THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 283 



lactites in fantastic forms, bearing some resemblance 

 to the Gothic arches and carved ornaments of some 

 old church. After having examined the curiosities 

 of the place, the party sat down to drink cava, while 

 an old chief communicated some interesting parti- 

 culars in the history of the grotto. 



In former times there lived a governor of one of 

 the neighbouring islands, who exercised his autho- 

 rity with the most grinding tyranny and injustice. 

 A conspiracy against his life was formed by a sub- 

 ordinate chief, which was discovered, and he himself 

 condemned to death with his family. One of 

 his daughters, however, a beautiful girl, was re- 

 served for a more hateful destiny, that of becoming 

 the wife of the cruel tyrant. It happened that 

 another young chief, who had long loved this maiden, 

 had, a little while before, accidentally discovered 

 the submarine cavern, when diving in pursuit of 

 turtle. He had kept his discovery a profound 

 secret, reserving it as a safe retreat for himself, in 

 case he should be unsuccessful in a plan of revolt, 

 which he also had in view. No sooner, however, 

 were the tyrant's decisions known than he hastened 

 to the damsel, and acquainting her with her danger, 

 besought her to escape with him. The emergency 

 was great; little solicitation sufficed to obtain her 

 consent; "the woods concealed her until evening, 

 w r hen her lover brought his canoe to a lonely part 

 of the beach, in which she embarked with him. 

 As he paddled her across the rippling waves, he 

 made known to her his discovery of the grotto, 

 in which he proposed to conceal her until they 



