Bloody Bill is communicative and sagacious--Unpleasant
prospects--Retrospective meditations interrupted by volcanic agency--The
pirates negotiate with a Feejee chief--Various etceteras that are
calculated to surprise and horrify.
It was many days after the events just narrated ere I recovered a little
of my wonted spirits. I could not shake off the feeling for a long time
that I was in a frightful dream, and the sight of our captain filled me
with so much horror that I kept out of his way as much as my duties about
the cabin would permit. Fortunately he took so little notice of me that
he did not observe my changed feelings towards him, otherwise it might
have been worse for me.
But I was now resolved that I would run away the very first island we
should land at, and commit myself to the hospitality of the natives
rather than remain an hour longer than I could help in the pirate
schooner. I pondered this subject a good deal, and at last made up my
mind to communicate my intention to Bloody Bill; for, during several
talks I had had with him of late, I felt assured that he too would
willingly escape if possible. When I told him of my design he shook his
head. "No, no, Ralph," said he, "you must not think of running away
here. Among some of the groups of islands you might do so with safety,
but if you tried it here you would find that you had jumped out of the
fryin' pan into the fire."
"How so, Bill?" said I, "would the natives not receive me?"
"That they would, lad; but they would eat you too."
"Eat me!" said I in surprise, "I thought the South Sea islanders never
ate anybody except their enemies."
"Humph!" ejaculated Bill. "I s'pose 'twas yer tender-hearted friends in
England that put that notion into your head. There's a set o'
soft-hearted folk at home that I knows on, who don't like to have their
feelin's ruffled, and when you tell them anything they don't like--that
shocks them, as they call it--no matter how true it be, they stop their
ears and cry out, 'Oh, that is _too_ horrible! We can't believe that!'
An' they say truth. They can't believe it 'cause they won't believe it.
Now, I believe there's thousands o' the people in England who are sich
born drivellin' _won't-believers_ that they think the black fellows
hereaway, at the worst, eat an enemy only now an' then, out o' spite;
whereas, I know for certain, and many captains of the British and
American navies know as well as me, that the Feejee islanders eat not
only their enemies but one another; and they do it not for spite, but for
pleasure. It's a _fact_ that they prefer human flesh to any other. But
they don't like white men's flesh so well as black. They say it makes
them sick."
"Why, Bill," said I, "you told me just now that they would eat _me_ if
they caught me."
"So I did; and so I think they would. I've only heard some o' them say
they don't like white men _so well_ as black; but if they was hungry they
wouldn't be particular. Anyhow, I'm sure they would kill you. You see,
Ralph, I've been a good while in them parts, and I've visited the
different groups of islands oftentimes as a trader. And thorough goin'
blackguards some o' them traders are. No better than pirates, I can tell
you. One captain that I sailed with was not a chip better than the one
we're with now. He was tradin' with a friendly chief one day, aboard his
vessel. The chief had swam off to us with the things for trade tied a-
top of his head, for them chaps are like otters in the water. Well, the
chief was hard on the captain, and would not part with some o' his
things. When their bargainin' was over they shook hands, and the chief
jumped over board to swim ashore; but before he got forty yards from the
ship the captain seized a musket and shot him dead. He then hove up
anchor and put to sea, and as we sailed along shore, he dropped six black-
fellows with his rifle, remarkin' that 'that would spoil the trade for
the next comers.' But, as I was sayin', I'm up to the ways o' these
fellows. One o' the laws o' the country is, that every shipwrecked
person who happens to be cast ashore, be he dead or alive, is doomed to
be roasted and eaten. There was a small tradin' schooner wrecked off one
of these islands when we were lyin' there in harbour during a storm. The
crew was lost, all but three men, who swam ashore. The moment they
landed they were seized by the natives and carried up into the woods. We
knew pretty well what their fate would be, but we could not help them,
for our crew was small, and if we had gone ashore they would likely have
killed us all. We never saw the three men again; but we heard frightful
yelling, and dancing, and merry-making that night; and one of the
natives, who came aboard to trade with us next day, told us that the
_long pigs_, as he called the men, had been roasted and eaten, and their
bones were to be converted into sail needles. He also said that white
men were bad to eat, and that most o' the people on shore were sick."
I was very much shocked and cast down in my mind at this terrible account
of the natives, and asked Bill what he would advise me to do. Looking
round the deck to make sure that we were not overheard, he lowered his
voice and said, "There are two or three ways that we might escape, Ralph,
but none o' them's easy. If the captain would only sail for some o' the
islands near Tahiti, we might run away there well enough, because the
natives are all Christians; an' we find that wherever the savages take up
with Christianity they always give over their bloody ways, and are safe
to be trusted. I never cared for Christianity myself," he continued, in
a soliloquising voice, "and I don't well know what it means; but a man
with half an eye can see what it does for these black critters. However,
the captain always keeps a sharp look out after us when we get to these
islands, for he half suspects that one or two o' us are tired of his
company. Then, we might manage to cut the boat adrift some fine night
when it's our watch on deck, and clear off before they discovered that we
were gone. But we would run the risk o' bein' caught by the blacks. I
wouldn't like to try that plan. But you and I will think over it, Ralph,
and see what's to be done. In the meantime it's our watch below, so I'll
go and turn in."
Bill then bade me good night, and went below, while a comrade took his
place at the helm; but, feeling no desire to enter into conversation with
him, I walked aft, and, leaning over the stern, looked down into the
phosphorescent waves that gargled around the ladder, and streamed out
like a flame of blue light in the vessel's wake. My thoughts were very
sad, and I could scarce refrain from tears as I contrasted my present
wretched position with the happy, peaceful time, I had spent on the Coral
Island with my dear companions. As I thought upon Jack and Peterkin
anxious forebodings crossed my mind, and I pictured to myself the grief
and dismay with which they would search every nook and corner of the
island, in a vain attempt to discover my dead body; for I felt assured
that if they did not see any sign of the pirate schooner or boat, when
they came out of the cave to look for me, they would never imagine that I
had been carried away. I wondered, too, how Jack would succeed in
getting Peterkin out of the cave without my assistance; and I trembled
when I thought that he might lose presence of mind, and begin to kick
when he was in the tunnel! These thoughts were suddenly interrupted and
put to flight by a bright red blaze which lighted up the horizon to the
southward, and cut a crimson glow far over the sea. This appearance was
accompanied by a low growling sound, as of distant thunder, and, at the
same time, the sky above us became black, while a hot stifling wind blew
around us in fitful gusts.
The crew assembled hastily on deck, and most of them were under the
belief that a frightful hurricane was pending; but the captain coming on
deck, soon explained the phenomena.
"It's only a volcano," said he. "I knew there was one hereabouts, but
thought it was extinct. Up there and furl top-gallant-sails; we'll
likely have a breeze, and it's well to be ready."
As he spoke, a shower began to fall, which we quickly observed was not
rain, but fine ashes. As we were many miles distant from the volcano,
these must have been carried to us from it by the wind. As the captain
had predicted, a stiff breeze soon afterwards sprang up, under the
influence of which we speedily left the volcano far behind us; but during
the greater part of the night we could see its lurid glare and hear its
distant thunder. The shower did not cease to fall for several hours, and
we must have sailed under it for nearly forty miles, perhaps farther.
When we emerged from the cloud, our decks and every part of the rigging
were completely covered with a thick coat of ashes. I was much
interested in this, and recollected that Jack had often spoken of many of
the islands of the Pacific as being volcanoes, either active or extinct,
and had said that the whole region was more or less volcanic, and that
some scientific men were of opinion that the islands of the Pacific were
nothing more or less than the mountain tops of a huge continent which had
sunk under the influence of volcanic agency.
Three days after passing the volcano, we found ourselves a few miles to
windward of an island of considerable size and luxuriant aspect. It
consisted of two mountains, which seemed to be nearly four thousand feet
high. They were separated from each other by a broad valley, whose thick-
growing trees ascended a considerable distance up the mountain sides; and
rich level plains, or meadow-land, spread round the base of the
mountains, except at the point immediately opposite the large valley,
where a river seemed to carry the trees, as it were, along with it down
to the white sandy shore. The mountain tops, unlike those of our Coral
Island, were sharp, needle-shaped, and bare, while their sides were more
rugged and grand in outline than anything I had yet seen in those seas.
Bloody Bill was beside me when the island first hove in sight.
"Ha!" he exclaimed, "I know that island well. They call it Emo."
"Have you been here before, then?" I inquired.
"Ay, that I have, often, and so has this schooner. 'Tis a famous island
for sandal-wood. We have taken many cargoes off it already, and have
paid for them too; for the savages are so numerous that we dared not try
to take it by force. But our captain has tried to cheat them so often,
that they're beginnin' not to like us overmuch now. Besides, the men
behaved ill the last time we were here; and I wonder the captain is not
afraid to venture. But he's afraid o' nothing earthly, I believe."
We soon ran inside the barrier coral-reef, and let go our anchor in six
fathoms water, just opposite the mouth of a small creek, whose shores
were densely covered with mangroves and tall umbrageous trees. The
principal village of the natives lay about half a mile from this point.
Ordering the boat out, the captain jumped into it, and ordered me to
follow him. The men, fifteen in number, were well armed; and the mate
was directed to have Long Tom ready for emergencies.
"Give way, lads," cried the captain.
The oars fell into the water at the word, the boat shot from the
schooner's side, and in a few minutes reached the shore. Here, contrary
to our expectation, we were met with the utmost cordiality by Romata, the
principal chief of the island, who conducted us to his house, and gave us
mats to sit upon. I observed in passing that the natives, of whom there
were two or three thousand, were totally unarmed.
After a short preliminary palaver, a feast of baked pigs and various
roots was spread before us; of which we partook sparingly, and then
proceeded to business. The captain stated his object in visiting the
island, regretted that there had been a slight misunderstanding during
the last visit, and hoped that no ill-will was borne by either party, and
that a satisfactory trade would be accomplished.
Romata answered that he had forgotten there had been any differences
between them, protested that he was delighted to see his friends again,
and assured them they should have every assistance in cutting and
embarking the wood. The terms were afterwards agreed on, and we rose to
depart. All this conversation was afterwards explained to me by Bill,
who understood the language pretty well.
Romata accompanied us on board, and explained that a great chief from
another island was then on a visit to him, and that he was to be
ceremoniously entertained on the following day. After begging to be
allowed to introduce him to us, and receiving permission, he sent his
canoe ashore to bring him off. At the same time he gave orders to bring
on board his two favourites, a cock and a paroquet. While the canoe was
gone on this errand, I had time to regard the savage chief attentively.
He was a man of immense size, with massive but beautifully moulded limbs
and figure, only parts of which, the broad chest and muscular arms, were
uncovered; for, although the lower orders generally wore no other
clothing than a strip of cloth called _maro_ round their loins, the
chief, on particular occasions, wrapped his person in voluminous folds of
a species of native cloth made from the bark of the Chinese
paper-mulberry. Romata wore a magnificent black beard and moustache, and
his hair was frizzed out to such an extent that it resembled a large
turban, in which was stuck a long wooden pin! I afterwards found that
this pin served for scratching the head, for which purpose the fingers
were too short without disarranging the hair. But Romata put himself to
much greater inconvenience on account of his hair, for we found that he
slept with his head resting on a wooden pillow, in which was cut a hollow
for the neck, so that the hair of the sleeper might not be disarranged.
In ten minutes the canoe returned, bringing the other chief, who
certainly presented a most extraordinary appearance, having painted one
half of his face red and the other half yellow, besides ornamenting it
with various designs in black! Otherwise he was much the same in
appearance as Romata, though not so powerfully built. As this chief had
never seen a ship before, except, perchance, some of the petty traders
that at long intervals visit these remote islands, he was much taken up
with the neatness and beauty of all the fittings of the schooner. He was
particularly struck with a musket which was shown to him, and asked where
the white men got hatchets hard enough to cut the tree of which the
barrel was made! While he was thus engaged, his brother chief stood
aloof, talking with the captain, and fondling a superb cock and a little
blue-headed paroquet, the favourites of which I have before spoken. I
observed that all the other natives walked in a crouching posture while
in the presence of Romata. Before our guests left us, the captain
ordered the brass gun to be uncovered and fired for their gratification;
and I have every reason to believe he did so for the purpose of showing
our superior power, in case the natives should harbour any evil designs
against us. Romata had never seen this gun before, as it had not been
uncovered on previous visits, and the astonishment with which he viewed
it was very amusing. Being desirous of knowing its power, he begged that
the captain would fire it. So a shot was put into it. The chiefs were
then directed to look at a rock about two miles out at sea, and the gun
was fired. In a second the top of the rock was seen to burst asunder,
and to fall in fragments into the sea.
Romata was so delighted with the success of this shot, that he pointed to
a man who was walking on the shore, and begged the captain to fire at
him, evidently supposing that his permission was quite sufficient to
justify the captain in such an act. He was therefore surprised, and not
a little annoyed, when the captain refused to fire at the native, and
ordered the gun to be housed.
Of all the things, however, that afforded matter of amusement to these
savages, that which pleased Romata's visitor most was the ship's pump. He
never tired of examining it, and pumping up the water. Indeed, so much
was he taken up with this pump, that he could not be prevailed on to
return on shore, but sent a canoe to fetch his favourite stool, on which
he seated himself, and spent the remainder of the day in pumping the
bilge-water out of the ship!
Next day the crew went ashore to cut sandal-wood, while the captain, with
one or two men, remained on board, in order to be ready, if need be, with
the brass gun, which was unhoused and conspicuously elevated, with its
capacious muzzle directed point blank at the chief's house. The men were
fully armed as usual; and the captain ordered me to go with them, to
assist in the work. I was much pleased with this order, for it freed me
from the captain's company, which I could not now endure, and it gave me
an opportunity of seeing the natives.
As we wound along in single file through the rich fragrant groves of
banana, cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and other trees, I observed that there
were many of the plum and banian trees, with which I had become familiar
on the Coral Island. I noticed also large quantities of taro-roots,
yams, and sweet potatoes, growing in enclosures. On turning into an open
glade of the woods, we came abruptly upon a cluster of native houses.
They were built chiefly of bamboos, and were thatched with the large
thick leaves of the pandanus; but many of them had little more than a
sloping roof and three sides with an open front, being the most simple
shelter from the weather that could well be imagined. Within these, and
around them, were groups of natives--men, women, and children--who all
stood up to gaze at us as we marched along, followed by the party of men
whom the chief had sent to escort us. About half a mile inland we
arrived at the spot where the sandal-wood grew, and, while the men set to
work, I clambered up an adjoining hill to observe the country.
About mid-day, the chief arrived with several followers, one of whom
carried a baked pig on a wooden platter, with yams and potatoes on
several plantain leaves, which he presented to the men, who sat down
under the shade of a tree to dine. The chief sat down to dine also; but,
to my surprise, instead of feeding himself, one of his wives performed
that office for him! I was seated beside Bill, and asked him the reason
of this.
"It is beneath his dignity, I believe, to feed himself," answered Bill;
"but I daresay he's not particular, except on great occasions. They've a
strange custom among them, Ralph, which is called _tabu_, and they carry
it to great lengths. If a man chooses a particular tree for his god, the
fruit o' that tree is tabued to him; and if he eats it, he is sure to be
killed by his people, and eaten, of course, for killing means eating
hereaway. Then, you see that great mop o' hair on the chief's head?
Well, he has a lot o' barbers to keep it in order; and it's a law that
whoever touches the head of a living chief or the body of a dead one, his
hands are tabued; so, in that way, the barbers' hands are always tabued,
and they daren't use them for their lives, but have to be fed like big
babies, as they are, sure enough!"
"That's odd, Bill. But look there," said I, pointing to a man whose skin
was of a much lighter colour than the generality of the natives. "I've
seen a few of these light-skinned fellows among the Fejeeans. They seem
to me to be of quite a different race."
"So they are," answered Bill. "These fellows come from the Tongan
Islands, which lie a long way to the eastward. They come here to build
their big war-canoes; and as these take two, and sometimes four years, to
build, there's always some o' the brown-skins among the black sarpents o'
these islands."
"By the way, Bill," said I, "your mentioning serpents, reminds me that I
have not seen a reptile of any kind since I came to this part of the
world."
"No more there are any," said Bill, "if ye except the niggers themselves,
there's none on the islands, but a lizard or two and some sich harmless
things. But I never seed any myself. If there's none on the land,
however, there's more than enough in the water, and that minds me of a
wonderful brute they have here. But, come, I'll show it to you." So
saying, Bill arose, and, leaving the men still busy with the baked pig,
led me into the forest. After proceeding a short distance we came upon a
small pond of stagnant water. A native lad had followed us, to whom we
called and beckoned him to come to us. On Bill saying a few words to
him, which I did not understand, the boy advanced to the edge of the
pond, and gave a low peculiar whistle. Immediately the water became
agitated and an enormous eel thrust its head above the surface and
allowed the youth to touch it. It was about twelve feet long, and as
thick round the body as a man's thigh.
"There," said Bill, his lip curling with contempt, "what do you think of
that for a god, Ralph? This is one o' their gods, and it has been fed
with dozens o' livin' babies already. How many more it'll get afore it
dies is hard to say."
"Babies?" said I, with an incredulous look
"Ay, babies," returned Bill. "Your soft-hearted folk at home would say,
'Oh, horrible! impossible!' to that, and then go away as comfortable and
unconcerned as if their sayin' 'horrible! impossible!' had made it a lie.
But I tell you, Ralph, it's a _fact_. I've seed it with my own eyes the
last time I was here, an' mayhap if you stop a while at this accursed
place, and keep a sharp look out, you'll see it too. They don't feed it
regularly with livin' babies, but they give it one now and then as a
treat. Bah! you brute!' cried Bill, in disgust, giving the reptile a
kick on the snout with his heavy boot, that sent it sweltering back in
agony into its loathsome pool. I thought it lucky for Bill, indeed for
all of us, that the native youth's back happened to be turned at the
time, for I am certain that if the poor savages had come to know that we
had so rudely handled their god, we should have had to fight our way back
to the ship. As we retraced our steps I questioned my companion further
on this subject.
"How comes it, Bill, that the mothers allow such a dreadful thing to be
done?"
"Allow it? the mothers _do_ it! It seems to me that there's nothing too
fiendish or diabolical for these people to do. Why, in some of the
islands they have an institution called the _Areoi_, and the persons
connected with that body are ready for any wickedness that mortal man can
devise. In fact they stick at nothing; and one o' their customs is to
murder their infants the moment they are born. The mothers agree to it,
and the fathers do it. And the mildest ways they have of murdering them
is by sticking them through the body with sharp splinters of bamboo,
strangling them with their thumbs, or burying them alive and stamping
them to death while under the sod."
I felt sick at heart while my companion recited these horrors.
"But it's a curious fact," he continued, after a pause, during which we
walked in silence towards the spot where we had left our comrades,--"it's
a curious fact, that wherever the missionaries get a footin' all these
things come to an end at once, an' the savages take to doin' each other
good, and singin' psalms, just like Methodists."
"God bless the missionaries!" said I, while a feeling of enthusiasm
filled my heart, so that I could speak with difficulty. "God bless and
prosper the missionaries till they get a footing in every island of the
sea!"
"I would say Amen to that prayer, Ralph, if I could," said Bill, in a
deep, sad voice; "but it would be a mere mockery for a man to ask a
blessing for others who dare not ask one for himself. But, Ralph," he
continued, "I've not told you half o' the abominations I have seen durin'
my life in these seas. If we pull long together, lad, I'll tell you
more; and if times have not changed very much since I was here last, it's
like that you'll have a chance o' seeing a little for yourself before
long."