the place of its termination and at its lowest point, and now saw
our route to the mountains distinctly defined along its narrow
crest, which was covered with a soft carpet of verdure, and was
in many parts only a few feet wide.

Elated with the success which had so far attended our enterprise,
and invigorated by the refreshing atmosphere we now inhaled, Toby
and I in high spirits were making our way rapidly along the
ridge, when suddenly from the valleys below which lay on either
side of us we heard the distant shouts of the natives, who had
just descried us, and to whom our figures, brought in bold relief
against the sky, were plainly revealed.

Glancing our eyes into these valleys, we perceived their savage
inhabitants hurrying to and fro, seemingly under the influence of
some sudden alarm, and appearing to the eye scarcely bigger than
so many pigmies; while their white thatched dwellings, dwarfed by
the distance, looked like baby-houses. As we looked down upon
the islanders from our lofty elevation, we experienced a sense of
security; feeling confident that, should they undertake a
pursuit, it would, from the start we now had, prove entirely
fruitless, unless they followed us into the mountains, where we
knew they cared not to venture.

However, we thought it as well to make the most of our time; and
accordingly, where the ground would admit of it, we ran swiftly
along the summit of the ridge, until we were brought to a stand
by a steep cliff, which at first seemed to interpose an effectual
barrier to our farther advance. By dint of much hard scrambling
however, and at some risk to our necks, we at last surmounted it,