“In time,” he continued, “I grew more contented and ceased to look out to sea. About that time I married, according to the native custom, a young and beautiful girl, the daughter of the reigning queen of the island. Think not that I was soon comforted for the loss of the wife I had left at home, for that was not the case; but the princess loved me and one day two of the warriors came to tell me that I was expected to marry her, and, as a refusal on my part would result in my death, I consented to the proposal, thinking to leave her behind me when I returned to my own country; but the girl I married was so beautiful, so gentle, so affectionate and devoted, that I learned to love her deeply and mourned her loss greatly when she was taken away from me by death.” “But you have not told us, as yet, how you came here,” broke in Allen. “Will you not tell us about it?” “’Tis a tale soon told,” he replied. “I left England thirty years ago. It was on the thirteenth of January, 1857, and I shall never forget that day. I think it is thirty years since then, am I right?” “Yes,” answered Allen, “you are right. Thirty years, and a little over, as it is now March.” “As I was saying, I left England, bound for Australia, on that day. We had pleasant enough passage until we had almost reached our destination, when we encountered one of those horrors of the sea—a cyclone. For days we were at the mercy of the wind, our masts gone and a greater part of the upper works washed away. Our ship began to leak so fast, that with the most desperate efforts we could no longer keep her afloat and were driven to take to the boats. One boat was smashed against the vessel’s side; a second was swamped by the suction produced by the sinking ship. We, in our boat, alone escaped, but our sufferings were intense. What with the stormy waves that dashed over us, carrying away three of our number, the horrible hunger we had to undergo, being without anything to eat, and the frightful thirst that overtook us before we reached this island, my sufferings were so great, that, whereas my hair had been as black as Ahleka’s there, when I sailed from home, when I landed here it was as you see it now. Finally we were thrown on the reef, that extends almost around this island. Our boat quickly went to pieces and we clung to portions of the wreckage, hoping to be at last thrown on the island. Just as we were almost exhausted, and about to give up, we saw several canoes, containing natives, coming rapidly toward us. They had been surf bathing, and seeing our terrible position, and being kindly natured, had come to our assistance. We were soon in the canoes, but there were only three of us, whereas, when the boat struck the reef, three had been five, but they were nowhere to be seen. After bringing us to this village they cared for us with the greatest kindness. It was not long before one of our number, a young doctor, was happily settled in a