tree, and requested us all to note it particularly, in order that we
might effect a retreat without loss of time, if it should become
necessary. Johnny and Eiulo were to take refuge there at the first
alarm.
Browne proceeded to cut a number of bludgeons from stout saplings, which
he then deposited in different places among the branches, ready to be
used, in defending ourselves, if pursued thither. Max collected a
quantity of large stones, and fragments of rock, along the shore, and
from the bed of the brook, and wrapping them in parcels of leaves, he
hoisted them into the roof of the grove-tree, and secured them there.
Morton surveyed these preparations with a grave smile, and none of us, I
think, placed much reliance on their efficacy. We trusted that there
would be no occasion to resort to them.
The supply of provisions which we had brought with us was exhausted, but
the painful suspense, and constant apprehension incident to our present
circumstances, long prevented any thought of hunger. It was not until
the day had passed without any alarm, and it was beginning to grow dark,
that we experienced any inclination to eat. Arthur and I then went in
search of food, but could obtain none, except a quantity of pandanus
cones which we gathered from a group of trees near the waterfall. The
kernels of these were the only food that any of us tasted that day.
At night, it was deemed best to keep a watch, in order to guard against
any surprise. As we made our arrangements for this purpose, my thoughts
reverted to the time of our sufferings at sea in the boat. But in our
present position, sought and pursued by malignant human beings, bent
upon taking our lives, and who might at that moment be prowling near,
there was something more fearful than any peril from the elements, or
even the dread of starvation itself.
But the night passed without disturbance or alarm of any kind, and in
the morning we began to indulge the hope that Arthur had overrated the
strength of the feelings by which Atollo was actuated, and to shake off
in some degree the profound depression of the preceding evening.
With the abatement of our fears and the partial return of tranquillity
of mind, we became more sensible to the demands of hunger. Max and
Morton ventured a little way into the adjoining forest in search of
birds, and returned in less than half an hour with about a dozen
pigeons, which they had knocked down with sticks and stones. Arthur had
in the meantime caught quite a string of the yellow fish which had so
perseveringly rejected all Max's overtures a couple of days since.
Morton then kindled a fire to cook our food, though we felt some
hesitation about this, being aware that the smoke might betray us to the
savages, if they should happen to be at the time in the neighbourhood.
But Max declared that falling into their hands was a fate preferable to
starvation, and that rather than eat raw fish and birds, he would incur
the risk of discovery by means of the fire. In the absence of cooking
utensils, we hastily scooped out a Polynesian oven, and covered the
bottom with a layer of heated stones, upon which the food, carefully
wrapped in leaves, was deposited: another layer of hot stones was placed
on top, and the whole then covered with fresh leaves and earth. This is
the method adopted by the natives for baking bread-fruit and fish, and
with the exception of the trouble and delay involved, it is equal to any
thing that civilised ingenuity has devised for similar purposes, from
the old-fashioned Dutch-oven to the most recent style of "improved
kitchen ranges", with which I am acquainted. The heat being equally
diffused throughout the entire mass, and prevented from escaping by the
wrapping of leaves and earth, the subject operated upon, whether fish,
fowl, or vegetable, is thoroughly and uniformly cooked.
Max had just opened the oven, and was busily engaged in taking out and
distributing the contents, while the rest of us were gathered in a group
around the spot, when Eiulo suddenly uttered a shrill cry, and springing
up, stood gazing towards the west side of the brook, as if paralysed by
terror.
Looking up, we saw two natives standing at the edge of the wood quietly
watching us. One of them I at once recognised as the lithe and active
leader, whom I had seen upon the shore in swift pursuit of the
fugitives.
Our first impulse, was to spring at once into the Aoa, according to the
understanding to which we had partially come, as to what we were to do
if discovered. But a second glance showed that there were but two
enemies in sight, and as Arthur, to whom we looked for an example, gave
no signal for such a retreat, we hastily snatched up our weapons, and
placed ourselves beside him.
Atollo's quick eye--for it was he--ran from one to another of us, until
it rested upon Eiulo, when coming down to the margin of the brook, he
pronounced his name in a low, clear voice, and beckoned him with his
hand to come over to him.
Pale and trembling, like a bird under the charm of the serpent, Eiulo
made two or three uncertain steps towards him, as if about mechanically
to obey the summons: then, as Johnny seized the skirt of his wrapper,
and called out to him, "not to mind that wicked man," he paused, and
looked round upon us with a glance, half appealing, half inquiring,
which said more plainly than words--"Must I go?--Can you protect me--and
will you?"
Arthur now stepped before him, and addressed some words to Atollo in his
own language, the purport of which I could only guess.
The other listened attentively without evincing any surprise, and then
made answer, speaking rapidly and by jerks as it were, and scanning us
all the while with the eye of a hawk.
When he had finished, Arthur turned to us. "This man requires us, he
said, to give up Eiulo to him; he claims him as his brother's son, and
says that he wishes to convey him home to Tewa. He promises to leave us
unmolested if we comply, and threatens us with death if we refuse: you
see it concerns us all--what do you say?"
Arthur was very pale. He looked towards Morton, who said nothing, but
stood leaning against one of the pillars of the Aoa, with his eyes
steadfastly bent upon the ground.
"Ask Eiulo," said Browne, "if this man is his uncle."
The question was accordingly put, and the trembling boy answered
hesitatingly, that he did not know--but he believed that he was.
"Ask him," pursued Browne, "if he is willing to go with him."
Arthur put the question formally, and Eiulo, grasping his arm, while
Johnny still held fast by his skirt, answered with a shudder that he was
afraid to go with him.
"Ask him why he is afraid," continued Browne.
The answer was, that he believed his uncle would kill him.
These questions were put loud enough to be easily heard by Atollo, and
Arthur deliberately repeated the answers first in Tahitian, and then in
English.
"Well," said Browne, "I am now quite ready with an answer, as far as I
am concerned. I never will consent to give up the poor boy to be
murdered. He is old enough to choose for himself and I think it would
be right to resist the claim even of a father, under such
circumstances."
"Is that to be our answer?" said Arthur, looking round.
It was a bold stand to take, situated as we were, and we felt it to be
so; but it seemed a hard and cruel thing to yield up our little
companion to the tender mercies of his unnatural relative. Though there
were pale cheeks and unsteady hands among us, as we signified our
concurrence in this refusal, (which we all did except Morton, who
remained silent), yet we experienced a strange sense of relief when it
was done, and we stood committed to the result.
Arthur now motioned Johnny and Eiulo to climb into the tree, then
turning to Atollo, he said that as the boy preferred remaining with us,
we were resolved to protect him to the extent of our ability.
By this time we had somewhat regained our self-possession, and stood
grasping our weapons, though not anticipating any immediate attack.
Much to my surprise, Atollo had during the conference manifested neither
anger nor impatience. When Arthur announced our refusal to comply with
his demand, he merely noticed with a smile our belligerent attitude, and
advanced into the brook as if about to come over to the islet, swinging
a long curving weapon carelessly by his side, and followed by the other
savage.
Browne, holding his club in his left hand, and a heavy stone in his
right, stood beside me, breathing hard through his set teeth.
"The foolish heathen!" exclaimed he, "does he expect to subdue us by his
looks,--that he comes on in this fashion?"
It did, in fact, seem as though he supposed that we would not dare to
commence an attack upon him, for he continued to advance, eyeing us
steadily. Just as he gained the middle of the brook, three or four more
savages came out of the forest, and one of them ran towards him, with an
exclamation which caused him to turn at once, and on hearing what the
other eagerly uttered, with gestures indicating some intelligence of an
urgent and exciting character, he walked back to the edge of the wood,
and joined the group gathered there.
A moment afterwards, Atollo, attended by the messenger, as he appeared
to be, plunged into the forest, first giving to the others, who remained
upon the shore, some direction, which from the accompanying gesture,
appeared to have reference to ourselves.
Johnny and Eiulo had already climbed into the Aoa, whither we stood
ready to follow, at a moment's notice. The group of savages opposite us
seemed to have no other object in view than to prevent our escape, for
they did not offer to molest us. Soon after Atollo disappeared, two
more of his party came out of the wood, and I immediately recognised one
of them, who walked stiffly and with difficulty, seeming but just able
to drag himself about, as the scarred savage with whom Browne had had so
desperate a struggle. We now thought it prudent to effect our retreat
into the tree without further loss of time, but at the first movement
which we made for that purpose, the natives set up a shout, and dashed
into the water towards us, probably thinking that we were about to try
to escape by getting to the further shore.
They pressed us so closely that we had not a moment to spare, and had
barely climbed beyond their reach when they sprang after us. One active
fellow caught Browne, (who was somewhat behind the rest), by the foot,
and endeavoured to drag him from the trunk he was climbing, in which he
would probably have succeeded, had not Max let fall a leaf-basket of
stones directly upon his head, which stretched him groaning upon the
ground, with the blood gushing from his mouth and nose.
At this moment Atollo himself, with the rest of his party, joined our
besiegers below, and at a signal from him, the greater part of them
immediately commenced scaling the tree at different points. Our
assailants numbered not more than thirteen or fourteen, including
Browne's former foe, who did not seem to be in a condition to climb, and
the man recently wounded, who was still lying upon the ground,
apparently lifeless. We felt that we were now irrevocably committed to
a struggle of life and death, and we were fully determined to fight
manfully, and to the very last. We stationed ourselves at nearly equal
distances among the branches, armed with the bludgeons previously placed
there, so as to be able to hasten to any point assailed, and to assist
one another as occasion should require. The savages yelled and
screeched hideously, with the hope of intimidating us, but without any
effect, and we kept watching them quietly, and meeting them so promptly
at every point, that they were uniformly obliged to quit their hold and
drop to the ground before they could effect a lodgment among the
branches. Occasionally we addressed a word of encouragement to one
another, or uttered an exclamation of triumph at the discomfiture of
some assailant more than ordinarily fierce and resolute. But with this
exception, we were as quiet as if industriously engaged in some ordinary
occupation. This lasted for full fifteen minutes, without our enemies
having gained the slightest advantage. Atollo himself had not, thus
far, taken any part in the attack, except to direct the others.
At length, he fixed his eye upon Browne, who stepping about in the top
of the tree with an agility that I should not have expected from him,
and wielding a tremendous club, had been signally successful in
repelling our assailants. After watching him a moment, he suddenly
commenced climbing a large stem near him, with the marvellous rapidity
that characterised all his movements. Browne had just tumbled one of
the savages to the ground howling with pain, from a crushing blow upon
the wrist, and he now hastened to meet this more formidable foe. But he
was too late to prevent him from getting into the tree, and he had
already gained a footing upon the horizontal branches, when Browne
reached the spot. Atollo was without any weapon, and this was a
disadvantage that might have rendered all his strength and address
unavailing, had not the foliage and the lesser branches of the tree,
interfered with the swing of the long and heavy weapon of his adversary,
and the footing being too insecure to permit it to be used with full
effect. As Browne steadied himself and drew back for a sweeping blow,
Atollo shook the boughs upon which he stood, so violently, as greatly to
break the force of the stroke, which he received upon his arm, and
rushing upon him before he could recover his weapon, he wrested it from
his grasp, and hurled him to the ground, where he was instantly seized
and secured by those below.
While Atollo, armed with Browne's club, advanced upon Max and Arthur,
who were nearest him, several of his followers, taking advantage of the
diversion thus effected, succeeded in ascending also, and in a few
moments they were making their way towards us from all sides. Leaving
them to complete what he had so well begun, Atollo hastened towards the
spot where Johnny and Eiulo were endeavouring to conceal themselves
among the foliage. Though now outnumbered, and hopeless of success, we
continued a desperate resistance. The ferocity of our adversaries was
excited to the highest pitch. There was scarcely one of them who had
not received some injury in the attack, sufficiently severe to
exasperate, without disabling him. We had used our clubs with such
vigour and resolution in opposing their attempts at climbing, that every
second man at least, had a crushed hand or a bruised head, and all had
received more or less hard blows. Smarting with pain, and exulting in
the prospect of speedy and ample revenge, they pressed upon us with
yells and cries that showed that there was no mercy for us if taken.
But even at that trying moment our courage did out fail or falter. We
stood together near the centre of the tree, where the branches were
strong and the footing firm. Only a part of our assailants had weapons,
and, perceiving the utter desperation with which we fought, they drew
back a little distance until clubs could be passed up from below, and
thus afforded us a momentary respite. But we well knew that it was only
momentary, and that in their present state of mind, these men would
dispatch us with as little scruple as they would mischievous wild beasts
hunted and brought to bay.
"Nothing now remains," said Morton, "but to die courageously: we have
done every thing else that we could do."
"It does appear to have come to that at last," said Arthur. "If I did
unwisely in advising resistance, and perilling your lives as well as my
own, I now ask your forgiveness; on my own account I do not regret it."
"There is nothing to forgive," answered Morton, "you did what you
believed was right, and if I counselled otherwise, you will do me the
justice to believe that it was because I differed with you in judgment,
and not because I shrunk from the consequences."
"I never did you the injustice to think otherwise," answered Arthur.
"If our friends could but know what has become of us," said Max,
brushing away a tear, "and how we died here, fighting manfully to the
last, I should feel more entirely resigned; but I cannot bear to think
that our fate will never be known."
"Here they come once more," said Arthur, as the savages, having now
obtained their weapons, advanced to finish their work, "and now, may God
have mercy upon us!"
We all joined devoutly in Arthur's prayer, for we believed that death
was at hand. We then grasped our weapons, and stood ready for the
attack.
At this instant a long and joyous cry from Eiulo reached our ears. For
several minutes he had been eluding the pursuit of Atollo with a
wonderful agility, partly the effect of frantic dread. Just when it
seemed as though he could no longer escape, he suddenly uttered this
cry, repeating the words, "Wakatta! Wakatta!"--then springing to the
ground, he ran towards the brook, but was intercepted and seized by one
of the savages below.
There was an immediate answer to Eiulo's cry, in one of the deepest and
most powerful voices I had ever heard, and which seemed to come from the
west shore of the stream. Looking in that direction I saw, and
recognised at once, the lion-like old man, who had fled along the beach,
pursued by Atollo and his party. Several men, apparently his followers,
stood around him. He now bounded across the stream, towards the spot
where Eiulo was still struggling with his captor, and calling loudly for
help.
Atollo instantly sprang to the ground, and flew to the spot; then, with
a shrill call, he summoned his men about him. Eiulo's outcry, and the
answer which had been made to it, seemed to have produced a startling
effect upon Atollo and his party. For the moment we appeared to be
entirely forgotten.
"This must be Wakatta," said Arthur eagerly, "it can be no other. There
is hope yet." With a rapid sign for us to follow, he glided down the
nearest trunk, and, darting past Atollo's party, he succeeded in the
midst of the confusion, in reaching the old man and his band, who stood
upon the shore of the islet. Morton and I were equally successful.
Max, who came last, was observed, and an effort made to intercept him.
But dodging one savage, and bursting from the grasp of another, who
seized him by the arm as he was running at full speed, he also joined
us, and we ranged ourselves beside Wakatta and his men. Browne, Eiulo,
and Johnny, were prisoners.
It now seemed as though the conflict was about to be renewed upon more
equal terms. Our new and unexpected allies numbered seven, including
their venerable leader. On the other hand, our adversaries were but
twelve, and of these, several showed evident traces of the severe usage
they had recently received, and were hardly in a condition for a fresh
struggle.
There was a pause of some minutes, during which the two parties stood
confronting each other, with hostile, but hesitating looks. Wakatta
then addressed a few words to Atollo, in the course of which he several
times repeated Eiulo's name, pointing towards him at the same time, and
appearing to demand that he should be released.
The reply was an unhesitating and decided refusal, as I easily gathered
from the look and manner that accompanied it.
Wakatta instantly swung up his club, uttering a deep guttural
exclamation, which seemed to be the signal for attack, for his people
raised their weapons and advanced as if about to rush upon the others.
We had in the meantime provided ourselves with clubs, a number of which
were scattered about upon the ground, and we prepared to assist the
party with whom we had become so strangely associated.
But at a word and gesture from Atollo, Wakatta lowered his weapon again,
and the men on both sides paused in their hostile demonstrations, while
their leaders once more engaged in conference.
Atollo now seemed to make some proposition to Wakatta, which was eagerly
accepted by the latter. Each then spoke briefly to his followers, who
uttered cries of the wildest excitement, and suddenly became silent
again. The two next crossed together to the opposite shore, and while
we stood gazing in a bewildered manner at these proceedings, and
wondering what could be their meaning, the natives also crossed the
brook, and formed a wide circle around their chiefs, on an open grassy
space at the edge of the forest. We still kept with Wakatta's party,
who arranged themselves in a semicircle behind him.
"What does this mean!" inquired Morton of Arthur, "it looks as though
they were about to engage in single combat."
"That is in fact their purpose," answered Arthur.
"And will that settle the difficulty between these hostile parties?"
said Morton, "will there not be a general fight after all, whichever
leader is victor?"
"I rather think not," answered Arthur, "the party whose champion falls,
will be too much discouraged to renew the fight--they will probably run
at once."
"Then our situation will be no better than before, in case the old
warrior should prove unfortunate. Can't you speak to his followers and
get them to stand ready to attack their enemies if their chief falls."
"I will try what I can do," answered Arthur, "and let us be ready to act
with them."
Meantime the two principal parties had completed their preparations for
the deadly personal combat, in which they were about to engage. Atollo
took from one of his followers a long-handled curving weapon, the inner
side of which was lined with a row of sharks' teeth, and then placed
himself in the middle of the open space, first carefully kicking out of
the way a number of fallen branches which strewed the ground. His
manner was confident, and clearly bespoke an anticipated triumph.
Wakatta was armed with the massive club, set with spikes of iron-wood,
which he carried when I first saw him upon the shore. He advanced
deliberately towards his adversary, until they stood face to face, and
within easy reach of one another's weapons.
The men on both sides remained perfectly quiet, eyeing every movement of
their respective champions with the intensest interest. In the
breathless silence that prevailed, the gentle murmur of the brook
sliding over its pebbly bed, and even the dropping of a withered leaf,
could be heard distinctly.
Glancing over to the islet, I saw that Browne, although his hands
appeared to be bound behind him, had rolled himself to the edge of the
brook, from which he was watching what was going forward.
Each of the two combatants regarded the other with the air of a man
conscious that he is about to meet a formidable adversary; but in
Atollo's evil eye, there gleamed an assured and almost exulting
confidence, that increased my anxiety for his aged opponent; his manner,
nevertheless, was cautious and wary, and he did not suffer the slightest
movement of Wakatta to escape him.
They stood opposite each other, neither seeming to be willing to
commence the conflict, until Wakatta, with an impatient gesture, warned
his adversary to defend himself, and then swinging up his ponderous club
in both hands, aimed a blow at him, which the other avoided by springing
lightly backwards.
And now the fight commenced in earnest. Atollo made no attempt to guard
or parry the blows levelled at him--which would indeed have been idle--
but with astonishing agility and quickness of eye, he sprang aside, or
leaped back, always in time to save himself. He kept moving around the
old man, provoking his attacks by feints and half-blows, but making no
serious attack himself. There was a cool, calculating expression upon
his sharp and cruel countenance, and he did not appear to be half so
earnest or excited as his antagonist. I saw plainly that the wily
savage was endeavouring to provoke the other to some careless or
imprudent movement, of which he stood ready to take instant and fatal
advantage.