yet been seen by any of our people. Our last crop was cut and carried
off with the precision of an English harvesting. Our spirit stores--(you
will be amazed to hear that these creatures pick locks with the
dexterity of London burglars)--have been broken open and ransacked,
though half the establishment were on the watch; and the brutes have
been off to their mountains, five miles distant, without even the dogs
giving an alarm. I could almost persuade myseif at times, such are their
supernatural knowledge, swiftness, and invisibility, that we have to
contend with evil spirits. I long for your advice, to refer to on this
subject; and am, dear Philip,

"Your loving brother,

"AMBROSE MAWE.

"P.S. Since writing the above, you will be concerned to hear the body of
poor Diggory has been found, horribly mangled by wild beasts. The fate
of Chippendale, Gregory, and Mudge is no longer doubtful. The old lion
has brought the lioness, and, the sheep being all gone, they have made a
joint attack upon the bullock-house. The Mudiboo has overflowed, and
Squampash Flatts are a swamp. I have just discovered that the monkeys
are my own rascals, that I brought out from England. We are coming back
as fast as we can."


EMIGRATION:


[Illustration: _Meeting a Settler._]