savages stooped over him, and with a knife, made apparently of
stone, cut a large slice of flesh from his thigh. We knew at once
that he intended to make use of this for food, and could not
repress a cry of horror and disgust.

"Come, come, you blackguard," cried Jack, starting up and seizing
the man by the arm, "pitch that into the hole. Do you hear?"

The savage of course did not understand the command, but he
perfectly understood the look of disgust with which Jack regarded
the flesh, and his fierce gaze as he pointed towards the hole.
Nevertheless he did not obey. Jack instantly turned to Tararo and
made signs to him to enforce obedience. The chief seemed to
understand the appeal, for he stepped forward, raised his club, and
was on the point of dashing out the brains of his offending
subject, when Jack sprang forward and caught his uplifted arm.

"Stop!" he shouted, "you blockhead, I don't want you to kill the
man." He then pointed again to the flesh and to the hole. The
chief uttered a few words, which had the desired effect; for the
man threw the flesh into the hole, which was immediately filled up.
This man was of a morose, sulky disposition, and, during all the
time he remained on the island, regarded us, especially Jack, with
a scowling visage. His name, we found, was Mahine.

The next three or four days were spent by the savages in mending
their canoe, which had been damaged by the violent shock it had
sustained on striking the shore. This canoe was a very curious
structure. It was about thirty feet long, and had a high towering
stern. The timbers, of which it was partly composed, were fastened