on his slate, it was immediately recognised, and he was given to understand, that on his return from the hill, he should find one at the cave.

At the hill then our party arrived in about an hour; and on climbing up it, and taking his spying-glass, Fitzjohn discovered nothing but breakers as far as the glass could carry the eye; and as the south-west monsoon blew very strong, no boat that they had would have lived through them.

On turning his glass inland, Fitz observed another hill, which appeared still higher than the one on which he stood, and very well wooded; whereas, around him the trees were stunted, with their heads bending to the northeast, which showed that the prevailing and strongest winds were from the south-west.

After pausing to reflect for a few moments, Fitz determined to erect a signal-staff where he stood, and build a mud-hut, keeping an ensign flying by day, with the union downwards. He resolved also, if possible, to get one of the sixpounders up to the same spot, there to fire it, if by any accident a vessel hove in sight.

At that moment, it appeared a work of fruitless labour and an utter impossibility, to attempt bringing the gun to the point desired. With no roads, and scarcely a foot-path through the jungle, John Blacky passed much better than themselves, for having no shoes, his toes helped him to get up the slippery hillocks, whilst the seamen's shoes made them slide back; but this they were not likely to complain of much longer, as even Gentleman Jack himself, or, as the sailors had named him, the king of the Ragged Island-even his royal self, had on at this moment, the last pair, and these most considerably out at the toes.

On the whole, poor Fitz returned back very pensive and thoughtful, and, as he had never seen a hut in the island, he thought he could scarcely say that his lines had fallen on pleasant places, since they marked out his abode among a people, who, like the ants, lived, as he believed, in holes in the earth. This supposition he, on inquiry, found to be the case. On the return of Fitz to the cave royal, he found a bull, as had been promised, but of so small a

size, that he despaired of making any further use of it, than that of turning him into beef, which certainly would not greatly have advanced the progress of his gun up the hill-to say nothing of his being so wild and vicious, that Fitzjohn's whole guard could not manage

him.

The price of this beast was twelve large fishhooks, such as we use to take cod on the banks of Newfoundland. As there seemed to be no chance of reaching the fort that night, and as the bull was quite unmanageable to the seamen, Fitz pretended he had only six hooks with him, and would pay the other six if the natives would accompany him the next morning. To this they readily agreed, and Fitz was shown down into Shandaree's dwelling again, where he was presented with bananas and cocoa-nut milk.

As night approached, our hero inquired for a light, but, to his astonishment, found that the islanders never made use of any, not being

able to burn the cocoa-nut oil for want of cotton, and being in ignorance of the many other

J

substitutes which answer the same end. The night and day being nearly equal in these latitudes, it was therefore quite dark at eight o'clock, and Fitz retired to rest upon a delicious bed of dried leaves, in a small recess which formed part of Shandaree's dwelling; previously to which he had taken his knapsack for a pillow, and laid aside his coat, waistcoat, and neckcloth. His fire-arms he took the liberty of keeping by his side. He now soon fell asleep, and awoke long before daylight: his head and face swollen, as far as he could feel by the touch, to double their natural size, and his hands and chest bitten all over by innumerable swarms of musquitoes.

As soon as day broke, Shandaree brought him a large cocoa-nut shell full of warm goat's milk, some wild honey, and some fresh-gathered bananas, which had even the dew on them at that moment; but when she saw his face, she stepped back with perfect horror. Being unable to explain to her the cause, and not having his slate to draw the musquito, Fitz imitated the buzzing noise made by that most abominable

fly just before he settles and stings. This Shandaree immediately understood, and returned in a few minutes, with some kind of ointment, which she rubbed over him with her hands, and Fitz felt much relieved from the burning heat.

Breakfast being quickly despatched, Fitz and his party were soon on their road with two blackies, who managed the bull in the course of a few seconds—they steering him by the tail, to which pilotage the creature was evidently well accustomed. To them, this seemed a matter of the greatest ease.

On arriving with the bull at the fort, Fitz had him tied to one of the six-pounders, as a safe mooring; and having paid the other six fish-hooks to the conductors, they took their leave, giving Gentleman Jack to understand, that they could procure as many oxen as might be wanted, which Fitz was delighted to hear, for hitherto he had seen nothing but goats and fowls.

The bull, however, who was so quiet with blacky, would not allow any of the seamen to approach him, and Fitzjohn going near him