THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 363 



There was no reply. Just then a woman's scream 

 was heard, proceeding from the "brink of the water. 

 El Sol had stood silent, his eyes fixed upon the 

 burning huts, beyond which, near to the crest of 

 the shore, the polished musket-barrels of the pirates 

 gleamed in the firelight. Not more than five min- 

 utes had elapsed since the first yell proclaimed the 

 presence of a foe, but already the young warrior had 

 combined his plan, and he now gave his orders in a 

 short decided tone, betraying the habit of command, 

 and the certainty of prompt and implicit obedience. 

 One of the Comanches, followed by the majority 

 of the Pawnees and Oconees, glided away through 

 the thick bushes; whilst El Sol himself, with the 

 three remaining Comanches, and a troop of chosen 

 Pawnees, hurried rapidly along the skirt of the 

 forest. 



The broad belt of land over which the village was 

 scattered rose near the shore, as already mentioned, 

 into a sort of crest overgrown with mangroves and 

 myrtle bushes, through the middle of which ran a 

 broad footpath. The elevation of this ridge was 

 about twenty feet, and it continued along the whole 

 length of the hamlet, excepting opposite to the creek, 

 where nature had broken it down into a small harbour. 

 Near this the glitter of arms betrayed the presence 

 of a strong picket, placed there doubtless to guard the 

 boats. This picket was each moment strengthened by 

 the return of one or other of the pirates who had been 



