"I know that I can trust you. Peter, and I'll tell the captain that
I'll undertake to bring you back," he answered.
I was glad to find that Jim was to form one of the party. Horner also
got leave to go. Though he and I were on good terms, I can't say I
looked upon him as a friend, but I was well pleased that he should have
a run on shore, as I hoped that it would put him in good humour, for of
late he had become one of the most constant grumblers on board. I even
now recollect the pleasure I felt on thus once more treading the firm
ground, as, except for the short time I had landed on Juan Fernandez, I
hadn't set foot on shore since I left Shetland. The rest of the seamen
seemed greatly to enjoy their freedom.
As soon as we had secured the boat we all set off together, running over
the rough black ground, startling a number of strange-looking creatures
like lizards, some of which slid off into the water, others hid
themselves in holes and crevices of the rocks.
Jim and I, however, went back to join the doctor, as we knew that he
would want us to carry anything he might chance to pick up. The mate,
after the men had had a good run, called them to him, and we proceeded
more leisurely. The shrubs we had seen we found to be prickly pears.
We had gone some distance when we caught sight of some enormous
creatures like tortoises. The doctor called them terrapins. They had
been feeding on the prickly pears, and were now leisurely making their
way towards the hills which rose in the distance. We were all suffering
from thirst, and the sun beat down on our heads with a great heat. We
had in vain been looking for water.
"I'd give anything for a mugful!" cried Jim.
"So would I," "And I!" echoed several more of the men.
"You needn't have long to wait if you can catch those creatures," said
the doctor. "They'll yield as much cool water as we want."
We all set off running after the terrapins, which, as they didn't move
fast, we soon overtook. As we got close to them they drew their heads
into their shells, and remained quiet.
Horner had become unusually lively, and on seeing the creatures stop
jumped on the back of one of them, when immediately on it went carrying
him along with it. At first he thought it very good fun, and began
snapping his fingers and pretending to dance, but whilst he was looking
round at us the terrapin carried him against a prickly pear-bush, and
over he went sprawling on the ground, to the great amusement of the men.
"Oh, save me! Save me!" he shouted out, scarcely knowing what had
happened, and believing that the creatures were going to turn upon him
and run their bills into his body.
Jim and I helped him up, and found that he was bleeding from a cut hand
and a wound inflicted in his side by the point of one of the leaves.
The doctor, however, on arriving at the spot, examined his hurts and
comforted him by the assurance that there was not much the matter, and
that if he didn't think about it he could go on as well as the rest of
us.
We soon again overtook the terrapins, when the men who were armed with
spears ran them in under the creatures' necks and quickly killed them.
We turned them over, and under the doctor's directions, found, as he
said we should, plenty of perfectly cool water in their insides. It was
fresh as if just out of the spring. Leaving the terrapins to carry back
with us on our return, we pushed on in the hope of falling in with some
more. We were not disappointed. We in a short time killed four, as
many as we could manage to carry on board the boat, and sufficient to
give us fresh meat for several days. I was in hopes of meeting with
inhabitants, as I wanted, wherever I went, to make inquiries for Jack,
not knowing where I might find him. As Miles had come to the east, I
thought he might have found his way in the same direction. None of the
islands are, however, inhabited, and only one of them, Charles Island,
has a spring of water, though people might otherwise exist in them for
years. We saw a vast number of birds, which were very tame, but not a
single four-legged creature besides the terrapins and lizards. We had
to make several trips to carry the meat to the boat. As we shoved off
we saw the sea literally swarming with fish, and the next morning the
captain sent in two boats, which, in a short time, caught as many as we
could eat.
In the evening we sailed and cruised in the neighbourhood of the
islands, during which time we added the oil of four whales to our cargo.
We also met several other whalers, from all of whom I made inquiries
for Jack, but none of the people I spoke to had even heard of the wreck
of the _Helen_, and could give me no information. At length the crew
began to grumble at being kept so long at sea, and we sailed for Tumbez,
on the mainland, where we took in wood and water.
When this task was accomplished the captain gave leave to half of the
crew to go ashore, and to remain away three days. On their return the
other half had liberty granted them for the same time.
I accompanied the doctor. We went up the river some distance, and then
landing walked to a town surrounded by sand, far from having a pleasant
look. With the assistance of the doctor, I made inquiries for Jack,
thinking that if he belonged to a whaler he might have visited the
place; but I could gain no intelligence of him. The night before we
sailed it was my middle watch, and when it was over I tumbled into my
bunk.
I had been asleep for some time when I was awakened by hearing Horner's
voice, exclaiming, "You are here, then? Rouse up and come on deck. The
captain is in a great taking. He has found that a boat is missing and
some of the hands, and he declares that you have gone with them."
Slipping into my clothes, I hurried on deck. It was just daylight; the
captain was standing aft, looking in a fearful rage, while the second
mate was forward, shouting to the men to come up and show themselves.
"Do you want me, sir?" I asked.
"So you and Jim Pulley have not taken yourselves off?" he exclaimed.
"No, sir; we never thought of doing so, and I gave you my word that I
wouldn't desert."
He made no reply, but ordered Mr Griffiths to call over the names of
the men. Four were found missing.
"Take a boat and six men, well armed, and see you bring the rascals
back, alive or dead!" he exclaimed, turning to the mate.
In a couple of minutes the boat was in the water and the men were ready,
and Mr Griffiths pulled away.
He was absent for some hours. At last we saw his boat coming back, but
without the runaways. On reaching the deck Mr Griffiths reported that
he had gone up the river and examined the coast on either side of it,
but could find no traces of the boat or men.
As soon as Captain Hawkins had abandoned all hopes of recovering the
runaways he ordered Mr Griffiths to go again on shore to try and pick
up some fresh hands in their place, and I was sent to look after the
boat. On either side of the river as we pulled up it we saw numbers of
alligators sunning themselves on the sandy banks. As we got near them
they plunged into the water, and at first I thought they were about to
attack the boat.
As we got higher up, the river narrowed and the trees bent over our
heads. In the branches we could see numbers of monkeys leaping from
bough to bough and chattering at us. At last, after going six miles, we
reached a landing-place, near which was an orange-grove coming close
down to the water. Mr Griffiths, taking two men with him, ordered the
rest of us to remain in the boat, and on no account to quit her.
Scarcely, however, was he out of sight than the men declared that they
must have some oranges. When I reminded them of the orders I had
received they laughed at me, and one of them, springing ashore, ran off
to the grove. He soon again appeared, with a handkerchief in his hands
full of oranges, and sucking one as he came along. He was followed by
an old gentleman, whom I at once guessed to be the owner of the
orange-grove, and who came on till he reached the boat. He then stopped
and said something in his native language, which none of us understood.
When he found this he made signs to us that we had no business to take
his oranges without leave. I tried to explain by pointing to the men's
mouths that they were very thirsty, and that I couldn't prevent the
sailor from taking the fruit. Whether it was from my manner or looks I
can't say, but the old gentleman appeared to be pleased, and going back
to an orange-tree picked off a quantity of the fruit, which he brought
to me in his own handkerchief, patting me on the back at the same time,
as if he was satisfied with my explanations.
While sucking away at the oranges the men were kept quiet. All the time
the monkeys chattered away at us from the neighbouring trees, and an
ugly alligator would now and then poke his snout out of the water to
have a look at us, but the shouts we raised made him swim off. At last
Mr Griffiths appeared with four fresh hands, each man carrying a bundle
containing all his worldly possessions. As soon as they stepped into
the boat we shoved off, and gave way down the river. I was surprised to
find all the men talk in a way far superior to that of common sailors,
and soon found that they had deserted from American whalers, and had
been, before they came to sea, in good positions, which they had lost by
misconduct. The moment we got on board, though it was now late in the
evening, the captain ordered the anchor to be hove up, and as the wind
was off shore, we stood out to sea.
We proceeded at once to our old cruising ground in the neighbourhood of
the Galapagos. While we were on our way the new hands seemed perfectly
contented, having little or nothing to do. I, of course, inquired of
them if they had heard of anyone who had escaped from the _Helen_, but
they could give me no information. To my surprise, I found that, though
they had entered in different names, three of them were brothers, and
the fourth an old friend. One of the brothers appeared to be a quiet,
well-disposed man. As far as I could make out, he had come to sea to
look after the others, and to try and keep them out of mischief, though
he didn't appear to have been very successful, as time after time they
had got into all sorts of scrapes, and it was a wonder that they had
escaped with their lives. On reaching the old ground we fell in with a
number of whales, and had very hard work, for scarcely had we stowed
away the oil of one than we were in chase of another. The new hands
grumbled, and so did some of the others. Of course they couldn't
complain of our success in catching whales, that brought them the work
to do. The mates knew of their grumbling, but took no notice of it. At
last, one morning, when I came on deck, I found a letter lying on the
companion-hatch, addressed to Captain Hawkins. I, of course, took it to
him.
"Who sent this?" he asked, in an angry tone.
I told him where I had found it, and that I knew nothing more about the
matter.
Tearing it open, as he read it a frown gathered on his brow. "The
mutinous rascals! I'll not yield to them," he exclaimed. "Say nothing
about this till I come on deck," he said to me. "Send Mr Griffiths
here."
When the mate came the captain read the letter to him. They then armed
themselves and went on deck, when the second mate was ordered to muster
all hands aft.
"Who wrote this letter?" asked the captain, in a firm tone.
No one answered, and there was silence for some time, until the captain
repeated the question.
"It was Muggins," at last said one of the men.
Muggins was one of the last hands shipped, and though a man of some
education, he always seemed to me utterly worthless. He was a friend of
the three brothers, who went by the names of Washington, Crampton, and
Clifford.
"But in this precious letter I have the names of all the crew,"
exclaimed the captain.
Several of the men on this protested that they knew nothing about the
letter, and had not put their names to any paper.
"Well, then, let those who have agreed to it walk over to the port side,
and those who wish to stick to their duty and remain in the ship go to
the starboard side."
Eight only walked over, including those I have mentioned.
On this Miles Soper, stepping aft and touching his hat, said, "I never
like to peach on shipmates, but, as an honest man, I can't hold my
tongue. On two different nights I saw Muggins get up and change the
meat and throw dirt in among the bread. One night he carried up some of
the best pieces and hove them overboard.
"It's clear to me that he did it to make the rest of us discontented
with our victuals. I had made up my mind to speak about it, but I
couldn't catch him at it again, though I'm certain he played the same
trick more than once afterwards."
"I believe you, Soper," said the captain, and at a signal from him the
mates rushed forward and seized Muggins, whom they dragged aft, none of
the others interfering. The captain then produced a pair of handcuffs
which he had got ready, and fixed them on the wrists of the man. He
then called to Horner, Jim, and me to assist the mates, and together we
carried the man down below and shut him up in the cabin store-room, the
captain meantime remaining by himself on deck. When we returned we
found that the crew hadn't moved.
"Now, lads!" he said; "you who have made up your minds to remain in the
ship return to your duty."
On this the men on the starboard side went forward, but the remaining
seven mutineers stood where they were with their arms folded. I was in
hopes that, as they were no longer under the influence of Muggins, they
would yield, but they would make no promises. At length, tired of
standing where they were, they moved lazily along forward. Dr Cockle
told me that the captain intended to put into the Marquesas, where he
could get rid of the men and obtain others.
I found the next day that we were steering in that direction. After
this not one of them would do any work, though they were allowed to
remain at liberty. I fully expected that they would try to rescue their
companion, but the captain and mates kept an eye on them, as did Jim and
I.
It was tantalising to us to see whales every day and yet not to go in
chase of them, but the captain wouldn't send any boats away with the
good men in them for fear of what the others might do in their absence.
At length we reached Witahoo, one of the Marquesas, and brought up in a
beautifully sheltered bay. Had there been any English authorities in
the place the men would have been imprisoned, but as it was all the
captain could do was to release Muggins from his handcuffs, and to send
him and the other men ashore. The second mate went in one boat, and I
had command of the other. The mutineers were ordered to get into them,
and we pulled for the beach. Though they had only their clothes and a
few articles put up in bundles, they stepped on shore with as jaunty an
air as if they were going among friends, and having walked a little
distance they turned round and jeered and laughed at us.
"I pity you poor fellows who have to toil away on board that filthy
whaler," cried Muggins. "It's a shame that you haven't spirit enough to
lead the happy easy lives we are going to enjoy."
Before we shoved off several natives came down to the beach, with whom
the mutineers shook hands, as if they were old friends. Presently a
huge fellow appeared, who, judging from the way the rest treated him, we
supposed to be a chief. Though the others were of a gigantic size and
magnificent proportions, he was taller than any of them. Every part of
his body that we could see was tattooed over a deep blue colour, from
the crown of his head to his feet. His head was shaven, and every hair,
even to the eyelashes, was plucked out.
He introduced himself to the mate, who was standing up in the boat, as
Utatee, the chief of the island. He spoke a little English, and from
him we made out that a missionary resided a short distance off up the
bay. In a short time a number of other people came down, with several
women and children. Nearly all the latter appeared to me to be very
handsome, their good looks not being spoilt by tattooing. I have never
seen so many fine-looking people together in any part of the world. The
chief told us that we should be welcome to as much wood and water as we
required, and offered to supply us with fresh provisions at a cheap
rate.
Next day the missionary came on board, and warned us to beware of the
people. He had made but little progress with them, owing very much to
the misconduct of the runaway sailors who lived on shore and set them a
bad example. Still he had some converts, and he hoped, in time, to make
more. I told him about my brother Jack, and how anxious I was to find
him. I got Miles Soper to describe him minutely, and the missionary
kindly promised to make inquiries for him.
The captain returned with him on shore to look for men, and came back in
the evening with eight he had picked up. One of them was a runaway
sailor, who had been living on the island several years (such being
termed a beachcomber), a Portuguese, and six Kanakas, as the natives are
called.
Meantime the blacks and the Sandwich Islanders, with a few of the white
men, were employed in bringing off the fresh provisions we required. As
Dr Cockle wished to visit a part of the bay a little distance off, he
borrowed one of the boats manned with two natives, Jim Horner, and me.
We visited two or three spots, where the doctor collected some plants
and some shells from the shore. We were about to return when he
proposed that we should look into a little bay a short distance farther
on. The natives seemed disinclined to go there, and as far as we could
make out advised us to return to the shore, saying that there were bad
people in that neighbourhood.
The doctor, however, who supposed that they only wished to save
themselves from the longer pull, persisted in going on. As we got up
towards the head of the bay we saw several natives, who ran off as we
approached, and hid themselves behind the trees.
"We must be cautious, for perhaps our men here didn't warn us without
reason," observed the doctor as we pulled slowly in. Directly after he
exclaimed, "There are two men lying on the beach. Who can they be? We
must, at all events, go in and ascertain."
He had brought his fowling-piece, and we had besides two muskets. He
told Jim and me to stand up, with the muskets in our hands, for he
didn't like to trust Horner, while he stepped on shore. Just as the
boat reached the beach, and Jim, who was in the bows, was about to jump
out, he exclaimed, "Why I do believe those two fellows are Muggins and
Jones."
The doctor leaped on shore, looking carefully round to ascertain that no
natives were near. A cry of horror escaped him. The two men were dead,
with their skulls fractured, the brains lying about.
Their "free and happy" life on shore had come speedily to an end. Why
they had been killed it was difficult to say. The doctor, stooping
down, felt the bodies.
"They are perfectly cold, and must have been dead some time," he
observed. "They probably had a quarrel with some of the natives, and
were trying to escape to the beach to cry for help, when they were
overtaken."
As we could do nothing we returned to the ship, thankful that we had
escaped the treachery of the natives, though, as the doctor observed,
the men who had suffered had evidently brought it all upon themselves.