Here we
found the prisoners, who had passed the night on the beach, having been
totally forgotten by us, as our minds had been full of our guests, and
were ultimately overcome by sleep. They did not seem the worse for
their exposure, however, as we judged by the hearty appetite with which
they devoured the breakfast that was soon after given to them. Jack
then began to dig a hole in the sand, and after working a few seconds,
he pointed to it and to the dead bodies that lay exposed on the beach.
The natives immediately perceived what he wanted, and running for their
paddles, dug a hole in the course of half-an-hour that was quite large
enough to contain all the bodies of the slain. When it was finished
they tossed their dead enemies into it with so much indifference that
we felt assured they would not have put themselves to this trouble had
we not asked them to do so. The body of the yellow-haired chief was the
last thrown in. This wretched man would have recovered from the blow
with which Jack felled him, and, indeed, he did endeavour to rise
during the _m?l?e_ that followed his fall; but one of his enemies,
happening to notice the action, dealt him a blow with his club that
killed him on the spot.
While they were about to throw the sand over this chief, one of the
savages stooped over him, and with a knife, made apparently of stone,
cut a large slice of flesh from his thigh. We knew at once that he
intended to make use of this for food, and could not repress a cry of
horror and disgust.
Pages:
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206