"I had been a good many months in the place when my father-in-law,
thinking I was securely moored, began to give me more and more work,
which I didn't like. However, I lived on pretty contentedly, but still
I had a wish for a sniff of the sea air, and to feel myself once more on
the moving ocean; not, to be sure, that I had not felt the ground move
under me, for we had had two or three earthquakes, when not a few houses
had been thrown down, and the ground tumbled and tossed, and here and
there opened, as if ready to swallow us up.
"I took French leave of my wife, for I was afraid she would stop me; but
when I reached Callao I sent word to her by her uncle that I hoped to be
back soon, after I had collected no end of dollars to buy her a new
dress, and keep the pot boiling.
"I hadn't made up my mind what to do when I saw a whaler in the harbour.
I thought if she was likely to remain in the Pacific for some time, and
she wanted hands, I would make a trip in her, on condition that I was to
be landed at Callao before she returned home.
"She was an American, only out a few months, and having lost several
hands, the captain was very glad to get me. I hadn't been long on board
before I began to wish myself back with my wife. It was much harder
work than I expected, especially when we got into the southern ocean
among the icebergs. Those spermaceti whales, too, are savage monsters,
and will often turn on a boat and try to capsize her.
"I was pretty well nigh losing my life on one of those occasions as
several of my shipmates did theirs. We had chased a big bottle-nose
right up to an iceberg, and had stuck two harpoons into his back when he
sounded. He was making for the berg, we thought, and if he got under it
we should have to cut the lines, and lose him and the harpoons.
Presently the lines slackened, we hauled in upon them, when suddenly up
he came not half a cable's length from us, blowing away with all his
might. We dashed on, when round he turned, and with open mouth came
towards us.
"`Back all,' was the cry, but before we could get out of his way he
struck the bow of the boat with his nose, sending it up in the air, and
jerking several of us overboard. The next moment with his huge jaws he
made a grab at the boat. Seizing a stretcher I sprang as far as I could
out of his way, and struck out for my life. The shrieks of my shipmates
and the cracking of the ribs and timbers of the boat sounded in my ears,
but I had enough to do to take care of myself, even to turn my head for
a moment. I swam on as fast as I could. Fortunately for me, the
accident had been seen from the ship, and another boat was coming to our
assistance. It's a wonder the savage whale didn't attack her, but
probably he had had enough of it, while the harpoons in his back must
have troubled him not a little. I was soon picked up, and two others
were found floating, but the rest of the boat's crew had either sunk or
been crunched to death between the whale's jaws. He had been watched
from the ship, which made sail in the direction he had taken. In the
evening a spout was seen in the distance, the boat shoved off, and
before nightfall we had the very whale which had attacked us in the
morning, fast alongside with tackles hooked on, and the blanket pieces,
as we called the blubber, being hoisted on board.
"That trying-out is curious work to those who have never seen it. Along
the decks were the huge tripods, with fires blazing under them, and the
crew standing round begrimed with smoke and oil, putting in the blubber,
while others, as soon as the oil was extracted, were filling the casks
and stowing them below. All night long the work went on, and there was
no stopping till the huge monster had been stripped of his warm coat,
and we had bailed the oil out of its big head, which had meantime been
made fast to the stern.
"`Dollars are pleasant things to pick up, but I must find some
pleasanter way for gathering them than this,' I said to myself.
However, for more than two years I hadn't a chance of returning to
Callao. When at last the whaler put in there and landed me, I found
that an earthquake had occurred, and the ground opened and swallowed up
my father-in-law, and my wife with all her family. My wife's uncle,
however, had escaped, and he received me very kindly, and more so that,
as I had made a good voyage in the whaler, my pockets were full of
dollars. They, however, went at last.
"One day I was thinking what I should do next, when he told me that
several vessels were fitting out in the harbour, to make a cruise among
the islands of the Pacific, just to pick up some labourers for the
mines. `It's pretty hard work up in the mountains there, and most of
our native Peruvians who used to work in them have died out,' he
observed. `There's a merchant in our city who is going to make a grand
speculation, and as Englishmen have shares in most of the mines, of
course he is assisted with English capital, which our country could not
supply. Now if you like to ship on board one of these vessels, you will
find the pay good, the voyage short, and but little risk.'
"I thought to myself that I could not do better. I had served too long
on board a slaver to think much of the work proposed. There was no
difference that I could see between a black skin and a brown skin, and
as I had assisted to carry some thousands of black men across to the
east coast of America, I did not scruple to undertake to carry as many
brown men as could be picked up to the west coast. To be sure, the
natives of those bright and sunny islands, unaccustomed to work, might
not find it very pleasant to be carried away to labour high up among the
rocks and snows of the Andes, but that was no business of mine.
"I accordingly shipped on board one of several vessels fitted out by the
enterprising merchant I spoke of. The `Andorinha' carried thirty hands
besides the captain and mate, and we had four guns and plenty of small
arms. Our orders were to proceed direct to the nearest islands, and to
carry off as many of the inhabitants as we could get on board, but we
were to try stratagem first, and by every means in our power induce them
to, visit the ship. As soon as we had collected as many as we were
likely to entice on board, we were to put them below and shut down the
hatches, and sail away with them.
"The plan was simple, and I thought it would succeed. Should they
object to make the voyage and attempt to regain their liberty, we had
our arms, and were to use them, but we were advised not to kill more
people than we could help, as each was likely to fetch fifty or sixty
dollars on shore.
"Before sailing, the merchant who had fitted out our vessel came on
board with several friends, and the crew being called on deck, he
addressed the captain and us, telling us that we were about to engage in
an enterprise likely to prove of great value to Peru, but all was to be
done by fair and honourable means. That we were to visit various
islands, and to engage the industrious inhabitants to come and labour in
our beautiful country for good wages, where they would also have the
benefit of being instructed in the Christian faith and become good
Catholics, to the great advantage of their souls. We were to treat them
kindly and gently, and to give them the best of everything, so that they
would not fail, by their gratitude, to show how highly they valued the
service we should render them.
"I could not help grinning when I heard this, knowing the way that
matters were really to be managed. The speech was made just to hoodwink
the authorities, and for the benefit of the merchant's friends, who, if
they were not to profit by the adventure, might have found some fault
with the way in which it was really to be carried on.
"The `Andorinha' was a large vessel, and we calculated that we could
stow away five or six hundred people on board her.
"Seven other vessels being fitted out, we sailed together in company,
our first destination being Easter Island, which lies in latitude 27
degrees South and 109 degrees West, some distance from the coast of
Chili.
"Light winds detained us, but at length we made the island, which is
high and rocky and about thirty-six miles in circumference. The
inhabitants, of the same race as the rest of the Eastern Pacific, and
somewhat less savage than most of them, were living in villages, at
peace among themselves.
"As soon as our fleet came to an anchor, the boats were lowered and
manned, and a strong party of us landed. The inhabitants, not liking
our appearance, hid themselves in their houses. We immediately marched
to the nearest village, which we surrounded, and entering house after
house, dragged off the people, and sent them, with their hands bound
behind their backs, to the boats. They did not attempt to resist, for
as we had firearms and they had none, it would have been of no use. As
soon as the boats were loaded they took them off to the vessel, and then
returned for more. We, meantime, kept watching the village, so that no
one could escape. Having carried off all the inhabitants, men, women,
and children--for even the youngest children were of some use to us--we
proceeded to the next village. These we treated in the same way,
leaving a few old men and women who were not worth carrying off.
"Before evening we had shipped nearly every human being we found on the
island. None escaped us, for they had no mountains to fly to, and no
caves or other places where they could hide themselves. We then
collected all the pigs, poultry, and such other provisions as we could
find, and sent them on board.
"Before returning to our vessels, we burned down a considerable number
of the houses.
"We stowed away all our captives on board two of our larger vessels,
which at once returned to land them on the coast of Chili, while we
proceeded on our voyage.
"The first land we made was one of the Society Islands, to the north of
Tahiti. We could not venture to that island itself, because the French
were there, who might have objected to our carrying off the people. For
the same reason we avoided the Hervey, and other islands to the south,
where we knew a number of English missionaries were stationed, and they
might have complained of our proceedings, and taken means to put a stop
to them. Here, however, we hoped to make a good haul, and be away
before we were discovered.
"The schooner did not bring up, but stood off and on the land under
English colours, while a boat was sent on shore to invite the natives on
board. I went in her. As soon as we landed, I, with another man, who
pretended to be the supercargo, proceeded to the house of the principal
chief. It was a large hut, the framework formed of slight poles placed
at intervals, bending somewhat inwards, and joined with horizontal poles
of the same thickness secured to them, the whole being covered with a
neat thatch. We found the chief reclining at his ease on one of several
mats which covered the floor, with his wife and other females of the
family seated near him. He had thrown aside his robe of native cloth,
and was dressed only in his maro or girdle round his waist. We told him
that the vessel in the offing was an English trader, and had on board a
quantity of goods which were likely to suit him and his people, and we
invited him, and as many as he liked to bring with him, to come and
inspect them, hinting that the captain was of a generous disposition,
and would be glad, at all events, to make them presents to gain their
good will. We were in no hurry, we said, for payment, and would call
again for the cocoa-nut oil which he might agree to collect for us. He
seemed mightily pleased with the proposal, and promised to come off the
next morning. We then went to the house of other chiefs and principal
people, telling them the same tale.
"In our rambles we saw a curious spectacle. Having reached another
district governed by a different chief, we found him seated on a mat in
front of his house, while a number of people were approaching bearing
hogs, and fowls, and breadfruit, and other articles of food. Among them
were three young women, whose bodies were swathed in a prodigious
quantity of native cloth made out of the paper mulberry tree. This
cloth and the food were being brought as presents to the chief, who had
had, we understood, a child just born to him by one of his wives. How
the girls could ever have got the cloth round them was a puzzle to me,
but my companion, who had been on these islands and acted as
interpreter, explained the matter. He said that the cloth being made
ready, the girl lies down on the ground and rolls herself over and over,
till the whole of the cloth is wound round her. She is then put on her
feet, and taking the end over her shoulder, is able to proceed on her
way.
"The food having been presented, one of the damsels was led forward,
when she lay down before the chief, and began to unroll herself, while
one of his attendants gathered up the cloth; and thus she kept turning
round and round till the whole of the cloth was unwound, and she
remained in her own somewhat scanty garments. The next girl went
through the same process.
"We pretended to be delighted with the cloth, and told the chief that,
if he would bring it on board, we would exchange it for all sorts of
articles. The news of the rich cargo the vessel contained spread among
the people, and large numbers promised to come off to us the following
morning.
"Well content with the way we had managed matters, we returned on board.
"The following day we took care to stand in towards the shore in good
time, when a number of canoes full of people were seen coming off to the
ship. As they arrived alongside we invited them on board, taking care
that they brought no arms with them. We had a few things spread out in
the hold, and as the people collected on board, the captain asked them
to step down below to see them. When there, the pretended supercargo
kept them engaged bargaining for the goods while others were arriving.
Having collected all who could be induced to come on board below, the
supercargo slipped up by the fore hatchway, saying that he wished to
consult the captain about the price of some of the articles. The
vessel, meantime, had been edging off the land. Our guns were loaded,
and we had all armed ourselves in case the natives might make any
resistance. All being ready, we suddenly clapped the hatches down upon
our visitors, and had them prisoners. The people in some of the canoes
suspecting that their friends were in danger, attempted to climb up the
sides to their assistance. We had, therefore, to sink the canoes by
throwing cold shot into them. As several other large canoes were
approaching which might prove troublesome, we fired our guns at them and
knocked them to pieces. This done, we made all sail, and stood away
from the island. When the natives below found themselves entrapped,
they, as may be supposed, created a considerable uproar, shouting and
shrieking, and demanding to be set at liberty. The hatches, however,
being fast closed down, they could not force their way out, and as they
were without food or water, and the air was pretty close, we knew that
they must soon come to their senses, and therefore took no heed of their
cries, though it was necessary, of course, to keep watch over them, lest
by chance they might make their way out.
"When we had run the land out of sight, the fore hatch was partly
lifted, and a few at a time were allowed to come on deck. They looked
greatly astonished when gazing round to find that their native land was
not to be seen. Our interpreter then told them that, if they behaved
themselves, things would go well with them; but if not, they must expect
rough treatment. The first which had come up had their hands lashed
behind them, and were sent aft; and the rest, as they appeared on deck,
were treated in the same manner. Two or three, from the hot air and the
struggles they had made, had lost their lives; but that mattered little,
considering the number we had secured.
"Having cleaned and fumigated the hold, they were again sent below, and
we stood for another island.
"Of course the people complained of the way they had been treated; some
were weeping, others abusing us, while some refused to take the food we
offered them. They were told, however, that if they would not eat they
should be flogged, for we were not going to allow them to starve
themselves to death. In time we got them into pretty good order. As it
would not do for them to give way to despair, they were assured that,
after working two or three years in the country to which we were taking
them, if they were industrious and behaved themselves, and consented to
become good Catholics, they would be sent back to their native island
much the richer and happier for the trip. I don't know if they believed
us; they might possibly have had doubts about the matter. These people
had had missionaries among them, and most of them were Christians; but
the French had sent the missionaries away, and they had become somewhat
slack in their religion. Now, however, in their trouble they began to
pray again, and it was curious to hear them singing, and praying, and
repeating parts of the Bible which they had learned by heart. Our
interpreter said it made him somewhat uncomfortable; but the captain
laughed at him, and told him that he must not let such notions trouble
him, and that at best they were only heretics, and would now have the
chance of becoming real Christians.
"We touched at several other islands in the neighbourhood, from which
canoes full of natives came off towards us to learn who we were, and
what we wanted. One canoe came alongside with an old chief, who
inquired eagerly whether we had a missionary on board, as he was
anxiously looking out for one who had promised to come and teach him and
his people to be Christians. The captain wanted the supercargo to pass
as the expected missionary, but he declined, saying he could not bring
his conscience to do it. The captain replied that the missionary was
sick below, but that if the chief and his followers would come up the
side, they should see him in the cabin.
"The savages looked very much surprised when they came on deck, to find
themselves pinioned and handed down below. Two of them before they were
secured, attempted to leap overboard. One was caught and the other was
shot, their canoe being sunk alongside that she might not drift on shore
and tell tales. The people in some of the other canoes which came off
further on were more wary, and we had to use a great deal of persuasion
to induce them to trust us. At last, we got one canoe full of natives
to come near us. As she approached on the port side, we had two of our
boats lowered and manned ready on the starboard side. When, after
having in vain tried to get the people on deck, the boats pulled round,
and though the savages shoved off, we were too quick for them. There
was a fierce struggle, two or three men were knocked overboard, but we
captured the rest and quickly had them below hatches, while their
canoes, as usual, were sent to the bottom.
"We were not always so successful. Three canoes, one day, were coming
off to us, and were nearly up to the schooner, when they took alarm. As
the captain did not wish to lose them, he ordered the guns to be fired,
which sank two of them, when the boats which were ready pulled away and
picked up most of the people, excepting two or three who had been killed
by the shot. The third canoe escaped, and we knew after this, there was
not much chance of getting any more canoes to come off to us from that
island.
"From this place we sailed away for several days, till we sighted a
large coral island, with a lagoon in the centre, and numerous cocoa-nut
trees growing along the shore. We judged from this that it was
inhabited. We stood close in on the lee side, till we could distinguish
some low huts scattered about under the trees, and a considerable number
of natives scampering along the shore. They were a savage-looking
people, without a stitch of clothing, except belts round their waists,
and bracelets and shells on their arms and legs, their hair, as they
ran, streaming in the wind, while they shook their long thin lances at
us. As they had no canoes, we could not get them to come off to the
vessel. It was therefore necessary for us to land and try and catch
some of them. They looked so fierce and determined that we expected
they would give us more trouble than the inhabitants of Easter Island
had done. Two boats well armed were, however, sent on shore to make the
attempt. We were to proceed by fair means and to offer them trinkets,
knives, and glasses, and handkerchiefs. If they would not be induced to
trust us, we were to surround their village, and catch as many alive as
we could.
"As we pulled in for the shore, a party of the savages, led by an old
chief, came leaping, shouting, and shrieking, and brandishing their
spears towards us. The chief was a terrible-looking old fellow, taller
than any of the rest, with high cheek bones, his hair and beard of long
grey hair plaited and twisted together, hanging from his head and around
his mouth like so many rats' tails. His companions imitated his
example, and there seemed but little chance of our being able to get
hold of any of them by peaceable means. We had our muskets ready to
bring them down should they come too near us. We held up the trinkets,
and handkerchiefs, and looking-glasses to try to make them understand
that we wished to be friendly, but it was of no use; they only shrieked
the louder and leapt the higher, and told us to be off, as they did not
want us or our goods. However, we remained steady, and they did not
venture nearer.
"As our object was to catch them alive, dead savages being of no use to
us, we persevered. Having placed several of the articles on the ground,
we quietly retired to a distance, and at last we saw two or three of the
younger men approach and take the things up. They seemed well pleased
with them, and showed them to the rest. On this, we put some more on
the ground and again retired, then three of our men putting their
muskets on the ground advanced towards the savages, being well covered
by the rest of us, and putting out their hands, we presented at the same
time several more articles. By these means we began to gain their
confidence. We then made them understand that all we wanted was a few
cocoa-nuts, and that every man who brought one should be amply paid. In
this way after we had waited quietly on the beach, twenty young fellows
were persuaded to put themselves within our reach, and to sit down in a
circle near the boats. The old chief all the time kept shouting to
them, but they did not appear to heed him. While one party with loaded
muskets advanced towards the rest of the natives, we suddenly set upon
the lads who had brought us the cocoa-nuts, knocked them over, had their
arms pinioned, and they were carried to the boats before even their
astonished countrymen could attempt to come to the rescue. At last, led
by the old chief, the former made a dash at our men who remained, when
several were of necessity shot down, the rest taking to flight, and we
shoved off well content with having captured twenty stout young fellows,
who were likely to prove serviceable labourers at the mines.
"Having at length got a full cargo, we returned to Easter Island, where
we landed our captives. There they were to remain under a strong guard
till carried away by smaller vessels and landed on different parts of
the coast of Peru. We meantime sailed for the westward.
"During the trip we occasionally fell in with our former consorts,
engaged in the same business, and we found that they had succeeded in
capturing a number of natives from different islands much in the same
way that we had done. Some were enticed on board by stratagem, others
taken by force. No one engaged in the business was particular as to
what means were employed, provided they could succeed in the enterprise.
One vessel had taken a whole cargo off one single island, known as High
Island, the crew having landed and surrounded the villages one after
another, shooting down all who resisted.
"The wealthy merchant who had fitted out the vessel must have been
highly satisfied, as must also the English shareholders who advanced him
the money. Possibly they may or may not have been fully aware of the
means employed to ensure success.
"Whether these people, accustomed to an easy and luxurious life on their
sunny islands, would ultimately prove useful labourers in the dark
mines, and be able to carry loads of ore down the steep, rocky sides of
the mountains, I am not prepared to say. Our business was to catch
them--that of the merchant to sell them; while the overseers of the
mines had to see to the rest. If they died from hard work that was
their look out.
"At length we arrived off Niue, or Savage Island, to which Captain Cook
gave that name because the inhabitants were then and for many years
afterwards fierce and barbarous in the extreme. Missionaries, both
native and English, I had heard say, had gone among them, and the people
had all become Christians and civilised. We could see that a well-made
road ran round the island, and at intervals there were white-washed
cottages, with gardens full of flowers, and neat churches peeping out
among the trees.
"`These people,' the captain observed, `if we could get hold of them,
were likely to prove mild and submissive, and of far more value than the
savages we had taken from some of the other islands.' It was necessary,
however, to be cautious, or they might have suspected our intentions.
"We hove-to off the island, and the supercargo going on shore inquired
for the English missionary. We found that his residence was on the
other side, and we therefore judged that this would be a good place to
carry on our operations. The supercargo, pretending that he was a
friend of the missionary, invited as many as were inclined to come off
to the vessel, saying that he had a present for the missionary and a few
trifles for the chiefs, and that he should also be glad to trade with
them for any articles they might produce.
"Meantime the other boats were in readiness with arms stowed away out of
sight. A large number of canoes at once paddled off to us, some
containing ten, others four or five natives each. The people came on
board without hesitation, and while the captain kept them amused,
showing some cases which he said contained the presents for the
missionary and chiefs, bargaining for the few articles they had brought
with them, the boats pushed away rapidly for the shore. A large number
of people were collected on the beach, but even when they saw the boats
coming, not observing any arms in the hands of the men, they were in no
way alarmed. Their suspicions did not appear to be aroused, even when
our men formed on the shore.
"Keeping our weapons as much as possible concealed, we marched a little
way inland, then suddenly wheeling, with a loud shout rushed down upon
the natives. They seemed utterly paralysed, and though some few fled,
the greater number stared at us as if wondering what we were next going
to do. We did not leave them long in doubt, but pressing round them,
tripped them over, bound their arms, and in a short time made sixty or
more prisoners. They offered little or no resistance, and we soon had
all we had caught safely in the boat. As we pulled towards the vessel
we saw several canoes making for the shore, but with only two or three
people in each, while her guns were playing on a few others which were
attempting to escape. We picked up several men who had jumped
overboard, and when we got alongside we found that fully a hundred had
been secured. Altogether we got a hundred and sixty people from that
island alone; some were old men, but most of them were young and active.
They were all neatly dressed in shirts and trousers, and looked very
intelligent indeed; there was not one among them who could not read in
his native tongue, and they all said that they were Christians. Our
supercargo told them that so were we, but that we were real ones, while
they, having only learned from the missionaries, were heretics.
"As they might have proved troublesome, we clapped them all down below,
and kept the hatches on them.
"Wishing to capture more people from the same island, we immediately
made sail, and stood along the coast, hoping to entice others on board
before the news of what had occurred had spread. We heard our prisoners
talking together, and soon they began knocking at the hatches, and under
the deck, and on the sides, shrieking to be let out, and entreating us
to put them again on shore. Two of our men were stationed at the
hatchway ready to shoot any who might break out. Still the people below
continued to make so much noise that the captain and mate became
enraged, and, with two other men, went below armed with boats'
stretchers, and began to lay about them right and left, to bring the
people to order. At last they were quiet, and we hoped that they had
learned a lesson they would not forget. In the evening we heard them,
instead of shouting and shrieking to be let out, singing hymns and
praying. Looking down into the hold, there we saw them all kneeling
together as if in prayer; then an old man among them got up, and while
they sat round him he began to speak to them, and the supercargo, who
understood their language, said he was preaching; and when he had
finished he stretched out his hands, and prayed to God to bless them.
After that they were quiet enough, and during the night gave us no
further trouble.
"The next morning at daylight we stood in to another part of the coast.
We saw several canoes quietly engaged in fishing, and so we guessed that
the alarm had not spread thus far. We accordingly stood close in, when
several canoes came off to us. The captain, as usual, invited the
people on board. Some of them spoke English, which the captain did not
understand, and I was not inclined to answer them. As they might have
been alarmed had they seen armed men at the hatchway, those who had been
stationed there were withdrawn. The new arrivals spoke rather loudly to
each other; their voices were heard by their countrymen below, who,
making a sudden rush at the fore hatch, forced it off and sprang upon
deck.
"The alarm was given immediately; those who had last come, as well as
our captives, began to leap overboard. We all rushed upon them, knocked
those we could catch down, and shut close the hatchway. The captain
then ordered us to fire on the people in the water swimming for the
shore, while the boats were manned and sent in pursuit of the fugitives.
Two or three were hit, some sank, and only a few succeeded in gaining
one of the canoes; the rest were all retaken. In the canoe which
escaped was one young man who was shot just as he got into it: his
companions, however, managed to paddle off. Those who had been retaken
were well beaten, and forced down below.
"As there was no use remaining longer at Savage Island, we sailed for
Samoa.
"We avoided the principal harbours, and kept cruising along the coast,
picking up several canoes which came off to us. Occasionally we went on
shore to obtain water and vegetables, always being on our guard lest our
business might be suspected, and we ourselves entrapped. At one place
where we landed for this purpose, we found the natives under an old
warrior chief preparing to attack a neighbouring tribe. `This is just
the opportunity for us,' observed our supercargo; `if we help the old
chief, we may bargain that we are to have all the prisoners.' The
supercargo on this began to talk to the chief about the arms and men we
possessed, and to hint that we might possibly be persuaded to assist him
in conquering his enemies. The old chief at once took the bait, and
promised us anything we might ask if we would assist him. The
supercargo replied that our captain would be very moderate in his
demands, and that we should be content if we might have all the
prisoners. We agreed to come on shore with ten men to help him. The
captain, however, had arranged to send all the boats, which were to keep
in the rear of the enemy, and, as soon as the battle began, the crews
were to land, and carry off as many warriors as they could lay hands on.
"Early the next morning we landed with our muskets, and found the army
drawn up for battle. The warriors were armed with spears and short
clubs, and their hair dressed up in the strangest fashion, and stuck
full of feathers. They were almost naked, with the exception of kilts
round their waists. We kept in the rear, ready to advance when called
upon to act, and the warriors marched forward, singing songs and
shouting their war-cries. In a short time they came in front of the
enemy, who were seen drawn up in a wood. Both parties halted and began
abusing each other, our friends telling their enemies that they were
women, and would soon run away; and warning them that they only came to
be killed, if they dared to advance further. After this style of
compliment had been exchanged for some time, they rushed towards each
other grinning and making faces, when they once more halted, and began
throwing their spears. We on this advanced, and fired a volley, which
threw them into the greatest confusion. It was evidently totally
unexpected, and, before they could recover, our friends rushed in on
them, speared some and made others prisoners. We, meantime, were
loading, and, having done so, advanced and fired a second volley. The
enemy, though brave fellows, began to fly, when our friends dashed in
among them, and, with our assistance, a large number were captured.
Many of those who escaped were seized by the crews of the boats, and at
once dragged off. The victory was complete, and the old chief at once
handed over to us all the prisoners he had taken. This was an advantage
to them, for they would otherwise have been killed.
"By this means we collected about forty men, whom we carried at once on
board.
"`We may as well have some of our friends,' observed the supercargo, and
he accordingly returned on shore to invite the old chief, and as many
people as he chose to bring off to visit the ship, and receive some
presents which he was told we had prepared for him. The chief looked
highly pleased, and much to the satisfaction of the supercargo, accepted
his polite invitation.
"Next morning the chief and several people came alongside. The chief
said he desired to thank us for the service we had rendered him, and to
present us with some cocoa-nut oil and rolls of cloth which would be
prepared in a day or two if we would wait for them.
"The captain assured him of his friendship, and begged him to accept
some presents in return for those he intended to make, and invited him
and several of his principal attendants into the cabin to receive them,
while his people were asked by the crew to go down forward. No sooner
were our guests below than they were seized and lashed hand and foot
before they could give the alarm to those who remained on deck. All
hands then rushed on deck, and quickly knocked down the greater number
of those who were collected there; a few uttering loud cries of terror
leapt overboard, while those in the canoes, suspecting that something
was wrong, shoved off, and began to paddle away towards the shore. Our
shot sent after them caused such alarm that several of the canoes
returned, others escaped, two or three were knocked to pieces, and some
of the people in them drowned.
"We considered this a good haul, but we had some difficulty in keeping
order between the new comers and their enemies whom we had before
captured; by going among them, however, with our clubs, and showing them
that we would stand no nonsense, we brought them into order. Again
making sail, we continued our course along the coast, here and there
capturing canoes, and occasionally landing and carrying off a few
people, though we were not again so successful as in the case I have
described.
"In one small canoe we found a Portuguese with two Samoaians; the latter
we put below hatches, but the captain was afraid of detaining the white
man, who declined joining us, and allowed him to make the best of his
way to shore.
"We found two of our consorts cruising off this coast, but in a short
time the suspicions of the people on shore were aroused, and we
therefore left it and proceeded on to visit certain groups of islands
lying 8 or 10 degrees south of the equator. From one of these islands
we got nearly a hundred people, and another vessel which followed us
captured several more, though most of the natives as soon as a sail hove
in sight ran off from the coast.
"By various means, from one island or another, we captured fifty or
sixty more, till at length with a full cargo we steered eastward to put
them on shore, as before, on Easter Island.
"Some disagreeable news met us here. We heard that the French
authorities at Tahiti were very indignant at our having carried off the
natives of islands under their protection, and that they had sent out
several cruisers to intercept us. One of our vessels, the `Mercedes,'
had been seized with a hundred and fifty natives on board. The vessel
had been condemned and sold, the captain sentenced to five years' penal
servitude, and the supercargo to ten. Besides her four or five other
vessels had been captured and carried into Tahiti, where they were
detained. One, having been taken without any natives, was allowed to
return to Callao after she had been compelled to dispose of all her rice
and other provisions, so as to make it impossible for her to proceed on
her voyage. Besides this, the French Governor of Tahiti had sent to the
Peruvian Government demanding that every native who had been taken from
islands under French protection should be delivered up, and heavy
damages paid for any who might be missing. However, as these formed but
a very small number of the natives captured, the matter in itself was
not of much consequence. The fear was that not only the French but the
English might send out cruisers and interfere in all directions with our
proceedings. The profit, however, and the demand for labour was so
great, that in spite of the difficulties to be encountered, the merchant
I spoke of resolved to persevere in the undertaking, although it would
be necessary to use even greater precautions than before.
"This first voyage will give you an idea of two or three others which I
made shortly afterwards, when we collected our passengers much in the
same way as before, though we took care only to visit islands the least
frequented by European vessels, so that our proceedings might be kept as
secret as possible.
"Ill luck, however, at length set against us. Some of our vessels were
wrecked, the natives rose and murdered the crew of one, the French
captured several more, and the Peruvian government, compelled to listen
to the complaints which were made, interfered, and considerable
difficulties were thrown in the way of landing the islanders. The
`Andorinha,' after her long career of success, was driven on a coral
reef, when the captain and supercargo and most of the crew perished. I
was washed on shore, more dead than alive. Fortunately for me, it was
near a village of Christian natives, one of whom found me on the beach,
and carried me to his hut, and fed and clothed me, and took care of me
till I recovered. He knew the character of the vessel, for we had some
time before carried off several natives from that very island, but I
told him that I was an Englishman, and compelled by the Spaniards to
remain on board. He replied that it mattered not who I was or what I
had been about, that I was suffering and in distress, and that his
religion taught him to feed and clothe the hungry and naked, and to do
good to his enemies--that as long as I chose I might remain, and that if
I wished to go I might depart in peace. I was sure he did not believe
the account I gave of myself, and I own I did not feel as comfortable as
I should have liked. He and his family had prayers and sang hymns
morning and evening; and on Sunday, as well as on other days in the
week, they attended a large chapel, where a native missionary preached.
The other people in the village did the same. All this did not suit me,
and I determined to get away as soon as I had the chance. No vessel
appearing, however, I told my host that I should like to see other parts
of his island, and that I would make a trip through it. He replied that
I might do as I wished, but that as some of the natives were heathens or
`devil's men,' as he called them, they might not treat me well. I
answered that I would run the risk of that, and as to their being
heathens, that was all the same to me. It only, indeed, made me the
more eager to be among them, as I thought I should have greater liberty
than with my psalm-singing friends. I accordingly walked away with a
stick in my hand, for I had no clothes except those on my back.
Wherever I went the natives received me kindly, and gave me such food as
I wanted.
"After travelling some days, I found myself in a village where there was
no church and no school, and the people did not trouble themselves much
about clothing. I guessed by this that they were heathens. The chief,
a young man, invited me to stop with him, and assist him in his battles.
I soon showed him that I was a good hand with a musket, and he remarked
that before long the time might come when I could use it. He was just
then, however, with some of his friends, going to catch pigeons in the
woods. We had first a grand kava feast, the drink they make from
certain roots, which they first chew in their mouths. Each of the young
men had several trained pigeons, which are taught to fly round and round
in the air at the end of a long string, and to come back to their
masters when called. Each man had, besides, a small net fixed to the
end of a bamboo forty feet in length. On arriving at the wood a large
circle was cleared of bush, and a wall of stones built round it. Each
sportsman had also a small arbour of boughs erected, in which he could
sit hidden just outside the wall. In front of him sat his pigeon on a
perch stuck in the ground, while by his side rested his net, ready to be
raised in a moment.
"When all was prepared, the decoy birds were let fly as far as the
string, forty or fifty feet in length, would allow them, when they
circled round and round, and to and fro, over the open ground. The wild
birds, on seeing them, collected from all quarters to learn what they
were about. The sportsmen then drew down their birds, when, as soon as
the wild birds came near enough, they raised their nets, and seldom
failed to capture one of the wild pigeons. In an instant the bird was
brought down. Bird after bird was caught in the same manner. Before
commencing the game, stakes were put in, and he who caught the greatest
number of pigeons won them.
"We remained nearly a month engaged in this sport, spending the morning
in bird-catching, and the evening in feasting. I tried my hand at it,
but though, after a few days' practice, I managed to catch several
birds, I did not succeed as well as the young chiefs. This was more to
my interest, for had I beat them, perhaps they might have become jealous
of me.
"Altogether, this sort of life suited me much better than that which I
led with the Christian natives. They were a hospitable sort of people,
and I had as much liberty as I could wish for.
"Among other curious things I observed while I was among them, was the
way they manufactured the cloth with which they make their dresses.
They used the bark of the paper mulberry tree. The young tree is first
cut down, and the bark stripped off; it is then steeped in water for a
couple of days, when the inner bark is separated from the coarse outer
bark. This is then beaten until it becomes as thin as silver-paper, and
much increased in size. Even then it is scarcely a foot wide; but the
edges are overlapped, and stuck together with arrow-root melted in
water. It is then again beaten till all the parts are completely
joined. Pieces are thus made of many yards in length, such as I saw
during my first visit to these islands. They are afterwards dyed of
various colours, red, brown, and yellow, and patterns are put on with a
sort of stamp.
"Though the heathen natives wore very few clothes generally, they at
times dressed up in robes formed of the cloth I have described, which
has a very handsome appearance.
"I might tell you a good deal more about these people. I had made up my
mind to remain among them; but people, as you know, don't do always what
they intend. Such was my case in the present instance, as you shall
hear. But pass the grog-bottle. I must wet my whistle before I move
along."
I was almost sick with listening to the account of the atrocities
witnessed if not perpetrated by the old ruffian, our host, and was
inclined to stop him, but his tongue once set going that was more than I
could do, and so on he went again.