"What!" says Stygee, "did not you see him come?"--"No," says he.--"Oh," says she, "he came in the air, and was a long time over the city before he descended."--"That's impossible," says the old priest, "for he is smooth like us."--"Indeed, sir," says she, "I saw him, and so did most of the court." The king and nobles then attesting this truth: "Sir," says the priest to the king, "it is completed, and your majesty must do the rest." "I little expected," says the king, "to see this day; and now, daughter, as this message was designed for you, you only can answer it. But still I must say it surpasses my comprehension, that in the decree of Providence it should be so ordered that the very hand which brings the accomplishment of what has been so long since foretold us, should, without design, have first destroyed all that could have rendered the marriage state uncomfortable to you." Stygee then declared she submitted to fate and her father's will. I stayed here a week to view the country and the sea, which I heard was not far off. Here were many useful beasts for food and burden, fowls also in plenty, and fish near the sea-coasts, and the people eat flesh, so that I thought myself amongst mankind again. I made all the remarks the shortness of the time would allow, and then taking my leave departed. I returned to the colony, where I heard that the Little-landers had been on the coast; but I not being there, or any lading ready, they were gone away again; however, they had detained two of them. I was pleased with that, but sorry they were returned empty. I examined the prisoners, and by giving them liberty and good usage they settled amongst us; and the next fleet that came, the sailors to a man were all my own the moment they could get to shore. This, though I thought it would have spoiled our trade at first, brought the islanders and me to the following compromise, and upon this occasion. Their ships having laid on our coasts one whole season for want of hands to carry them back, I came to an agreement with their commanders (for they were all willing to return), that such a number of them should be left as hostages with me till the return of a number of my own men, which I should lend them to navigate their ships home; and I sent word to the zaps that as it might be beneficial to us both to keep the trade still on foot, to prevent the like inconveniences for the future, I would buy their shipping, paying for them in metals, and agree to furnish them yearly with such a quantity of my goods at a stated price, and would send them by my own people; which they approving, the trade went on in a very agreeable and profitable manner, and we in time built several new vessels of our own, and employed abundance of hands in the trade, and had plenty of handicraftsmen of different occupations, each of whom I obliged to keep three natives under him, to be trained up in his business. [Illustration: 5294] [Illustration: 0295] CHAPTER XXIII.