82 
THE SPIRITS OF GOOD AND EVIL. 
attentive as to bring tis fire. They also spit on tlie 
smooth and polished floor, to show us, I suppose, that 
we were at liberty to do likewise. In addition to all 
this, they advanced to the chancel and commenced a 
series of violent bends and gesticulations for our in- 
formation. They were showing us how they paid their 
devotions. They stood before a massive altai', decked 
out after the manner of the Romish Church, having 
upon it^ right a colossal statue of a very benign old 
gentleman, and upon its left a similar one with the 
most hideously-diabolical expression that I ever saw. 
The one on the right shone as the concentration of 
every thing good, and extended his left hand in an 
endless blessing. lie of the left — the rampant power 
of evil — settled his gaze of eternal hate and defiance 
upon the averted eye of the first, and grasped a bleeding 
lieart in his uplifted hand. It was to this latter that all 
the devotions were addressed : no one looked at the 
other. AVe gave them a half-crown for putting them- 
selves into a perspiration by their furious pantomime, 
and continued our drive.” 
AVe were driving out to the hospital of Dr. Little, 
where many of our men were on their backs. It seems 
that over two months of exposure, toil, and privation, 
liad done its -work. Seven out of the twenty men 
composing the crew had been taken with the fever 
previous to our arrival, and been sent on shore as soon 
as possible to give them the benefit of comfortable 
quarters. Stevens, too, -was placed hors de combat by 
a bruised hand, and Baber and myself were taking it 
turn-and-turn-about to indulge in chills or something 
