were more terrible; and required more skill to parry them off with his small shield, but they also shared the same fate, being met with wonderful steadiness, amidst the acclamations of the tribe, until the whole had been thrown, when Matoka was led forth in triumph for his unparalleled victory.
CHAP. XXIV.
A WELCOME STRANGER.
The attempted escape of the white captive led Bungilina to set a strict guard over her day and night, and her heroic companion, Matoka, was forbidden holding any conversation with her, merely supplying and attending her, with necessaries for her subsistence and comfort. This added greatly to her unhappy and forlorn state.
The loss of Matoka's company and confidence was, however, partly replaced by a little orphan boy, whose father has been, as already stated, shot by the white men, when besieged in their stockade, and his mother having died of grief at the loss of her husband.
Lindigo took pity on the boy, and as an atonement for the unfortunate and unavoidable act of her own race, she adopted him and became his protectress. Takawarrant fully acknowledged the kindness and attention thus bestowed upon him, which exceeded that of his mother, and, consequently, he became more attached to the generous Lindigo than to his late parents, whose loss he soon forgot.
His insignificance and youth admitted him to the meetings; he thus became aware of the secrets and intentions of the tribe, through which Lindigo was made fully acquainted with their transactions since Matoka's estrangement. But, alas! since the fates had apparently set their faces against her, this last source of happiness was soon snatched from her; for one day, as some of the tribe were visiting the mainland, and had encamped in the scrub, near the lake, an alarm was raised by the man on watch, when she was forced by Bungilina
