AN ARRIVAL
When Captain Bergen was inclined to become pessimistic, the mate
treated it lightly, for he feared the strong sailor would break before
long from sheer homesickness.
It was fortunate that neither had any family, the mate being one of
those who are without any close living relative, while the captain had
a sister in New England, and his aged mother was in San Francisco,
living with a nephew, of whom she was very fond.
Thus the three years passed away, and the second era in their lives
approached. There was something curious in the fact that all the
inhabitants of the lonely Pearl Island had lost their reckoning. No
two could agree on the day of the week, and when they compromised on
one, which was called Sunday, and observed as such, they were much in
doubt whether they were right, and, as it afterward proved, they were
not.
One afternoon, when the sun had hardly passed the meridian, the mate
and captain were stretched upon the beach under the shade of a
palm-tree, and looking out upon the sea, over which they had come to
this desolate spot so long before. The day was cooler than usual, and
a steady breeze blew, rendering the position of the friends in that
respect as pleasant as they could wish, though their weary, homesick
feeling was telling upon them. Both the ragged sailors were thinner,
and there was a yearning, far-away look in their eyes, especially in
those of the captain, which presaged the approach of insanity or death
at no distant day, unless a change were made in their condition and
surroundings. This lamentable state was partly due, no doubt, to the
diet to which they had been subjected for many months.
Inez, who seemed happy everywhere and at all times, was busying
herself in the cabin, where she could find plenty to do; and ever and
anon the sound of her voice could be heard, as she sang some snatch of
song, which came through the mist of memory from her infancy.
"I tell you what it is," said Captain Bergen, in his low, determined
voice, "this thing cannot continue much longer."
"You are no more weary of it than I, Jack; but show me the way in
which it can be ended."
"We've got to take the risk. The tender there is large enough to
carry us and a good supply of provisions--that is, enough water, to
last several days. We can rig some sort of sail, and, in less than a
week, by keeping to the northwest, we shall reach some inhabited
island, unless we should be picked up before that time, which I
consider quite likely."
"I've thought a good deal of it, Jack," said the mate, in a voice of
equal seriousness. "We have been restrained heretofore by the fear
that it would endanger too greatly the safety of Inez, and mainly by
the feeling that we couldn't stay here long without assistance being
summoned by that signal fluttering up there. And yet, three years have
come and gone," continued the mate, "and not a living soul has come to
us. There have been hundreds of days within this long period when we
might have embarked on board the little boat and safely made our way
to some other port, but we could not know it, and the result is--here
we are."
"And the situation is very different from what it was when we first
landed, for it is now a choice between staying here with the certainty
of miserably perishing--every one of us--and of starting boldly out
upon an unknown sea, as it may be called, with the chances between
life and death about even."
"You have stated the case correctly," assented Mr. Storms; "and though
it is your place to command, yet as you have deferred to me, I give
you my promise that to-morrow we shall begin rigging the best sort of
sail we can, and at daylight on the next day we will start for
whatever port Providence directs us."
"That has put new life into me, Abe. I feel now as I did three years
ago, when we first caught sight of those pearls. I am ten years
younger. I prefer a bold stroke for life to a weak submission to fate,
with this dismal waiting for help to come to us. By the great horn
spoon! a thousand such pearl banks as we cleaned out wouldn't tempt me
to spend another year on this hated island----"
At this instant the voice of Inez was heard, excitedly calling to
them, and while they rose to the sitting position and looked
inquiringly in that direction, she was seen to spring through the open
door of the cabin, and to come running toward them on the beach,
bareheaded and with her long, yellow hair streaming in the wind.
"What can be the matter with her?" exclaimed the captain, rising to
his feet. "What is she saying?"
"Hark!"
The distance was so short that the girl was at their side a second or
two later. She was laughing, and uttering something in her excitement,
which, until that moment, they did not understand.
"Who ever saw any one so stupid?" she called out, cheerily. "What are
your eyes for? Why don't you look out to sea?"
The two obeyed, and an exclamation of amazement escaped both, for
there, while they had lain on the beach talking in such disconsolate
tones, and looking dreamily out upon the ocean, a craft had been
steadily approaching, and neither of the two saw it.
At the furthest, it was no more than a mile distant, and, since it was
heading straight in toward the atoll, the chances were a hundred to
one that the signal of distress had been seen, and the lonely island
at last was going to have a visitor.
Captain Bergen muttered something about the "great horn spoon," under
his breath, while Storms said nothing, but gazed steadily at the
craft, upon which his hopes were so suddenly and strongly fixed. It
might be that the hearts of all three bounded with hope at this sight
of a vessel, but the hope was mixed with apprehension, for the sailors
saw it was not the sort of vessel for which they had been praying so
long.
Instead of a gallant ship, with the Stars and Stripes streaming from
the fore, it was what is termed a flying proa, which is the name
applied to the narrow canoes used principally in the Ladrone Islands.
They are about thirty feet long, three feet wide, and are steered by a
paddle at either end. The sail is lateen, with a boom upon one mast;
the prow and stern curve to a high point, and the depth being
considerably greater than the width, the proa would, if unsupported,
capsize instantly, but a hollow log or heavy-pointed spar rests on the
water, parallel with the windward side, and, being secured in place,
acts as an outrigger and removes the danger of overturning. The same
name is applied to the boats used by the Malays, and which are
propelled by both oars and sails.
But the one which greeted the astonished eyes of Storms and Bergen had
its huge lateen sail spread, and was moving with great velocity, for
the proas of the Indian and Pacific oceans are probably the fastest
boats in the world. It rode the waters like a bird, and would soon
enter the lagoon within the island, for there could be no doubt that
the men on board had seen not only the signal, but the persons
themselves who were waiting for them.
Inasmuch as a couple of men were discernible with the naked eye on the
proa, it followed that the latter must descry the three individuals
who were standing out in full view upon the shore of the island.
"How about this?" asked Captain Bergen, stepping to the side of his
mate, and speaking in an undertone. "Shall we rejoice or not?"
"It's uncertain," was the dubious reply. "Those boats generally carry
the vagabonds of the ocean, and the last motive which, as a rule,
brings them to a spot like this is humanity."
"Where's your glass?"
"I declare, I never thought of that--I was so surprised!"
Storms carried it with him always, and he now brought it to bear upon
the singular-looking craft approaching. It was so close inshore that,
with the aid of the instrument, he was able to see everything
distinctly, especially as the boat at that moment bore off a little
and then headed toward the entrance again.
So far as could be ascertained, there were three persons on the boat,
and the captain reached the same conclusion after using the glass.
"If that's the case," said Captain Bergen, "we haven't anything to
fear from them, for, with our guns and ammunition, we can hold our own
against a dozen South Sea Islanders."
"There may be others concealed about the craft, but I incline to think
not. However, it's best to be prepared. So let's get to the house and
make ready to receive them--whether they come as enemies or friends."
The suggestion was a prudent one, and the two men hurried up the beach
in the direction of the cabin, while Inez remained to watch the proa.
The men examined their rifles and saw they were loaded and ready for
instant use, and then, bearing one apiece, they came forth again. As
they did so, something like a shadow seemed to shoot through the
trees, and, looking toward the lagoon, they saw the cause. The proa
had entered the quiet waters within, and was coming to rest as
gracefully as a sea gull stops in its flight.