"One day a brig brought up in the harbour near which I happened to be
staying, and the crew came on shore. She belonged to Sydney, New South
Wales, and as they talked to me about that place I was seized with a
fancy to go there. Fearing that the chief would not let me get away, I
told him that I was just going on board to pay my countrymen a visit. I
kept below during the remainder of the day, and next morning the brig
got under weigh, and stood out of the harbour. She was the `Tickler,'
engaged in the sandal-wood trade, and had still several places to visit
to complete her cargo, which she was obliged to pick up here and there,
and often had a hard job to get it. The captain was in no way
particular how he managed. I was on board for some months and saw some
curious things done.
"The wood mostly grows on the Western Islands, north and south of the
line. On one occasion we came off a place where the captain understood
it was to be procured from the mountains, some way in the interior. We
managed to entice the chief of the district on board by promising him
some presents, if he would come and fetch them. As soon as we had got
him, the captain told his people that unless they would bring twelve
boats' loads of sandal-wood off he would carry him away as a prisoner.
The savages exclaimed that the white men were very cruel and unjust, but
the captain did not mind that, as they were only savages, do you see;
and as they did not wish to lose their chief, they were obliged to
comply. The captain told him that it he didn't behave himself and hold
his tongue, he would double the quantity. The chief, seeing that the
captain was in earnest, ordered his people to go and fetch the wood,
when the whole neighbourhood had to turn out and cut it. In the course
of two or three days it was brought on board.
"Having got the wood we sailed away to another place. These savages are
content with curious articles in exchange for their wood. Instead of
money the brig had on board a quantity of small white shells, the teeth
of sharks and other animals, as also pigs, cats, and goats. So eager
are they to possess these animals that they would sometimes give a ton
of sandal-wood for a goat or cat. One day a native came on board with a
small quantity of sandal-wood when our shells had run short. The mate
offered him some tobacco, which he did not want. He got angry and said
he must have a shell, when the mate without more ado pulled out his
revolver: it went off, and the native was shot dead. The body was
thrown overboard, and the sandal-wood remained with us, though the man's
friends wanted payment for it. The captain told the mate he should not
have been so careless as to shoot the man, and then thought no more
about the matter.
"Our object, however, being to get sandal-wood, the captain cared little
as to the means. The lazy islanders in some places, where it grew
abundantly, would not take the trouble of cutting it, so the captain
devised a plan for obtaining what he wanted. We visited for this
purpose an island where the natives were friendly with the white men,
and enticed a number on board. When we had got them the captain told
them that he would give them their liberty if they would go on shore at
a place to which he would take them, and cut as much sandal-wood as he
wanted. Back we sailed to the island where the sandal-wood grew. We
then took them on shore, and landing with a strong party of armed men,
guarded them while they cut the wood, which the inhabitants seemed to
object to their doing. They worked well, for they were anxious to go
back to their own island. We had to shoot a few of the inhabitants who
came too close to us with their spears and clubs, but they were savage
black fellows, and terrible cannibals, and so to my mind there was no
great harm in shooting them.
"The wood was cut and carried down by our natives to the boats. We had
now got pretty well as much as the brig would carry, but the captain
told them to go back and cut more. They said they were afraid, lest the
black fellows should kill them. The captain answered that that was
their look out, and that if they wanted their liberty the wood must be
cut. When we had got it into the boats we returned to the brig; the
captain then ordered the anchor to be hove up, saying that he could not
spare time to go back to the island from which the natives had come, and
that he had fulfilled his contract by giving them their liberty and
leaving them on shore.
"As we sailed out of the harbour, we saw some of them running down to
the beach, and waving their hands to us, with the black fellows at their
heels. They were soon overtaken, and one after the other were knocked
over by the clubs of the savages, who, to my belief, ate the whole of
them; for the inhabitants of that island were well known, as I have
said, to be fearful cannibals.
"Now, perhaps some people may think that the captain of the `Tickler'
didn't behave quite straightforward in the matter; but that's no
business of mine. What he had to do was to get a shipload of
sandal-wood as cheaply as he could, and he did his best to save expense.
To be sure, others who came after us might have suffered, because the
savages were not very likely to trust them. We ourselves were nearly
cut off on one occasion, when visiting a large island called New
Caledonia. Though we had seen a number of natives gathering on the
coast, we pulled in without fear, supposing that their clubs and spears
could not reach us, and a volley of small arms would soon put them to
flight. As we pulled on we heard them shouting to us, and shrieking
loudly. They were a jet-black, fine race of fellows. We could see that
some of them had long spears in their hands, but others seemed to be
unarmed. Suddenly, however, down there came upon us a thick shower of
stones, wounding two or three of our number, which was immediately
followed by a whole flight of spears, when more of us were wounded,
while several stuck in the boat. The order was given to pull round; and
glad enough we were to get out of their reach.
"I afterwards heard that the natives of these islands use a sling, not
only for throwing stones, which they can send to a great distance, but
for casting their spears, which, as we found, far as they were off, came
rattling down upon us in a very unpleasant manner.
"One of our men was killed. When at a safe distance we fired two or
three volleys in return, and probably killed some of them; but they
quickly got under cover. We then once more pulled in, thinking that
they had taken to flight; but they were up again in an instant, and the
whole shore appeared lined with warriors. We therefore came to the
conclusion, that instead of carrying them off as labourers, they were
more likely to kill and eat us, should we land on their island. We
pulled away and steered for another place, where we expected to find the
natives more peaceably disposed or more easily captured.
"I afterwards heard that several vessels went there, some of which had
the crews of their boats murdered on going on shore, while in two or
three cases the vessels themselves were attacked, and every one on board
put to death. All I can say is, that whatever people may think of our
doings, we were not worse than others. I heard of several things which
will prove this. Among others, a sandal-wood trader had called at the
island of Mare, when three young men swam off to her, wishing to trade
on their own account. They were bargaining with the captain, who
offered to give them less than they wanted for their sandal-wood, which
they had piled up on shore, ready to embark. They grew angry, and
declared that they would keep their sandal-wood. On this, without more
ado, he drew out his revolver and shot two of them dead on the deck; the
other leaped overboard, and the captain ordered the crew to fire at him.
He had got some distance, when a shot struck him, and he sank. The
captain then sent a boat on shore, and brought away the sandal-wood.
Another captain was on a sandal-wood cruise, when he put in not far from
Erromanga, where he found the people at war with another tribe some
distance round the coast. As abundance of sandal-wood grew on the hills
in the distance, he tried to persuade them to bring him a supply down to
the beach. They replied that they could not do so then, as they were
engaged in war, when he told them that if they would supply him with the
wood, he would go and conquer their enemies for them. The people
thought this a fine thing, and agreed to the proposal. So the vessel
went round the coast, to where the opposing tribe resided. If he had
began to fire away at once on them, they would have escaped into the
woods, and he probably would not have caught a man. He therefore
pretended to be very friendly, and managed to entice a number on board.
When he had got them, his crew set upon them, and killed some on deck,
and shot others who had leaped overboard and were trying to make their
escape. One was taken alive, and another desperately wounded. Having
thrown the dead bodies overboard, he sailed back with the living
prisoner and the other man, who soon died, to his friends. By this time
they had the sandal-wood ready, so he made over the living and dead
prisoners into their hands, and received the sandal-wood in return. As
the people were cannibals, it was easy to guess what they did with their
prisoners.
"It cannot be said that we did anything worse than this; but, bless you,
I might tell you a hundred other things which either we did or I heard
of done by sandal-wood traders in those parts. I was not over
particular, so didn't mind, but I wanted the voyage to be over, that I
might get to Sydney, and have a spree on shore.
"We got there at last, and our cargo realised a large profit, as the
price was known to be up at the time in the China market, for which it
was destined.
"I hadn't been there long, before I found my pockets pretty well cleaned
out of cash, and had to think of what I should do next.
"I was sitting one day in a grog shop near the harbour, where I was
allowed to run up a score though my last shilling was spent, and I
didn't exactly know how I was to pay for it, when somehow or other I
lost my senses. I might have been asleep, or I might have been drunk.
When I came to myself, I was in the fore peak of a small vessel, and
when I went on deck I found that we were out of sight of land. It was
not the first time that such a thing had happened to me, and so I was
not going to make a fuss about it. I looked round on my new shipmates,
who were about as rough a lot as I ever set eyes on; may be I was not
very different from them, but we hadn't a looking-glass on board that
craft, so, do you see, I was not able to judge. I asked the name of the
craft, where we were bound for, and the object of the voyage.
"My shipmates laughed.
"`Where were you raised: you don't look as green as you would wish to
make us fancy,' said one without answering my question.
"`I was raised in a country where they grow bull-dogs, which are more
apt to bite than to bark,' I growled out. `When I ask a question I
expect a civil answer. I was at sea, and crossed the line a dozen times
while most of you were still sucking pap, and so you will understand
that though I don't exactly know how I came to be aboard this craft, you
had better not try to pass off your tricks on me.'
"I thought this would have made them bowse on the slack of their
jaw-tackles, but they were banded together, and fancied they could say
what they liked to me. One young fellow only, Bill Harding was his
name, I found stood aloof from them, and cried out that it was a shame
to attack an old fellow like me, though I might have got hocussed and
shipped on board without knowing it. On that one of them, Jos Noakes
they called him, goes up to Bill, and begins blackguarding him. He
stood as cool as a cucumber, with a smile on his good-looking face. He
was the only one among the lot who was not as ugly as sin.
"Says Bill to Jos, `You had better not. I have floored many a man who
could beat you with his little finger, and so, Jos, to my mind, you will
get the worst of it.'
"I pulled out my pipe and lighted it, for, d'ye see, there's nothing
like a bit of baccy for keeping a man cool, and cool I wanted to be just
then. This showed them more than anything else what I was made of.
"There Bill stood waiting to see what Jos would do, while the rest
gathered round edging Jos on. Jos doubled his fists, getting nearer and
nearer to Bill, and at last made a hit at him. In a moment Bill's arms
were unfolded, and he struck out and caught Jos's ugly face a blow which
sent him reeling backwards, till he lay kicking like a turtle on his
back.
"`Sarve you right, Jos,' cried out several voices, and now most of the
crew seemed to side with Bill.
"Jos had had enough of it, and sneaked below to bathe his jaws in water.
"I shook Bill by the hand and thanked him, and we were friends ever
afterwards.
"Bill told me that the craft I had so curiously found myself aboard was
the `Catfish,' and that she was on a voyage round the islands to pick up
sandal-wood, cocoa-nut oil, or pearls, which he told me were to be found
among some of the low-lying coral islands to the eastward.
"`I shall like well enough to go after pearls,' I observed; `for I know
their value and the price people on shore will give for them.'
"`That made me ship on board the "Catfish,"' said Bill. `I remember my
mother used to wear such things in her hair, and that a small string of
them was worth some hundred pounds, and I thought that if I could get a
few I should be a rich man, and be able to go back to Old England, for I
am pretty well sick of this sort of life, though, mate, as you know,
when a man is down in the world it's a hard job to get up again.'
"`Then I suppose, Bill, from what you say, you are a gentleman's son,
and you have come out to these parts to make your fortune,' I remarked.
"`Yes, I am well born, and might have been very different from what I
am,' he answered with a sigh. `But I came away to sea because I was a
wild scamp, and no one could make anything of me at home. However, if I
can get hold of a few of those pearls, so as to start fair, I intend to
turn over a new leaf, and go back to my friends, provided I can do so
with a good coat on my back, and not like the ragged beggar I have been
of late. I have got a few articles to trade with, and I shipped on
condition that I should do what I liked with them.'
"`I'll help you, my lad, as far as I can,' said I, for I had taken a
fancy to Bill, who might have been all he said of himself. To my notion
he was as brave and warm-hearted a fellow as ever stepped.
"I have already described the various ways the sandal-wood traders
manage to obtain their cargoes. Our captain was in no degree more
particular than most of them, and played a few odd tricks among the
natives to get what he wanted. On one occasion we got a chief on board,
and the captain told him that he must make his people cut a dozen
boat-loads of sandal-wood, or we would carry him away as a prisoner to
Sydney. The chief refused, and declared that the wood was not to be
got. On this the captain called two or three of his people on board,
and then had him triced up and gave him a dozen, and told him that he
should have it every morning if the wood was not forthcoming. Still the
savage held out, and he was heard to tell his people not to bring any.
"Next morning some of his people came off, when, as they brought no
wood, preparations were made to give him another dozen. On seeing this
his courage gave way, and he told his people to go back and get the
wood. He got his dozen though, for the captain was a man to keep his
word on those sort of matters.
"Two or three boat-loads came off that very evening, and in a couple of
days all the captain asked for was supplied. The chief was then set at
liberty, and told to go about his business.
"The captain observed that he was doing his duty to his owners, and
getting a cargo in the cheapest way he could; he seemed, indeed, to
pride himself on his cleverness.
"As sandal-wood was becoming scarce in most of the islands, we took on
board, whenever we had the opportunity, as many casks of cocoa-nut oil
as we could collect; but pearls were our chief object, and we continued
our voyage till we reached the island I mentioned.
"The natives were said to be friendly to white men, and therefore we had
no fear of them. They had a few pearls already, which the captain took
in exchange for some of the beads, cutlery, looking-glasses, and
trinkets we had brought to trade with. He then told the natives that
they must go off in their canoes to the reef where the pearl-oysters
were to be found, and be quick in bringing him as many as he wanted,
threatening them if they were not sharp about it he would carry off
their chiefs, cut down their cocoa-nut trees, and leave their wives and
children to starve. This made them all alive, though they grumbled a
little, and every evening they returned bringing a fair supply of
shells. They dared not refuse to work, seeing that they had no muskets;
and as their island was perfectly flat, they had no place to fly to and
hide themselves, so that by landing a few of our men we could, if we had
wished, have burned their huts, cut down their trees, and have carried
off as many of them as we wanted.
"One day when they had brought fewer shells than usual, the captain sent
a party of us on shore, and having caught two of their chiefs, we
brought them on board, and kept them in irons, telling them that we
should carry them away unless their people would stir themselves.
"Next day a double quantity was brought on board. The captain seemed
mightily pleased.
"`Now, my boys, this shows what you can do,' he said, in the lingo the
savages spoke. `I am going to make a cruise to some other islands not
far off, and I shall take your chiefs with me. If, when I come back,
you have not got as many pearls as I want,' and he told them the
quantity he should require, `up go your chiefs to our yard-arms.'
"I don't mean that he said this in as many words, but it was what he
wished the people to understand.
"The other islands we visited could supply us only with cocoa-nut oil,
and though we had a quarrel now and then about it, we generally managed
to get what we wanted at the price we chose to give.
"On our return we found the supply of shells the captain had ordered.
"I thought that he would have allowed the chiefs to go on shore, but he
was too deep a hand for that. He had found the plan answer so well that
he determined to have some more pearls before sailing, so he pretended
that the natives had not brought him enough, and told them that they
must go off and collect more. They grumbled, declaring that they would
do no such thing, and demanded their chiefs back.
"`You shall have them,' he answered, `but they shall swing at our
yard-arms first,' and he ordered the ropes to be rove to hang them by.
"The chiefs were then brought on deck. They did not look much like
chiefs, half-starved and dirty as they were, for they had been kept
below during the voyage for fear of their jumping overboard, and making
their escape. The natives set up a loud yell when they saw them, and
made as if they would attack us, and try to rescue them. On this the
captain ordered us to present our muskets, and fire if they approached.
Bill was the only person who refused to obey, declaring that it was a
shame, and that he would sooner let the natives kill us than shoot one
of them. The captain, hearing this, threatened to trice him up with the
chiefs, and to my mind he meant what he said. The natives, however,
thought better of it, and paddled off to try to get more pearls.
"`It's lucky for you, Bill, that the savages played us no tricks; but
I'll not forget you, my lad,' exclaimed the captain, shaking his fist at
him.
"In a couple of days the natives appeared paddling towards us. They
kept, however, at a distance, and one canoe only with three men in her
came alongside, bringing a few pearls. They said they had got more, but
they had resolved to throw them into the sea unless their chiefs were
first delivered up to them.
"The captain grinned at this, and replied that they should have one
chief, and when the pearls were brought they should have the other. The
natives after talking a long time were obliged to comply. The chiefs
embraced; they might have suspected that the one who remained would run
a great chance of swinging at the yardarm, notwithstanding the captain's
promise. At last he told the younger of the two that he might go,
thinking, probably, that he was of less consequence than the other. The
poor fellow was lowered into the canoe, and away his countrymen paddled
to the shore.
"I thought that the elder man looked well pleased at the escape of his
companion, as he squatted down on deck, resting his head on his hands,
though he looked up every now and then at the rope hanging from the
yardarm, as if he expected to be dangling from it before long.
"The same canoe returned in a couple of hours, bringing a further supply
of pearls, while the rest of the natives were seen gathering in the
distance.
"Perhaps the captain thought that if he did not deliver up the chief--
driven to desperation, they might attack the vessel, and that though
many might have been killed, we should not have got off scathless. The
natives were indeed in great numbers advancing closer and closer. He
therefore told the chief he might go. The old man rose, and with the
help of his countrymen got into the canoe, which immediately paddled
away towards the rest, advancing rapidly to meet him.
"The breeze was fair out of the harbour. Sails were loosed, the anchor
tripped. There was no time to be lost, for some scores of canoes were
close up to us.
"`Give the savages a parting volley to teach them that we are not to be
insulted with impunity,' cried the captain.
"Several shots were fired at the canoes, and two or three of the savages
were hit. I cannot say whether all fired, but Bill did not.
"The brig had gathered way, and we were distancing the canoes, and
though the captain ordered another volley to be fired, the shot fell
short of them.
"`We have managed that pretty cleverly,' he observed, as he walked the
deck, rubbing his hands. `I never expected to get so many pearls, and
we have not paid dear for them either,' and he chuckled to himself as he
turned aft.
"I asked Bill if he had got as many as he had hoped for.
"`No,' he answered. `The skipper kept too sharp a look-out to allow me
to trade honestly as I had intended, and I'd sooner not have got a
single one, than obtain them in the vile abominable way he has done. I
wish that I was clear of the craft, and hope that I may never set eyes
on him again.'
"I told Bill that he was too particular.
"`No, no,' he exclaimed. `I am a vile wretch as it is, but I am not
sunk so low as to stand by and see such things done without exclaiming
against them.'
"We had a quick run to the westward, and the captain was congratulating
himself on making a prosperous voyage. We had still room, however, for
some more sandal-wood, and he took it into his head to visit the place
where he had given a couple of dozen to a native chief for refusing to
bring off sandal-wood. He was mad, you will allow, to make the attempt.
He thought he could catch the chief, and play the trick a second time.
"Bringing up before the place, and telling us to keep our arms ready for
use, and to let no native on board, away he went in the boat with six
hands well armed. The natives, instead of running off, came down to the
beach quite in a friendly manner, and welcomed him on shore. He
thought, I suppose, that they did not know the brig again, or that the
chief had forgotten his flogging.
"We watched him from the deck, and he and two men advanced up the beach
towards the very chief himself, who came down to meet him.
"The captain's idea was, I have no doubt, to seize the chief and bring
him off.
"In another instant we saw one of the men running, and a party with
clubs and spears, who had remained hidden behind some rocks, rushing
towards the captain. Before he could escape, his brains were dashed
out, and his companion was struck to the ground. The other man reached
the boat with a spear in his back, and was hauled in just before the
savages got up to him. The boat shoved off and pulled away towards us,
a shower of spears following her. Another man was hit, for we saw an
oar dropped. The remaining three pulled away for their lives. We,
meantime, loosed the sails and got under way; and time it was to do so,
for we saw a number of canoes, which had been concealed behind rocks
along the shore, darting out towards us. As soon as the boat was
alongside, we hauled up the men, one of whom was pretty near dead by
that time, cut the cable, let the boat go adrift--we had no time to
hoist her up--sheeted home the sails, and stood away from the shore.
"We had a narrow escape of it, for though we kept firing at the
advancing canoes, they were almost up to us; and it's my belief the
savages would have got on board in spite of all we could have done to
resist them, for they seemed resolved to have their revenge. As it was,
another man was hit, and our deck was covered with spears and darts.
"We at last got clear of the land, and the mate, who took command, said
he would shape a direct course for Sydney, and have nothing more to do
with trading. We soon, however, began to suspect that he was but a poor
navigator, and Bill said he was sure of it.
"Three or four days afterwards a gale sprung up from the westward. We
lost our topmasts, and were driven before it for a week or more.
"Whether or not the mate was a bad navigator, we had no means of
proving, for one night he was washed overboard. Bill, who was the only
scholar among us, looked at the log; that had not been written up, nor
had our course on the chart been pricked off; so there we were, driving
before a heavy gale, and not knowing what island might be in our course
to bring us up. The brig also had sprung a leak, and we had to turn-to
at the pumps. Our provisions and water were running short. We were in
a bad case. Even had we sighted an island, we should have been afraid
to go ashore, for we had played so many tricks at different places,
that, after what had happened, we thought that we might be treated in
the same way as the captain had been.
"The gale at length came to an end. Still we had to keep the pumps
going. Our last biscuit was eaten; we had not a drop of water in the
casks. Bill, who had been studying the chart, told us that if we would
keep up our spirits he hoped in another day or two to make an island to
the southward, where we had not before touched. That night, however,
there came on a dead calm.
"When the sun rose the next morning the sea was like glass, with not a
sign of a breeze.
"When men are starving they will eat anything. We began to stew down
our shoes and every bit of leather we could find about the ship. The
lockers were searched for biscuit crumbs, or lumps of grease, or
anything eatable, till nothing which could keep body and soul together
remained.
"The men knew that Bill and I were friends. I heard them talking
together and casting looks at him. He was thin enough, poor fellow, by
this time; but the rest of us were thinner still, all bones and sinews.
Bill and I were on deck together, and I told him to keep by me when I
saw the rest of the men coming aft with a glare in their eyes, the
meaning of which I well knew. Telling Bill to keep behind me, I drew my
knife, and swore I would kill the first man who advanced. Jos Noakes
came on in front of the rest. He had not forgotten the knock-over Bill
had given him; still I had little hopes of saving my friend, for when
men are desperate they will do anything. Jos was close up to me, and
though I might have killed him the rest would have set on me; when just
then the sails gave a loud flap, and some of the men, looking round,
cried out that there was a fresh breeze coming.
"`My lads,' cried Bill, who, though the moment before he expected
nothing but death, was suddenly himself again, `that breeze will take us
to the island we were steering for in the course of a few hours. You
may eat me if you like, but I don't think you will find your way there
without my help.'
"The men saw the sense of this, and told him he had nothing to fear.
While he and I went to the helm, the rest trimmed sails, and we were
soon running at a brisk rate through the water.
"Fortunately, some small casks of hams which had got stowed away under
the sandal-wood were discovered. This satisfied our hunger, though it
increased our thirst. The wind, however, brought rain, and we were able
to collect enough water to keep us alive. We thought all would go well,
in spite of the leak, which made it still necessary to keep the pumps at
work.
"Bill and I had just come on deck at night for our middle watch, when
just as he had been telling me that he hoped next morning to make the
land, the vessel's keel grated on a coral reef which the look-out had
not discovered. On she drove, and I hoped might be forced over it, but
the grating, tearing sound which came from below told me that the sharp
points were ripping off her planks, and the rest of the crew, springing
on deck, cried out that the water was rushing in on every side. We
clewed up the sails, and got our only boat ready for launching.
"The wind was increasing, and forcing us further and further on the
reef. As we could not tell in what direction to pull, we determined to
remain till morning, but before the morning arrived the wind increased,
and the sea broke over us. The mainmast went by the board, and most of
the men cried out that if we did not get the boat in the water we should
be lost.
"Bill and I had gone forward. I heard some loud cries. My shipmates
had managed to launch the boat, but the next instant she had been
swamped alongside, and they were struggling for their lives in the
foaming sea. We clung on to the wreck. The sea was making a complete
breach over her, and the after part appeared breaking up. Suddenly she
swung round, and seemed to me to be slipping off the rock. At that
moment a sea took me, striking me on the head, knocking the senses out
of me; the next I found myself in the foaming waters, and looking up,
the moon bursting forth just then, caught sight of Bill making his way
up the fore-rigging. I sung out to him to heave me a rope and haul me
on board. The vessel appeared to have been brought up by a lower part
of the reef, and to be sticking there. Bill heard my voice, and
unreefing the fore brace, hove it to me just as a sea washed me back
towards the wreck. I caught hold of it when pretty nigh exhausted, for
though I hadn't had much enjoyment in life, I didn't wish to leave it,
and so clung on with all my strength, while Bill gradually hauled me up
to the fore chains. From thence I made my way into the top, where he
and I sat, expecting, however, every moment that the mast would go and
carry us overboard.
"`Are the rest all lost, think you?' asked Bill.
"`No doubt about it,' said I. `The boat could not have lived a minute
in such a sea as there is running. We are better off even here.'
"`Terrible,' said Bill. `And you and I are left alone out of the whole
lot.'
"`We may thank our stars for that,' said I. `And I say, Bill, if we
hold out till morning, and it comes on calm, maybe we shall find some of
the pearls, and after all it won't be so bad a job for us.'
"`Don't talk of the pearls,' he answered, with a groan. `I wish that I
had never been tempted to try to get them. The captain and the rest
have got their deserts, and I would not touch one of them, gained as
they were by cruelty and fraud, if they were to be washed up into my
hands.'
"`I only wish I could catch sight of some of the boxes with the chance
of getting them,' said I. `And if you were to do so, Bill, I would not
trust to your good resolutions.'
"`I don't want to talk about the matter,' answered Bill, gloomily.
`What chance have we of getting away from the wreck? we may be miles off
from the shore, for what I know.'
"`If the wind goes down, we may build a raft and reach the land, or may
be a vessel will pass by and take us off. If not, and it breezes up
again, we shall be in a bad case.'
"Bill groaned again.
"`I am not prepared to die,' he exclaimed. `I would give anything to
get on shore.'
"`You haven't anything to give,' said I. `So you had better make up
your mind to brave it out, just as I mean to do. I wish that I could
get at some liquor, though; that would keep up our spirits better than
anything else.'
"Bill groaned again.
"`I don't want to die like a brute with my senses gone,' he answered.
"`As to that, seamen have to go out of the world somehow, and for my
part I don't think myself worse than the rest,' I answered; `and with
regard to the things done aboard this craft, that was the captain's look
out, not mine, nor yours either; so cheer up, Bill, don't be
down-hearted. Daylight will soon return, and then, may be, we shall
find ourselves better off than we fancy.'
"You see, I kept up my spirits, and tried to keep up Bill's; but he got
worse and worse, and began raving away so curiously, that I thought he
would throw himself into the sea and get drowned.
"To prevent this I passed a rope round his body when he didn't see what
I was about, and lashed him to the top.
"As the night drew on the wind dropped, and at daybreak my eyes were
gladdened by the sight of the land about two miles away, while between
us and it were numerous small rocks scattered about, by means of which
we might make our way, even if we had to swim for it. I remembered,
however, the sharks, so I determined to build a raft. Poor Bill could
not help me, so I set to work by myself. I was some time putting one
together to carry us both, and then, being very hungry, I thought I
would try to get hold of the keg of hams and the cask of water which
were stowed forward, and also that I might pick up some of the boxes of
pearls. I got the hams and water, but could not find the pearls.
"I took some of the food up to Bill, but he would only touch the water.
"At last I managed to lower him on to the raft, and, afraid that the
weather might again change, shoved off to make our voyage to the land.
It was slow work, for I had only a long pole and a paddle. If Bill had
been able to help, we should have got on much faster. At last we came
to a small island. I thought to myself I'll leave Bill here with some
ham and water for food, and go back and have another search for the
pearls. Bill made no objection; I don't think even then he knew where
he was. I got back with less difficulty than I expected.
"The tide had now fallen, and the after part of the vessel was clear of
water. I cannot tell you how I felt when I caught sight of the boxes
where I knew the pearls had been stowed in the captain's cabin. There
were a couple of large chests, and in these were several more boxes,
with the captain's money, and some other things of value. I thought to
myself, if I turn out everything heavy, these boxes will float and serve
to preserve my treasures, even should the raft be capsized. I
accordingly, having prepared them as I proposed, put in the boxes of
pearls, and having lashed them securely, lowered them on to the raft,
loading it with a number of other articles, which I thought would be
useful. Shoving off, I made the best of my way towards the rock where I
had left poor Bill; it was time I did, for the weather was again, I
feared, about to change, and heavy rain was falling. Hoping that he
might have revived, I expected to see him looking out for me.
"While making good way through the water, suddenly I found my raft touch
ground. The current striking against it drove it further and further on
to the reef. To prevent it capsizing, I had to stand up and press my
pole against the bottom. There I stood, the rain coming down faster and
faster. I shouted to Bill, hoping that he might hear me, and perhaps be
able to wade out to my assistance, but no answer came. I might easily
have got off by casting the chest and the other articles adrift, but I
could not bring myself to do that, not knowing where they and their
precious contents might be carried to. At last I thought of mooring the
raft, and trying to reach the rock by wading. I had a large axe which
would serve as an anchor. I made a rope fast to it, and stuck it
securely, as I thought, in a cleft of the coral reef. I then, with the
pole in my hand, made my way towards the rock. Reaching it at last, not
without difficulty, I looked about for Bill. What was my dismay not to
see him! The provisions and water, and the other things I left with him
were there, but he was gone. Whether he had fancied I was going to
desert him, and had attempted to swim to the mainland, or in his madness
had thrown himself into the sea, I could not tell. I climbed to the end
of the rock nearest to the shore, shouting at the top of my voice, and
still hoping to see him, but not a soul appeared on the beach. I had
taken a liking to him, and I felt more unhappy than I had ever felt
before, at the thoughts that he was lost. `It cannot be helped,' I said
to myself. `I'll go back and tow the chests one by one to the rock, and
so get the raft afloat, and in time reach the shore.' At once I went
back to the outer end of the rock, and began to wade towards where I had
left the raft. The breeze had got up, and there was some sea on. It
struck me that the water was deeper than at first. I hadn't made many
steps when, looking at the raft, I felt convinced that it was moving. I
tried to hurry on, but found myself floundering in the water almost up
to my neck, and had to scramble back to the rock to save my life. The
raft went faster and faster. I shouted, I shrieked to it to stop; the
pearls which would have made my fortune were every instant getting
further from my reach. Then a wave took it and turned it right over,
another struck it and dashed it against a rock, and away floated the
pieces with the chests in the direction the current was making.
"On getting back to the rock I sat down and cried like a child. I felt
as if I was done for. At last I got better and began to hope that the
chests might be washed on shore, and that I might secure them after all.
"How was I to reach the land? there was the question. I was a bad
swimmer, and if I had been a good one the chances were that I should be
picked off by a shark. My only remaining hope was that the natives
might not be cannibals, and that some of them coming off to fish might
see me, and carry me to their island. Still perhaps some days might
pass before any one might come out so far. I knew therefore that I must
husband my provisions to make them last me as long as possible.
Fortunately the rain had filled some hollows in the rock. I drank as
much as I wanted of that, and bailed the remainder into the cask I had
left with Bill.
"The day passed by and no one appeared, and not only that day but
several others went by, and I was still on the rock. I had eaten up all
the ham and drunk up nearly every drop of water. I had no means of
striking a light, and if I had there was no fuel except my pole, and I
could not live long on the raw shell fish which stuck to the rock.
"My last hour I thought was come. I lay down expecting to die, and soon
dropped off into a sort of stupor. I was aroused by hearing voices, and
looking up I saw a canoe with three brown girls in her, paddling up to
the rock. I just lifted my head and made signs that I was very ill;
they understood me, and instead of running away managed together to lift
me into their canoe. One poured water down my throat, and another fed
me with yam. They had been out fishing, and were returning home. They
took me to their father's hut, and fed and nursed me till I recovered.
My thoughts were running on the chests with the pearls, but I could hear
nothing of them, nor of poor Bill either, nor have I from that day to
this."