the thought flashed upon me that they were going to burn their
enemies. As they bore him to the fire my feelings almost
overpowered me. I gasped for breath, and seizing my club,
endeavoured to spring to my feet; but Jack's powerful arm pinned me
to the earth. Next moment one of the savages raised his club, and
fractured the wretched creature's skull. He must have died
instantly, and, strange though it may seem, I confess to a feeling
of relief when the deed was done, because I now knew that the poor
savage could not be burned alive. Scarcely had his limbs ceased to
quiver when the monsters cut slices of flesh from his body, and,
after roasting them slightly over the fire, devoured them.

Suddenly there arose a cry from the woods, and, in a few seconds,
the two savages hastened towards the fire dragging the three women
and their two infants along with them. One of those women was much
younger than her companions, and we were struck with the modesty of
her demeanour and the gentle expression of her face, which,
although she had the flattish nose and thick lips of the others,
was of a light-brown colour, and we conjectured that she must be of
a different race. She and her companions wore short petticoats and
a kind of tippet on their shoulders. Their hair was jet black, but
instead of being long, was short and curly, - though not woolly -
somewhat like the hair of a young boy. While we gazed with
interest and some anxiety at these poor creatures, the big chief
advanced to one of the elder females and laid his hand upon the
child. But the mother shrank from him, and clasping the little one
to her bosom, uttered a wail of fear. With a savage laugh, the
chief tore the child from her arms and tossed it into the sea. A
low groan burst from Jack's lips as we witnessed this atrocious act
and heard the mother's shriek, as she fell insensible on the sand.