"Where is everyone?"

The village is more than the Americans expected, they thought there would be some grass huts, a few walls of stacked rocks maybe, certainly not, THIS. almost all of the buildings are built from bamboo, grass, and other native plants, but that's where the similarities to what they expected end.

For one thing MOST buildings are two or even three stories high, cunningly crafted from native woods and tough rope of some kind, with doors made from bamboo frames filled with mats made of palm leaves. similarly shuttered windows, and thatched roofs.

For another there is a swift flowing wide stream crashing noisily over a bed of tumbled stones, which is crossed in two places by bridges made from four palm trunks lashed together, with attached railings and what look like they were supposed to be frames for thatched roofs but never got finished.

For a third there are little garden plots scattered all over growing a variety of tropical vegetables, from peppers to elephant ear, sweet potatoes, and plantain, along with a half dozen other types of edible plant, including what looks for all the world like an oversize succulent fern.

This is not what truly shocks them however: it is that other than the siblings they have already met there is no one to greet them.

"Where is everyone?" Mrs Caldwell asks, puzzled, then looks at the rest of the landing party and says. "Everyone stick together, I have a bad feeling about this."