mirthful manner, and with faces so smiling and happy that I could scarcely believe they had just taken part in such abominable cruelty.  On the other hand, a weight seemed to have been removed from their consciences.  So deceitful are the wiles of Satan, who deludes the heathen most in their very religion!  Tired and almost starved as I was, these reflections forced themselves upon me, even while I was pondering on the dreadful position in which I found myself.  Way of escape from the island (obviously a very large one) there was none.  But, if I remained all night in the wood, I must almost perish of cold and hunger.  I had therefore no choice but to approach the barbarous people, though, from my acquaintance with natives, I knew well that they were likely either to kill and eat me, or to worship me as a god.  Either event was too dreadful to bear reflection.  I was certain, however, that, owing to the dress of my sacred calling, I could not be mistaken for a mere beach-comber or labour-hunter, and I considered that I might easily destroy the impression (natural among savages on first seeing a European) that I was a god.  I therefore followed the throng from a distance, taking advantage for concealment of turns in the way, and of trees and underwood beside the road.  Some four miles’ walking, for which I was very unfit, brought us across a neck of land, and from high ground in the middle I again beheld the sea.  Very much to my surprise the cape on which I looked down, safe in the rear of the descending multitude, was occupied by a kind of city.

The houses were not the mere huts of South Sea Islanders, but, though built for the most part of carved and painted wood, had white stone foundations, and were of considerable height.  On a rock in the centre of the bay were some stone edifices which I took to be temples or public buildings.  The crowd gradually broke up, turning into their own dwellings on the shore, where, by the way, some large masted vessels were drawn up in little docks.  But, while the general public, if I may say so, slowly withdrew, the woman with the idol in her arms, accompanied by some elderly men of serious aspect, climbed the road up to the central public buildings.

Moved by some impulse which I could hardly explain, I stealthily followed them, and at last found myself on a rocky platform, a kind of public square, open on one side to the sea, and shut in on either hand, and at the back, by large houses with smooth round pillars, and decorated with odd coloured carvings.  There was in the open centre of the square an object which I recognized as an altar, with a fire burning on it.  Some men came out of the chief building, dragging a sheep, with chains of flowers round its neck.  Another man threw something on the fire, which burned with a curious smell.  At once I recognized the savour of incense, against which (as employed illegally by the Puseyites) I had often firmly protested in old days at home.  The spirit of