"Give way, lads! Give way!" shouted Mr Griffiths; "if the worst comes
we must fight for it, and try to save our lives, but I want, if we can,
to avoid fighting." The men bent to their oars; the wind was ahead, so
that it was useless to hoist the sail. The savages on shore howled and
shrieked as they saw us getting off, and hurled stones at us. The big
double canoes came round the point, two more appearing astern. They
were close on a wind, and rapidly skimming the water.
"There's an outlet from the bay to the westward, I marked it yesterday,
we will make for it," said Mr Griffiths.
The canoes were to the eastward, but it seemed very doubtful whether we
could reach the outlet the mate spoke of before they would be up with
us. We pulled for our lives, for there could be no doubt, from the
behaviour of the savages on shore,--how those in the canoes would be
inclined to treat us. While the mate steered, the doctor and I got the
muskets ready; the rest of the crew were rowing, Horner helping the
stroke oar. On the canoes came, nearer and nearer. We observed the sea
breaking over the reef, but there was a clear channel between it and the
shore. The savages had left the beach and were rushing towards the
point which they knew we must pass; probably, as we supposed, to enjoy
the satisfaction of seeing us overtaken and massacred. As the mate
altered our course to steer for the channel, we found the wind on our
starboard bow; should it shift a point or two more, it would come right
ahead, and even the canoes, though they sail closer to the wind than any
ordinary craft, would be unable to get through it; but they were already
within one hundred fathoms of us, and coming on rapidly. I counted
seven of them. One took the lead of the rest, and was coming up hand
over hand with us. We could see the warriors on the raised deck dancing
and leaping and flourishing their clubs, and hear them shouting and
shrieking like their companions on shore. I looked anxiously at the
channel. Soper was pulling bow oar. The mate told Horner to take it,
and directed Soper to keep a look-out for reefs ahead. The leading
canoe was now within fifty fathoms astern.
"Give them a shot, doctor," said the mate; "but fire over their heads.
It will show them that we are armed, but I don't want to kill any one."
"Ay, ay!" answered the doctor; and shouting to the savages to make them
understand what he was about to do, he fired. The first shot seemed to
have no effect. Still the big canoe came on. We were as far from the
passage as we were from them. Our men were straining every nerve, and
could make the boat go no faster. The doctor waited till I had reloaded
the first musket. He again fired, still aiming high, as the mate told
him to do. The next instant down came the yard and sail of the canoe.
The bullet must have cut the slings right in two.
"It was a chance shot, and a fortunate one," said the doctor, as he saw
its effect. The canoe still glided on, but the next, unable to alter
her course, ran right into her, and the others, also coming up, were
thrown into confusion. Our men cheered as they saw what had happened.
The channel was reached before our pursuers could get clear of each
other. Then on they came again. Before, however, they had come far,
the wind shifted a point and then blew right ahead. First one lowered
her sail, and then another and another, while we pulled through the
channel, Soper keeping a bright look-out for sunken rocks. I caught
sight of the savages on shore rushing along the beach, but we had passed
the point before they had gained it, and there they stood shrieking,
shouting, and gesticulating at us. We pulled away in the wind's eye,
knowing that we should thus have a better chance of keeping ahead of our
pursuers. They had not yet, however, given up the chase. We saw them
at length coming through the channel urged on by their paddles. They
could thus move but slowly. Once outside, however, they might again
hoist their sails, and, by standing first on one tack and then on the
other, come up with us.
As we got away from the island we found the wind blowing steadily from
the southward, while in shore it still came from the westward. This
gave us a great advantage.
"We'll hoist the sail, lads," said Mr Griffiths, "and see if a
whale-boat can beat a double canoe."
The men, who were streaming from every pore, gladly obeyed. The mast
was set up in an instant, the sail hoisted, and "_Young Hopeful_," as
the doctor called our boat, glided rapidly over the dancing waters.
We had made good way before we saw the sails of the canoes once more
hoisted, standing, as far as we could make out, for the north-west.
Now we had got the wind, it would take them a long time to come up with
us. The wind was too fresh to allow the oars to be of any use. We
trusted, however, to the good providence of God to carry us clear. All
that we would do was to sit quiet and hope that the wind would continue
steady. We could see the canoes in the north-east hull down, and we
hoped that we might keep ahead till night should hide us from their
sight. The mate said he was sure that they would not then attempt to
follow us farther.
"But, I say, is any one hungry?" exclaimed Horner. "We've had no
breakfast, you'll remember."
We had all been too excited to think of eating, but the mention of food
excited our appetites, and the mate told the doctor to serve out
provisions.
The occupation of eating assisted to pass the time, and to raise our
spirits. The mate told us that he and the doctor had determined to
steer for the Pellew Islands, the inhabitants of which, though
uncivilised, were supposed to be of a mild disposition, and likely to
treat us kindly. Even had we intended to steer for Guam, the canoes in
that direction would have prevented us doing so.
From the Pellew Islands we should have a long voyage round to Manilla.
When once there we should be sure of finding European vessels on board
of which we should be able to obtain a passage to some English
settlement. Every now and then, while we were eating, I took a look at
the canoes, but the sight of them didn't spoil my appetite, nor that of
the rest of us, as far as I could judge.
"They are getting no nearer," I observed.
"Wait till they come about," said Horner; "they'll then be up with us
fast enough, and this may be the last meal we shall ever eat."
"Haul in the slack of that, you young croaker!" cried the mate, in an
angry tone. "You would like to make the others as much afraid as you
are yourself."
Horner could not say he was not afraid, for he looked it. The breeze
freshened, and the boat made good way in spite of being heavily laden,
standing up well to all the sail we could set. For another hour or more
we could see the canoes.