the hand that bestowed
them. As is to recall them to a better sense of
things, events now occurred which it is our business to

relate, and which aroused the whole colony from the sort
of pleasing trance into which they had fallen, by the united
influence of security, abundance, and a most seductive
climate.

As time rolled on, in the first place, the number of the
colony had begun to augment by natural means. Friend
Martha had presented Friend Robert with a little Robert;
and Bridget made Mark the happy parent of a very charming
girl. This last event occurred about the commencement
of the summer, and just a twelvemonth after the
happy reunion of the young couple. According to Mark's
prophecy, Jones had succeeded with Joan, and they were
married even before the expiration of the six months mentioned.
On the subject of a marriage ceremony there was
no difficulty, Robert and Martha holding a Friends' meeting
especially to quiet the scruples of the bride, though
she was assured the form could do no good, since the
bridegroom did not belong to meeting. The governor read
the church service on the occasion, too, which did no
harm, if it did no good. About this time, poor Peters,
envying the happiness of all around him, and still pining
for his Petrina, or Peggy, as he called her himself, begged
of the governor the use of the Dido, in order that he might
make a voyage to Waally's group in quest of his lost companion.
Mark knew how to feel for one in the poor fellow's
situation, and he could not think of letting him go
alone on an expedition of so much peril. After deliberating
on the matter, he determined to visit Rancocus Island
himself — not having been in that direction, now, for
months—and to go in the Neshamony, in order to take a
couple of hogs over; it having long been decided to commence
breeding that valuable animal, in the wild state, on
the hills of that uninhabited land.

The intelligence that a voyage was to be made to Rancocus
Island seemed to infuse new life into the men of the
colony, every one of whom wished to be of the party. The
governor had no objection to indulging as many as it might
be prudent to permit to go; but he saw the necessity of
putting some restraint on the movement. After canvassing
the matter in the council, it was determined that, in addition
to Mark and Peters, who went of course, the party

should consist of Bob, Bigelow, and Socrates. The carpenter
was taken to look for trees that might serve to make
the ways of the schooner, which had yet to be launched;
and the latter was thought necessary in his capacity of a
cook. As for Betts, he went along as the governor's counsellor
and companion.

Bridget's little girl was born in the cabin of the ship;
and the week preceding that set for the voyage, she and
the child were taken across to the Peak, that the former
might spend the period of ner husband's absence with
Anne, in the Garden of Eden. These absences and occasional
visits gave a zest to lives that might otherwise have
become too monotonous, and were rather encouraged than
avoided. It was, perhaps, a little strange that Bridget
rather preferred the Reef than the Peak for a permanent
residence; but there was her much-beloved ship, and there
she ever had her still more beloved husband for a companion.

On the appointed day, the Neshamony set sail, having
on board a family of three of the swine. The plan for the
excursion included a trip to the volcano, which had not
yet been actually visited by any of the colonists. Mark
had been within a league of it, and Bob had passed quite
near to it in his voyage to the Peak; but no one had ever
positively landed, or made any of those close examinations
of the place, which, besides being of interest in a general
way, was doubly so to those who were such near neighbours
to a place of the kind. This visit Mark now decided
to make on his way to leeward, taking the volcano
in his course to Rancocus Island. The détour would lead
the Neshamony some fifteen or eighteen leagues on one
side; but there was abundance of time, and the volcano
ought to be no longer neglected.

The wind did not blow as fresh as in common, and the
Neshamony did not draw near to the volcano until late in
the afternoon of the day she sailed. The party approached
this place with due caution, and not without a good deal
of awe. As the lead was used, it was found that the water
shoaled gradually for several leagues, becoming less and
less deep as the boat drew near to the cone, which was
itself a circular and very regular mountain, of some six or

eight hundred feet in height, with a foundation of dry rock
and lava, that might have contained a thousand acres.
Everything seemed solid and permanent; and our mariners
were of opinion there was very little danger of this formation
ever disappearing below the surface of the sea again.

The volcano being in activity, some care was necessary
in landing. Mark took the Neshamony to windward, and
found a curvature in the rocks where it was possible to get
ashore without having the boat knocked to pieces. He
and Bob then went as near the cone as the falling stones
would allow, and took as good a survey of the place as
could be done under the circumstances. That there would
be soil, and plenty of it, sooner or later, was plain enough;
and that the island might become a scene of fertility and
loveliness, in the course of ages, like so many others of
volcanic origin in that quarter of the world, was probable.
But that day was distant; and Mark was soon satisfied
that the great use of the spot was its being a vent to what
would otherwise be the pent and dangerous forces that
were in the course of a constant accumulation beneath.

The party had been about an hour on the island, and
was about to quit it, when a most startling discovery was
made. Bob saw a canoe drawn close in among the rocks
to leeward, and, on a further examination, a man was seen
near it. At first, this was taken as an indication of hostilities,
but, on getting a second look, our mariners were
satisfied that nothing of that sort was to be seriously apprehended.
It was determined to go nearer to the stranger,
at once, and learn the whole truth.

A cry from Peters, followed by his immediately springing
forward to meet a second person, who had left the
canoe, and who was bounding like a young antelope to
meet him, rendered everything clear sooner even than had
been anticipated. All supposed that this eager visiter was
a woman, and no one doubted that it was Peggy, the poor
fellow's Indian wife. Peggy it proved to be; and after the
weeping, and laughing, and caressing of the meeting were
a little abated, the following explanation was made by
Peters, who spoke the language of his wife with a good
leal of facility, and who acted as interpreter.

According to the accounts now given by Peggy, the

warfare between Ooroony and Waally had been kept up
with renewed vigour, subsequently to the escape of Jones
and her own husband. Fortune had proved fickle, as so
often happens, and Waally got to be in the ascendant. His
enemy was reduced to great straits, and had been compelled
to confine himself to one of the smallest islands of
the group, where he was barely able to maintain his party,
by means of the most vigilant watchfulness. This left
Waally at liberty to pursue his intention of following the
party of whites, which was known to have gone to the southward,
with so much valuable property, as well as to extend
his conquests, by taking possession of the mountain visited
by him the year previously. A grand expedition was accordingly
planned, and a hundred canoes had actually
sailed from the group, with more than a thousand warriors
on board, bent on achieving a great exploit. In this expedition,
Unus, the brother of Peggy, had been compelled to
join, being a warrior of some note, and the sister had come
along, in common with some fifty other women; the rank
of Unus and Peggy not being sufficient to attract attention
to their proceedings. Waally had postponed this, which he
intended for the great enterprise of a very turbulent life, to
the most favourable season of the year. There was a
period of a few weeks every summer, when the trades
blew much less violently than was usually the case, and
when, indeed, it was no unusual thing to have shifts of
wind, as well as light breezes. All this the Indians perfectly
well understood, for they were bold navigators, when
the sizes and qualities of their vessels were considered.
As it appeared, the voyage from the group to Rancocus
Island, a distance of fully a hundred leagues, was effected
without any accident, and the whole of that formidable
force was safely landed at the very spot where Betts had
encamped on his arrival out with the colonists. Nearly a
month had been passed in exploring the mountain, the first
considerable eminence most of the Indians had ever beheld;
and in making their preparations for further proceedings.
During that time, hundreds had seen Vulcan's Peak, as
well as the smoke of the volcano, though the reef, with all
its islands, lay too low to be discerned from such a distance.
The Peak was now the great object to be attained,
for there it was universally believed that Betto (meaning
Betts) and his companions had concealed themselves and
their much-coveted treasures. Rancocus Island was well
enough, and Waally made all his plans for colonizing it at
once, but the other, and distant mountain, no doubt was
the most desirable territory to possess, or white men would
not have brought their women so far in order to occupy it.

As a matter of course, Unus and Peggy learned the
nature of the intended proceedings. The last might have
been content to wait for the slower movements of the expedition,
had she not ascertained that threats of severely
punishing the two deserters, one of whom was her own
husband, had been heard to fall from the lips of the dread
Waally himself. No sooner, therefore, did this faithful Indian
girl become mistress of the intended plan, than she
gave her brother no peace until he consented to put off
into the ocean with her, in a canoe she had brought from
home, and which was her own property. Had not Unus
been disaffected to his new chief, this might not so easily
have been done, but the young Indian was deadly hostile
to Waally, and was a secret friend of Ooroony; a state
of feeling which disposed him to desert the former, at the
first good opportunity.

The two adventurers put off from Rancocus Island just
at dark, and paddled in the direction that they believed
would carry them to the Peak. It will be remembered
that the last could not be seen from the ocean, until about
half the passage between the islands was made, though it
was plainly apparent from the heights of Rancocus, as already
mentioned. Next morning, when day returned, the
smoke of the volcano was in sight, but no Peak. There
is little question that the canoe had been set too much to
the southward, and was diagonally receding from its desired
point of debarkation, instead of approaching it. Towards
the smoke, Unus and his sister continued to paddle,
and, after thirty-six hours of nearly unremitted labour, they
succeeded in landing at the volcano, ignorant of its nature,
awe-struck and trembling, but compelled to seek a
refuge there, as the land-bird rests its tired wing on the
ship's spars, when driven from the coast by the unexpected
gale. When discovered, Peggy and her brother were

about to take a fresh start from their resting-place, the
Peak being visible from the volcano.

Mark questioned these two friends concerning the contemplated
movement of Waally, with great minuteness,
Unsus was intelligent for a savage, and appeared to understand
himself perfectly. He was of opinion that his countrymen
would endeavour to cross, the first calm day, or the
first day when the breeze should be light; and that was just
the time when our colonists did not desire to meet the
savages out at sea. He described the party as formidable
by numbers and resolution, though possessing few arms
besides those of savages. There were half a dozen old
muskets in the canoes, with a small supply of ammunition;
but, since the desertion of Jones and Peters, no one remained
who knew how to turn these weapons to much
account. Nevertheless, the natives were so numerous,
possessed so many weapons that were formidable in their
own modes of fighting, and were so bent on success, that
Unus did not hesitate to give it as his opinion, the colonists
would act wisely in standing off for some other island,
if they knew where another lay, even at the cost of
abandoning most of their effects.

But, our governor had no idea of following any such
advice. He was fully aware of the strength of his position
on the Peak, and felt no disposition to abandon it. His
great apprehension was for the Reef, where his territories
were much more assailable. It was not easy to see how
the crater, and ship, and the schooner on the stocks, and
all the other property that, in the shape of hogs, poultry,
&c., was scattered far and wide in that group, could be
protected against a hundred canoes, by any force at his
command. Even with the addition of Unus, who took
service at once, with all his heart, among his new friends,
Mark could muster but eight men; viz., himself, Heaton,
Betts, Bigelow, Socrates, Peters, Jones and Unus. To
these might possibly be added two or three of the women,
who might be serviceable in carrying ammunition, and as
sentinels, while the remainder would be required to look
after the children, to care for the stock, &c. All these
facts passed through Mark's mind, as Peters translated the
communication of Unus, sentence by sentence.

It was indispensable to come to some speedy decision.
Peters was now happy and contented with his nice little
Peggy, and there was no longer any necessity for pursuing
the voyage on his account. As for the project of placing
the hogs on Rancocus, this was certainly not the time to do
it, even if it were now to be done at all; we say `now,'
since the visits of the savages would make any species of
property on that island, from this time henceforth, very insecure.
It was therefore determined to abandon the voyage,
and to shape their course back to the Peak, with as little
delay as possible. As there were indications of shell-fish,
sea-weed, &c., being thrown ashore at the Volcano, two
of the hogs were put ashore there to seek their fortunes.
According to the new plan, the Neshamony made sail on
her return passage, about an hour before the sun set. As
was usual in that strait, the trades blew pretty fresh, and
the boat, although it had the canoe of Unus in tow, came
under the frowning cliffs some time before the day reappeared.
By the time the sun rose, the Neshamony was off
the cove, into which she hastened with the least possible
delay. It was the governor's apprehension that his sails
might be seen from the canoes of Waally, long before the
canoes could be seen from his boat, and he was glad to get
within the cover of his little haven. Once there, the different
crafts were quite concealed from the view of persons
outside, and it now remained to be proved whether
their cover was not so complete as effectually to baffle a
hostile attempt to find it.

The quick and unexpected return of the Neshamony
produced a great deal of surprise on the Plain. She had
not been seen to enter the cove, and the first intimation
any one in the settlement had of such an occurrence, was
the appearance of Mark before the door of the dwelling.
Bigelow was immediately sent to the Peak with a glass, to
look out for canoes, while Heaton was called in from the
woods by means of a conch. In twenty minutes the council
was regulary in session, while the men began to collect
and to look to their arms. Peters and Jones were ordered
to go down to the magazine, procure cartridges, and then
proceed to the batteries and load the carronades. In a

word, orders were given to make all the arrangements necessary
for the occasion.

It was not long ere a report came down from Bigelow.
It was brought by his Spanish wife, who had accompanied
her husband to the Peak, and who came running in, half
breathless, to say that the ocean was covered with canoes
and catamarans; a fleet of which was paddling directly for
the island, being already within three leagues of it.
Although this intelligence was expected, it certainly caused
long faces and a deep gloom to pervade that little community.
Mark's fears were always for the Reef, where
there happened to be no one just at that moment but the
black women, who were altogether insufficient to defend
it, under the most favourable circumstances, but who were
now without a head. There was the hope, however, of the
Indians not seeing those low islands, which they certainly
could not do as long as they remained in their canoes. On
the other hand, there was the danger that some one might
cross from the Reef in one of the boats, a thing that was
done as often as once a week, in which case a chase might
ensue, and the canoes be led directly towards the spot that
it was so desirable to conceal. Juno could sail a boat as
well as any man among them, and, as is usually the case,
that which she knew she could do so well, she was fond of
doing; and she had not now been across for nearly a week.
The cow kept at the crater gave a large mess of milk, and
the butter produced by her means was delicious when eaten
fresh, but did not keep quite as well in so warm a climate
as it might have done in one that was colder, and Dido was
ever anxious to send it to Miss Bridget, as she still called
her mistress, by every available opportunity. The boat used
by the negresses on such occasions, was the Dido, a perfectly
safe craft in moderate weather, but she was just the dullest
sailer of all those owned by the colony. This created
the additional danger of a capture, in the event of a chase.
Taking all things into consideration therefore, Mark adjourned
the council to the Peak, a feverish desire to look
out upon the sea, causing him to be too uneasy where he
was, to remain there in consultation with any comfort to
himself. To the Peak, then, everybody repaired, with the
exception of Bigelow, Peters, and Jones, who were now

regularly stationed at the carronades to watch the entrance
of the cove. In saying everybody, we include not only
all the women, but even their children.

So long as the colonists remained on the plain, there was
not the smallest danger of any one of them being seen from
the surrounding ocean. This the woods, and their great
elevation, prevented. Nor was there much danger of the
party in the batteries being seen, though so much lower,
and necessarily on the side of the cliff, since a strict order
had been given to keep out of sight, among the trees, where
they could see everything that was going on, without being
seen themselves. But on the naked Peak it was different.
High as it was, a man might be seen from the ocean, if
moving about, and the observer was tolerably near by.
Bob had seen Mark, when his attention was drawn to the
spot by the report of the latter's fowling-piece; and the
governor had often seen Bridget, on the look-out for him,
as he left the island, though her fluttering dress probably
made her a more conspicuous object than most persons
would have been. From all this, then, the importance of
directing the movements of the party that followed him
became apparent to Mark, who took his measures accordingly.

By the time the governor reached the Peak, having
ascended it on its eastern side, so as to keep his person
concealed, the hostile fleet was plainly to be seen with the
naked eye. It came on in a tolerably accurate line, or
lines, abreast; being three deep, one distant from the other
about a cable's length. It steered directly for the centre
of the island, whereas the cove was much nearer to its
northern than to its southern end; and the course showed
that the canoes were coming on at random, having nothing
in view but the island.

But Mark's eyes were turned with the greatest interest
to the northward, or in the direction of the Reef. As they
came up the ascent, Bridget had communicated to him the
fact that she expected Juno over that day, and that it was
understood she would come quite alone. Bridget was
much opposed to the girl's taking this risk; but Juno had
now done it so often successfully, that nothing short of a
positive command to the contrary would be likely to stop

her. This command, most unfortunately, as Mark now felt,
had not been given; and great was his concern when Betts
declared that he saw a white speck to the northward, which
looked like a sail. The glass was soon levelled in that
direction, and no doubt any longer remained on the subject.
It was the Dido, steering across from the Reef, distant
then about ten miles; and she might be expected to
arrive in about two hours! In other words, judging by the
progress of the canoes, there might be a difference of
merely half an hour or so between the time of the arrival
of the boat and that of the canoes.

This was a very serious matter; and never before had the
council a question before it which gave its members so much
concern, or which so urgently called for action, as this of
the course that was now to be taken to avert a danger so
imminent. Not only was Juno's safety involved; but the
discovery of the cove and the reef, one or both, was very
likely to be involved in the issue, and the existence of the
whole colony placed in extreme jeopardy. As the canoes
were still more than a league from the island, Bob thought
there was time to go out with the Bridget, and meet the
Dido, when both boats could ply to windward until it was
dark; after which, they might go into the reef, or come
into the cove, as circumstances permitted. The governor
was about to acquiesce in this suggestion, little as he liked
it, when a new proposition was made, that at first seemed
so strange that no one believed it could be put in execution,
but to which all assented in the end.

Among the party on the Peak were Unus and Peggy.
The latter understood a good deal of English, and that
which she did not comprehend, in the course of the discussions
on this interesting occasion, Bob, who had picked
up something of the language of her group, explained to
her, as well as he could. After a time, the girl ran down
to the battery and brought up her husband, through whom
the proposal was made that, at first, excited so much wonder.
Peggy had told Unus what was going on, and had
pointed out to him the boat of Juno, now sensibly drawing
nearer to the island, and Unus volunteered to swim out
and meet the girl, so as to give her timely warning, as
well as instructions how to proceed!

Although Mark, and Heaton, and Bridget, and all present
indeed, were fully aware that the natives of the South
Seas could, and often did pass hours in the water, this proposal
struck them all, at first, as so wild, that no one believed
it could be accepted. Reflection, however, did its
usual office, and wrought a change in these opinions. Peters
assured the governor that he had often known Unus to
swim from island to island in the group, and that on the
score of danger to him, there was not the least necessity
of feeling any uneasiness. He did not question the Indian's
power to swim the entire distance to the Reef,
should it be necessary.

Another difficulty arose, however, when the first was
overcome. Unus could speak no English, and how was he
to communicate with Juno, even after he had entered her
boat? The girl, moreover, was both resolute and strong,
as her present expedition sufficiently proved, and would be
very apt to knock a nearly naked savage on the head, when
she saw him attempting to enter her boat. From this
last opinion, however, Bridget dissented. Juno was kind-hearted,
and would be more disposed, she thought, to pick
up a man found in the water at sea, than to injure him.
But Juno could read writing. Bridget herself had taught
her slaves to read and write, and Juno in particular was a
sort of `expert,' in her way. She wrote and read half the
nigger-letters of Bristol, previously to quitting America.
She would now write a short note, which would put the
girl on her guard, and give her confidence in Unus. Juno
knew the whole history of Peters and Peggy, having taken
great interest in the fate of the latter. To own the truth,
the girl had manifested a very creditable degree of principle
on the subject, for Jones had tried to persuade his
friend to take Juno, a nice, tidy, light-coloured black, to
wife, and to forget Peggy, when Juno repelled the attempt
with spirit and principle. It is due to Peters, moreover,
to add that he was always true to his island bride. But the
occurrence had made Juno acquainted with the whole history
of Peggy; and Bridget, in the few lines she now wrote
to the girl, took care to tell her that the Indian was the
brother of Peggy. In that capacity, he would be almost
certain of a friendly reception. The rest of the note was

merely an outline of their situation, with an injunction to
let Unis direct the movements.

No sooner was this important note written, than Unus
hastened down to the cove. He was accompanied by
Mark, Peters and Peggy; the former to give his instructions,
and the two latter to act as interpreters. Nor was
the sister without feeling for the brother on the occasion.
She certainly did not regard his enterprise as it would have
been looked upon by a civilized woman, but she manifested
a proper degree of interest in its success. Her parting
words to her brother, were advice to keep well to windward,
in order that, as he got near the boat, he might float
down upon it with the greater facility, aided by the waves.

The young Indian was soon ready. The note was secured
in his hair, and moving gently in the water, he swam
out of the cove with the ease, if not with the rapidity of a
fish. Peggy clapped her hands and laughed, and otherwise
manifested a sort of childish delight, as if pleased
that one of her race should so early make himself useful
to the countrymen of her husband. She and Peters repaired
to the battery, which was the proper station of the
man, while Mark went nimbly up the Stairs, on his way to
the Peak. And here we might put in a passing word on
the subject of these ascents and descents. The governor
had now been accustomed to them more than a twelvemonth,
and he found that the effect they produced on the muscles
of his lower limbs was absolutely surprising. He could
now ascend the Stairs in half the time he had taken on
his first trials, and he could carry burthens up and down
them, that at first he would not have dreamed of attempting
even to take on his shoulders. The same was true
with all the colonists, male and female, who began to run
about the cliffs like so many goats—chamois would be more
poetical — and who made as light of the Stairs as the governor
himself.

When Mark reached the Peak again, he found matters
drawing near to a crisis. The canoes were within a league
of the island, coming on steadily in line, and paddling with
measured sweeps of their paddles. As yet, the sail of
Juno's boat had escaped them. This was doubtless owing
to their lowness in the water, and the distance that still

separated them. The Dido was about five miles from the
northern end of the island, while the fleet was some five
more to the southward of it. This placed the two almost
ten miles apart; though each seemed so near, seen from
the elevation of the Peak, that one might have fancied
that he could throw a shot into either.

Unus was the great point of interest for the moment.
He was just coming out clear of the island, and might be
seen with the naked eye, in that pure atmosphere, a dark
speck floating on the undulating surface of the ocean. By
the aid of the glass, there was no difficulty in watching his
smallest movement. With a steady and sinewy stroke of
his arms, the young savage pursued his way, keeping to
windward, as instructed by his sister, and making a progress
in the midst of those rolling billows that was really
wonderful. The wind was not very fresh, nor were the
seas high; but the restless ocean, even in its slumbers,
exhibits the repose of a giant, whose gentlest heavings are
formidable and to be looked to. In one particular, our
colonists were favoured. Owing to some accidental circumstances
of position, a current set round the northern
end of the island, and diffused itself on its western side
by expanding towards the south. This carried the canoes
from the boat and the cove, and insomuch increased Juno's
chance of escape.

The meeting between Unus and the boat took place
when the latter was within a league of the land. As the
sailing directions were for every craft to fall in with the
island rather to windward of the Peak, on account of the
very current just mentioned, it was questionable with Mark
and Betts whether any in the canoes could now perceive
the boat, on account of the intervening heights. It was
pretty certain no one, as yet, had made this important discovery,
for the impetuosity of savages would instantly
have let the fact be known through their shouts and their
eagerness to chase. On the contrary, all remained tranquil
in the fleet, which continued to approach the land
with a steady but regulated movement, that looked as if a
secret awe pervaded the savages as they drew nearer and
nearer to that unknown and mysterious world. To them
the approaching revelations were doubtless of vast import;

and the stoutest heart among them must have entertained
some such sensations as were impressed on the spirits of
Columbus and his companions, when they drew near to
the shores of Guanahani.

In the mean time, Juno came confidingly on, shaping
her course rather more to windward than usual even, on
account of the lightness of the breeze. This effectually
prevented her seeing or being seen from the canoes; the
parties diagonally drawing nearer, in utter ignorance of
each other's existence. As for Unus, he manœuvred quite
skilfully. After getting a couple of miles off the land, he
swam directly to windward; and it was well he did, the
course of the boat barely permitting his getting well on her
weather-bow, when it was time to think of boarding.

Unus displayed great judgment in this critical part of
the affair. So accurately did he measure distances, that
he got alongside of the Dido, with his hand on her weather
gunwale, without Juno's having the least idea that he was
anywhere near her. At one effort he was in the boat; and
while the girl was still uttering her scream of alarm, he
stood holding out the note, pronouncing the word “Missus”
as well as he could. The girl had acquired too much
knowledge of the habits of the South Sea islanders, while
passing through and sojourning in the different groups she
had visited, to be overwhelmed with the occurrence. What
is more, she recognised the young Indian at a glance;
some passages of gallantry having actually taken place between
them during the two months Heaton and his party
remained among Ooroony's people. To be frank with the
reader, the first impression of Juno was, that the note thus
tendered to her was a love-letter, though its contents instantly
undeceived her. The exclamation and changed
manner of the girl told Unus that all was right; and he
went quietly to work to take in the sail, as the most effectual
method of concealing the presence of the boat from the
thousand hostile and searching eyes in the canoes. The
moment Mark saw the canvas come in, he cried out `all
is well,' and descended swiftly from the Peak, to hasten
to a point where he could give the necessary attentions to
the movements of Waally and his fleet.