Old Moola kept a watchful eye on me, as if she divined my intention of
trying to make my escape to go in search of Dick on the first
opportunity which might occur.
I concluded that if the warriors were away he would be less carefully
looked after than usual, and would try to find me; for I was very sure
that he was as anxious about me as I was about him.
There were a good many other boys in the village, and I used to play
with them, and did my best to excel them in all their sports. I found,
after some practice, that I could walk on stilts as well as they could.
I induced them to run races, and I very frequently came off the victor.
They had an advantage, from being more lightly clad than I was, that is
to say, while I wore my shirt and trousers, they had no clothing
whatever.
The women, meantime, were employed in their usual domestic occupations,
in making cloth by beating out the bark of the paper-mulberry tree, and
manufacturing mats and baskets. I afterwards observed that they were
always employed in such occupations, while the men, when at home,
cultivated the fields, and caught fish with nets and fish-hooks, the
latter formed of mother-of-pearl, as also with bone, and wooden
harpoons. Besides the articles I have mentioned, they make calabashes
from gourds, and kava-cups formed of the cocoa-nut, as also cradles for
their children, hollowed out of a log with great neatness. They also
use small chests, which are in like manner hollowed out of solid pieces
of wood, with covers to them, and wooden bowls and stands, on which
various objects are hung out of the way of the rats. Those animals are
great pests, and to preserve their more valuable articles, the natives
suspend them in baskets from the roofs of their houses, by lines passing
through the bottoms of inverted calabashes, so that, should the
creatures reach the polished surface of the calabashes, they slip off on
to the ground, without being able to climb beneath them.
Moola's house was furnished with all the articles I have mentioned,
supplied to her by the people of her tribe, who looked up to her with
great respect. As I was under her charge, and was moreover regarded in
the light of a chief's son, no one interfered with me, or questioned
what I thought fit to do. This was a great advantage, and I hoped would
enable me to carry out my plan. Besides my amusements on shore, I soon
learned to swim and to paddle a canoe, and other boys and I used
frequently to go out in the bay. It occurred to me that, by gradually
extending our excursions, I might be able to get along the shore to some
distance, and there land and make my way into the interior. To do this,
however, I found that I should require two or more companions, and they
might not be disposed to assist me. I became expert in fishing with the
line and hooks and in spearing fish, but I could not manage to dive in
the way the natives did. Some of them, with a hoop-net in one hand, and
a stick in the other, would dart down into the deep water among the
coral, and with the stick drive the fish hidden among its recesses into
the net. This operation was not unattended with danger. Sharks were
constantly prowling about, to snap up a person unprepared for their
attacks; and one day, a young man who, according to custom, wore his
hair loose, was caught by it among the coral, and, unable to extricate
himself, was drowned before his companions could go to his assistance.
When the sea rolled in a heavy surf on the shore, it was common
amusement for boys, and even for girls, to paddle out on little rafts,
mounting to the top of the surf, and if the raft was upset, which
frequently happened, they would dive under the sea, and come up again on
the other side.
Besides these amusements, in which I took a part, I tried to learn some
of the arts practised by the natives. I never found the time hang
heavily on my hands, still I was continually thinking how I could manage
to find Dick. After considering the matter, I abandoned the idea of
making the attempt by water, and resolved to try and escape by land.
Fearing that the warriors would return, I determined to put it into
execution without delay. I had secreted as much food in the pockets of
my jacket as they could hold, and, late in the day, I challenged my
companions to a race on stilts across the country, pointing to a rock
which projected from the hillside at some distance. They laughed at me
when they saw me dressed in my jacket, declaring that I should have no
chance, and willingly agreed to give me a short start, believing that,
encumbered as I was, they could easily come up with me. Old Moola, not
suspecting my intentions, came out from her hut, and promised to reward
the victor. We took our places, and away we started. I exerted myself
to the utmost to keep ahead of my competitors, and found, as I had
hoped, that I was at first gaining on them rapidly, although they in the
end, I have no doubt, would have overtaken me. As soon as I felt sure
that I was well out of sight, hidden by a ridge over which I had passed,
I turned off to the right, and ran on along the valley, where the even
ground allowed me to continue at a good speed. I then, turning into a
wood, jumped off my stilts, and, having concealed them among the hushes,
continued my flight on foot. I went on and on, avoiding cultivated land
or any huts where I might meet with inhabitants, till the increasing
darkness compelled me to stop. I had no dread of wild beasts or
venomous snakes, as I knew the island was free from them. I could
therefore lie down on the dry grass, and recover my strength without
fear; and I hoped that the other boys would make their way to the goal,
and not think of looking for me till the darkness prevented them from
doing so.
I slept soundly, and soon after I awoke the first streaks of dawn
appeared in the sky. Having taken a little food, and drank some water
from a rivulet which flowed by, I proceeded onwards, intending to lie in
wait near the first village I should come to, in the hopes that one or
other of the captive Englishmen might be there, and might give me
information about Dick, should he himself not appear.
I went on for some way, keeping myself concealed as much as possible
among the trees, till I saw several native huts before me, just on the
borders of a wood. Making my way through the wood, I discovered a tree
which I could climb. I managed, not without difficulty, to get up it,
and, when near the top, concealed by the leafy boughs, I could survey
all that went on in the village below me. The people at length began to
come out of their huts, but I saw only women, or old men and boys,
showing that the fighting part of the population had not returned. In
vain I watched for Dick, or one of the other white men. Disappointed at
not seeing them, I descended from my perch, afraid that some of the
people might come into the wood and discover me. Hurrying on, I had got
to no great distance, when I heard voices from among the trees behind
me, showing that, had I not escaped when I did, I should have been found
out.
I could by this time speak the native language quite well enough to make
myself understood, and I resolved, should I meet any one, to go up and
speak with confidence, as if I had full right to be at liberty.
In a short time I reached another village. Here I watched as before,
but though several natives were moving about, none of my shipmates were
to be seen, and the dreadful idea occurred to me that they had all been
murdered. My heart sank, still I determined to continue my search.
The direct path from village to village was very much shorter than the
road I was compelled to take, as I had to make wide circuits to avoid
observation. I was now at a considerable distance from Motakee's
village, and I hoped, even should I be seen by any of the natives, there
was not much risk of being sent back. This made me less cautious than
before. Feeling thirsty, I had gone to a bright spring which gushed out
of a rock, to drink, when, on looking up, I saw a young girl with
several gourds, which she had brought to fill with water. She cast an
astonished glance at me, and inquired where I had come from. I told her
at once that I knew from her looks she was kind, and could only wish to
do me good; that I had belonged to the ship which had been taken by her
people, and that I was in search of my guardian. "I have not mistaken
you," I added; "you will help me, if you can?"
She looked pleased, and replied that she could feel for me, away from my
country and friends, and that she certainly would not betray me. She
added that she had heard that there was an Englishman living in the next
village, kept a prisoner by an old chief who ruled there, who was very
stern and cruel, and made him work very hard, and that he had become
very ill.
"The chief himself has gone away to fight, and you will have less
difficulty in seeing your countryman than would have been the case had
he been at home."
I thanked the young girl very much for her information, and she having
pointed out the road I was to take, I proceeded on my journey. I went
on till I came to the village. I could easily distinguish the chief's
house, which was considerably larger than that of the other natives.
Some short distance from it was a small hut. It was built in a
different fashion to that of the natives, and not so neatly put
together. On one side was a garden, apparently lately formed, and
carefully cultivated. It struck me at once that it must be the work of
an Englishman. I concealed myself, as before, so that I could watch the
proceedings of the inhabitants. After a time, I saw a woman, with a
basket in her hand, approach the hut: she looked cautiously round, to
ascertain, apparently, that no one was watching her, and then went in.
She was old, and far from comely, but, even at the distance she was from
me, her countenance looked kind and gentle. She soon came out again,
looking about as before, and hurrying away. I observed that her basket
was empty. This convinced me that she had been to take provisions to
the inmate of the hut, whoever he might be. I determined to ascertain
this.
"May I come in," I asked, in the native language.
"Who's there?" was the reply, in English.