THE MARAE. 363 



individuals by name, and according to their situations, whether 

 fighting bravely, despatching their enemies, or themselves perishing 

 under the sword his language was varied now triumphant, now 

 encouraging, and then changing to a lament, or into vehement 

 imprecations against the slayer. 



The fight had continued upwards of an hour, seemingly with 

 increased ferocity, when it became obvious that the party which had 

 taken me under its protection was to have the worst of the day ; 

 they were compelled to give ground, though they fought with the 

 most obstinate bravery. I had seen enough from the division of the 

 army, to show me that war had commenced between the native 

 priests and the mission ; and I was anxious to make my escape, in 

 order to secure my own safety, being well aware of the atrocities to 

 which we should be subjected if we fell into the hands of the victors. 

 As I was turning away to effect this desirable purpose, 1 became 

 sensible that other hostile bands were pouring into the field, and 

 gradually surrounding the devoted Christians : I sprang into a 

 neighbouring thicket, and might possibly have concealed myself, 

 had I not exposed my place of hiding by rushing out for a moment, 

 in order to rescue Anato, severely wounded, from a band of women 

 who had seized him and were murdering him with fiendlike cruelty. 

 I was immediately seized, and hurried away with a shout of triumph 

 and revenge. 



1 now believed my fate to be sealed; on every side death was at 

 work, and I momentarily expected to be made one of his victims. 

 Many a club was raised to dash out my brains, and many a spear 

 was placed against my breast by the infuriated warriors. But I was 

 reserved for other and more appalling sufferings. The priests, omni- 

 potent in influence, seized me as their prize; and I was doomed to 

 be offered up as a sacrifice to their god Oro. I should have felt it 

 therefore a rnercy, had any one despatched me on the spot ; but I 

 was safe from immediate harm, and though subjected to the most 

 villainous treatment, and tortured by blows and slight wounds, 

 which in wanton mockery were inflicted upon me, good care was 

 taken not to injure me so far as to endanger life. 



I believe 1 was almost the only prisoner reserved. The rage of 

 religious bigotry had steeped itself in the blood of all that fell in 

 its power, and the day had added another to the countless list of 

 inhuman cruelties perpetrated by fanaticism. Man in a semi- 

 barbarous condition hardly needs to have this added to his fierce 

 and untamed passions in the hour of triumph ; and it was thus my 

 lot to suffer two of the most dreadful evils which can befall a sentient 

 and intelligent being. 



I was strongly bound with rough cords made from cocoa, and 

 guarded by several warriors, as they led me at a rapid pace over a 

 track of country familiarly known to me. I had passed over it in 

 the morning, and it was a perfect Eden ; now every cottage was in 

 flames, and their inhabitants either fled into concealment, or carried 

 away as slaves. It was that portion of the island in which the 

 labours of the missionaries had hern most successful ; evidences of 

 which were to be seen in plantations of European fruit-trees, and in 



