The strong current into which the boat had got was carrying her along at
the rate of five knots an hour towards the reef, over which the sea was
breaking and rising up in a wall of white foam.
There was now not a breath of wind, but a much greater swell was coming
in than before.
We all bent to our oars, and had good reason to be thankful that we had
got them to help us, for a sailing vessel would very quickly have been
dashed to pieces on the reef, and every soul aboard lost.
The mate headed the boat off from the shore in a diagonal course, so
that we hoped soon to get out of the current. Still, notwithstanding
all our efforts, we appeared to be drawing nearer and nearer the reef as
the current swept us along, and I began to think that, notwithstanding
all we had gone through, we were doomed to be lost at last. The mate,
however, cheered us up.
Daylight soon broke. As the sun rose the wind increased, and presently,
a fresh breeze springing up, he hauled aft the sheet, and with the help
of the oars the boat moved quickly along till we got out of the current.
We were now able to venture close enough to the reef to look out for a
safe opening. At last we found one a little to the southward of the
largest island, and hauling up, we steered for it.
The sea broke on either side of the passage, which was large enough for
a good-sized vessel to venture through. We stood on, keeping a look-out
for dangers ahead.
We were soon inside, where the water was perfectly smooth. Seeing a
snug little harbour, we ran for it. As we approached, we saw a number
of natives coming down, darkish-skinned fellows, though not so black as
those of the Caroline Islands all of them without a stitch of clothing
on except a loin cloth; but they were pleasant-looking, and we saw no
weapons among them.
The mate, however, kept the muskets concealed in the stern-sheets, ready
for use in case they were only acting treacherously, and should suddenly
rush down upon us with clubs and spears. Still, as we got nearer, and
waved our hands, they showed no inclination to attack us, and made every
sign to let us understand that they wished to be friends.
We therefore lowered the sail, and pulled the boat gently towards the
beach. On this they came down, and when we jumped out, helped us to
haul her up. There was one man who seemed to be the chief. He came up
and shook hands with Mr Griffiths, the doctor, and me, and then ordered
six of his people to stay by the boat, as we supposed to guard her. He
made no objection when the mate and the doctor went back to get the
muskets, but seemed to think it very natural that they should wish to be
armed amongst so many strangers.
The other people were in the meantime making friends with the rest of
our party. The chief now invited us up to his house. It was built of
trunks of small trees and bamboo canes, and thatched with palm-leaves,
much in the same style as the huts of other South Sea islanders, though
of a fair size. It was also very clean, and the floors were covered
with mats. He begged us to sit down near him, while he squatted on a
mat at one end of the room.
As we could only talk by signs we didn't say much. Presently a number
of girls appeared, bringing clay dishes, with fish and fowl and
vegetables. As soon as they were placed on the ground, he told us to
fall to, and a very good meal we enjoyed, after the uncooked food we had
lived on so long.
The mate made signs that we had come from the eastward, and were bound
west for the Philippines, of which he seemed to have heard.
After dinner he took us down to the shore, and showed us some fine large
canoes, with the stems and sterns well carved. They were used for going
about between the islands, but I don't think they could have done much
in a heavy sea. Some were large enough to hold thirty or forty men. He
then had a look at our boat, and seemed to wonder that we had come so
far in her.
The mate explained to him that, though she was shorter, she had much
higher sides, and was much lighter built than his canoes. From the way
he behaved we had no doubts as to his friendly intentions, or any
anxiety about the men who were attended to by other natives.
In the evening he gave us another feast, and then took us to a clean new
hut, which by his signs we understood we were to occupy. From the way
he behaved we agreed that, though he looked liked a native savage, he
was as civilised a gentleman as we could wish to meet. The rest of our
party were billeted in huts close to us, and from the sounds of laughter
which came from them we guessed that they and their hosts were mightily
amused with each other. The chief, after making signs to us to lie down
and go to sleep, took his leave, and we were left alone.
"I hope our fellows will behave well, and not get into any quarrel with
the natives," observed the doctor.
"I don't think there's any chance of that, though it would be a serious
matter if they did," answered Mr Griffiths.
"If you'll give me leave, sir, I'll go and speak to them," I said. "I'm
sure Jim and my brother Jack will behave properly, and so I should think
would Brown."
"It doesn't do always to trust men," said the mate. "Just tell them to
be careful. I would rather that we had been all together, but it won't
do to show that we're suspicious of the natives."
I accordingly got up, and, directed by the sounds I heard, went to the
other huts. I found Jack and Jim in one of them, with a number of
natives sitting round them, examining their dresses and trying to
imitate their way of speaking.
I advised them to let their friends know that they were sleepy, and
wanted to lie down. As soon as they did this, the natives got up in the
politest way possible, and spread mats for them at one side of the room.
In the next hut I found Miles Soper and Sam Coal. I said to them what
I had said before to Jack and Jim, and I then went on to another hut,
the natives in each behaving in precisely the same manner.
When I told the mate, he was perfectly satisfied, and said that we must
trust the natives. We were not mistaken. Early the next morning a
plentiful meal was brought us, and during our stay on the island we were
treated with the greatest kindness by these mild and courteous people.
The doctor said that they were Malays, though very unlike many of their
brethren scattered about the Indian seas.
Having recovered completely from the effects of being cramped up so long
in the boat, and the unwholesome food we had lived on, we were anxious
to prosecute our voyage.
The chief looked very sorrowful when the mate told him we must be going,
and that we should be thankful to him for provisions and water for the
voyage. When he told his people, they brought us down fowl and
vegetables enough to fill the boat. We showed them our hen-coop, in
which we could keep a number of the fowl alive, but that we wanted food
for them. Off they ran, and quickly came back with a good supply.
By this time we could understand each other wonderfully well, helping
out what we said by signs. The chief gave us all a grand feast the last
night of our stay, and the next morning, having shaken hands with all
round, we went aboard, and once more put to sea. The natives at the
same time came off in their canoes, and accompanied us some way outside
the reef; then, with shouts and waving of hands, they wished us
good-bye.
We had a long passage before us, but we were in good health and spirits,
and we hoped to perform it in safety. We had to keep a sharp look-out
at night, for, as the mate told us, there were some small islands
between the Pellew and the Philippines, and that, he not being certain
of their exact position, we might run upon them.
For a whole week we had fine weather, though, as the wind was light, we
didn't make much way. At the end of that time clouds began to gather in
the horizon, and soon covered the whole sky, while the wind shifted to
the north-west, and in a short time was blowing a heavy gale. The sea
got up, and the water every now and then, notwithstanding our high
sides, broke aboard, and we had to take to baling. Night came on, and
matters grew worse.
We all had confidence in Mr Griffiths's skill; and as he had, by his
good seamanship, preserved our lives before, we hoped that we should
again escape. At length he determined to try his former plan, and,
heaving the boat to, we cast out a raft, formed by the oars, and rode to
it. The gale, however, increased, and seemed likely to turn into a
regular typhoon.
There was no sleep for any of us that night; all hands had to keep
baling, while a heavier sea than we had yet encountered broke aboard and
carried away a large portion of our provisions, besides drowning all the
fowl in the hen-coop. Most of us, I suspect, began to think that we
should never see another sunrise. It seemed a wonder, indeed, that the
boat escaped being knocked to pieces. Had it continued long, we must
have gone down. Towards morning, however, the wind moderated, and
before noon we were able to haul the raft aboard and once more make
sail. But there we were on the wide ocean, with but scanty provisions
and a sorely battered boat.
The weather still looked unsettled, and we feared that we should have
another bad night of it. The greater part of the day had gone by, when
Brown, who was at the helm while the mate was taking some rest, suddenly
exclaimed--
"A sail! A sail! She's standing this way."
We all looked out to the northward, and there made out a large vessel
steering directly for us.