IN WHICH OUR HERO SUGGESTS A PLAN WHICH GETS THE PARTY OUT OF ONE
DIFFICULTY BUT PLUNGES THEM INTO ANOTHER.
How long Wandering Will would have lain in the midst of his slumbering
comrades, indulging in gloomy reveries, it is impossible to say, for he
was suddenly startled out of them by the appearance of a black object on
the sea, at a considerable distance from the shore. Will's couch was
near the open entrance to the tent, and from the spot where his head lay
pillowed on his coat, he could see the lagoon, the opening in the reef,
and the ocean beyond. He rose softly, but quickly, and went out to
assure himself that his disturbed fancy had not misled him. No--there
could be no doubt about it. Grey dawn was already breaking, and enabled
him to see it distinctly--a dark moving speck on the sea far outside the
reef. It could not be a gull or sea-bird, he felt persuaded; neither
was it a ship, for his eye during the voyage had become a practised one
in observing distant vessels. It might be a boat!
Full of this idea, and trembling with hope and anxiety, he returned to
the tent, and gently awoke the captain.
"Sh! don't speak," he whispered, laying his hand on the captain's mouth.
"I'm convinced it is a boat," continued Will, as he stood beside the now
smouldering fire, while the captain gazed long and earnestly through his
telescope at the object on the sea.
"You're only half-right," said the other, with unusual seriousness, as
he handed the glass to his companion; "it's a canoe--a large one, I
think, and apparently full of men; but we shan't be left long in doubt
as to that; our fire has evidently attracted them, and now we must
prepare for their reception."
"Do you then doubt their friendliness?" asked Will, returning the glass
to the captain, who again examined the approaching canoe carefully.
"Whether they shall turn out to be friends or foes, doctor, depends
entirely on whether they are Christians or heathens. If the
missionaries have got a footing amongst 'em, we are saved; if not--I
wouldn't give much for our chance of seeing Old England again."
The captain's voice dropped as he said this, and his face was overspread
with an expression of profound gravity.
"Do you _really_ believe in all the stories we have heard of the
blood-thirstiness of these savages, and their taste for human flesh?"
asked Will, with some anxiety.
"Believe them!" exclaimed the captain, with a bitter, almost ferocious
laugh; "of course I do. I have _seen_ them at their bloody work, lad.
It's all very well for shore-goin' folk in the old country to make their
jokes about `Cold missionary on the sideboard,' and to sing of the `King
of the Cannibal Islands;' but, as sure as there is a sky over your head,
and a coral island under your feet, so certainly do the South Sea
savages kill, roast, and eat their enemies, and so fond are they of
human flesh that, when they can't get hold of enemies, they kill and eat
their slaves. Look, you can make out the canoe well enough now without
the glass; she's makin' straight for the opening in the reef. The sun
will be up in half an hour, and they'll arrive about the same time.
Come, let us rouse the men."
Hastening down to the tent, the captain raised the curtain, and shouted
hoarsely--
"Hallo, lads, turn out there--turn out. Here's a canoe in sight--look
alive!"
Had a bomb-shell fallen into the midst of the sleepers, it could
scarcely have produced more commotion among them. Every one sprang up
violently.
"Hooroo!" shouted Larry O'Hale, "didn't I say so? Sure it's mysilf was
draimin' of ould Ireland, an' the cabin in the bog wi' that purty little
crature--" He stopped abruptly, and added, "Och! captain dear, what's
wrong?"
"Hold you tongue, Larry, for a little, and keep your cheerin' till you
have done fightin', for it's my opinion we may have something to do in
that way ere long."
"Faix, it's mysilf as can enjoy a taste o' that too," said Larry,
buttoning his jacket and turning up his cuffs.
By this time the canoe was approaching the passage in the reef, and the
whole party hastened to the beach, where they held a hasty council of
war, for it was now clear that the canoe was one of the largest size--
capable of holding nearly a hundred men--and that it was quite full of
naked savages. In a few words the captain explained to the men the
character of the islanders, as ascertained by himself on previous
voyages, and showed how hopeless would be their case if they turned out
to be heathens.
"Now," said he, "we are fifteen in number, all told, with two muskets,
one pistol, three or four cutlasses, and a small supply of ammunition.
If these men prove to be enemies, shall we attack them, and try to take
their canoe, or shall we at once lay down our arms and trust to their
generosity? Peace or war, that's the question?"
Larry at once declared for war, and several of the more fiery spirits
joined him, among whom was Will Osten; for the young doctor shrank with
horror from the idea of being roasted and eaten!
"I vote for peace," said the mate gloomily.
"Sure, Mr Cupples," exclaimed Larry, "I wonder at that, for it's little
pace ye gave us aboord the _Foam_."
"It's not possible," continued the mate--taking no notice of the cook's
remark, nor of the short laugh which followed it--"it's not possible for
fifteen men, armed as we are, to beat a hundred savages, well supplied
with clubs and spears--as I make no doubt they are--so I think we should
trust to their friendliness."
"Bah!" whispered Larry to the man next him; "he knows that he's too
tough and dry for any savage in his siven sinses to ait _him_, cooked or
raw, and so he hopes to escape."
"Mr Cupples is right, lads," said the captain; "we'd have no chance in
a fair fight, an' though I make no doubt we should kill double our
number in the scrimmage, what good would that do?"
Some of the men here seconded the captain; the others began to waver,
and it was finally decided that they should at least begin with pacific
advances.
When the council broke up, the sailors went down to the water's edge and
awaited her arrival. As she came nearer, it became apparent that she
was a war-canoe fill with warriors. Steadily and swiftly she advanced
to within a short distance of the shore. Then the paddlers suddenly
ceased, and she was allowed to drift slowly in, while a splendid looking
savage stood up in the bow with a shield on his left arm and a javelin
in his right hand.
The chief, for such he evidently was, wore no clothing, except a piece
of native cloth round his loins; but his whole body was elaborately
tatooed with various devices; and this species of decoration, coupled
with the darkness of his skin, did away very much with the appearance of
nakedness. He seemed as if he had been clothed in a dark skin-tight
dress. But the most conspicuous part about him was the top of his head,
on which there seemed to be a large turban, which, on closer inspection,
turned out to be his own hair curled and fizzed out artificially.
Altogether he was an imposing and gigantic fellow.
When about fifty yards from the shore, the savages checked the canoe's
progress and stood up. Now was the time for action, so, according to
previous arrangement, the sailors laid their weapons down on the beach,
and held up their hands, at the same time making such signs of
friendship as they thought would be understood. The savages, who were
quick-witted fellows, at once ran the canoe ashore, leaped out, and
hastened towards the white men.
As they did so, Captain Dall put his telescope to his eye for a moment,
wishing to scan closely the features of the chief. Instantly the whole
band turned with a howl, and, making towards the canoe, jumped in and
pushed off.
"Ha!" exclaimed the captain, with a smile, "these fellows have been
fired at by Europeans before now. They evidently mistook my telescope
for a musket."
The savages paused, and again faced about at a short distance from the
beach, and the captain sought by every imaginable sign and gesticulation
to remove the bad impression he had so innocently created. He
succeeded. In a short time the natives again landed and advanced
towards them. On drawing near, the chief stopped and made a short
speech--which, of course, none of the white men understood. To this
Captain Dall replied in a short speech--which, of course, none of the
natives understood. Both parties looked very amiably, however, at each
other, and by degrees drew closer together, when the natives began to
manifest much curiosity in reference to the costume of the sailors.
Soon they became more familiar, and the truth of the proverb, that,
"familiarity breeds contempt," was quickly illustrated by one of the
savages seizing hold of the musket which Larry O'Hale carried. The hot
blood of the Irishman instantly fired.
"Let go, ye dirty bit o' mahogany," he cried, holding the musket tight
with his left hand, and clenching his right in a threatening manner.
Captain Dall, foreseeing what would be the result of a blow, sought to
create a diversion by raising his telescope to his eye. The
quick-sighted savage observed the motion, let go his hold of the musket
and shrank behind his comrades, who, however, did not appear disposed to
screen him, for they all began to dodge behind each other until the
telescope was lowered.
The temporary distraction of attention which this incident caused
emboldened another savage to pounce upon the other musket, which was
carried by old Bob. He wrenched it out of the sailor's hand and bounded
away with a shout, swinging it over his head. Unfortunately his fingers
touched the trigger and the piece exploded, knocking down the man who
held it, and sending the ball close past the chief's ear.
Instantly there followed a loud yell, clubs were brandished, cutlasses
gleamed, and blood would certainly have been spilt had not Captain Dall
suddenly seized the chief by the shoulders and rubbed noses with him.
He knew this to be the mode of salutation among some of the South Sea
tribes, and sought to make a last effort at conciliation. The act was
reciprocated by the chief, who signed to his men to forbear.
Captain Dall now felt convinced that any undecided course of action
would only render their case more desperate, so he turned to his men
with a look of authority and said sternly--
"My lads, we have only one hope left to us, and that is, submission.
Throw down your weapons, and put your trust in the Almighty."
The men obeyed--some with hesitation and others sullenly; they flung
their cutlasses on the sand and crossed their arms on their breasts. No
sooner was this done than the savages rushed upon them in overwhelming
numbers, and they were instantly overpowered. Larry O'Hale and Will
Osten, with some of the younger men, struggled fiercely, and knocked
down several of their opponents before they were subdued, but against
such overwhelming odds they had no chance. It would have been better
for them had they acted on the captain's advice. Whatever is worth
doing is worth doing well, and this truth is not less applicable to the
act of submission than to that of resistance. The only result of their
ill-timed display of valour was the tighter fastening of the cords with
which the savages bound them hand and foot, and somewhat rough handling
when they, with their comrades, were tossed into the bottom of the
canoe.
After the sailors were secured, the natives collected the provisions
that had been brought by them to the island, and stowed these also in
the canoe. This occupied a considerable time, for they were so careful
to avoid missing anything, that they ranged over the whole island,
examining every part minutely, and leaving nothing behind that had the
slightest appearance of value in their eyes. During all this time the
white men were left lying in the water which had leaked into the canoe.
Indeed, the valiant Larry would certainly have been drowned, but for the
aid extended to him by our hero, for he chanced to have been thrown into
the canoe with his face downwards near the stern, and as the water
gradually settled down there from the prow, which was raised on the
sand, it covered his mouth. Fortunately Will, who was near him, managed
to assist the unfortunate man in his struggles so as to enable him to
rest his head on the blade of a paddle!
When everything belonging to the crew of the _Foam_ had been collected,
the savages returned to their canoe, re-launched her, paddled out to
sea, and ere long left the little coral island out of sight behind them.