Here indeed was a new phase of existence, gloomy enough in anticipation,
yet far preferable to the dangerous scenes in which it had heretofore
been my fortune to participate. The sailors pitched four small tents;
two for themselves, and two for the officers. These served for a shelter
at night; but, during the day, when the sun shone with an almost
scorching fervency of heat, unmitigated by a single cloud on the face of
the sky, it was almost impossible to remain in them. To augment our
troubles, the fleas were so numerous and so blood-thirsty, that for a
few days I was in perpetual motion. When once they made a lodgment in
our clothing, it was useless to attempt to exterminate them; and _they_
never capitulate. At night, upon retiring, our only preparation was to
spread a blanket upon the sand, and lie down upon it. In the morning, we
would find ourselves almost imbedded in the loose beach-sand; for, upon
the dry part of the beach, it was quite deep. I would rise, and shake my
head to dislodge the quantity of sand there collected. My hair was
hanging unconfined over my shoulders, having lost comb, hair-pins, and
bonnet. I would walk down to the shore of the Pacific,--an ample
wash-bowl, certainly,--and perform my ablutions, dispensing, of
necessity, with all the modern appurtenances of a lady’s toilet.
Captain Lunt proposed to send to the American Consul at Payta for
assistance to remove us from the beach. His mate, Mr. McCrelles, of
Belfast, Maine, volunteered to go, accompanied by four of the sailors.
The next day after our arrival there, they embarked on their voyage to
obtain the relief we so much needed. Their directions were, to keep
close in shore; and, with God’s blessing, they would arrive at Payta,
and assistance would reach us at the expiration of a week. We watched
the little boat until she looked like a speck upon the water; and, with
many an unuttered prayer for her safe arrival, we turned our thoughts
landward,--I to amuse myself by selecting the most beautiful shells I
could find: they were very numerous among the rocks at each extremity of
the beach. I was never lonely: I found companions in my own thoughts;
and they were oftentimes pleasanter than the gayer ones of the world
would have been, for they whispered of home and loved friends.
There was the skeleton of a whale perfect, and entirely exposed. How
long the remains of this huge aquatic monster had been bleaching under
the scorching rays of that tropical sun, we had no means of
ascertaining.
The Indians faithfully kept their promise, and each succeeding day they
visited us with a plentiful supply of water and potatoes; the bill of
fare varied occasionally by the introduction of some very offensive
fowl, which they positively asserted were “esta bueno.” An amusement in
which I often indulged was to chase innumerable crabs, with which the
beach was literally covered in the mornings. They would, upon the first
intimation of pursuit, disappear instantly into their holes in the hard
sand. By remaining perfectly quiet for some time, they would again
assemble in numbers, which the least movement on my part would again put
to flight. They would make greater progress running sideways than I
could any way; therefore, I never caught one.
The pig remained secreted in his cavernous retreat, which no entreaties
on our part could induce him to vacate. Not until driven to the last
extremity by the pangs of hunger, did he venture to reconnoitre from the
aperture. After viewing his companions in distress for a little time, he
gained sufficient courage to eat potatoes from my hand. After that, he
became quite domesticated, and, with the hen, used to share the sailors’
tent with them at nights.
During this time, I was unconsciously assuming the dark and swarthy hue
of the native women, from being constantly exposed to the scorching
glare of a tropical sun. My habiliments, too, were becoming exceedingly
soiled, from constant use both by night and day.
The love and spirit of adventure had, from earliest infancy, been
strongly implanted in my nature; and, during this voyage, certainly,
this predilection for thrilling adventure had been amply gratified. Yet,
had not the fiery ordeal through which it had pleased the God of love to
bring me been for good, it would have been averted.
A week had now elapsed since the departure of the boat. Intently we
scanned the ocean, in the hope of descrying the anxiously expected sail.
Nights, at the hour of twilight, I would seat myself upon the rocks to
indulge in the reveries which that most fitting hour for reflection
usually calls up. The mind feels a soothing influence as the light of
day fades gradually from sight. At such times memory is busy with the
past--the distant home, the loved friends there assembled. I often
wandered in this way through the spirit-land of old times. One night I
was startled by the exultant cry of “A sail! a sail!” Being fearful lest
some casualty had befallen the boat, and she had never reached Payta,
Captain Lunt deemed it advisable to make signals, in the hope of
attracting attention. She kept on her way, apparently unmindful of the
signals which she could not but have seen, as the captain had sent up a
rocket, which he had preserved in the water-proof chest. Darkness now
hid her from our view; and we sat down, wondering that no answering
signal had been displayed to our call for succor.
We repaired to our tent with our minds illy reconciled to passing
another night victims to the insatiable fleas, whose cry still was,
Blood, blood. All at once we heard the clanking of chains letting go an
anchor. All rushed out, and there lay a dark object in the offing. Soon
we heard the splash of oars; and in a short time Mr. McCrellis, his
countenance beaming with smiles, stood in our midst. He was accompanied
by Captain Hillman, originally of New Bedford. His bark had been
chartered by the American consul to come to our rescue. The next morning
we bade farewell to rocks, and sand, and fleas, and repaired on board
the bark, where, for the first time since leaving the Fanchon, I caught
a glimpse of my sun-burned, swarthy countenance. The poisonous bite of
the fleas had contributed their share towards imparting to my skin the
appearance of a person suffering from measles, small-pox, and erysipelas
combined.