So desperate a journey was it for a frail invalid like Miss Mackenzie, that one of the sailors took a spade to dig her grave with; and in fact she was soon prostrated with fever.

None of the party knew who lay sleeping in his grave under the trees.

The natives on the island entirely denied having seen or heard anything of the Bishop, and never gave Mr.Burrup's letter, fearing perhaps that some revenge might fall on them.

Baffled by not meeting him, Captain Wilson still would not leave the ladies till he should have seen them safe among their friends, and pushed on his boat with speed very unlike that of the tardy _Pioneer_, and thus, in a day and a half, arrived at Chibisa's, where the Malokolo came down to the boat, with tidings that, though their language was but imperfectly understood, were only too certain.

The brave and tender-hearted leader of the mission was dead! Still there was hope of Mr.Burrup; but Captain Wilson would not allow the young wife to take the difficult journey only to find desolation, but went on by land himself, leaving her with Miss Mackenzie, under charge of his ship's surgeon, Dr.Ramsay.