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THE SHIPWRECK.
111

faintness coming over his whole frame, on making the slightest attempt to rise.

The young girl now sent away one of the maids, who, after some time, returned with some refreshments, of which he was pressed to partake. On tasting it, he found it revive him greatly; he was then allowed by his careful nurse to rise from his couch.

A long communication by signs was then held by them, the purport of which was that he was to remain for a time a prisoner in the cave, where he would be supplied with food, but, should he attempt to go beyond its precincts, he would be disposed of in a manner not very agreeable; he was, therefore, compelled to submit to the will of his young protectress, and remained passive in her hands.

Two days had passed in this manner, and the girl, with her maids, came punctually each morning with necessaries, and one of them always, in turn, kept him company during the day (the young one more so), and instructed him in their language, by which he was able to understand several things of consequence to him.

On the third day, being quite recovered, his young nurse came alone, punctual as usual with his morning meal. She then sat by his side, catechising his vocabulary in her own language, and also inspecting his white hands and features with admiration, as if he were an infant; her interesting occupation was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of one of her maids in a state of alarm and terror. On communicating some dire calamity (which Charlie was unable to understand) to her young mistress, the latter sprang quickly to her feet, made him lie down on the couch, and covered him with mats. Not knowing her intentions, or wishing to disobey her commands, he suffered himself to be thus placed, when, to his consternation, four savages rushed into the cave.

The first of these was a middle-aged warrior, who appeared by his many scars and other marks to be a chief, and after him entered two young men carrying enormous bludgeons, and painted over the body in warlike fashion.