A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A QUEER RACE. 163 “Tike those who invaded the island in Denzil Fane’s time ?”’ | “Yes. Ineversawany. ButI havenot a doubt of it. And I fear they are invading the island a second time.” are the feat comers—the advance guard.” ‘* Yes, and they will be followed by thousands more, They have evidently chosen Swamp Island as their base of operations. The stroke we have so long feared has fallen. The safety, nay, the very existence of the com- monwealth depends on us. If we reach Fairhaven quickly, we will have such time for preparations as will enable us, please God, to make head against the danger. The Cariberoes are sure to be joined by most of the Gal- ibans, and if our people are taken by surprise and over- come, not a single Christian will be left alive; and we have only ourselves to depend upon.” “But the aborigines—the Caribs—you can surely count upon them?” “On their good-will, yes; but not on their help in the field. ‘I‘hey have lost their old fighting habits, and have not been trained as our young men have been trained. It was considered policy not to train them—a mistaken policy, In my opinion; but such ig the fact, and this is no time to cherish illusions.” ‘‘Do you know the country on the other side of the creek ?” ‘Pretty well. But you must be very familiar with a country to find your way through a thickly wooded dis- trict, where roads are scarce and peoplefew. There isa hamlet called Weston’s which cannot be very far off. We must make for that, and, with the help of your pocket- compass, I daresay we shall be able to get there.” in the meanwhile we were pushing on through bush and brake, wading swamps, clambering over fallen trees, our clothes in tatters, our hands and faces scratched with brambles and covered with blood—stopping at nothing in our race for life, yet all the while listening in- tently, and not for getting to keep a lookout for lurking enemies. At length our perseverance receives its reward. The channel is in sight. We have struck it (following in the track of the deer) at a point where it 1s wide and pre- and J am afraid you are right—these ~ (E(@) am C JOO gS (€ @)