The natives were apprised of their wish to go, when they immediately repaired to the mountains, got them small pigs, a quantity of bread fruit, cocoa-nuts, bananas, &c., also a few calabashes of water. With the most sanguine expectations they started, having nothing to guide them but a small boat compass, and promising to return and take us away. Of this we had no hopes, believing it would be an adventure of constant and unmitigated suffering, terminating in death. We watched them as long as discernible from the beach, when, unwilling to lose sight of them, we ascended a high bluff, where with straining eyes we anxiously followed them, till by night and distance, they were entirely excluded. With heavy hearts we returned to the valley, determined to conform, in every instance, to their whims and notions, however humiliating, hoping by so doing to obtain their confidence, which would be of vast importance to us. After a few days spent among them, in which we most scrutinizingly watched their every movement, we were taken around to the other valleys or tribes. The island is composed of high bluffs, running from the water inland. Between each mountain or bluff is a low fertile valley through which a small rivulet courses itself. The banks are lined with orange groves, bread fruit trees and plantains, &c., which grow in the greatest luxuriance. These valleys are occupied by different tribes, each bearing a mark peculiar to themselves. Some bear it upon the hands, others upon the face, breast, &c. The tribe with which I was connected[121] bore it upon the hands, wrists and ancles. This was the largest tribe on the island, called the Teheda. Each tribe which we visited were exceedingly joyous at our approach, gathering around and examining us minutely, and almost deafening us with their confounded gibbering. At night the huts in which we stayed were filled to overflowing, so eager were they to see the "Tehoary" or white man, as they called us. We went on day after day. On the seventh day Dawson was taken sick through the influence of the sun upon his head, or correctly speaking, was sun struck. At mid-day he would be raving, so much so, as to render it extremely difficult to take care of him. Destitute as we were of medicine and medical skill, we could do but little for him. As the day advanced and the sun declined, he would be more quiet, and remain so until its approach the next day, when he was again delirious. On the fourth day he expired in the most excruciating agony. We had seen death seize upon his victims in almost every form, but never before had he approached seemingly so near. As a last sad office to be performed to our departed friend, we set about digging a grave, as best we could with our rude implements of digging.