Imprisonment--Sinking hopes--Unexpected freedom to more than one, and
in more senses than one.
For a long, long month we remained in our dark and dreary prison,
during which dismal time we did not see the face of a human being,
except that of the silent savage who brought us our daily food.
There have been one or two seasons in my life during which I have felt
as if the darkness of sorrow and desolation that crushed my inmost
heart could never pass away until death should make me cease to feel.
The present was such a season.
During the first part of our confinement we felt a cold chill at our
hearts every time we heard a footfall near the cave--dreading lest it
should prove to be that of our executioner. But as time dragged heavily
on, we ceased to feel this alarm, and began to experience such a deep,
irrepressible longing for freedom, that we chafed and fretted in our
confinement like tigers. Then a feeling of despair came over us, and we
actually longed for the time when the savages would take us forth to
die! But these changes took place very gradually, and were mingled
sometimes with brighter thoughts; for there were times when we sat in
that dark cavern on our ledge of rock and conversed almost pleasantly
about the past, until we well-nigh forgot the dreary present. But we
seldom ventured to touch upon the future.
A few decayed leaves and boughs formed our bed, and a scanty supply of
yams and taro, brought to us once a day, constituted our food.
"Well, Ralph, how have you slept?" said Jack in a listless tone, on
rising one morning from his humble couch. "Were you much disturbed by
the wind last night?"
"No," said I; "I dreamed of home all night, and I thought that my
mother smiled upon me, and beckoned me to go to her; but I could not,
for I was chained."
"And I dreamed, too," said Peterkin; "but it was of our happy home on
the Coral Island. I thought we were swimming in the Water Garden; then
the savages gave a yell, and we were immediately in the cave at
Spouting Cliff, which, somehow or other, changed into this gloomy
cavern; and I awoke to find it true."
Peterkin's tone was so much altered by the depressing influence of his
long imprisonment that, had I not known it was he who spoke, I should
scarcely have recognised it, so sad was it, and so unlike to the merry,
cheerful voice we had been accustomed to hear. I pondered this much,
and thought of the terrible decline of happiness that may come on human
beings in so short a time; how bright the sunshine in the sky at one
time, and in a short space how dark the overshadowing cloud! I had no
doubt that the Bible would have given me much light and comfort on this
subject, if I had possessed one, and I once more had occasion to regret
deeply having neglected to store my memory with its consoling truths.
While I meditated thus, Peterkin again broke the silence of the cave by
saying, in a melancholy tone, "Oh, I wonder if we shall ever see our
dear island more!"
His voice trembled, and covering his face with both hands, he bent down
his head and wept. It was an unusual sight for me to see our once
joyous companion in tears, and I felt a burning desire to comfort him;
but alas! what could I say? I could hold out no hope; and although I
essayed twice to speak, the words refused to pass my lips. While I
hesitated, Jack sat down beside him, and whispered a few words in his
ear; while Peterkin threw himself on his friend's breast, and rested
his head on his shoulder.
Thus we sat for some time in deep silence. Soon after we heard
footsteps at the entrance of the cave, and immediately our jailer
entered. We were so much accustomed to his regular visits, however,
that we paid little attention to him, expecting that he would set down
our meagre fare, as usual, and depart. But to our surprise, instead of
doing so, he advanced towards us with a knife in his hand, and, going
up to Jack, he cut the thongs that bound his wrists, then he did the
same to Peterkin and me! For fully five minutes we stood in speechless
amazement, with our freed hands hanging idly by our sides. The first
thought that rushed into my mind was that the time had come to put us
to death; and although, as I have said before, we actually wished for
death in the strength of our despair, now that we thought it drew
really near, I felt all the natural love of life revive in my heart,
mingled with a chill of horror at the suddenness of our call.
But I was mistaken. After cutting our bonds, the savage pointed to the
cave's mouth, and we marched, almost mechanically, into the open air.
Here, to our surprise, we found the teacher standing under a tree, with
his hands clasped before him, and the tears trickling down his dark
cheeks. On seeing Jack, who came out first, he sprang towards him, and,
clasping him in his arms, exclaimed--"Oh, my dear young friend, through
the great goodness of God you are free!"
"Free?" cried Jack.
"Ay, free," repeated the teacher, shaking us warmly by the hands again
and again--"free to go and come as you will. The Lord has unloosed the
bonds of the captive, and set the prisoners free, A missionary has been
sent to us, and Tararo has embraced the Christian religion! The people
are even now burning their gods of wood! Come, my dear friends, and see
the glorious sight."
We could scarcely credit our senses. So long had we been accustomed in
our cavern to dream of deliverance, that we imagined for a moment this
must surely be nothing more than another vivid dream. Our eyes and
minds were dazzled, too, by the brilliant sunshine, which almost
blinded us after our long confinement to the gloom of our prison, so
that we felt giddy with the variety of conflicting emotions that filled
our throbbing bosoms; but as we followed the footsteps of our sable
friend, and beheld the bright foliage of the trees, and heard the cries
of the paroquets, and smelt the rich perfume of the flowering shrubs,
the truth, that we were really delivered from prison and from death,
rushed with overwhelming power into our souls, and with one accord,
while tears sprang to our eyes, we uttered a loud, long cheer of joy.
It was replied to by a shout from a number of the natives who chanced
to be near. Running towards us, they shook us by the hand with every
demonstration of kindly feeling. They then fell behind, and forming a
sort of procession, conducted us to the dwelling of Tararo.
The scene that met our eyes here was one that I shall never forget. On
a rude bench in front of his house sat the chief. A native stood on his
left hand, who from his dress seemed to be a teacher. On his right
stood an English gentleman, who I at once and rightly concluded was a
missionary. He was tall, thin, and apparently past forty, with a bald
forehead and thin grey hair. The expression of his countenance was the
most winning I ever saw, and his clear grey eye beamed with a look that
was frank, fearless, loving, and truthful. In front of the chief was an
open space, in the centre of which lay a pile of wooden idols, ready to
be set on fire; and around these were assembled thousands of natives,
who had come to join in or to witness the unusual sight. A bright smile
overspread the missionary's face as he advanced quickly to meet us, and
he shook us warmly by the hands.
"I am overjoyed to meet you, my dear young friends," he said. "My
friend and _your_ friend, the teacher, has told me your history; and I
thank our Father in heaven, with all my heart, that He has guided me to
this island, and made me the instrument of saving you."
We thanked the missionary most heartily, and asked him in some surprise
how he had succeeded in turning the heart of Tararo in our favour.
"I will tell you that at a more convenient time," he answered;
"meanwhile we must not forget the respect due to the chief. He waits to
receive you."
In the conversation that immediately followed between us and Tararo,
the latter said that the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been
sent to the island, and that to it we were indebted for our freedom.
Moreover, he told us that we were at liberty to depart in our schooner
whenever we pleased, and that we should be supplied with as much
provision as we required. He concluded by shaking hands with us warmly,
and performing the ceremony of rubbing noses.
This was indeed good news to us, and we could hardly find words to
express our gratitude to the chief and to the missionary.
"And what of Avatea?" inquired Jack.
The missionary replied by pointing to a group of natives in the midst
of whom the girl stood. Beside her was a tall, strapping fellow, whose
noble mien and air of superiority bespoke him a chief of no ordinary
kind.
"That youth is her lover. He came this very morning in his war-canoe to
treat with Tararo for Avatea. He is to be married in a few days, and
afterwards returns to his island home with his bride!"
"That's capital," said Jack, as he stepped up to the savage and gave
him a hearty shake of the hand. "I wish you joy, my lad; and you too,
Avatea."
As Jack spoke, Avatea's lover took him by the hand and led him to the
spot where Tararo and the missionary stood, surrounded by most of the
chief men of the tribe. The girl herself followed, and stood on his
left hand while her lover stood on his right, and, commanding silence,
made the following speech, which was translated by the missionary:--
"Young friend, you have seen few years, but your head is old. Your
heart also is large and very brave. I and Avatea are your debtors, and
we wish, in the midst of this assembly, to acknowledge our debt, and to
say that it is one which we can never repay. You have risked your life
for one who was known to you only for a few days. But she was a woman
in distress, and that was enough to secure to her the aid of a
Christian man. We, who live in these islands of the sea, know that the
true Christians always act thus. Their religion is one of love and
kindness. We thank God that so many Christians have been sent here; we
hope many more will come. Remember that I and Avatea will think of you
and pray for you and your brave comrades when you are far away."
To this kind speech Jack returned a short, sailor-like reply, in which
he insisted that he had only done for Avatea what he would have done
for any woman under the sun. But Jack's forte did not lie in
speech-making, so he terminated rather abruptly by seizing the chief's
hand and shaking it violently, after which he made a hasty retreat.
"Now then, Ralph and Peterkin," said Jack, as we mingled with the
crowd, "it seems to me that the object we came here for having been
satisfactorily accomplished, we have nothing more to do but get ready
for sea as fast as we can, and hurrah for dear old England!"
"That's my idea precisely," said Peterkin, endeavouring to wink; but he
had wept so much of late, poor fellow, that he found it difficult.
"However, I'm not going away till I see these fellows burn their gods."
Peterkin had his wish, for in a few minutes afterwards fire was put to
the pile, the roaring flames ascended, and amid the acclamations of the
assembled thousands the false gods of Mango were reduced to ashes!