The night passed by, and as dawn at length broke, the mate rousing up
all hands, we hoisted the sail, and again stood towards the land. The
sea was smooth, and the wind light and fair.
As we glided on, the mate told Brown to stand up in the bows and keep a
look-out for reefs. As we approached the land we could see trees on the
shore and some on the hill, so that we had no doubt that we should find
fresh water. It was a question, however, whether or not it was
inhabited, and, if so, whether the natives would prove friendly or
hostile. The mate told the doctor that he believed it was one of the
most north-western of the Caroline group, the natives of which are
generally more friendly to strangers than the inhabitants of the islands
farther south; still, they are perfect savages, and it would be
dangerous to trust them. We could, however, see no smoke or other signs
of the country being inhabited.
We had not gone far, when Brown sang out, "Starboard! Hard a-starboard!
A reef ahead!"
On this the mate, luffing up, ordered us to lower the sail. It was done
in an instant, and not a moment too soon, for we saw close abeam a coral
reef not two feet under the surface.
"We may be thankful that we didn't stand on during the night," said Mr
Griffiths to the doctor.
We now got out the oars and pulled cautiously on. We soon found
ourselves in a channel, with coral reefs on either side, all of them
just below the surface; and as the passage twisted and turned in all
directions, it required the greatest possible caution to thread our way
through it.
We might well be thankful not only that we did not stand on during the
night, but that we had not driven farther south during the gale while we
rode to the raft. Nothing could have preserved the boat from being
dashed to pieces. At length we got clear of the encircling reef, and
found ourselves in a broad expanse of perfectly smooth water. The rocks
rising directly out of it formed the shore. We had to pull along them
some distance to find a convenient landing-place. At last a beautiful
bay opened out, with a sandy beach, the ground rising gradually from it,
covered with cocoanut-trees.
On seeing it, led by Brown, we uttered a cheer, and giving way with a
will ran the boat's keel on the beach. He jumped out first, and we all
followed, without thinking of savages, and only very grateful to find
ourselves once more on firm ground. Led by the mate and the doctor, we
fell on our knees, and I believe with grateful hearts returned thanks to
God for our safety.
We were hurrying up to the trees with our eyes fixed on the cocoanuts
which hung temptingly from them, when the mate called to us to be
cautious, for though we had seen no natives, there might be some in the
neighbourhood, who might come suddenly down and attack us while we were
engaged in obtaining the cocoanuts.
He and the doctor then proceeded with their muskets in their hands a
little way in advance, while under Brown's directions we prepared to get
down the nuts. Miles Soper, Sam Coal, and Jim were the best climbers,
but without assistance, weak as we all were, they found that they could
not swarm up the trees. We therefore got some ropes from the boat, and
Soper soon twisted one of them into a grummet, or hoop, round the tree,
with sufficient space for his body inside it; then shoving the opposite
side of the grummet above him, and holding on with his knees, he worked
his way up the smooth trunk. Coal did the same on another tree, but
Jim, after making the attempt, had to give up.
"I never tried that sort of thing before, and can't manage it," he said,
coming down and ready to cry for weakness.
"Look out there!" shouted Sam Coal, who was the first to reach the top
of his tree; and he threw down a cocoanut, and then another, and
another, but they all broke as they touched the ground.
"I say, that'll never do!" cried Brown, as he picked up one of them,
while Horner and I got hold of the other two. "You must hang them round
your neck somehow. We want the juice, which is the best part."
Coal, on this, fastened three or four together in a handkerchief; Soper
had in the meantime done the same, and they descended with four
cocoanuts apiece. Horner and I had run with those we had picked up to
Mr Griffiths and the doctor, munching a portion as we went, while Brown
divided his among the other men, who were as eager to eat them as we
were. So we found were the mate and the doctor. They tasted delicious
to us, so long accustomed to salt or raw fish; but still more refreshing
was the milk, which we got on tearing off the outer rind by cutting
holes in the eyes with our knives. The cocoanuts, indeed, served us as
meat and drink.
All this time the doctor and mate had seen no signs of inhabitants, and
as we were all far too weak to think of exploring the country, we sat
down in the shade of the cocoanut-trees to rest. We talked a little to
each other for a short time, and first one dropped off to sleep, then
another. Mr Griffiths himself didn't long keep his eyes open, though I
fancy I heard him tell Brown that we must set a watch, lest any natives
should come suddenly down upon us. The mate and the doctor had both
been awake during the whole of the last night in the boat--no wonder
that they went to sleep.
At last I opened my eyes, and sitting up, looked about me, trying to
recollect where I was, and what had happened. This I soon did. My
companions lay scattered around me on the ground. In front was the sea,
and the two sides of the bay were formed by moderately high cliffs.
Behind us was a grove of cocoanut-trees, extending along the shore to
the cliffs, and beyond them I could see a hill, which formed the farther
end of the valley, opening out on the bay. Every one was asleep, and I
was thankful that while in that condition we had not been discovered by
savages, who might have been tempted to massacre the whole of us. I was
glad that I at all events was now awake. I didn't, however, like to
arouse my companions, so I got up noiselessly, and to stretch my legs
walked through the palm-grove. On my way I found a cocoanut fallen to
the ground, and as I felt hungry, having taken off the rind, I sucked
the milk, and then breaking the shell, ate as much of the fruit as I
felt inclined to take. This restored my strength, and I went on till I
got beyond the trees, which extended to no great distance up the valley.
Farther on the ground was tolerably open, with here and there a few
trees and bushes growing by the side of a stream which ran through the
valley, and formed a small lake, without any outlet that I could
discover.
A number of birds, some of which I took to be pigeons, were flying
about, but I saw no four-legged creatures of any sort. The birds were
so tame that they came flying about me, and perched on the boughs
without showing any signs of fear.
"This is a beautiful spot," I thought to myself. "How thankful I am
that we reached it! We shall have plenty of food, and if there are no
natives we can remain as long as we like till we are all strong again,
and Mr Griffiths determines to pursue the voyage."
I was stopping, looking about, when I saw something move on the top of
the hill at the farther end of the valley. The object stopped, and then
I made out distinctly against the sky the figure of a man. He was too
far off to enable me to make out how he was dressed, or whether he was a
native or a white man. He stopped for some time, as if he was looking
down into the valley, and I fancied that he might have seen me, for I
was in an open spot, away from any trees or shrubs. At last I beckoned
to him, to show that my companions and I wished to be friends with the
natives.
He took no notice of my signals, but stood looking down into the valley
as before.
At first I thought of going towards him, but then it struck me that
others might appear, and that I might be taken prisoner, or perhaps
killed, and that I ought to go back and tell Mr Griffiths what I had
seen. I found him and the doctor awake.
"I'm sorry to hear that," said the former. "I had hoped that there were
no natives on the island. If the person you saw had been a white man he
would have come down to us immediately. I suspect that he must be a
native. We must look out for a visit from others, and keep a more
careful watch than heretofore."
He and the doctor agreed to return with me, and if the person was still
where I had seen him, to try and open up a friendly communication with
him and any others who might appear.
Rousing up Brown and the rest of the people, and telling them where we
were going, we set off. On our getting to the spot where I had been
when I saw the man, he had disappeared. We, however, went on past a
little lake, and along the bank of a stream, looking out very carefully
on either side lest the natives might come down from the cliffs and cut
us off. No one appeared; and as it was getting late, Mr Griffiths
thought it wise to return.
It was almost dark by the time we reached the palm-grove. We found that
Soper and Coal had in the meantime collected some more cocoanuts; and
that Brown, with the rest of the men, had obtained some large clams and
other shell-fish from the rocks. They were now lighting a fire to cook
them, while Jim had brought a kettle of water from the lake. We had
thus materials for a hearty meal, of which we all partook with good
appetites. We had been unable to do anything to the boat during the
day, but Mr Griffiths remarked that our first care must be to put her
to rights, that we might go out fishing in her, and afterwards make a
voyage to some place where we might find a vessel to take us home. The
mate said that we might either sail northward again to Guam, or westward
to the Pellew Islands, the inhabitants of which were said to be
friendly, and thence on to the Philippines. Various opinions were
expressed, but nothing was decided.
We had now to prepare for the night. Notwithstanding the sleep we had
had during the day, we all felt that a longer rest was necessary to
restore our strength. Mr Griffiths, however, insisted that a watch
should be kept, as now that we had discovered the island to be
inhabited, it would be folly to allow ourselves to be caught unawares at
night. Though the weather was warm, as we had had no time to put up a
shelter of any sort, the fire was found pleasant; we therefore agreed
not to let it go out during the night. It was settled that the doctor
should keep the first watch, Mr Griffiths the middle, and I was to have
the third with Jim. Brown kept it with the doctor, and Soper with the
mate. Our arrangements being made, we lay down to pass the night.
It appeared to me that I had been asleep only a few minutes, when Mr
Griffiths called me up, and Jim and I, taking the muskets, began our
watch. The mate told me that the doctor's and his watches had passed
quietly away, and they had not heard any sounds to indicate that any
natives were near. As we were not obliged to keep close to the fire,
and as there was a bright moon in the sky to enable us to see our way, I
proposed to Jim that we should go through the grove, where, should any
natives approach in the morning, we should discover them sooner on that
side than we should by remaining at the camp. He agreed, and without
difficulty we made our way through the trees, which stood apart, with
little or no undergrowth. The scene which presented itself to us as we
got out of the grove was very beautiful. The silver moon and the
surrounding trees were reflected in the calm waters of the lake, while
the outline of the hills on either side appeared sharp and distinct
against the sky. Finding a clear piece of ground not far from the shore
of the lake, Jim and I walked up and down, keeping a look-out now to one
side, now to the other, as also up the valley.