Yet Melannie sat
unmoved by the sight of these tortures, and even smiled when the poor
wretch had been drawn up to his awful doom, and cried out in his agony.
For that smile I felt that I could kill her.
Unable to control myself in the presence of such barbarities, I
abruptly left the place of execution and began to ascend the mountain,
at the foot of which the sacrifices were made, which I could see was
the cause of a commotion among the natives. As none offered to stay me,
however, I continued my way up the steep sides, which I found to be
composed of rocks and scoria, with occasional patches of coarse grass.
Among the slag of metals between the crevices of the rocks I unearthed
a number of gems, though none so large as those which Melannie had
given me, which I added to the collection I carried in a belt I had
made for the purpose. I knew it was unlikely these bits of coloured
crystal would ever be of value to me, but I carried them in the hope
that some day I might be rescued, when I would return home possessed of
the wealth I had coveted, and which I had risked my life to obtain.
As I explored the mountain I could hear the rumbling of the volcanic
fire within, while as I proceeded a rain of fine dust descended, making
further progress disagreeable.
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