The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-11

try covered with clumpS of wild
banana trees, Pat, after little search
ing, found a disused path, whcih wound
up the mountain side. 1t was in many
places oyergrown with vines and creep
ers, and had evidently not been trod-
den upon by human feet for many
years.
There was once" he said. "a village
up there on the top of the mountain.
Varogi built it for a stronghold, and
when l was but a lad Norok and two
hundred Of our people surprised Ii In
the night and killed all in it. He
marched only at night time, and was
three days passing though the forest,
and fell upon the village Just before
dawn, when all the people were asleep.
Only very few escaped, and after that,
Varogi would let no one live there
again, although Norok did not burn all
the houses. Shall we go and look at
it," Then he added that i'm some of
the deserted plantations they would be
sure TO find plenty of ripe bananas and
pineapples which they could take to
the boat.
This was an inducement as they
were now short of provisions, and did
not know how long they might be in
getting to friendly LAX, so they told
Pat TO "go ahead
An hours climb brought them to the
deserted village, which was built on
the fiattened summit of one OF the
mountain spurs, and was almost hid
den from view by a number of huge
banyan ,rses. Many of the houses had
been burn I, but there were still half a
dozen standing, surrounded by the
usual lines of many-hued cretons. The
place was very silent, save for the
rustling trees overhead, and seemed
utterly devoid of bird or animal life
Far below were the green waters be-
tween the shore and the white waving
line of surf upon the barrier reef; be-
yOnd, the deep blue of the ocean; and
Pat pointed out quite a fleet of canoes
scattered about, either fishing, or pro-
ceeding on voyages along the coats,
which, he said, were ali manned by
Varogis people. LAX, owing to the con-
figuration of the land. could not be seen
from where they stood.
Presently, Pohiri discerned. a quarter
of mile away, grove of mountain
banana trees, and went off to get 4
bunch of the fruit, Pat remaining with
the white men, engaged in fashioning a
wooden spade to dig some yams to take
to the boat. The three had clambered
to the top of a square platform built of
stone. about ten feet in height, and
which was directly under the wide
spreading branches of a great banyan
tree. It was nearly twenty feet square,
and on it had once stood, SO Pat said
the chiefs rest house" which had
been burnt by NOrok when he surprised
the village. A thick layer of leaves
had fallen upon it in the course of
years, and whilst DenisOn and Castles
stretched themselves out upon it TO
await Pohiri's return, their savage
companion squatted beside them, and
continued to work. Yielding to fatigue,
and to the delightfully."- cool breeze, the
two white men were soon asleep, and
their example was SO contagious that
Pat, after his rude spade was finished,
Law down near them.
An hour passed and PohiTi had not
returned, and the three still slumbered.
Then came the murmur of distant
voices, and Pat. awoke with start,
and listened intently, then, turning on
his stomach crawled to the edge of the
platform, and peered down toward the
valley In an istant, he crept over to
Castles and Denison, and aroused them
i'm hurried whispers.
Lie still, keep quiet! There are many
people coming up the hill from the val
ley. 1 can hear their voices-and they
are Varogi's men!"