Sailing From The Island They Pillage The Cabin
There was a small carronade on the forecastle, unshipped from its
carriage, and lashed down to ringbolts on the deck. This Samoa now
loaded; and with an ax knocking off the round knob upon the breech,
rammed it home in the tube. When, running the cannon out at one of the
ports, and studying well his aim, he let fly, sunk the boat, and buried
his dead.
It was now late in the afternoon; and for the present bent upon
avoiding land, and gaining the shoreless sea, never mind where, Samoa
again forced round his craft before the wind, leaving the island
astern. The decks were still cumbered with the bodies of the Lahineese,
which heel to point and crosswise, had, log-like, been piled up on the
main-hatch. These, one by one, were committed to the sea; after which,
the decks were washed down.
At sunrise next morning, finding themselves out of sight of land, with
little or no wind, they stopped their headway, and lashed the tiller
alee, the better to enable them to overhaul the brigantine; especially
the recesses of the cabin. For there, were stores of goods adapted for
barter among the Islanders; also several bags of dollars.
Now, nothing can exceed the cupidity of the Polynesian, when, through
partial commerce with the whites, his eyes are opened to his nakedness,
and he perceives that in some things they are richer than himself.
The poor skipper’s wardrobe was first explored; his chests of clothes
being capsized, and their contents strown about the cabin floor.
Then took place the costuming. Samoa and Annatoo trying on coats and
pantaloons, shirts and drawers, and admiring themselves in the little
mirror panneled in the bulk-head. Then, were broken open boxes and
bales; rolls of printed cotton were inspected, and vastly admired;
insomuch, that the trumpery found in the captain’s chests was
disdainfully doffed: and donned were loose folds of calico, more
congénial to their tastes.
As case after case was opened and overturned, slippery grew the cabin
deck with torrents of glass beads; and heavy the necks of Samoa and
Annatoo with goodly bunches thereof.
Among other things, came to light brass jewelry,—Rag Fair gewgaws and
baubles a plenty, more admired than all; Annatoo, bedecking herself
like, a tragedy queen: one blaze of brass. Much mourned the married
dame, that thus arrayed, there was none to admire but Samoa her
husband; but he was all the while admiring himself, and not her.
And here must needs be related, what has hitherto remained unsaid. Very
often this husband and wife were no Darby and Joan. Their married life
was one long campaign, whereof the truces were only by night. They
billed and they cooed on their arms, rising fresh in the morning to
battle, and often Samoa got more than a hen-pecking. To be short,
Annatoo was a Tartar, a regular Calmuc, and Samoa—Heaven help him—her
husband.
Yet awhile, joined together by a sense of common danger, and long
engrossed in turning over their tinsel acquisitions without present
thought of proprietorship, the pair refrained from all squabbles. But
soon burst the storm. Having given every bale and every case a good
shaking, Annatoo, making an estimate of the whole, very coolly
proceeded to set apart for herself whatever she fancied. To this, Samoa
objected; to which objection Annatoo objected; and then they went at
it.
The lady vowed that the things were no more Samoa’s than hers; nay, not
so much; and that whatever she wanted, that same would she have. And
furthermore, by way of codicil, she declared that she was slave to
nobody.
Now, Samoa, sad to tell, stood in no little awe of his bellicose
spouse. What, though a hero in other respects; what, though he had
slain his savages, and gallantly carried his craft from their
clutches:—Like the valiant captains Marlborough and Belisarius, he was
a poltroon to his wife. And Annatoo was worse than either Sarah or
Antonina.
However, like every thing partaking of the nature of a scratch, most
conjugal squabbles are quickly healed; for if they healed not, they
would never anew break out: which is the beauty of the thing. So at
length they made up but the treaty stipulations of Annatoo told much
against the interests of Samoa. Nevertheless, ostensibly, it was agreed
upon, that they should strictly go halves; the lady, however, laying
special claim to certain valuables, more particularly fancied. But as a
set-off to this, she generously renounced all claims upon the spare
rigging; all claims upon the fore-mast and mainmast; and all claims
upon the captain’s arms and ammunition. Of the latter, by the way, Dame
Antonina stood in no need. Her voice was a park of artillery; her
talons a charge of bayonets.