THE HEGIRA, OR FLIGHT "I SAY, doctor," cried I, a few days after my adventure with the goblin, as, in the absence of our host, we were one morning lounging upon the matting in his dwelling, smoking our reed pipes, "Tamai's a thriving place; why not settle down ?" "Faith!" said he, "not a bad idea, Paul.

But do you fancy they'll let us stay, though ?" "Why, certainly; they would be overjoyed to have a couple of Karhowrees for townsmen." "Gad! you're right, my pleasant fellow.

Ha! ha! I'll put up a banana-leaf as a physician from London--deliver lectures on Polynesian antiquities--teach English in five lessons, of one hour each--establish power-looms for the manufacture of tappa--lay out a public park in the middle of the village, and found a festival in honour of Captain Cook!" "But, surely, not without stopping to take breath," observed I.
The doctor's projects, to be sure, were of a rather visionary cast; but we seriously thought, nevertheless, of prolonging our stay in the valley for an indefinite period; and, with this understanding, we were turning over various plans for spending our time pleasantly, when several women came running into the house, and hurriedly besought us to heree! heree! (make our escape), crying out something about the Mickonarees.
Thinking that we were about to be taken up under the act for the suppression of vagrancy, we flew out of the house, sprang into a canoe before the door, and paddled with might and main over to the opposite side of the lake.
Approaching Rartoo's dwelling was a great crowd, among which we perceived several natives, who, from their partly European dress, we were certain did not reside in Tamai.
Plunging into the groves, we thanked our stars that we had thus narrowly escaped being apprehended as runaway seamen, and marched off to the beach.

This, at least, was what we thought we had escaped.
Having fled the village, we could not think of prowling about its vicinity, and then returning; in doing so we might be risking our liberty again.

We therefore determined upon journeying back to Martair; and setting our faces thitherward, we reached the planters' house about nightfall.