PUTTING IN THE REFIT.
The boat rowed steadily in the course that was believed would take them
straight out to sea, the mate listening attentively for the sound of the
distant guns. The reports came up every two or three minutes, their
sound muffled by the fog. "Sure it's mighty difficult to tell where the
sound comes from, but I think it is well over there on our beam. Do not
you think so?" the mate asked Mr. Atherton.
"I think so; yes, I feel sure that we are rowing nearly due south. Even
without the sound of the guns I should feel sure that we cannot at
present be far out of that course. I noticed that as we came along you
hardly had to use any helm, and that the strength on both sides was very
evenly balanced. So that starting out as we did from the shore, we must
be travelling pretty straight. Of course in the long run we should be
sure to sweep round one way or the other and lose our bearings
altogether were it not for the guns. Wilfrid, we will appoint you
time-keeper."
"What am I to keep time of, Mr. Atherton?"
"You are to keep time of the guns. I think they are firing about every
three minutes, but you had better time the first two or three. If you
find them three minutes apart, it will be your duty a quarter of a
minute before the gun is due to say in a loud voice 'Stop,' then all
conversation is to cease till we hear the report. Unless we are all
silent and listening, it is very difficult to judge the exact
direction from which the sound comes, and it is important to keep as
straight a line as we can. There is the gun now, begin to count."
[Illustration: A DOZEN SPEARS STRUCK THE WATER ROUND HER
_Page 103_]
"I think we can turn our head in that direction now," the mate said. "It
is just twenty minutes since we left the shore, and we ought to be fully
a mile out beyond the headland."
"I quite agree with you. We have certainly a clear course now to the
ship if we do not make any blunder in keeping it."
The mate put the tiller a-starboard.
"I wonder how long I am to keep it over?" he said. "It is a queer
sensation steering without having an idea which way you are going."
"The next gun will tell us whether we have gone too far round or not far
enough," Mr. Atherton observed.
"Well, we will try that," the mate said after a short pause. "I should
think we ought to have made half a turn now."
"Stop!" Wilfrid exclaimed a minute later. "Easy rowing, lads, and listen
for the gun."
The mate ordered silence in the boat. Half a minute later the report of
the gun was again heard. There was a general exclamation of surprise,
for instead of coming, as they expected, from a point somewhere ahead,
it seemed to them all that the sound was almost astern of them.
"Now, who would have thought that?" the mate said. "I had no idea she
had gone round so far. Well, we must try again, and go to work more
gently this time. Row on, men!"
The tiller was put slightly a-port, and the boat continued her way. The
talk that had gone on among the passengers was now hushed. Mr. Atherton
had been chatting gaily with the girls from the time the fog came on,
and except at the moment when they went ashore and were attacked by the
natives, no uneasiness had been felt, for the sound of the guns had
seemed to all an assurance that there could be no difficulty in
rejoining the ship. The discovery that for a moment they had been
actually going away from the ship had, for the first time since they
rowed away from the shore, caused a feeling of real uneasiness, and when
Wilfrid again gave notice that the report would soon be heard, all
listened intently, and there was a general exclamation of satisfaction
when the sound was heard nearly ahead.
"We have got it now," the mate said. "Row on, lads; a long steady stroke
and we shall be in before dinner is cold yet."
The conversation now recommenced.
"Is it any use my stopping here any longer?" Jim Allen cried from the
bow; "because if not I will come aft to you. It is a good deal warmer
sitting together than it is out here by myself."
"Yes, you may as well come aft," the mate replied. "As long as we keep
the guns ahead we know that we are clear of rocks. It certainly has come
on bitterly cold." There was a general chorus of assent.
"I should think it would be a good thing, Ryan, to get the sail aft and
unlash it from the gaff and put it over our legs, it will make a lot of
difference in the warmth."
"I think that that is a very good idea," the mate assented. "Lay in your
oar for a minute, Johnson, and get that sail aft."
The sail was passed aft, unlashed from the yard, and spread out, adding
considerably to the comfort of all those sitting astern; and now that
the ship's guns were booming ahead, and they had become accustomed to
the thick curtain of cloud hanging round them, the feeling of uneasiness
that the girls had felt was entirely dissipated, and Mr. Atherton had no
longer any occasion to use his best efforts to keep up their spirits.
All laughed and chatted over their adventure, which, as they said, far
exceeded in interest anything they had been promised when they started
from the ship. The only drawback, as they all agreed, was the cold,
which was indeed really severe.
"We do not seem to come up to the guns as we ought to," Mr. Atherton
said to the mate after the boat had been rowing for some time.
"That is just what I was thinking," Mr. Ryan replied. "I fancy we must
have got a strong current out here against us."
"I expect we have. Ryan, I tell you what. The men have been rowing for
some hours now since they left the ship, I think it would be a good
thing if our youngsters were to relieve some of them for a spell. What
do you say, lads?"
Wilfrid, the Allens, Hardy, and Wilson all exclaimed that they should be
delighted to take a turn, as it would warm their blood. "We shall be
able to give them all a spell," Mr. Atherton said, "for there are just
six of us."
"I am certainly not going to let you pull, and you scarcely out of the
doctor's hand," the mate said bluntly. "Why, you must be mad to think of
such a thing! Here, do you take the tiller and I will row the
stroke-oar. Easy all, lads; put on your jackets. Four of you come aft,
and the other two go into the bows."
"I wish we could row," Marion said regretfully, as the new crew bent to
their oars. "I have done a lot of rowing at home, Mr. Atherton, and they
say I row very fairly."
"I am afraid you would not be of much assistance here, young lady," Mr.
Atherton said. "It's one thing to work a light well-balanced oar such as
you use in a gig up the river, but it is a very different one to tug
away at one of these heavy oars in a sea-going boat like this with ten
sitters in her. We shall want all our strength to get back, you may be
sure. There must be a strong current against us, and there is little
chance of our being back, as we hoped, by dinner-time."
After the men had had half an hour's rest Mr. Ryan told them to take
their seats and double bank the oars.
"We shall travel all the faster," he said to Mr. Atherton, "and now that
they have got their wind again it is far better that they should be
rowing than sitting still. The guns are a good deal nearer now. I do not
think that the ship can be more than a mile or a mile and a half away."
"I do not suppose she is," Mr. Atherton replied. "I think I will fire
off my rifle two or three times. They ought to be able to hear it now,
and it will relieve their minds."
He discharged his rifle four or five times, and they fancied that they
heard shots in return.
"Hullo!" Mr. Atherton exclaimed suddenly. "Easy all! Hold her up hard
all!" Although the order was entirely unexpected it was given so sharply
that it was instantly obeyed, and the boat was brought to a stand-still
before she had advanced another length. Then the rowers looked round to
see what had been the occasion of the sudden order. In front of them,
scarce ten feet away, towered up a dark mass of rock. They could only
see it ahead of the boat, and how high it was or how far it extended on
either side they knew not.
"Why, what is this?" the mate said in astonishment. "We did not notice
any islands as we came along. It has been a narrow escape, for at the
rate at which we were going through the water we should have stove in
our bow had we run on it."
"We have had a narrower escape than we deserve," Mr. Atherton said. "I
cannot think how we can have been so foolish."
"What do you mean?" the mate asked.
"Why we have been steering straight for the guns, have we not?"
"Of course we have."
"Well, we ought not to have done so. If the ship had been lying well out
from the land it would have been all right; but she is lying in a deep
bay, and of course a straight course to her from the point we started
from would take us just where we are, that is ashore, on the other side
of the headland."
"Of course it would. We ought to have kept well to seaward of the guns
till they bore right on our beam, and then headed in to her. Well,
fortunately no harm has been done, but we have had a mighty narrow
escape. If the fog had been as thick as it was when it first came down
upon us we should have gone right into it before we saw it."
The boat was turned and rowed out to sea for some distance, then they
again headed her in the direction in which they wished to go, but
keeping the guns well in shore of them until they judged by the sound
that they were nearly opposite to her, then they rowed straight towards
her. The sound of their oars was heard, and a loud hail informed them of
the exact position of the ship, and two or three minutes later a dark
image loomed up in front of the boat.
"All well, Mr. Ryan?" the captain shouted.
"All well, sir."
"You have given us a great fright," the captain went on. "We expected
you back at least two hours ago, thinking of course you would have
returned when the fog set in, even if you had not done so before."
"We had turned, sir, before the fog rolled in; but what with losing our
way, and the difficulty of keeping our course in the fog, and the fact
that there is, we think, a strong current that was running against us
further out, we have been a long time coming back. So, you see, we have
double banked all the oars."
By this time they were lying by the gangway. It was found that the girls
in spite of their wraps were so stiff with the cold that they had to be
assisted up the gangway to the deck. Exercise warmed the blood of the
rest, and they were soon on deck. Mr. Atherton, who alone of the men
had not been rowing, had some little difficulty in getting up, although,
as he said, he had no more right to feel cold than a walrus, protected
as he was by nature.
There had been much anxiety on board until the shots fired by Mr.
Atherton were heard. The captain had ordered plenty of hot soup to be
got ready, and the girls soon felt in a comfortable glow. Mr. Atherton
gave a comical account of their adventures, but he did not conceal the
fact that at one time their position had been really a perilous one, and
that if they had not been pretty vigilant they might have fallen into
the hands of the natives.
"Well, all is well that ends well," Mr. Renshaw said, "but I think we
will have no more boat excursions as long as we are in the neighbourhood
of cannibals. Of course no one could have foreseen the fog coming on so
suddenly, but you have evidently all had a narrow escape."
Those who had taken part in the adventure, however, were highly pleased
with their share in it, and agreed that although perhaps at the time it
was unpleasant it was very exciting, and was an incident that they
should never forget all their lives.
The fog continued for three days, at the end of which time an easterly
wind set in and the air cleared, and the _Flying Scud_ weighed her
anchor and proceeded on her voyage. Ten days later a gale set in from
the south. The cold was intense, and the spray as it flew from her bows
cased her fore-rigging and deck with ice. The wind increased hourly in
fury, and the captain decided to run before it. "We have plenty of
sea-room," he said, "and shall get out of this bitter cold as we get
further north. It will not last long, I daresay."
Day after day, however, the gale continued, seeming to increase rather
than diminish in force. On the morning of the sixth day after it had
begun the passengers heard a tremendous crash on deck. Wilfrid ran up
the companion and looked out, and reported that the mainmast and the
fore-top-mast had gone overboard. Fortunately the gust that had done this
damage proved to be the climax of the gale; by nightfall its force had
sensibly abated, and two days later it fell to a calm, and all hands set
to work to repair damages.
"I have no spar that will be of any use for a mainmast," the captain
said. "We must content ourselves with getting up a fore-top-mast and
then under what sail we can set upon that and the mizzen make for one of
the islands and try to get a good-sized spar for the mainmast. I reckon
that we are not more than two hundred and fifty miles from the Austral
Group. We have been blown nearly twenty degrees north."
Three days later land was seen ahead, and this the captain, after taking
an observation, declared to be Malayta, one of the largest islands of
the group.
"I would rather have gone on under this reduced sail," he said to Mr.
Atherton, in whom he had great confidence, "if we had been sure of fine
weather; but that we cannot reckon upon at this time of year, and I
should not like to be caught in another gale in this crippled state so
near the islands. So of the two evils I consider it the least to go in
and try and get a spar that will do for our purpose."
"What is the evil of going in?" Mr. Atherton asked.
"The natives," the captain replied shortly. "They are a treacherous lot
in all these islands; but the Australs bear a particularly bad
reputation, and we shall have to be very careful in our dealings with
them."
"Well, as we are forewarned they are not likely to take us by surprise,
captain; and as with the crew and passengers we can muster a pretty
strong force, we ought to be able to beat off any open attack."
"Yes, I think we could do that," the captain agreed. "If I did not think
so I would not put in, but would take the chance of our making our way,
crippled as we are, to New Zealand. The thing we shall have to guard
against is a sudden and treacherous onslaught; the crews of many ships
have been massacred owing to carelessness and over-confidence. However,
we will not be caught napping, and I therefore hope to get off
unscathed."
As they neared the land the passengers were delighted with the aspect of
the shore. Groves of trees came down to the very edge of the water; in
the interior the land was high, but was covered to the summit of the
hills with foliage. As they approached, and the captain gave orders to
prepare for anchoring, they could see a number of natives gathered on
the narrow strip of sands close to the water. They were waving boughs of
trees in token of friendship, and were, as far as could be seen by the
aid of a telescope, unarmed.
"They look friendly, mother," Marion said after watching them through
the glass. "Won't it be nice to land and take a walk among those
feathery-looking trees. There will be no fear of fogs or cold here, the
temperature is quite perfect."
"You will not land, I can assure you, young lady," the captain, who was
passing by and overheard her, said. "Those fellows look friendly enough,
I agree, but there are no more treacherous rascals among the islanders
of the Pacific. I shall give them as wide a berth as I can, and get them
if possible to cut a spar and tow it out to us, instead of sending a
party on shore to fetch it. No one will leave this ship with my
permission, unless it be a boat's party armed to the teeth to fetch
water. These fellows are as treacherous as the natives of Tierra del
Fuego, and vastly more warlike and dangerous."
"Are they cannibals, captain?" Mrs. Renshaw asked.
"That I cannot tell you for certain, Mrs. Renshaw. They are thieves and
murderers, but whether they eat human flesh is more than I can tell. It
does not concern me greatly whether if they kill me they eat me
afterwards or not; but I do not mean to give them the chance of killing
me or any of us, I can assure you."
"After the character you have given me of them I have no longer the
slightest inclination to land, captain."
As soon as the vessel came to an anchor a number of canoes put out,
laden with yams, cocoa-nuts, and other vegetables and fruit for
exchange. Had they been allowed they would have come alongside and
climbed up to the deck, but the captain would not permit them to come
within thirty or forty yards. Although there was no one on board who
could speak their language, his emphatic gestures were understood by
the natives, and were sufficient to show them that he was not to be
trifled with. Two boats only were allowed to approach at a time, and a
guard of six sailors with muskets were placed on deck with orders to
prevent anyone coming up, and to cover those who descended the gangway.
The younger passengers thought that the captain was unnecessarily timid;
but ready as he was to oblige them on ordinary occasions, they saw that
this time it would be no use to try to change his determination that
none should go on shore. Going down the gangway they bargained with the
natives, giving little articles in exchange for fruit.
Mr. Atherton was evidently of the captain's opinion as to the necessity
for prudence, and had stationed himself with his rifle near the gangway.
"They look quite peaceful and cheerful," Marion Renshaw said to him. "Do
you think there is really any use in all these precautions, Mr.
Atherton?"
"I do indeed, Miss Renshaw. I do not think one can be too careful when
dealing with people who are notoriously so treacherous."
"Are you a good shot with a rifle, Mr. Atherton?"
"Yes; although I say it myself, I am an exceptionally good shot. I have
practised a great deal with the rifle, and have, I suppose, a natural
aptitude for it; for when I fire I am morally certain of hitting my
mark, though I am hardly conscious of taking aim."
When the contents of a few boats had been taken on board the captain
made signs that he required no more, and the natives, with looks of
evident discontent, paddled back to the shore.
"We shall have some chiefs off in the morning," the captain said.
"To-day they have kept in the background, but seeing that we are wary
and on our guard they will probably come off to-morrow to view matters
for themselves. I shall let them perceive that I am well prepared, and
it may be when they see this they will be inclined to do a little honest
trading, and to bring off a strong spar with which we can at anyrate
make a shift for our mainmast. We will keep watch and watch as if we
were at sea. It is as likely as not some of their canoes may be coming
out in the night to see if we are to be caught napping."
"It is horrid," Kate Mitford said, as she with her sister, Marion, and
several of the younger passengers stood together that evening on the
poop looking towards the shore. The young moon was sinking in the west,
the stars shone with great brilliancy, and the water was as smooth as
glass. The outline of the palms could be made out against the sky, and
in several places the light of fires could be perceived, and the
stillness of the evening was broken by the hum of distant voices. "It is
really a shame that we cannot go ashore. I am sure the savages looked
civil and friendly, and it would be delightful to wander about in such a
wood as that."
Two or three voices were raised in assent.
"Have you heard the little story of the spider and the fly, Miss Kate?"
Mr. Atherton said, moving across from the other side of the deck, where
he was smoking a cigar. "In that case, you know, it was the prettiest
little bower that ever you did espy, and perhaps the fly admired it just
as much as you admire that grove ashore. The result of a visit would be
identical in both cases. Those on board other ships have been taken in
by the peaceful appearance of the natives and the loveliness of the
islands, and the result was fatal to them. Personally, I should feel
much more comfortable if I saw those savages putting out in a body in
their canoes to attack the ship than I do now while they are keeping up
this pretence of friendliness. An open danger one can meet, but when you
know that treachery is intended, but have no idea what form it will take
or when the mask of friendship will be thrown off, it is trying to the
nerves. Fortunately we know their character, and may hope to be ready
when the danger comes. Still the waiting is trying."
"And you really feel that, Mr. Atherton?" Marion Renshaw asked.
"I do indeed, Miss Renshaw. We may get away without trouble; but if so,
it will be solely because the natives see that we are prepared for them
and are not to be taken by surprise. Seeing our crippled state, my own
opinion is, that the natives will not let us go off without making at
least one attempt to surprise us."
Mr. Atherton spoke strongly, for he thought that it was possible that
some of the youngsters might, unless thoroughly roused to a sense of
danger, do something foolish and rash. His words had the effect desired.
His share in the affair at Rio had caused him to be regarded with
respect and admiration by the young men on board, and they felt that if
in his opinion the danger was grave it was not for them to doubt its
reality. A vigilant watch was kept all night, and loaded muskets were
served out to the watch on deck. The guns had been loaded before they
anchored, and the spare muskets were placed so as to be handy for the
watch below should they be suddenly called up. After the moon went down
a light mist rose on the surface of the sea. Several times during the
night faint sounds were heard near the ship, but immediately the officer
of the watch challenged, silence reigned for a considerable time.
"How has the night passed, Ryan?" Mr. Atherton asked the first officer
as soon as he came on deck, just as daylight was breaking.
"There have been some of them near us all night," Mr. Ryan replied. "I
do not think they were in force, but they wanted to see whether we kept
a sharp watch; and I think we have satisfied them as to that, for
everytime the slightest noise was heard we hailed at once. I should like
to have sent a musket-ball in the direction of the sound, but as we must
get a spar, if possible, and shall be all the better for a score or two
casks of fresh water, it won't do to begin to quarrel with them. Once we
get what we want on board the beggars may attack us as soon as they
like. It would do them a world of good to get handsomely thrashed, and
to be taught that vessels are not to be plundered with impunity."
"As you say, it might do them good, but I hope there will be no trouble.
I have no doubt whatever that we should beat them off, but we might lose
some lives in doing it; besides, we have ladies on board."
"I hope so too; and, prepared as we are, I should feel quite safe if it
was not for that mast being gone. They know that we are comparative
cripples, and no doubt looked upon us as lawful booty when they saw us
making in; and I do not think they will let themselves be balked of
their prey without an effort."
"That is just my view of the matter, and I mean to keep a sharp look-out
while we are here. You will all have your hands full, and I will get two
or three of the young fellows to join with me in keeping a sharp watch
over their doings."
"That is a good plan," the mate agreed. "There will, as you say, be
plenty for us to do, and it worries one to have to attend to work and to
keep one's eyes at the back of one's head at the same time. Of course we
shall always have a watch set whatever we are doing, still I have more
faith in your look-out than in that of half a dozen fo'castle hands."
When the two Allens and Wilfrid came on deck Mr. Atherton drew them
aside. "Look here, lads," he began. "You heard what I said last night. I
meant it, and I am sure I was not wrong, for there have been canoes
hovering about us all night. Now, in a short time the officers and crew
will be seeing about getting water on board, and if the natives bring
out a spar that will do as a jury mainmast there will be the work of
trimming it, getting it into its place, and rigging it. My own opinion
is, that now the natives see we are suspicious and on the watch they
will for some time make a show of being extremely friendly so as to
throw us off our guard, and as the officers and sailors will be busy
they may possibly relax their precautions a little. Now I propose that
you and I shall constitute an amateur watch from sunrise to dark. After
that the men's work will be done, and there will be no fear of their
being taken by surprise. The real danger is, I think, in the daytime.
Wilfrid and I will take the second-mate's watch, and do you two take the
first-mate's--that is, if you agree to my proposal."
The three young fellows at once expressed their willingness to do as he
directed them.
"During our respective watches," Mr. Atherton went on, "we must keep our
attention directed solely to the natives. There must be no watching what
is going on on board, no talking and laughing with the other passengers;
we must consider ourselves as if on duty. One of us must take his place
on the fo'castle, the other in the waist. The natives are sure to hang
round the ship in their canoes watching what we are doing, and offering
things for sale. It will be our duty to keep a vigilant eye upon them,
to watch every movement, to give instant warning if their number is at
any time larger than usual, and, in fact, to prevent the possibility of
their closing suddenly in upon us and taking us by surprise. Remember,
it is a case of absolute duty; I have volunteered to the first officer
to undertake it, and he will, relying upon our vigilance, give his
attention to his work."
"Shall we be armed, Mr. Atherton?" James Allen asked.
"Yes, James, I think that it will be as well to have our guns beside us
while on duty. Of course there is no occasion to have them on our
shoulders like sentries, but it will be well to have them always within
reach of the hand in case of sudden danger. The report of a musket would
give the alarm far quicker and more effectually than a shout would do,
especially if men are at work on deck and making a noise. Well, as you
agree, we will begin after breakfast."
"How about meals, sir?" Tom Allen asked. "If they mean to make an attack
I should think they would be likely to choose meal-time, when the
passengers are all below and the deck will be comparatively deserted."
"We must keep watch then also," Mr. Atherton said decidedly. "I will
speak to Mr. Ryan and ask him to tell the steward that two of us will
require something put on the table for them after the others have done.
I do not think that he himself is likely to leave the deck when the
captain is below, and the two of us who happen to be on duty can have
our meals when he does. Of course whenever those on duty come down for
this purpose the others will take their places until they return. We
will change about each day. This is supposed to be your watch, Allen,
from four to eight. Wilfrid and I will begin the work at that hour. You
will relieve us at twelve, and we shall take the watch from four to
eight. To-morrow we will take the early watch, and so on."
"I will tell the Grimstones," Wilfrid, who had always gone for a daily
chat with the men forward, said; "they will be glad to join us in the
watch, and I should think the other men forward would do so too. I know
they all find it very hard work to get through the day."
The Grimstones at once agreed to keep watch, as did the other three men
who occupied the fore cabin with them. Mr. Atherton got muskets and
ammunition for them from Mr. Ryan, and the two Grimstones were
appointed to his watch, the other men to that of the Allens.
At seven bells most of the passengers came on deck to enjoy the fresh
morning air for an hour before breakfast.
"You are not going to enjoy the pleasure of Wilfrid's or my company at
breakfast, Mrs. Renshaw," Mr. Atherton said, smiling, to that lady as
she stood with the three girls round her on the poop.
"Why not, Mr. Atherton?" she asked in surprise.
"He and the Allens and myself are going to do amateur sentry work as
long as we lie here, Mrs Renshaw. The crew will be all busy refitting
the ship, and so I have volunteered to undertake, with their assistance,
the duty of keeping a sharp eye on those tricky gentlemen ashore."
"Are you in earnest, Mr. Atherton?"
"Quite in earnest that we are going to do so, Mrs. Renshaw. There may be
no absolute occasion for it, but there is nothing like keeping on the
safe side; and as we cannot go ashore, and one cannot talk continuously
for fifteen or sixteen hours, we may just as well pass a portion of our
time in playing at sentinels."
"But when will you get breakfast?" Marion asked. "Shall I bring it up to
you, Mr. Atherton?"
"No, thank you, Miss Renshaw. We have arranged to have it with Mr. Ryan
afterwards. I am much obliged to you for your offer just the same. It is
a very kind one, especially since you will, for once, particularly enjoy
your breakfast, as you will have room for your elbows."
"You are laughing at me again, Mr. Atherton. One would really think
that you take me to be about ten years old."
"I think a little teasing does you good, Miss Renshaw. It is one of the
privileges of us old fellows to try to do good to our young friends; and
girls of your age lord it so over their brothers and their brothers'
friends, that it is good for them to be teased a little by their
elders."
"Would not you think, mother," Marion appealed, "that Mr. Atherton by
his talk was somewhere about eighty and that I was quite a child?"
"I agree with him that it is rather a good thing for girls of your age,
Marion, to be snubbed a little occasionally; especially on a voyage like
this, when there are several young fellows on board who have nothing
better to do than to wait upon you and humour your whims."
There was a general laugh. Before a fresh subject was started the
breakfast bell rang and the passengers went below. Mr. Atherton fetched
his rifle from his cabin, and Wilfrid was going to unpack his
double-barrelled gun when his friend said: "I should not bother about
that now, Wilfrid; take one of the ship's muskets. It will make just as
much noise if you have to fire it, and you will not be alarming the
passengers by bringing your gun backwards and forwards from your cabin.
I am going to hang up my rifle when I come off guard in Ryan's cabin on
deck, where it will be handy. You take the fo'castle, your two men can
be in the waist, one on each side, and I will take the poop. Just at
present our duty will be a nominal one, as the canoes have not put out,
but I expect they will be here before long."
Before breakfast was over, indeed, a large canoe was brought down from
the woods and placed in the water, and a number of natives appeared on
the shore. The first officer at once summoned the captain on deck.
"Tell all the men to have their arms handy, Mr. Ryan," the captain said
as he looked at the gathering on shore. "I do not suppose they mean to
attack us in this open way, still we may as well be upon our guard.
Order the men not to show their arms, but to go about their work as
usual. We do not wish to appear afraid of them, or to take up a position
of hostility. I hope the chiefs are coming off for a friendly palaver."
In a few minutes the canoes put off from the shore. First came the great
canoe, which was paddled by thirty men. In the bow and stern were
hideous images. Four natives, evidently of superior rank, were seated
near the stern, and in the bow stood a man beating his hands in time to
the stroke of the paddles and singing a song, which was responded to by
a deep exclamation from the rowers at every stroke. Another man stood by
the side of the singer waving a green bough. Behind this great canoe
followed a score of smaller ones.
"We will receive them in state, Mr. Ryan. Evidently they intend to keep
up an appearance of friendliness at present. We will meet them in the
same spirit. Fasten the signal flags on to the halyards and run them up
to the masthead, let half a dozen men with cutlasses take their place at
the gangway as a sort of guard of honour, let the rest go on with their
work but keep their arms handy for action."
When the great canoe approached the vessel the men stopped paddling,
and one of the chiefs standing up made an address to the captain, who
was standing at the top of the gangway. Not a word that he said was
understood, but the address seemed to be of a friendly nature, and the
chief held up some cocoa-nuts and yams as if to show his desire to
trade. When he had finished the captain took off his hat and also spoke,
and by gestures invited the chiefs to come on board. By this time all
the passengers had come on deck, and were watching the proceedings with
great interest.
"Do you think it safe to let them on board?" the first officer asked Mr.
Atherton, who was intently watching the natives in the smaller canoes.
"Quite safe," he replied. "So long as only a few of their followers come
with them there is no fear of their attempting anything. While the
chiefs are in our hands they act, as it were, as hostages for the good
conduct of their people. So far their intentions are clearly peaceful.
Whether that will last will depend upon whether they think there is a
chance of success or not. At present all we have to do is to take
advantage of it, and to get what we want on board."
By this time the canoe was approaching the side of the ship. The four
chiefs ascended the ladder, followed by four or five of lower rank who
had been seated near them. As they reached the deck the principal chief
turned round and shouted an order in a loud voice. Its effect was
immediate. The canoe in which they had arrived at once paddled away to a
short distance, while the smaller craft, which had before been drifting
slowly towards the vessel, also retired and lay huddled behind the large
canoe.