gun with a charge of shot and a ball on the top of it, I climbed up the hollow, taking my blanket with me and leaving my knapsack where I had been lying. I had got up as high as you see that hole, and from there surveyed the only part from whence the blacks could attack me. I had not been there long, when I noticed five dark spots on the ground, and although I could not decidedly say I saw them moving, yet the distance between them and me gradually decreased. I now felt certain it was the blacks, and could have shot two of them easily, but scarcely knew what their object might be, as I could distinguish no spears or other weapons. Taking off my belt I fastened my blanket to it, and lowering it with one hand, whilst I kept my face—which I had blackened with the charred wood inside the tree, lest they should distinguish it, as the moon shone brightly,—to the hole. I waited to see the result. The dark spots immediately, as I anticipated, became stationary, and rising like evil spirits from the earth, balanced each a spear for a moment, and then cast them at the blanket, which I let fall; they then advanced with a yell. I took as steady an aim as I ever did in my life, and fired both barrels, but all the savages dropped. 'That's three too many," said I, as I loaded again. "When next I looked from the hole I could only discover two bodies, one was quite still, the other was writhing in agony, it raised itself erect for a moment, and advancing with a howl, stumbled and fell, and did not move again. After waiting some time I was on the point of descending, when I thought I saw my blanket move; I looked again, and felt satisfied I was right; I pointed my gun to the ground, for I distinctly saw a spear pulled out of the blanket. I concluded from this that the other natives were short of weapons, so I jumped down; but before I could recover myself, was grasped from behind by a gigantic black fellow: I still how-
