After a bountiful breakfast we continue our progress through the island. Our surprise is great to come upon a large edifice of stone among a people supposed only able to erect huts of leaves. It is a pyramid, nearly three hundred feet long and one hundred wide, with a flight of steps on either side leading to the summit, which is fifty feet from the ground. On the top is a bird made of wood, and a fish of stone. This building forms one side of a court, the other three sides being composed of a wall of hewn stone; the enclosed area is covered with a pavement of flat stones. In this court are several altars of stone, on which are placed baskets of bread-fruit, sweet potatoes, cocoa-nuts, and other food, which we conclude were offerings to their Eatuas, or gods, which they ignorantly worship. Not far off we come upon a figure of one of these gods. It is made of wicker-work, in the form of a man; it is seven feet high, and covered over with black and white feathers. We learn that this pyramid is a temple, and that the court is a burying-place, called a Morai; the altars are called Ewattuas. While we are about to proceed on our journey we see a concourse of people collecting from all quarters, and hurrying toward the morai. We inquire of Taro for what object they are assembling. "To offer a sacrifice to their Eatua, their god," he answers. "Of what will the sacrifice consist?" I ask, thinking that it would be of the bread-fruit and other fruits we saw on the altars. "You will see," he answered, with one of those gleams of savage pleasure which ever and anon pass over his countenance. We remark that there are only men and boys among the crowd,--no women nor girls. The crowd increases,--there is expectation on their countenances, as if something of importance is about to happen. Still we can obtain no information from Taro; he only says, "You will see, you will see." "A very well-behaved set of people are these," observes Golding. "In England, among such a crowd, there would be fighting and squabbling. I would as lief be one of these happy islanders as an Englishman, with all our religion and civilisation." "I have an idea, begging pardon, Master Golding, that you are not yet very well acquainted with these happy islanders," observes Tony Hinks. "It strikes me that ere long you will change your opinion. Wait a bit; as Tom Tar says, you will see--you will see." CHAPTER FOUR. A NARROW ESCAPE. The air is warm and balmy, the blue sea sparkles brightly, the lofty mountains, glowing in the sunshine, rise up majestically into the clear sky, the graceful palm-trees gently wave their boughs; all nature is smiling with life, and health, and beauty, and all the perfections which a bountiful Creator has spread over these regions. "What a paradise," exclaims the surgeon. "I agree with Golding, I should be well content to remain here to end my days."