CHAPTER XIII.TALCAHUANA.We passed the Fortitude, tack and tack, beating up to the anchorage of Talcahuana, and let go our anchors nearly at the same moment. Fifty-five barrels was our share of "the Juan Fernandez whale," which made us up to two hundred and thirty, all told; not so bad a start, as we were hardly five months from home.Talcahuana, or "Turkeywarner," as old Jeff and the cook persisted in Anglicizing the name, is like many other places on the Spanish Main, merely the port to a large city; the cities along this coast being pushed up into mountains, at a considerable distance from the seaboard. The place itself is not much to look at, or to discourse about. A description would present no points of marked interest to the general reader, and what whaleman needs a description of Talcahuana?Here were anchored some dozen or fifteen whaleships, mostly from Nantucket and New Bedford; some lately from home bringing letters for those long absent, while two or three were making their last port homeward-bound, and ready to take the answeringepistles; for at that time the process of annihilation of time and space which has made such strides within the last quarter of a century, was, comparatively speaking, in its infancy. Yankee enterprise had not yet pushed its way over the Sierras, and the ponchoed Mexican still lounged at his ease, and drawled hisquien sabe?where now great commercial cities have started up as if by magic. No ocean steamers then vexed the waters of "the Gulf" and the Caribbean; overland mails were rather a "proposed" innovation than a fixed fact, and the electric telegraph was as yet hidden in the womb of time. To us in the Pacific, news from home even a year old was heartily welcomed; while the advent of a whaler five or six months out was a perfect windfall.Good fellowship and jollity presided at the reunions or "gams" on board the various whalers at anchor; music and dancing held high carnival every evening; old friendships were renewed and new ones formed; unexpected recognitions were of frequent occurrence; and even members of the same family, separated for a long series of years, were here reunited, though but temporarily. A striking instance of this sort occurred two or three days after our arrival. A bark was beating in for anchorage, and Mr. Swain was seen to shove off his boat from the Fortitude, and pull out towards her. She had a private signal flying, and Father Grafton, after consulting a list which he kept tacked on the inside of his chest-lid, told me she was the Clio, of New Bedford, and added, indifferently, "Swain's brother is mate of her." The brothers were both onboard the Arethusa in the evening, and I heard the question casually asked, "how long it was since they saw each other last?" "Let me see," said Swain of the Clio. "I sailed on my first voyage to the Brazil Banks in 1820, and Joe had been gone about a year then in the Good Success. It's a little over twenty-three years.""It was quite time to shake hands, then," said our mate. I stared in amazement at the coolness with which they treated the matter! Here were two brothers, both pursuing the same business for a livelihood, and both residing, with their families, in the same town, who had not seen each other's faces since they were schoolboys. And among this knot of Nantucket officers present, the fact was not looked upon as being very remarkable, and was dismissed with merely a passing word of comment. I was speaking of this matter aside to the young third mate, Mr. Bunker, "Why," said he, "we islanders don't think much of that. It's matter of course in our business. Young as I am, it is eight years since I saw my eldest brother who is now second mate of a ship cruising 'on New Zealand,' and I am not likely to get a sight at him for many years to come, unless one of us makes an unusually long or short voyage so as to bring us both at home at the same time. It is not that we are wanting in natural affection that we treat the matter so coolly. I think I love my brother, and I suppose if we should accidentally meet, we should do just as the Swain brothers do: give each other a hearty greeting, make the most of each other's company while it lasted,and part again in a day, perhaps in an hour, for another series of years, and that is all about it."We have taken in our water and recruits; received on board the oil from the Fortitude and stowed it down; the heavy work is all finished, and not much remains to be done but to paint the ship; and now the "liberty" begins. The word is passed for the watch to get ready to go ashore. Now the "finery" is roused out from the depths of sea-chests, that is, if we have any; and, if we have only one article of "long-shore toggery," it must be worn, though perhaps not strictly in keeping with other parts of our attire, which gives us a slight touch of the amphibious appearance of which I have before spoken at Nantucket. Farrell is with us, having "swapped" into the larboard watch for the occasion, and sports a neat pair of velveteens of the peculiar color and cut that no man who speaks without the brogue, ever did, or by any possibility could wear. Where he got them is a mystery, for no one of his shipmates ever saw them before. The two boys, Kelly and Hoeg, are resplendent in round jackets of green flannel, at that time an indispensable part of the outfit of every "native" below the rank of chief mate; but which have fallen into disuse, and passed away to oblivion with the stiff tarpaulin hat, it is to be hoped never to return."Come aft, and get your money."The old man has a pile of Spanish dollars on the cabin-table, and serves them out with one hand, while he makes entries in his memorandum-book with the other; the watch pass in and out again, one at a time,like voters at the polls, each getting his two dollars, and a rough word of advice to "behave himself, and not break his liberty, nor bring any money off with him." We take our places in the boat, but not at the oar; for we are but passengers to be ferried ashore by the other watch.Jack's liberty is perfect while it lasts, that is, so far as the ship's duty is concerned. Twenty-four hours is our limit, and the boat will be sent in next morning to bring us off, unless we prefer to hire other conveyance, which we can do if we choose—and have money enough left. Other boats with "liberty men" are to be seen leaving various ships, among the rest the Fortitude's, in which are several of my former comrades in the gallant Lydia Ann. We pull into the rude wharf or mole, and all jump onterra firmawith a feeling of outgushing freedom, a Fourth-of-July feeling, uncontrollable,boiling over. We invite our unfortunate, shipmates, the ferrymen, to "come up and take a drink," and do so with an air, too. They accept, asking the officer's permission, poor fellows! It matters not that we shall have to do the same thing to-morrow, "sufficient unto the day" is our motto now; and each man carries a Declaration of Independence to his pocket, ay, two of them jingling.It is not to be wondered at, if the seaman after being cooped up and subjected to strict discipline for months at sea, thinks it hard that he cannot follow his bent, and do precisely as he pleases for twenty-four hours on shore, and revolts at the idea of submitting to the local authorities and conducting himself like a law-abidingcitizen. We all take a drink together at the nearestpulperia, officers and all, and glance condescendingly at our ferrymen ignominiously going down to the boat to pull her back again."Well, where next?" We gradually separate into knots of two or three, seeking adventures. Some will care for little else but to cast anchor in apulperiaand soak themselves with liquor; others will patronize a ten-pin alley or a billiard table if they can find one; while none are insensible to the blandishments of the graceful and seductive Chilian women. Mr. Bunker assumes the office of Mentor for me, for he has been here "last voyage," and knows some of the ropes. So we are not long in finding good quarters, and enjoy the day very pleasantly, drinking only enough to keep our wits sharp and make us lively company for each other. We drop in at a dance hall which is occupied only by a few loungers at present, but the fellow behind the bar, who, it strikes me has a very "Rule Britannia" look for a Spaniard, tells us "there'll be fun in the hevening," and kindly invites us to participate. We pursue our rambles, occasionally encountering small parties of our shipmates among the many sailors to be found in various stages of exhilaration as we investigate the beauties of "Jibboom Street," and pry a little into the mysteries of the classic precincts of the "Devil's Pocket."But here's a row! Let us see what it is! Sailors and idlers gather from all quarters with surprising quickness, for there is perhaps nothing which exerts a greater centripetal force than a street row or brawl.It seems bad blood had been engendered between two of the Fortitude's boys on the outward voyage, and they have decided to knock a little of it out, while the liquor is in. Two or three harmless cracks are interchanged, and a "hook" ensues, when a vigilante unhappily appears on the field and insists upon making himself a third party in the business, contrary to all seaman-like laws of fair play; their shipmates say they shall finish their set-to if they like; another vigilante appears to assist his colleague, and each seizing a belligerent, they start them in the direction of the calaboose; large reinforcements of sailors gather to the rescue, and the police also rally in the same direction with theirespadasdrawn; one of the pugnacious youths is by this time in the melting mood, and goes like a lamb to the slaughter; but the other proving refractory, receives a persuader or two with the flat of the "cheese-knife," a very Spanish substitute for a policeman's baton. This is the feather that breaks the camel's back; a general attack is made by the infuriated mariners, the policemen are knocked over and the cheese-knives taken from them; two or three sailors are slightly cut, but no one is seriously injured. Farrell is conspicuous in the melee, flourishing a stout stick, with his neat velveteens very much defiled, and his shirt showing through in some "thin places." The two original combatants are released, and the sailors have the field to themselves. But fire-arms now make their appearance—a platoon of scare-crow looking troops are drawn up in line and serious bloodshed is threatened. But the alarm has spread; theAmerican captains and officers make their appearance, and the consul makes a speech to the seamen who are already half-frightened at their own victory so cheaply won. The captains and officers exert their influence in particular quarters at the same time; oil is poured upon the troubled waters; the captured weapons are given up; and the two young fellows who have found themselves so unexpectedly popular and notorious are persuaded to go quietly to prison under guard for the present. The outraged majesty of the Chilian Republic is vindicated, and the wrath of the officials appeased. Thepulperiasagain do a thriving business, much to the relief of the proprietors, for the liquor law has been in force two hours, pending the negotiations.We go back to our comfortable quarters and enjoy a siesta as well as we can for the fleas, whose name is legion. We sally out again towards night and drop in at the dance hall; two violins are tuning up, and the seamen gathering to a focus, while pretty women pass in and out with an easy grace, peculiar, so far as my observation has extended, to females with more or less admixture of Castilian blood. Truly has Benjie Brail remarked in that fascinating sea-story, "The Cruise of the Midge," that though females of other nationalities may have various methods of locomotion to be called by various impertinent names, no woman but a Spaniard canwalk. The crowd increases after the hall is lighted, and the fun grows fast and furious. The bar, of course, does a rushing business; officers of all grades drop in, and even captains honor us withtheir presence. Vigilantes are near at hand to preserve order, but every one is in good-humor now, and there is little fear of any outbreak. The dancers enjoy themselves, and the admiring lookers-on drink and applaud. Mr. Grafton is near me, thoughtful and observant as usual."Well, Blacksmith, what do you think of Chilian women?""I admire them very much," said I, "and yet I can hardly tell why. Perhaps because I am partial to brunettes.""Simplicity of toilet has much to do with it," said the mate. "You see no elaborate fashion of 'doing up' the hair, to torture and disfigure that which nature has made so beautiful. Then when they go out, you observe their heads are either exposed or else covered with a shawl or mantle falling gracefully over the shoulders. No such abomination as a bonnet disfigures them. Then again, their walk is the 'poetry of motion.' No Spanish woman ever cultivates a slight stoop of the shoulders and considers it graceful, but walks 'erect and free,' and yet without stiffness."I could not help smiling at the worthy mate's enthusiasm on the subject, and suggested that perhaps the practice of carrying burdens on the head might have some effect in producing this erect and easy carriage."Of course it has much to do with it," said the mate. "But, though it would improve the carriage and walk of any woman, or man either, for that matter, it cannotcreatethat grace of movement which isessentially Spanish, and which is to be found in ladies whose position and wealth place them above the necessity of carrying burdens at all, and, in fact, render it unlikely that they would do so. Again, the same practice prevails to a great extent all over South America, and in many of the South Sea Islands; yet who ever saw a Portuguese woman of Brazil, or a Kanaka woman of any island in the Pacific, whose walk would compare with that of a Chilian or Mexican girl?"My attention was again directed to Farrell, who was "setting" to a pretty, black-eyed girl in the dance, his step having more of the Irish jig in it than of the "chengana," as it called here, a dance in which certain coquettish movements of a handkerchief in the hand play an important part. He was armed with an immense red cotton one which he flourished with far more vigor than grace, and, as the dance ended, he obeyed the figurative order from the first fiddler to "Square the mainyard and let the jibs run down!" by leading his pretty partner up to the bar. "I say, darlin'," said Farrell, "would ye tell me what's yer sweet name, now?""My name? Juanita," answered the girl."Whon-eater? an' is that yer name indade; an' sure your lingo is for all the warld like pourin' music out of a jug. Whon-eater—an' what can be sweeter?—I'll take her up and treat her—I will, by the houly St. Pether!" said Farrell, by way of climax; for he was now in his poetical stage of inebriation—in which he would "rhyme you" like a very Touchstone.I turned away to laugh, and soon after left the dance hall with Mr. Bunker. As I passed out of the door I saw Farrell repeating his dose at the bar, and was apprehensive that he would get into trouble, for I knew that with him the transition was short and easy from the poetical mood into the pugilistic.It was even as I feared. When the ship's boat came in, the watch were all on hand but Farrell, and on inquiry I found he was in "durance vile." It seems a Chileno had taken the liberty to address some words to "Whon-eater," which Farrell resented as an undue familiarity. He hadn't, of course, the remotest idea what was said, but he was in the warlike stage then and spoiling for a row. So he struck out from the shoulder, and was at once seized and marched off to the lock-up. He came off about the middle of the forenoon, having been taken before the magistrate and fined for assault. The old man had, of course, paid it and sent him on board. He had found pretty rough quarters, he said, in the lock-up, and had been nearly "flayedalive by the murderin'flays."One day's liberty was much like another, and the same old haunts were visited and revisited. We had four days on shore for each watch, and when the starboard watch came off the last time, Burley, the sea-lawyer, was missing, having doubtless deserted. He had been long enough in one ship, I suppose; and, besides, he had lost his prestige among his shipmates, and was looked upon with contempt. We all felt that we could spare him without a pang. To fill the vacancy, a Sandwich Island native called Peter wasshipped, a man who had seen considerable service, having steered a boat in two or three ships, and who murdered English tolerably well. We took our anchor in the afternoon with a smart breeze from the southward, and before the sun went down we were once more tossing on the long swells of the broad Pacific."Well," said old Jeff, as we were stowing the anchors, "I reckon that's the last we'll see of Turkeywarner this v'y'ge. I think the old man'll work off to the westward, and finally go down to 'the Groups.'""What makes you think so?" said I."Why, the old man as good as toldmebefore we left home that he should work down that way. He never was down there before norIneither.I'vebeen three v'y'ges with the old man, andwe'vealways got our oil on Peru, and Chili, and the Galleypaguses. We never went no further'n the off-shore ground.""Why should he go so far out of his old tracks where he has always been successful?" I inquired."Well, you see, Father Grafton he's been down there last voyage, and Mr. Dunham, too, and they have great faith in the 'Groups,' and that starts the old man. Another thing makes me think so; he's fetched out a big stock of tobacker this v'y'ge. I never knew him to have so much before, and he hasn't sold a pound of it yet. It's all there in the run, and that means he's keepin it to trade down among the 'Groups.' He hasn't said nothin' tomeabout it lately, though; I've kept thinking he would,' cause he generally letsmeknow beforehand where he's going."It was one of Jeff's harmless peculiarities to pretendto considerable knowledge of cabinet secrets, and to affect to be "high in the confidence of the administration," as the newspaper correspondents have it."Well," said he, "Burley he's given us the slip and I reckon nobody'll mourn much about the loss of him. I must say I got disappointed in that man. I thought he was a good sailor man, and all I was fearful of was that he would do something desprit. I thought he had courage enough to make good his words. But it turned out that he was more of a coward thanIam, and that's needless," said Jeff with a grin; "and as for his duty, he was neither sailor nor soger.""He'll go on board of some other ship," said I, "where he can blow his gas for a while, but he wont wear well anywhere.""No," said Jeff, "only as long as it takes to find him out and take his measure. This Peter that came aboard to-day is a smart-looking Kanaka, butIdon't think much of Kanakas anyhow." Here came in the prejudice of color again. "But I never told you, did I," continued Jeff, with agreenishkind of blush, "that I ran away myself in Turkeywarner, once?""No," I answered. "I thought you were a fixture of the ship you sailed in.""That was the first v'y'ge I was in the Colossus. This old man was mate with us then. I trusted to an old 'Cholo' here; he said he'd stow me away where all creation couldn't find me. Well, he did till the old man offered, twenty dollars bounty for me, for you see he couldn't go to sea withoutmenohow, and then the old mongrel sold me to get the reward. He just wentout and informed where I was, and the mate (that's the old man now) came and roused me out of my hiding-place, and told me I'd be wiser next time than to trust one of them yaller scoundrels. And so I have been. Gi'me white or black, I say; for where you mix 'em, you spile two good things."CHAPTER XIV.THE BILL-FISH.—THE MARQUESAS.—A PRISONER AMONG THE SAVAGES.Down the coasts of Chili and Peru we pursued our voyage, and then off-shore among the Galapagos, or "Galleypaguses" as my ebony friends Jeff and the doctor would say. Here we took one large whale, but the fleet was numerous, and, from all that we could learn, they not were doing wonders, and the old man expressed his opinion that there was not more than a whale apiece for all those ships; so we carried sail again to the westward, running down the equator to the longitude of 120 to 130 degrees west. Here we met with good success, taking some four hundred barrels in the next four months. We spoke perhaps a dozen ships during that time, and all were doing a fair season's work.No incident of note occurred during this pleasant cruise, till near the end of it; in fact, we had already kept off to make a port at one of the Marquesas Islands, which lay conveniently under our lee. A school of bonitas or "skipjacks," as we more commonly call them, had attached themselves to us, and kept company for several days. These fish cannot be said tofollowa ship, but rather lead, for they almostinvariably keep ahead of her, sporting around the bow. We were running perhaps four or five knots an hour with moderate trades, and the fish were gambolling ahead of us, as usual, when Manoel, in the fore-topgallant crosstrees, sung out:"Bill-fish!""Whereaway?" asked the mate."Little on weather bow," said Manoel. "He come this way. Chase that skeepshack.""O, I see him!" said Father Grafton. "Give me an iron here! Never mind, here's the porpoise-iron, all rigged! Get another iron, Blacksmith, and look out for him!"The bonitas had taken alarm, and were darting here and there, and leaping into the air to escape their natural enemy, whose method of attack is to make a sudden dart at his victim and impale him upon his bill or sword, which projects in a straight line ahead of him. All the watch on deck were collected at the bow to witness the sport, and the irons were ready, if the opportunity offered, to transfix him, even as he would the bonita. Suddenly, after having paused a moment as if to make sure of his aim, he made a dart towards the ship with the speed of lightning; the wily bonita eluded him by leaping above the surface just in time, and the bill-fish disappeared in the swash under the ship's bows. Father Grafton darted at him as he flew past, but missed him; a slight jar was perceptible to us on deck, as though the ship had hit some small, hard object, and the fish rose to the surface under the fore-chains, quivering in the agony of death,his bill broken off short up to his head! No time was lost in bringing the ship to the wind, and lowering a boat; and we soon secured the fish and took him in on deck."How did he break his bill off so short?" I asked, innocently."He has run it into the ship, of course," said Father Grafton. "His bill is probably sticking in our bows under water. I hope it will caulk its own hole tight. Rig the pump there, a couple of ye, and try her."We did so, and found we had started a small leak; at least, we found more water than usual, though it was difficult to tell immediately. A few hours hence we could judge better. The mate and I went into the forepeak with a light, and after moving a lot of wood and empty breakers, we found what we were in search of; the end of the bill, projecting full six inches through the ceiling or inside planking of the bows: the bone, bare and smooth as if polished with sand paper. Of course we could tell nothing about the leak from the inside, except that we could hear the water trickling down between the timbers. The old man came down and had a look at it and estimated it to be about three feet below the water line."If so," said he, "we can stop the leak ourselves in any smooth harbor where we can get her head up and trim her stern down. There is no fear of its working loose as long as the wood is new and sound round it. The leak is not a serious one, to be sure, but it is enough to annoy us all the time and make considerable work, and a kind of work, too, that no sailor isfond of. We must try, when we get in, and see what we can do with it."It was found after a few hours' trial, that the leak was about a hundred and fifty strokes an hour. Of course, the conversation, in our hours of leisure at night, turned upon the occurrence of the day, and several instances were cited which were known to have occurred, of a character similar to this. The mate had known two or three cases of the kind, and had seen a section of timber preserved in a museum at home just as it was sawed out when the ship was repaired, the bill still in the wood and projecting both sides. The cooper, of course, had known numerous instances; in fact, his experience went to show that it was quite an ordinary thing for ships to be "stabbed," as he termed it. And as for the leak, that was a mere trifle, "hardly enough to keep her sweet," the cooper said. "Why, when I was on the Banks," said he, "in the old Harbinger, she leaked so that the pumps were going all the time, and the crew got completely worn out; and at last the old man, who was a sort of natural mechanic, invented and rigged a kind of windmill up in the maintop, that would keep both pumps in operation as long as there was any breeze.""And how did you manage it in a calm?" I asked."That's the beauty of it," replied the cooper. "We attached a crank to the shaft of the mill, and a long iron rod came down on deck, and was worked by a couple of men on a big treadle.""And how did you like the treadmill exercise?" inquired the mate."That was pretty hard work; and you may depend we were glad enough to see a breeze coming to drive the vanes. But it was better than working brakes by hand, which would have kept four men at work, to man both pumps.""Then you mean to say that both pumps were going all the time?" said Mr. Bunker."Certainly," returned the cooper. "And she leaked at the same rate all the time; no more when pitching in a gale of wind than when lying becalmed in smooth water; and no more at the end of the voyage than when six weeks out from home, which was the time that the leak first started. Why, she leaked so that when we were crossing the tropical latitudes, we used frequently to pump live flying fish! and once or twice the pumps got completely choked with Portuguese men-of-war!""That's nothing at all!" put in the second mate, who happened to be within hearing. "I've heard say that, on board the old Yorkshire, they used to take off the lower-deck hatches, sit on the combings, and fish for skipjacks and albicore in the hold!""Yes! fish for them, indeed," said the cooper, "but did they catch any?""I've heard say they did," said Mr. Dunham. "I didn't see this myself.""O, you've heard say!" returned the cooper, with a sneer. "Well, Ididsee this myself, that I've been telling you; and what I'veseenIknow."A few days' run brought us among the Marquesas, and, after sending a boat to reconnoitre, we took theship in, and came to anchor in the bay of Hanayapa on the north side of Ohevihoa, an island better known by the name of Dominica, given to it by the Spanish discoverer, Mendana, in 1597. We found good anchorage in thirteen fathoms, and a convenient watering place. A native came on board while we were yet outside, who had served some time on board a whaleship, and spoke English tolerably well. He made a pressing offer of his services as interpreter and trading-master, which position he had filled for many other ships, and produced a dirty bundle of certificates and recommendations, signed by various whaling captains, some of which were highly satisfactory, and others, to say the least, somewhat equivocal; as the thus:"This may certify that the bearer, Jack Bailey, has been interpreter and trading-master for me during my stay at this place, and I would recommend all other shipmasters who may anchor here to employ him—if they cannot do better." Or, again, "The bearer, Jack Bailey, has worked for me as interpreter and go-between with the natives for these ten days past; and those shipmasters who may hereafter employ him for the same length of time—will know him as well as I do."He was equally proud of all these testimonials, and as none of them gave him a positively bad name, and there appeared to be no opposition candidate in the field, his services were engaged, and he brought with him four young natives to row the boat about for him on trading excursions, etc. He seemed to havea realizing sense of the dignity of his official position, and was very desirous of being addressed asMr.Bailey."All right," said the old man. "If you'll serve me any the better for it, I'll call youCaptainBailey, or evenAdmiralBailey."Our first business, after landing a large lot of empty casks to be filled with water, was to find our leak and stop it. We "broke out" everything of a heavy nature from the forehold, and stowed it away aft, roused the bights of the chain cables aft; the six-pounder gun, the blubber-hooks and other ponderous articles were collected as near the taffrail as possible, and heavy casks of water were hoisted and slung to the stern. We finally succeeded in raising her head so as to bring the leak out of water, and, taking advantage of a smooth time, we cut out a piece of the planking, which was split and shattered somewhat, and replaced it by a new piece, caulking round it so as to make all fair and tight as ever. It was found that the bill, after passing, of course, through the copper, sheathing-boards and outside planking, had pierced obliquely through the corners of two timbers, and then through the ceiling, also of heavy plank, and into the hold, as before mentioned. The muscular power necessary to pierce a ship in this manner seems hardly credible in an animal no larger than the bill-fish, but the facts are well attested in numerous similar cases. In our case, it must be remembered that the ship was moving in an opposite direction, meeting the fish "head to head," which, of course, greatly increased the momentum.We had finished the job, repaired the sheathing and copper as well, and were about ready to stow back the forehold, and begin trimming the ship to her old bearings, when a canoe came alongside containing two natives and a white man, from a settlement called Hanarora, a few miles to leeward. This white man represented to Captain Upton that they had some hogs and fowl to dispose of at his village, as well as plenty of fruit and cocoanuts, and persuaded the old man to go down there with the boat. It was observable that from the arrival of this white man, Mr. Bailey became a victim of ill-concealed jealousy, and evidently disliked the idea of the captain going down to the leeward with this interloper, instead of going up to Hanaca-oa, as had been arranged. This was the village where Bailey lived, and the old man had been there with him two or three times and made some traffic with his tribe, but was not so successful as he wished, and it appeared that the natives were disposed to hold back their "truck" to get higher prices. He now pacified him as well as possible, telling him he wished him to go, as promised, up to his own settlement, and would send an officer with him; while he himself would go down to Hanarora in another boat, with the white "beach-comber." He appeared well satisfied with this arrangement; and, not wishing to spare either of the mates from the ship at the time, the captain ordered me to go with Bailey up to Hana-ca-oa: and, said he;"Take the Kanaka, Peter, with you; he understands the language pretty well, and likes to go on these boatcruises. That will be enough, withAdmiralBailey and his crew."The two boats left the ship about the same time, the captain setting his sail after we passed out of the mouth of the harbor, and running down to the leeward, while we took to our oars, pulling up along shore against the trade-wind. It might have been three miles by water up to Hana-ca-oa, and rounding the rocky bluff, we pulled into a bend or bight of no great depth, and having no shelter to make a safe and convenient ship harbor. There was a handsome beach at the head of the bay, but the surf rolled in upon it with considerable force. Still there was no danger at this time in landing a whaleboat, if she were well handled. Mr. Bailey had the steering-oar, and as the boat rose upon the roller, she sheared nearly broadside on. I sprung to help Bailey, and succeeded in heading her in for the beach again, so that she was thrown ashore without damage beyond shipping a little water. We soon pulled her up high and dry on the rise of the beach, and passed out the articles of traffic that we had brought with us. I noticed that Bailey seemed much vexed at the manner of landing the boat, but supposed the boat had taken a shear, and got the advantage of him; an accident liable to have happened to myself or to any other man.At his suggestion, we carried the articles taken from the boat up to a shady spot among a grove of cocoanut trees but a short distance from the water. This was the trading-ground, or market where the barter was to be carried on. Very few natives had madetheir appearance, and these few brought nothing to sell. But Bailey gave me to understand that they would not bring their hogs or fruit for sale till after the sun went down more, for it was then but little after noon; and suggested that we should carry the articles up to his house, which he pointed out at no great distance. So we gathered up the "trade," and backed the whole up to the "thatched cottage," where an old man was sitting in the doorway, whom Bailey introduced to me as his father. There was no disputing the family resemblance; I had no doubt that he was Mr. Bailey, senior. We passed all the things into the house; and I entered with Bailey to see that they were all right and ready for market. We had two old flintlock muskets which might have done good service at Bunker Hill or the Cowpens, and could perhaps be discharged now by putting a live coal of fire into the "pan," though I have no doubt the butt was the most dangerous end of them considered as weapons; about a dozen "cast steel" hatchets, three or four pieces of cheap cottons and prints, and some thirty pounds of very ancient "nigger-head" tobacco. I accepted a very cordial invitation from Mr. Bailey to take a seat upon the mat between him and his venerable parent, whose dim eyes were, for the most part, fixed in speechless admiration upon the treasures I have mentioned. Bailey had closed the door after us, and taken a seat on the mat; and now for the first time he threw aside the mask."What for cap'n go Hanarora," said he, "with white man?""I don't know," said I. "Because he wanted to, I suppose. He has a roving commission, I presume, to go where he likes.""Well," said Mr. Bailey, pointing to the heap of goods on the floor, "I got these tings, now, I goin' keep 'em."The old gentleman nodded his head in silent approval."I gotyouhere too. I goin' keepyou.""The deuce you are!" said I, without waiting for the old man's opinion on this point. "We'll see about that."I made a dash for the door; my would-be jailor did the same; we both seized it, pulling opposite ways, but I proved the stronger! I pushed him aside, flung the door open, and bounded out into the footpath. The whole thing had flashed upon me at once! I now understood that his intention had been to capsize the boat in the surf, making it appear accidental; and his vexation arose from his failure to beach her broadside on, as he had meant to do. As I struck into the path leading towards the landing I encountered Peter, the Mani Kanaka, coming out of the bypath through the bushes. He, too, had smelt treachery in the air."Where Bailey?" said he."In his house," said I, as I hurried along the path. "Come on, let's go to the boat.""Where four Kanaka pull boat?" asked Peter."I don't know," said I. "I haven't seen 'em.""Where trade? gun—hatchet—tobacker?""In Bailey's house. He has taken that. He tried to take me, too."Just then a single savage, evidently a person of note, hideously tattooed, dashed diagonally across the path ahead of us, and into the bushes, heading for the beach by a short cut. Peter whipped out his sheath-knife, and gave chase, I followed, shouting to him to stop; which he did, seeing that pursuit was hopeless."What would you do with that knife, Peter?" I said."Cut him," answered my Kanaka, dryly."If you did so our lives would not be worth a straw. Put up your knife, Peter; we can do nothing fighting against a whole tribe of these scoundrels."As we emerged from the bushes upon the open sward, we came in full view of a crowd of savages, numbering two or three hundred, collected around and near our boat, which had been hauled up still higher on the beach. It was ominous of evil that no women or children were to be seen. Nearly all the men were armed, some with weapons of their own manufacture, and a few with guns; but I was surprised at the number of whale-lances, broken off in the shank and fitted into poles. We held our way directly to the boat, and seizing the gunwale, I made signs for help to shove her into the water. Several laid hold with me, but a still larger number pulled up the beach instead of down, and it was soon evident that the stronger party were in favor of keeping the boat. I had hoped that they would have been content with seizing the goods at Bailey's house, and letting us go with our boat; for Peter andmyself could have worked our way back to the ship; but I now gave up this hope; and gave my attention to their noisy conference, trying to make out by my own observation, as well as by what Peter could understand and interpret, the intention of the savages in regard to ourselves. They seemed to be much divided in opinion; some wished to shove the boat off for us, and let us go; some few warriors of the old school were in favor of killing us; but the large majority advocated the middle course of holding both men and boat for ransom. My feelings may be imagined, as I sat on the ground, waiting to know my doom at the hands of the yelling savages, who were gesticulating furiously around me, and brandishing their ugly weapons in the excitement of controversy. I was, from time to time, assured of my safety by Peter, who took the matter more coolly than I did, as he understood not only the language, but the character of the people much better than I."He no kill," said Peter. "He no hurt. He keep boat, keep man—make old man pay plenty gun—hatchet—tobacka."But now a new motion seemed to have been made, and to have been received with favor, and Peter himself entered warmly into the discussion. After expressing himself in a very decided manner, he suddenly threw himself down on the beach by my side, seized my hand in his, still protesting in his own guttural tongue. The Marquesans and Hawaians both speak dialects of the same language, and have no difficulty in understanding each other."What's the matter, Peter? What do they want now?" I inquired, anxiously of course."He say letmego ship—see old man—keepyouhere—me no like—me tell him you all'e same my brother; spose keep you keep me, too."I could not fail to be touched by this proof of devotion in Peter, who having his own personal safety assured him, refused to abandon me; and I endeavored, as far as possible, to make him understand my feelings. I congratulated myself that he was with me. His stubborn firmness, in so stoutly refusing to go to the ship and leave me in their hands, again threw them back upon their old disputes, and the discord became greater than before. A large number favored letting both of us go free, to return to the ship by land; and this party was evidently gaining ground.CHAPTER XV.ESCAPE FROM THE SAVAGES.—RECOVERY OF THE BOAT.—MAGICAL EFFECTS OF LYNCH LAW.This division of opinion among the barbarians was a circumstance in our favor; and some of them made signals aside to us to go, slyly swinging their hands in the direction of Hanayapa, where the ship lay. Indeed, we were even then gradually edging away from the crowd; for Peter had seized the right moment, while the confusion was at its height, and saying to me "Come," we continued moving carelessly along the beach, and, as we perceived we were not followed, we almost insensibly quickened our pace, looking behind us anxiously, and then starting on, satisfied from the violence of the clamor, that the natives would not soon agree upon their plan of action, and knowing that each moment was precious to us. Some still waved us on; while others beckoned us back again, and even made starts in pursuit, but were accompanied and headed off by men of the other party, when all would again come to a halt, and renew the war of words and gestures. In this way we had increased our distance to perhaps three hundred yards, when I said to Peter:"Don't you think we could make a push over the mountains inland, and find our way to the ship?""No good," said my companion shortly. "Keep on beach—climb over rock—come to 'noder beach—follow water."I relied upon his judgment. Indeed this was the safer course for us, for, as soon as we gained the summit of the rocky bluff, or spur, which rose in our path, we should have the ship in sight, and could shape our course with some certainty. We pushed on at a jog-trot now, not daring yet to break into a run, and wishing to reserve our strength for the time when we should be obliged to climb the rocks. We had nearly reached the foot of the cliff when Peter suddenly said to me, "Look! he come!" I turned my head, and saw that we had no time to lose. The savages were starting in pursuit, and the party who were determined on our captivity appeared to be now in the ascendancy, as we knew by the proud bearing of their leader and chief-spokesman, a tall, athletic chief, who, with his highly polished lance poised in air was striding in advance of all the rest. Loud yells rose from the throats of the party, as they beckoned for us to halt, and come back; but neither I nor my Kanaka shipmate could see the propriety of again placing ourselves voluntarily at their mercy, now that we had so much the start in the race."Now," said Peter as we reached the end of the beach, "keep close togedder. We go up rock—go alongside of it—keep near water."We sprang up the hill, and followed round the face of the bluff, making sometimes rapid progress for a minute or two and then obliged to ascend and descendand pass places where there was but little foothold. Our pursuers, seeing themselves cheated of their prey, redoubled their efforts to overtake us; and I had the satisfaction of knowing that they were especially anxious to captureme; as being a white man, and withal a petty officer, they could demand a high ransom. I was determined they should have no easy task of it, and I could see that the Hawaian was equally resolved not to be taken without making a desperate fight. Our zigzag route had carried us gradually upward till we were now some three hundred feet above the sea, and had got among bushes which grew thickly in some spots; while here and there a stunted cocoanut-tree forced itself up, seeming to grow almost from a foundation of rocks. I looked round to survey the situation. The greater number of the yelling devils had halted at the base of the cliff, and with loud cries were urging on a few of the fastest and strongest, who still continued the chase. The tall chief was still further in the lead than before, having distanced all others, and it was plain that he was rapidly gaining. I could see his lance gleam in the sunshine, and this was the weapon I most feared. The man next in rear of him was armed with a musket, but I gave myself little uneasiness about their fire-arms, as I held the quality of both guns and marksmen in contempt.We pushed on, doing our best, and taking every possible advantage of the nature of the ground; but, ever and anon, as I glanced over my shoulder, the lance gleamed brighter, and the tall savage was lesseningthe little distance that separated us. I saw Peter's hand feel for his sheath-knife, to assure himself that it was ready for action; his breath came short and quick from his exertions, and still more from excitement at the certainty of being soon brought to bay. Suddenly his face lighted, and his nostrils seemed to be doubled in size."See rock ahead?" said he, pointing with his hand."Yes," answered I, pantingly. "What then?""Fight there. Odder side of it."Volumes could not have said more. His whole plan was at once unfolded, as he picked up a sapling of convenient size to be used as an offensive weapon.The rock of which he spoke projected outward from the face of the hill, which was here steeply inclined, and, to double round it, it was necessary to descend a short distance, and after passing it, to climb up again. We passed it, and Peter turning the corner, halted short, and struck an attitude showing that he meant to meet the enemy with theendof his sapling, toharpoonhim, as it were, instead of swinging a blow at him. He crouched close to the rock, saying in a low, quick tone:"Stand behind me—give me room for dart; get nodder stick—big stone all 'e same. If I miss him, stand by to give it to him."Nothing could have been better planned; as the pursuing savage could not see him until their faces were close together, Peter having all the advantage of the higher position. Arming myself with a fragment of rock of convenient weight, I crouched a little up the hill in rear of my comrade, just giving him room to draw back his heavy pole.Escape from Savages.Page185.We had not long to wait, ere the hard breathing of the infuriated chief was audible as he struggled round under the lee of the projecting boulder. Peter drew back his weapon at a poise, and planted his feet more firmly, while I closed up a little with my stone in reserve. The horrible tattooed face rose into view like Banquo's ghost. Too late he perceived theruseof the wily Hawaian, and vainly struggled to bring his lance to bear; the sapling met him full in the face with terrific force, and he was hurled backwards down the declivity, receiving my stone full in his naked breast as he fell. He did not go far, for a ledge some ten feet below, brought him up; but I can never forget the appearance of his crushed and bleeding face upturned to us. His lance, thrown from his hand, had stuck in a turfy spot, and seizing this weapon, I now felt tolerably safe from direct pursuit, though I was still a little apprehensive of some flank movement from the mountain above.We struggled on, but as we advanced, we found we were coming where the face of the precipice was impassable, and there was no course for us but to make our way upward to the summit of the mountain. We soon after heard voices, as of men cowering above us, and presently we were hailed to "come up there!" I understood thus much of the Marquesan gibberish; but the idea of a flank attack instantly recurred to my mind, and I dreaded lest we had now fallen into a snare where the advantages were with the enemy, hebeing above instead of beneath us. But Peter had already answered the hail, and after a few sentences were interchanged, he started directly upward, saying to me, "All right! Come on!" Again I trusted to his knowledge and sagacity, and followed without further question; though still keeping my lance ready for immediate use, if necessary to defend myself.My fears were soon allayed, however; for four men dressed in shirts and trousers like seamen, emerged into view on a ledge or terrace above us, whom I recognized as the boat's crew, whom Bailey had employed. Up to this time nothing had been seen of these men, or of Bailey himself, since I pushed my way out of his house.These men all belonged to the tribe of Hanayapa, where the ship lay, and were now on their way home to their own village, bearing some of the hatchets, cloth and tobacco with them, and filled with indignation at their employer, who had failed to satisfy them in the distribution of the plunder. They were, of course, ready to befriend us, and to pilot us back to the ship; taking every occasion to make their peace with us, and to vent their virtuous indignation by denouncing all the tribe to windward for their perfidy. "Hanaca-oa no good," was the burden of their tale, so far as they could render it into English; but they doubtless ran through their whole vocabulary of guttural adjectives for the benefit of my companion. They, of course, knew nothing of our fight with the colossal chief on the cliff, and we did not enlighten them at present; but when they inquired where I got thelance, Peter gave them to understand that I had seized it from the ground when we first started to make our escape. They had come by a path which wound over the mountain inland, but hereabouts it struck nearer the brow of the cliff, and through the openings in the bushes they had seen us beneath them some time before they could be seen themselves.A short distance further on, the path wound over a high pinnacle from which we could look down upon the bay of Hanayapa, and the gallant Arethusa riding at anchor; while our boat could be seen like a speck, coming round the bluff that formed the other side of the harbor's mouth, pulling up from Hanarora. A rugged and circuitous route carried us down into the valley, and a canoe was soon found by our four friends. Before sundown we were once more on the deck of our floating home.The old man was highly indignant on hearing the particulars of our story, and it would have fared hard with the traitor Bailey, could he have laid hands on him at that time. The goods carried ashore for traffic were of no great value, and were doubtless, ere this time, divided up and scattered beyond all hope of recovery; but the boat was of more importance to us, and was not to be relinquished without an effort to recover her. In the mean time, as it was uncertain what trouble might grow out of the affair, all haste was made to get the forehold stowed off, and trim the ship so as to be in working condition. We worked like beavers the greater part of the night, and were ready before morning to get under way, except that ourwater casks were still on shore, most of them being ready filled. We knew not how far to trust the chief or king of the tribe of Hanayapa. It was uncertain whether he would use his influence to assist us in recovering our boat, or whether he would sustain his brother potentate at Hanaca-oa in keeping her from us. His canoe was alongside of us bright and early in the morning, and he expressed the greatest indignation at the other tribe, and professed his willingness to aid us in recovering the boat, even by force, if necessary.While the king was on board, the boats were sent in to the watering-place to fill and raft off as fast as possible, as we should be perfectly secure from attack while the king and his suite were detained on board as hostages. Our water was all off and hoisted in on deck, in a couple of hours; and now the boat was manned for Hanaca-oa, taking the king with us in the boat, and his canoe following us. We learned from the king that the chief whom Peter had knocked down the cliff was still alive, and would probably recover; but I felt certain that, if he did, the lines of beauty in the ornamental work of his face were forever spoiled, and its former hideousness was intensified tenfold.We did not leave the ship without taking some precautionary measures, notwithstanding the apparent friendship of the king. If he really was acting in good faith, we desired to remain two or three days more at the anchorage, as we had not yet obtained what we wanted in the way of provisions. But preparations had been made for immediate departure incase it should be found that we were deceived in him. The chain had been hove in nearly short during the night, and the six-pounder had been loaded, and was ready for use if needed. The fore and maintopsails had been loosed in the morning while the king was on board; but this attracted no attention, as we had been in the habit of loosing some one or two of the sails every dry day, furling them again at sundown. Several women were on board when we left the ship, though it was observed that the number was smaller than usual; for the females came and went without question at all hours, having small canoes which they managed themselves.Strict orders had been left with Mr. Grafton, that if the boat was not seen returning within two hours, he was to get underway and stand out, beating up towards Hanaca-oa; and if, before that time, any suspicious circumstance should occur, he was to fire the six-pounder as a signal to us, and, at the same time trip his anchor and stand out. I was in the cabin, and heard these instructions given; and it was plain to me that the old man did not intend to waste much time in parley to recover the boat. He had no doubt of thepowerof our pretended friend, as the king of the stronger tribe, and in some sense, ruler over both (as we had learned both from Bailey and from the white man); and a very few minutes would suffice to show whether he really meant to get her back for us or not.We shoved off, I being at the steering-oar, with the captain and the king seated in front of me on amovable thwart; the king's canoe and body-guard of six men keeping along with us. As we opened the bay of Hanaca-oa but few natives were seen on the beach, and all appeared quiet as usual. Our boat could be seen away up in the cocoanut-grove, as we judged by the form of the object, though she was covered with mats to shield her from the sun's rays. We pulled in leisurely, and with wary eyes about us; the king seeming unusually talkative with the old man, and sporting to the best advantage what little English he was master of.About half-way up the bay, on the eastern or weather side, an irregular point of rocks made out, forming a sort of cove, opening seaward, and observing this, I had edged the boat up towards that side of the bay. The old man half-turned his head towards me, as he noticed this change of course, but catching my glance, also turned his own in the same direction. The king could not conceal his uneasiness, as he asked, with a constrained laugh. "What for no keep off in middle? Dere good place—land boat," not knowing that we had no intention of landing at all. At this instant, the point of a paddle was raised above the low rocks near the mouth of the cove, but a short distance from us. All three of us caught sight of it; the king half-sprung to his feet in confusion, and waved to his men in the canoe, but was seized by the old man, and forced back to his seat, while a pistol was held at his ear. "Lay round!" shouted the captain; but I was already anticipating the order, and throwing her head out to sea again. As I tossed the mast andsail into the bowman's hands, two canoes containing about thirty armed men shot out from the cove and gave chase for a short distance, but, seeing that we held the sovereign completely at our mercy, and that he would be our first victim, if attacked, they rested on their paddles. The king's canoe paddled in our wake, fast dropping astern, as we were now moving swiftly through the water under the double impulse of the sail and oars.A dull report, muffled by the intervening land, was borne to our ears; the signal agreed upon in case of any suspicious movements at Hanayapa; and the sound lent new strength to the arms of the five oarsmen, while the cowering king shook in his skin with fear."Give way, hard, men!" cried Captain Upton; "the ship will be underway before we get there! Keep quiet, you murdering scoundrel!" he added, to the ugly representative of fallen majesty, who had here manifested a disposition to throw himself overboard. "If there is any blood spilled in this matter, I'll take care that a part of it shall be royal," he added, pushing the muzzle of the pistol fairly into his ear."Hurrah! here she comes!" I cried with enthusiasm, as the flying jibboom of our noble ship projected beyond the headland now at no great distance from us, and the graceful hull drew slowly out into view; then moving more swiftly as she met the full power of the fresh trade wind, a few minutes gave her a safe offing to back the maintopsail for us to come alongside. She was under her three topsails, spanker and jib;but hands were already aloft to loose the lighter sails, and the courses were hanging in the buntlines."Keep this arch-devil secure!" said the captain, as we pushed his royal person rather disrespectfully up the side. "As long as he is in our hands, we hold the best card in the pack. Didn't have any harm done, did you, Mr. Grafton?""No, sir; we gave 'em the slip too quick," answered the mate. "Look up in the head of the bay there!"We looked; sure enough, there lay a large fleet of canoes all filled with armed men, resting, like baffled hounds; while on our weather quarter, at a safe distance, the small canoe of the king held way with us, uncertain whether to venture any nearer."Brace full and down tacks!" said the old man, as soon as the boat was hoisted up. "Sheet home the to'gallantsails, and make sail as fast as you can! We'll make a good stretch off shore, Mr. Grafton, so as to fetch to windward of Hana—what's-his-name, there, Admiral Bailey's place, I mean."Two hours off shore under a press of canvas, and we went in stays, "looking" well up for the eastern point of the entrance to Hanaca-oa. The six-pounder was loaded with ball, and roused into the waist, the gangway-board unshipped, and a block and whip rigged at the fore-yardarm."What the devil is that for?" asked the cooper, of the second mate, who was superintending these operations."To make fools ask questions," returned the secondmate, dryly. "There'll be anotheryarnfor you, cooper, when we get through the scrape.""The yarn will be wellstretched, whether the king's neck is or not," said Mr. Grafton, aside to me."Haul the mainsail up!" shouted the old man, as we drew in shore."We'll stand close in under the weather-point here, and luff to in full view of those devils on the beach there. Take that old traitor forward to the cat-head! Haul the foresail up, so the audience can all get their money's worth! I hope I sha'n't have to commitregicide," he added, in his low dry tone, "but I want to scare himalmostto death."We hove to, so as to bring our starboard "battery" to bear fairly upon the landing-place. A plank was rigged out, the king was mounted upon it in full sight of his subjects, and the slip-noose adjusted round his neck. These operations produced a magical effect on shore; the savages could be seen running distractedly about the beach, and the air was vocal with wild yells. Presently a large party of them made a rush for the mat-covered object up in the cocoanut-grove."That's the idea!" said the old man, who had his glass bearing upon them. "Give them a shot, Mr. Dunham, to quicken their movements! We can't afford to lie here long, waiting."The smart report of the six-pounder rang out over the water, echoing and re-echoing round the concave of the bay. Some thirty or forty of the frightened barbarians picked up the boat, and started upon the run for the beach."That makes them 'step lightly!'" said the old man. "Load up again, Mr. Dunham! Powder and wad will be enough this time. Don't waste any balls upon them."At the second snap of the gun, our boat was coming out through the rollers, and two canoes with her to take her in tow. The trembling wretch was released, shorn of all his majesty for the time being. We waifed his canoe, which was still hovering round, to come alongside. Our boat was hoisted up on one side, while the king went down the other."Brail up the spanker!" said the captain. "Put your helm up there! We'll run down to Hanarora now, and lie off and on for what we want. I think I see Jim's canoe coming up along shore now."It was indeed, the white man, Jim, who had come up to warn us against treachery; but found he was too late as we had already left the anchorage.On coming on board, he informed us that the chief whom Peter had punched in the face with the sapling, died the same night of his injuries; and that the chiefs, actuated by the double motives of revenge and plunder, had planned to get possession of the ship, and had sent envoys to the chief at Hanarora, who declined cooperating. The arch-traitor had accompanied us to Hanaca-oa thinking we would land without suspicion; or, if not, he himself could go ashore there, under pretence of getting the boat for us, and as soon as he was safe on the beach, the attack was to be made at both places. We who were isolated from the ship could be easily disposed of; and if we took the alarm and tried to escape, we should be headedoff by the canoes stationed in the cove. The crews of these last had betrayed themselves by showing the paddle in the air, but whether through carelessness, or whether this was a signal intended only for the king's eye, Jim could not tell. As soon as he learned this much, he had started for the ship to inform Mr. Grafton of the danger, but was too late, the ship being under way before he arrived.Mr. Grafton, soon after we left the ship, feeling uneasy, went aloft into the topmast crosstrees to make observations. On the weather side of the bay, towards Hanarora a small river flowed down and emptied itself, the banks of which, beyond the first bend, were overhung by bushes of no great height, but sufficient to conceal anything in the creek from the deck. But from his elevated perch it was possible to overlook them; and the mate saw enough to excite his apprehension. Several canoes passed across the creek filled with men, while he was on the lookout, and went out of view behind the screen of bushes. He came down on deck, and fired the gun as had been agreed upon, manning the windlass at the same time. The anchor was just breaking ground and the topsail-sheets being hauled home, when a shrill whistle was heard on the beach, and looking about him, the last three women who had remained on board were getting into their canoe. It was too late to think of detaining them; the ship's head was swinging, and, as she gathered headway, the flotilla of canoes hove in sight at the mouth of the creek, making the welkin ring with the cries of baffled rage."Now," said the mate, "they must have known at that moment that the plan was frustrated, and that the captain's boat had put back for the ship. And by the way, Jim, you must have known it, too, by the time I was under way. What kind of telegraph do you make use of here?""The human telegraph," said Jim. "That same whistle that you heard is repeated along the mountain paths, all the way down to Hanarora, and on some occasions, all round the island. The men are stationed at proper distances so as to be within sound of each other's whistles, and the whistle has certain variations to suit different circumstances.""I see," said the old man, "like Nelson's repeating frigates off Cadiz, to signalize when the French took their anchors; the main body of his fleet being sixty miles off shore."We finished our business at Hanarora the next day, and once more made all sail to the westward for a cruise among "The Groups."
CHAPTER XIII.TALCAHUANA.We passed the Fortitude, tack and tack, beating up to the anchorage of Talcahuana, and let go our anchors nearly at the same moment. Fifty-five barrels was our share of "the Juan Fernandez whale," which made us up to two hundred and thirty, all told; not so bad a start, as we were hardly five months from home.Talcahuana, or "Turkeywarner," as old Jeff and the cook persisted in Anglicizing the name, is like many other places on the Spanish Main, merely the port to a large city; the cities along this coast being pushed up into mountains, at a considerable distance from the seaboard. The place itself is not much to look at, or to discourse about. A description would present no points of marked interest to the general reader, and what whaleman needs a description of Talcahuana?Here were anchored some dozen or fifteen whaleships, mostly from Nantucket and New Bedford; some lately from home bringing letters for those long absent, while two or three were making their last port homeward-bound, and ready to take the answeringepistles; for at that time the process of annihilation of time and space which has made such strides within the last quarter of a century, was, comparatively speaking, in its infancy. Yankee enterprise had not yet pushed its way over the Sierras, and the ponchoed Mexican still lounged at his ease, and drawled hisquien sabe?where now great commercial cities have started up as if by magic. No ocean steamers then vexed the waters of "the Gulf" and the Caribbean; overland mails were rather a "proposed" innovation than a fixed fact, and the electric telegraph was as yet hidden in the womb of time. To us in the Pacific, news from home even a year old was heartily welcomed; while the advent of a whaler five or six months out was a perfect windfall.Good fellowship and jollity presided at the reunions or "gams" on board the various whalers at anchor; music and dancing held high carnival every evening; old friendships were renewed and new ones formed; unexpected recognitions were of frequent occurrence; and even members of the same family, separated for a long series of years, were here reunited, though but temporarily. A striking instance of this sort occurred two or three days after our arrival. A bark was beating in for anchorage, and Mr. Swain was seen to shove off his boat from the Fortitude, and pull out towards her. She had a private signal flying, and Father Grafton, after consulting a list which he kept tacked on the inside of his chest-lid, told me she was the Clio, of New Bedford, and added, indifferently, "Swain's brother is mate of her." The brothers were both onboard the Arethusa in the evening, and I heard the question casually asked, "how long it was since they saw each other last?" "Let me see," said Swain of the Clio. "I sailed on my first voyage to the Brazil Banks in 1820, and Joe had been gone about a year then in the Good Success. It's a little over twenty-three years.""It was quite time to shake hands, then," said our mate. I stared in amazement at the coolness with which they treated the matter! Here were two brothers, both pursuing the same business for a livelihood, and both residing, with their families, in the same town, who had not seen each other's faces since they were schoolboys. And among this knot of Nantucket officers present, the fact was not looked upon as being very remarkable, and was dismissed with merely a passing word of comment. I was speaking of this matter aside to the young third mate, Mr. Bunker, "Why," said he, "we islanders don't think much of that. It's matter of course in our business. Young as I am, it is eight years since I saw my eldest brother who is now second mate of a ship cruising 'on New Zealand,' and I am not likely to get a sight at him for many years to come, unless one of us makes an unusually long or short voyage so as to bring us both at home at the same time. It is not that we are wanting in natural affection that we treat the matter so coolly. I think I love my brother, and I suppose if we should accidentally meet, we should do just as the Swain brothers do: give each other a hearty greeting, make the most of each other's company while it lasted,and part again in a day, perhaps in an hour, for another series of years, and that is all about it."We have taken in our water and recruits; received on board the oil from the Fortitude and stowed it down; the heavy work is all finished, and not much remains to be done but to paint the ship; and now the "liberty" begins. The word is passed for the watch to get ready to go ashore. Now the "finery" is roused out from the depths of sea-chests, that is, if we have any; and, if we have only one article of "long-shore toggery," it must be worn, though perhaps not strictly in keeping with other parts of our attire, which gives us a slight touch of the amphibious appearance of which I have before spoken at Nantucket. Farrell is with us, having "swapped" into the larboard watch for the occasion, and sports a neat pair of velveteens of the peculiar color and cut that no man who speaks without the brogue, ever did, or by any possibility could wear. Where he got them is a mystery, for no one of his shipmates ever saw them before. The two boys, Kelly and Hoeg, are resplendent in round jackets of green flannel, at that time an indispensable part of the outfit of every "native" below the rank of chief mate; but which have fallen into disuse, and passed away to oblivion with the stiff tarpaulin hat, it is to be hoped never to return."Come aft, and get your money."The old man has a pile of Spanish dollars on the cabin-table, and serves them out with one hand, while he makes entries in his memorandum-book with the other; the watch pass in and out again, one at a time,like voters at the polls, each getting his two dollars, and a rough word of advice to "behave himself, and not break his liberty, nor bring any money off with him." We take our places in the boat, but not at the oar; for we are but passengers to be ferried ashore by the other watch.Jack's liberty is perfect while it lasts, that is, so far as the ship's duty is concerned. Twenty-four hours is our limit, and the boat will be sent in next morning to bring us off, unless we prefer to hire other conveyance, which we can do if we choose—and have money enough left. Other boats with "liberty men" are to be seen leaving various ships, among the rest the Fortitude's, in which are several of my former comrades in the gallant Lydia Ann. We pull into the rude wharf or mole, and all jump onterra firmawith a feeling of outgushing freedom, a Fourth-of-July feeling, uncontrollable,boiling over. We invite our unfortunate, shipmates, the ferrymen, to "come up and take a drink," and do so with an air, too. They accept, asking the officer's permission, poor fellows! It matters not that we shall have to do the same thing to-morrow, "sufficient unto the day" is our motto now; and each man carries a Declaration of Independence to his pocket, ay, two of them jingling.It is not to be wondered at, if the seaman after being cooped up and subjected to strict discipline for months at sea, thinks it hard that he cannot follow his bent, and do precisely as he pleases for twenty-four hours on shore, and revolts at the idea of submitting to the local authorities and conducting himself like a law-abidingcitizen. We all take a drink together at the nearestpulperia, officers and all, and glance condescendingly at our ferrymen ignominiously going down to the boat to pull her back again."Well, where next?" We gradually separate into knots of two or three, seeking adventures. Some will care for little else but to cast anchor in apulperiaand soak themselves with liquor; others will patronize a ten-pin alley or a billiard table if they can find one; while none are insensible to the blandishments of the graceful and seductive Chilian women. Mr. Bunker assumes the office of Mentor for me, for he has been here "last voyage," and knows some of the ropes. So we are not long in finding good quarters, and enjoy the day very pleasantly, drinking only enough to keep our wits sharp and make us lively company for each other. We drop in at a dance hall which is occupied only by a few loungers at present, but the fellow behind the bar, who, it strikes me has a very "Rule Britannia" look for a Spaniard, tells us "there'll be fun in the hevening," and kindly invites us to participate. We pursue our rambles, occasionally encountering small parties of our shipmates among the many sailors to be found in various stages of exhilaration as we investigate the beauties of "Jibboom Street," and pry a little into the mysteries of the classic precincts of the "Devil's Pocket."But here's a row! Let us see what it is! Sailors and idlers gather from all quarters with surprising quickness, for there is perhaps nothing which exerts a greater centripetal force than a street row or brawl.It seems bad blood had been engendered between two of the Fortitude's boys on the outward voyage, and they have decided to knock a little of it out, while the liquor is in. Two or three harmless cracks are interchanged, and a "hook" ensues, when a vigilante unhappily appears on the field and insists upon making himself a third party in the business, contrary to all seaman-like laws of fair play; their shipmates say they shall finish their set-to if they like; another vigilante appears to assist his colleague, and each seizing a belligerent, they start them in the direction of the calaboose; large reinforcements of sailors gather to the rescue, and the police also rally in the same direction with theirespadasdrawn; one of the pugnacious youths is by this time in the melting mood, and goes like a lamb to the slaughter; but the other proving refractory, receives a persuader or two with the flat of the "cheese-knife," a very Spanish substitute for a policeman's baton. This is the feather that breaks the camel's back; a general attack is made by the infuriated mariners, the policemen are knocked over and the cheese-knives taken from them; two or three sailors are slightly cut, but no one is seriously injured. Farrell is conspicuous in the melee, flourishing a stout stick, with his neat velveteens very much defiled, and his shirt showing through in some "thin places." The two original combatants are released, and the sailors have the field to themselves. But fire-arms now make their appearance—a platoon of scare-crow looking troops are drawn up in line and serious bloodshed is threatened. But the alarm has spread; theAmerican captains and officers make their appearance, and the consul makes a speech to the seamen who are already half-frightened at their own victory so cheaply won. The captains and officers exert their influence in particular quarters at the same time; oil is poured upon the troubled waters; the captured weapons are given up; and the two young fellows who have found themselves so unexpectedly popular and notorious are persuaded to go quietly to prison under guard for the present. The outraged majesty of the Chilian Republic is vindicated, and the wrath of the officials appeased. Thepulperiasagain do a thriving business, much to the relief of the proprietors, for the liquor law has been in force two hours, pending the negotiations.We go back to our comfortable quarters and enjoy a siesta as well as we can for the fleas, whose name is legion. We sally out again towards night and drop in at the dance hall; two violins are tuning up, and the seamen gathering to a focus, while pretty women pass in and out with an easy grace, peculiar, so far as my observation has extended, to females with more or less admixture of Castilian blood. Truly has Benjie Brail remarked in that fascinating sea-story, "The Cruise of the Midge," that though females of other nationalities may have various methods of locomotion to be called by various impertinent names, no woman but a Spaniard canwalk. The crowd increases after the hall is lighted, and the fun grows fast and furious. The bar, of course, does a rushing business; officers of all grades drop in, and even captains honor us withtheir presence. Vigilantes are near at hand to preserve order, but every one is in good-humor now, and there is little fear of any outbreak. The dancers enjoy themselves, and the admiring lookers-on drink and applaud. Mr. Grafton is near me, thoughtful and observant as usual."Well, Blacksmith, what do you think of Chilian women?""I admire them very much," said I, "and yet I can hardly tell why. Perhaps because I am partial to brunettes.""Simplicity of toilet has much to do with it," said the mate. "You see no elaborate fashion of 'doing up' the hair, to torture and disfigure that which nature has made so beautiful. Then when they go out, you observe their heads are either exposed or else covered with a shawl or mantle falling gracefully over the shoulders. No such abomination as a bonnet disfigures them. Then again, their walk is the 'poetry of motion.' No Spanish woman ever cultivates a slight stoop of the shoulders and considers it graceful, but walks 'erect and free,' and yet without stiffness."I could not help smiling at the worthy mate's enthusiasm on the subject, and suggested that perhaps the practice of carrying burdens on the head might have some effect in producing this erect and easy carriage."Of course it has much to do with it," said the mate. "But, though it would improve the carriage and walk of any woman, or man either, for that matter, it cannotcreatethat grace of movement which isessentially Spanish, and which is to be found in ladies whose position and wealth place them above the necessity of carrying burdens at all, and, in fact, render it unlikely that they would do so. Again, the same practice prevails to a great extent all over South America, and in many of the South Sea Islands; yet who ever saw a Portuguese woman of Brazil, or a Kanaka woman of any island in the Pacific, whose walk would compare with that of a Chilian or Mexican girl?"My attention was again directed to Farrell, who was "setting" to a pretty, black-eyed girl in the dance, his step having more of the Irish jig in it than of the "chengana," as it called here, a dance in which certain coquettish movements of a handkerchief in the hand play an important part. He was armed with an immense red cotton one which he flourished with far more vigor than grace, and, as the dance ended, he obeyed the figurative order from the first fiddler to "Square the mainyard and let the jibs run down!" by leading his pretty partner up to the bar. "I say, darlin'," said Farrell, "would ye tell me what's yer sweet name, now?""My name? Juanita," answered the girl."Whon-eater? an' is that yer name indade; an' sure your lingo is for all the warld like pourin' music out of a jug. Whon-eater—an' what can be sweeter?—I'll take her up and treat her—I will, by the houly St. Pether!" said Farrell, by way of climax; for he was now in his poetical stage of inebriation—in which he would "rhyme you" like a very Touchstone.I turned away to laugh, and soon after left the dance hall with Mr. Bunker. As I passed out of the door I saw Farrell repeating his dose at the bar, and was apprehensive that he would get into trouble, for I knew that with him the transition was short and easy from the poetical mood into the pugilistic.It was even as I feared. When the ship's boat came in, the watch were all on hand but Farrell, and on inquiry I found he was in "durance vile." It seems a Chileno had taken the liberty to address some words to "Whon-eater," which Farrell resented as an undue familiarity. He hadn't, of course, the remotest idea what was said, but he was in the warlike stage then and spoiling for a row. So he struck out from the shoulder, and was at once seized and marched off to the lock-up. He came off about the middle of the forenoon, having been taken before the magistrate and fined for assault. The old man had, of course, paid it and sent him on board. He had found pretty rough quarters, he said, in the lock-up, and had been nearly "flayedalive by the murderin'flays."One day's liberty was much like another, and the same old haunts were visited and revisited. We had four days on shore for each watch, and when the starboard watch came off the last time, Burley, the sea-lawyer, was missing, having doubtless deserted. He had been long enough in one ship, I suppose; and, besides, he had lost his prestige among his shipmates, and was looked upon with contempt. We all felt that we could spare him without a pang. To fill the vacancy, a Sandwich Island native called Peter wasshipped, a man who had seen considerable service, having steered a boat in two or three ships, and who murdered English tolerably well. We took our anchor in the afternoon with a smart breeze from the southward, and before the sun went down we were once more tossing on the long swells of the broad Pacific."Well," said old Jeff, as we were stowing the anchors, "I reckon that's the last we'll see of Turkeywarner this v'y'ge. I think the old man'll work off to the westward, and finally go down to 'the Groups.'""What makes you think so?" said I."Why, the old man as good as toldmebefore we left home that he should work down that way. He never was down there before norIneither.I'vebeen three v'y'ges with the old man, andwe'vealways got our oil on Peru, and Chili, and the Galleypaguses. We never went no further'n the off-shore ground.""Why should he go so far out of his old tracks where he has always been successful?" I inquired."Well, you see, Father Grafton he's been down there last voyage, and Mr. Dunham, too, and they have great faith in the 'Groups,' and that starts the old man. Another thing makes me think so; he's fetched out a big stock of tobacker this v'y'ge. I never knew him to have so much before, and he hasn't sold a pound of it yet. It's all there in the run, and that means he's keepin it to trade down among the 'Groups.' He hasn't said nothin' tomeabout it lately, though; I've kept thinking he would,' cause he generally letsmeknow beforehand where he's going."It was one of Jeff's harmless peculiarities to pretendto considerable knowledge of cabinet secrets, and to affect to be "high in the confidence of the administration," as the newspaper correspondents have it."Well," said he, "Burley he's given us the slip and I reckon nobody'll mourn much about the loss of him. I must say I got disappointed in that man. I thought he was a good sailor man, and all I was fearful of was that he would do something desprit. I thought he had courage enough to make good his words. But it turned out that he was more of a coward thanIam, and that's needless," said Jeff with a grin; "and as for his duty, he was neither sailor nor soger.""He'll go on board of some other ship," said I, "where he can blow his gas for a while, but he wont wear well anywhere.""No," said Jeff, "only as long as it takes to find him out and take his measure. This Peter that came aboard to-day is a smart-looking Kanaka, butIdon't think much of Kanakas anyhow." Here came in the prejudice of color again. "But I never told you, did I," continued Jeff, with agreenishkind of blush, "that I ran away myself in Turkeywarner, once?""No," I answered. "I thought you were a fixture of the ship you sailed in.""That was the first v'y'ge I was in the Colossus. This old man was mate with us then. I trusted to an old 'Cholo' here; he said he'd stow me away where all creation couldn't find me. Well, he did till the old man offered, twenty dollars bounty for me, for you see he couldn't go to sea withoutmenohow, and then the old mongrel sold me to get the reward. He just wentout and informed where I was, and the mate (that's the old man now) came and roused me out of my hiding-place, and told me I'd be wiser next time than to trust one of them yaller scoundrels. And so I have been. Gi'me white or black, I say; for where you mix 'em, you spile two good things."
TALCAHUANA.
We passed the Fortitude, tack and tack, beating up to the anchorage of Talcahuana, and let go our anchors nearly at the same moment. Fifty-five barrels was our share of "the Juan Fernandez whale," which made us up to two hundred and thirty, all told; not so bad a start, as we were hardly five months from home.
Talcahuana, or "Turkeywarner," as old Jeff and the cook persisted in Anglicizing the name, is like many other places on the Spanish Main, merely the port to a large city; the cities along this coast being pushed up into mountains, at a considerable distance from the seaboard. The place itself is not much to look at, or to discourse about. A description would present no points of marked interest to the general reader, and what whaleman needs a description of Talcahuana?
Here were anchored some dozen or fifteen whaleships, mostly from Nantucket and New Bedford; some lately from home bringing letters for those long absent, while two or three were making their last port homeward-bound, and ready to take the answeringepistles; for at that time the process of annihilation of time and space which has made such strides within the last quarter of a century, was, comparatively speaking, in its infancy. Yankee enterprise had not yet pushed its way over the Sierras, and the ponchoed Mexican still lounged at his ease, and drawled hisquien sabe?where now great commercial cities have started up as if by magic. No ocean steamers then vexed the waters of "the Gulf" and the Caribbean; overland mails were rather a "proposed" innovation than a fixed fact, and the electric telegraph was as yet hidden in the womb of time. To us in the Pacific, news from home even a year old was heartily welcomed; while the advent of a whaler five or six months out was a perfect windfall.
Good fellowship and jollity presided at the reunions or "gams" on board the various whalers at anchor; music and dancing held high carnival every evening; old friendships were renewed and new ones formed; unexpected recognitions were of frequent occurrence; and even members of the same family, separated for a long series of years, were here reunited, though but temporarily. A striking instance of this sort occurred two or three days after our arrival. A bark was beating in for anchorage, and Mr. Swain was seen to shove off his boat from the Fortitude, and pull out towards her. She had a private signal flying, and Father Grafton, after consulting a list which he kept tacked on the inside of his chest-lid, told me she was the Clio, of New Bedford, and added, indifferently, "Swain's brother is mate of her." The brothers were both onboard the Arethusa in the evening, and I heard the question casually asked, "how long it was since they saw each other last?" "Let me see," said Swain of the Clio. "I sailed on my first voyage to the Brazil Banks in 1820, and Joe had been gone about a year then in the Good Success. It's a little over twenty-three years."
"It was quite time to shake hands, then," said our mate. I stared in amazement at the coolness with which they treated the matter! Here were two brothers, both pursuing the same business for a livelihood, and both residing, with their families, in the same town, who had not seen each other's faces since they were schoolboys. And among this knot of Nantucket officers present, the fact was not looked upon as being very remarkable, and was dismissed with merely a passing word of comment. I was speaking of this matter aside to the young third mate, Mr. Bunker, "Why," said he, "we islanders don't think much of that. It's matter of course in our business. Young as I am, it is eight years since I saw my eldest brother who is now second mate of a ship cruising 'on New Zealand,' and I am not likely to get a sight at him for many years to come, unless one of us makes an unusually long or short voyage so as to bring us both at home at the same time. It is not that we are wanting in natural affection that we treat the matter so coolly. I think I love my brother, and I suppose if we should accidentally meet, we should do just as the Swain brothers do: give each other a hearty greeting, make the most of each other's company while it lasted,and part again in a day, perhaps in an hour, for another series of years, and that is all about it."
We have taken in our water and recruits; received on board the oil from the Fortitude and stowed it down; the heavy work is all finished, and not much remains to be done but to paint the ship; and now the "liberty" begins. The word is passed for the watch to get ready to go ashore. Now the "finery" is roused out from the depths of sea-chests, that is, if we have any; and, if we have only one article of "long-shore toggery," it must be worn, though perhaps not strictly in keeping with other parts of our attire, which gives us a slight touch of the amphibious appearance of which I have before spoken at Nantucket. Farrell is with us, having "swapped" into the larboard watch for the occasion, and sports a neat pair of velveteens of the peculiar color and cut that no man who speaks without the brogue, ever did, or by any possibility could wear. Where he got them is a mystery, for no one of his shipmates ever saw them before. The two boys, Kelly and Hoeg, are resplendent in round jackets of green flannel, at that time an indispensable part of the outfit of every "native" below the rank of chief mate; but which have fallen into disuse, and passed away to oblivion with the stiff tarpaulin hat, it is to be hoped never to return.
"Come aft, and get your money."
The old man has a pile of Spanish dollars on the cabin-table, and serves them out with one hand, while he makes entries in his memorandum-book with the other; the watch pass in and out again, one at a time,like voters at the polls, each getting his two dollars, and a rough word of advice to "behave himself, and not break his liberty, nor bring any money off with him." We take our places in the boat, but not at the oar; for we are but passengers to be ferried ashore by the other watch.
Jack's liberty is perfect while it lasts, that is, so far as the ship's duty is concerned. Twenty-four hours is our limit, and the boat will be sent in next morning to bring us off, unless we prefer to hire other conveyance, which we can do if we choose—and have money enough left. Other boats with "liberty men" are to be seen leaving various ships, among the rest the Fortitude's, in which are several of my former comrades in the gallant Lydia Ann. We pull into the rude wharf or mole, and all jump onterra firmawith a feeling of outgushing freedom, a Fourth-of-July feeling, uncontrollable,boiling over. We invite our unfortunate, shipmates, the ferrymen, to "come up and take a drink," and do so with an air, too. They accept, asking the officer's permission, poor fellows! It matters not that we shall have to do the same thing to-morrow, "sufficient unto the day" is our motto now; and each man carries a Declaration of Independence to his pocket, ay, two of them jingling.
It is not to be wondered at, if the seaman after being cooped up and subjected to strict discipline for months at sea, thinks it hard that he cannot follow his bent, and do precisely as he pleases for twenty-four hours on shore, and revolts at the idea of submitting to the local authorities and conducting himself like a law-abidingcitizen. We all take a drink together at the nearestpulperia, officers and all, and glance condescendingly at our ferrymen ignominiously going down to the boat to pull her back again.
"Well, where next?" We gradually separate into knots of two or three, seeking adventures. Some will care for little else but to cast anchor in apulperiaand soak themselves with liquor; others will patronize a ten-pin alley or a billiard table if they can find one; while none are insensible to the blandishments of the graceful and seductive Chilian women. Mr. Bunker assumes the office of Mentor for me, for he has been here "last voyage," and knows some of the ropes. So we are not long in finding good quarters, and enjoy the day very pleasantly, drinking only enough to keep our wits sharp and make us lively company for each other. We drop in at a dance hall which is occupied only by a few loungers at present, but the fellow behind the bar, who, it strikes me has a very "Rule Britannia" look for a Spaniard, tells us "there'll be fun in the hevening," and kindly invites us to participate. We pursue our rambles, occasionally encountering small parties of our shipmates among the many sailors to be found in various stages of exhilaration as we investigate the beauties of "Jibboom Street," and pry a little into the mysteries of the classic precincts of the "Devil's Pocket."
But here's a row! Let us see what it is! Sailors and idlers gather from all quarters with surprising quickness, for there is perhaps nothing which exerts a greater centripetal force than a street row or brawl.It seems bad blood had been engendered between two of the Fortitude's boys on the outward voyage, and they have decided to knock a little of it out, while the liquor is in. Two or three harmless cracks are interchanged, and a "hook" ensues, when a vigilante unhappily appears on the field and insists upon making himself a third party in the business, contrary to all seaman-like laws of fair play; their shipmates say they shall finish their set-to if they like; another vigilante appears to assist his colleague, and each seizing a belligerent, they start them in the direction of the calaboose; large reinforcements of sailors gather to the rescue, and the police also rally in the same direction with theirespadasdrawn; one of the pugnacious youths is by this time in the melting mood, and goes like a lamb to the slaughter; but the other proving refractory, receives a persuader or two with the flat of the "cheese-knife," a very Spanish substitute for a policeman's baton. This is the feather that breaks the camel's back; a general attack is made by the infuriated mariners, the policemen are knocked over and the cheese-knives taken from them; two or three sailors are slightly cut, but no one is seriously injured. Farrell is conspicuous in the melee, flourishing a stout stick, with his neat velveteens very much defiled, and his shirt showing through in some "thin places." The two original combatants are released, and the sailors have the field to themselves. But fire-arms now make their appearance—a platoon of scare-crow looking troops are drawn up in line and serious bloodshed is threatened. But the alarm has spread; theAmerican captains and officers make their appearance, and the consul makes a speech to the seamen who are already half-frightened at their own victory so cheaply won. The captains and officers exert their influence in particular quarters at the same time; oil is poured upon the troubled waters; the captured weapons are given up; and the two young fellows who have found themselves so unexpectedly popular and notorious are persuaded to go quietly to prison under guard for the present. The outraged majesty of the Chilian Republic is vindicated, and the wrath of the officials appeased. Thepulperiasagain do a thriving business, much to the relief of the proprietors, for the liquor law has been in force two hours, pending the negotiations.
We go back to our comfortable quarters and enjoy a siesta as well as we can for the fleas, whose name is legion. We sally out again towards night and drop in at the dance hall; two violins are tuning up, and the seamen gathering to a focus, while pretty women pass in and out with an easy grace, peculiar, so far as my observation has extended, to females with more or less admixture of Castilian blood. Truly has Benjie Brail remarked in that fascinating sea-story, "The Cruise of the Midge," that though females of other nationalities may have various methods of locomotion to be called by various impertinent names, no woman but a Spaniard canwalk. The crowd increases after the hall is lighted, and the fun grows fast and furious. The bar, of course, does a rushing business; officers of all grades drop in, and even captains honor us withtheir presence. Vigilantes are near at hand to preserve order, but every one is in good-humor now, and there is little fear of any outbreak. The dancers enjoy themselves, and the admiring lookers-on drink and applaud. Mr. Grafton is near me, thoughtful and observant as usual.
"Well, Blacksmith, what do you think of Chilian women?"
"I admire them very much," said I, "and yet I can hardly tell why. Perhaps because I am partial to brunettes."
"Simplicity of toilet has much to do with it," said the mate. "You see no elaborate fashion of 'doing up' the hair, to torture and disfigure that which nature has made so beautiful. Then when they go out, you observe their heads are either exposed or else covered with a shawl or mantle falling gracefully over the shoulders. No such abomination as a bonnet disfigures them. Then again, their walk is the 'poetry of motion.' No Spanish woman ever cultivates a slight stoop of the shoulders and considers it graceful, but walks 'erect and free,' and yet without stiffness."
I could not help smiling at the worthy mate's enthusiasm on the subject, and suggested that perhaps the practice of carrying burdens on the head might have some effect in producing this erect and easy carriage.
"Of course it has much to do with it," said the mate. "But, though it would improve the carriage and walk of any woman, or man either, for that matter, it cannotcreatethat grace of movement which isessentially Spanish, and which is to be found in ladies whose position and wealth place them above the necessity of carrying burdens at all, and, in fact, render it unlikely that they would do so. Again, the same practice prevails to a great extent all over South America, and in many of the South Sea Islands; yet who ever saw a Portuguese woman of Brazil, or a Kanaka woman of any island in the Pacific, whose walk would compare with that of a Chilian or Mexican girl?"
My attention was again directed to Farrell, who was "setting" to a pretty, black-eyed girl in the dance, his step having more of the Irish jig in it than of the "chengana," as it called here, a dance in which certain coquettish movements of a handkerchief in the hand play an important part. He was armed with an immense red cotton one which he flourished with far more vigor than grace, and, as the dance ended, he obeyed the figurative order from the first fiddler to "Square the mainyard and let the jibs run down!" by leading his pretty partner up to the bar. "I say, darlin'," said Farrell, "would ye tell me what's yer sweet name, now?"
"My name? Juanita," answered the girl.
"Whon-eater? an' is that yer name indade; an' sure your lingo is for all the warld like pourin' music out of a jug. Whon-eater—an' what can be sweeter?—I'll take her up and treat her—I will, by the houly St. Pether!" said Farrell, by way of climax; for he was now in his poetical stage of inebriation—in which he would "rhyme you" like a very Touchstone.
I turned away to laugh, and soon after left the dance hall with Mr. Bunker. As I passed out of the door I saw Farrell repeating his dose at the bar, and was apprehensive that he would get into trouble, for I knew that with him the transition was short and easy from the poetical mood into the pugilistic.
It was even as I feared. When the ship's boat came in, the watch were all on hand but Farrell, and on inquiry I found he was in "durance vile." It seems a Chileno had taken the liberty to address some words to "Whon-eater," which Farrell resented as an undue familiarity. He hadn't, of course, the remotest idea what was said, but he was in the warlike stage then and spoiling for a row. So he struck out from the shoulder, and was at once seized and marched off to the lock-up. He came off about the middle of the forenoon, having been taken before the magistrate and fined for assault. The old man had, of course, paid it and sent him on board. He had found pretty rough quarters, he said, in the lock-up, and had been nearly "flayedalive by the murderin'flays."
One day's liberty was much like another, and the same old haunts were visited and revisited. We had four days on shore for each watch, and when the starboard watch came off the last time, Burley, the sea-lawyer, was missing, having doubtless deserted. He had been long enough in one ship, I suppose; and, besides, he had lost his prestige among his shipmates, and was looked upon with contempt. We all felt that we could spare him without a pang. To fill the vacancy, a Sandwich Island native called Peter wasshipped, a man who had seen considerable service, having steered a boat in two or three ships, and who murdered English tolerably well. We took our anchor in the afternoon with a smart breeze from the southward, and before the sun went down we were once more tossing on the long swells of the broad Pacific.
"Well," said old Jeff, as we were stowing the anchors, "I reckon that's the last we'll see of Turkeywarner this v'y'ge. I think the old man'll work off to the westward, and finally go down to 'the Groups.'"
"What makes you think so?" said I.
"Why, the old man as good as toldmebefore we left home that he should work down that way. He never was down there before norIneither.I'vebeen three v'y'ges with the old man, andwe'vealways got our oil on Peru, and Chili, and the Galleypaguses. We never went no further'n the off-shore ground."
"Why should he go so far out of his old tracks where he has always been successful?" I inquired.
"Well, you see, Father Grafton he's been down there last voyage, and Mr. Dunham, too, and they have great faith in the 'Groups,' and that starts the old man. Another thing makes me think so; he's fetched out a big stock of tobacker this v'y'ge. I never knew him to have so much before, and he hasn't sold a pound of it yet. It's all there in the run, and that means he's keepin it to trade down among the 'Groups.' He hasn't said nothin' tomeabout it lately, though; I've kept thinking he would,' cause he generally letsmeknow beforehand where he's going."
It was one of Jeff's harmless peculiarities to pretendto considerable knowledge of cabinet secrets, and to affect to be "high in the confidence of the administration," as the newspaper correspondents have it.
"Well," said he, "Burley he's given us the slip and I reckon nobody'll mourn much about the loss of him. I must say I got disappointed in that man. I thought he was a good sailor man, and all I was fearful of was that he would do something desprit. I thought he had courage enough to make good his words. But it turned out that he was more of a coward thanIam, and that's needless," said Jeff with a grin; "and as for his duty, he was neither sailor nor soger."
"He'll go on board of some other ship," said I, "where he can blow his gas for a while, but he wont wear well anywhere."
"No," said Jeff, "only as long as it takes to find him out and take his measure. This Peter that came aboard to-day is a smart-looking Kanaka, butIdon't think much of Kanakas anyhow." Here came in the prejudice of color again. "But I never told you, did I," continued Jeff, with agreenishkind of blush, "that I ran away myself in Turkeywarner, once?"
"No," I answered. "I thought you were a fixture of the ship you sailed in."
"That was the first v'y'ge I was in the Colossus. This old man was mate with us then. I trusted to an old 'Cholo' here; he said he'd stow me away where all creation couldn't find me. Well, he did till the old man offered, twenty dollars bounty for me, for you see he couldn't go to sea withoutmenohow, and then the old mongrel sold me to get the reward. He just wentout and informed where I was, and the mate (that's the old man now) came and roused me out of my hiding-place, and told me I'd be wiser next time than to trust one of them yaller scoundrels. And so I have been. Gi'me white or black, I say; for where you mix 'em, you spile two good things."
CHAPTER XIV.THE BILL-FISH.—THE MARQUESAS.—A PRISONER AMONG THE SAVAGES.Down the coasts of Chili and Peru we pursued our voyage, and then off-shore among the Galapagos, or "Galleypaguses" as my ebony friends Jeff and the doctor would say. Here we took one large whale, but the fleet was numerous, and, from all that we could learn, they not were doing wonders, and the old man expressed his opinion that there was not more than a whale apiece for all those ships; so we carried sail again to the westward, running down the equator to the longitude of 120 to 130 degrees west. Here we met with good success, taking some four hundred barrels in the next four months. We spoke perhaps a dozen ships during that time, and all were doing a fair season's work.No incident of note occurred during this pleasant cruise, till near the end of it; in fact, we had already kept off to make a port at one of the Marquesas Islands, which lay conveniently under our lee. A school of bonitas or "skipjacks," as we more commonly call them, had attached themselves to us, and kept company for several days. These fish cannot be said tofollowa ship, but rather lead, for they almostinvariably keep ahead of her, sporting around the bow. We were running perhaps four or five knots an hour with moderate trades, and the fish were gambolling ahead of us, as usual, when Manoel, in the fore-topgallant crosstrees, sung out:"Bill-fish!""Whereaway?" asked the mate."Little on weather bow," said Manoel. "He come this way. Chase that skeepshack.""O, I see him!" said Father Grafton. "Give me an iron here! Never mind, here's the porpoise-iron, all rigged! Get another iron, Blacksmith, and look out for him!"The bonitas had taken alarm, and were darting here and there, and leaping into the air to escape their natural enemy, whose method of attack is to make a sudden dart at his victim and impale him upon his bill or sword, which projects in a straight line ahead of him. All the watch on deck were collected at the bow to witness the sport, and the irons were ready, if the opportunity offered, to transfix him, even as he would the bonita. Suddenly, after having paused a moment as if to make sure of his aim, he made a dart towards the ship with the speed of lightning; the wily bonita eluded him by leaping above the surface just in time, and the bill-fish disappeared in the swash under the ship's bows. Father Grafton darted at him as he flew past, but missed him; a slight jar was perceptible to us on deck, as though the ship had hit some small, hard object, and the fish rose to the surface under the fore-chains, quivering in the agony of death,his bill broken off short up to his head! No time was lost in bringing the ship to the wind, and lowering a boat; and we soon secured the fish and took him in on deck."How did he break his bill off so short?" I asked, innocently."He has run it into the ship, of course," said Father Grafton. "His bill is probably sticking in our bows under water. I hope it will caulk its own hole tight. Rig the pump there, a couple of ye, and try her."We did so, and found we had started a small leak; at least, we found more water than usual, though it was difficult to tell immediately. A few hours hence we could judge better. The mate and I went into the forepeak with a light, and after moving a lot of wood and empty breakers, we found what we were in search of; the end of the bill, projecting full six inches through the ceiling or inside planking of the bows: the bone, bare and smooth as if polished with sand paper. Of course we could tell nothing about the leak from the inside, except that we could hear the water trickling down between the timbers. The old man came down and had a look at it and estimated it to be about three feet below the water line."If so," said he, "we can stop the leak ourselves in any smooth harbor where we can get her head up and trim her stern down. There is no fear of its working loose as long as the wood is new and sound round it. The leak is not a serious one, to be sure, but it is enough to annoy us all the time and make considerable work, and a kind of work, too, that no sailor isfond of. We must try, when we get in, and see what we can do with it."It was found after a few hours' trial, that the leak was about a hundred and fifty strokes an hour. Of course, the conversation, in our hours of leisure at night, turned upon the occurrence of the day, and several instances were cited which were known to have occurred, of a character similar to this. The mate had known two or three cases of the kind, and had seen a section of timber preserved in a museum at home just as it was sawed out when the ship was repaired, the bill still in the wood and projecting both sides. The cooper, of course, had known numerous instances; in fact, his experience went to show that it was quite an ordinary thing for ships to be "stabbed," as he termed it. And as for the leak, that was a mere trifle, "hardly enough to keep her sweet," the cooper said. "Why, when I was on the Banks," said he, "in the old Harbinger, she leaked so that the pumps were going all the time, and the crew got completely worn out; and at last the old man, who was a sort of natural mechanic, invented and rigged a kind of windmill up in the maintop, that would keep both pumps in operation as long as there was any breeze.""And how did you manage it in a calm?" I asked."That's the beauty of it," replied the cooper. "We attached a crank to the shaft of the mill, and a long iron rod came down on deck, and was worked by a couple of men on a big treadle.""And how did you like the treadmill exercise?" inquired the mate."That was pretty hard work; and you may depend we were glad enough to see a breeze coming to drive the vanes. But it was better than working brakes by hand, which would have kept four men at work, to man both pumps.""Then you mean to say that both pumps were going all the time?" said Mr. Bunker."Certainly," returned the cooper. "And she leaked at the same rate all the time; no more when pitching in a gale of wind than when lying becalmed in smooth water; and no more at the end of the voyage than when six weeks out from home, which was the time that the leak first started. Why, she leaked so that when we were crossing the tropical latitudes, we used frequently to pump live flying fish! and once or twice the pumps got completely choked with Portuguese men-of-war!""That's nothing at all!" put in the second mate, who happened to be within hearing. "I've heard say that, on board the old Yorkshire, they used to take off the lower-deck hatches, sit on the combings, and fish for skipjacks and albicore in the hold!""Yes! fish for them, indeed," said the cooper, "but did they catch any?""I've heard say they did," said Mr. Dunham. "I didn't see this myself.""O, you've heard say!" returned the cooper, with a sneer. "Well, Ididsee this myself, that I've been telling you; and what I'veseenIknow."A few days' run brought us among the Marquesas, and, after sending a boat to reconnoitre, we took theship in, and came to anchor in the bay of Hanayapa on the north side of Ohevihoa, an island better known by the name of Dominica, given to it by the Spanish discoverer, Mendana, in 1597. We found good anchorage in thirteen fathoms, and a convenient watering place. A native came on board while we were yet outside, who had served some time on board a whaleship, and spoke English tolerably well. He made a pressing offer of his services as interpreter and trading-master, which position he had filled for many other ships, and produced a dirty bundle of certificates and recommendations, signed by various whaling captains, some of which were highly satisfactory, and others, to say the least, somewhat equivocal; as the thus:"This may certify that the bearer, Jack Bailey, has been interpreter and trading-master for me during my stay at this place, and I would recommend all other shipmasters who may anchor here to employ him—if they cannot do better." Or, again, "The bearer, Jack Bailey, has worked for me as interpreter and go-between with the natives for these ten days past; and those shipmasters who may hereafter employ him for the same length of time—will know him as well as I do."He was equally proud of all these testimonials, and as none of them gave him a positively bad name, and there appeared to be no opposition candidate in the field, his services were engaged, and he brought with him four young natives to row the boat about for him on trading excursions, etc. He seemed to havea realizing sense of the dignity of his official position, and was very desirous of being addressed asMr.Bailey."All right," said the old man. "If you'll serve me any the better for it, I'll call youCaptainBailey, or evenAdmiralBailey."Our first business, after landing a large lot of empty casks to be filled with water, was to find our leak and stop it. We "broke out" everything of a heavy nature from the forehold, and stowed it away aft, roused the bights of the chain cables aft; the six-pounder gun, the blubber-hooks and other ponderous articles were collected as near the taffrail as possible, and heavy casks of water were hoisted and slung to the stern. We finally succeeded in raising her head so as to bring the leak out of water, and, taking advantage of a smooth time, we cut out a piece of the planking, which was split and shattered somewhat, and replaced it by a new piece, caulking round it so as to make all fair and tight as ever. It was found that the bill, after passing, of course, through the copper, sheathing-boards and outside planking, had pierced obliquely through the corners of two timbers, and then through the ceiling, also of heavy plank, and into the hold, as before mentioned. The muscular power necessary to pierce a ship in this manner seems hardly credible in an animal no larger than the bill-fish, but the facts are well attested in numerous similar cases. In our case, it must be remembered that the ship was moving in an opposite direction, meeting the fish "head to head," which, of course, greatly increased the momentum.We had finished the job, repaired the sheathing and copper as well, and were about ready to stow back the forehold, and begin trimming the ship to her old bearings, when a canoe came alongside containing two natives and a white man, from a settlement called Hanarora, a few miles to leeward. This white man represented to Captain Upton that they had some hogs and fowl to dispose of at his village, as well as plenty of fruit and cocoanuts, and persuaded the old man to go down there with the boat. It was observable that from the arrival of this white man, Mr. Bailey became a victim of ill-concealed jealousy, and evidently disliked the idea of the captain going down to the leeward with this interloper, instead of going up to Hanaca-oa, as had been arranged. This was the village where Bailey lived, and the old man had been there with him two or three times and made some traffic with his tribe, but was not so successful as he wished, and it appeared that the natives were disposed to hold back their "truck" to get higher prices. He now pacified him as well as possible, telling him he wished him to go, as promised, up to his own settlement, and would send an officer with him; while he himself would go down to Hanarora in another boat, with the white "beach-comber." He appeared well satisfied with this arrangement; and, not wishing to spare either of the mates from the ship at the time, the captain ordered me to go with Bailey up to Hana-ca-oa: and, said he;"Take the Kanaka, Peter, with you; he understands the language pretty well, and likes to go on these boatcruises. That will be enough, withAdmiralBailey and his crew."The two boats left the ship about the same time, the captain setting his sail after we passed out of the mouth of the harbor, and running down to the leeward, while we took to our oars, pulling up along shore against the trade-wind. It might have been three miles by water up to Hana-ca-oa, and rounding the rocky bluff, we pulled into a bend or bight of no great depth, and having no shelter to make a safe and convenient ship harbor. There was a handsome beach at the head of the bay, but the surf rolled in upon it with considerable force. Still there was no danger at this time in landing a whaleboat, if she were well handled. Mr. Bailey had the steering-oar, and as the boat rose upon the roller, she sheared nearly broadside on. I sprung to help Bailey, and succeeded in heading her in for the beach again, so that she was thrown ashore without damage beyond shipping a little water. We soon pulled her up high and dry on the rise of the beach, and passed out the articles of traffic that we had brought with us. I noticed that Bailey seemed much vexed at the manner of landing the boat, but supposed the boat had taken a shear, and got the advantage of him; an accident liable to have happened to myself or to any other man.At his suggestion, we carried the articles taken from the boat up to a shady spot among a grove of cocoanut trees but a short distance from the water. This was the trading-ground, or market where the barter was to be carried on. Very few natives had madetheir appearance, and these few brought nothing to sell. But Bailey gave me to understand that they would not bring their hogs or fruit for sale till after the sun went down more, for it was then but little after noon; and suggested that we should carry the articles up to his house, which he pointed out at no great distance. So we gathered up the "trade," and backed the whole up to the "thatched cottage," where an old man was sitting in the doorway, whom Bailey introduced to me as his father. There was no disputing the family resemblance; I had no doubt that he was Mr. Bailey, senior. We passed all the things into the house; and I entered with Bailey to see that they were all right and ready for market. We had two old flintlock muskets which might have done good service at Bunker Hill or the Cowpens, and could perhaps be discharged now by putting a live coal of fire into the "pan," though I have no doubt the butt was the most dangerous end of them considered as weapons; about a dozen "cast steel" hatchets, three or four pieces of cheap cottons and prints, and some thirty pounds of very ancient "nigger-head" tobacco. I accepted a very cordial invitation from Mr. Bailey to take a seat upon the mat between him and his venerable parent, whose dim eyes were, for the most part, fixed in speechless admiration upon the treasures I have mentioned. Bailey had closed the door after us, and taken a seat on the mat; and now for the first time he threw aside the mask."What for cap'n go Hanarora," said he, "with white man?""I don't know," said I. "Because he wanted to, I suppose. He has a roving commission, I presume, to go where he likes.""Well," said Mr. Bailey, pointing to the heap of goods on the floor, "I got these tings, now, I goin' keep 'em."The old gentleman nodded his head in silent approval."I gotyouhere too. I goin' keepyou.""The deuce you are!" said I, without waiting for the old man's opinion on this point. "We'll see about that."I made a dash for the door; my would-be jailor did the same; we both seized it, pulling opposite ways, but I proved the stronger! I pushed him aside, flung the door open, and bounded out into the footpath. The whole thing had flashed upon me at once! I now understood that his intention had been to capsize the boat in the surf, making it appear accidental; and his vexation arose from his failure to beach her broadside on, as he had meant to do. As I struck into the path leading towards the landing I encountered Peter, the Mani Kanaka, coming out of the bypath through the bushes. He, too, had smelt treachery in the air."Where Bailey?" said he."In his house," said I, as I hurried along the path. "Come on, let's go to the boat.""Where four Kanaka pull boat?" asked Peter."I don't know," said I. "I haven't seen 'em.""Where trade? gun—hatchet—tobacker?""In Bailey's house. He has taken that. He tried to take me, too."Just then a single savage, evidently a person of note, hideously tattooed, dashed diagonally across the path ahead of us, and into the bushes, heading for the beach by a short cut. Peter whipped out his sheath-knife, and gave chase, I followed, shouting to him to stop; which he did, seeing that pursuit was hopeless."What would you do with that knife, Peter?" I said."Cut him," answered my Kanaka, dryly."If you did so our lives would not be worth a straw. Put up your knife, Peter; we can do nothing fighting against a whole tribe of these scoundrels."As we emerged from the bushes upon the open sward, we came in full view of a crowd of savages, numbering two or three hundred, collected around and near our boat, which had been hauled up still higher on the beach. It was ominous of evil that no women or children were to be seen. Nearly all the men were armed, some with weapons of their own manufacture, and a few with guns; but I was surprised at the number of whale-lances, broken off in the shank and fitted into poles. We held our way directly to the boat, and seizing the gunwale, I made signs for help to shove her into the water. Several laid hold with me, but a still larger number pulled up the beach instead of down, and it was soon evident that the stronger party were in favor of keeping the boat. I had hoped that they would have been content with seizing the goods at Bailey's house, and letting us go with our boat; for Peter andmyself could have worked our way back to the ship; but I now gave up this hope; and gave my attention to their noisy conference, trying to make out by my own observation, as well as by what Peter could understand and interpret, the intention of the savages in regard to ourselves. They seemed to be much divided in opinion; some wished to shove the boat off for us, and let us go; some few warriors of the old school were in favor of killing us; but the large majority advocated the middle course of holding both men and boat for ransom. My feelings may be imagined, as I sat on the ground, waiting to know my doom at the hands of the yelling savages, who were gesticulating furiously around me, and brandishing their ugly weapons in the excitement of controversy. I was, from time to time, assured of my safety by Peter, who took the matter more coolly than I did, as he understood not only the language, but the character of the people much better than I."He no kill," said Peter. "He no hurt. He keep boat, keep man—make old man pay plenty gun—hatchet—tobacka."But now a new motion seemed to have been made, and to have been received with favor, and Peter himself entered warmly into the discussion. After expressing himself in a very decided manner, he suddenly threw himself down on the beach by my side, seized my hand in his, still protesting in his own guttural tongue. The Marquesans and Hawaians both speak dialects of the same language, and have no difficulty in understanding each other."What's the matter, Peter? What do they want now?" I inquired, anxiously of course."He say letmego ship—see old man—keepyouhere—me no like—me tell him you all'e same my brother; spose keep you keep me, too."I could not fail to be touched by this proof of devotion in Peter, who having his own personal safety assured him, refused to abandon me; and I endeavored, as far as possible, to make him understand my feelings. I congratulated myself that he was with me. His stubborn firmness, in so stoutly refusing to go to the ship and leave me in their hands, again threw them back upon their old disputes, and the discord became greater than before. A large number favored letting both of us go free, to return to the ship by land; and this party was evidently gaining ground.
THE BILL-FISH.—THE MARQUESAS.—A PRISONER AMONG THE SAVAGES.
Down the coasts of Chili and Peru we pursued our voyage, and then off-shore among the Galapagos, or "Galleypaguses" as my ebony friends Jeff and the doctor would say. Here we took one large whale, but the fleet was numerous, and, from all that we could learn, they not were doing wonders, and the old man expressed his opinion that there was not more than a whale apiece for all those ships; so we carried sail again to the westward, running down the equator to the longitude of 120 to 130 degrees west. Here we met with good success, taking some four hundred barrels in the next four months. We spoke perhaps a dozen ships during that time, and all were doing a fair season's work.
No incident of note occurred during this pleasant cruise, till near the end of it; in fact, we had already kept off to make a port at one of the Marquesas Islands, which lay conveniently under our lee. A school of bonitas or "skipjacks," as we more commonly call them, had attached themselves to us, and kept company for several days. These fish cannot be said tofollowa ship, but rather lead, for they almostinvariably keep ahead of her, sporting around the bow. We were running perhaps four or five knots an hour with moderate trades, and the fish were gambolling ahead of us, as usual, when Manoel, in the fore-topgallant crosstrees, sung out:
"Bill-fish!"
"Whereaway?" asked the mate.
"Little on weather bow," said Manoel. "He come this way. Chase that skeepshack."
"O, I see him!" said Father Grafton. "Give me an iron here! Never mind, here's the porpoise-iron, all rigged! Get another iron, Blacksmith, and look out for him!"
The bonitas had taken alarm, and were darting here and there, and leaping into the air to escape their natural enemy, whose method of attack is to make a sudden dart at his victim and impale him upon his bill or sword, which projects in a straight line ahead of him. All the watch on deck were collected at the bow to witness the sport, and the irons were ready, if the opportunity offered, to transfix him, even as he would the bonita. Suddenly, after having paused a moment as if to make sure of his aim, he made a dart towards the ship with the speed of lightning; the wily bonita eluded him by leaping above the surface just in time, and the bill-fish disappeared in the swash under the ship's bows. Father Grafton darted at him as he flew past, but missed him; a slight jar was perceptible to us on deck, as though the ship had hit some small, hard object, and the fish rose to the surface under the fore-chains, quivering in the agony of death,his bill broken off short up to his head! No time was lost in bringing the ship to the wind, and lowering a boat; and we soon secured the fish and took him in on deck.
"How did he break his bill off so short?" I asked, innocently.
"He has run it into the ship, of course," said Father Grafton. "His bill is probably sticking in our bows under water. I hope it will caulk its own hole tight. Rig the pump there, a couple of ye, and try her."
We did so, and found we had started a small leak; at least, we found more water than usual, though it was difficult to tell immediately. A few hours hence we could judge better. The mate and I went into the forepeak with a light, and after moving a lot of wood and empty breakers, we found what we were in search of; the end of the bill, projecting full six inches through the ceiling or inside planking of the bows: the bone, bare and smooth as if polished with sand paper. Of course we could tell nothing about the leak from the inside, except that we could hear the water trickling down between the timbers. The old man came down and had a look at it and estimated it to be about three feet below the water line.
"If so," said he, "we can stop the leak ourselves in any smooth harbor where we can get her head up and trim her stern down. There is no fear of its working loose as long as the wood is new and sound round it. The leak is not a serious one, to be sure, but it is enough to annoy us all the time and make considerable work, and a kind of work, too, that no sailor isfond of. We must try, when we get in, and see what we can do with it."
It was found after a few hours' trial, that the leak was about a hundred and fifty strokes an hour. Of course, the conversation, in our hours of leisure at night, turned upon the occurrence of the day, and several instances were cited which were known to have occurred, of a character similar to this. The mate had known two or three cases of the kind, and had seen a section of timber preserved in a museum at home just as it was sawed out when the ship was repaired, the bill still in the wood and projecting both sides. The cooper, of course, had known numerous instances; in fact, his experience went to show that it was quite an ordinary thing for ships to be "stabbed," as he termed it. And as for the leak, that was a mere trifle, "hardly enough to keep her sweet," the cooper said. "Why, when I was on the Banks," said he, "in the old Harbinger, she leaked so that the pumps were going all the time, and the crew got completely worn out; and at last the old man, who was a sort of natural mechanic, invented and rigged a kind of windmill up in the maintop, that would keep both pumps in operation as long as there was any breeze."
"And how did you manage it in a calm?" I asked.
"That's the beauty of it," replied the cooper. "We attached a crank to the shaft of the mill, and a long iron rod came down on deck, and was worked by a couple of men on a big treadle."
"And how did you like the treadmill exercise?" inquired the mate.
"That was pretty hard work; and you may depend we were glad enough to see a breeze coming to drive the vanes. But it was better than working brakes by hand, which would have kept four men at work, to man both pumps."
"Then you mean to say that both pumps were going all the time?" said Mr. Bunker.
"Certainly," returned the cooper. "And she leaked at the same rate all the time; no more when pitching in a gale of wind than when lying becalmed in smooth water; and no more at the end of the voyage than when six weeks out from home, which was the time that the leak first started. Why, she leaked so that when we were crossing the tropical latitudes, we used frequently to pump live flying fish! and once or twice the pumps got completely choked with Portuguese men-of-war!"
"That's nothing at all!" put in the second mate, who happened to be within hearing. "I've heard say that, on board the old Yorkshire, they used to take off the lower-deck hatches, sit on the combings, and fish for skipjacks and albicore in the hold!"
"Yes! fish for them, indeed," said the cooper, "but did they catch any?"
"I've heard say they did," said Mr. Dunham. "I didn't see this myself."
"O, you've heard say!" returned the cooper, with a sneer. "Well, Ididsee this myself, that I've been telling you; and what I'veseenIknow."
A few days' run brought us among the Marquesas, and, after sending a boat to reconnoitre, we took theship in, and came to anchor in the bay of Hanayapa on the north side of Ohevihoa, an island better known by the name of Dominica, given to it by the Spanish discoverer, Mendana, in 1597. We found good anchorage in thirteen fathoms, and a convenient watering place. A native came on board while we were yet outside, who had served some time on board a whaleship, and spoke English tolerably well. He made a pressing offer of his services as interpreter and trading-master, which position he had filled for many other ships, and produced a dirty bundle of certificates and recommendations, signed by various whaling captains, some of which were highly satisfactory, and others, to say the least, somewhat equivocal; as the thus:
"This may certify that the bearer, Jack Bailey, has been interpreter and trading-master for me during my stay at this place, and I would recommend all other shipmasters who may anchor here to employ him—if they cannot do better." Or, again, "The bearer, Jack Bailey, has worked for me as interpreter and go-between with the natives for these ten days past; and those shipmasters who may hereafter employ him for the same length of time—will know him as well as I do."
He was equally proud of all these testimonials, and as none of them gave him a positively bad name, and there appeared to be no opposition candidate in the field, his services were engaged, and he brought with him four young natives to row the boat about for him on trading excursions, etc. He seemed to havea realizing sense of the dignity of his official position, and was very desirous of being addressed asMr.Bailey.
"All right," said the old man. "If you'll serve me any the better for it, I'll call youCaptainBailey, or evenAdmiralBailey."
Our first business, after landing a large lot of empty casks to be filled with water, was to find our leak and stop it. We "broke out" everything of a heavy nature from the forehold, and stowed it away aft, roused the bights of the chain cables aft; the six-pounder gun, the blubber-hooks and other ponderous articles were collected as near the taffrail as possible, and heavy casks of water were hoisted and slung to the stern. We finally succeeded in raising her head so as to bring the leak out of water, and, taking advantage of a smooth time, we cut out a piece of the planking, which was split and shattered somewhat, and replaced it by a new piece, caulking round it so as to make all fair and tight as ever. It was found that the bill, after passing, of course, through the copper, sheathing-boards and outside planking, had pierced obliquely through the corners of two timbers, and then through the ceiling, also of heavy plank, and into the hold, as before mentioned. The muscular power necessary to pierce a ship in this manner seems hardly credible in an animal no larger than the bill-fish, but the facts are well attested in numerous similar cases. In our case, it must be remembered that the ship was moving in an opposite direction, meeting the fish "head to head," which, of course, greatly increased the momentum.
We had finished the job, repaired the sheathing and copper as well, and were about ready to stow back the forehold, and begin trimming the ship to her old bearings, when a canoe came alongside containing two natives and a white man, from a settlement called Hanarora, a few miles to leeward. This white man represented to Captain Upton that they had some hogs and fowl to dispose of at his village, as well as plenty of fruit and cocoanuts, and persuaded the old man to go down there with the boat. It was observable that from the arrival of this white man, Mr. Bailey became a victim of ill-concealed jealousy, and evidently disliked the idea of the captain going down to the leeward with this interloper, instead of going up to Hanaca-oa, as had been arranged. This was the village where Bailey lived, and the old man had been there with him two or three times and made some traffic with his tribe, but was not so successful as he wished, and it appeared that the natives were disposed to hold back their "truck" to get higher prices. He now pacified him as well as possible, telling him he wished him to go, as promised, up to his own settlement, and would send an officer with him; while he himself would go down to Hanarora in another boat, with the white "beach-comber." He appeared well satisfied with this arrangement; and, not wishing to spare either of the mates from the ship at the time, the captain ordered me to go with Bailey up to Hana-ca-oa: and, said he;
"Take the Kanaka, Peter, with you; he understands the language pretty well, and likes to go on these boatcruises. That will be enough, withAdmiralBailey and his crew."
The two boats left the ship about the same time, the captain setting his sail after we passed out of the mouth of the harbor, and running down to the leeward, while we took to our oars, pulling up along shore against the trade-wind. It might have been three miles by water up to Hana-ca-oa, and rounding the rocky bluff, we pulled into a bend or bight of no great depth, and having no shelter to make a safe and convenient ship harbor. There was a handsome beach at the head of the bay, but the surf rolled in upon it with considerable force. Still there was no danger at this time in landing a whaleboat, if she were well handled. Mr. Bailey had the steering-oar, and as the boat rose upon the roller, she sheared nearly broadside on. I sprung to help Bailey, and succeeded in heading her in for the beach again, so that she was thrown ashore without damage beyond shipping a little water. We soon pulled her up high and dry on the rise of the beach, and passed out the articles of traffic that we had brought with us. I noticed that Bailey seemed much vexed at the manner of landing the boat, but supposed the boat had taken a shear, and got the advantage of him; an accident liable to have happened to myself or to any other man.
At his suggestion, we carried the articles taken from the boat up to a shady spot among a grove of cocoanut trees but a short distance from the water. This was the trading-ground, or market where the barter was to be carried on. Very few natives had madetheir appearance, and these few brought nothing to sell. But Bailey gave me to understand that they would not bring their hogs or fruit for sale till after the sun went down more, for it was then but little after noon; and suggested that we should carry the articles up to his house, which he pointed out at no great distance. So we gathered up the "trade," and backed the whole up to the "thatched cottage," where an old man was sitting in the doorway, whom Bailey introduced to me as his father. There was no disputing the family resemblance; I had no doubt that he was Mr. Bailey, senior. We passed all the things into the house; and I entered with Bailey to see that they were all right and ready for market. We had two old flintlock muskets which might have done good service at Bunker Hill or the Cowpens, and could perhaps be discharged now by putting a live coal of fire into the "pan," though I have no doubt the butt was the most dangerous end of them considered as weapons; about a dozen "cast steel" hatchets, three or four pieces of cheap cottons and prints, and some thirty pounds of very ancient "nigger-head" tobacco. I accepted a very cordial invitation from Mr. Bailey to take a seat upon the mat between him and his venerable parent, whose dim eyes were, for the most part, fixed in speechless admiration upon the treasures I have mentioned. Bailey had closed the door after us, and taken a seat on the mat; and now for the first time he threw aside the mask.
"What for cap'n go Hanarora," said he, "with white man?"
"I don't know," said I. "Because he wanted to, I suppose. He has a roving commission, I presume, to go where he likes."
"Well," said Mr. Bailey, pointing to the heap of goods on the floor, "I got these tings, now, I goin' keep 'em."
The old gentleman nodded his head in silent approval.
"I gotyouhere too. I goin' keepyou."
"The deuce you are!" said I, without waiting for the old man's opinion on this point. "We'll see about that."
I made a dash for the door; my would-be jailor did the same; we both seized it, pulling opposite ways, but I proved the stronger! I pushed him aside, flung the door open, and bounded out into the footpath. The whole thing had flashed upon me at once! I now understood that his intention had been to capsize the boat in the surf, making it appear accidental; and his vexation arose from his failure to beach her broadside on, as he had meant to do. As I struck into the path leading towards the landing I encountered Peter, the Mani Kanaka, coming out of the bypath through the bushes. He, too, had smelt treachery in the air.
"Where Bailey?" said he.
"In his house," said I, as I hurried along the path. "Come on, let's go to the boat."
"Where four Kanaka pull boat?" asked Peter.
"I don't know," said I. "I haven't seen 'em."
"Where trade? gun—hatchet—tobacker?"
"In Bailey's house. He has taken that. He tried to take me, too."
Just then a single savage, evidently a person of note, hideously tattooed, dashed diagonally across the path ahead of us, and into the bushes, heading for the beach by a short cut. Peter whipped out his sheath-knife, and gave chase, I followed, shouting to him to stop; which he did, seeing that pursuit was hopeless.
"What would you do with that knife, Peter?" I said.
"Cut him," answered my Kanaka, dryly.
"If you did so our lives would not be worth a straw. Put up your knife, Peter; we can do nothing fighting against a whole tribe of these scoundrels."
As we emerged from the bushes upon the open sward, we came in full view of a crowd of savages, numbering two or three hundred, collected around and near our boat, which had been hauled up still higher on the beach. It was ominous of evil that no women or children were to be seen. Nearly all the men were armed, some with weapons of their own manufacture, and a few with guns; but I was surprised at the number of whale-lances, broken off in the shank and fitted into poles. We held our way directly to the boat, and seizing the gunwale, I made signs for help to shove her into the water. Several laid hold with me, but a still larger number pulled up the beach instead of down, and it was soon evident that the stronger party were in favor of keeping the boat. I had hoped that they would have been content with seizing the goods at Bailey's house, and letting us go with our boat; for Peter andmyself could have worked our way back to the ship; but I now gave up this hope; and gave my attention to their noisy conference, trying to make out by my own observation, as well as by what Peter could understand and interpret, the intention of the savages in regard to ourselves. They seemed to be much divided in opinion; some wished to shove the boat off for us, and let us go; some few warriors of the old school were in favor of killing us; but the large majority advocated the middle course of holding both men and boat for ransom. My feelings may be imagined, as I sat on the ground, waiting to know my doom at the hands of the yelling savages, who were gesticulating furiously around me, and brandishing their ugly weapons in the excitement of controversy. I was, from time to time, assured of my safety by Peter, who took the matter more coolly than I did, as he understood not only the language, but the character of the people much better than I.
"He no kill," said Peter. "He no hurt. He keep boat, keep man—make old man pay plenty gun—hatchet—tobacka."
But now a new motion seemed to have been made, and to have been received with favor, and Peter himself entered warmly into the discussion. After expressing himself in a very decided manner, he suddenly threw himself down on the beach by my side, seized my hand in his, still protesting in his own guttural tongue. The Marquesans and Hawaians both speak dialects of the same language, and have no difficulty in understanding each other.
"What's the matter, Peter? What do they want now?" I inquired, anxiously of course.
"He say letmego ship—see old man—keepyouhere—me no like—me tell him you all'e same my brother; spose keep you keep me, too."
I could not fail to be touched by this proof of devotion in Peter, who having his own personal safety assured him, refused to abandon me; and I endeavored, as far as possible, to make him understand my feelings. I congratulated myself that he was with me. His stubborn firmness, in so stoutly refusing to go to the ship and leave me in their hands, again threw them back upon their old disputes, and the discord became greater than before. A large number favored letting both of us go free, to return to the ship by land; and this party was evidently gaining ground.
CHAPTER XV.ESCAPE FROM THE SAVAGES.—RECOVERY OF THE BOAT.—MAGICAL EFFECTS OF LYNCH LAW.This division of opinion among the barbarians was a circumstance in our favor; and some of them made signals aside to us to go, slyly swinging their hands in the direction of Hanayapa, where the ship lay. Indeed, we were even then gradually edging away from the crowd; for Peter had seized the right moment, while the confusion was at its height, and saying to me "Come," we continued moving carelessly along the beach, and, as we perceived we were not followed, we almost insensibly quickened our pace, looking behind us anxiously, and then starting on, satisfied from the violence of the clamor, that the natives would not soon agree upon their plan of action, and knowing that each moment was precious to us. Some still waved us on; while others beckoned us back again, and even made starts in pursuit, but were accompanied and headed off by men of the other party, when all would again come to a halt, and renew the war of words and gestures. In this way we had increased our distance to perhaps three hundred yards, when I said to Peter:"Don't you think we could make a push over the mountains inland, and find our way to the ship?""No good," said my companion shortly. "Keep on beach—climb over rock—come to 'noder beach—follow water."I relied upon his judgment. Indeed this was the safer course for us, for, as soon as we gained the summit of the rocky bluff, or spur, which rose in our path, we should have the ship in sight, and could shape our course with some certainty. We pushed on at a jog-trot now, not daring yet to break into a run, and wishing to reserve our strength for the time when we should be obliged to climb the rocks. We had nearly reached the foot of the cliff when Peter suddenly said to me, "Look! he come!" I turned my head, and saw that we had no time to lose. The savages were starting in pursuit, and the party who were determined on our captivity appeared to be now in the ascendancy, as we knew by the proud bearing of their leader and chief-spokesman, a tall, athletic chief, who, with his highly polished lance poised in air was striding in advance of all the rest. Loud yells rose from the throats of the party, as they beckoned for us to halt, and come back; but neither I nor my Kanaka shipmate could see the propriety of again placing ourselves voluntarily at their mercy, now that we had so much the start in the race."Now," said Peter as we reached the end of the beach, "keep close togedder. We go up rock—go alongside of it—keep near water."We sprang up the hill, and followed round the face of the bluff, making sometimes rapid progress for a minute or two and then obliged to ascend and descendand pass places where there was but little foothold. Our pursuers, seeing themselves cheated of their prey, redoubled their efforts to overtake us; and I had the satisfaction of knowing that they were especially anxious to captureme; as being a white man, and withal a petty officer, they could demand a high ransom. I was determined they should have no easy task of it, and I could see that the Hawaian was equally resolved not to be taken without making a desperate fight. Our zigzag route had carried us gradually upward till we were now some three hundred feet above the sea, and had got among bushes which grew thickly in some spots; while here and there a stunted cocoanut-tree forced itself up, seeming to grow almost from a foundation of rocks. I looked round to survey the situation. The greater number of the yelling devils had halted at the base of the cliff, and with loud cries were urging on a few of the fastest and strongest, who still continued the chase. The tall chief was still further in the lead than before, having distanced all others, and it was plain that he was rapidly gaining. I could see his lance gleam in the sunshine, and this was the weapon I most feared. The man next in rear of him was armed with a musket, but I gave myself little uneasiness about their fire-arms, as I held the quality of both guns and marksmen in contempt.We pushed on, doing our best, and taking every possible advantage of the nature of the ground; but, ever and anon, as I glanced over my shoulder, the lance gleamed brighter, and the tall savage was lesseningthe little distance that separated us. I saw Peter's hand feel for his sheath-knife, to assure himself that it was ready for action; his breath came short and quick from his exertions, and still more from excitement at the certainty of being soon brought to bay. Suddenly his face lighted, and his nostrils seemed to be doubled in size."See rock ahead?" said he, pointing with his hand."Yes," answered I, pantingly. "What then?""Fight there. Odder side of it."Volumes could not have said more. His whole plan was at once unfolded, as he picked up a sapling of convenient size to be used as an offensive weapon.The rock of which he spoke projected outward from the face of the hill, which was here steeply inclined, and, to double round it, it was necessary to descend a short distance, and after passing it, to climb up again. We passed it, and Peter turning the corner, halted short, and struck an attitude showing that he meant to meet the enemy with theendof his sapling, toharpoonhim, as it were, instead of swinging a blow at him. He crouched close to the rock, saying in a low, quick tone:"Stand behind me—give me room for dart; get nodder stick—big stone all 'e same. If I miss him, stand by to give it to him."Nothing could have been better planned; as the pursuing savage could not see him until their faces were close together, Peter having all the advantage of the higher position. Arming myself with a fragment of rock of convenient weight, I crouched a little up the hill in rear of my comrade, just giving him room to draw back his heavy pole.Escape from Savages.Page185.We had not long to wait, ere the hard breathing of the infuriated chief was audible as he struggled round under the lee of the projecting boulder. Peter drew back his weapon at a poise, and planted his feet more firmly, while I closed up a little with my stone in reserve. The horrible tattooed face rose into view like Banquo's ghost. Too late he perceived theruseof the wily Hawaian, and vainly struggled to bring his lance to bear; the sapling met him full in the face with terrific force, and he was hurled backwards down the declivity, receiving my stone full in his naked breast as he fell. He did not go far, for a ledge some ten feet below, brought him up; but I can never forget the appearance of his crushed and bleeding face upturned to us. His lance, thrown from his hand, had stuck in a turfy spot, and seizing this weapon, I now felt tolerably safe from direct pursuit, though I was still a little apprehensive of some flank movement from the mountain above.We struggled on, but as we advanced, we found we were coming where the face of the precipice was impassable, and there was no course for us but to make our way upward to the summit of the mountain. We soon after heard voices, as of men cowering above us, and presently we were hailed to "come up there!" I understood thus much of the Marquesan gibberish; but the idea of a flank attack instantly recurred to my mind, and I dreaded lest we had now fallen into a snare where the advantages were with the enemy, hebeing above instead of beneath us. But Peter had already answered the hail, and after a few sentences were interchanged, he started directly upward, saying to me, "All right! Come on!" Again I trusted to his knowledge and sagacity, and followed without further question; though still keeping my lance ready for immediate use, if necessary to defend myself.My fears were soon allayed, however; for four men dressed in shirts and trousers like seamen, emerged into view on a ledge or terrace above us, whom I recognized as the boat's crew, whom Bailey had employed. Up to this time nothing had been seen of these men, or of Bailey himself, since I pushed my way out of his house.These men all belonged to the tribe of Hanayapa, where the ship lay, and were now on their way home to their own village, bearing some of the hatchets, cloth and tobacco with them, and filled with indignation at their employer, who had failed to satisfy them in the distribution of the plunder. They were, of course, ready to befriend us, and to pilot us back to the ship; taking every occasion to make their peace with us, and to vent their virtuous indignation by denouncing all the tribe to windward for their perfidy. "Hanaca-oa no good," was the burden of their tale, so far as they could render it into English; but they doubtless ran through their whole vocabulary of guttural adjectives for the benefit of my companion. They, of course, knew nothing of our fight with the colossal chief on the cliff, and we did not enlighten them at present; but when they inquired where I got thelance, Peter gave them to understand that I had seized it from the ground when we first started to make our escape. They had come by a path which wound over the mountain inland, but hereabouts it struck nearer the brow of the cliff, and through the openings in the bushes they had seen us beneath them some time before they could be seen themselves.A short distance further on, the path wound over a high pinnacle from which we could look down upon the bay of Hanayapa, and the gallant Arethusa riding at anchor; while our boat could be seen like a speck, coming round the bluff that formed the other side of the harbor's mouth, pulling up from Hanarora. A rugged and circuitous route carried us down into the valley, and a canoe was soon found by our four friends. Before sundown we were once more on the deck of our floating home.The old man was highly indignant on hearing the particulars of our story, and it would have fared hard with the traitor Bailey, could he have laid hands on him at that time. The goods carried ashore for traffic were of no great value, and were doubtless, ere this time, divided up and scattered beyond all hope of recovery; but the boat was of more importance to us, and was not to be relinquished without an effort to recover her. In the mean time, as it was uncertain what trouble might grow out of the affair, all haste was made to get the forehold stowed off, and trim the ship so as to be in working condition. We worked like beavers the greater part of the night, and were ready before morning to get under way, except that ourwater casks were still on shore, most of them being ready filled. We knew not how far to trust the chief or king of the tribe of Hanayapa. It was uncertain whether he would use his influence to assist us in recovering our boat, or whether he would sustain his brother potentate at Hanaca-oa in keeping her from us. His canoe was alongside of us bright and early in the morning, and he expressed the greatest indignation at the other tribe, and professed his willingness to aid us in recovering the boat, even by force, if necessary.While the king was on board, the boats were sent in to the watering-place to fill and raft off as fast as possible, as we should be perfectly secure from attack while the king and his suite were detained on board as hostages. Our water was all off and hoisted in on deck, in a couple of hours; and now the boat was manned for Hanaca-oa, taking the king with us in the boat, and his canoe following us. We learned from the king that the chief whom Peter had knocked down the cliff was still alive, and would probably recover; but I felt certain that, if he did, the lines of beauty in the ornamental work of his face were forever spoiled, and its former hideousness was intensified tenfold.We did not leave the ship without taking some precautionary measures, notwithstanding the apparent friendship of the king. If he really was acting in good faith, we desired to remain two or three days more at the anchorage, as we had not yet obtained what we wanted in the way of provisions. But preparations had been made for immediate departure incase it should be found that we were deceived in him. The chain had been hove in nearly short during the night, and the six-pounder had been loaded, and was ready for use if needed. The fore and maintopsails had been loosed in the morning while the king was on board; but this attracted no attention, as we had been in the habit of loosing some one or two of the sails every dry day, furling them again at sundown. Several women were on board when we left the ship, though it was observed that the number was smaller than usual; for the females came and went without question at all hours, having small canoes which they managed themselves.Strict orders had been left with Mr. Grafton, that if the boat was not seen returning within two hours, he was to get underway and stand out, beating up towards Hanaca-oa; and if, before that time, any suspicious circumstance should occur, he was to fire the six-pounder as a signal to us, and, at the same time trip his anchor and stand out. I was in the cabin, and heard these instructions given; and it was plain to me that the old man did not intend to waste much time in parley to recover the boat. He had no doubt of thepowerof our pretended friend, as the king of the stronger tribe, and in some sense, ruler over both (as we had learned both from Bailey and from the white man); and a very few minutes would suffice to show whether he really meant to get her back for us or not.We shoved off, I being at the steering-oar, with the captain and the king seated in front of me on amovable thwart; the king's canoe and body-guard of six men keeping along with us. As we opened the bay of Hanaca-oa but few natives were seen on the beach, and all appeared quiet as usual. Our boat could be seen away up in the cocoanut-grove, as we judged by the form of the object, though she was covered with mats to shield her from the sun's rays. We pulled in leisurely, and with wary eyes about us; the king seeming unusually talkative with the old man, and sporting to the best advantage what little English he was master of.About half-way up the bay, on the eastern or weather side, an irregular point of rocks made out, forming a sort of cove, opening seaward, and observing this, I had edged the boat up towards that side of the bay. The old man half-turned his head towards me, as he noticed this change of course, but catching my glance, also turned his own in the same direction. The king could not conceal his uneasiness, as he asked, with a constrained laugh. "What for no keep off in middle? Dere good place—land boat," not knowing that we had no intention of landing at all. At this instant, the point of a paddle was raised above the low rocks near the mouth of the cove, but a short distance from us. All three of us caught sight of it; the king half-sprung to his feet in confusion, and waved to his men in the canoe, but was seized by the old man, and forced back to his seat, while a pistol was held at his ear. "Lay round!" shouted the captain; but I was already anticipating the order, and throwing her head out to sea again. As I tossed the mast andsail into the bowman's hands, two canoes containing about thirty armed men shot out from the cove and gave chase for a short distance, but, seeing that we held the sovereign completely at our mercy, and that he would be our first victim, if attacked, they rested on their paddles. The king's canoe paddled in our wake, fast dropping astern, as we were now moving swiftly through the water under the double impulse of the sail and oars.A dull report, muffled by the intervening land, was borne to our ears; the signal agreed upon in case of any suspicious movements at Hanayapa; and the sound lent new strength to the arms of the five oarsmen, while the cowering king shook in his skin with fear."Give way, hard, men!" cried Captain Upton; "the ship will be underway before we get there! Keep quiet, you murdering scoundrel!" he added, to the ugly representative of fallen majesty, who had here manifested a disposition to throw himself overboard. "If there is any blood spilled in this matter, I'll take care that a part of it shall be royal," he added, pushing the muzzle of the pistol fairly into his ear."Hurrah! here she comes!" I cried with enthusiasm, as the flying jibboom of our noble ship projected beyond the headland now at no great distance from us, and the graceful hull drew slowly out into view; then moving more swiftly as she met the full power of the fresh trade wind, a few minutes gave her a safe offing to back the maintopsail for us to come alongside. She was under her three topsails, spanker and jib;but hands were already aloft to loose the lighter sails, and the courses were hanging in the buntlines."Keep this arch-devil secure!" said the captain, as we pushed his royal person rather disrespectfully up the side. "As long as he is in our hands, we hold the best card in the pack. Didn't have any harm done, did you, Mr. Grafton?""No, sir; we gave 'em the slip too quick," answered the mate. "Look up in the head of the bay there!"We looked; sure enough, there lay a large fleet of canoes all filled with armed men, resting, like baffled hounds; while on our weather quarter, at a safe distance, the small canoe of the king held way with us, uncertain whether to venture any nearer."Brace full and down tacks!" said the old man, as soon as the boat was hoisted up. "Sheet home the to'gallantsails, and make sail as fast as you can! We'll make a good stretch off shore, Mr. Grafton, so as to fetch to windward of Hana—what's-his-name, there, Admiral Bailey's place, I mean."Two hours off shore under a press of canvas, and we went in stays, "looking" well up for the eastern point of the entrance to Hanaca-oa. The six-pounder was loaded with ball, and roused into the waist, the gangway-board unshipped, and a block and whip rigged at the fore-yardarm."What the devil is that for?" asked the cooper, of the second mate, who was superintending these operations."To make fools ask questions," returned the secondmate, dryly. "There'll be anotheryarnfor you, cooper, when we get through the scrape.""The yarn will be wellstretched, whether the king's neck is or not," said Mr. Grafton, aside to me."Haul the mainsail up!" shouted the old man, as we drew in shore."We'll stand close in under the weather-point here, and luff to in full view of those devils on the beach there. Take that old traitor forward to the cat-head! Haul the foresail up, so the audience can all get their money's worth! I hope I sha'n't have to commitregicide," he added, in his low dry tone, "but I want to scare himalmostto death."We hove to, so as to bring our starboard "battery" to bear fairly upon the landing-place. A plank was rigged out, the king was mounted upon it in full sight of his subjects, and the slip-noose adjusted round his neck. These operations produced a magical effect on shore; the savages could be seen running distractedly about the beach, and the air was vocal with wild yells. Presently a large party of them made a rush for the mat-covered object up in the cocoanut-grove."That's the idea!" said the old man, who had his glass bearing upon them. "Give them a shot, Mr. Dunham, to quicken their movements! We can't afford to lie here long, waiting."The smart report of the six-pounder rang out over the water, echoing and re-echoing round the concave of the bay. Some thirty or forty of the frightened barbarians picked up the boat, and started upon the run for the beach."That makes them 'step lightly!'" said the old man. "Load up again, Mr. Dunham! Powder and wad will be enough this time. Don't waste any balls upon them."At the second snap of the gun, our boat was coming out through the rollers, and two canoes with her to take her in tow. The trembling wretch was released, shorn of all his majesty for the time being. We waifed his canoe, which was still hovering round, to come alongside. Our boat was hoisted up on one side, while the king went down the other."Brail up the spanker!" said the captain. "Put your helm up there! We'll run down to Hanarora now, and lie off and on for what we want. I think I see Jim's canoe coming up along shore now."It was indeed, the white man, Jim, who had come up to warn us against treachery; but found he was too late as we had already left the anchorage.On coming on board, he informed us that the chief whom Peter had punched in the face with the sapling, died the same night of his injuries; and that the chiefs, actuated by the double motives of revenge and plunder, had planned to get possession of the ship, and had sent envoys to the chief at Hanarora, who declined cooperating. The arch-traitor had accompanied us to Hanaca-oa thinking we would land without suspicion; or, if not, he himself could go ashore there, under pretence of getting the boat for us, and as soon as he was safe on the beach, the attack was to be made at both places. We who were isolated from the ship could be easily disposed of; and if we took the alarm and tried to escape, we should be headedoff by the canoes stationed in the cove. The crews of these last had betrayed themselves by showing the paddle in the air, but whether through carelessness, or whether this was a signal intended only for the king's eye, Jim could not tell. As soon as he learned this much, he had started for the ship to inform Mr. Grafton of the danger, but was too late, the ship being under way before he arrived.Mr. Grafton, soon after we left the ship, feeling uneasy, went aloft into the topmast crosstrees to make observations. On the weather side of the bay, towards Hanarora a small river flowed down and emptied itself, the banks of which, beyond the first bend, were overhung by bushes of no great height, but sufficient to conceal anything in the creek from the deck. But from his elevated perch it was possible to overlook them; and the mate saw enough to excite his apprehension. Several canoes passed across the creek filled with men, while he was on the lookout, and went out of view behind the screen of bushes. He came down on deck, and fired the gun as had been agreed upon, manning the windlass at the same time. The anchor was just breaking ground and the topsail-sheets being hauled home, when a shrill whistle was heard on the beach, and looking about him, the last three women who had remained on board were getting into their canoe. It was too late to think of detaining them; the ship's head was swinging, and, as she gathered headway, the flotilla of canoes hove in sight at the mouth of the creek, making the welkin ring with the cries of baffled rage."Now," said the mate, "they must have known at that moment that the plan was frustrated, and that the captain's boat had put back for the ship. And by the way, Jim, you must have known it, too, by the time I was under way. What kind of telegraph do you make use of here?""The human telegraph," said Jim. "That same whistle that you heard is repeated along the mountain paths, all the way down to Hanarora, and on some occasions, all round the island. The men are stationed at proper distances so as to be within sound of each other's whistles, and the whistle has certain variations to suit different circumstances.""I see," said the old man, "like Nelson's repeating frigates off Cadiz, to signalize when the French took their anchors; the main body of his fleet being sixty miles off shore."We finished our business at Hanarora the next day, and once more made all sail to the westward for a cruise among "The Groups."
ESCAPE FROM THE SAVAGES.—RECOVERY OF THE BOAT.—MAGICAL EFFECTS OF LYNCH LAW.
This division of opinion among the barbarians was a circumstance in our favor; and some of them made signals aside to us to go, slyly swinging their hands in the direction of Hanayapa, where the ship lay. Indeed, we were even then gradually edging away from the crowd; for Peter had seized the right moment, while the confusion was at its height, and saying to me "Come," we continued moving carelessly along the beach, and, as we perceived we were not followed, we almost insensibly quickened our pace, looking behind us anxiously, and then starting on, satisfied from the violence of the clamor, that the natives would not soon agree upon their plan of action, and knowing that each moment was precious to us. Some still waved us on; while others beckoned us back again, and even made starts in pursuit, but were accompanied and headed off by men of the other party, when all would again come to a halt, and renew the war of words and gestures. In this way we had increased our distance to perhaps three hundred yards, when I said to Peter:
"Don't you think we could make a push over the mountains inland, and find our way to the ship?"
"No good," said my companion shortly. "Keep on beach—climb over rock—come to 'noder beach—follow water."
I relied upon his judgment. Indeed this was the safer course for us, for, as soon as we gained the summit of the rocky bluff, or spur, which rose in our path, we should have the ship in sight, and could shape our course with some certainty. We pushed on at a jog-trot now, not daring yet to break into a run, and wishing to reserve our strength for the time when we should be obliged to climb the rocks. We had nearly reached the foot of the cliff when Peter suddenly said to me, "Look! he come!" I turned my head, and saw that we had no time to lose. The savages were starting in pursuit, and the party who were determined on our captivity appeared to be now in the ascendancy, as we knew by the proud bearing of their leader and chief-spokesman, a tall, athletic chief, who, with his highly polished lance poised in air was striding in advance of all the rest. Loud yells rose from the throats of the party, as they beckoned for us to halt, and come back; but neither I nor my Kanaka shipmate could see the propriety of again placing ourselves voluntarily at their mercy, now that we had so much the start in the race.
"Now," said Peter as we reached the end of the beach, "keep close togedder. We go up rock—go alongside of it—keep near water."
We sprang up the hill, and followed round the face of the bluff, making sometimes rapid progress for a minute or two and then obliged to ascend and descendand pass places where there was but little foothold. Our pursuers, seeing themselves cheated of their prey, redoubled their efforts to overtake us; and I had the satisfaction of knowing that they were especially anxious to captureme; as being a white man, and withal a petty officer, they could demand a high ransom. I was determined they should have no easy task of it, and I could see that the Hawaian was equally resolved not to be taken without making a desperate fight. Our zigzag route had carried us gradually upward till we were now some three hundred feet above the sea, and had got among bushes which grew thickly in some spots; while here and there a stunted cocoanut-tree forced itself up, seeming to grow almost from a foundation of rocks. I looked round to survey the situation. The greater number of the yelling devils had halted at the base of the cliff, and with loud cries were urging on a few of the fastest and strongest, who still continued the chase. The tall chief was still further in the lead than before, having distanced all others, and it was plain that he was rapidly gaining. I could see his lance gleam in the sunshine, and this was the weapon I most feared. The man next in rear of him was armed with a musket, but I gave myself little uneasiness about their fire-arms, as I held the quality of both guns and marksmen in contempt.
We pushed on, doing our best, and taking every possible advantage of the nature of the ground; but, ever and anon, as I glanced over my shoulder, the lance gleamed brighter, and the tall savage was lesseningthe little distance that separated us. I saw Peter's hand feel for his sheath-knife, to assure himself that it was ready for action; his breath came short and quick from his exertions, and still more from excitement at the certainty of being soon brought to bay. Suddenly his face lighted, and his nostrils seemed to be doubled in size.
"See rock ahead?" said he, pointing with his hand.
"Yes," answered I, pantingly. "What then?"
"Fight there. Odder side of it."
Volumes could not have said more. His whole plan was at once unfolded, as he picked up a sapling of convenient size to be used as an offensive weapon.
The rock of which he spoke projected outward from the face of the hill, which was here steeply inclined, and, to double round it, it was necessary to descend a short distance, and after passing it, to climb up again. We passed it, and Peter turning the corner, halted short, and struck an attitude showing that he meant to meet the enemy with theendof his sapling, toharpoonhim, as it were, instead of swinging a blow at him. He crouched close to the rock, saying in a low, quick tone:
"Stand behind me—give me room for dart; get nodder stick—big stone all 'e same. If I miss him, stand by to give it to him."
Nothing could have been better planned; as the pursuing savage could not see him until their faces were close together, Peter having all the advantage of the higher position. Arming myself with a fragment of rock of convenient weight, I crouched a little up the hill in rear of my comrade, just giving him room to draw back his heavy pole.
Escape from Savages.Page185.
Escape from Savages.Page185.
Escape from Savages.Page185.
We had not long to wait, ere the hard breathing of the infuriated chief was audible as he struggled round under the lee of the projecting boulder. Peter drew back his weapon at a poise, and planted his feet more firmly, while I closed up a little with my stone in reserve. The horrible tattooed face rose into view like Banquo's ghost. Too late he perceived theruseof the wily Hawaian, and vainly struggled to bring his lance to bear; the sapling met him full in the face with terrific force, and he was hurled backwards down the declivity, receiving my stone full in his naked breast as he fell. He did not go far, for a ledge some ten feet below, brought him up; but I can never forget the appearance of his crushed and bleeding face upturned to us. His lance, thrown from his hand, had stuck in a turfy spot, and seizing this weapon, I now felt tolerably safe from direct pursuit, though I was still a little apprehensive of some flank movement from the mountain above.
We struggled on, but as we advanced, we found we were coming where the face of the precipice was impassable, and there was no course for us but to make our way upward to the summit of the mountain. We soon after heard voices, as of men cowering above us, and presently we were hailed to "come up there!" I understood thus much of the Marquesan gibberish; but the idea of a flank attack instantly recurred to my mind, and I dreaded lest we had now fallen into a snare where the advantages were with the enemy, hebeing above instead of beneath us. But Peter had already answered the hail, and after a few sentences were interchanged, he started directly upward, saying to me, "All right! Come on!" Again I trusted to his knowledge and sagacity, and followed without further question; though still keeping my lance ready for immediate use, if necessary to defend myself.
My fears were soon allayed, however; for four men dressed in shirts and trousers like seamen, emerged into view on a ledge or terrace above us, whom I recognized as the boat's crew, whom Bailey had employed. Up to this time nothing had been seen of these men, or of Bailey himself, since I pushed my way out of his house.
These men all belonged to the tribe of Hanayapa, where the ship lay, and were now on their way home to their own village, bearing some of the hatchets, cloth and tobacco with them, and filled with indignation at their employer, who had failed to satisfy them in the distribution of the plunder. They were, of course, ready to befriend us, and to pilot us back to the ship; taking every occasion to make their peace with us, and to vent their virtuous indignation by denouncing all the tribe to windward for their perfidy. "Hanaca-oa no good," was the burden of their tale, so far as they could render it into English; but they doubtless ran through their whole vocabulary of guttural adjectives for the benefit of my companion. They, of course, knew nothing of our fight with the colossal chief on the cliff, and we did not enlighten them at present; but when they inquired where I got thelance, Peter gave them to understand that I had seized it from the ground when we first started to make our escape. They had come by a path which wound over the mountain inland, but hereabouts it struck nearer the brow of the cliff, and through the openings in the bushes they had seen us beneath them some time before they could be seen themselves.
A short distance further on, the path wound over a high pinnacle from which we could look down upon the bay of Hanayapa, and the gallant Arethusa riding at anchor; while our boat could be seen like a speck, coming round the bluff that formed the other side of the harbor's mouth, pulling up from Hanarora. A rugged and circuitous route carried us down into the valley, and a canoe was soon found by our four friends. Before sundown we were once more on the deck of our floating home.
The old man was highly indignant on hearing the particulars of our story, and it would have fared hard with the traitor Bailey, could he have laid hands on him at that time. The goods carried ashore for traffic were of no great value, and were doubtless, ere this time, divided up and scattered beyond all hope of recovery; but the boat was of more importance to us, and was not to be relinquished without an effort to recover her. In the mean time, as it was uncertain what trouble might grow out of the affair, all haste was made to get the forehold stowed off, and trim the ship so as to be in working condition. We worked like beavers the greater part of the night, and were ready before morning to get under way, except that ourwater casks were still on shore, most of them being ready filled. We knew not how far to trust the chief or king of the tribe of Hanayapa. It was uncertain whether he would use his influence to assist us in recovering our boat, or whether he would sustain his brother potentate at Hanaca-oa in keeping her from us. His canoe was alongside of us bright and early in the morning, and he expressed the greatest indignation at the other tribe, and professed his willingness to aid us in recovering the boat, even by force, if necessary.
While the king was on board, the boats were sent in to the watering-place to fill and raft off as fast as possible, as we should be perfectly secure from attack while the king and his suite were detained on board as hostages. Our water was all off and hoisted in on deck, in a couple of hours; and now the boat was manned for Hanaca-oa, taking the king with us in the boat, and his canoe following us. We learned from the king that the chief whom Peter had knocked down the cliff was still alive, and would probably recover; but I felt certain that, if he did, the lines of beauty in the ornamental work of his face were forever spoiled, and its former hideousness was intensified tenfold.
We did not leave the ship without taking some precautionary measures, notwithstanding the apparent friendship of the king. If he really was acting in good faith, we desired to remain two or three days more at the anchorage, as we had not yet obtained what we wanted in the way of provisions. But preparations had been made for immediate departure incase it should be found that we were deceived in him. The chain had been hove in nearly short during the night, and the six-pounder had been loaded, and was ready for use if needed. The fore and maintopsails had been loosed in the morning while the king was on board; but this attracted no attention, as we had been in the habit of loosing some one or two of the sails every dry day, furling them again at sundown. Several women were on board when we left the ship, though it was observed that the number was smaller than usual; for the females came and went without question at all hours, having small canoes which they managed themselves.
Strict orders had been left with Mr. Grafton, that if the boat was not seen returning within two hours, he was to get underway and stand out, beating up towards Hanaca-oa; and if, before that time, any suspicious circumstance should occur, he was to fire the six-pounder as a signal to us, and, at the same time trip his anchor and stand out. I was in the cabin, and heard these instructions given; and it was plain to me that the old man did not intend to waste much time in parley to recover the boat. He had no doubt of thepowerof our pretended friend, as the king of the stronger tribe, and in some sense, ruler over both (as we had learned both from Bailey and from the white man); and a very few minutes would suffice to show whether he really meant to get her back for us or not.
We shoved off, I being at the steering-oar, with the captain and the king seated in front of me on amovable thwart; the king's canoe and body-guard of six men keeping along with us. As we opened the bay of Hanaca-oa but few natives were seen on the beach, and all appeared quiet as usual. Our boat could be seen away up in the cocoanut-grove, as we judged by the form of the object, though she was covered with mats to shield her from the sun's rays. We pulled in leisurely, and with wary eyes about us; the king seeming unusually talkative with the old man, and sporting to the best advantage what little English he was master of.
About half-way up the bay, on the eastern or weather side, an irregular point of rocks made out, forming a sort of cove, opening seaward, and observing this, I had edged the boat up towards that side of the bay. The old man half-turned his head towards me, as he noticed this change of course, but catching my glance, also turned his own in the same direction. The king could not conceal his uneasiness, as he asked, with a constrained laugh. "What for no keep off in middle? Dere good place—land boat," not knowing that we had no intention of landing at all. At this instant, the point of a paddle was raised above the low rocks near the mouth of the cove, but a short distance from us. All three of us caught sight of it; the king half-sprung to his feet in confusion, and waved to his men in the canoe, but was seized by the old man, and forced back to his seat, while a pistol was held at his ear. "Lay round!" shouted the captain; but I was already anticipating the order, and throwing her head out to sea again. As I tossed the mast andsail into the bowman's hands, two canoes containing about thirty armed men shot out from the cove and gave chase for a short distance, but, seeing that we held the sovereign completely at our mercy, and that he would be our first victim, if attacked, they rested on their paddles. The king's canoe paddled in our wake, fast dropping astern, as we were now moving swiftly through the water under the double impulse of the sail and oars.
A dull report, muffled by the intervening land, was borne to our ears; the signal agreed upon in case of any suspicious movements at Hanayapa; and the sound lent new strength to the arms of the five oarsmen, while the cowering king shook in his skin with fear.
"Give way, hard, men!" cried Captain Upton; "the ship will be underway before we get there! Keep quiet, you murdering scoundrel!" he added, to the ugly representative of fallen majesty, who had here manifested a disposition to throw himself overboard. "If there is any blood spilled in this matter, I'll take care that a part of it shall be royal," he added, pushing the muzzle of the pistol fairly into his ear.
"Hurrah! here she comes!" I cried with enthusiasm, as the flying jibboom of our noble ship projected beyond the headland now at no great distance from us, and the graceful hull drew slowly out into view; then moving more swiftly as she met the full power of the fresh trade wind, a few minutes gave her a safe offing to back the maintopsail for us to come alongside. She was under her three topsails, spanker and jib;but hands were already aloft to loose the lighter sails, and the courses were hanging in the buntlines.
"Keep this arch-devil secure!" said the captain, as we pushed his royal person rather disrespectfully up the side. "As long as he is in our hands, we hold the best card in the pack. Didn't have any harm done, did you, Mr. Grafton?"
"No, sir; we gave 'em the slip too quick," answered the mate. "Look up in the head of the bay there!"
We looked; sure enough, there lay a large fleet of canoes all filled with armed men, resting, like baffled hounds; while on our weather quarter, at a safe distance, the small canoe of the king held way with us, uncertain whether to venture any nearer.
"Brace full and down tacks!" said the old man, as soon as the boat was hoisted up. "Sheet home the to'gallantsails, and make sail as fast as you can! We'll make a good stretch off shore, Mr. Grafton, so as to fetch to windward of Hana—what's-his-name, there, Admiral Bailey's place, I mean."
Two hours off shore under a press of canvas, and we went in stays, "looking" well up for the eastern point of the entrance to Hanaca-oa. The six-pounder was loaded with ball, and roused into the waist, the gangway-board unshipped, and a block and whip rigged at the fore-yardarm.
"What the devil is that for?" asked the cooper, of the second mate, who was superintending these operations.
"To make fools ask questions," returned the secondmate, dryly. "There'll be anotheryarnfor you, cooper, when we get through the scrape."
"The yarn will be wellstretched, whether the king's neck is or not," said Mr. Grafton, aside to me.
"Haul the mainsail up!" shouted the old man, as we drew in shore.
"We'll stand close in under the weather-point here, and luff to in full view of those devils on the beach there. Take that old traitor forward to the cat-head! Haul the foresail up, so the audience can all get their money's worth! I hope I sha'n't have to commitregicide," he added, in his low dry tone, "but I want to scare himalmostto death."
We hove to, so as to bring our starboard "battery" to bear fairly upon the landing-place. A plank was rigged out, the king was mounted upon it in full sight of his subjects, and the slip-noose adjusted round his neck. These operations produced a magical effect on shore; the savages could be seen running distractedly about the beach, and the air was vocal with wild yells. Presently a large party of them made a rush for the mat-covered object up in the cocoanut-grove.
"That's the idea!" said the old man, who had his glass bearing upon them. "Give them a shot, Mr. Dunham, to quicken their movements! We can't afford to lie here long, waiting."
The smart report of the six-pounder rang out over the water, echoing and re-echoing round the concave of the bay. Some thirty or forty of the frightened barbarians picked up the boat, and started upon the run for the beach.
"That makes them 'step lightly!'" said the old man. "Load up again, Mr. Dunham! Powder and wad will be enough this time. Don't waste any balls upon them."
At the second snap of the gun, our boat was coming out through the rollers, and two canoes with her to take her in tow. The trembling wretch was released, shorn of all his majesty for the time being. We waifed his canoe, which was still hovering round, to come alongside. Our boat was hoisted up on one side, while the king went down the other.
"Brail up the spanker!" said the captain. "Put your helm up there! We'll run down to Hanarora now, and lie off and on for what we want. I think I see Jim's canoe coming up along shore now."
It was indeed, the white man, Jim, who had come up to warn us against treachery; but found he was too late as we had already left the anchorage.
On coming on board, he informed us that the chief whom Peter had punched in the face with the sapling, died the same night of his injuries; and that the chiefs, actuated by the double motives of revenge and plunder, had planned to get possession of the ship, and had sent envoys to the chief at Hanarora, who declined cooperating. The arch-traitor had accompanied us to Hanaca-oa thinking we would land without suspicion; or, if not, he himself could go ashore there, under pretence of getting the boat for us, and as soon as he was safe on the beach, the attack was to be made at both places. We who were isolated from the ship could be easily disposed of; and if we took the alarm and tried to escape, we should be headedoff by the canoes stationed in the cove. The crews of these last had betrayed themselves by showing the paddle in the air, but whether through carelessness, or whether this was a signal intended only for the king's eye, Jim could not tell. As soon as he learned this much, he had started for the ship to inform Mr. Grafton of the danger, but was too late, the ship being under way before he arrived.
Mr. Grafton, soon after we left the ship, feeling uneasy, went aloft into the topmast crosstrees to make observations. On the weather side of the bay, towards Hanarora a small river flowed down and emptied itself, the banks of which, beyond the first bend, were overhung by bushes of no great height, but sufficient to conceal anything in the creek from the deck. But from his elevated perch it was possible to overlook them; and the mate saw enough to excite his apprehension. Several canoes passed across the creek filled with men, while he was on the lookout, and went out of view behind the screen of bushes. He came down on deck, and fired the gun as had been agreed upon, manning the windlass at the same time. The anchor was just breaking ground and the topsail-sheets being hauled home, when a shrill whistle was heard on the beach, and looking about him, the last three women who had remained on board were getting into their canoe. It was too late to think of detaining them; the ship's head was swinging, and, as she gathered headway, the flotilla of canoes hove in sight at the mouth of the creek, making the welkin ring with the cries of baffled rage.
"Now," said the mate, "they must have known at that moment that the plan was frustrated, and that the captain's boat had put back for the ship. And by the way, Jim, you must have known it, too, by the time I was under way. What kind of telegraph do you make use of here?"
"The human telegraph," said Jim. "That same whistle that you heard is repeated along the mountain paths, all the way down to Hanarora, and on some occasions, all round the island. The men are stationed at proper distances so as to be within sound of each other's whistles, and the whistle has certain variations to suit different circumstances."
"I see," said the old man, "like Nelson's repeating frigates off Cadiz, to signalize when the French took their anchors; the main body of his fleet being sixty miles off shore."
We finished our business at Hanarora the next day, and once more made all sail to the westward for a cruise among "The Groups."