“I cannot tell at all,” replied Sandie. “It appears so strange that so fertile and lovely an island as this should be lonesome and uninhabited.”
“Well, anyhow, Sandie, let us get farther into the interior.”
They wandered on and on, now through the greenery of the lovely woods, pausing often to admire the strange and beautiful flowers, that hung pendant or in garlands from the branches of the loftier trees, or to listen to the sweet low singing of some little bright-winged bird.
On and on they wander.
And now, all at once, a wide grassy glade opens out to their view.
Both Sandie and Willie shrink back appalled at the sight that meets their view.
Here are the ruins of a very large native village, with grass and creepers growing rank over the fallen walls.
Regaining courage, they venture forward, but do not proceed far before Willie trips, and almost falls over something in the grass. With the barrel of his gun he moves aside the weeds, A white ant-cleaned skeleton lies there. Lizards skurry away from it, grey lizards, red lizards, and green.
They shudder as they perceive that the skull has been cloven as if with an axe.
But they do not go much farther ere they come upon many, very many skeletons, and all bear the marks of violence.