374 DESERTED BY THE NATIVES. [ chap . xiii . 
but that on the following morning we should proceed 
to our destination. 
Not trusting the natives, I ordered my men to dis¬ 
arm them, and to retain their spears and shields as 
security for their appearance on the following day. 
This effected, we were carried into a filthy hut about 
six inches deep in mud, as the roof was much out of 
repair, and the heavy rain had flooded it daily for some 
weeks. I had a canal cut through the muddy floor, 
and in misery and low spirits we took possession. 
On the following morning not a native was present! 
We had been entirely deserted; although I held the 
spears and shields, every man had absconded—there 
were neither inhabitants nor provisions—the whole 
country was a wilderness of rank grass that hemmed 
us in on all sides ; not an animal, nor even a bird was 
to be seen; it was a miserable, damp, lifeless country. 
We were on elevated ground, and the valley of the 
Somerset was about two miles to our north, the river 
roaring sullenly in its obstructed passage, its course 
marked by the double belt of huge dark trees that 
grew upon its banks. 
My men were naturally outrageous, and they pro¬ 
posed that we should return to Patooan, seize the 
canoes, and take provisions by force, as we had been 
disgracefully deceived. The natives had merely depo¬ 
sited us here to get us out of the way, and in this 
spot we might starve. Of course I would not counte¬ 
nance the proposal of seizing provisions, but I directed 
my men to search among the ruined villages for buried 
corn, in company with the woman Bacheeta, who, being 
a native of this country, would be up to the ways of 
the people, and might assist in the discovery. 
After some hours passed in rambling over the black 
ashes of several villages that had been burnt, they dis¬ 
covered a hollow place, by sounding the earth with a 
stick, and, upon digging, they arrived at a granary of 
the seed known as “tullaboonthis was a great prize, 
as, although mouldy and bitter, it would keep us from 
