The fourth was also young, and a powerful-looking man, but much fairer, who wore several articles of European clothing, and carried a musket.
These formidable characters stood in the cave facing the maid, who sternly maintained her station before the couch, when, after a few threatening imprecations, the old chief advanced, and, pushing her on one side, she gave a loud scream, flung herself on her charge, giving vent to supplicating exclamations, which arrested the old warrior, and seemed to affect him for a while.
On seeing this the warrior with the musket put in some demonstrations apparently unfavorable to Charlie, and seeming to incite the chief in his first intentions, when the young girl sprung up and retaliated upon the last speaker in words which evidently carried force and argument, and which turned affairs somewhat in her favor.
Charlie now stood up by the side of his protectress, and, with supplications for mercy in his defenceless state, evoked their clemency by many signs and words, impressing upon them his late shipwreck, and being saved from drowning by the brave girl at his side.
A visible change took place in the looks of the spectators at this appeal; the old chief and the two young warriors were evidently favorable to Charlie and his protectress, but the half-civilised savage was unquestionably antagonistic in the highest degree; for, on seeing the tables turned, he rushed from the cave muttering threats of future revenge, and which for the moment affected the others with awe and dread. However, after another exhortation from the young girl, their peaceable intention again manifested itself towards the castaway, and, laving down their arms, a long conversation took place between them and the girl, the subject of which seemed to be the "pakeha" or white man. At the conclusion of this deliberation, the young girl, with a countenance beaming with joy, intimated to Charlie that he was now at liberty to leave the cave, and follow them to a place where he would be furnished with better accommodation, and free from annoyance for the future.
