Kory-Kory，whohadbeenalittleinadvanceofme，attractedbytheexclamationsofthechiefs，turnedroundintimetowitnesstheexpressionofhorroronmycountenance。Henowhurriedtowardsme，pointingatthesametimetothecanoe，andexclaiming，rapidly，“Puarkee！puarkee！“Pig，pig。Ipretendedtoyieldtothedeception，andrepeatedthewordsafterhimseveraltimes，asthoughacquiescinginwhathesaid。Theothersavages，eitherdeceivedbymyconduct，orunwillingtomanifesttheirdispleasureatwhatcouldnotnowberemedied，tooknofurthernoticeoftheoccurrence，andI
immediatelylefttheTi。
AllthatnightIlayawake，revolvinginmymindthefearfulsituationinwhichIwasplaced。Thelasthorridrevelationhadnowbeenmade，andthefullsenseofmyconditionrusheduponmymindwithaforceIhadneverbeforeexperienced。
Where，thoughtI，desponding，istheretheslightestprospectofescape？Theonlypersonwhoseemedtopossesstheabilitytoassistmewasthestranger，Marnoo；butwouldheeverreturntothevalley？
andifhedid，shouldIbepermittedtoholdanycommunicationwithhim？ItseemedasifIwerecutofffromeverysourceofhope，andthatnothingremainedbutpassivelytoawaitwhateverfatewasinstoreforme。AthousandtimesIendeavouredtoaccountforthemysteriousconductofthenatives。Forwhatconceivablepurposedidtheythusretainmeacaptive？Whatcouldbetheirobjectintreatingmewithsuchapparentkindness，anddiditnotcoversometreacherousscheme？Or，iftheyhadnootherdesignthantoholdmeaprisoner，howshouldIbeabletopassawaymydaysinthisnarrowvalley，deprivedofallintercoursewithcivilizedbeings，andforeverseparatedfromfriendsandhome？
Oneonlyhoperemainedtome。TheFrenchcouldnotlongdeferavisittothebay，andiftheyshouldpermanentlylocateanyoftheirtroopsinthevalley，thesavagescouldnotforanylengthoftimeconcealmyexistencefromthem。ButwhatreasonhadItosupposethatIshouldbespareduntilsuchaneventoccurred-aneventwhichmightbepostponedbyahundreddifferentcontingencies？
“MARNOO，Marnoopemi！“Suchwerethewelcomesoundswhichfelluponmyearsometendaysaftertheeventrelatedintheprecedingchapter。Oncemoretheapproachofthestrangerwasheralded，andtheintelligenceoperateduponmelikemagic。AgainIshouldbeabletoconversewithhiminmyownlanguage；andIresolved，atallhazards，toconcertwithhimsomescheme，howeverdesperate，torescuemefromaconditionthathadnowbecomeinsupportable。
Ashedrewnear，Irememberedwithmanymisgivingstheinauspiciousterminationofourformerinterview；andwhenheenteredthehouse，Iwatchedwithintenseanxietythereceptionhemetwithfromitsinmates。Tomyjoy，hisappearancewashailedwiththeliveliestpleasure；andaccostingmekindly，heseatedhimselfbymyside，andenteredintoconversationwiththenativesaroundhim。Itsoonappeared，however，thatonthisoccasionhehadnotanyintelligenceofimportancetocommunicate。Iinquiredofhimfromwhencehehadlastcome？Hereplied，fromPueearka，hisnativevalley，andthatheintendedtoreturntoitthesameday。
Atonceitstruckmethat，couldIbutreachthatvalleyunderhisprotection，ImighteasilyfromthencereachNukuhevabywater；and，animatedbytheprospectwhichthisplanheldout，Idiscloseditinafewbriefwordstothestranger，andaskedhimhowitcouldbebestaccomplished。Myheartsankwithinmewhen，inhisbrokenEnglish，heansweredmethatitcouldneverbeeffected。“Kannakanoletyougonowhere，“hesaid，“youtaboo。Whyyounoliketostay？Plentymoee-moeesleep-plentyki-kieat-plentywhiheneeyounggirls。Oh，verygoodplace，Typee！Supposeyounolikethisbay，whyyoucome？YounohearaboutTypee？AllwhitemenafraidTypee，sonowhitemencome。“
Thesewordsdistressedmebeyondbelief；andwhenIagainrelatedtohimthecircumstancesunderwhichIhaddescendedintothevalley，andsoughttoenlisthissympathiesinmybehalf，byappealingtothebodilymiseryIendured，helistenedtomewithimpatience，andcutmeshortbyexclaiming，passionately，“Menohearyoutalkanymore；byKannakagetmad，killyouandmetoo。No，youseehenowantyoutospeaktomeatall？-yousee-ah！bybyyounomind-yougetwell，hekillyou，eatyou，hangyourheadupthere，likeHapparKannaka。Nowyoulisten-butnotalkanymore。BybyIgo；youseewayIgo。Ah！thensomenightKannakaallmoee-moeesleep-yourunaway-youcomePueearka。IspeakPueearkaKannaka-henoharmyou-ah！thenItakeyoumycanoeNukuheva，andyounorunawayshipnomore。“Withthesewords，enforcedbyavehemenceofgestureIcannotdescribe，Marnoostartedfrommyside，andimmediatelyengagedinconversationwithsomeofthechiefswhohadenteredthehouse。
ItwouldhavebeenidleformetohaveattemptedresumingtheinterviewsoperemptorilyterminatedbyMarnoo，whowasevidentlylittledisposedtocompromisehisownsafetybyanyrashendeavourstoensuremine。Buttheplanhehadsuggestedstruckmeasonewhichmightpossiblybeaccomplished，andIresolvedtoactuponitasspeedilyaspossible。
Accordingly，whenhearosetodepart，Iaccompaniedhim，withthenatives，outsideofthehouse，withaviewofcarefullynotingthepathhewouldtakeinleavingthevalley。Justbeforeleapingfromthepi-pi，heclaspedmyhand，and，lookingsignificantlyatme，exclaimed，“Nowyousee-youdowhatItellyou-ah！thenyoudogood；-younodoso-ah！thenyoudie。“Thenextmomenthewavedhisspearinadieutotheislanders，and，followingtheroutethatconductedtoadefileinthemountainslyingoppositetheHapparside，wassoonoutofsight。
Amodeofescapewasnowpresentedtome；buthowwasItoavailmyselfofit？Iwascontinuallysurroundedbythesavages；Icouldnotstirfromonehousetoanotherwithoutbeingattendedbysomeofthem；
andevenduringthehoursdevotedtoslumber，theslightestmovementwhichImadeseemedtoattractthenoticeofthosewhosharedthematswithme。Inspiteoftheseobstacles，however，Ideterminedforthwithtomaketheattempt。Todosowithanyprospectofsuccess，itwasnecessarythatIshouldhaveatleasttwohours’startbeforetheislandersshoulddiscovermyabsence；forwithsuchfacilitywasanyalarmspreadthroughthevalley，andsofamiliar，ofcourse，weretheinhabitantswiththeintricaciesofthegroves，thatIcouldnothope，lameandfeebleasIwas，andignorantoftheroute，tosecuremyescapeunlessIhadthisadvantage。ItwasalsobynightalonethatIcouldhopetoaccomplishmyobject，andthenonlybyadoptingtheutmostprecaution。
TheentrancetoMarheyo’shabitationwasthroughalownarrowopeninginitswicker-workfront。Thispassage，fornoconceivablereasonthatIcoulddevise，wasalwaysclosedafterthehouseholdhadretiredtorest，bydrawingaheavyslideacrossit，composedofadozenormorebitsofwood，ingeniouslyfastenedtogetherbyseizingsofsinnate。Whenanyoftheinmateschosetogooutside，thenoiseoccasionedbytheremovingofthisrudedoorawakenedeverybodyelse；andonmorethanoneoccasionIhadremarkedthattheislanderswerenearlyasirritableasmorecivilizedbeingsundersimilarcircumstances。
ThedifficultythusplacedinmywayIdeterminedtoobviateinthefollowingmanner。Iwouldgetupboldlyinthecourseofthenight，and，drawingtheslide，issuefromthehouse，andpretendthatmyobjectwasmerelytoprocureadrinkfromthecalabash，whichalwaysstoodwithoutthedwellingonthecornerofthepi-pi。Onre-enteringIwouldpurposelyomitclosingthepassageafterme，andtrustingthattheindolenceofthesavageswouldpreventthemfromrepairingmyneglect，wouldreturntomymat，andwaitingpatientlyuntilallwereagainasleep，Iwouldthenstealforth，andatoncetaketheroutetoPueearka。
TheverynightwhichfollowedMarnoo’sdeparture，Iproceededtoputthisprojectintoexecution。Aboutmidnight，asIimagined，I
aroseanddrewtheslide。Thenatives，justasIhadexpected，startedup，whilesomeofthemasked，“Arwarepooawa，Tommo？“whereareyougoing，Tommo？“Wai，“water，Ilaconicallyanswered，graspingthecalabash。Onhearingmyreplytheysankbackagain，andinaminuteortwoIreturnedtomymat，anxiouslyawaitingtheresultoftheexperiment。
Oneafteranotherthesavages，turningrestlessly，appearedtoresumetheirslumbers，and，rejoicingatthestillnesswhichprevailed，Iwasabouttoriseagainfrommycouch，whenIheardaslightrustling-adarkformwasinterceptedbetweenmeandthedoorway-theslidewasdrawnacrossit，andtheindividual，whoeverhewas，returnedtohismat。Thiswasasadblowtome；butasitmighthavearousedthesuspicionsoftheislanderstohavemadeanotherattemptthatnight，Iwasreluctantlyobligedtodeferituntilthenext。SeveraltimesafterIrepeatedthesamemanoeuvre，butwithaslittlesuccessasbefore。Asmypretenceforwithdrawingfromthehousewastoallaymythirst，Kory-Kory，eithersuspectingsomedesignonmypart，orelsepromptedbyadesiretopleaseme，regularlyeveryeveningplacedacalabashofwaterbymyside。
EvenundertheseinauspiciouscircumstancesIagainandagainrenewedtheattempt；butwhenIdidso，myvaletalwaysrosewithme，asifdeterminedIshouldnotremovemyselffromhisobservation。Forthepresent，therefore，Iwasobligedtoabandontheattempt；butIendeavouredtoconsolemyselfwiththeidea，thatbythismodeImightyeteffectmyescape。
ShortlyafterMarnoo’svisitIwasreducedtosuchastate，thatitwaswithextremedifficultyIcouldwalk，evenwiththeassistanceofaspear，andKory-Kory，asformerly，wasobligedtocarrymedailytothestream。
Forhoursandhours，duringthewarmestpartoftheday，Ilayuponmymat，andwhilethosearoundmewerenearlyalldozingawayincarelessease，Iremainedawake，gloomilyponderingoverthefatewhichitappearednowidleformetoresist。WhenIthoughtofthelovedfriendswhowerethousandsandthousandsofmilesfromthesavageislandinwhichIwasheldacaptive-whenIreflectedthatmydreadfulfatewouldforeverbeconcealedfromthem，andthat，withhopedeferred，theymightcontinuetoawaitmyreturnlongaftermyinanimateformhadblendedwiththedustofthevalley，Icouldnotrepressashudderofanguish。
Howvividlyisimpresseduponmymindeveryminutefeatureofthescenewhichmetmyviewduringthoselongdaysofsufferingandsorrow。Atmyrequestmymatswerealwaysspreaddirectlyfacingthedoor，oppositewhich，andatalittledistance，wasthehutofboughsthatMarheyowasbuilding。
WhenevermygentleFayawayandKory-Kory，layingthemselvesdownbesideme，wouldleavemeawhiletouninterruptedrepose，Itookastrangeinterestintheslightestmovementsoftheeccentricoldwarrior。Allalone，duringthestillnessofthetropicalmid-day，hewouldpursuehisquietwork，sittingintheshadeandweavingtogethertheleafletsofhiscocoa-nutbranches，orrollinguponhiskneethetwistedfibresofbarktoformthecordswithwhichhetiedtogetherthethatchingofhistinyhouse。Frequentlysuspendinghisemployment，andnoticingmymelancholyeyefixeduponhim，hewouldraisehishandwithagestureexpressiveofdeepcommiseration，andthen，movingtowardsmeslowly，wouldenterontip-toes，fearfulofdisturbingtheslumberingnatives，and，takingthefanfrommyhand，wouldsitbeforeme，swayingitgentlytoandfro，andgazingearnestlyintomyface。
Justbeyondthepi-pi，anddisposedinatrianglebeforetheentranceofthehouse，werethreemagnificentbread-fruittrees。AtthismomentIcanrecalltomymindtheirslendershafts，andthegracefulinequalitiesoftheirbark，onwhichmyeyeswereaccustomedtodwell，dayafterday，inthemidstofmysolitarymusings。Itisstrangehowinanimateobjectswilltwinethemselvesintoouraffections，especiallyinthehourofaffliction。Evennow，amidstallthebustleandstiroftheproudandbusycityinwhichI
amdwelling，theimageofthosethreetreesseemstocomeasvividlybeforemyeyesasiftheywereactuallypresent，andIstillfeelthesoothingquietpleasurewhichIthenhadinwatching，hourafterhour，theirtopmostboughswavinggracefullyinthebreeze。