Welookedaboutusuncertainwhithertodirectoursteps，sincethepathwehadsofarfollowedappearedtobelostintheopenspacearoundus。Atlastweresolvedtoenteragrovenearathand，andhadadvancedafewrods，when，justuponitsskirts，Ipickedupaslenderbread-fruitshootperfectlygreen，andwiththetenderbarkfreshlystriptfromit。Itwasslipperywithmoisture，andappearedasifithadbeenbutthatmomentthrownaside。Isaidnothing，butmerelyheldituptoToby，whostartedatthisundeniableevidenceofthevicinityofthesavages。
Theplotwasnowthickening-Ashortdistancefartherlayalittlefaggotofthesameshootsboundtogetherwithastripofbark。Couldithavebeenthrowndownbysomesolitarynative，who，alarmedatseeingus，hadhurriedforwardtocarrythetidingsofourapproachtohiscountrymen？-TypeeorHappar？-Butitwastoolatetorecede，sowemovedonslowly，mycompanioninadvancecastingeagerglancesunderthetreesoneitherside，untilallatonceI
sawhimrecoilasifstungbyanadder。Sinkingonhisknee，hewavedmeoffwithonehand，whilewiththeotherheheldasidesomeinterveningleaves，andgazedintentlyatsomeobject。
Disregardinghisinjunction，Iquicklyapproachedhimandcaughtaglimpseoftwofigurespartlyhiddenbythedensefoliage；theywerestandingclosetogether，andwereperfectlymotionless。Theymusthavepreviouslyperceivedus，andwithdrawnintothedepthsofthewoodtoeludeourobservation。
Mymindwasatoncemadeup。Droppingmystaff，andtearingopenthepackageofthingswehadbroughtfromtheship，Iunrolledthecottoncloth，andholdingitinonehand，pluckedwiththeotheratwigfromthebushesbesideme，andtellingTobytofollowmyexample，Ibrokethroughthecovertandadvanced，wavingthebranchintokenofpeacetowardstheshrinkingformsbeforeme。