midnight
I and those who were with me sat down in the shade of some trees , while a native went to find the inhabitants who had hid themselves in a thicket of mangroves . As soon as the chief heard that I was there , and what I had come for , he declared he would be a Christian forthwith ; and four or five of his principal men followed his example . They came to me , and entered fully into my object ; and it was decided that we should go on immediately to the fortress where those who wished to carry on war had intrenched themselves . We got there just as the sun was setting ; and from that time till midnight I was engaged in what I saw now for the first time ; a savage council of war . Grim black warriors covered with black powder sat or stood about , on a little clear spot of ground where the moon shone down ; muskets and clubs and spears lay on the glass and were scattered about among the boles of the trees ; a heathen-looking scene . Till midnight we talked , and hard talking too ; then it was ended as I had prayed it might . The party with whom I was had suffered already in battle and had not had their revenge ; it was difficult to give that up ; but at last the chief got up and put his hand in mine .