THE SANDAL-WOOD PARTY--NATIVE CHILDREN'S GAMES SOMEWHAT SURPRISING--
DESPERATE AMUSEMENTS SUDDENLY AND FATALLY BROUGHT TO A CLOSE--AN OLD
FRIEND RECOGNISED--NEWS--ROMATA'S MAD CONDUCT.
Next day the wood-cutting party went ashore again, and I accompanied
them as before. During the dinner-hour I wandered into the woods alone,
being disinclined for food that day. I had not rambled far when I found
myself unexpectedly on the seashore, having crossed a narrow neck of
land which separated the native village from a large bay. Here I found
a party of the islanders busy with one of their war-canoes, which was
almost ready for launching. I stood for a long time watching this party
with great interest, and observed that they fastened the timbers and
planks to each other very much in the same way in which I had seen Jack
fasten those of our little boat. But what surprised me most was its
immense length, which I measured carefully, and found to be a hundred
feet long; and it was so capacious that it could have held three hundred
men. It had the unwieldy outrigger and enormously high stern-posts
which I had remarked on the canoe that came to us while I was on the
Coral Island. Observing some boys playing at games a short way along
the beach, I resolved to go and watch them; but as I turned from the
natives who were engaged so busily and cheerfully at their work, I
little thought of the terrible event that hung on the completion of that
war-canoe.
Advancing towards the children, who were so numerous that I began to
think this must be the general playground of the village, I sat down on
a grassy bank under the shade of a plantain-tree to watch them. And a
happier or more noisy crew I have never seen. There were at least two
hundred of them, both boys and girls, all of whom were clad in no other
garments than their own glossy little black skins, except the maro, or
strip of cloth, round the loins of the boys, and a very short petticoat
or kilt on the girls. They did not all play at the same game, but
amused themselves in different groups.
One band was busily engaged in a game exactly similar to our blind man's
buff. Another set were walking on stilts, which raised the children
three feet from the ground. They were very expert at this amusement,
and seldom tumbled. In another place I observed a group of girls
standing together, and apparently enjoying themselves very much; so I
went up to see what they were doing, and found that they were opening
their eyelids with their fingers till their eyes appeared of an enormous
size, and then thrusting pieces of straw between the upper and lower
lids, across the eyeball, to keep them in that position! This seemed to
me, I must confess, a very foolish as well as dangerous amusement.
Nevertheless, the children seemed to be greatly delighted with the
hideous faces they made. I pondered this subject a good deal, and
thought that if little children knew how silly they seemed to grown-up
people when, they make faces, they would not be so fond of doing it. In
another place were a number of boys engaged in flying kites; and I could
not help wondering that some of the games of those little savages should
be so like to our own, although they had never seen us at play. But the
kites were different from ours in many respects, being of every variety
of shape. They were made of very thin cloth, and the boys raised them
to a wonderful height in the air by means of twine made from the
cocoa-nut husk. Other games there were, some of which showed the
natural depravity of the hearts of these poor savages, and made me wish
fervently that missionaries might be sent out to them. But the
amusement which the greatest number of the children of both sexes seemed
to take chief delight in was swimming and diving in the sea, and the
expertness which they exhibited was truly amazing. They seemed to have
two principal games in the water, one of which was to dive off a sort of
stage which had been erected near a deep part of the sea, and chase each
other in the water. Some of them went down to an extraordinary depth;
others skimmed along the surface, or rolled over and over like
porpoises, or diving under each other, came up unexpectedly and pulled
each other down by a leg or an arm. They never seemed to tire of this
sport, and from the great heat of the water in the South Seas, they
could remain in it nearly all day without feeling chilled. Many of
these children were almost infants, scarce able to walk; yet they
staggered down the beach, flung their round, fat little black bodies
fearlessly into deep water, and struck out to sea with as much
confidence as ducklings.
The other game to which I have referred was swimming in the surf. But
as this is an amusement in which all engage, from children of ten to
grey-headed men of sixty, and as I had an opportunity of witnessing it
in perfection the day following, I shall describe it more minutely.
I suppose it was in honour of their guest that this grand swimming-match
was got up, for Romata came and told the captain that they were going to
engage in it, and begged him to "come and see."
"What sort of amusement is this surf-swimming?" I inquired of Bill as
we walked together to a part of the shore on which several thousands of
the natives were assembled.
"It's a very favourite lark with these 'xtr'or'nary critters," replied
Bill, giving a turn to the quid of tobacco that invariably bulged out of
his left cheek. "Ye see, Ralph, them fellows take to the water as soon
a'most as they can walk, an' long before they can do that anything
respectably, so that they are as much at home in the sea as on the land.
Well, ye see, I 'spose they found swimmin' for miles out to sea, and
divin' fathoms deep, wasn't excitin' enough, so they invented this game
o' swimmin' on the surf. Each man and boy, as you see, has got a short
board or plank, with which he swims out for a mile or more to sea, and
then, gettin' on the top o' yon thunderin' breaker, they come to shore
on the top of it, yellin' and screechin' like fiends. It's a marvel to
me that they're not dashed to shivers on the coral reef, for sure an'
sart'in am I that if any o' us tried it, we wouldn't be worth the fluke
of a broken anchor after the wave fell. But there they go!"
As he spoke, several hundreds of the natives, amongst whom we were now
standing, uttered a loud yell, rushed down the beach, plunged into the
surf, and were carried off by the seething foam of the retreating wave.
At the point where we stood, the encircling coral reef joined the shore,
so that the magnificent breakers, which a recent stiff breeze had
rendered larger than usual, fell in thunder at the feet of the
multitudes who lined the beach. For some time the swimmers continued to
strike out to sea, breasting over the swell like hundreds of black
seals. Then they all turned, and watching an approaching billow,
mounted its white crest, and each laying his breast on the short, flat
board, came rolling towards the shore, careering on the summit of the
mighty wave, while they and the onlookers shouted and yelled with
excitement. Just as the monster wave curled in solemn majesty to fling
its bulky length upon the beach, most of the swimmers slid back into the
trough behind; others, slipping off their boards, seized them in their
hands, and plunging through the watery waste, swam out to repeat the
amusement; but a few, who seemed to me the most reckless, continued
their career until they were launched upon the beach and enveloped in
the churning foam and spray. One of these last came in on the crest of
the wave most manfully, and landed with a violent bound almost on the
spot where Bill and I stood. I saw by his peculiar head-dress that he
was the chief whom the tribe entertained as their guest. The sea-water
had removed nearly all the paint with which his face had been covered,
and as he rose panting to his feet, I recognised, to my surprise, the
features of Tararo, my old friend of the Coral Island!
Tararo at the same moment recognised me, and advancing quickly, took me
round the neck and rubbed noses, which had the effect of transferring a
good deal of the moist paint from his nose to mine. Then, recollecting
that this was not the white man's mode of salutation, he grasped me by
the hand and shook it violently.
"Hallo, Ralph!" cried Bill in surprise, "that chap seems to have taken a
sudden fancy to you, or he must be an old acquaintance."
"Right, Bill," I replied; "he is indeed an old acquaintance." And I
explained, in a few words, that he was the chief whose party Jack and
Peterkin and I had helped to save.
Tararo having thrown away his surf-board, entered into an animated
conversation with Bill, pointing frequently during the course of it to
me, whereby I concluded he must be telling him about the memorable
battle and the part we had taken in it. When he paused I begged of Bill
to ask him about the woman Avatea, for I had some hope that she might
have come with Tararo on this visit. "And ask him," said I, "who she
is, for I am persuaded she is of a different race from the Feejeeans."
On the mention of her name the chief frowned darkly, and seemed to speak
with much anger.
"You're right, Ralph," said Bill when the chief had ceased to talk;
"she's not a Feejee girl, but a Samoan. How she ever came to this place
the chief does not very clearly explain; but he says she was taken in
war, and that he got her three years ago, an' kept her as his daughter
ever since. Lucky for her, poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and
eaten like the rest."
"But why does Tararo frown and look so angry?" said I.
"Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most o' the sex, an' won't
marry the man he wants her to. It seems that a chief of some other
island came on a visit to Tararo and took a fancy to her; but she
wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in love, and engaged to a
young chief whom Tararo hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy.
So, as he was goin' on a war-expedition in his canoe, he left her to
think about it, sayin' he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped
she wouldn't be so obstropolous. This happened just a week ago; an'
Tararo says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief returns, as
his bride, she'll be sent to him as a _long pig_."
"As a long pig!" I exclaimed in surprise. "Why, what does he mean by
that?"
"He means somethin' very unpleasant," answered Bill with a frown. "You
see, these blackguards eat men an' women just as readily as they eat
pigs; and as baked pigs and baked men are very like each other in
appearance, they call men _long_ pigs. If Avatea goes to this fellow as
a long pig, it's all up with her, poor thing!"
"Is she on the island now?" I asked eagerly.
"No; she's at Tararo's island."
"And where does it lie?"
"About fifty or sixty miles to the south'ard o' this," returned Bill;
"but I--"
At this moment we were startled by the cry of "mao! mao--a shark! a
shark!" which was immediately followed by a shriek that rang clear and
fearfully loud above the tumult of cries that arose from the savages in
the water and on the land. We turned hastily towards the direction
whence the cry came, and had just time to observe the glaring eyeballs
of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms in the air. Next instant
he was pulled under the waves. A canoe was instantly launched, and the
hand of the drowning man was caught; but only half of his body was
dragged from the maw of the monster, which followed the canoe until the
water became so shallow that it could scarcely swim. The crest of the
next billow was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore.
In most countries of the world this would have made a deep impression on
the spectators; but the only effect it had upon these islanders was to
make them hurry with all speed out of the sea, lest a similar fate
should befall some of the others. But so utterly reckless were they of
human life that it did not for a moment suspend the progress of their
amusements. It is true the surf-swimming ended for that time somewhat
abruptly, but they immediately proceeded with other games. Bill told me
that sharks do not often attack the surf-swimmers, being frightened away
by the immense numbers of men and boys in the water, and by the shouting
and splashing that they make. "But," said he, "such a thing as you have
seen just now don't frighten them much. They'll be at it again
to-morrow or next day, just as if there wasn't a single shark between
Feejee and Nova Zembla."
After this the natives had a series of wrestling and boxing matches; and
being men of immense size and muscle, they did a good deal of injury to
each other, especially in boxing, in which not only the lower orders but
several of the chiefs and priests engaged. Each bout was very quickly
terminated; for they did not pretend to a scientific knowledge of the
art, and wasted, no time in sparring, but hit straight out at each
other's heads, and their blows were delivered with great force.
Frequently one of the combatants was knocked down with a single blow,
and one gigantic fellow hit his adversary so severely that he drove the
skin entirely off his forehead. This feat was hailed with immense
applause by the spectators.
During these exhibitions, which were very painful to me, though I
confess I could not refrain from beholding them, I was struck with the
beauty of many of the figures and designs that were tattooed on the
persons of the chiefs and principal men. One figure, that seemed to me
very elegant, was that of a palm-tree tattooed on the back of a man's
leg, the roots rising, as it were, from under his heel, the stem
ascending the tendon of the ankle, and the graceful head branching out
upon the calf. I afterwards learned that this process of tattooing is
very painful, and takes long to do, commencing at the age of ten, and
being continued at intervals up to the age of thirty. It is done by
means of an instrument made of bone, with a number of sharp teeth, with
which the skin is punctured. Into these punctures a preparation made
from the kernel of the candle-nut, mixed with cocoa-nut oil, is rubbed,
and the mark thus made is indelible. The operation is performed by a
class of men whose profession it is, and they tattoo as much at a time
as the person on whom they are operating can bear, which is not much,
the pain and inflammation caused by tattooing being very great--
sometimes causing death. Some of the chiefs were tattooed with an
ornamental stripe down the legs, which gave them the appearance of being
clad in tights; others had marks round the ankles and insteps, which
looked like tight-fitting and elegant boots. Their faces were also
tattooed, and their breasts were very profusely marked with every
imaginable species of device--muskets, dogs, birds, pigs, clubs, and
canoes, intermingled with lozenges, squares, circles, and other
arbitrary figures.
The women were not tattooed so much as the men, having only a few marks
on their feet and arms. But I must say, however objectionable this
strange practice may be, it nevertheless had this good effect--that it
took away very much from their appearance of nakedness.
Next day, while we were returning from the woods to our schooner, we
observed Romata rushing about in the neighbourhood of his house,
apparently mad with passion.
"Ah!" said Bill to me, "there he's at his old tricks again. That's his
way when he gets drink. The natives make a sort of drink o' their own,
and it makes him bad enough; but when he gets brandy he's like a wild
tiger. The captain, I suppose, has given him a bottle, as usual, to
keep him in good-humour. After drinkin' he usually goes to sleep, and
the people know it well, and keep out of his way for fear they should
waken him. Even the babies are taken out of earshot; for when he's
waked up he rushes out, just as you see him now, and spears or clubs the
first person he meets."
It seemed at the present time, however, that no deadly weapon had been
in his way, for the infuriated chief was raging about without one.
Suddenly he caught sight of an unfortunate man who was trying to conceal
himself behind a tree. Rushing towards him, Romata struck him a
terrible blow on the head, which knocked out the poor man's eye and also
dislocated the chief's finger. The wretched creature offered no
resistance; he did not even attempt to parry the blow. Indeed, from
what Bill said, I found that he might consider himself lucky in having
escaped with his life, which would certainly have been forfeited had the
chief been possessed of a club at the time.
"Have these wretched creatures no law among themselves," said I, "which
can restrain such wickedness?"
"None," replied Bill. "The chief's word is law. He might kill and eat
a dozen of his own subjects any day for nothing more than his own
pleasure, and nobody would take the least notice of it."
This ferocious deed took place within sight of our party as we wended
our way to the beach, but I could not observe any other expression on
the faces of the men than that of total indifference or contempt. It
seemed to me a very awful thing that it should be possible for men to
come to such hardness of heart and callousness to the sight of bloodshed
and violence; but, indeed, I began to find that such constant exposure
to scenes of blood was having a slight effect upon myself, and I
shuddered when I came to think that I too was becoming callous.
I thought upon this subject much that night while I walked up and down
the deck during my hours of watch, and I came to the conclusion that if
I, who hated, abhorred, and detested such bloody deeds as I had
witnessed within the last few weeks, could so soon come to be less
sensitive about them, how little wonder that these poor, ignorant
savages, who were born and bred in familiarity therewith, should think
nothing of them at all, and should hold human life in so very slight
esteem!