THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 983 
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, 
when 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 
