57 

 CROCODILE ISLAND. 



Concluded from page 14. 



Here the young man paused, and sighed deeply. I confess I 

 was intensely interested by the manner in which he related his 

 story ; the traveller, to whom he addressed himself, was apparently 

 fascinated by the wild beauty of his eyes ; for the beef still lay 

 untasted before him, and he could not remove his looks, even for 

 a moment, from the countenance of the Indian king. " The feast 

 was at last prepared,'^ he continued, "and Sisquo Dumfki and 

 myself were placed in conspicuous situations, but still far enough 

 removed from the spectators to have our conversation private. 

 We drank, and every time the casine hogshead was replenished, 

 the lovely Nemrooma flitted towards us with the cocoa bowl. I 

 retained her hand in mine, and gazed upon her with an expression 

 in my glances that sufficiently betrayed the interest she excited in 

 my heart. She did not seem displeased with my admiration, but 

 hung down her head and blushed, with such bewitching innocence 

 and beauty, as rendered her a thousand times more enchanting in 

 my eyes than ever. When we had now drank unceasingly for 

 three days, I said to my opponent, ' It grieves me, O Sisquo 

 Dumfki that this contest must be carried on to the death. Even 

 if you are victorious in this trial, as sixteen years ago you were 

 with my illustrious parent, you have no chance of escaping with 

 your life. I myself, till I became acquainted with your noble 

 sentiments, thirsted for your blood ; and now that I know you 

 all that a chief should be, my soul is tortured with regret that it 

 will be impossible to save you.' With an unmoved countenance 

 the hero heard me declare, as it were, his condemnation to certain 

 death. He drained off the bowl which he happened to have in 

 his hand, and replied, ' Death comes only once — the Great Spirit 

 rejoices in the actions of majestic men. There are casine and to- 

 bacco in Elysium.- But I was resolved, if possible, to preserve 

 my friend from the destruction prepared for him by my mother. 

 ^ Sisquo,' I said, ^ let us delay the conclusion of our contest till 

 some fitter opportunity. If you would save your life, and make 

 me the happiest of kings and of mortals, pretend to be overcome 

 by the casine, and ask to be left in this tent to sleep. I will place 

 round it a body of my own guards, with orders to prevent all 

 emissaries from the queen from entering it under pain of death. 

 In the mean time I will wed your daughter, if it seems good to 

 you; and when by this means you are connected with the royal 

 house, your life will become sacred, even from the vengeance of 

 VOL. IV. — 1834. II 



