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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12798-0.txt b/12798-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..beab5b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/12798-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6470 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12798 *** + + * * * * * + ***NOTE TO READERS*** + +This file is encoded using the ASCII character set. + +The text in this file contains a number of characters not contained in +the standard ASCII character set. To enable the display of these +characters the following alternatives have been placed in the text: + + A macron is indicated by the character | immediately after the + accented letter. For example a| is used to indicate the letter a + with a macron diacritical. + + A breve is indicated by the character ~ immediately after the + accented letter. For example a~ is used to indicate the letter a + with a breve diacritical. + +The characters | and ~ only appear in the text to indicate the +diacritical accents. + + * * * * * + +_By_ ROCK & POOL +On An Austral Shore + +_By_ LOUIS BECKE + +AUTHOR OF "PACIFIC TALES," +"BY REEF AND PALM," ETC., ETC. + +New Amsterdam Book Company +156 FIFTH AVENUE: NEW YORK CITY: MCMI + + + + +CONTENTS + +BY ROCK AND POOL + +SOLEPA + +THE FISHER FOLK OF NUKUFETAU + +MRS. MACLAGGAN'S BILLY + +AN ISLAND MEMORY + +A HUNDRED FATHOMS DEEP + +ON A TIDAL RIVER + +DENISON GETS ANOTHER SHIP + +JACK SHARK'S PILOT + +THE "PALU" OF THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC + +THE WILY "GOANNER" + +THE TA~NIFA OF SAMOA + +ON BOARD THE _TUCOPIA_ + +THE MAN IN THE BUFFALO HIDE + + * * * * * + +A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS--HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS + + + + +_By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore_ + + +The quaint, old-fashioned little town faces eastward to the blue +Pacific, whose billows, when the wind blows from any point between north +and east, come tumbling in across the shallow bar in ceaseless lines of +foaming white, to meet, when the tide is on the ebb, the swift current +of a tidal river as broad as the Thames at Westminster Bridge. On the +south side of the bar, from the sleepy town itself to the pilot station +on the Signal Hill, there rises a series of smooth grassy bluffs, whose +seaward bases touch the fringe of many small beaches, or start sheer +upward from the water when the tide is high, and the noisy swish and +swirl of the eager river current has ceased. + +As you stand on the Signal Hill, and look along the coast, you see a +long, long monotonous line of beach, trending northward ten miles from +end to end, forming a great curve from the sandspit on the north side of +the treacherous bar to the blue loom of a headland in shape like the +figure of a couchant lion. Back from the shore-line, a narrow littoral +of dense scrub, impervious to the rays of the sun, and unbroken in its +solitude except by the cries of birds, or the heavy footfall of wild +cattle upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves; and then, far to the +west, the dimmed, shadowy outline of the main coastal range. + + * * * * * + +It is a keen, frosty morning in June--the midwinter of Australia--and as +the red sun bursts through the sea-rim, a gentle land breeze creeps +softly down from the mountain forest of gums and iron-barks, and blows +away the mists that, all through a night of cloudless calm, have laid +heavily upon the surface of the sleeping ocean. One by one the doors of +the five little white-painted, weather-boarded houses which form the +quarters of the pilot-boat's crew open, and five brown, hairy-faced men, +each smoking a pipe, issue forth, and, hands in pockets, scan the +surface of the sea from north to south, for perchance a schooner, trying +to make the port, may have been carried along by the current from the +southward, and is within signalling distance to tell her whether the bar +is passable or not. For the bar of the Port is as changeable in its +moods as the heart of a giddy maid to her lovers--to-day it may invite +you to come in and take possession of its placid waters in the harbour +beyond; to-morrow it may roar and snarl with boiling surf and savage, +eddying currents, and whirlpools slapping fiercely against the grim, +black rocks of the southern shore. + +Look at the five men as they stand or saunter about on the smooth, +frosty grass. They are sailormen--one and all--as you can see by their +walk and hear by their talk; rough, ready, and sturdy, though not so +sturdy nor so square-built as your solid men of brave old Deal; but a +long way better in appearance and character than the sponging, +tip-seeking, loafing fraternity of slouching, lazy robbers who on the +parades of Brighton, Hastings, and Eastbourne, and other fashionable +seaside resorts in this country, lean against lamp-posts with "Licensed +Boatman" writ on their hat-bands, and call themselves fishermen, though +they seldom handle a herring or cod that does not come from a +fishmonger's shop. These Australians of British blood are leaner in +face, leaner in limb than the Kentish men, and drink whiskey instead of +coffee or tea at early morn. But see them at work in the face of danger +and death on that bar, when the surf is leaping high and a schooner lies +broadside on and helpless to the sweeping rollers, and you will say that +a more undaunted crew never gripped an oar to rescue a fellow-sailorman +from the hungry sea. + +One of them, a grey-haired, deeply-bronzed man of sixty, with his neck +and hands tatooed in strange markings, imprinted thereon by the hands of +the wild natives of Tucopia, in the South Seas, with whom he has lived +forty years before as one of themselves, is mine own particular friend +and crony, for his two sons have been playmates with my brothers and +myself, who were all born in this quaint old-time seaport of the first +colony in Australia; this forgotten remnant of the dread days of the +awful convict system, when the clank of horrible gyves sounded on the +now deserted and grass-grown streets, and the swish of the hateful and +ever active "cat" was heard within the walls of the huge red-brick +prison on the bluff facing the sea. Oh, the old, old memories of those +hideous times! How little they wounded or troubled our boyish minds, as +we, bent on some fishing or hunting venture along the coast, walked +along a road which had been first soddened by tears and then dried by +the panting, anguished breathings of beings fashioned in the image of +their Creator, as they toiled and died under the brutal hands of their +savage task-masters--the civilian officials of that cruel "System" +which, by the irony of fate, the far-seeing, gentle, and tender-hearted +Arthur Phillip, the founder of Australia, was first appointed to +administer. + +But away with such memories for the moment. Over the lee side with them +into the Sea of the Past, together with the clank of the fetters and the +hum of the cat and the merciless laws of the time; sink them all +together with the names of the military rum-selling traducers of the +good Phillip, and of ill-tempered, passionate sailor Bligh of the +_Bounty_--honest, brave, irascible, vindictive; destroyer of his ship's +company on that fateful adventure to Tahiti, hero of the most famous +boat-voyage the world has ever known; sea-bully and petty "hazer" of +hapless Fletcher Christian and his comrades, gallant officer in battle +and thanked by Nelson at Copenhagen; conscientious governor of a +starveling colony gasping under the hands of unscrupulous military +money-makers, William Bligh deserves to be remembered by all men of +English blood who are proud of the annals of the most glorious navy in +the world. + + * * * * * + +But ere we descend to the beach to wander by rock and pool in this +glowing Australian sun, the warm, loving rays of which are fast drying +the frost-coated grass, let us look at these square, old-time monuments +to the dead, placed on the Barrack Hill, and overlooking the sea. There +are four in all, but around them are many low, sunken headstones of +lichen-covered slabs, the inscriptions on which, like many of those on +the stones in the cemetery by the reedy creek, have long since vanished. + +There, indeed, if you care to brave the snake-haunted place you will +discover a word, or the part of a word--"Talav----," "Torre----Vedras," +"Vimiera," or "Badaj----," or "Fuentes de On----," and you know that +underneath lies the dust of men who served their country well when the +Iron Duke was rescuing Europe from the grip of the bloodstained +Corsican. On one, which for seventy years has faced the rising sun and +the salty breath of the ocean breeze, there remains but the one glorious +word, "Aboukir!" every indented letter thickly filled with grey moss and +lichen, though the name of he who fought there has disappeared, and +being but that of some humble seaman, is unrecorded and unknown in the +annals of his country. How strange it seems! but yet how fitting that +this one word alone should be preserved by loving Nature from the +decaying touch of Time. Perhaps the very hand of the convict mason who +held the chisel to the stone struck deeper as he carved the letters of +the name of the glorious victory. + +But let us away from here; for in the hot summer months amid these +neglected and decaying memorials of the dead, creeping and crawling in +and out of the crumbling masonry of the tombs, gliding among the long, +reedy grass, or lying basking in the sun upon the fallen headstones, are +deadly black and brown snakes. They have made this old, time-forgotten +cemetery their own favourite haunting place; for the waters of the creek +are near, and on its margin they find their prey. Once, so the shaky old +wharfinger will tell you, a naval lieutenant, who had been badly wounded +in the first Maori war, died in the commandant's house. He was buried +here on the bank of the creek, and one day his young wife who had come +from England to nurse him and found him dead, sat down on his grave and +went to sleep. When she awoke, a great black snake was lying on her +knees. She died that day from the shock. + +The largest of these four monuments on the bluff stands nearest to the +sea, and the inscription on the heavy flat slab of sandstone which +covers it is fairly legible:-- + + Sacred to the Memory of + JAMES VAUGHAN, + Who was a Private in Captain + Fraser Allan's Company + of the 40th Regiment, +Who died on the 24th November, 1823, + of a Gunshot Wound Received + on the 20th Day of the Month, + when in Pursuit of a + Runaway Convict. + Aged 25 years. + +The others record the names of the "infant son and daughters of Mr. G. +Smith, Commissariat Storekeeper," and of "Edward Marvin, who died 4th +July, 1821, aged 21 years." + +Many other sunken headstones denote the last resting-places of soldiers +and sailors, and civilian officials, who died between 1821 and 1830, +when the little port was a thriving place, and when, as the old gossips +will tell you, it made a "rare show, when the Governor came here, and +Major Innes--him as brought that cussed lantana plant from the +Peninsula--sent ninety mounted men to escort him to Lake Innes." + + * * * * * + +The tide is low, and the flat _congewoi_-covered ledges of reef on the +southern side of the bar lie bare and exposed to the sun. Here and there +in the crystal pools among the rocks, fish have been left by the tide, +and as you step over the _congewoi_, whose teats spurt out jets of +water to the pressure of your foot, large silvery bream and gaily-hued +parrot-fish rush off and hide themselves from view. But tear off a piece +of _congewoi,_ open it, and throw the sanguinary-coloured delicacy into +the water, and presently you will see the parrot-fish dart out eagerly, +and begin to tear it asunder with their long, irregular, and needle-like +teeth, whilst the more cautious and lordly bream, with wary eye and +gentle, undulating tail, watch from underneath a ledge for a favourable +moment to dash out and secure a morsel. + +In some of the wider and shallower ponds are countless thousands of +small mullet, each about three or four inches in length, and swimming +closely together in separated but compact battalions. Some, as the sound +of a human footstep warns them of danger, rush for safety among the +submerged clefts and crevices of their temporary retreat, only to be +mercilessly and fatally enveloped by the snaky, viscous tentacles of the +ever-lurking octopus, for every hole and pool among the rocks contains +one or more of these hideously repulsive creatures. + +Sometimes you will see one crawling over the _congewoi_, changing from +one pool to another in search of prey; its greeny-grey eyes regard you +with defiant malevolence. Strike it heavily with a stick, or thrust it +through with a spear, and in an instant its colour, which a moment +before was either a dark mottled brown or a mingled reddish-black, +changes to a ghastly, horrible, marbled grey; the horrid tentacles +writhe and cling to the weapon, or spread out and adhere to the +surrounding points of rock, a black, inky fluid is ejected from the +soft, pulpy, and slimy body; and then, after raining blow after blow +upon it, it lies unable to crawl away, but still twisting and turning, +and showing its red and white suckers--a thing of horror indeed, the +embodiment of all that is hateful, wicked, and malignant in nature. + +Some idea of the numbers of these crafty and savage denizens of the +limpid pools may be obtained by dropping a baited fishing line in one of +the deeper spots. First you will see one, and then another, thin end of +a tentacle come waveringly out from underneath a ledge of rock, and +point towards the bait, then the rest of the ugly creature follows, and +gathering itself together, darts upon the hook, for the possession of +which half a dozen more of its fellows are already advancing, either +swimming or by drawing themselves over the sandy bottom of the pool. +Deep buried in the sand itself is another, a brute which may weigh ten +or fifteen pounds, and which would take all the strength of a strong man +to overcome were its loathsome tentacles clasped round his limbs in +their horrid embrace. Only part of the head and the half-closed, +tigerish eyes are visible, and even these portions are coated over with +fine sand so as to render them almost undistinguishable from the bed in +which it lies awaiting for some careless crab or fish to come within +striking distance. How us boys delighted to destroy these big fellows +when we came across one thus hidden in the sand or _débris_ on the +bottom! A quick thrust of the spear through the tough, elongated head, +a vision of whirling, outspread, red and black snaky tentacles, and then +the thing is dragged out by main strength and dashed down upon the +rocks, to be struck with waddies or stones until the spear can be +withdrawn. Everything, it is said, has its use in this world, and the +octopus is eminently useful to the Australian line fisherman, for the +bream, trevally, flathead, jew-fish, and the noble schnapper dearly love +its tough, white flesh, especially after the creature has been held over +a flame for a few minutes, so that the mottled skin may be peeled off. + +But treacherous and murderous Thug of the Sea as he is, the octopus has +one dreaded foe before whom he flees in terror, and compresses his body +into the narrowest and most inaccessible cleft or endeavours to bury +himself in the loose, soft sand--and that foe is the orange-coloured or +sage-green rock eel. Never do you see one of these eels in the open +water; they lie deep under the stones or twine their lithe, slippery +bodies among the waving kelp or seaweed. Always hungry, savage-eyed, and +vicious, they know no fear of any living thing, and seizing an octopus +and biting off tentacle after tentacle with their closely-set, +needle-like teeth and swallowing it whole is a matter of no more moment +to them than the bolting of a tender young mullet or bream. In vain does +the Sea Thug endeavour to enwrap himself round and round the body of one +of these sinuous, scaleless sea-snakes and fasten on to it with his +terrible cupping apparatus of suckers--the eel slips in and out and +"wolfs" and worries his enemy without the slightest harm to itself. +Some of them are large--especially the orange-coloured variety--three or +four feet in length, and often one will raise his snaky head apparently +out of solid rock and regard you steadily for a moment. Then he +disappears. You advance cautiously to the spot and find a hole no larger +than the circumference of an afternoon tea cup, communicating with the +water beneath. Lower a baited hook with a strong wire snooding, and +"Yellowskin" will open wide his jaws and swallow it without your feeling +the slightest movement of the line. But you must be quick and strong of +hand then, or you will never drag him forth, for slippery as he is he +can coil his length around a projecting bit of rock and defy you for +perhaps five or ten minutes; and then when you do succeed in tearing him +away and pull him out with the hook buried deep in his loose, pendulous, +wrinkled and corduroyed throat, he instantly resolves himself into a +quivering Gordian knot, winding the line in and about his coils and +knotting it into such knots that can never be unravelled. + +Here and there you will see lying buried deep in the growing coral, or +covered with black masses of _congewoi_ such things as iron and copper +bolts, or heavy pieces of squared timber, the relics of the many wrecks +that have occurred on the bar--some recent, some in years long gone by. +Out there, lying wedged in between the weed and kelp-covered boulders, +only visible at low water, are two of the guns of the ill-fated +_Wanderer_, a ship, like her owner, famous in the history of the +colony. She was the property of a Mr. Benjamin Boyd, a man of flocks and +herds and wealth, who founded a town and a great whaling station on the +shores of Twofold Bay, where he employed some hundreds of men, bond and +free. He was of an adventurous and restless disposition, and after +making several voyages to the South Seas, was cruelly cut off and +murdered by the cannibal natives of Guadalcanar in the Solomon Islands, +in the "fifties." The captain, after beating off the savages, who, +having killed poor Boyd on shore, made a determined attempt to capture +the ship, set sail for Australia, and in endeavouring to cross in over +the bar went ashore and became a total wreck. Here is a description +written by Judge McFarland of the _Wanderer_ as she was in those days +when Boyd dreamed a dream of founding a Republic in the South Sea +Islands with his wild crew of Polynesians and a few white fellow +adventurers:-- + +"She was of 240 tons burthen; very fleet, and had a flush deck; and her +cabins were fitted up with every possible attention to convenience, and +with great elegance; and had she been intended as a war craft, she could +scarcely have been more powerfully armed, for she carried four brass +deck-guns--two six-pounders and two four-pounders--mounted on carriages +resembling dolphins, four two-pounder rail guns--two on each side--and +one brass twelve-pounder traversing gun (which had seen service at +Waterloo)--in all thirteen serviceable guns. Besides these, there were +two small, highly-ornamented guns used for firing signals, which were +said to have been obtained from the wreck of the _Royal George_ at +Spithead. There were also provided ample stores of round shot and grape +for the guns, and a due proportion of small arms, boarding pikes, +tomahawks, &c." + +Half a mile further on, and we are under the Signal Hill, and standing +on one side of a wide, flat rock, through which a boat passage has been +cut by convict hands, when first the white tents of the soldiers were +seen on the Barrack Hill. And here, at this same spot, more than a +hundred years ago, and thirty before the sound of the axe was first +heard amid the forest or tallow-woods and red gum, there once landed a +strange party of sea-worn, haggard-faced beings--six men, one woman, and +two infant children. They were the unfortunate Bryant party--whose +wonderful and daring voyage from Sydney to Timor in a wretched, +ill-equipped boat, ranks second only to that of Bligh himself. For Will +Bryant, an ex-smuggler who was leader, had heard of Bligh's voyage in +the boat belonging to the _Bounty_; and fired with the desire to escape +with his wife and children from the famine-stricken community on the +shores of Port Jackson, he and his companions in servitude stole a small +fishing-boat and boldly put to sea to face a journey of more that three +thousand miles over an unknown and dangerous ocean. A few weeks after +leaving Sydney they had sighted this little nook when seeking refuge +from a fierce north-easterly gale, and here they remained for many days, +so that the woman and children might gain strength and the seams of the +leaking boat be payed with tallow--their only substitute for oakum. +Then onward they sailed or rowed, for long, long weary weeks, landing +here and there on the coast to seek for water and shell-fish, harried +and chased by cannibal savages, suffering all the agonies that could be +suffered on such a wild venture, until they reached Timor, only by a +strange and unhappy fate to fall into the hands of the brutal and +infamous Edwards of the _Pandora_ frigate, who with his wrecked ship's +company, and the surviving and manacled mutineers of the _Bounty_, who +had surrendered to him, soon afterwards appeared at the Dutch port. +Bryant, the daring leader, was so fortunate as to die of fever, and so +escaped the fate in store for his comrades. 'Tis a strange story indeed. + + * * * * * + +At the end of the point of brown, rugged rocks which form a natural +breakwater to this tiny boat harbour, the water is deep, showing a pale +transparent green at their base, and deep inpenetrable blue ten fathoms +beyond. To-day, because it is mid-winter, and the wind blows from the +west, the sea is clearer than ever, and far down below will be discerned +lazily swimming to and fro great reddish-brown or bright blue groper, +watching the dripping sides of the rock in hope that some of the active, +gaily-hued crabs which scurry downwards as you approach may fall in--for +the blue groper is a _gourmet_, disdaining to eat of his own tribe, and +caring only for crabs or the larger and more luscious crayfish. Stand +here when the tide is high and the surf is sweeping in creamy sheets +over the lower ledges of rocks; and as the water pours off torrent-like +from the surface and leaves them bare, you may oft behold a huge +fish--aye, or two or three--lying kicking on its side with a young +crayfish in its thick, fleshy jaws, calmly waiting for the next sea to +set him afloat again. Brave fellows are these gropers--forty, fifty, up +to seventy pounds sometimes, and dangerous fish to hook in such a place +as this, where a false step may send a man headlong into the surf below +with his line tangled round his feet or arms. But on such a morning as +this one might fall overboard and come to no harm, for the sea is +smooth, and the kelp sways but gently to the soft rise and fall of the +water, and seldom in these cold days of June does Jack Shark cruise in +under the lee of the rocks. It is in November, hot, sweltering November, +when the clinking sand of the shining beach is burning to the booted +foot, and the countless myriads of terrified sea salmon come swarming in +over the bar on their way to spawn in the river beyond, that he and his +fellows and the bony-snouted saw-fish rush to and fro in the shallow +waters, driving their prey before them, and gorging as they drive, till +the clear waters of the bar are turned into a bloodied froth. At such a +time as this it might be bad to fall overboard, though some of the local +youths give but little more heed to the tigers of the sea than they do +to the accompanying drove of harmless porpoises, which join in the +onslaught on the hapless salmon. + +A mile eastward from the shore there rises stark and clear a great +dome-shaped rock, the haunt and resting-place of thousands of +snow-white gulls and brown-plumaged boobies. The breeding-place of the +former is within rifle-shot--over there on that long stretch of +banked-up sand on the north side of the bar, where, amid the shelter of +the coarse, tufted grass the delicate, graceful creatures will sit three +months hence on their fragile white and purple-splashed eggs. The +boobies are but visitors, for their breeding-places are on the bleak, +savage islands far to the south, amid the snows and storms of black +Antarctic seas. But here they dwell together, in unison with the gulls, +and were the wind not westerly you could hear their shrill cries and +hoarse croaking as they wheel and eddy and circle above the lonely rock, +on the highest pinnacle of which a great fish-eagle, with neck thrown +back upon his shoulders and eyes fixed eastward to the sun, stands +oblivious of their clamour, as creatures beneath his notice. + +Once round the southern side of the Signal Hill the noise of the bar is +lost. Between the hill and the next point--a wild, stern-looking +precipice of black-trap rock--there lies a half a mile or more of +shingly strand, just such as you would see at Pevensey Bay or Deal, but +backed up at high-water mark with piles of drift timber--great dead +trees that have floated from the far northern rivers, their mighty +branches and netted roots bleached white by the sun and wind of many +years, and smelling sweet of the salty sea air. Mingled with the lighter +bits of driftwood and heaps of seaweed are the shells of hundreds of +crayfish--some of the largest are newly cast up by the sea, and the +carapace is yellow and blue; others are burnt red by exposure to the +sun; while almost at every step you crush into the thin backs and +armoured tails of young ones about a foot in length, the flesh of which, +by some mysterious process of nature, has vanished, leaving the skin, +muscles, and beautiful fan-like tail just as fresh as if the crustaceans +were alive. Just here, out among those kelp-covered rocks, you may, on a +moonlight night, catch as many crayfish as you wish--three of them will +be as much as any one would care to carry a mile, for a large, +full-grown "lobster," as they are called locally, will weigh a good ten +pounds. + +Once round the precipice we come to a new phase of coastal scenery. From +the high land above us green scrub-covered spur after spur shoots +downward to the shore, enclosing numerous little beaches of coarse sand +and many coloured spiral shells--"Reddies" we boys called them--with +here and there a rare and beautiful cowrie of banded jet black and +pearly white. The sea-wall of rock has here but few pools, being split +up into long, deep, and narrow chasms, into which the gentle ocean swell +comes with strange gurglings and hissings, and groan-like sounds, and +tiny jets of spray spout up from hundreds of air-holes through the +hollow crust of rock. Here for the first time since the town was left, +are heard the cries of land birds; for in the wild apple and rugged +honeysuckle trees which grow on the rich, red soil of the spurs they are +there in plenty--crocketts, king parrots, leatherheads, "butcher" and +"bell" birds, and the beautiful bronze-wing pigeon--while deep within +the silent gullies you constantly hear the little black scrub wallabies +leaping through the undergrowth and fallen leaves, to hide in still +darker forest recesses above. + +There are snakes here, too. Everywhere their sinuous tracks are visible +on the sand, criss-crossing with the more defined scratchy markings of +those of iguanas. The latter we know come down to carry off any dead +fish cast ashore by the waves, or to seize any live ones which may be +imprisoned in a shallow pool; but what brings the deadly brown and black +snakes down to the edge of _salt_ water at night time? + +Point after point, tiny bay after bay, and then we come to a wider +expanse of clear, stoneless beach, at the farther end of which a huge +boulder of jagged, yellow rock, covered on the summit with a thick +mantle of a pale green, fleshly-leaved creeper, bearing a pink flower. +It stands in a deep pool about a hundred yards in circumference, and as +like as not we shall find the surface of the water covered by thousands +of green-backed, red-billed garfish and silvery mullet, whose very +numbers prevent them from escaping. Scores of them leap out upon the +sand, and lie there with panting gill and flapping tail. It is a great +place for us boys, for here at low tides in the winter we strip off, and +with naked hands catch the mullet and gars and silvery-sided trumpeters, +and throw them out on the beach, to be grilled later on over a fire of +glowing honeysuckle cobs, and eaten without salt. What boy does care +about such a thing as salt at such times, when his eye is bright and his +skin glows with the flush of health, and the soft murmuring of the sea +is mingling in his ears with the thrilling call of the birds, and the +rustling hum of the bush; and the yellow sun shines down from a glorious +sky of cloudless blue, and dries the sand upon his naked feet; and the +very joy of being alive, and away from school, is happiness enough in +itself! + +For here, by rock and pool on this lonely Austral beach, it is good and +sweet for man or boy to be, and, if but in utter idleness, to watch and +listen--and think. + + + + +_Solepa_ + + +The last strokes of the bell for evening service had scarce died away +when I heard a footstep on the pebbly path, and old PâkÃa, staff in hand +and pipe dangling from his pendulous ear-lobe, walked quietly up the +steps and sat down cross-legged on the verandah. All my own people had +gone to church and the house was very quiet. + +"Good evening, PâkÃa," I said in English, "how are you, old man?" + +A smile lit up the brown, old, wrinkled face as he heard my voice--for I +was lying down in the sitting-room, smoking my after-supper pipe--as he +answered in the island dialect that he was well, but that his house was +in darkness and he, being lonely, had come over to sit with me awhile. + +"That is well, PâkÃa, for I too am lonely, and who so good as thee to +talk with when the mind is heavy and the days are long, and no sail +cometh up from the sea-rim? Come, sit here within the doorway, for the +night wind is chill; and fill thy pipe." + +He came inside as I rose and turned up the lamp so that its light shone +full on his bald, bronzed head and deeply tatooed arms and shoulders. +Laying down his polished staff of _temana_ wood, he came over to me, +placed his hand on my arm, patted it gently, and then his kindly old +eyes sought mine. + +"Be not dull of heart, _taka taina_.[1] A ship will soon come--it may be +to-morrow; it must be soon; for twice have I heard the cocks crow at +midnight since I was last here, three days ago. And when the cocks crow +at night-time a ship is near." + +"May it be so, PâkÃa, for I am weary of waiting. Ten months have come +and gone since I first put foot on this land of Nukufetau, and a ship +was to have come here in four." + +He filled his pipe, then drawing a small mat near my lounge, he squatted +on the floor, and we smoked in silence, listening to the gentle lapping +of the lagoon waters upon the inner beach and the beating, never-ceasing +hum of the surf on the reef beyond. Overhead the branches of the palms +swayed and rustled to the night-breeze. + +Presently, as I turned to look seaward, I caught the old man's dark eyes +fixed upon my face, and in them I read a sympathy that at that time and +place was grateful to me. + +"Six months is long for one who waits, PâkÃa," I said. "I came here but +to stay four months and trade for copra; then the ship was to call and +take me to Ponapé, in the far north-west. And Ponapé is a great land to +such a man as me." + +"_Etonu! Etonu!_ I know it. Thrice have I been there when I sailed in +the whaleships. A great land truly, like the island called Juan +Fernandez, of which I have told thee, with high mountains green to the +summits with trees, and deep, dark valleys wherein the sound of the sea +is never heard but when the surf beats hard upon the reef. Ah! a fine +land--better than this poor _motu_, which is as but a ring of sand set +in the midst of the deep sea. Would that I were young to go there with +thee! Tell me, dost know the two small, high islands in the _ava_[2] +which is called Jakoits? Hast seen the graves of two white men there?" + +"I know the islands well; but I have never seen the graves of any white +men there. Who were they, and when did they die?" + +"Ah, I am a foolish old man. I forget how old I am. Perhaps, when thou +wert a child in thy mother's arms, the graves stood up out of the +greensward at the foot of the high cliff which faces to the south. Tell +me, is there not a high wall of rock a little way back from the landing +beach?... Aye!... that is the place ... and the bones of the men are +there, though now great trees may grow over the place. They were both +good men--good to look at, tall and strong; and they fought and died +there just under the cliff. I saw them die, for I was there with the +captain of my ship. We, and others with us, saw it all." + +"Who were they, PâkÃa, and how came they to fight?" + +"One was a trader, whose name was Preston; he lived on the mainland of +Ponapé, where he had a great house and oil store and many servants. The +name of the other man was Frank. They fought because of a woman." + +"Tell me the story, PâkÃa. Thou hast seen many lands and many strange +things. And when ye come and sit and talk to me the dulness goeth away +from me and I no longer think of the ship; for of all the people on this +_motu_, to thee and Temana my servant alone do I talk freely. And Temana +is now at church." + +The old man chuckled. "Aye, he is at church because Malepa, his wife, is +so jealous of him that she fears to leave him alone. Better would it +please him to be sitting here with us." + +I drew the mat curtain across the sitting-room window so that we could +not be seen by prying eyes, and put two cups, a gourd of water, and some +brandy on the table. Except my own man, Temana, the rest of the natives +were intensely jealous of the poor old ex-sailor and wanderer in many +lands, and they very much resented his frequent visits to me--partly on +account of the occasional glass of grog which I gave him, and partly +because he was suspected of still being a _tagata po-uriuri, i.e._, a +heathen. This, however, he vigorously denied, and though Maréko, the +Samoan teacher, was a kind-hearted and tolerant man for a native +minister, the deacons delighted in persecuting and harassing the ancient +upon every possible opportunity, and upon one pretext or another had +succeeded in robbing him of his land and dividing it among his +relatives; so that now in his extreme old age he was dependent upon one +of his daughters, a woman who herself must have been past sixty. + +I poured some brandy into the cups; we clicked them together and said, +"May you be lucky" to each other. Then he told me of Solepa. + + * * * * * + +"There were many whaleships came to anchor in the three harbours of +Ponapé in those days. They came there for wood and water and fresh +provisions, before they sailed to the cold, icy seas of the south. I was +then a boat-steerer in an English ship--a good and lucky ship with a +good captain. When we came to Ponapé we found there six other +whaleships, all anchored close together under the shelter of the two +islets. All the captains were friends, and the few white men who lived +on shore were friends with them, and every night there was much singing +and dancing on board the ships, for, as was the custom, every one on +board had been given a Ponapé girl for wife as long as his ship stayed +there; and sometimes a ship would be there a long time--a month perhaps. + +"The trader who lived in the big house was one of the first to come on +board our ship; for the captain and he were good friends. They talked +together on the poop deck, and I heard the trader say that he had been +away to Honolulu for nearly a year and had brought back with him a young +wife. + +"'Good,' said my captain, 'to-night I shall come ashore and drink +_manuia!_[3] to ye both.' + +"The trader was pleased, and said that some of the other captains could +come also, and that he had sent a letter to the other trader, Frank, who +lived on the other side of the island, bidding him to come and greet the +new wife. At these words the face of Stacey--that was my captain's name, +became dark, and he said-- + +"'You are foolish. Such a man as he is, is better away from thy +house--and thy wife. He is a _manaia_, an _ulavale_[4]. Take heed of my +words and have no dealings with him.' + +"But the man Preston only laughed. He was a fool in this though he was +so clever in many other things. He was a big man, broad in the shoulders +with the bright eye and the merry laugh of a boy. He had been a sailor, +but had wearied of the life, and so he bought land in Ponapé and became +a trader. He was a fair-dealing man with the people there, and so in +three or four years he became rich, and bought more land and built a +schooner which he sent away to far distant islands to trade for +pearl-shell and _loli_ (beche-de-mer). Then it was that he went to +Honolulu and came back with a wife. + +"That day ere it became dark I went on shore with my captain; some of +the other captains went with us. The white man met them on the beach, +surrounded by many of his servants, male and female. Some were of +Ponapé, some from Tahiti, some from Oahu, and some from the place which +you call Savage Island and we call Niué. As soon as the captains had +stepped out upon the beach and I had bidden the four sailors who were +with me to push off to return to the ship, the trader, seeing the +tatooing on my arms, gave a shout. + +"'Ho,' he cried, turning to my captain, 'whence comes that boat-steerer +of thine? By the markings on his arms and chest he should be from the +isles of the Tokelau.' + +"My captain laughed. 'He comes from near there. He is of Nukufetau.' + +"Then let him stay on shore to-night, for there are here with me a man +and a woman from Nanomaga; they can talk together. And my wife Solepa, +too, will be well pleased to see him, for her mother was a Samoan, and +this man can talk to her in her mother's tongue.' + +"'So I too went up to the house with the white men, but would not enter +with them, for I was stripped to the waist and could not go into the +presence of the lady. Presently the man and woman from Nanomaga sought +me out and embraced me and made much of me and took me into another part +of the house, where I waited till one of my shipmates returned from the +ship bringing my jumper and trousers of white duck and a new Panama hat. +Ta|pa|! I was a fine-looking man in those days, and women looked at +me from the corner of the eye. And now--look at me now! I am like a +blind fish which is swept hither and thither by the current against the +rocks and sandbanks. Give me some more grog, dear friend; when I talk of +the days of my youth my belly yearns for it, and I am not ashamed to +beg. + +"Presently, after I had dressed myself, I was taken by the Nanomea man +into the big room where Solepa, the white man's wife, was sitting with +the white men. She came to me and took my hand, and said to me in Samoan +_'Talofa, PâkÃa, e ma|lolo| ea oe?'_[5] and my heart was glad; for +it was long since I heard any one speak in a tongue which is akin to +mine own.... Was she beautiful? you ask. Ta|pa|! All women are +beautiful when they are young, and their eyes are full and clear and +their voices are soft and their bosoms are round and smooth! All I can +remember of her is that she was very young, with a white, fair skin, and +dressed like the _papalagi_[6] women I have seen in Peretania and +Ita|lia and in Chili and in Sydney. + +"As I stood before her, hat in hand and with my eyes looking downward, +which is proper and correct for a modest man to do when a high lady +speaks to him before many people, a white man who had been sitting at +the far end of the room came over to me and said some words of greeting +to me. This was Franka[7]--he whom my captain said was a _manaia_. He +was better clothed than any other of the white men, and was proud and +overbearing in his manner. He had brought with him more than a score of +young Ponapé men, all of whom carried rifles and had cutlasses strapped +to their waists. This was done to show the people of Jakoits that he was +as great a man as Preston, whom he hated, as you will see. But Preston +had naught for him but good words, and when he saw the armed men he bade +them welcome and set aside a house for them to sleep in, and his +servants brought them many baskets of cooked food--taro and yams, and +fish, turtle, and pork. All this I saw whilst I was in the big room. + +"After I had spoken with the lady Solepa I returned to where the man +from Nanomaga and his wife were awaiting me. They pressed me to eat and +drink, and by and by sent for a young girl to make kava. Ta|pa|! +that kava of Ponapé! It is not made there as it is in Samoa--where the +young men and women chew the dried root and mix it in a wooden _tanoa_ +(bowl); there the green root is crushed up in a hollowed stone and but +little water is added, so that it is strong, very strong, and one is +soon made drunk. + +"The girl who made the kava for us was named Sipi. She had eyes like the +stars when they are shining upon a deep mountain pool, and round her +smooth forehead was bound a circlet of yellow pandanus leaf worked with +beads of many colours and fringed with red parrakeet feathers; about her +waist were two fine mats, and her bosom and hands were stained with +turmeric. I sat and watched her beating the kava, and as her right arm +rose and fell her short, black wavy hair danced about her cheeks and hid +the red mouth and white teeth when she smiled at me. And she smiled at +me very often, and the man and woman beside me laughed when they saw me +regard her so intently, and asked me was it in my mind to have her for +my wife. + +"I did not answer at once, for I knew that if I ran away from the ship +for the sake of this girl I would be doing a foolish thing, for I had +money coming to me when the ship was _oti folau_ (paid off). But, as I +pondered, the girl bent forward and again her eyes smiled at me through +her hair; and then it was I saw that on her head there was a narrow +shaven strip from the crown backward. Now, in Tokelau, this fashion is +called _tu tagita_, and showeth that a girl is in her virginity. When I +saw this I was pleased, but to make sure I said to my friends, 'Her hair +is _tu tagita_. Is she a virgin?' + +"The woman of Nanomaga laughed loudly at this and pinched my hand, then +she translated my words to the girl who looked into my face and laughed +too, shaking her head as she put one hand over her eyes-- + +"'Nay, nay, O stranger,' she said, 'I am no virgin; neither am I a +harlot. I am respectable, and my father and mother have land. I do not +go to the ships.' Then she tossed her hair back from her face and began +to beat the kava again. + +"Now, this girl pleased me greatly, for there were no twists in her +tongue; so, when the kava-drinking was finished I made her sit beside +me, and the Nanomaga woman told her I would run away from the ship if +she would be my wife. She put her face to my shoulder, and then took +the circlet from her forehead and bound it round my bared arm, and I +gave her a silver ring which I wore on my little finger. Then, together +with the Nanomaga man and his wife, we made our plans.... Ah! she was a +fine girl. For nearly a year was she wife to me until she sickened and +died of the _meisake elo_[8] which was brought to Ponapé by the +missionary ship from Honolulu. + +"So the girl and I made our plans, and my friends promised to hide me +when the time came for me to run away. We sat long into the night, and I +heard much of the man called Franka and of the jealousy he bore to +Preston. He was jealous of him because of two reasons; one was that he +possessed such a fine house and so much land and a schooner, and the +other was that the people of Jakoits paid him the same respect as they +paid one of their high chiefs. So that was why Franka hated him. His +heart was full of hatred, and sometimes when he was drunk in his own +house at Ro|an Kiti he would boast to the natives that he would one +day show them that he was a better man than Preston. Sometimes his +drunken boastings were brought to the ears of Preston, who only laughed +and took no heed, and always gave him the good word when they met, which +was but seldom, for Jakoits and Kiti are far apart, and there was bad +blood between the people of the two places. And then--so the girl Sipi +afterwards told me--Franka was a lover of grog and a stealer of women, +and kept a noisy house and made much trouble, and so Preston went not +near him, for he was a quiet man and no drinker, and hated dissension. +And, besides this, Franka took part in the wars of the Kiti people, and +went about with a following of armed men, and such money as he made in +trading he spent in muskets and powder and ball; for all this Preston +had no liking, and one day he said to Franka, 'Be warned, this fighting +and slaying is wrong; it is not correct for a white man to enter into +these wars; you are doing wrong, and some day you will be killed.' Now +these were good words, but of what use are good words to an evil heart? + +"So we pair sat talking and smoking, and the girl Sipi made us more +kava, and then again sat by my side and leant her face against my +shoulder, and presently we heard the sounds of music and singing from +the big house. We went outside to see and listen, and saw that Preston +was playing on a _pese laakau_[9] and Solepa and the captain of my ship +were dancing together--like as white people dance--and two of the other +captains were also dancing in the same fashion. All round the room were +seated many of the high chiefs of Ponapé with their wives, dressed very +finely, and at one end of the room stood a long table covered with a +white cloth, on which was laid food of all kinds and wine and grog to +drink--just as you would see in your own country when a rich man gives a +feast. Presently as we looked, we saw Franka walk into the room from a +side door and look about. His face was flushed, and he staggered +slightly in his steps. He went over to the table and poured out some +grog, and then beckoned to Preston to come and drink with him, but +Preston smiled and shook his head. How could he go when he was making +the music? Then Franka struck his clenched fist on the table in anger, +and went over to Preston, just as the dancers had stopped. + +"'Why will ye not drink with me?' he said in a loud voice so that all +heard him. 'Art thou too great a man to drink with me again?' + +"'Nay,' answered the other jestingly and taking no heed of Franka's rude +voice and angry eyes, 'not so great that I cannot drink with all my +friends tonight, be they white or brown,' and so saying he bade every +one in the room come to the great table with him and drink _manuia_ to +him and his young wife. + +"So the nine white men--Preston, and Franka, and the seven whaleship +captains, and Nanakin, the head chief of Ponapé, and many other lesser +chiefs, all gathered together around the table and filled their glasses +and drank _manuia_ to the bride, who sat on a chair in the centre of the +room surrounded by the chiefs' wives, and smiled and bowed when my +captain called her name and raised his glass towards her. Then after +this he again took up the _pese laakau_ and began to play, and my +captain and Solepa danced again. Suddenly Franka pushed his way through +the others and rudely placed his hand on her arm. + +"'Come,' he said, 'leave this fellow and dance with me.' + +"She cried out in terror, and then silence fell upon all as my captain +withdrew his right arm from her waist and struck Franka on the mouth; it +was a strong blow, and Franka staggered backwards and then fell near to +the open door. As he rose to his feet again my captain came up to him +and bade him leave quickly. 'We want no drunken bullies here,' he said, +and at that moment Franka drew a pistol and pointed it at his chest. I +leapt upon him and as we struggled together the pistol went off, but the +bullet hurt no one. + +"Then there was a great commotion, and my captain and Preston ran to my +aid and seized Franka. They dragged him out of the room, and with words +of scorn and contempt threw him out amongst his own people who were +gathered together outside the house, with their muskets in their hands. +But already Nanakin and his chiefs had summoned their fighting men; they +came running towards us from all directions, and surrounding Franka and +his men, drove them away and bade them beware of ever returning to +Jakoits. + +"When they had gone, my captain called me to him, and, turning to the +other white men, said, 'This man hath saved my life. He hath a brave +heart. I shall do much for him in the time to come.' Then he and the +others all shook my hand and praised me, and I was silent and said +nothing, for I was ashamed to think I was about to run away from such a +good captain. + +"In the morning we went back to the ship, and the boats were then sent +away to fill and bring off casks of water. Every time my boat went I +took something with me; tobacco and clothing and other things which I +had in my sea chest. Sipi and some other girls met us at the watering +place, and they took these from me and put them in a place of safety. +That afternoon as the boats were about to leave the shore for the last +time, towing the casks, I slipped into the forest which grew very +densely on both sides of the little river, and ran till I came to the +spot where Sipi was awaiting me. Then together we went inland towards +the mountains and kept on walking till nightfall. That night we slept in +the forest; we were afraid to make a fire lest it should be seen by some +of Nanakin's people and betray us, for I knew that my captain would +cause a great search to be made for me. When dawn came we again set out +and went on steadily till we came to the summit of the range of +mountains which divides the island. There was a clear space on the side +of the mountain; a great village had once stood there, so Sipi told me, +but all those who had dwelt there had long since died, and their ghosts +could be heard flitting to and fro at night time. Far below us we could +see the blue sea, and the long waving line of reef with the surf beating +upon it, and within, anchored in the green water, were the seven ships +and Preston's schooner. + +"All that day and the next the girl and I worked at building a little +house for us to live in until the ships had gone. We had no fear of any +one seeking us out in that place, for it had a bad name and none but +travelling parties from Ro|an Kiti ever passed there. Sipi had brought +with her a basket of cooked food; in the deserted plantations we found +plenty of bananas and yams, and in the stream at the foot of the valley +we caught many small fish. Four days went by, and then one morning we +saw the ships set their sails and go to sea. We watched them till they +touched the sky rim and disappeared; then we went back to Jakoits. + +"The white man and Solepa were sitting under the shade of a tree in +front of their house. I went boldly up to him and asked him to give me +work to do. At first he was angry, for he and my captain were great +friends, and said he would have naught to do with me. Why did I run away +from such a good man and such a good ship? There were too many men like +me, he said, in Ponapé, who had run away so that they might do naught +but wander from village to village and eat and drink and sleep. Then +again he asked why I had run away. + +"'Because of her,' I said, pointing to the girl Sipi, who was sitting at +the gate with her face covered with the corner of her mat. 'But I am no +_tafao vale_.[10] I am a true man. Give me work on thy ship.' + +"He thought a little while, then he and Solepa talked together, and +Solepa bade Sipi come near so that she might talk to her. Presently he +said to me that I had done a foolish thing to run away for the sake of +the girl when I had money coming to me and when the captain's heart was +filled with friendship towards me for turning aside Franka's pistol. + +"I bent my head, for I was ashamed. Then I said, 'I care not for the +money I have lost, but I am eaten up with shame for running away, for my +captain was a good captain to me.' + +"This pleased him, for he smiled and said, 'I will try thee. I will make +thee boatswain of the schooner, and this girl here shall be servant to +my wife.' + +"So Sipi became servant to Solepa, and I was sent on board the schooner +to help prepare her for sea. My new captain gave us a house to live in, +and every night I came on shore. Ah, those were brave times, and Preston +made much of me when he found that I was a true man and did my work +well, and would stand no saucy words nor black looks from those of the +schooner's crew who thought that the boatswain should be a white man. + +"Ten days after the whaleships had sailed, the schooner was ready for +sea. We were to sail to the westward isles to trade for oil and +tortoiseshell, and then go to China, where Preston thought to sell his +cargo. On the eve of the day on which we were to leave, the mate, who +was an old and stupid Siamani,[11] went ashore to my master's house, and +I was left in charge of the schooner. Sipi, my wife, was with me, and we +sat together in the stern of the ship, smoking our _sului_ (cigarettes) +and talking of the time when I should return and buy a piece of land +from her father's people, on which I should build a new house. There +were six native sailors on board, and these, as the night drew on, +spread their mats on the fore deck and went to sleep. Then Sipi and I +went into the cabin, which was on deck, and we too slept. + +"How long we had slumbered I cannot tell, but suddenly we were aroused +by the sound of a great clamour on deck and the groans and cries of +dying men, and then ere we were well awakened the cabin door was opened +and Solepa was thrust inside. Then the door was quickly closed and +fastened on the outside, and I heard Franka's voice calling out orders +to hoist sails and slip the cable. + +"There was a lamp burning dimly in the cabin, and Sipi and I ran to the +aid of Solepa, who lay prone upon the floor as if dead. Her dress was +torn, and her hands and arms were scratched and bleeding, so that Sipi +wept as she leant over her and put water to her lips. In a little while +she opened her eyes, and when she saw us a great sob broke from her +bosom and she caught my hand in hers and tried to speak. + +"Now, grog is a good thing. It is good for a weak, panting woman when +her strength is gone and her soul is terrified, and it is good for an +old man who is despised by his relations because he is bitten with +poverty. There was grog in a wicker jar in the cabin. I gave her some in +a glass, and then as the dog Franka, whose soul and body are now in +hell, was getting the schooner under way, she told me that while she and +Preston were asleep the house was surrounded by a hundred or more of +men from Ro|an Kiti, led by Franka. They burst in suddenly, and Franka +and some others rushed into their sleeping-room and she was torn away +from her husband and carried down to the beach. + +"'Is thy husband dead?' I asked. + +"'I cannot tell,' she said in a weak voice. 'I heard some shots fired +and saw him struggling with Franka's men. That is all I know. If he is +dead then shall I die too. Give me a knife, so that I may die.' + +"As she spoke the schooner began to move, and again we heard Franka's +voice calling out in English to some one to go forward and con the ship +whilst he steered, for the night was dark and he, clever stealer of +women as he was, did not know the passage out through the reef, and +trusted to those with him who knew but little more. Then something came +into my mind, and I took Solepa's hand in mine. + +"'I will save thee from this pig Franka,' I said quickly, 'he shall +never take thee away. Sit ye here with Sipi, and when ye hear the +schooner strike, spring ye both into the sea and swim towards the two +islands which are near.' + +"In the centre of the deck cabin was a hatch which led into the hold. +There was no deck between, for the vessel was but small. I took my knife +from the sheath and then lifted the hatch, descended, and crawled +forward in the darkness to the fore hatch, up which I crept very +carefully, for I had much in my mind. I saw a man standing up, holding +on to the fore stay. He was calling out to Franka every now and then, +telling him how to steer. I sprang up behind him, and as I drove my +knife into his back with my left hand, I struck him with my right on his +neck and he fell overboard. He was a white man, I think for when my +knife went into his back he called out 'Oh Christ!' But then many native +men who have mixed with white people call out 'Oh, Christ,' just like +white men when they are drunk. Anyway, it does not matter now. + +"But as I struck my knife into him, I called out in English to put the +helm hard down, for I saw that the schooner was very near the reef on +the starboard hand. Franka, who was at the wheel, at once obeyed and was +fooled, for the schooner, which was now leaping and singing to the +strong night wind from the mountains smote suddenly upon the coral reef +with a noise like the felling of a great forest tree, and began to grind +and tear her timbers. + +"Almost as she struck Solepa and Sipi stood by me, and together we +sprang overboard into the white surf ... Give me some more grog, dear +friend of my heart. I am no boaster, nor am I a liar; but when I think +of that swim to the shore through the rolling seas with those two women, +my belly cleaves to my backbone and I become faint.... For the current +was against us, and neither Sipi nor Solepa were good swimmers, and many +times had we to clutch hold of the jagged coral, which tore our skins so +that our blood ran out freely, and had the sharks come to us then I +would not be here with thee to-night drinking this, thy good sweet grog +which thou givest me out of thy kind heart. Ta|pa|! When I look +into thy face and see thy kind eyes, I am young again. I love thee, not +alone because thou hast been kind to me in my poverty and paid the fines +of my granddaughter when she hath committed adultery with the young men +of the village, but because thou hast seen many lands and have upheld me +before the teacher, who is a circumcised but yet untatooed dog of a +Samoan. A man who is not tatooed is no better than a woman. He is a male +harlot and should be despised. He is only fit to associate with women, +and has no right to beget children.... + +"We three swam to the shore, and when the dawn came we saw that the +schooner stood high and dry on the reef and that Franka and his men were +trying to float her by throwing overboard the iron ballast and putting a +kedge anchor out upon the lee side of the reef. And at the same time we +saw three boats put off from the mainland. These boats were all painted +white, and when I saw them I said to Solepa, 'Be of good heart. Thy +husband is not dead, for here are three of his boats coming. He is not +dead. He is coming to seek thee.'" + +"The three boats came quickly towards the schooner, but ere they reached +her Franka and those with him got into the boats in which they had +boarded the vessel, and then we saw smoke arise from the bow and +stern.... They had set fire to the ship. They were cowards. Fire is a +great help to cowards, because in the glare and dazzling light of +burning houses or ships, when the thunder of cannons and the rattle of +rifles is heard, they can run about and kill people.... I have seen +these things done in Chili.... I have seen men who would not stand and +fight on board ship run away on shore and slay women and children in +their fury and cowardice. No, they were not Englishmen; they were +Spaniolas. But the officers were Englishmen and Germans. _They_ did not +run away, they were killed. Brave men get killed and cowards live. I am +no coward though I am still alive. It is quite proper that I should +live, for I never ran away when there was fighting to be done. I have +only been a fool because of my love for women. No one could say I was a +coward, and no one can say I am a fool, because I am too old now to be a +fool. + +"As Franka and those with him left the burning schooner and rowed +towards the islands, the three boats from the shore changed their course +and followed him. Franka and his men were the first to reach the land, +and they quickly ran up the beach and crouched behind the bushes which +grew at high-water mark. They all had guns, and Sipi and Solepa and I +saw them waiting to shoot. We were hiding amid the roots of a great +banyan tree, and could see well. As the boats drew near Solepa watched +them eagerly, and then began to weep and laugh at the same time when she +saw her husband Preston was steering the one which led. She was a good +woman. She loved her husband. I was pleased with her, and told her to be +of good cheer, for I was sure that Preston and his people would kill +Franka and those with him, for as they rowed they made no noise. No one +shouted nor challenged; they came on and on, and the white man Preston +stood up with the steer oar in his hand, and his face was as a stone in +which was set eyes of fire. When his boat was within twenty fathoms of +the beach the rowers ceased, and he held up his hand to those who +awaited his coming. + +"'Listen to me, men of Ro|an Kiti. We are as three to one of ye, and +ye are caught in a trap. Death is in my mouth if I speak the word. Tell +me, is my wife Solepa alive?' + +"No one answered, but suddenly Franka stepped out from behind the bushes +and pointed his rifle at him, and was about to pull the trigger when a +young man of his party who was of good heart seized him by the arm, and +cried out 'twas a coward's act; then two or three followed him, and +together they bore Franka down upon the sand; and one of them cried out +to Preston-- + +"'This is a wrong business. We were led astray by this man. We are no +cowards, and have no ill-will to thee. Thy wife is alive. She swam +ashore with two others when the ship struck. Are we dead men?' + +"Then, ere Preston could answer, Solepa leapt out from beneath the +banyan tree and ran through the men of Ro|an Kiti towards the beach, +and cried-- + +"'Oh, my husband, for the love of God let no blood be shed! I am well +and unharmed. Spare these people and spare even this man Franka, for he +is mad!' + +"Then Preston leapt out of the boat and put his arms around her waist +and kissed her, and then put her aside, and called to every one around +him-- + +"'These are my words,' he said. 'I am a man of peace, but this man +Franka is a robber and a dog, and hath stolen upon me in the night and +slain my people, and his hands are reddened with blood. And he hath put +foul dishonour on me by stealing Solepa my wife, and carrying her away +from my house as if she were a slave or a harlot. And there is no room +here for such a man to live unless he be a better man than I. But I am +no murderer. So stand aside all! Let him rise and rest awhile, and then +shall we two fight, man to man. Either he or I must die.' + +"Then many men of both sides came to him and said, 'Let this thing be +finished. You are a strong man. Take this robber and slay him as you +would slay a pig.' But he put them aside, and said he would fight him +man to man, as Englishmen fought. + +"So when Franka was rested two cutlasses were brought, and the two men +stood face to face on the sand. I kept close to Franka, for I meant to +stab him if I could, but Preston angrily bade me stand back. Then the +two crossed their swords together and began to fight. It was a great +fight, but it did not last long, for Preston soon ran his sword through +Franka's chest. I saw it come out through his back. But as he fell and +Preston bent over him he thrust his cutlass into Preston's stomach and +worked it to and fro. Then Preston fell on him, and they died together. + +"There was no more bloodshed. Solepa and Sipi and I dressed the dead man +in his best clothes, and the Ro|an Kiti men dressed Franka in his +best clothes, and a great funeral feast was made, and we buried them +together on the little island. And Solepa went back again to Honolulu in +a whaleship. She was young and fair, and should have soon found another +husband. I do not know. But Sipi was a fine wife to me." + + + + +_The Fisher Folk of Nukufetau_ + +Early one morning, about a week after I had settled down on Nukufetau as +a trader, I opened my chest of fishing-gear and began to overhaul it. In +a few minutes I was surrounded by an eager and interested group of +natives, who examined everything with the greatest curiosity. + +Now for the preceding twelve months I had been living on the little +island of Nanomaga, a day's sail from Nukufetau; and between Nanomaga +and Nukufetau there was a great bitterness of long standing--the +Nanomagans claimed to be the most daring canoe-men and expert fishermen +in all the eight isles of the Ellice Group, and the people of Nukufetau +resented the claim strongly. The feeling had been accentuated by my good +friend the Samoan teacher on Nanomaga, himself an ardent fisherman, +writing to his brother minister on Nukufetau and informing him that +although I was not a high-class Christian I was all right in all other +respects, and a good fisherman--"all that he did not know we have taught +him, therefore," he added slyly, "let your young men watch him so that +they may learn how to fish in deep and rough water, such as ours." +These remarks were of course duly made public, and caused much +indignation, neither the minister nor his flock liking the gibe about +the deep, rough water; also the insinuation that anything about fishing +was to be learnt from the new white man was annoying and uncalled for. + +I must here mention that the natives of De Peyster's Island (Nukufetau) +caught all the fish they wanted in the smooth and spacious waters of the +lagoon, and were not fond of venturing outside the barrier reef, except +during the bonito season, or when the sea was very calm at night, to +catch flying-fish. Then, too, the currents outside the reef were swift +and dangerous, and the canoes had either to be carried a long distance +over the coral or paddled a couple of miles across the lagoon to the +ship passage before the open sea was gained. Hudson's Island +(Nanomaga)--a tiny spot less than four miles in circumference--had no +lagoon, and all fishing was done in the deep water of the ocean. The +natives were used to launching their canoes, year in and year out, to +face the wildest surf, and were, in consequence, wonderfully expert, and +in the history of the island there is only one instance of a man having +been drowned. The De Peyster people, by reason of the advantage of their +placid lagoon, had no reason to risk their lives in the surf in this +manner, and so, naturally enough, they were not nearly as skilful in the +management of their frail canoes when they had to face a sweeping sea on +the outer or ocean reef. + +Just as I was placing some coils of heavy, deep-sea lines upon the +matted floor, Marèko the native teacher, fat, jovial, and +bubbling-voiced, entered in a great hurry, and hardly giving himself +time to shake hands with me, announced in a tone of triumph, that a body +of _atuli_ (baby bonito) had just entered the passage and were making +their way up the lagoon. + +In less than ten seconds every man, woman, and child on the island, +except the teacher and myself, were agog with excitement and bawling and +shouting as they rushed to the beach to launch and man the canoes, the +advent of the _atuli_ having been expected for some days. In nearly all +the equatorial islands of the Pacific these beautiful little fish make +their appearance every year almost to a day, with unvarying regularity. +They remain in the smooth waters of lagoons for about two weeks, +swimming about in incredible numbers, and apparently so terrified of +their many enemies in their own element, and the savage, keen-eyed +frigate birds which constantly assail them from above, that they +sometimes crowd into small pools on the inner reef, and when the tide is +low, seek to hide themselves by lying in thick masses under the +overhanging ledges of coral rock. Simultaneously--or at least within a +day or two at most--the swarming millions of _atuli_ are followed into +the lagoons by the _gatala_--a large black and grey rock-cod (much +esteemed by the natives for the delicacy of its flavour) and great +numbers of enormous eels. At other times of the year both the _gatala_ +and the eels are never or but rarely seen inside the lagoons, but are +occasionally caught outside the reef at a good depth--forty to sixty +fathoms. As soon, however, as the young bonito appear, both eels and +rock-cod change their normal habits, and entering the lagoons through +the passages thereto, they take up their quarters in the deeper +parts--places which are fringed by a labyrinthine border of coral +forest, and are at most ten fathoms deep. Here, when the _atuli_ are +covering the surface above, the eels and rock-cod actually rise to the +surface and play havoc among them, especially during moonlight nights, +and in the daytime both rock-cod and eels may be seen pursuing their +hapless prey in the very shallowest water, amidst the little pools and +runnels of the coral reef. It is at this time that the natives of +Nukufetau and some other islands have some glorious sport, for in +addition to the huge eels and rock-cod many other deep-sea fish flock +into the shallower lagoon waters--all in pursuit of the _atuli_--and all +eager to take the hook. + + * * * * * + +As soon as the natives had left the house, Marèko turned to me with a +beaming smile. "Let them go on first and net some _atuli_ for us for +bait," he said, "you and I shall follow in my own canoe and fish for +_gatala_. It will be a great thing for one of us to catch the first +_gatala_ of the season. Yesterday, when I was over there," pointing to +two tiny islets within the lagoon, "I saw some _gatala_. The natives +laugh at me and say I am mistaken--that because the _atuli_ had not come +there could be no _gatala_. Now, _I_ think that the big fish came in +some days ago, but the strong wind and current kept the _atuli_ outside +till now. Come." + +I needed no pressing. In five minutes I had my basket of lines (of white +American cotton) ready, and joined Marèko. His canoe (the best on the +island, of course) was already in the water and manned by his two sons, +boys of eight and twelve respectively. I sat for'ard, the two youngsters +amidships, the father took the post of honour as _tautai_ or steersman, +and with a chuckle of satisfaction from the boys, off we went in the +wake of about thirty other canoes. + +Oh, the delight of urging a light canoe over the glassy water of an +island lagoon, and watching the changing colours and strange, grotesque +shapes of the coral trees and plants of the garden beneath as they +vanish swiftly astern, and the quick _chip, chip_ of the flashing +paddles sends the whirling, noisy eddies to right and left, and frights +the lazy, many-hued rock-fish into the darker depths beneath! On, on, +till the half mile or more of shallow water which covers the inner reef +is passed, and then suddenly you shoot over the top of the submarine +wall, into deepest, loveliest blue, full thirty fathoms deep, and as +calm and quiet as an infant sleeping on its mother's bosom, though +perhaps not a quarter of a mile away on either hand the long rollers of +the Pacific are bellowing and thundering on the grim black shelves of +the weather coast. + +So it was on this morning, but with added delights and beauties; as +instead of striking straight across the lagoon to our rendezvous we had +to skirt the beaches of a chain of thickly wooded islets, which gave +forth a sweet smell, mingled with the odours of _nono_ blossoms; for +during the night rain had fallen after a long month of dry weather, and +Nature was breathing with joy. High overhead there floated some +snow-white tropic birds--those gentle, ethereal creatures which, to the +toil-spent seaman who watches their mysterious poise in illimitable +space, seem to denote the greater Mystery and Rest that lieth beyond all +things; and lower down, and sweeping swiftly to and fro with steady, +outspread wing and long, forked tail, the fierce-eyed, savage frigate +birds scanned the surface of the water in search of prey, and then +finding it not, rose without apparent motion to the cloudless canopy of +blue and became as but tiny black specks--and then, _swish_! and the +tiny black specks which but a minute ago were high in heaven are +flashing by your cheeks with a weird, whistling sound like winged +spectres. You look for them. They are gone. Already they are a thousand +feet overhead. Five of them. And all five are as motionless as if they, +with their wide, outspread wings, had never moved from their present +position for a thousand years. + +"Chip, chip," and "chunk, chunk," go our paddles as we now head eastward +towards the rising sun in whose resplendent rays the tufted palms of the +two islets stand clearly out, silhouetted against the sea rim beyond. +Now and again we hear, as from a long, long distance, the echoes of the +voices of the people in the canoes ahead; a soft white mist began to +gather over and then ascend from the water, and as we drew near the +islets the occasional thunder of the serf on Motuluga Reef we heard +awhile ago changed into a monotonous droning hum. + +"_Aue_!" said Marèko the _tautai_, with a laugh, as he ceased paddling +and laid his paddle athwartships, "'tis like to be a hot day and calm. +So much the better for our fishing, for the water will be very clear. +Boy, give me a coconut to drink." + +"Take some whisky with it, Marèko," I said, taking a flask out of my +basket. + +"_Isa_! Shame upon you! How can you say such a thing to me, a minister!" +And then he added, with a reproachful look, "and my children here, too." +He would have winked, but he dared not do so, for one of his boys had +turned his face aft and was facing him. I, however, made him a hurried +gesture which he quite understood. Good old Marèko! He was an honest, +generous-hearted, broad-minded fellow, but terribly afraid of his +tyrannical deacons, who objected to him smoking even in the seclusion of +his own curatage, and otherwise bullied and worried him into behaving +exactly as they thought he should. + +By the time we reached the islets the _atuli_ catching had begun, and +more than a hundred natives were encircling a considerable area of water +with finely-meshed nets and driving the fish shoreward upon a small +sandy beach, where they were scooped up in gleaming masses of shining +blue and silver by a number of women and children, who tumbled over and +pushed each other aside amidst much laughter and merriment. + +On the larger of the two islets were a few thatched huts with open +sides. One of these was reserved for the missionary and the white man, +and hauling our canoe up on the beach at the invitation of the people, +we sat down under a shed whilst the women grilled us some of the +freshly-caught fish. This took barely over ten minutes, as fires had +already been lighted by the children. The absence of bread was made up +for by the flesh of half-grown coconuts and cooked _puraka_--gigantic +species of taro which thrives well in the sandy soil of the Equatorial +islands of the Pacific. Just as we had finished eating and were +preparing our lines we heard loud cries from the natives who were still +engaged among the _atuli_, and three or four of them seizing spears +began chasing what were evidently some large fish. Presently one of them +darted his weapon, and then gave a loud cry of triumph, as he leapt into +the water and dragged out a large salmon-like fish called "utu", which +was at once brought ashore for my inspection. The man who had struck +it--an active, wiry old fellow named Viliamu (William) was panting with +excitement. Some large _gatala_, he said, had just made their appearance +with the _utu_ and were pursuing the small fish; therefore would we +please hurry forward with our preparations. Then the leader of the +entire party stood up and bellowed out in bull-like tones his +instructions. The canoes were all to start together, and when the ground +was reached all lines were to be lowered simultaneously; there was to be +no crowding. The white man and missionary, however, if they wished, +could start first and make a choice of position. + +"No, no," I said, "let us all start fair." + +This was greeted with a chorus of approval, and then leaving the women +and children to attend to the camp, we hurried back to the canoes. Just +as we were leaving the hut I had a look at the _utu_--a fish I had never +before seen. It was about three feet in length, and only for its head +(which was coarse and clumsy) much like a heavy salmon. The back was +covered with light green scales, the sides and belly a pure silver, and +the fins and tail tipped with yellow. It weighed about 20 lbs., and +presented a very handsome appearance. + +The fishing-ground to which we were now paddling was not half a mile +from the islets, and lay between them and the outer reef which formed +its northern boundary. It consisted of a series of deep channels or +connected pools running or situated amidst a network of minor reefs, the +surfaces of which were, for the most part, bare at low water. Generally +the depth was from eight to ten fathoms; in places, however, it was much +deeper, and I subsequently found that there were spots whereon I could +stand (on the coral ledge) and drop my line into chasms of thirty-two or +thirty-three fathoms. Here the water was almost as blue to the eye as +the ocean, and here the very largest fish resorted--such as the _pura_, +a species of rock-cod, and a blue-scaled groper, the native name of +which I cannot now recall. + +It must have been nearly ten o'clock when the canoes were all in +position, and the word was given to let go lines. The particular spot in +which we were congregated was about three acres in extent and about +seven fathoms in depth, with water as clear as crystal; and even the +dullest eye could discern the smallest pebble or piece of broken coral +lying upon the bottom, which was generally composed of patches of coarse +sand surrounded by an interlacing fringe of growing coral, or white, +blue, or yellow boulders. A glance over the side showed us that the +_gatala_ had arrived; we could see numbers of them swimming lazily to +and fro beneath, awaiting the flowing tide which would soon cover the +lagoon from one shore to the other with swarms of young bonito, as they +swam about in search of such places as that in which we were now about +to begin fishing. + +Each man had baited his hook with the third of an _atuli_--at this stage +of their life about four inches long and exactly the colour and shape of +a young mackerel--and within five minutes after "_Tu'u tau kafa_!" +("Let go lines!") had been called out several of the canoes around our +own began to pull up fish--four to six pounders. I was fishing with a +white cotton line, with two hooks, and Marèko with the usual native +gear--a hand-made line of hibiscus bark with a barbless hook made from a +long wire nail, with its point ground fine and well-curved inwards. We +both struck fish at the same moment, and I knew by the zigzag pull that +I had two. Up they came together--three spotted beauties about eighteen +inches in length and weighing over 5 lbs. each. Then I found the +advantage of the native style of hook; Marèko simply put his left thumb +and forefinger into the fish's eye, had his hook free in a moment, had +baited, lowered again and was pulling up another before I had succeeded +in freeing even my first hook which was firmly fixed in the fish's +gullet, out of sight. I soon put myself on a more even footing by +cutting off the small one and a half inch hooks I had been using and +bending on two thick and long-shanked four inchers. These answered +beautifully, as although the barbs caused me some trouble, their stout +shanks afforded a good grip and leverage when extracting them from the +hard and keen-toothed jaws of the struggling fish. Then, too, I had +another advantage over my companions; I was wearing a pair of seaboots +which effectually protected my feet from either the terrible fins or the +teeth of the fish in the bottom of the canoe. + +I had caught my eighth fish, when an outcry came from a canoe near us, +as a young man who was seated on the for'ard thwart rose to his feet and +began hauling in his line, which was standing straight up and down, taut +as an iron bar, the canoe meanwhile spinning round and round although +the steersman used all his efforts to keep her steady. + +"What is it, Tuluia?" called out fifty voices at once. "A shark?" + +"My mother's bones!" said old Viliamu with a laugh of contempt. "'Tis an +eel, and Tuluia, who was asleep, has let it twist its tail around a +piece of coral. May he lose it for his stupidity." + +We all ceased fishing to watch, and half a dozen men began jeering at +the lad, who was too excited to heed them. Old Viliamu, who was in the +next canoe, looked down, and then cried out that he could see the eel, +which had taken several turns of its body around a thick branch of +growing coral. + +"His head is up," he called out to the youth, "but you cannot move him, +he has too many turns in and out among the coral." Then paddling up +alongside he again looked at the struggling creature, then felt the line +which was vibrating with the tension. Stepping out of his own craft into +that of the young man, the line was placed in his hands without an inch +of it being payed out, for once one of these giant eels can get his head +down he will so quickly twine the line in and out among the rugged coral +that it is soon chafed through, if of ordinary thickness. But the +ancient knew his work well, as we were soon to see. Taking a turn of the +line well up on his forearm and grasping it with his right a yard lower +down, he waited for a second or two, then suddenly bent his body till +his face nearly touched the water, then he sprang erect and with +lightning-like rapidity began to haul in hand _under_ hand [12] amid +loud cries of approval as the wriggling body of the eel was seen +ascending clear of the coral. The moment it reached the surface, a +second native, with unerring aim sent a spear through it and then a blow +or two upon the head with a club carried for the purpose took all +further fight out of the creature, which was then lifted out of the +water and dropped into the canoe. Here the end of its tail was quickly +split open and we saw no more of him for the time being. + +To capture an eel so soon was looked upon as a lucky omen, to have lost +it would have been a presage of ill-fortune for the rest of the day, and +the incident put every one in high good humour. By this time the tide +was flowing over the flatter parts of the reef and young bonito could be +seen jumping out of the water in all directions. Immense bodies were, so +I was assured by the natives, now coming into the lagoon from the sea, +and would continue to do so till the tide turned, when those in the +passage, unable to face a six-knot current, would be carried out again, +to make another attempt later on. + +By this time every canoe was hauling in large rock-cod almost as quick +as the lines could be baited, and the bottom of our own craft presented +a gruesome sight--a lather of blood and froth and kicking fish, some of +which were over 20 lbs. weight. Telling the two boys to cease fishing +awhile and stun some of the liveliest, I unthinkingly began to bale out +some of the ensanguined water, when a score of indignant voices bade me +cease. Did I want to bring all the sharks in the world around us? I was +asked; and old Viliamu, who was a sarcastic old gentleman, made a mock +apology for me-- + +"How should he know any better? The sharks of Tokelau have no teeth, +like the people there, for they too are eaters of _fala_." + +This evoked a sally of laughter, in which of course I joined. I must +explain that the natives of the Tokelau Group, among whom I had lived, +through constantly chewing the tough drupes of the fruit of the _fala_ +(pandanus palm) wear out their teeth prematurely, and are sometimes +termed "toothless" by other natives of the South Pacific. However, I was +to have my own little joke at Viliamu's expense later on. + +Just at this time a sudden squall, accompanied by torrents of rain, came +down upon us from the eastward, and whilst Marèko and his boys kept us +head to wind--none of the canoes were anchored--I took the opportunity +of getting ready two of my own lines, each treble-hooked, for the boys. +Their own were old and rotten, and had parted so often that they were +now too short to be of use, and, besides that, the few remaining hooks +of soft wire were too small. As soon as the squall was over I showed +Marèko what I had done. He nodded and smiled, but said I should try and +break off the barbs--his boys did not understand them as well as +native-made hooks. This was quickly accomplished with a heavy knife, and +the youngsters began to haul up fish two and three at a time at such a +rate that the canoe soon became deep in the water outside and very full +inside. + +"A few more, Marèko," I said, "and then we'll go ashore, unload, and +come back again. I want to tease that old man." + +We caught all we could possibly carry in another quarter of an hour, and +I was confident that our take exceeded that of any other canoe. This was +because the natives would carefully watch their stone sinkers descend, +and use every care to keep them from being entangled in the coral, +whilst my line, which had a 12 oz. leaden sinker, would plump quickly to +the bottom in the midst of the hungry fish; consequently, although I +lost some hooks by fouling and now and then dragged up a bunch of coral, +I was catching more fish than any one else. And I was not going to let +my reputation suffer for the sake of a few hooks. So we coiled up our +lines on the outrigger platform, and taking up our paddles headed +shoreward, taking care to pass near Viliamu's canoe. He hailed me and +asked me for a pipe of tobacco. + +"I shall give it to you when we return," I said. + +"When you return! Why, where are you going?" he asked. + +"On shore, you silly old woman! I have been showing these boys how to +fish for _gatala_, and we go because the canoe is sinking. When we +return these two _tamariki_ (infants) shall show _you_ how to fish now +that they have learnt from me." + +There was a loud laugh at this, and as the old man took the jest very +good-naturedly I brought up alongside, showed him our take, and gave him +a stick of tobacco. The astonishment of himself and his crew of three at +the quantity of fish we had afforded me much satisfaction, though I +could not help feeling that our luck was not due to my own skill alone. + +Returning to the islets we were just in time to escape two fierce +squalls, which lasted half an hour and raised such a sea that the +remaining canoes began to follow us, as they were unable to keep on the +ground. During our absence the women and children had been most +industrious; the weather-worn, dilapidated huts had been made habitable +with freshly-plaited _kapaus_--coarse mats of green coconut leaves, the +floors covered with clean white pebbles, sleeping mats in readiness, and +heaps of young drinking nuts piled up in every corner, whilst outside +smoke was arising from a score of ground ovens in which taro and puraka +were being cooked, together with bundles of _atuli_ wrapped in leaves. + +Etiquette forbade Marèko and myself counting our fish until the rest of +the party returned, although the women had taken them out of the canoe +and laid them on the beach, where the pouring rain soon washed them +clean and showed them in all their shining beauty. Among them were two +or three parrot-fish--rich carmine, striped with bands of bright yellow, +boneless fins, and long protruding teeth in the upper jaw showing out +from the thick, fleshy lips; and one _afulu_--a species of deep-water +sand mullet with purple scales and yellow fins. + +Whilst awaiting the rest of the canoes I drew the teacher into our hut +and pressed him to take some whisky. He was wet, cold, and shivering, +but resolutely declined to take any. "I should like to drink a little," +he said frankly, "but I must not. I cannot drink it in secret, and yet I +must not set a bad example. Do not ask me, please. But if you like to +give some to the old men do so, but only a very little." I did do so. As +soon as the rest of the party landed I called up four of the oldest men +and gave each of them a stiff nip. They were all nude to the waist, and +like all Polynesians who have been exposed to a cold rain squall, were +shivering and miserable. After each man had taken his nip and emitted a +deep sigh of satisfaction I observed that hundreds of old white men +saved their lives by taking a glass of spirits when they were wet +through--they had to do so by the doctor's orders. + +"That is true," said one old fellow; "when men grow old, and the rain +falls upon them it does not run off their skins as it would from the +smooth skins of young men. It gets into the wrinkles and stays there. +But when the belly is warmed with grog a man does not feel the cold." + +"True," I said gravely, as I poured some whisky out for myself; "true, +quite true, my dear friends. And in these islands it is very bad for an +old man to be exposed to much rain. That is why I am disturbed in my +mind. See, there is Marèko, your minister. He, like you, is old; he is +wet and cold. And he shivers. And he will not take a mouthful of this +_rom_ because he fears scandal. Now if he should become ill and die I +should be a disgraced man. This _rom_ is now not _rom_; it is medicine. +And Marèko should take some even as you have taken it--to keep away +danger." + +The four old fellows arose to the occasion. They talked earnestly +together for a minute, and then formed themselves into a committee, +requested me to head them as a deputation with the whisky, and then +waited upon their pastor, who was putting on a dry shirt in another hut. +I am glad to say that under our united protests he at last consented to +save his life, and felt much better. + +Presently the women announced that the ovens were ready to be opened. As +soon as the fish were counted, and the rain having ceased, we all +gathered round the canoes and watched each one emptied of its load. As I +imagined, our party had taken the most fish, and not only the most, but +the heaviest as well. Marèko added to my blushing honours by informing +the company that as a fisherman and a knowledgable man generally I +justified his brother minister's opinion and would prove an acquisition +to the community. We then inspected the first eel caught, and a truly +huge creature it was, quite nine feet in length, and in girth at its +thickest part, as near as I could guess with a piece of line, thirty +inches. The line with which it was caught was made of new four-stranded +coir-cinnet, as thick as a stout lead pencil, and the hook a piece of +3/6 or 1/2 inch iron with a 6-inch shank, once used as a fish spear, +without a barb! The natives seemed much pleased at the interest +displayed, and told me that sometimes these eels grew to _elua gafa_ +(_i.e._, two fathoms), but were seldom caught, and asked me if I had +tackle strong enough for such. Later on I showed them a 27-stranded +American cotton line 100 fathoms long, with a 4-inch hook, curved in the +shank, as thick as a pencil, and "eyed" for a twisted wire snooding. +They had never seen such beautiful tackle before, and were loud in their +expressions of admiration, but thought the line too thin for a very +heavy fish. I told them that at Nanomaga I had caught _palu_ (a +nocturnal feeding fish of great size) in over sixty fathoms with that +same line. + +"That is true," said one of them politely, "we were told that you and +Tiaki (one Jack O'Brien, an old trader) of Funafuti have caught many +_palu_ with your long lines; but the _palu_ is a weak fish even when he +is a fathom long. And as he comes up he grows weaker and weaker, and +sometimes he bursts open when he comes to the surface. Now if a big +eel--an eel two fathoms long--" + +"If he was three fathoms long he could not break this line," I replied +positively. + +They laughed and told me that when I hooked even a small eel, one half a +fathom in length, I would change my opinion. + +Soon after our midday meal was over, and we were preparing to return to +our fishing-ground with an ample supply of fresh bait, the sky to +windward became black and threatening, and through the breaks in the +long line of palms on the weather side of the island, which permitted +the horizon to be viewed, we could see that a squall of unusual violence +was coming. All the canoes were at once hauled up on the lee-side of the +islets, the huts were secured by ropes as quickly as possible, and every +one hurried under shelter. In a few minutes the wind was blowing with +astonishing fury, and the air was full of leaves, sticks, and other +_débris_, whilst the coco-palms and other trees on the islets seemed +likely to be torn up by the roots. This lasted about ten minutes. Then +came a sudden lull, followed by a terrific and deafening downpour of +rain; then more wind, another downpour, and the sun was out again! + +As soon as the squall was over, I walked round to the weather side of +the islet with some children. We found the beach covered with some +thousands of _atuli_ and beautiful little garfish which had been driven +on shore by the force of the wind. We were soon joined by women carrying +baskets, which they filled with fish and carried back to the camp. On +returning, we again launched the canoes and started off again--to meet +with some disappointment, for although the _gatala_ still bit freely and +several eels were also taken, some scores of the small, pestilent, +lagoon sharks were swimming about and played havoc with our lines. These +torments are from two to four feet in length, and their mouths, which +are quite out of proportion to their insignificant size, are set with +rows of teeth of razor-like keenness. The moment a baited hook was seen +one of these little wretches would dart at it like lightning, and +generally bit the line through just above the hook. So quick were they, +that one could seldom even feel a tug unless the hook got fast in their +jaws. Taking off my sinker, and bending on a big hook with a wire snood, +I abandoned myself to their destruction, and as fast as I hauled one +alongside it was stunned, cut into three or four pieces, and thrown +overboard to be devoured by its fellows. Many of the Ellice and Tokelau +islanders regard these young sharks as a delicacy, as their flesh is +very tender, and has not the usual unpleasant smell. In one of these +young sea lawyers we found no less than five hooks, with pieces of line +attached; these were duly restored to their owners. + +Another two hours passed, during which we had fairly good sport, then +the rain began to fall so heavily that we gave up for the day. We spent +the first part of the evening in the huts, eating, smoking, and talking, +and overhauling our tackle for the next day. It had been intended that +about midnight we should all go crayfishing in the shallow waters along +the shore of the islets, but this idea had to be abandoned in +consequence of the rain having soaked the coco palms--the dead branches +of which are rolled and plaited into a cylindrical form and used as +torches. The method of catching crayfish is very simple: a number of +men, each carrying a _kaulama_ torch about 6 feet in length in the left +hand, and a small scoop net in the right, walk waist-high through the +water; the crayfish, dazed by the brilliant light, are whipped up into +the nets and dropped into baskets carried by the women and children who +follow. They can only be caught on dark, moonless nights. + + * * * * * + +When we returned to the village our spoils included besides a great +number of fish, a few turtle and some young frigate birds. The latter +were captured for the purpose of being tamed. I made many subsequent +visits to the two islets, sometimes alone and sometimes with my native +friends, and on each occasion I left these lovely little spots with a +keen feeling of regret, for they are ideal resting-places to him who +possesses a love of nature and the soul of a fisherman. + + + + +_Mrs. MacLaggan's "Billy"_ + + +When Tom Denison was quite a young man he was earning a not too +dishonest sort of a living as supercargo of a leaky old ketch owned by +Mrs. Molly MacLaggan of Samoa, which in those days was the Land of +Primeval Wickedness and Original and Imported Sin, Strong Drink, and +Loose Fish generally. Captain "Bully" Hayes also lived in Samoa; his +house and garden adjoined that of Mrs. MacLaggan, and at the back there +was a galvanised iron cottage, inhabited by a drunken French carpenter +named Leger, whose wife was a full-blooded negress, and made kava for +Denison and "Bully" every evening, and used to beat Billy MacLaggan on +the head with a pole about six times a day, and curse him vigorously in +mongrel Martinique French. Billy MacLaggan was Mrs. Molly's male goat, +and as notorious in Samoa as Bully Hayes himself. + +I want to try and tell this story as clearly as possible, but there are +so many people concerned, and so many things which really happened +together, though each one seemed to come before the other a little and +try and get into the general jumble, and every one was so confused, +some fatuous people blaming the goat, and some Denison, who was +generally disliked by the Germans, while Mrs. Molly said it was caused +by the man with the bucket of milk, and Captain Hayes who had bribed him +to do it, and nearly caused bloodshed, as the German officer who was +insulted by Hayes had shot a lot of people in duels, or if he had not +shot them he had stuck his sword into them in fifteen places, more or +less. + +Now let me explain: First of all there was Mrs. Molly, who was the +hostess; then there was Hamilton, the Apia pilot and his wife; the +manager of the big German firm at Matafale (he wore gold spectacles, and +was very fond of Mrs. Molly, who was a widow); then there was Bully +Hayes, and old Coe the American consul, and young Denison; all these +were some of the local guests, and lived in Samoa, the rest were +officers from a German man-of-war lying in port, and the usual +respectable town loafers. Then there were Leger, the bibulous carpenter; +'_Liza,_ his black wife; a white policeman named Thady O'Brien, and a +loafing scoundrel of a Samoan named Mataiasi, called "Matty" for +brevity, who was the public flogger, and milked Mrs. MacLaggan's herd of +seven imported Australian cows; and lastly the goat, and about thirty or +forty of Bully Hayes's crew, and as many Samoans, who came to look at +the dancing and see what they could steal, Leger and his wife and the +policeman and the town flogger had charge of the refreshment tables, +which for the sake of coolness had been laid out upon the wide, back +verandah, and handsomely decorated with pot plants and flags from the +man-of-war, and blanc-manges and jellies, and tipsy cake, and cold roast +pigeons and chickens were lying around as if they weren't worth two +cents. + +The big wholesale store, which formed part of Mrs. Molly's house and +establishment, made a fine ballroom. All the barrels of whisky and +Queensland rum, and the cases of lager beer and Holland's gin, had been +stowed neatly on each side, and covered over with flags and orange +blossoms by Denison and Bully Hayes and his men, and the orange blossoms +killed the smell of the rum so much that strangers would have thought it +was sherry. + +Everything went on beautifully for the first two hours, and then Mrs. +Molly asked Denison to take out a very pretty young half-caste lady and +get her a drink of milk. When they reached the side table where the milk +should have been, they found it all gone; but O'Brien the policeman said +that Mataiasi had just started off to milk another cow. + +Just then Hayes came out to the refreshment tables with a lady on his +arm. She was thirsty, and so "Bully" opened a large bottle of champagne, +and she and he and Denison and the young half-caste lady drank it; then +they drank another, and all went oft together to see Mataiasi milking +the cow, which was tied up to a coconut tree just outside the fence. The +cow was a yellow cow, and was standing very quietly, and just beside her +Billy MacLaggan (who caused all this trouble) was lying down, working +his jaws to and fro and making curious, snorting sounds in the bright +and gorgeous moonlight. I forgot to say that Wm. MacLaggan was the +largest and ugliest goat ever known to the memory of man, and had been +taught every vice and wickedness any goat could be taught, and it is as +natural for a goat to imbibe sin as it is for him to eat a cactus, or a +hedgehog, or a tract. + +Hayes addressed the goat by his Christian name, and asked him how he +did, and Billy looked at Hayes for a second or two out of his green, +sharky eyes, then he rose in a dignified manner, and came over to him to +be scratched under the chin. Then he blew himself out, snorted, and +rubbed his horns against the captain's knee: and Hayes remarked to +Denison that the poor beggar wanted a drink, and proposed to give him a +"proper one." + +The goat knew perfectly well what "drink" meant, and made his vicious +tail quiver; then he followed them back to the house, and stood at the +foot of the steps waiting for Hayes and Tom to come out again. + +On the other side of the courtyard was Mrs. MacLaggan's laundry. The +door was wide open and the place was in darkness, and no one took any +notice when presently Tom sauntered out of the ballroom, picked up a +large plateful of tipsy-cake, and, being kind to animals, gave a piece +to William, who followed him into the laundry for the rest; then Hayes +came in with a quart bottle of champagne, shut the door and struck a +light. Then he opened the bottle of fizz and poured it out into a deep, +enamelled starching-dish, and Billy MacLaggan drank thereof, and then +raised his head, with his immoral-looking beard hanging in a sodden +point like a wet deck-swab, and asked for more. That is, he asked as +well as any Christian and civilised goat could ask, by standing up on +his hind legs like a circus-horse and making strange, unearthly noises. +Then he rammed his wicked old nose into the dish again, and pushed it +all round the room, trying to sop up more liquor, which wasn't there, +and trod on Denison's canvas-slippered foot, and knocked over the little +tin kerosene oil lamp which was standing on the floor, and when Hayes, +with loud and blasphemous remarks grabbed at the ironing-blanket of the +laundry-table to extinguish the flames, he pulled the table down on the +top of Denison and himself and the goat and everything, for the blanket +was nailed on at the four corners, and when he was down on his hands and +knees, the goat being exceedingly alarmed and half-drunk, and smelling +his own hair burning, put his head down and charged at the universe in +general, or anything else he could hit, and he hit Hayes fair on the +temple with a noise like a ship's mainmast going by the board; then the +people outside burst in the door, and the creature, with a bull-like +bellow, charged out among them, and landed his bony head into the +stomach of Mataiasi, who was carrying the bucket of milk, and was afraid +to put it down when he saw him coming; then in some way the handle of +the iron bucket got on Billy MacLaggan's horns, which simply made him +thirst for gore, for he thought he was being made fun of because he was +in liquor. With the bucket swinging and clattering and banging around, +he made a dash up on the verandah, among the pretty muslin-clad ladies +and white-duck suited men, creating havoc and destruction, and smelling +of kerosene and burnt hair and ancient goat, and uttering horrible, +blood-curdling _bah-h-h-s_, till he got into the card-table corner, and +mistaking the wide glass window for an open door, he promptly jumped +through it, and fell with a shower of glass outside on to the verandah +again, where Thady O'Brien and the fat German with the spectacles fell +on him, and tried to hold him down, and the spectacles were ground into +dust and otherwise damaged, and some of the ladies endeavouring to +escape out of the hideous _mélée_ fell with him, and then the goat +struggled to his feet with the bucket squashed flat against his +forehead, and his horns covered with lace, and tulle, and bits of kid +gloves, and planted one of his cloven forefeet into the shirt-front of a +German officer, and smashed his watch. Then with another roar of +defiance he burst through and disappeared into the wilderness at the +back of Mrs. MacLaggan's garden, where he was followed by Leger, the +drunken carpenter, and his wife, and nineteen Samoans, all armed with +rifles. The army fired at him for two hours, and about midnight returned +and reported him riddled with bullets, whereupon Mrs. Molly, who was a +little hysterical at the awful mess and wreckage caused by the brute, +thanked them and gave them ten dollars. + +Now it so happened that Billy MacLaggan was not killed at all, for about +two o'clock in the morning, as Bully Hayes and Tom Denison were sitting +on the verandah of the former's house at Matautu Point, drinking brandy +and soda, and dabbing arnica bandages on their various contusions, Pilot +Hamilton hailed them from the front gate. He had just left the dance +with his wife, and was quite sober--for Samoa. He asked them to come on +with him to his place, as Billy MacLaggan, he said, was lying down in +Mrs. Hamilton's kitchen, and seemed poorly, and that he hoped Hayes +would forgive the poor thing, which was only a dumb animal. So Hayes and +Denison went and saw William, who was now sober and looked sorry. They +dressed his wounds, and Tom Denison took him on board early in the +morning, intending to take him to sea till the memory of his misdeeds +had toned down a bit, for Billy was a great institution in Samoa, and +had many friends. Hardly a white man in the place, no matter how hard up +he was, but would stand Billy a bottle of lager or a chew of tobacco. (I +forgot to mention that Billy would drink anything and chew anything, +except cigarettes, at which he snorted with contempt.) Now Denison's +little vessel was lying quite near the German man-of-war, and was to +sail next day for the Solomons if the captain was sober, and he +(Denison) had a lot of work to do to get the ship ready, and whilst he +was poring over accounts in the cabin about noon, a boat ran alongside +and Bully Hayes came into the cabin. + +"Where's Billy?" he said. "Quick, get him into my boat at once. There's +a search-party coming on board, and the widow is going to give you the +dirty kick-out, Tom Denison. There's been the devil to pay over that +cursed goat, but I'm going to save his life all the same. But if she +does sack you, you can come to me for a berth." + +Billy, who was placidly eating bananas on the main deck, was at once +seized and hoisted over the side into Hayes's boat, which shoved off, +leaving Hayes on board to explain things to Tom. + +It seemed that when the fat German manager--the man with spectacles--I +mean the man who had the spectacles until Billy MacLaggan came in--the +man who was courting Mrs. Molly--fell on the top of the goat, some other +man trod on his face, and Leger (who was not sober enough to tell one +person from another) said that he saw Tom Denison do it. Seven natives, +male and female, swore that at the time alleged Tom was out on the beach +bathing his crushed toe in the salt water, and using solemn British +oaths; but Leger, who disliked Denison, who had once kicked him +overboard violently for being drunk, not only stuck to the story, but +said that Hayes and Tom had set the goat on fire on purpose to break up +the dance and cause annoyance to the Germans present; also he vaguely +hinted that they, Denison and Hayes, would have driven the seven cows +into the ballroom but couldn't find them. Then Mrs. MacLaggan promised +the fat man to sack Denison on the following morning, and at midnight, +as I have said, word was brought in that Billy had been shot. But about +ten in the morning Leger heard from some native that the goat was as +well as ever, and on board Denison's vessel, and being a mean, spiteful +little hound, off he trotted to the German manager, and said that +Captain Hayes and Mr. Denison had rescued the creature. At that very +moment the manager was talking to some German officers, one of whom was +the man whose watch had been smashed, and as every German in Samoa hated +Hayes most fervently, it was at once concluded that Hayes had trained, +or suborned, or bribed, or corrupted the goat to do it. So a young +lieutenant went and called upon Hayes, and demanded satisfaction for his +friend, and Hayes was exceedingly rude to him, but said that if the man +with the broken watch liked to meet Billy MacLaggan with his own +weapons, and fight him in a goatsmanlike manner, for fifty dollars a +side, he (Hayes) would put up Billy's fifty. Then the lieutenant asked +for a written apology for his friend, and Hayes said that Billy couldn't +write, and, anyway, he was Mrs. Molly's goat. If the man with the +smashed nickel wanted an apology, why the blazes didn't he approach Mrs. +MacLaggan? he asked. + +Whilst Hayes was telling all this to Tom, pulling his thick beard and +laughing loudly, as they paced the little vessel's deck, the +search-party came on board to recover the goat. The leader bore a letter +from Mrs. MacLaggan to Tom, informing him that his services as +supercargo were no longer required, also that he could come ashore at +once and be paid off, as his conduct was heartless, and the consuls said +it might lead to serious complications, as it had been done with intent +to insult the citizens of a friendly nation, one of whom, as he was +aware, had made the natives cut down the price of copra half a cent. +Under these circumstances, &c. + +Tom grinned and showed the letter to Hayes. Then he turned to the mate. + +"I've got the sack, Waters. You're in charge of this rotten, filthy old +hooker now until the old man is sober." + +He packed up his traps, went ashore, drew his money from Mrs. +MacLaggan's cashier, and bade him goodbye. + +"Where's the goat, Tom?" + +"On board Bully Hayes' ship. His crool, crool mistress shall see him no +more! Never more shall his plaintive call to his nannies resound o' +nights among the sleeping palm-groves of the Vaisigago Valley; +never----" + +The cashier jumped up out of his chair and seized the dismissed +supercargo by the collar. + +"Stop that bosh, you rattlebrained young ass, and come and take a +farewell drink." + +"Never more will he butt alike the just and the unjust, the fat and +bloated German merchant nor the herring-gutted Yankee skipper, nor the +bare--ah--um--legged Samoan, nor the gorgeous consul in the solar topee. +Gone is the glory of Samoa with Billy MacLaggan. Goodbye for the +present, Wade, old man--I am not so proud of my new dignity--I am to be +supercargo of the brig _Rona_--as to refuse to drink with you, though +you are but a cashier. And give my farewell to the widow, and tell her +that I bear her no ill-will, for I leave a dirty little tub of a +cockroach-infested ketch for a swagger brig, where I shall wear white +suits every day and feel that peace of mind which--" + +"Oh, do dry up, you young beggar," said the good-natured cashier, whose +laughter proved so infectious that Tom joined in. + +"Come then, Wade, just another ere we part." + +Now as these two were drinking in the cashier's office it happened that +Thady O'Brien, the policeman (he was chief of the municipal police, and +fond of drink) saw them, and invited himself to join them and also to +express his sorrow at Denison's "misfortune," as he called it, for +Denison was a lovable sort of youth, and often gave him drink on board. +So they all sat down, Wade in the one chair, and Tom and the policeman +on the table, and had several more drinks, and just then Mrs. MacLaggan +came to the door, holding a note in her hand. She bowed coldly to Tom, +whose three stiff drinks of brandy enabled him to give her a reproachful +glance. + +"Captain Hayes wants to buy one or two of the nanny-goats, to take away +with him to Ponapé, Mr. Wade," she said. "I shall be glad to let him +have them. Please tell Leger and Mataiasi to catch them at once." + +Then Mrs. MacLaggan went away, and Tom and O'Brien went down to the +jetty to wait for a boat to take them on board--Tom to his duty, and +O'Brien because he was thirsty again. Presently Leger and Mataiasi and a +large concourse of native children came down, carrying two female goats, +who, imagining they were to be cast into the sea, began to cry with +great violence, and were immediately answered in a deep voice by Billy +MacLaggan from over the water, whereupon Leger started to run off and +tell Mrs. MacLaggan that Billy was alive, and on board the _Rona_, and +Denison put out his foot and tripped him, and was at once assailed by +Leger's black wife, who hit him on the head with a stick, and then +herself was pushed backwards off the jetty into the water by Mr. +O'Brien, taking several children and one of the goats with her, and in +less than two minutes there was as pretty a fight as ever was seen. +Several native police ran to help their superior officer, and a lot of +dogs came with them; the dogs bit anybody and everybody +indiscriminately, but most of them went for Leger and Denison, who were +lying gasping together on the jetty, striving to murder each other; then +a number of sailors belonging to a whaleship joined in, and tried to +massacre or otherwise injure and generally maltreat the policemen, and +by the time the boat from the _Rona_ came to the rescue the jetty looked +like a battlefield, and one goat was drowned, and the new supercargo was +taken on board to have his excoriations attended to, for he was in a +very bad state. + +That is the end of the story, which I have told in a confused sort of +away, I admit, because there are so many things in it, though I could +tell a lot more about the adventures of Billy MacLaggan, after he went +to sea with Captain Bully Hayes. + + + + +_An Island Memory_ + +CHAPTER I + + +From early dawn wild excitement had prevailed in the great native +village on the shores of Port Lele, and on board two ships which were +anchored on the placid waters of the land-locked harbour. As the fleecy, +cloud-like mist which, during the night, had enveloped the forest-clad +spurs and summit of Mont Buache, was dispelled by the first airs of the +awakened trade wind and the yellow shafts of sunrise, a fleet or canoes +crowded with natives put off from the sandy beach in front of the king's +house, and paddled swiftly over towards the ships, the captains of which +only awaited their arrival to weigh and tow out through the passage. + +As the mist lifted, Cayse, the master of the _Iroquois_ of Sagharbour, +stepped briskly up on the poop, and hailed the skipper of the other +vessel, a small, yellow-painted barque of less than two hundred tons. + +"Are you ready, Captain Ross?" + +"All ready," was the answer; "only waiting for the military," and then +followed a hoarse laugh. + +Cayse, a little, grizzled, and leathern-faced man of fifty, replied by +an angry snarl, then turned to his mate, who stood beside him awaiting +his orders. + +"Get these natives settled down as quickly as possible, Mr. North, then +start to heave-up and loose sails. I reckon we'll tow out in an hour. +The king will be here presently in his own boat. Hoist it aboard." + +North nodded in silence, and was just moving on to the main deck, when +Cayse stopped him. + +"You don't seem too ragin' pleased this mornin', Mr. North, over this +business. Naow, as I told you yesterday, I admire your feelin's on the +subject, but I can't afford--" + +The mate's eyes blazed with anger. + +"And I tell you again that I won't have anything to do with it. I know +my duty, and mean to stick to it. I shipped for a whaling voyage, and +not to help savages to fight. Take my advice and give it up. Money got +in this way will do you no good." + +Cayse shifted his feet uneasily. + +"I can't afford to sling away the chance of earnin' two or three +thousan' dollars so easy. An' you'll hev to do your duty to me. Naow, +look here--" + +North raised his hand. + +"That will do. I have said I will do my duty as mate, but not a hand's +turn will I take in such bloody work as you and the skipper of that +crowd of Sydney cut-throats and convicts are going into for the sake of +six thousand dollars." + +"Well, I reckon we can do without you. Any one would think we was going +piratin', instead of helping the king of this island to his rights. +Naow, just tell me--" + +Again the mate interrupted him. + +"I am going for'ard to get the anchor up, and will obey all your orders +as far as the working of the ship is concerned--nothing more." + +An hour later the two vessels, their decks crowded with three hundred +savages, armed with muskets, spears, and clubs, were towed out through +the narrow, reef-bound passage, and with the now freshening trade wind +filling their sails, set a course along the coast which before sunset +would bring them to Leassé, on the lee side of the island. But +presently, in response to a signal from the _Lucy May_, the whaler lay +to; a boat put off from the smaller ship, and Captain Ross came +alongside, clambered over the bulwarks and joined Cayse and the young +king of Port Lele, who were awaiting him on the poop, to discuss with +him the plan of surprise and slaughter of the offending people of +Leassé. + + * * * * * + +Nearly a week before the _Iroquois_ had run into Port Lele to refresh +before proceeding westward and northward to the Bonin Islands in +pursuance of her cruise. Charlik, the king, was delighted to see Cayse, +for in the days when his father was king the American captain had +conveyed a party of one hundred Strong's Islanders from Port Lele to +MacAskill's Island, landed them in his boats during the night, and stood +off and on till daylight, when they returned reeking from their work of +slaughter upon the sleeping people, and bringing with them some scores +of women and children as captives. For this service the king had given +Cayse half a ton of turtle-shell, and the services of ten young men as +seamen for as long a time as the _Iroquois_ cruised in the Pacific on +that voyage. When Charlik's father was dying, he called his head chiefs +around him, and gave the boy into their care with these words--"Here die +I upon my mat like a woman, long before my time, and to-morrow my spirit +will hear the mocking laughs of the men of Môut and Leassé, when they +say, 'Sikra is dead; Sikra was but an empty boaster.'" + +Then his son spoke. + +"Not many days shall they laugh. They shall be destroyed all, all, all +of them." + +The king touched his son's hand. + +"Those are good words. But be not too hasty. Wait till the American +comes again. He will help with his men and guns. But he is a greedy man. +Yet spare nothing; give him all the silver and gold money I have stored +by for his return, and all the turtle-shell that can be gathered +together. And let there be not even one little child left in Môut or +Leassé." + +Charlik was a lad or seventeen when his savage old father died, and for +a year after his death he harried and distressed his people by his +exactions. All day long the men toiled at making coconut oil, and at +night time they watched along the beaches for the hawk-bill turtle; the +oil they put into huge butts, which stood in the king's boat-sheds, and +the costly turtle-shell was taken by the young ruler and locked up in +the seamen's chests which lined the inside wall of the great +council-house. And no man durst now fire a musket at a wild pig, for +powder and ball had been made _tapu_--such things were given up to the +chiefs, lest they might be wasted, and every morning three young men +climbed up the rugged side of Mont Buache, to keep a look-out for the +ship whose captain would help their master to wreak a bloody vengeance +upon the rebellious people of Leassé. + +At the end of the sixteenth month of watching, a sail appeared coming +from the southward, and the watchers on the mountain-top sped down to +the king's house, and sinking upon their knees in the courtyard of coral +slabs, whispered their news to one of the king's serving-men, who, with +a musket in his hand and a cutlass girt around his naked waist, stood +sentry before the youthful despot's sleeping-room. + +"Good," said the king to Kanka, his head chief; "'tis surely the +American Késa,[13] for this is the month in which he said he would +return. Let the women make ready a great feast, and launch my three +boats, so that if the wind fail, when the sun is high, they may help to +drag the ship into Lele." + +Then came the sound of beating drums, and the long, mournful note of the +conch-shells calling the wild people together to prepare for the ship. +Turtle were lifted from their walled-in prison holes on the reef, hogs +were strangled, and the king's wives went hither and thither among his +slave women, bidding them hasten to kindle the ovens, whilst children +went out into the great canework cage, wherein were hundreds of the +king's wild pigeons, and seizing the birds, began to pluck them alive. + +An hour passed. Charlik, sitting in a European chair, was watching the +wild bustle and excitement around him in the courtyard, when his eye +fell on the three messengers, who, with bent head and bended knees, were +awaiting his further commands. + +Beckoning to a young, light-skinned woman, who stood near him, he bade +her bring him three of his best pearl-shell bonito hooks. They were +brought, and taking them from her, he threw them to the men. + +"Ye have watched well," he said. "There is thy reward. Now go and eat +and sleep." + +With eyes sparkling with pleasure, the young men each took up his +precious gift, and with crouching forms crept slowly over to the further +side of the courtyard, where they were waited upon by women with food. + +Presently the fair young woman--his sister Sè--returned to her brother's +side. + +"The ship is near," she said, and then her voice faltered; "but it is +not the ship of Késa. It is but a small ship, and she hath but two +boats. Késa's had five." + +"What lies are these?" said the young savage fiercely. "Go look again." + +The girl left him, to return a few minutes later with grey-headed old +Kanka, who in response to an inquiring look from his master, bent his +head and said slowly-- + +"'Tis a strange ship--one that never before have we seen in Lele." + +The youth made him no answer. He merely raised his arm and pointed his +finger at the three messengers. + +"Then they have lied to me. Bring them here to me." + +Kanka stepped over to where the fated men were sitting. They rose at his +behest, and crept over to the king; behind them, at some invisible sign +given by him, followed a man with a heavy club of _toa_ wood. The +clamour which had filled the courtyard ceased, and terrified silence +fell. One by one the messengers knelt upon the coral flags--no need for +them to ask for mercy from Charlik, the savage son of a bloodstained +father. The bearer of the club held the weapon knob downward, and +watched the king's face for the signal of death. He nodded, and then, +one after another of the men were struck and fell prone upon the stones. +With scowling eyes Charlik regarded them for a moment or two in silence, +then he turned unconcernedly away, as some of his slaves came forward +and carried the bodies out of sight. + +Suddenly he sprang to his feet, as a loud, long cry, first from a single +throat, and then echoed and reechoed by a hundred more, came upward from +the beach. + +"A ship! A ship! Another ship! The ship of Késa!" + +Bidding his sister and the old chief Kanka to come with him, Charlik +quickly left the house, and walking through a grove of breadfruit trees, +reached a spot from where he had a full view of the open sea. There +right in the passage was a small barque; and, almost within hail, and +just rounding the northern horn of the reef was a larger vessel, one +glance at which told Charlik that it was the American whaler for which +he had so long waited. In less than an hour they were at anchor abreast +of the king's house, and the two captains were being rowed ashore. They +met on the beach. The master of the smaller vessel was a tall, +broad-shouldered man, armed with a pair of pistols and a cutlass. +Striding over the sand he held out his hand to the American. + +"Good day. My name's Ross, barque _Lucy May_, of Sydney, from the New +Hebrides to Hong Kong with sandalwood." + +"Glad to meet ye. My name is Cayse, ship _Iroquois_, bound on a sperm +whalin' cruise." + +Further speech was denied them, for suddenly the thronging and excited +natives around them drew aside right and left as Charlik, with a face +beaming with smiles, came up to Cayse with outstretched hand, and +greeted him warmly in English. Then he turned quickly to the Englishman +and shook hands with him also, and asked him from whence he came. + +"From Sydney. I came here to get wood, water, and provisions." + +"Good. You can get all you want. Have you muskets and bullets to sell?" + +"I can spare you some." + +"Ah, that is good. I want plenty, plenty. Now come to my house and eat +and drink; then we can talk." + +It was well on towards sunset before Charlik and Cayse had finished +their talk. Ross meanwhile had gone on board the barque for some +firearms which he was giving the king in exchange for several boatloads +of provisions. When he returned, with two of his crew carrying six +muskets, a keg of powder, and a bag of bullets, Cayse met him on the +threshold of the king's house. + +"Come inside, mister. The king wants to talk to you on a matter of +business. I reckon you an' me together can do what he wants done. But +jest come along with me first. I want to show you the kind of fellow he +is when he gets upset." + +The master of the sandalwooder followed the American across the wide +courtyard to some native houses. Stopping in front of one, from which +the low murmur of women's voices, broken now and then by a wailing cry, +proceeded, he desired Ross to look in through the doorway. A small fire +of coconut shells was burning in the centre of the room, and _by_ its +light Ross saw several women crouched round the bodies of three men, +performing the last offices for the dead. They looked at the white +strangers with apathetic indifference, but ceased their labours whilst +Ross bent down and examined the still faces. His scrutiny was brief, +but it was enough. + +Cayse gave a sniggering laugh. "I reckon you'll feel sorter startled, +mister, when I tell you that you were the cause of those men getting +clubbed, hey?" + +Ross frowned angrily. "What are you driving at? What the devil had I to +do with it?" + +"On'y this. You see I'm the white-headed boy with this young island +cock, an' he's been expectin' to see the _Iroquois_ for quite a time. +Your barque happened to heave in sight first, an' these three fellows +who were standin' mast-head watch up thar on the mountain, came tearin' +down an' reported that it was my old hooker. Charlik bein' a most +impatient young fellow, had 'em clubbed on the spot; he should hev +waited another five minutes. Come on, he's ready to talk business with +us now." + +In the centre of the big council room Charlik, attended by his sister, +was seated upon a mat. A couple of brightly burning ship's lanterns +suspended from the beams overhead, revealed the figures of a score of +armed natives, seated with their backs to the canework walls of the +room; midway between them and the young king were two seamen's chests, +beside which crouched the half-naked, tatooed form or old Kanka. + +Followed by the sailors carrying the muskets, the two captains walked +over the soft, springy floor of mats, and seated themselves facing the +young man. His eye lit up at the sight of the arms, and then he desired +Ross to tell his men to withdraw. Then as the sound of their footsteps +died away, he looked at Cayse and said briefly-- + +"Go on, capèn. You talk." + +Cayse went into the subject at once. + +"Captain Ross, do you want to earn three thousand dollars?" + +"Don't mind." + +"Neither do I. Well, just listen. The king here has three thousand +dollars in cash and three thousand dollars' worth of coconut ile and +turtle-shell. Now, if you and I will help him to do a bit of fightin' +it's ours. The money and shell is here in this room, the ile is in the +sheds near by. If you agree, the king will hand us over the money now, +and we can ship the ile in the morning." + +Ross thought a moment, then he said suspiciously-- + +"Why are you giving me a chance?" + +"Not from any feelin' of affection for you, mister," answered Cayse with +his peculiar snarl, "but because I ain't able to do the whole business +myself--if I could I wouldn't ask _you_ to come in. Now, I noticed this +mornin' that you carry a big crew, and have six guns, and I reckon thet +you hev to use 'em sometimes in your business?" + +Ross laughed grimly. "All of us sandalwooding ships carry a few +nine-pounders as well as plenty of small arms. We are allowed to do so +by the Governor of New South Wales." + +"Just so. Well, now, listen. This island is governed by two chiefs; +this one here, Charlik, has most people, but the other lot, who live on +the lee side of the island, rebelled against his father more'n ten years +ago. They've had a good many fights, an' in the last one these Lele +people got badly whipped. Charlik is the proper king, but ever since a +white man named Ledyard went to live with the Leassé people, they've +refused to pay tribute. This Ledyard is the cause of all the trouble, +and he has taught his natives how to fight European fashion. There's +only about six hundred of 'em altogether--men, women, and +children--eh, Charlik?" + +The young chief nodded in assent. + +"Now, by a bit of luck, news came up the other day by one of Charlik's +spies that Ledyard has gone away to Ponapé in a cutter he has built. It +will take him two or three weeks to go there and back, and now is the +time for Charlik to wipe out old scores--the Leassé people won't stand +much of a chance agin' a night attack by three hundred of Charlik's +people. If Ledyard was there it would be different." + +Ross soon made his decision. He was a man utterly without pity, and +Cayse who, while inciting others to slaughter for the sake of his own +gain, yet had some grains of compunction in his nature, almost shuddered +when the master of the _Lucy May_ laughed hoarsely and said-- + +"It's a bargain--just the thing that my crowd could tackle and carry +through themselves. Two voyages ago me and my beauties wiped out every +living soul on one of the Cartaret's Islands. I'll tell you the yarn +some day. But look here, king, can't we make another deal about the +women and children. Let me keep as many of them as I have room for +aboard, and I'll pay for them in muskets and powder and bullets." + +"What do you want with them?" + +"Sell them to old Abba Dul, the king of the Pelews. I've done business +with him before." + +Charlik called Kanka over to him, and the two spoke in low tones. Then +the young ruler of Lele shook his head. + +"No. There must be but one left to live--the white man's wife. Now we +shall count this money." + +The boxes were carried over directly under the rays of the lamps and +opened, the bags containing the money lifted out, the coins counted, and +then evenly divided between the two wolves. + +On the following morning the casks of oil were rolled down to the beach +and rafted off to the two ships, and before dawn, on the fourth day, +Ross and his fellow-ruffian sent word ashore to the king that all was +ready, and that he and his fighting men could come on board at once and +proceed on their dreadful mission. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +As the two captains and their ferocious young employer sat on the +snow-white poop of the _Iroquois_ and discussed the plan of attack, the +ship and barque kept closely together, so closely that North, who had +not yet placed foot on board the sandalwooder, had now an opportunity of +looking down upon her decks, and watching the actions of those who +manned her. A more ragged and desperate looking lot of ruffians he had +never seen in his life; and their wild, unkempt appearance was in +perfect accord with the _Lucy May_ herself, whose dirty, yellow sides +were stained from stem to stern with long streaks and broad patches of +iron-rust. Aloft she was in as equally a bad condition, and North and +his fellow-officers, used to the trimness and unceasing care of a +whaleship's sails and running gear, looked with contempt at the disorder +and neglect everywhere visible. On deck, however, some attempt at +setting things ship-shape were being made by the two mates and +boatswain, the six guns were being overhauled, and a pile of muskets +lying on the main hatch were being examined and passed up to the poop +one by one, to old Kanka, who was in command of the contingent of Lele +natives on board the barque. Similar preparations with small arms were +being made on board the _Iroquois_ by her crew which, largely composed +of Chilenos, Portuguese, and Polynesians, had eagerly accepted the offer +of twenty dollars for each man for a few hours' fighting. North alone +had spoken against and tried to dissuade his fellow-officers from taking +any active part in the expedition, but his remonstrances fell upon +unheeding ears. The details of the scheme to surprise the unsuspecting +inhabitants of the two villages had filled him with unutterable horror +and indignation, and all sorts of wild plans formed in his brain to +prevent the accomplishment of the cruel deed. For the consequences of +such interference to himself he cared nothing. He was alone in the +world, and had no thought beyond that of making enough money to enable +him to one day buy a ship of his own. Once, as he passed the trio on the +poop, and glanced at the smooth, olive-coloured features of the young +king, who, with anticipative zest, was fondling a rifle which Ross had +brought on board for him, he felt inclined to whip a belaying-pin out of +the rail and bring it crashing down upon his skull. Had there been any +other ship but the _Lucy May_ near, he would have left the _Iroquois_ +that moment. But help was coming to his troubled mind. + +An hour before sunset the two vessels ran into a little harbour, then +called Port Lottin, but now known as South Harbour by the few wandering +whalers which sometimes touch at the island. Here, ere it became dark, +the natives, with fourteen of the _Lucy May's_ crew under Ross, were +landed. They were to march at early morning, cross the mountain range +which intervened between South Harbour and Leassé, and then, hidden by +the dense forest, await the appearance of the ships off the doomed +villages on the following afternoon. The six boats--two from the _Lucy +May_ and four from the _Iroquois_--were to pull ashore as soon as the +ships were off Leassé and take up positions, three to the north and +three to the south, so as to cut off all who attempted to escape along +the beaches from the attack which would be made by Ross. Charlik was to +command one of the boat parties, Cayse the other, and should any canoes +with fugitives attempt to gain the open sea, they were to be sunk by the +_Lucy May's_ guns, for she was to anchor in such a position that an +escaping canoe would have to pass within fifty yards of her. + + * * * * * + +Eight bells had struck, and North, who had declined to join the captain +and his fellow-officers at supper, was sitting in his cabin smoking and +listening to the soft hum of the surf on the barrier reef a mile away. +On deck all was quiet, only the fourth mate and three of the hands were +keeping watch, the rest of the crew who were not turned in had gone +ashore to witness a dance given by King Charlik's warriors. + +Suddenly he heard a footfall on the cabin deck, and then some one said +in a low voice-- + +"May I come in, sir?" + +North, recognising the voice as that of a young man named Macy, his own +harpooner, at once bade him enter. + +Macy, a sunburnt, blue-eyed youth, closed the cabin door behind him, and +held up his finger to enjoin silence. + +"I've only just now heard, sir, that you will not take a hand in this +work which is going on. Neither will I, sir; for those damned savages +are going to kill all the poor women and children. I've come to ask you +what I'm to do if I'm ordered away in the boat? My God! Mr. North, must +we all be turned into a gang of murderers like those fellows on the +_Lucy May!_" + +The officer shook the young seaman's hand. "I for one will have no hand +in it, my lad; and I wish there were more of us on board of our way of +thinking. I wish we could leave the ship. I would rather die of thirst +on the open ocean ... Macy, my lad, will you stand to me?" + +"Stand to you, sir! Aye, Mr. North. If you mean to take to our boat, +sir, I am with you." + +"No," answered North in a whisper. "That, after all, would only save us +two from being mixed up in this murderous business--I want to prevent it +altogether. Have you heard how far it is across the island to this place +Leassé?" + +"Seven miles, sir, over the mountains." + +"And twenty by the boats! Macy, I am determined to leave the ship +to-night, cut across the island, and save the poor people from massacre. +Will you come? We may pay for it with our lives." + +The harpooner raised his rough hand. "We must all die some day, sir." + +For some minutes they conversed in whispered tones; then Macy slipped on +deck, and North took his pistols from their racks, filled his coat +pockets with ammunition, and then followed him. His own boat was lying +astern. + +Telling the cooper, who was the only one of the afterguard on deck, that +he was going ashore to look at the dance, and that only Macy and another +hand need come with him, North ordered the boat to be hauled alongside. +A quarter of an hour later he and Macy stepped out upon the shore under +the shadow of a high bluff, and quite out of view from Ross and his +party, although the many camp-fires cast long lines of light across the +sleeping waters of the little harbour. + +Informing the boat-keeper that they should return in a couple of hours, +the two men first walked along the beach in the direction of the +encampment. Then once out of sight from the boat, they struck inland +into a deep valley through which, Macy said, a narrow track led up to +the range, and then downwards to the two villages. After a careful +search the track was found, and the bright stars shining through the +canopy of leaves overhead gave them sufficient light to pursue their +way. For two hours they toiled along through the silent forest, hearing +no sound except now and then the affrighted rush of some startled wild +boar, and, far distant, the dull cry of the ever-restless breakers upon +the coral reef. At last the summit of the range was reached, and they +sat down to rest upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves which covered +the ground. Here North took a spirit-flask from his jacket, and Macy and +he drank in turns. + +"Do you know, sir," said Macy, as he returned the flask to the officer, +"that there's a white man living at this village?" + +"He's not there now, Macy. He's gone away to another island in his +cutter." + +"I know that, sir. I've heard all about it from one of the chaps on the +_Lucy May_. The man's name is Ledyard, and this young devil's-limb of a +king hates him like poison--for two reasons. One is, that Ledyard, who +settled in Leassé a few years ago, taught the people there how to use +their muskets in a fight, when Charlik's father tried to destroy them +time and again; the other is that his wife is a white woman--or almost a +white woman, a Bonin Island Portuguese--and Charlik means to get her. +When Ledyard comes back in his cutter he will walk into a trap, and be +killed as soon as he steps ashore." + +North struck his hand upon the ground. "And to think that I have sailed +with such a villain as Cayse, who--" + +"That's not all. Ledyard has two children. Charlik has given orders for +them to be killed, as he says he only wants the woman! Ross, I believe, +wanted him to spare 'em, but the young cut-throat said 'No.' I heard all +this from two men--the chap from the _Lucy May_ and one of Charlik's +fighting men, who speaks English and seems to have a soft place in his +heart for Ledyard." + +The mate of the _Iroquois_ sprang to his feet. "The cold-blooded +wretches! Come on, Macy. We _must_ get there in time." + +For another two hours they made steady progress through the darkened +forest aisles, and then as they emerged out upon a piece of open +country, they saw far beneath them the gleaming sea. And here, amidst a +dense patch of pandanus palms, the path they had followed came to an +end. Pushing their way through the thorny leaves, which tore the skin +from their hands and faces, Macy exclaimed excitedly-- + +"We're all right, sir. I can see a light down there. It must be a fire +on the beach." + +Heedless of the unknown dangers of the deep descent, and every now and +then tripping and falling over the roots of trees and fallen timber, +they again came out into the open, and there, two hundred feet below +them, they saw the high-peaked, saddle-backed houses of Leassé village +standing clearly out in the starlight. But at this point their further +progress was barred by a cliff, which seemed to extend for half a mile +on both sides of them. Cautiously feeling their way along its ledge they +sought in vain for a path. + +"We must hail them, Macy. There will be sure to be plenty of them who +can speak a little English and show us the way to get down." + +Returning as quickly as possible to the spot immediately over the +village, the officer gave a long, loud hail. + +"_Below there, you sleepers!_" + +The hoarse, shrieking notes of countless thousands of roosting +sea-birds, as they rose in alarm from their perches in the forest trees, +mingled with the barking of dogs from the village, and then came a wild +cry of alarm from a human throat. + +Waiting for a few moments till the clamour had somewhat subsided, the +two men again hailed in unison. + +"_Below there! Awake, you sleepers!_" + +Another furious outburst of yelping and barking--through which ran the +quavering of voices of the affrighted natives--smote the stillness of +the night. Then the bright light of torches of coconut leaves flashed +below, nude figures ran swiftly to and fro among the houses, and then +came a deep-voiced answering hail in English-- + +"_Hallo there! Who hails_?" + +"Two white men," was the officer's quick reply. "We cannot get down. +Bear a hand with a torch; we have lost the track." Then as something +flashed across his mind, he added, "Who are you? Are you a white man?" + +"Yes. I am Tom Ledyard." + +"Thank God for that! Send a light quickly. You and your people are in +deadly danger." + +In a few minutes the waiting men saw the gleam of torches amid the trees +to their right, and presently a tall, bearded, white man appeared, +followed by half a dozen natives. All were armed with muskets, whose +barrels glinted and shone in the firelight. + +Springing forward to meet him, North told his story in as few words as +possible. + +Ledyard's dark face paled with passion. "By heaven, they shall get a +bloody welcome! Now, come, sir; follow me. You must need rest badly." + +As they passed through the village square, now lit up by many fires and +filled with alarmed natives, Ledyard called out in his deep tones-- + +"Gather ye together, my friends. The son of the Slaughterer is near. +Send a man fleet of foot to Môut and bid him tell Nena, the chief, and +his head men to come to my house quickly, else in a little while our +bones will be gnawed by Charlik's dogs." + +Then with North and Macy besides him, he entered his house, the largest +in the village. A woman, young, slender, and fair-skinned, met them at +the door. Behind her were some terrified native women, one of whom +carried Ledyard's youngest child in her arms. + +"'Rita, my girl," said Ledyard, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder +and speaking in English, "these are friends. They have come to warn us. +That young hell-pup, Charlik, is attacking us tomorrow. But quick, girl, +get something for these gentlemen to eat and drink." + +But North and the harpooner were too excited to eat, and, seated +opposite their host, they listened eagerly to him as he told them of his +plans to repel the attack; of the bitter hatred that for ten years had +existed between the people of Leassé and the old king; and then--he set +his teeth--how that Sé, the friendly sister of the young king, had once +sent a secret messenger to him telling him to guard his wife well, for +her brother had made a boast that when Leassé and Môut were given to the +flames only Cerita should be spared. + +"Then, ten days ago, Mr. North, thinking that this young tiger-cub +Charlik knew that these people here were well prepared to resist an +attack, I left in my cutter on a trading voyage to Ponapé. Three days +out the vessel began to make water so badly that I had to beat back. I +only came ashore yesterday." + +He rose and walked to and fro, muttering to himself. Then he spoke +again. + +"Mr. North, and you, my friend"--turning to Macy--"have saved me and +those I love from a sudden and cruel death. What can I do to show my +gratitude? You cannot now return to your ship; will you join your +fortunes with mine? I have long thought of leaving this island and +settling in Ponapé. There is money to be made there. Join me and be my +partners. My cutter is now hauled up on the beach--if she were fit to go +to sea we could leave the island to-night. But that cannot be done. It +will take me a week to put her in proper repair--and to-morrow we must +fight for our lives." + +North stretched out his hand. "Macy and I will stand by you, Ledyard. We +do not want to ever put foot again on the deck of the _Iroquois_." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +The story of that day of bloodshed and horror, when Charlik and his +white allies sought to exterminate the whole community, cannot here be +told in _all_ its dreadful details. Seventy years have come and gone +since then, and there are but two or three men now living on the island +who can speak of it with knowledge as a tale of "the olden days when we +were heathens." Let the rest of the tale be told in the words of one of +those natives of Leassé, who, then a boy, fought side by side with +Ledyard, North, and Macy. + + * * * * * + +"The sun was going westward in the sky when the two ships rounded the +point and anchored in what you white men now call Coquille Harbour. We +of Leassé, who watched from the shore, saw six boats put off, filled +with men. There pulled inside the reef, and went to the right towards +Môut; three went to the left. Letya (Ledyard), with the two white +strangers who had come to him in the night, and two hundred of our men, +had long before gone into the mountains to await Charlik and his +fighting men, and their white friends. They--Letya and the Leassé +people--made a trap for Charlik's men in the forest. Charlik himself was +in the boats with the other white men. He wanted to see the people of +Leassé and Môut driven into the water, so that he might shoot at them +with a new rifle which Késa or the other ship captain--I forget +which--had given to him. But he wanted most of all to get Cerita, the +wife of Letya, the white man. Only Cerita was to live. These were +Charlik's words. He did not know that her husband had returned from the +sea. Had he known that, he would not have given all his money and all +his oil to the two white captains to help him to make Leassé and Môut +desolate and give our bones to his dogs to eat. + +"It was a great trap--the trap prepared by Letya; and Charlik's men and +the white men with them fell in it. They fell as a stone falls in a deep +well, and sinks and is no more seen of men. + +"This was the manner of the trap: The path down the cliff was between +two high walls of rock; at the foot of the cliff was a thick clump of +high pandanus trees growing closely together. In between these trees +Letya built a high barrier of logs, encompassing the outlet of the path +to Leassé. This barrier was a half circle; the two ends touched the edge +of the cliff, and the centre was hidden among the pandanus trees. On the +top of this barrier the men of Leassé waited with loaded muskets; lower +down on the ground were others, they too had loaded muskets. On the top +of the cliff where the path led down, fifty men were hidden. They were +hidden in the thick scrub which we call _oap. Oap_ is a good thing in +which to hide from an enemy, and then spring from and slay him suddenly. + +"I, who was then a boy, saw all this. I heard Letya, our white man, tell +the head of our village that Charlik's men would enter into the trap and +perish. Then kava was made, and Letya and the head men drank. Kava is +good, but rum is better to make men fight. We had no rum, but we had +great love for Letya and his wife, and his two children, and great hate +for Charlik. So we said, 'If this is death, it is death,' and every man +went to his post--some to the barrier at the foot of the cliff, and some +to the thicket of _oap_ on the summit. Cerita, the wife of Letya the +Englishman, was weeping. She was weeping because Nená, the chief of +Môut, was waiting in the house to kill her if her husband should be +slain. But she did not weep because of the fear of death; it was for her +children she wept. That is the way of women. What is the life of a child +to the life of a man? + +"Nená was my father's brother. He was a brave man, but was too old to +fight, for his eyes were dimmed by many years. So he sat beside Cerita +and her two children, with a long knife in his hand and waited. He +covered his face with a mat and waited. It was right for him to do this, +for Letya was a great man; and his wife, although she was a foreigner, +was an honoured woman. Therefore though Nená might not look upon her +face at other times, he could kill her if Letya said she must die. This +was quite right and correct. A wife must be guided by her husband and do +what is right and correct, and avoid scandal. + +"For many hours the women in the houses waited in silence. Then suddenly +they heard the thunder of two hundred guns, and the roaring of voices, +then more muskets. They ran out of the houses and looked up to the +cliff, and lo! the sky was bright as day, for when Charlik's people and +the white men walked into the trap in the darkness, Letya and our people +set alight great heaps of dry leaves and scrub, which were placed all +along the barrier of logs. This was done so that they could see better +to shoot. There were thirty or forty of Charlik's men killed by that +volley. The white man who was leading them was very brave; he tried to +climb over the barrier, but fell back dead, for a man named Sru thrust a +whale-lance into his heart. All this time the other white men and the +rest of Charlik's people were firing their muskets, but their bullets +only hit the heavy logs of the barrier, and Letya and our people killed +them very easily by putting their muskets through the spaces. When the +sailors saw their captain fall, they tried to run away, and the Lele +warriors ran with them. But when they reached the path which led up +between the cliff, it too was blocked, and many of them became jammed +together between the walls, and these were all killed very easily--some +with bullets, and some with big stones. Then those that were left ran +round and found inside the trap, trying to get out. They were like rats +in a cask, and our people kept killing them as they ran. Some of +them--about thirty--did climb over, but all were killed, for when they +jumped down on the other side our people were there waiting. At last +four of the sailors made a big hole by tearing out two posts, and rushed +out, followed by the Lele men. Letya was the first man to meet the +sailors, and he told them to surrender. Two of them threw down their +arms, but the other two ran at Letya, and one of them ran his cutlass +into him. It went in at the stomach, and Letya fell. We killed all these +white sailors, but some of the Lele men escaped. That was a great pity, +but then how can these things be helped?" The two strange white men who +were fighting beside Le|tya, picked him up, and they carried him into +his house. He was not dead, but he said, 'I shall soon die, take me to +my wife.' I did not go with them to the house. I went into the barrier +with the other youths to kill the wounded. It is a foolish thing not to +kill wounded men; they may get better and kill you. So we killed them. +There were fourteen white men slain in that fight beside their captain. + +"Before it was daylight some of our men set out along the beach to look +for the boats. They did not want to kill any more white men, but they +did want to kill Charlik. They were very fortunate, for before they had +gone far on their way they saw three of the boats coming along close in +to the beach. So they hid behind some rocks. Charlik was in the first +boat; he was standing in the bow pointing out the way. When he came very +close they all fired together, and Charlik's life was gone. He fell dead +into the sea. Then the boats all turned seaward, and pulled hard for the +ships. Then before long, we saw the other three boats going back to the +ships; in these last were four of Charlik's men who had escaped. The +boats were quickly pulled up, and the ships sailed away, for those on +board were terrified when they heard that all the white men they had +sent to fight were dead. + +"Letya did not die at once--not for two days. Cerita his wife and two +white men watched beside him all this time. Before he died he called the +head men to him, and said that he gave his small ship to the two white +men, together with many other things. All his money he gave to his wife, +and told her she must go away with the white men, who would take her +back to her own people. To the head men he gave many valuable things, +such as tierces of tobacco and barrels of powder. This was quite right +and proper, and showed he knew what was correct to do before he died. We +buried him on the little islet over there called Bèsi. + +"The two white men and Cerita and her two children went away in the +little ship. But they did not go to Cerita's country: they remained at +Ponapé, and there the tall man of the two--the officer--married Cerita. +All this we learnt a year afterwards from the captain of a whaling ship. +It was quite right and proper for Letya's widow to marry so quickly, and +to marry the man who had been a friend to her husband." + + + + +_A Hundred Fathoms Deep_ + + +There is still a world or discovery open to the ichthyologist who, in +addition to scientific knowledge, is a lover of deep-sea fishing, has +some nerve, and is content to undergo some occasional rough experiences, +if he elects to begin his researches among the many island groups of the +North and South Pacific. I possessed, to some extent, the two latter +qualifications; the former, much to my present and lasting regret, I did +not. Nearly twenty-six years ago the vessel in which I sailed as +supercargo was wrecked on Strong's Island, the eastern outlier of the +fertile Caroline Archipelago, and for more than twelve months I devoted +the greater part of my time to traversing the mountainous island from +end to end, or, accompanied by a hardy and intelligent native, in +fishing, either in the peculiarly-formed lagoon at the south end, or two +miles or so outside the barrier reef. + +The master of the vessel, I may mention, was the notorious, over +maligned, and genial Captain Bully Hayes, and from him I had learnt a +little about some of the generally unknown deep-sea fish of Polynesia +and Melanesia. He had told me that when once sailing between Aneityum +and Tanna, in the New Hebrides, shortly after a severe volcanic eruption +on the former island had been followed by a submarine convulsion, his +brig passed through many hundreds of dead and dying fish of great size, +some of which were of a character utterly unknown to any of his native +crew--men who came from all parts of the North and South Pacific. More +remarkable still, some of these fish had never before been seen by the +inhabitants of the islands near which they were found. There were, he +said, some five or six kinds, but they were all of the groper family. +One of three which was brought on board was discovered floating on the +surface when the ship was five miles off Tanna. A boat was lowered, but +on getting up to it, the crew found they were unable to lift it from the +water; it was, however, towed to the ship, hoisted on board, and cut +into three parts, the whole of which were weighed, and reached over 300 +lbs. In colour it was a dull grey, with large, closely-adhering scales +about the size of a florin; the fins, tail, and lips were blue. Another +one, weighing less, had a differently-shaped head, with a curious, +pipe-like mouth; this was a uniform dull blue. A similar upturning from +the ocean's dark depths of strange fish occurred during a submarine +earthquake near Rose Island, a barren spot to the south-west of Samoa. +The disturbance threw up vast numbers of fish upon the reefs of Manua, +the nearest island of the group, and the natives looked upon their great +size and peculiar appearance with unbounded astonishment. + +Without desiring to bore the reader with unnecessary details of my own +experiences in the South Seas, but because the statement bears on the +subject of this article--a subject which has been my delight since I was +a boy of ten years of age--I may say that, nine years after the loss of +Captain Hayes's vessel on Strong's Island, I was again shipwrecked on +Peru, one of the Gilbert, or, as we traders call them, the "Line" +Islands. Here I was so fortunate as to take up my residence with one of +the local traders, a Swiss named Frank Voliero, who was an ardent +deep-sea fisherman, and whose catches were the envy and wonder of the +wild and intractable natives among whom he lived; for he had excellent +tackle, which enabled him to fish at depths seldom tried by the natives, +who have no reason to go beyond sixty or eighty fathoms. In the long +interval that had elapsed since my fishing days in the Carolines and my +arrival at Peru Island, I had gained such experience in my hobby in many +other parts of the Pacific as falls to few men, and the desire to fish +in deep water, and get something that astonished the natives of the +various islands, had become a passion with me. Voliero and myself went +out together frequently, and, did space permit, I should like to +describe the fortune that attended us at Peru, as well as my fishing +adventures at Strong's Island. + +In a former work I have endeavoured to describe that extraordinary +nocturnal-feeding fish, the _palu_, and the manner of its capture by +the Malayo-Polynesian islanders of the Equatorial Pacific, and in the +present article I shall try to convey to my readers an idea of deep-sea +fishing in the South Seas generally. When I was living on the little +island of Nanomaga (one of the Ellice Group, situated about 600 miles to +the north-west of Samoa), as the one resident trader, I found myself +in--if I may use the term--a marine paradise, as far as fishing went. +The natives were one and all expert fishermen, extremely jealous of +their reputation of being not only the best and most skilful men in +Polynesia in the handling of their frail canoes in a heavy surf, but +also of being deep-learned in the lore of deep-sea fishing. + +My arrival at the island caused no little commotion among the young +bloods, each of whose chances of gaining the girl of his heart, and +being united to her by the local Samoan missionary teacher, depended in +a great measure upon his ability to provide sustenance for her from the +sea; for Nanomaga, like the rest of the Ellice Group, is but little more +than a richly-verdured sandbank, based upon a foundation of coral, and +yielding nothing to its people but coconuts and a coarse species of +taro, called puraka. The inhabitants, in their low-lying atolls, possess +no running streams, no fertile soil, in which, as in the mountainous +isles of Polynesia, the breadfruit, the yam, and the sweet potato grow +and flourish side by side with such rich and luscious fruits as the +orange and banana, and pineapple--they have but the beneficent coconut +and the evergiving sea to supply their needs. And the sea is kind to +them, as Nature meant it to be to her own children. + +The native missionary at Nanomaga was a Samoan. He was intended by +nature to be a warrior, a leader of men; or--and no higher praise can I +give to his dauntless courage--a boat-header on a sperm whaler. Strong +of arm and quick of eye, he was the very man to either throw the harpoon +or deal the death-giving thrust or the lance to the monarch of the ocean +world; but fate or circumstance had made him a missionary instead. He +was a fairly good missionary, but a better fisherman. + +Three miles from Nanomaga is a submerged reef, marked on the chart as +the Grand Coral Reef, but known to the natives as Tia Kau, "the reef." +It is in reality a vast mountain of coral, whose bases lie two hundred +fathoms deep, with a flattened summit of about fifty acres in extent, +rising to within five fathoms of the surface of the sea. This spot is +the resort of incredible numbers of fish, both deep-sea haunting and +surface swimming. Some of the latter, such as the _pala_ (not the +_palu_)--a long, scaleless, beautifully-formed fish, with a head of bony +plates and teeth like a rip-saw--are of great size, and afford splendid +sport, as they are game fighters and almost as powerful as a porpoise. +They run to over 100 lbs., and yet are by no means a coarse fish. In the +shallow water on the top of this mountain reef there are some eight or +nine varieties of rock cod, none of which were of any great size; but +far below, at a depth of from fifty to seventy fathoms, there were some +truly monstrous fish of this species, and I and my missionary friend had +the luck to catch the four largest ever taken--221 lbs., 208 lbs., 118 +lbs., and 111 lbs. I had caught when fishing for schnapper, in thirty +fathoms off Camden Haven, on the coast of New South Wales, a mottled +black and grey rock cod, which weighed 83 lbs., and was assured by the +Sydney Museum authorities that such a weight for a rock cod was rare in +that part of the Pacific, but that _bêche-de-mer_ fishermen on the Great +Barrier Reef had occasionally captured fish of the same variety of +double that size and weight. + +Not possessing a boat, we fished from a canoe--a light, but strong and +beautifully constructed craft, with "whalebacks" fore and aft to keep it +from being swamped by seas when facing or running from a surf. The +outrigger was formed of a very light wood, called _pua_, about fourteen +inches in circumference. With the teacher and myself there usually went +with us a third man, whose duty it was to keep the canoe head to wind, +for anchoring in deep water in such a tiny craft was out of the +question, as well as dangerous, should a heavy fish or a shark get foul +of the outrigger. Capsizes in the daytime we did not mind, but at night +numbers of grey sharks were always cruising around, and they were then +especially savage and daring. + +Leaving the pretty little village, which was embowered in a palm grove +on the lee side of the island, we would, if intending to fish on the Tia +Kau, make a start before dawn, remain there till the canoe was loaded to +her raised gunwale pieces with the weight of fish, and then return. +Night fishing on the Tia Kau by a single canoe was forbidden by the +_kaupule_ (head men) as being too dangerous on account of the sharks, +and so usually from ten to twenty canoes set out together. If one did +come to grief through being swamped, or capsized by having the outrigger +fouled by a shark, there was always assistance near at hand, and it +rarely happened that any of the crew were bitten. In 1872, however, a +fearful tragedy occurred on the Tia Kau, when a party of seventy +natives--men, women, and children--who were crossing to the neighbouring +Island of Nanomea, were attacked by sharks when overtaken on the reef by +a squall at night. Only two escaped to tell the tale.[14] + +If, however, we meant to try for _takuo_, a huge variety of the +mackerel-tribe, or _lahe'u_, a magnificent bream-shaped fish, we had no +need to go so far as the dangerous Tia Kau; three or four cable-lengths +from the beach, and right in front of the village, we could lie in water +as smooth as glass, and seventy fathoms in depth. Our bait was +invariably flying-fish, freshly caught, or the tentacles of an octopus. +My lines were of white American cotton, and I generally used two hooks, +one below and one above the sinker, both baited with a whole +flying-fish, while my companions preferred wooden or iron hooks, of +their own manufacture, and lines made from hibiscus bark or coconut +fibre. + +I shall always remember with pleasure my first _lahe'u_. I was +accompanied by the native teacher alone, and we paddled off from the +village just after evening service, and brought to about a quarter of a +mile outside the reef. The rest of the islanders had gone round in +their canoes to the weather side of the little island to fish for +_takuo_, for we were expecting a _malaga_, or party of visitors from the +Island of Nukufetau in a day or two, and unusual supplies of fish had to +be obtained, to sustain, not only the island's record as the fishing +centre of the universe, but the people's reputation for hospitality. It +had been my suggestion to the teacher that he and I, who were unable to +accompany the others, should try what we could do nearer home. The night +was brilliantly starlight, and the sea as smooth as glass--so smooth +that there was not even the faintest swell upon the reef. The trade wind +was at rest, and not the faintest breath of air moved the foliage of the +coco palms lining the white strip of beach. Now and then a splash or a +sudden commotion in the water around us would denote that some hapless +flying-fish had taken an aerial flight from a pursuing _pala_, or that a +shark had seized a turtle in his cruel jaws. Lighting our pipes, we +lowered our lines together according to island etiquette, and touched +bottom at thirty fathoms; then hauled in a fathom or two of line to +avoid fouling the coral. In a few minutes my companion hooked an _utu_, +a sluggish fish, somewhat like a salmon in appearance, with shining +silvery scales and a broad flat head. As he was hauling in, and I was +looking over the side of the canoe to watch it coming up, I felt a +sharp, heavy tug at my own line, and, before I could check it, thirty or +forty yards of line whizzed through my fingers with lightning speed. + +"_Lahe'u!_" shouted the teacher, hurriedly making his own line fast, +and whipping up his paddle. "Don't give out any more line or he will run +under the reef, and we shall lose him." + +I knew by the vibration and hum of the line as soon as I had it well in +hand that there was a heavy and powerful fish at the end. Ioane, +disregarding the _utu_ as being of no importance in comparison to a +_lahe'u_, was plunging his paddle rapidly into the water, and +endeavouring to back the canoe seaward into deeper water, but, in spite +of his efforts and my own, we were being taken quickly inshore. For some +two or three minutes the canoe was dragged steadily landward, and I knew +that once the _lahe'u_ succeeded in getting underneath the overhanging +ledge of reef, there would be but little chance of our taking him except +by diving, and diving on a moonless night under a reef, and freeing a +fish from jagged branches of coral, is not a pleasant task, although an +Ellice Islander does not much mind it. Finding that I could not possibly +turn the fish, I asked Ioane what I should do. He told me to let go a +few fathoms of line, brace my knee against the thwart, and then trust to +the sudden jerk to cant the fish's head one way or the other. I did as I +was told. Out flew the line, and then came a shock that made the canoe +fairly jump, lifted the outrigger clear out of the water, and all but +capsized her. But the ruse was successful, for, with a furious shake, +_lahe'u_ changed his course, and started off at a tremendous rate, +parallel with the reef, and then gradually headed seaward. + +"Let him go," said Ioane, who was carefully watching the tautened-out +line, and steering at the same time. "'Tis a strong fish, but he is _man +tonu_ (truly hooked), and will now tire. But give him no more line, and +haul up to him." + +For fully five minutes the canoe went flying over the water, and I +continued to haul in line fathom by fathom, until I caught sight of, +deep down in the water right ahead, a great phosphorescent boil and +bubble. Then the pace began to slacken, as the gallant fighter began to +turn from side to side, shaking his head and making futile breaks from +port to starboard. Bidding me come amidships with the line, Ioane took +in his paddle, and picked up the harpoon which we always carried on the +outrigger platform in case of meeting a turtle. Nearer and nearer came +the great fish, till, with a splash of phosphorescent light and spray, +he came to the surface, beating the water with his forked and bony tail, +and still trying to get a chance for another downward run. Then Ioane, +waiting his opportunity, sent the iron clean through him from side to +side, and I sat down and watched, with a thrill of satisfaction and a +sigh of relief, his final flurry. In a few minutes we hauled him +alongside, drew the harpoon, and with some difficulty managed to get him +over the side and lower him into the bottom of the canoe amidships, +where he lay fore and aft, his curved back standing up nearly a foot and +a half above the raised gunwale. Although not above four feet in length, +he was nearly three in depth, and about sixteen inches thick at the +shoulder--a truly noble fish. + +"We have done well," said the teacher, with a pleased laugh, as he +hauled in his own line and dropped a 6-lb. _utu_ into the canoe. "There +will be much talk over this to-morrow, for these people here are very +conceited, and think that no one but themselves can catch _lahe'u_ and +_pala_. They will know better now, when they see this one." + +We returned to the shore within two hours from the time we left, with my +_lahe'u_, an _utu_, and five or six salmon-like fish called _tau-tau_, +all nocturnal feeders, and all highly thought of by the natives, +especially the latter. The _lahe'u_ we hung up under the missionary's +verandah, and at daylight I had the intense satisfaction of seeing a +crowd of natives surrounding it, and of hearing their flattering +allusions to myself as a _papalagi masani tonu futi Ãka_--a white man +who really could fish like a native. + + + + +_On a Tidal River_ + + +The English visitor to the Eastern Colonies of Australia who is in +search of sport with either rod or hand line can always obtain excellent +fishing in the summer months even in such traffic-disturbed harbours as +Sydney, Newcastle, and other ports; but on the tidal rivers of the +eastern and southern seaboard he can, every day, catch more fish than he +can carry during seven months of the year. In the true winter months +deep sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence of +westerly winds, when, for days at a time, the Pacific is as smooth as a +lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, which is a few miles +over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed River on the north of New +South Wales, the stranger may fairly revel not only in the delights of +splendid fishing but in the charms of beautiful scenery. He needs no +guide, will be put to but little expense, for the country hotel +accommodation is good and cheap; and, should he visit some of the +northern rivers where the towns, or rather small settlements, are few +and far between, he will find the settlers the embodiment of British +hospitality. + +Some three years ago the writer formed one of the crew of a little +steamer of fifty tons named the _Jenny Lind_, which was sent out along +the coast in the endeavour to revive the coast whaling industry. Through +stress of weather we had frequently to make a dash for shelter, towing +our sole whaleboat, to one of the many tidal rivers on the coast between +Sydney and Gabo Island. Here we would remain until the weather broke, +and our crew would literally cover the deck with an extraordinary +variety of fish in the course of a few hours. Then, at low tide, we +could always fill a couple of cornsacks with excellent oysters, and get +bucketfuls of large prawns by means of a scoop net improvised from a +piece of mosquito netting; game, too, was very plentiful on the lagoons. +The settlers were generally glad to see us, and gave us so freely of +milk, butter, pumpkins, &c., that, despite the rough handling we always +got at sea from the weather, we grew quite fat. But as the greater part +of my fishing experience was gained on the northern rivers of the colony +of N.S. Wales it is of them I shall write. + +Eighteen hours' run by steamer from Sydney is the Hastings River, on the +southern bank of which, a mile from the bar, is the old-time town of +Port Macquarie, a quaint, sleepy little place of six hundred +inhabitants, who spend their days in fishing and sleeping and waiting +for better times. There are two or three fairly good hotels, very pretty +scenery along the coast and up the river, and a stranger can pass a +month without suffering from ennui--that is, of course, if he be fond +of fishing and shooting; if he is not he should avoid going there, for +it is the dullest coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore, +from the steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach, +on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit down in +comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and flathead. As soon +as the tide turns, however, and is well on the ebb or flow, further +fishing is impossible, for the river rushes out to sea with great +velocity, and the incoming tide is almost as swift. On the other side of +the harbour is a long, sandy point, called the North Shore, about a mile +in length. This, at the north end, is met by a somewhat dense scrub, +which lines the right bank of the river for a couple of miles, and +affords a splendid shade to any one fishing on the river bank. The outer +or ocean beach is but a few minutes' walk from the river, and a +magnificent beach it is, trending in one great unbroken curve to Point +Plomer, seven miles from the township. + +Before ascending the river on a fishing trip one has to provide one's +self with a plentiful supply of cockles, or "pippies," as they are +called locally. These can only be obtained on the northern ocean beach, +and not the least enjoyable part of a day's sport consists in getting +them. They are triangular in shape, with smooth shells of every +imaginable colour, though a rich purple is commonest. As the back wash +leaves the sands bare these bivalves may be seen in thick but irregular +patches protruding from the sand. Sometimes, if the tide is not low +enough, one may get rolled over by the surf if he happen to have his +back turned seaward. Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as +"Condon's Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the +smartest young sportsmen--although only twelve years old--ever met with. +Both were very small for their age, and I was always in doubt as to +which was which. They were always delighted to come with me, and did not +mind being soused by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag. +Pippies are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in +Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch fish bait +of any sort, although, when very hungry, it will sometimes take to +octopus flesh. Bream (whether black or silvery), flathead, trevally, +jew-fish, and, indeed, all other fish obtained in Australia, are not so +dainty, for, although they like "pippies" and prawns best, they will +take raw meat, fish, or octopus bait with readiness. Certain species of +sea and river mullet are like them in this respect, and good sport may +be had from them with a rod in the hot months, as Dick and Fred, the +twins aforesaid, well knew, for often would their irate father +wrathfully ask them why they wasted their time catching "them worthless +mullet." + +But let me give an idea of one of many days' fishing on the Hastings, +spent with the "Twins." Having filled a sugar bag with "pippies" on the +ocean beach, we put on our boots and make our way through the belt of +scrub to where our boat is lying, tied to the protruding roots of a +tree. Each of us is armed with a green stick, and we pick our way pretty +carefully, for black snakes are plentiful, and to tread on one may mean +death. The density of the foliage overhead is such that but little +sunlight can pierce through it, and the ground is soft to our feet with +the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath. No sound but the murmuring of +the sea and the hoarse notes of countless gulls breaks the silence, for +this side of the river is uninhabited, and its solitude disturbed only +by some settler who has ridden down the coast to look for straying +cattle, or by a fishing party from the town. Our boat, which we had +hauled up and then tied to the tree, is now afloat, for the tide has +risen, and the long stretches of yellow sandbanks which line the channel +on the farther side are covered now with a foot of water. As we drift up +the river, eating our lunch, and letting the boat take care of herself, +a huge, misshapen thing comes round a low point, emitting horrid +groanings and wheezings. It is a steam stern-wheel punt, loaded with +mighty logs of black-butt and tallow wood, from fifty feet to seventy +feet in length, cut far up the Hastings and the Maria and Wilson Rivers, +and destined for the sawmill at Port Macquarie. + +In another hour we are at our landing-place, a selector's abandoned +homestead, built of rough slabs, and standing about fifty yards back +from the river and the narrow line of brown, winding beach. The roof had +long since fallen in, and the fences and outbuildings lay low, covered +with vines and creepers. The intense solitude of the place, the +motionless forest of lofty grey-boled swamp gums that encompassed it on +all sides but one, and the wide stretch of river before it were +calculated to inspire melancholy in any one but an ardent fisherman. +Scarcely have we hauled our boat up on the sand, and deposited our +provisions and water in the roofless house, when we hear a commotion in +the river--a swarm of fish called "tailer" are making havoc among a +"school" of small mullet, many of which fling themselves out upon the +sand. Presently all is quiet again, and we get our lines ready. + +For whiting and silvery bream rather fine lines are used, but we each +have a heavy line for flathead, for these fish are caught in the tidal +rivers on a sandy bottom up to three feet and four feet in length. They +are in colour, both on back and belly, much like a sole, of great width +across the shoulders, and then taper away to a very fine tail. The head +is perfectly flat, very thin, and armed on each side with very sharp +bones pointing tailward; a wound from one of these causes intense +inflammation. The fins are small--so small as to appear almost +rudimentary--yet the fish swims, or rather darts, along the bottom with +amazing rapidity. They love to lie along the banks a few feet from the +shore, where, concealed in the sand, they can dart out upon and seize +their prey in their enormous "gripsack" mouths. The approach of a boat +or a person walking along the sand will cause them to at once speed like +lightning into deep water, leaving behind them a wake of sand and mud +which is washed off their backs in their flight. Still, although not a +pleasing fish to look at, the flathead is of a delicious and delicate +flavour. There are some variations in their shades of colour, from a +pale, delicate grey to a very dark brown, according to their habitat, +and, although most frequent in very shallow water, they are often caught +in great quantities off the coast in from ten to fifteen fathoms of +water. Gut or wire snoodings are indispensable when fishing for +flathead, else the fish invariably severs the line with his fine +needle-pointed teeth, which are set very closely together. Nothing comes +amiss to them as food, but they have a great love for small mullet or +whiting, or a piece of octopus tentacle. + +Baiting our heavy lines with mullet--two hooks with brass-wire snoods to +each line--we throw out about thirty yards, then, leaving two or three +fathoms loose upon the shore, we each thrust a stick firmly into the +sand, and take a turn of the line round it. As the largest flathead +invariably dart upon the bait, and then make a bolt with it, this plan +is a good one to follow, unless, of course, they are biting freely; in +that case the smaller lines for bream and whiting, &c., are hauled in, +for there is more real sport in landing an 8-lb. flathead than there is +in catching smaller fish, for he is very game, and fights fiercely for +his life. + +Having disposed our big lines, we bait the smaller ones with "pippies," +and not two minutes at the outside elapse after the sinkers have touched +bottom when we know we are to have a good time, for each of us has +hooked a fish, and three whiting are kicking on the sand before five +minutes have expired. Then for another hour we throw out and haul in +again as quickly as possible, landing whiting from 6 oz. to nearly 2 +lbs. in weight. One of the "Twins" has three hooks on his line, and +occasionally lands three fish together, and now and again we get small +bream and an occasional "tailer" of 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. As the sun mounts +higher the breeze dies away, the heat becomes very great, and we have +frequent recourse to our water jar--in one case mixing it with whisky. +Then the whiting cease to bite as suddenly as they have begun, and move +off into deeper water. Just as we are debating as to whether we shall +take the boat out into mid-stream, Twin Dick gives a yell as his stick +is suddenly whipped out of the sand, and the loose line lying beside it +rushes away into the water. But Dick is an old hand, and lets his fish +have his first bolt, and then turns him. "By Jingo! sir, he's a big +fellow," he cries, as he hauls in, the line now as taut as a telegraph +wire, and then the other twin comes to his aid, and in a few minutes the +outline of the fish is seen, coming in straight ahead as quick as they +can pull him. When he is within ten feet of the beach the boys run up +the bank and land him safely, as he turns his body into a circle in his +attempts to shake out the hook. Being called upon to estimate his +weight, I give it as 11 lbs., much to the twins' sorrow--they think it +15 lbs. + +Half an hour passes, and we catch but half a dozen silvery bream and +some small baby whiting, for now the sun is beating down upon our heads, +and our naked feet begin to burn and sting, so we adjourn to the old +house and rest awhile, leaving our big lines securely tied. But, though +the breeze for which we wait comes along by two o'clock, the fish do +not, and so, after disinterring our takes from the wet sand wherein we +had buried them as caught to prevent them being spoilt by the sun, we +get aboard again and pull across to the opposite bank of the river. +Here, in much deeper water, about fifteen feet right under the clayey +bank, we can see hundreds of fine bream, and now and then some small +jew-fish. Taking off our sinkers, we have as good and more exciting +sport among the bream than we had with the whiting, catching between +four and five dozen by six o'clock. Then, after boiling the billy and +eating some fearfully tough corned meat, we get into the boat again, +hoist our sail, and land at the little township just after dark. + +Such was one of many similar day's sport on the Hastings, which, with +the Bellinger, the Nambucca, the Macleay, and the Clarence, affords good +fishing practically all the year round. Then, besides these tidal +rivers, there are at frequent intervals along the coast tidal lagoons +and "blind" creeks where fish congregate in really incredible +quantities. Such places as Lake Illawarra and Lake Macquarie are fishing +resorts well known to the tourist; but along the northern coast, where +the population is scantier, and access by rail or steamer more +difficult, there is an absolutely new field open to the sportsman--in +fact, these places are seldom visited for either fishing or shooting by +people from Sydney. During November and December the bars of these +rivers are literally black with incredible numbers of coarse +sea-salmon--a fish much like the English sea-bass--which, making their +way over the bars, swim up the rivers and remain there for about a week. +Although these fish, which weigh from 6 lbs. to 10 lbs., do not take a +bait and are rather too coarse to eat, their roes are very good, +especially when smoked. They are captured with the greatest of ease, +either by spearing or by the hand; for sometimes they are in such dense +masses that they are unable to manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins +of coastal towns hail their yearly advent with delight. They usually +make their first appearance about the second week in November, and are +always followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish, +which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless ranks. +Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in January by +shoals of very large sea-mullet--blue-black backs, silvery bellies and +sides, and yellow fins and tails. These, too, will not take a bait, but +are caught in nets, and, if a steamer happens to be on the eve of +leaving for Sydney, many hundreds of baskets are sent away; but they +barely pay the cost of freight and commission, I believe. There are +several varieties of sea-mullet, one or two of which will take the hook +freely, and I have often caught them off the rocky coast of New South +Wales with a rod when the sea has been smooth. The arrival of the big +sea-mullet denotes that the season for jew-fish is at its height; and if +the stranger to Australian waters wants exciting sport let him try +jew-fishing at night. In deep water off the coast these great fish are +occasionally caught during daylight, but a dull, cloudy night is best, +when they may be caught from the beach or river bank in shallow water. +Very stout lines and heavy hooks are used, for a 90-lb. or l00-lb. +jew-fish is very common. Baiting with a whole mullet or whiting, or one +of the tentacles of an octopus, the most amateurish fisherman cannot +fail to hook two or three jew-fish in a night. (Even in Sydney harbour I +have seen some very large ones caught by people fishing from ferry +wharves.) They are very powerful, and also very game, and when they rise +to the surface make a terrific splashing. At one place on the Hastings +River, called Blackman's Point, a party of four of us took thirteen +fish, the heaviest of which was 42 lbs. and the lightest 9 lbs. Next +morning, however, the Blackman's Point ferryman, who always set a line +from his punt when he turned in, showed us one of over 70 lbs. When they +grow to such a size as this they are not eaten locally, as the flesh is +very often full of thin, thread-like worms. The young fish, however, are +very palatable. + +The saw-fish, to which I have before alluded as harrying the swarms of +sea-salmon, also make havoc with the jew-fish, and very often are caught +on jew-fish lines. They are terrible customers to get foul of (I do not +confound them with the sword-fish) when fishing from a small boat. Their +huge bone bill, set on both sides with its terrible sharp spikes, their +great length, and enormous strength, render it impossible to even get +them alongside, and there is no help for it but either to cut the line +or pull up anchor and land the creature on the shore. Even then the task +of despatching one of these fish is no child's play on a dark night, for +they lash their long tails about with such fury that a broken leg might +be the result of coming too close. In the rivers of Northern Queensland +the saw-fish attain an enormous size, and the Chinese fishermen about +Cooktown and Townsville often have their nets destroyed by a saw-fish +enfolding himself in them. Alligators, by the way, do the same thing +there, and are sometimes captured, perfectly helpless, in the folds of +the nets, in which they have rolled themselves over and over again, +tearing it beyond repair with their feet, but eventually yielding to +their fate. + +The schnapper, the best of all Australian fish, is too well known to +English visitors to describe in detail. Most town-bred Australians +generally regard it as a purely ocean-loving fish, or at least only +frequenting very deep waters in deep harbours, such as Sydney, Jervis +Bay, and Twofold Bay. This is quite a mistake, for in many of the +rivers, twenty or more miles up from the sea, the writer and many other +people have not only caught these beautiful fish, but seen fishermen +haul in their nets filled with them. But they seldom remain long, +preferring the blue depths of ocean to the muddy bottoms of tidal +rivers, for they are rock-haunting and surf-loving. + +Of late years the northern bar harbours and rivers of New South Wales +have been visited by a fish that in my boyhood's days was unknown even +to the oldest fisherman--the bonito. Although in shape and size they +exactly resemble the ocean bonito of tropic seas, these new arrivals are +lighter in colour, with bands of marbled grey along the sides and belly. +They bite freely at a running bait--_i.e.,_ when a line is towed astern, +and are very good when eaten quite fresh, but, like all of the mackerel +tribe, rapidly deteriorate in a few hours after being caught. The +majority of the coast settlers will not eat them, being under the idea +that, as they are all but scaleless, they are "poisonous." This silly +impression also prevails with regard to many other scaleless fish on the +Australian coast, some of which, such as the trevally, are among the +best and most delicate in flavour. The black and white rock cod is also +regarded with aversion by the untutored settlers of the small coast +settlements, yet these fish are sold in Sydney, like the schnapper, at +prohibitive prices. + +In conclusion, let me advise any one who is contemplating a visit to +Australia, and means to devote any of his time to either river or sea +fishing, to take his rods with him; all the rest of his tackle he can +buy as cheap in the colonies as he can in England. Rods are but little +used in salt-water fishing in Australia, and are rather expensive. Those +who do use a rod are usually satisfied with a bamboo--a very good rod +it makes, too, although inconvenient to carry when travelling--but the +generality of people use hand lines. And the visitor must not be +persuaded that he can always get good fishing without going some +distance from Sydney or Melbourne. That there is some excellent sport to +be obtained in Port Jackson in summer is true, but it is lacking in a +very essential thing--the quietude that is dear to the heart of every +true fisherman. + + + + +_Denison Gets Another Ship_ + + +Owing to reduced circumstances, and a growing hatred of the hardships of +the sea, young Tom Denison (ex-supercargo of the South Sea Island +trading schooner _Palestine_) had sailed from Sydney to undertake the +management of an alleged duck-farm in North Queensland. The ducks, and +the vast area of desolation in which they suffered a brief existence, +were the property of a Cooktown bank, the manager of which was Denison's +brother. He was a kind-hearted man, who wanted to help Tom along in the +world, and, therefore, was grieved when at the end of three weeks the +latter came into Cooktown humping his swag, smoking a clay pipe, and +looking exceedingly tired, dirty, and disreputable generally. However, +all might have gone well even then had not Mrs. Aubrey Denison, the +brother's wife, unduly interfered and lectured Tom on his "idle and +dissolute life," as she called it, and made withering remarks about the +low tastes of sailors other than captains of mail steamers or officers +in the Navy. Tom, who intended to borrow £10 from his brother to pay his +passage back to Sydney to look for a ship, bore it all in silence, and +then said that he should like to give up the sea and become a +missionary in the South Seas, where he was "well acquainted with the +natives." + +Mrs. Aubrey (who was a very refined young lady) smiled contemptuously, +and turned down the corners of her pretty little mouth in a manner that +made the unsuccessful duck-farmer boil with suppressed fury, as she +remarked that _she_ had heard of some of the shocking stories he had +been telling the accountant and cashier of the _characters_ of the +people in the South Seas, and _she_ quite understood _why_ he wished to +return there and re-associate with his vulgar and wicked companions. +Now, she added, had he stuck bravely to work with the ducks, the Bank +(she uttered the word "Bank" in the tone of reverence as one would say +"The Almighty") would have watched his career with interest, and in time +his brother would have used his influence with the General Manager to +obtain a position for him, Tom Denison, in the Bank itself! But, judging +from _her_ knowledge of his (Tom's) habits and disposition, she would be +doing wrong to hold out the slightest hope for him now, and------ + +"Look here, Maud, you're only twenty-two--two years older than me, and +you talk like an old grandmother;" and then his wrath overpowered his +judgment--"and you'll look like one before you're twenty-five. Don't you +lecture _me_. I'm not your husband, _thank Heaven above_! And damn the +bank and its carmine ducks." (He did not say "carmine," but I study the +proprieties, and this is not a sanguinary story.) + +From the weatherboard portals of the bank Tom strode out in undisguised +anger, and obtained employment on a collier, discharging coals. Then, by +an extraordinary piece of good luck, he got a billet as proof-reader on +the North Queensland _Trumpet Call_, from which, after an exciting three +weeks, he was dismissed for "general incompetency and wilful neglect of +his duties." So with sorrow in his heart he had turned to the +ever-resourceful sea again for a living. He worked his passage down to +Sydney in an old, heart-broken, wheezing steamer named the _You Yangs_, +and stepped jauntily ashore with sixteen shillings in his pocket, some +little personal luggage rolled up in his blanket, and an unlimited +confidence in his own luck. + +Two vessels were due from the South Sea Islands in about a month, and as +the skippers were both well known to and were on friendly terms with +him, he felt pretty certain of getting a berth as second mate or +supercargo on one of them. Then he went to look for a quiet lodging. + +This was soon found, and then realising the fact that sixteen shillings +would not permit him viewing the sights of Sydney and calling upon the +Governor, as is the usual procedure with intellectual and dead-broke +Englishmen who come to Australia with letters of introduction from +people who are anxious to get rid of them, he tried to get temporary +employment by applying personally at the leading warehouses and +merchants' offices. The first day he failed; also the second. On the +third day the secretary of a milk company desired him to call again in +three days. He did, and was then told by the manager that he "might +have something" for him in a month or two. This annoyed Tom, as he had +put on his sole clean collar that morning to produce a good impression. +He asked the official if six months would not suit him better, as he +wanted to go away on a lengthy fishing trip with the Attorney-General. +The manager looked at him in a dignified manner, and then bade him an +abrupt good-day. + +A week passed. Funds were getting low. Eight shillings had been paid in +advance for his room, and he had spent five in meals. But he was not +despondent; the _Susannah Booth_, dear, comfortable old wave-puncher, +beloved of hard-up supercargoes, was due in a week, and, provided he +could inspire his landlady with confidence until then, all would be +well. + +But the day came when he had to spend his last shilling, and after a +fruitless endeavour to get a job on the wharves to drive one of the many +steam winches at work discharging cargo from the various ships, he +returned home in disgust. + +That night, as he sat cogitating in his bedroom over his lucklessness, +his eye fell on a vegetable monstrosity from Queensland, presented to +him by one of the hands on board the _You Yangs_. It was a huge, dried +bean-pod, about four feet long, and contained about a dozen large black +beans, each about the size of a watch. He had seen these beans, after +the kernels were scooped out, mounted with silver, and used as +match-boxes by bushmen and other Australian gentry. It at once occurred +to him that he might sell it. Surely the thing ought to be worth at +least five shillings. + +In two minutes he was out in the street, but to his disgust found most +of the shops closed, except the very small retail establishments. + +Entering a little grocery store, he approached the proprietor, a man +with a pale, gargoyle-like face, and unpleasant-looking, raggedy teeth, +and showing him the bean, asked him to buy it. + +The merchant looked at it with some interest and asked Tom what it was +called. + +Tom said it was a _Locomotor Ataxy_. (He didn't know what a _locomotor +ataxy_ was; but it sounded well, and was all the Latin he knew, having +heard from his mother that a dissolute brother of hers had been +afflicted with that complaint, superinduced by spirituous liquors.) + +The grocer-man turned the vegetable over and over again in his hand, and +then asked the would-be vendor if he had any more. Tom said he hadn't. +The _locomotor ataxy_, he remarked, was a very rare bean, and very +valuable. But he would sell it cheap--for five shillings. + +"Don't want it," said the man rudely, pushing it away contemptuously. +"It's only a faked-up thing anyway, made of paper-mashy." + +Tom tried to convince him that the thing was perfectly genuine, and +actually grew on a vine in North Queensland; but the Notre Dame +gargoyle-featured person only heard him with a snort of contempt. It was +obvious he wouldn't buy it. So, sneeringly observing to the grocer that +no doubt five shillings was a large sum for a man in such a small way of +business as he was, Tom went out again into the cold world. + +He tried several other places, but no one would even look at the thing. +After vainly tramping about for over two hours, he turned away towards +his lodging, feeling very dispirited, and thinking about breakfast. + +Turning up a side street called Queen's Place, so as to make a short cut +home, he espied in a dimly-lighted little shop an old man and a boy +working at the cobbler trade. They had honest, intelligent faces, and +looked as if they wanted to buy a _locomotor ataxy_ very badly. He +tapped at the door and then entered. + +"Would you like to buy this?" he said to the old man. He did not like to +repeat his foolish Latin nonsense, for the old fellow had such a worn, +kindly face, and his honest, searching eyes met his in such a way that +he felt ashamed to ask him to buy what could only be worthless rubbish +to him. + +The cobbler looked at the monstrosity wonderingly. "'Tis a rare big +bean," he said, in the trembling quaver of old age, and with a mumbling +laugh like that of a pleased child. "I'll give you two shillin's for it. +I suppose you want money badly, or else you wouldn't be wanderin' about +at ten o'clock at night tryin' to sell it. I hope you come by it honest, +young man?" + +Tom satisfied him on this score, and then the ancient gave him the two +shillings. Bidding him good-night, Tom returned home and went to bed. + +(Quite two years after, when Denison returned to Sydney from the South +Seas with more money "than was good for his moral welfare," as his +sister-in-law remarked, he sought out the old cobbler gentleman and +bought back his _locomotor ataxy_ bean for as many sovereigns as he had +been given shillings for it.) + +Next morning he was down at the wharves before six o'clock, smoking his +pipe contentedly, after breakfasting sumptuously at a coffee-stall for +sixpence. There was a little American barque lying alongside the +Circular Quay, and some of the hands were bending on her head-sails. Tom +sat down on the wharf stringer dangling his feet and watching them +intently. Presently the mate appeared on the poop, smoking a cigar. He +looked at Tom critically for a moment or so, and then said-- + +"Looking for a ship, young feller?" + +The moment Tom heard him speak, he jumped to his feet, for he knew the +voice, last heard when the possessor of it was mate of the island +trading schooner _Sadie Caller_, a year before in Samoa. + +"Is that you, Bannister?" he cried. + +"Reckon 'taint no one else, young feller. Why, Tom Denison, is it you? +Step right aboard." + +Tom was on the poop in an instant, the mate coming to him with +outstretched hand. + +"What's the matter, Tom? Broke?" + +"Stony!" + +"Sit down here and tell me all about it. I heard you had left the +_Palestine_. Say, sling that dirty old pipe overboard, and take one of +these cigars. The skipper will be on deck presently, and the sight of it +would rile him terrible. He hez his new wife aboard, and she considers +pipes ez low-down." + +Tom laughed as he thought of Mrs. Aubrey, and flung his clay over the +side. "What ship is this, Bannister?" + +"The _J.W. Seaver_, of 'Frisco. We're from the Gilbert Islands with a +cargo of copra." + +"Who is your supercargo?" + +"Haven't got one. Can't get one here, either. Say, Tom, you're the man. +The captain will jump at getting you! Since he married he considers his +life too valuable to be trusted among natives, and funks at going ashore +and doing supercargo's work. Now you come below, and I'll rake out +enough money to get you a high-class suit of store clothes and shiny +boots. Then you come back to dinner. I'll talk to him between then and +now. He knows a lot about you. I'll tell him that since you left the +_Palestine_ you've been touring your native country to 'expand your +mind.' _She's_ Boston, as ugly as a brown stone jug, and highly +intellectual. _He's_ all right, and as good a sailor-man as ever trod a +deck, but _she's_ boss, runs the ship, and looks after the crew's +morals. Thet's why we're short-handed. But she'll take to you like +lightning--when she hears that you've been 'expanding your mind.' Buy a +second-hand copy of Longfellow's, poems, and tell her that it has been +your constant companion in all your wanderings among vicious cannibals, +and she'll just decorate your cabin like a prima-donna's boudoir, darn +your socks, and make you read some of her own poetry." + +That afternoon, Mr. Thomas Denison, clean-shirted and looking eminently +respectable and prosperous, and feeling once more a man after the +degrading duck episode in North Queensland, was strolling about George +Street with Bannister, and at peace with the world and himself. For the +skipper's wife had been impressed with his intellectuality and modest +demeanour, and was already at work decorating his cabin--as Bannister +had prophesied. + + + + +_Jack Shark's Pilot_ + + +Early one morning as we in the _Palestine_, South Sea trading schooner, +were sailing slowly between Fotuna and Alofa--two islands lying to the +northward of Fiji--one of the native hands came aft and reported two +large sharks alongside. The mate at once dived below for his shark hook, +while I tried to find a suitable bit of beef in the harness cask. Just +as the mate appeared carrying the heavy hook and chain, our skipper, who +was lying on the skylight smoking his pipe, although half asleep, +inquired if there were "any pilot fish with the brutes." + +"Yes, sir," said a sailor who was standing in the waist, looking over +the side, "there's quite a lot of 'em. I've never seen so many at one +time before. There's nigh on a dozen." + +The captain was on his feet in an instant. "Don't lower that hook of +yours just yet, Porter," he said to the mate. "I'm going to get those +pilot fish first. Tom, bring me up my small fishing line." + +"They won't take a hook, will they?" I inquired. + +"Just you wait and see, sonny. Ever taste pilot fish?" + +"No. Are they good to eat?" + +"Best fish in the ocean, barring flying-fish," replied the skipper, as, +after examining his line, he cut off both hook and leaden sinker and +bent on a small-sized _pa_--a native-made bonito hook cut out from a +solid piece of pearl-shell. + +Then jumping up into the whaleboat which hung in davits on the starboard +quarter he waited for the sharks to appear, and the mate and I leant +over the side and watched. We had not long to wait, for in a few minutes +one came swimming quickly up from astern, and was almost immediately +joined by the other, which had been hanging about amidships. They were +both, however, pretty deep down, and at first I could not discern any +pilot fish. The captain, however, made a cast and the hook dropped in +the water, about fifty feet in the rear of the sharks; he let it sink +for less than half a minute, and then began hauling in the line as +quickly as possible, and at the same moment I saw some of the pilot fish +quite distinctly--some swimming alongside and some just ahead of their +detestable companions, which were now right under the counter. Then +something gleamed brightly, and the shining hook appeared, for a second +or two only, for two of the "pilots" darted after it with lightning-like +rapidity, and presently one came to the surface with a splash, +beautifully hooked, and was swung up into the boat. + +"Now for some fun," cried the captain, as tossing the fish to us on deck +he again lowered the hook. This time it had barely touched the surface +of the water when away went the line with a rush right under our keel. + +"This is a big fellow," said the skipper, and up came another dark blue +and silver beauty about a foot in length, dropping off the hook just in +time as he was hoisted clear of the gunwale. Then, in less than ten +minutes--so eager were they to rush the hook the moment it struck the +water--five more were jumping about upon the deck or in the boat. Then +came a calamity, the eighth fish dropped off when half way up and took +the hook with him, having swallowed it and bitten through the line. + +The captain jumped on deck again and began rooting out his bag for +another small-sized _pa_, but to his disgust could not find one ready +for use--none of them having the actual "hook" portion lashed to the +shank, and the operation of lashing one of these cleverly-made native +hooks takes some little time and patience, for the holes which are bored +through the base of the "hook" part in order to lash it to the shank are +very small, and only very fine and strong cord, such as banana-fibre, +can be used. However, while the irate captain was fussing over his task, +the mate and I were watching the movements of the sharks and their +little friends with the greatest interest, having promised the captain +not to lower the shark hook till he had caught the rest of the pilot +fish, for he assured us that they would most likely disappear after the +sharks were captured. (I learned from my own experience afterward that +he was mistaken, for when a shark is caught at sea his attendants will +frequently remain with the ship for weeks, or until another shark +appears, in which case they at once attach themselves to him.) + +Both sharks were now swimming almost on the surface, so close to the +ship that they could have been caught in a running bowline or harpooned +with the greatest ease; and in fact our native crew, who were very +partial to shark's flesh, had both harpoon and bowline in readiness in +case the cunning brutes would not take a bait. They were both of great +size--the largest being over twelve or thirteen feet in length. With the +smaller one were three pilot fish, one swimming directly under the end +of its nose, the others just over its eyes; the larger had but one +attendant, which kept continually changing its position, sometimes being +on one side, then on another, then disappearing for a few moments +underneath the monster's belly, or pressing itself so closely against +the creature's side that it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had +never before seen these fish at such close quarters, and their +extraordinary activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions +was most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the sharks +would cease moving, they would take up a position within a few inches of +its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then swim under its belly and +reappear at the tail, then slowly make their way along its back or sides +to the hideous head again. Sometimes, either singly or all together, +they would dart away on either side, but quickly returned, never being +absent more than a minute. These brief excursions showed them to be +extremely swift, yet when they returned to their huge companions they +instantly became--at least to all appearance--intensely sluggish and +languid in their movements, and swam in an undecided, indefinite sort of +manner as if thoroughly exhausted. But this was but in appearance, for +suddenly they would again shoot away along the surface of the water with +lightning-like rapidity, disappear from view of the keenest eye, and, +ere you could count five, again be beside the vessel swimming as +leisurely, if not as lazily, as if they were incapable of quickening +their speed. + +Having his line ready again, the captain now began fishing from the +stern, and succeeded in catching three of the remaining four, the last +one (which our natives said was the fish which had swallowed the first +hook) refusing even to look at the tempting bit of iridescent +pearl-shell. Then the impatient mate lowered his bait over the stern, +having first passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four +of the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller of the +two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up alongside amidships +struggled and lashed about so furiously that the big fellow came +lumbering up to see what was the matter, and Billy Rotumah, our native +boatswain, who was watching for him, promptly drove a harpoon socket +deeply into him between the shoulders; then, after some difficulty, a +couple of running bowlines settled them both in a comfortable position +to be stunned with an axe. + +The schooner was at this time within a few miles of a small village on +Alofa, named Mua, and presently a boat manned by natives boarded us to +sell yams, taro, pineapples, and bananas, all of which we bought from +them in exchange for the sharks' livers and some huge pieces of flesh +weighing two or three hundred pounds. These people (who resemble the +Samoans in appearance and language) were much impressed and terrified +when they saw the pilot fish which had been caught, and told our crew +that ours would be an unlucky ship--that we had done a dangerous and +foolish thing. Their feeling on the subject was strong; for when I asked +them if they would take two or three of the fish on shore to Father +Hervé, one of the French priests living on Fotuna, who was an old +friend, they started back in mingled terror and indignation, and +absolutely declined to even touch them. Taking one of the pilot fish up +I held it by the head between my forefinger and thumb and asked the +natives if they did not consider it good to look at. + +"True," replied a fine, stalwart young fellow, speaking in Samoan, "it +is good to look at," and then he added gravely, "_Talofa lava ia te +outou i le vaa nei, ua lata mai ne aso malaia ma le tiga|_" ("Alas for +all you people on this ship, there is a day of disaster and sorrow near +you"). + +I tried to ascertain the cause of their terror, but could only elicit +the statement that to kill a pilot fish meant direful misfortune. No +sensible man, they asserted, would do such a senseless and _saua_ +(cruel) thing, and to eat one was an abomination unutterable. + +As soon as our visitors had left I hurried to make a closer examination +of our prizes before the cook took possession of them. Of the eleven, +only one was over a foot in length, the rest ranged from five to ten +inches. The beautiful dark blue of the head and along the back, so +noticeable when first caught, had now lost its brilliancy, and the four +wide vertical black stripes on the sides had also become dulled, +although the silvery belly was still as bright as a new dollar. The eyes +were rather large for such a small fish, and all the fins were +blue-black, with a narrow white line running along the edges. Their +appearance even an hour after death was very handsome, and in shape they +were much like a very plump trout. In the stomachs of some we found +small flying squid, little shrimps, and other Crustacea. + +Our Manila-man cook, although not a genius, certainly knew how to fry +fish, and that morning we had for breakfast some of Jack Shark's +pilots--the most delicately-flavoured deep-sea fish I have ever +tasted--except, perhaps, that wonderful and beautiful creature, the +flying-fish. + + + + +_The "Palu" of the Equatorial Pacific_ + + +During a residence of half a lifetime among the various island-groups of +the North-western and South Pacific, I devoted much of my spare +time--and I had plenty of it occasionally--to deep-sea fishing, my +tutors being the natives of the Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert, and Ellice +Groups. + +The inhabitants of the last-named cluster of islands are, as I have +said, the most skilled fishermen of all the Malayo-Polynesian peoples +with whom it has been my fortune to have come in contact. The very +poverty of their island homes--mere sandbanks covered with coconut and +pandanus palms only--drives them to the sea for their food; for the +Ellice Islanders, unlike their more fortunate prototypes who dwell in +the forest-clad, mountainous, and fertile islands of Samoa, Tahiti, +Raratonga, &c., live almost exclusively upon coconuts, the drupes of the +pandanus palm, and fish. From their very infancy they look to the sea as +the main source of their food-supply, either in the clear waters of the +lagoon, among the breaking surf on the reef, or out in the blue depths +of the ocean beyond. From morn till night the frail canoes of these +semi-nude, brown-skinned, and fearless toilers of the sea may be seen by +the voyager paddling swiftly over the rolling swell of the wide Pacific +in chase of the _bonito_, or lying motionless upon the water, miles and +miles away from the land, ground-fishing with lines a hundred fathoms +long. Then, as the sun dips, the flare of torches will be seen along the +sandy beaches as the night-seekers of flying-fish launch their canoes +and urge them through the rolling surf beyond the reef, where, for +perhaps three or four hours, they will paddle slowly to and fro, just +outside the white line of roaring breakers, and return to the shore with +their tiny craft half-filled with the most beautiful and wonderful fish +in the world. The Ellice Island method of catching flying-fish would +take too long to explain here, much as I should like to do so; my +purpose is to describe a very remarkable fish called the _palu_, in the +capture of which these people are the most skilful. The catching of +flying-fish, however, bears somewhat on the subject of this article, as +the _palu_ will not take any other bait but a flying-fish, and therefore +a supply of the former is a necessary preliminary to _palu_ fishing. + +Let us imagine, then, that the bait has been secured, and that a party +of _palu_-fishers are ready to set out from the little island of +Nanomaga, the smallest but most thickly populated of the Ellice Group. +The night must be windless and moonless, the latter condition being +absolutely indispensable, although, curiously enough, the fish will +take the hook on an ordinary starlight night. Time after time have I +tried my luck with either a growing or a waning moon, much to the +amusement of the natives, and never once did I get a _palu_, although +other nocturnal-feeding fish bit freely enough. + +The tackle used by the natives is made of coconut cinnet, four or +eight-stranded, of great strength, and capable of holding a fifteen-foot +shark should one of these prowlers seize the bait. The hook is made of +wood--in fact, the same as is used for shark-fishing--about one inch and +a half in diameter, fourteen inches in the shank, with a natural curve; +the barb, or rather that which answers the purpose of a barb, being +supplied by a small piece lashed horizontally across the top of the end +of the curve. These peculiar wooden hooks are _grown_; the roots of a +tree called _ngiia_, whose wood is of great toughness, are watched when +they protrude from a bank, and trained into the desired shape; specimens +of these hooks may be seen in almost any ethnographical museum. To sink +the line, coral stones of three or four pounds weight are used, attached +by a very thin piece of cinnet or bark, which, when the fish is struck, +is always broken by its struggles, and falls off, thus releasing the +line from an unnecessary weight. It is no light task hauling in a thick, +heavy line, hanging straight up and down for a length of from +seventy-five to a hundred fathoms or more! + +Each canoe is manned by four men, only two of whom usually fish, the +other two, one at the bow and the other at the stern, being employed in +keeping the little craft in a stationary position with their paddles. +If, however, there is not much current all four lower their lines, one +man working his paddle with one hand so as to keep from drifting. My +usual companions were the resident native teacher and two stalwart young +natives of the island--Tulu'ao and Muli'ao; and I may here indulge in a +little vanity when I say that my success as a _palu_-fisher was regarded +as something phenomenal, only one other white man in the group, a trader +on the atoll of Funafuti, having ever caught a _palu_, or, in fact, +tried to catch one. But then I had such beautiful tackle that even the +most skilled native fisherman had no chance when competing with me. My +lines were of twenty-seven-strand white American cotton, as thick as a +small goose-quill, and easily handled, never tangling or twisting like +the native cinnet; and my hooks were the admiration and envy of all who +saw them. They were of the "flatted" Kirby type, eyed, but with a curve +in the shank, which was five inches in length, and as thick as a +lead-pencil. I had bought these in Sydney, and during the voyage down +had rigged them with snoodings of the very best seizing wire, intending +to use them for shark-fishing. I had smaller ones down to three inches, +but always preferred using the largest size, as the _palu_ has a large +mouth, and it is a difficult matter in a small canoe on a dark night to +free a hook embedded in the gullet of a fish which is awkward to handle +even when exhausted, and weighing as much as sixty or seventy pounds; +while I also knew that any unusual noise or commotion would be almost +sure to attract some of those most dangerous of all night-prowlers of +the Pacific, the deep-water blue shark. + +Paddling out due westward from the lee side of the island, where the one +village is situated, we would bring-to in about seventy or eighty +fathoms. As I always used leaden sinkers, my companions invariably let +me lower first to test the depth, as with a two or three-pound lead my +comparatively thin line took but little time in running out and touching +bottom. A whole flying-fish was used for one bait by the natives, it +being tied on to the inner curve of the great wooden hook, whilst I cut +one in half, fore-and-aft, and ran my hook through it lengthwise. + +The utmost silence was always observed; and even when lighting our pipes +we were always careful not to let the reflection of the flame of the +match fall upon the water, on account of the sharks, which would at once +be attracted to the canoe, and hover about until they were rewarded for +their vigilance by seizing the first _palu_ brought to the surface. +Sometimes a hungry shark will seize the outrigger in his jaws, or get +foul of it, and upset the canoe, and a capsize under such circumstances +is a serious matter indeed. For this reason the canoes are never far +apart from each other; if one should be attacked or disabled by a shark +the others at once render assistance, and the shark is usually thrust +through with a lance if he is too big to be captured and killed. All +haste is then made to get away from the spot, leaving the disturber of +the proceedings to be devoured by his companions, whom the scent of +blood soon brings upon the scene. + +With ordinary luck we would get our first _palu_ within an hour of +lowering our lines. At such a great depth as eighty or ninety fathoms a +bite would scarcely be felt by one of my companions on his thick, heavy, +and clumsy line; but on mine it was very different, and there was hardly +an occasion on which I did not secure the first fish. Like most +bottom-haunting fish in very deep water the _palu_ makes but a brief +fight. If he can succeed in "getting his head," he will at once rush +into the coral forest amid which he lives, and endeavour to save himself +by jamming his body into a cleft or chasm of rock, and let the hook be +torn from his jaws, which are soft, boneless, and glutinous. Once, +however, he is dragged clear of the coral he seems to lose all heart; +and, although he makes an occasional spurt, he grows weaker and weaker +as he is dragged toward the surface, and when lifted into the canoe is +apparently lifeless, his large eyes literally standing out of his head, +and his stomach distended like a balloon. So enormous is the distention +of the bladder that sometimes it will protrude from the mouth, and then +burst with a noise like a pistol-shot! Perhaps some of my readers will +smile at this, but they could see the same thing occur with other +deep-sea fish besides the _palu_. In the Caroline and Marshall Islands +there is a species of grey groper which is caught in a depth ranging +from one hundred to one hundred and fifty fathoms; these fish, which +range up to two hundred pounds, actually burst their stomachs when +brought to the surface; for the air in the cavities of the body expands +on the removal of the great pressure which at such depths keeps it +compressed. + +Now as to the appearance of the _palu_. When first caught, and seen by +the light of a lantern or torch, it is a dark, silvery grey in colour, +with prickly, inverted scales--like the feathers of a French fowl of a +certain breed. The head is somewhat cod-shaped, with eyes quite as large +as a crown-piece; the teeth are many, small, and soft, and bend to a +firm pressure; and the bones in the fin and tail are so soft and +flexible that they may be bent into any shape, but when dried are of the +appearance and consistency of gelatine. The length of the largest _palu_ +I have seen was five feet six inches, with a girth of about forty +inches. This one was caught in about ninety fathoms of water; and when I +opened the stomach I found it to contain five or six undigested fish, +about seven inches in length, of the groper species, and for which the +natives of the island had no name or knowledge of beyond the appellation +_ika kehe_--"unknown fish"--that is, fish which are only seen when taken +from the stomach of a deep-sea fish, or are brought to the surface or +washed ashore after some submarine disturbance. + +The flesh of the _palu_ is greatly valued by the natives of the +equatorial islands of the Pacific for its medicinal qualities as a +laxative, whilst the oil with which it is permeated is much used as a +remedy for rheumatism and similar complaints. Within half an hour of its +being taken from the water the skin changes to a dead black, and the +flesh assumes the appearance of whale blubber. Generally, the fish is +cooked in the usual native ground-oven as quickly as possible, care +being taken to wrap it closely up in the broad leaves of the _puraka_ +plant--a species of gigantic taro--in order that none of the oil may be +lost. Thinking that the oil, which is perfectly colourless and with +scarcely any odour, might prove of value, I once "tried out" two of the +largest fish taken, and obtained a gallon. This I sent to a firm of +drug-merchants in Sydney; but unfortunately the vessel was lost on the +passage. + +The _palu_ does not seem to have a wide habitat. In the Tonga Islands it +is, I believe, very rare; and in Fiji, Samoa, and other mountainous +groups throughout Polynesia the natives appear to have no knowledge of +it, although they have a fish possessing the same peculiar +characteristics, but of a somewhat different shape. I have fished for it +without success at half a dozen places in Samoa, in New Britain, and New +Ireland. But it is generally to be found about the coasts of any of the +low-lying coral islands of the Union (or Tokelau) Group, the Ellice, +Gilbert, Marshall, and part of the Caroline archipelagoes. The Gilbert +Islanders call it _te ika ne peka_--a name that cannot well be +translated into bald English, though there is a very lucid Latin +equivalent. + +In 1882 I took passage from the Island of Nukufetau in the Ellice Group +for the Caroline Islands. The vessel was a fine brigantine of 160 tons, +and was named the _Orwell_. She was, unfortunately, commanded by an +incompetent, obstinate, self-willed man, who, though a good seaman, had +no meteorological knowledge and succeeded in losing the ship, when lying +at anchor, on Peru Island, in the Gilbert Group, ten days after leaving +Nukufetau, simply through disregarding the local trader's advice to put +to sea. Disastrous as was the incident to me, for I lost trade goods and +personal effects to the value of over a thousand pounds, and came ashore +with what I stood in--to wit, a pyjama suit--and a bag of Chili dollars, +I had reason to afterwards congratulate myself from a fisherman's point +of view. + +Living on the island was a Swiss, Frank Voliero, whom I have before +mentioned. He was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and was on that account +highly respected by the natives, who otherwise did not care for him, as +he was of an exceedingly quarrelsome disposition. He was an expert +_palu_ man, and he and I therefore quickly made Island _bruderschaft_. +During the three months I remained on Peru we had many fishing trips, +and caught not less than fifty _palu_. The largest of these was +evidently a patriarch, for although he was in rather poor condition he +weighed 136 lbs. and was 6 feet 10 inches in length. Another, hooked at +a depth of eighty-five fathoms, was only 5 feet 2 inches, and weighed +129 lbs. Its stomach contained a small octopus with curiously stunted +tentacles, almost as thick at the tips as they were at the base, but in +all other respects similar to those found in shallow water upon the +reefs and in the lagoon. + +Both Voliero and myself tried many kinds of bait for _palu,_ believing +that the native theory that the fish would only take flying-fish was +wrong. We found that on Peru, any elongated fish, such as gars, silvery +mullet, or young bonito, were acceptable, and that the tentacle of an +octopus, after the outer skin was removed, answered just as well. Yet +further southward among the Pacific Isles, flying-fish is the only bait +they will take! Evidently, therefore, the _palu_, at the great depths in +which it lives, is attracted by a brightly-hued fish whose habitat is on +the surface of the ocean. Why this is so must be decided by +ichthyologists, for there are no bright, silvery-scaled fish inhabiting +the ocean at such depths as eighty or a hundred fathoms. And why is it +that the _palu,_ quiescent by day, and feeding only at night, so eagerly +seizes a hook baited with a flying-fish--a fish which never descends +more than a few fathoms below the surface, and which the _palu_ can +never possibly see except when it is lowered by human hands to, or sinks +to the bottom? + +Of the marvellous efficacy of the _palu_-oil in a case of acute +rheumatism I can speak with knowledge. The second mate of an +island-trading schooner of which I was the supercargo, was landed at +Arorai, in the Line Islands, unable to move, and suffering great agony. +After two days' massaging with _palu_-oil he recovered and returned to +his duties. + +[Since this was written I have learned that Mr. E.R. Waite, of the +Sydney Museum, has described the _palu_ as the _Ruvettus pretiosus_, +"which hitherto was known only from the North Atlantic, and whose +recorded range is now enormously increased. The Escolar--to give it its +Atlantic name--has been taken at depths as great as three and four +hundred fathoms, but can only be taken at night in September and the +early part of October." I should very much like to learn how the _palu_ +is taken at a depth of four hundred fathoms--eight hundred yards!] + + + + +_The Wily "Goanner"_ + + +In the early part of the year 1899 a settler named Hardy, residing at +Glenowlan, in the Rylstone district of New South Wales, about 150 miles +from Sydney, lost numbers of his lambs during the lambing season. +Naturally enough, dingoes were suspected, but none were seen. Then other +sheep--men began to lose lambs, and a close watch was set, with the +result that iguanas, which are very numerous in this part of the +country, were discovered to be the murderers of the little "baa-baa's." +The cause of this new departure in the predatory habits of the +"goanner"--which hitherto had confined his evil deeds to nocturnal +visits to the fowl-yards--is stated to be the extermination of the +opossum, which has driven the cunning reptile to seek for another source +of food. And, as before the shooting of kangaroos, wallabies, and +opossums was resorted to as a means of livelihood by hundreds of bushmen +who had no other employment open to them, the young of these marsupials +furnished the iguana with an ample supply of food, the theory is very +probably correct. Poison will be the only method of destroying or +reducing the numbers of the iguana, who, robber as he is, yet has his +good points, as has even the sneaking, blood-loving native cat--for both +are merciless foes to snakes of all kinds; and 'tis better to have an +energetic and hungry native cat and a score of wily iguanas working +havoc among the tenants of your fowl-house than one brown or an equally +deadly "bandy-bandy" snake within half a mile. + +In that part of New South Wales in which the writer was born--one of the +tidal rivers on the northern coast--both snakes and iguanas were +plentiful, and a source of continual worry to the settlers. + +On one occasion some boyish companions and myself set to work to build a +raft for fishing purposes out of some old and discarded blue gum rails +which were lying along the bank of the river. Boy-like, we utterly +disregarded our parents' admonition to put on our boots, and, aided by a +couple of blackfellows, we moved about the long grass on our bare feet, +picking up the heavy rails and carrying them on our shoulders, one by +one, down to the sandy beach, where we were to lash them together. +Presently we came across a very heavy rail, about eight feet long, +twelve inches in width, and two inches thick. It was no sooner up-ended +than we saw half a dozen "bandy-bandies"--the smallest but most deadly +of Australian snakes, not even excepting the death-adder--lying beneath! +We gave a united yell of terror and fled as the black and yellow banded +reptiles--none of which were over eighteen inches in length nor thicker +than a man's little finger--wriggled between our feet into the long +grass around us. For some minutes we were too frightened at our escape +to speak; but soon set to work to complete the raft. Presently one of +the blackfellows pointed to a tall honeysuckle-tree about fifty feet +away, and said with a gleeful chuckle, "Hallo, you see him that 'pfeller +goanner been catch him bandy-bandy?" + +Sure enough, an iguana, about three feet in length, was scurrying up the +rough, ridgy bark of the honeysuckle with a "bandy-bandy" in his jaws. +He had seized the snake by its head, I imagine, for we could see the +rest of its form twisting and turning about and enveloping the body of +its capturer. In a few seconds we saw the iguana ascend still higher, +then he disappeared with his hateful prey among the loftier branches. No +doubt he enjoyed his meal. + +About a year or so later I was given another instance of the "cuteness" +of the wicked "goanner." My sister (aged twelve) and myself (two years +younger) were fishing with bamboo rods for mullet. We were standing, one +on each side, of the rocky edges of a tiny little bay on the coast near +Port Macquarie (New South Wales). The background was a short, steep +beach of soft, snow-white sand, fringed at the high-water margin with a +dense jungle of wild apple and pandanus-trees. + +The mullet bit freely, and as we swung the gleaming, bright-silvered +fish out of the water on to the rocks on which we stood, we threw them +up on to the beach, and left them to kick about and coat themselves with +the clean, white sand--which they did in such an artistic manner that +one would imagine they considered it egg and breadcrumb, and were +preparing themselves to fulfil their ultimate and proper use to the +_genus homo_. + +My sister had caught seven and I five, when, the sun being amidships, we +decided to boil the billy of tea and get something to eat; young mullet, +roasted on a glowing fire of honeysuckle cobs were, we knew, very nice. +So, laying down our rods on the rocks, we walked up to the beach--just +in time to see two "goanners"--one of them with a wriggling mullet in +his mouth--scamper off into the bush. + +A careful search revealed the harrowing fact that nine of the twelve +fish were missing, and the multitudinous criss-cross tracks on the sand +showed the cause of their disappearance. My sister sat down on a hollow +log and wept, out of sheer vexation of spirit, while I lit a fire to +boil the billy and grill the three remaining mullet. Then after we had +eaten the fish and drank some tea, we concocted a plan of deadly +revenge. We took four large bream-hooks, bent them on to a piece of +fishing-line, baited each hook with a good-sized piece of octopus (our +mullet bait), and suspended the line between two saplings, about three +inches above the leaf-strewn ground. Then, feeling confident of the +success of our murderous device, we finished the billy of tea and went +back to our fishing. We caught a couple of dozen or more of fine mullet, +each one weighing not less than 1-1/2 lbs.; and then the incoming tide +with its sweeping seas drove us from the ledge of rocks to the beach, +where we changed our bamboo rods for hand-lines with sinkers, and flung +them, baited with chunks of mullet, out into the breaking surf for +sea-bream. By four in the afternoon we had caught more fish than we +could well carry home, five miles away; and after stringing the mullet +and bream through the gills with a strip of supple-jack cane, we went up +the beach to our camp for the billy can and basket. + +And then we saw a sight that struck terror into our guilty souls--a +_Danse Macabre_ of three writhing black and yellow, long-tailed +"goanners," twisting, turning and lashing their sinuous and scaly tails +in agony as they sought to free their widely-opened jaws from the cruel +hooks. One had two hooks in his mouth. He was the quietest of the lot, +as he had less purchase than the other two upon the ground, and with one +hook in his lower and one in his upper jaw, glared upwards at us in his +torture and smote his sides with his long, thin tail. + +"Oh, you wicked, wicked boy!" said my partner in guilt--at once shifting +the responsibility of the whole affair upon me--"you ought to be ashamed +of yourself for doing such a thing! You know well enough that we should +never hurt a poor, harmless iguana. Oh, _do_ take those horrible hooks +out of the poor things' mouths and let them go, you wicked, cruel boy!" + +With my heart in my mouth I crept round through the scrub, knife in +hand. + +"Go on, you horrible, horrible, coward!" screamed my sister; "one would +think that the poor things were alligators or sharks. Oh, my goodness, +if you're so frightened, I'll come and do it myself." With that she +clambered up into the branches of a pandanus-tree and looked at me +excitedly, mingled with considerable contempt and much fear. + +Being quite wise enough not to attempt to take the hooks out of the +"goanners'" mouths, I cut the two ends of the line to which they hung. +They instantly sought refuge on the tree trunks around them; but as each +"goanner" selected his individual tree, and as they were still connected +to each other by the line and the hooks in their jaws, their attempts to +reach a higher plane was a failure. So they fell to upon one another +savagely. + +"Come away, you wicked, thoughtless boy," said my sister, weepingly. "I +shall never come out with you again; you cruel thing." + +Then, overcoming my fear, I valiantly advanced, and gingerly extending +my arm, cut the tangled-up fishing line in a dozen places; and with my +bamboo fishing-rod disintegrated the combatants. They stood for a few +seconds, panting and open-mouthed, and then, with the hooks still fast +in their jaws, scurried away into the scrub. + + + + +_The Ta~nifa of Samoa_ + + +Many years ago, at the close of an intensely hot day, I set out from +Apia, the principal port of Samoa, to walk to a village named Laulii, a +few miles along the coast. Passing through the semi-Europeanised town of +Matautu, I emerged out upon the open beach. I was bound on a +pigeon-shooting trip to the mountains, but intended sleeping that night +at Laulii with some native friends who were to accompany me. With me was +a young Manhiki half-caste named Allan Strickland; he was about +twenty-two years of age and one of the most perfect specimens of +athletic manhood in the South Pacific.[15] For six months we had been +business partners and comrades in a small cutter in which we traded +between Apia and Sava'ii--the largest island of the Samoan group; and +now after some months of toil we were taking a week's holiday together, +and enjoying ourselves greatly, although at the time (1873) the country +was in the throes of an internecine war. + +A walk of a mile brought us to the mouth of the Vaivasa River, a small +stream flowing into the sea from the littoral on our right. The tide was +high and we therefore hailed a picket who were stationed in the trenches +on the opposite bank and asked them in a jocular manner not to fire at +us while we were wading across. To our surprise, for we were both well +known to and on very friendly terms with the contending parties, half a +dozen of them sprang up and excitedly bade us not to attempt to cross. + +"Go further up the bank and cross to our _olo_ (lines) in a canoe," +added a young Manono chief whose family I knew well, "there is a +_ta~nifa_ about. We saw it last night." + +That was quite enough for us--for the name _Ta~nifa_ sent a cold chill +down our backs. We turned to the right, and after walking a quarter of a +mile came to a hut on the bank at a spot regarded as neutral ground. +Here we found some women and children and a canoe, and in less than five +minutes we were landed on the other side, the women chorusing the +dreadful fate that would have befallen us had we attempted to cross at +the mouth of the river. + +"_E lima gafa le umi!_" ("'Tis five fathoms long!") cried one old dame. + +"And a fathom wide at the shoulders," said another bare-bosomed lady, +with a shudder. "It hath come to the mouth of the Vaivasa because it +hath smelt the blood of the three men who were killed in the river here +two days ago." + +"We'll hear the true yarn presently," said my companion as we walked +down the left-hand bank of the river. "There must be a _ta~nifa_ +cruising about, or else those Manono fellows wouldn't have been so +scared at us wanting to cross." + +As soon as we reached the young chief's quarters, we were made very +welcome, and were obliged to accept his invitation to remain and share +supper with himself and his men--all stalwart young natives from the +little island of Manono--a lovely spot situated in the straits +separating Upolo from Savaii. Placing our guns and bags in the care of +one of the warriors, we took our seats on the matted floor, filled our +pipes anew, and, whilst a bowl of kava was being prepared, Li'o, the +young chief told us about the advent of the _ta~nifa_. + +Let me first of all, however, explain that the _ta~nifa_ is a somewhat +rare and greatly-dreaded member of the old-established shark family. By +many white residents in Samoa it was believed to occasionally reach a +length of from twenty to twenty-five feet; as a matter of fact it seldom +exceeds ten feet, but its great girth, and its solitary, nocturnal habit +of haunting the mouths of shallow streams has invested it even to the +native mind with fictional powers of voracity and destruction. Yet, +despite the exaggerated accounts of the creature, it is really a +dreadful monster, rendered the more dangerous to human life by the +persistency with which it frequents muddied and shallow water, +particularly after a freshet caused by heavy rain, when its presence +cannot be discerned. + +Into the port of Apia there fall two small streams--called "rivers" by +the local people--the Mulivai and the Vaisigago, and I was fortunate to +see specimens of the _ta~nifa_ on three occasions, twice at the +Vaisigago, and once at the mouth of the Mulivai, but I had never seen +one caught, or even sufficiently exposed to give me an idea of its +proportions. Many natives, however--particularly an old Rarotongan named +Hapai, who lived in Apia, and was the proud capturer of several +_ta~nifa_--gave me a reliable description, which I afterwards +verified. + +A _ta~nifa_ ten feet long, they assured me, was an enormously bulky and +powerful creature with jaws and teeth much larger than an ocean-haunting +shark of double that length; the width across the shoulders was very +great, and although it generally swam slowly, it would, when it had once +sighted its prey, dart along under the water with great rapidity without +causing a ripple. At a village in Savaii, a powerfully built woman who +was incautiously bathing at the mouth of a stream was seized by one of +these sharks almost before she could utter a cry, so swiftly and +suddenly was she attacked. Several attempts were made to capture the +brute, which continued to haunt the scene of the tragedy for several +days, but it was too cunning to take a hook and was never caught. + +This particular _ta~nifa_, which had been seen by the young Manono +chief and his men on the preceding evening had made its appearance soon +after darkness had fallen and had cruised to and fro across the mouth of +the Vaivasa till the tide began to fall, when it made its way seaward +through a passage in the reef. It was, so Li'o assured me, quite eight +feet in length and very wide across the head and shoulders. The water +was clear and by the bright starlight they had discerned its movements +very easily; once it came well into the river and remained stationary +for some minutes, lying under about two feet of water. Some of the +Manono men, hailing a picket of the enemy on the opposite bank of the +river, asked for a ten minutes' truce to try and shoot it; this was +granted, and standing on top of the sandy trench, half a dozen young +fellows fired a volley at the shark from their Sniders. None of the +bullets took effect and the _ta~nifa_ sailed slowly off again to +cruise to and fro for another hour, watching for any hapless person who +might cross the river. + +Just as the kava was being handed round, some children who were on watch +cried out that the _ta~nifa_ had come. Springing to his feet, Li'o +again hailed the enemy's picket on the other side, and a truce was +agreed to, so that "the white men could have a look at the +_ma|lie_"--shark. + +Thirty or forty yards away was what seemed to be a huge, irregular and +waving mass of phosphorus which, as it drew nearer, revealed the +outlines of the dreaded fish. It came in straight for the mouth of the +creek, passed over the pebbly bar, and then swam leisurely about in the +brackish water, moving from bank to bank at less than a dozen feet from +the shore. The stream of bright phosphorescent light which had +surrounded its body when it first appeared had now, owing to there being +but a minor degree of phosphorus in the brackish water, given place to +a dulled, sickly, greenish reflection, accentuated however by thin, +vivid streaks, caused by the exudation from the gills of a streaming, +viscid matter, common to some species of sharks, and giving it a truly +terrifying and horrible appearance. Presently a couple of natives, +taking careful aim, fired at the creature's head; in an instant it +darted off with extraordinary velocity, rushing through the water like a +submerged comet--if I may use the illustration. Both of the men who had +fired were confident their bullets had struck and badly wounded the +shark, but were greatly disgusted when, ten minutes later, it again +appeared, swimming leisurely about, at ten fathoms from the beach. + +Three days later, as we were returning to Apia, we were told by our +native friends that the shark still haunted the mouth of the Vaivasa; +and I determined to capture it. I sent Allan on board the cutter for our +one shark hook--a hook which had done much execution among the sea +prowlers. Although not of the largest size, being only ten inches in the +shank, it was made of splendid steel, and we had frequently caught +fifteen-feet sharks with it at sea. It was a cherished possession with +us and we always kept it--and the four feet of chain to which it was +attached--bright and clean. + +In the evening Allan returned, accompanied by the local pilot (a Captain +Hamilton) and the fat, puffing, master of a German barque. They wanted +"to see the fun." We soon had everything in readiness; the hook, baited +with the belly-portion of a freshly-killed pig (which the Manono people +had commandeered from a bush village) was buoyed to piece of light _pua_ +wood to keep it from sinking, and then with twenty fathoms of brand-new +whale line attached, we let it drift out into the centre of the passage. +Then making our end of the line fast to the trunk of a coconut tree, we +set some children to watch, and went into the trenches to drink some +kava, smoke, and gossip. + +We had not long to wait--barely half an hour--when we heard a warning +yell from the watchers. The _ta~nifa_ was in sight. + +Jumping up and tumbling over each other in our eagerness we rushed out; +but alas! too late for the shark; for instead of approaching in its +usual leisurely manner, it made a straight dart at the bait, and before +we could free our end of the line it was as taut as an iron bar, and the +creature, with the hook firmly fastened in his jaw, was ploughing the +water into foam, amid yells of excitement from the natives. Then +suddenly the line fell slack, and the half-a-dozen men who were holding +it went over on their backs, heels up. + +In mournful silence we hauled it in, and then, oh woe! the hook, our +prized, our beautiful hook, was gone! and with it two feet of the chain, +which had parted at the centre swivel. That particular _ta~nifa_ was +seen no more. + +Nearly two months later, two _ta~nifa_ of a much larger size, appeared +at the mouth of the Vaivasa. Several of the white residents tried, night +after night, to hook them, but the monsters refused to look at the +baits. Then appeared on the scene an old one-eyed Malay named 'Reo, who +asserted he could kill them easily. The way in which he set to work was +described to me by the natives who witnessed the operations. Taking a +piece of green bamboo, about four feet in length, he split from it two +strips each an inch wide. The ends of these he then, after charring the +points, sharpened carefully; then by great pressure he coiled them up +into as small a compass as possible, keeping the whole in position by +sewing the coil up in the fresh skin of a fish known as the _isuumu +moana_--a species of the "leather-jacket." Then he asked to be provided +with two dogs. A couple of curs were soon provided, killed, and the +viscera removed. The coils of bamboo were then placed in the vacancy and +the skin of the bellies stitched up with small wooden skewers. That +completed the preparation of the baits. + +As soon as the two sharks made their appearance, one of the dead dogs +was thrown into the water. It was quickly swallowed. Then the second +followed, and was also seized by the other _ta~nifa_. The creatures +cruised about for some hours, then went off, as the tide began to fall. + +On the following evening they did not turn up, nor on the next; but the +Malay insisted that within four or five days both would be dead. As soon +as the dogs were digested, he said, the thin fish-skin would follow, the +bamboo coil would fly apart, and the sharpened ends penetrate not only +the sharks' intestines, but protrude through the outer skin as well. + +Quite a week afterwards, during which time neither of the _ta~nifa_ +had been seen alive, the smaller of the two was found dead on the beach +at Vailele Plantation, about four miles from the Vaivasa. It was +examined by numbers of people, and presented an extremely interesting +sight; one end of the bamboo spring was protruding over a foot from the +belly, which was so cut and lacerated by the agonised efforts of the +monster to free itself from the instrument of torture, that much of the +intestines was gone. + +That the larger of these dreaded fish had died in the same manner there +was no reason to doubt; but probably it had sunk in the deep water +outside the barrier reef. + + + + +_On Board the "_Tucopia_." + + +The little island trading barque _Tucopia_, Henry Robertson, master, lay +just below Garden Island in Sydney Harbour, ready to sail for the +Friendly Islands and Samoa as soon as the captain came on board. At nine +o'clock, as Bruce, the old, white-haired, Scotch mate, was pointing out +to Mrs. Lacy and the Reverend Wilfrid Lacy the many ships around, and +telling them from whence they came or where they were bound, the second +mate called out-- + +"Here's the captain's boat coming, sir." + +Bruce touched his cap to the pale-faced, violet-eyed clergyman's wife, +and turning to the break of the poop, at once gave orders to "heave +short," leaving the field clear to Mr. Charles Otway, the supercargo of +the _Tucopia_, who was twenty-two years of age, had had seven years' +experience of general wickedness in the South Seas, thought he was in +love with Mrs. Lacy, and that, before the barque reached Samoa, he would +make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid was a serious mistake, and +that he, Charles Otway, was the one man in the world whom she could love +and be happy with for ever. So, being a hot-blooded and irresponsible +young villain, though careful and decorous to all outward seeming, he +set himself to work, took exceeding care over his yellow, curly hair, +and moustache, and abstained from swearing in Mrs. Lacy's hearing. + + * * * * * + +A week before, Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had called at the owner's office and +inquired about a passage to Samoa in the _Tucopia_, and Otway was sent +for. + +"Otway," said the junior partner, "can you make room on the _Tucopia_ +for two more passengers--nice people, a clergyman and his wife." + +"D----all nice people, especially clergymen and their wives," he +answered promptly--for although the youngest supercargo in the firm, he +was considered, the smartest--and took every advantage of the fact. "I'm +sick of carting these confounded missionaries about, Mr. Harry. Last +trip we took two down to Tonga--beastly hymn-grinding pair, who wanted +the hands to come aft every night to prayers, and played-up generally +with the discipline of the ship. Robertson never interfered, and old +Bruce, who is one of the psalm-singing kidney himself, encouraged the +beasts to turn the ship into a floating Bethel." + +"Mr. Harry" laughed good-naturedly. "Otway, my boy, you mustn't put on +so much side--the firm can't afford it. If you hadn't drunk so much +whisky last night you would be in a better temper this morning." + +"Oh, if you've got some one else to take my billet on the _Tucopia_, +why don't you say so, instead of backing and filling about, like a +billy-goat in stays? _I_ don't care a damn if you load the schooner up +to her maintop with sky-pilots and their dowdy women-kind. I've had +enough of 'em, and I hereby tender you my resignation. I can get another +and a better ship to-morrow, if--" + +"Sit down, you cock-a-hoopy young ass," and "Mr. Harry" hit the +supercargo a good-humoured but stiff blow in the chest. "These people +aren't missionaries; they're a cut above the usual breed. Man's a +gentleman; woman's as sweet as a rosebud. Now look here, Otway; we give +you a pretty free hand generally, but in this instance we want you to +stretch a point--you can give these people berths in the trade-room, +can't you?" + +The supercargo considered a moment. "There's a lot returning this trip. +First, there's the French priest for Wallis Island--nice old buffer, but +never washes, and grinds his teeth in his sleep--he's in the cabin next +to mine; old Miss Wiedermann for Tonga--cabin on starboard side--fussy +old cat, who is always telling me that she can distinctly hear +Robertson's bad language on deck. But her brother is a good sort, and so +I put up with her. Then there's Captain Burr, in the skipper's cabin, +two Samoan half-caste girls in the deck-house--there's going to be +trouble over those women, old Bruce says, and I don't doubt it--and the +whole lot will have their meals in the beastly dog-kennel you call a +saloon, and I call a sweat-box." + +"Thank you, Mr. Otway. Your elegant manner of speaking shows clearly +the refining influence of the charming people with whom you associate. +Just let me tell you this--you looked like a gentleman a year or two +ago, but become less like one every day." + +"No wonder," replied Otway sullenly, "the Island trade is not calculated +to turn out Chesterfields. I'm sick enough of it, now we are carrying +passengers as well as cargo. I suppose the firm will be asking us +supercargoes to wear uniform and brass buttons soon, like the ticket +collector on a penny ferry." + +"Quite likely, my sulky young friend--quite likely, if it will pay us to +do so." + +"Then I'll clear out, and go nigger-catching again in the Solomons. +That's a lot better than having to be civil to people who worry the soul +out of you, are always in the way at sea, and a beastly nuisance in +port. Why, do you know what old Miss Weidermann did at Manono, in Samoa, +when we were there buying yams three months ago?" + +"No; what did she do?" + +"Got the skipper and myself into a howling mess through her infernal +interference; and if the chiefs and old Mataafa himself had not come to +our help there would have been some shooting, and this firm could never +have sent another ship to Manono again. It makes me mad when I think of +it--the silly old bundle of propriety and feminine spite." + +"Tell me all about it, Otway. 'Twill do you good, I can see, to unburden +yourself of some of your bad temper. Shut that door, and we'll have a +brandy-and-soda together." + +"Well," said Otway, "this is what occurred. I was ashore in the village, +buying and weighing the yams, the skipper was lending me a hand, and +everything was going on bully, when Mataafa and his chiefs sent an +invitation to us to come up to his house and drink kava. Of course such +an invitation from the native point of view was a great honour; and +then, besides that, it was good business to keep in with old Mataafa, +who had just given the Germans a thrashing at Vailele, and was as proud +as a dog with two tails. So, although I hate kava, I accepted the +invitation with 'many expressions of pleasure,' and felt sure that as +the old fellow knew me of old, and I knew he wanted to buy some rifles, +that I should get the bulk of a bag of sovereigns his mongrel, low-down +American secretary was carrying around. So oft went the skipper and I, +letting the yams stand over till we returned; the barque was lying about +a mile off the beach. Mataafa was very polite to us, and during the kava +drinking I found out that he had about three hundred sovereigns, and +wanted to see the Martini-Henrys we had on board. Of course I told him +that it would be a serious business for the ship if he gave us +away--imprisonment in a dreadful dungeon in Fiji, if not hanging at the +yard-arm or a man-of-war--and the old cock winked his eye and laughed. +Then, as time was valuable, we at once concocted a plan to get the +rifles--fifty--ashore without making too much of a show. Well, among +some of the women present there were two great swells, one was the +_taupo_, or town maid, of Palaulae in Savaii, and the other was a niece +of Mataafa himself. These two, accompanied by a lot of young women of +Manono, were to go off on board the barque in our boats, ostensibly to +pay their respects to the white lady on board, and invite her on shore, +so as to get her out of the way; then I was to pass the arms out of the +stern ports into some canoes which would be waiting just as it became +dark. About five o'clock they started off in one boat, leaving me and +the skipper to follow in another. I had sent a note off to the mate +telling him all about the little game, and to be mighty polite to the +two chief women, who were to be introduced to Miss Weidermann, give the +old devil some presents of mats, fruits, and such things, and ask her to +come ashore as Mataafa's guest. + +"Well, something had gone wrong with the Weidermann's temper; for when +the women came on board she was sulking in her cabin, and refused to +show her vinegary face outside her state-room door. Thinking she would +get over her tantrum in a few minutes, the mate invited the two Samoan +ladies and their attendants down into the cabin, where they awaited her +appearance, behaving themselves, of course, very decorously, it being a +visit of ceremony. + +"Presently Old Cat-face opened her door, and then, without giving the +native ladies time to utter a word, she launched out at them in her +bastard-mongrel Samoan-Tongan. The first thing she said was that she +knew the kind of women they were, and what had brought them on board! +How dared such brazen, shameless cattle come into the cabin! Into the +same cabin as a white lady! The bold, half-naked, disgraceful hussies, +etc., etc. And then she capped the thing by calling to the steward to +come and drive them out! + +"Not one of the native women could answer her. They were all simply +dumbfounded at such a gross insult, and left the cabin in silence. The +mate tried to smooth things over, but one of the women--Mataafa's +niece--gave him a look that told him to say no more. In half an hour the +whole lot of them were back on the beach, and came up to the chiefs +house, where the skipper and myself were having a final drink of kava +with old Mataafa and his _faipule_.[16] The face of the elder of the two +women was blazing with anger, and then, pointing to the captain and +myself, she gave us such a tongue-lashing for sending her off to the +ship to be shamed and insulted, that made us blush. Old Mataafa waited +until she had finished, and then, with an ugly gleam in his eye but +speaking very quietly, asked us what it meant. + +"What _could_ we say but that it was no fault of ours; and then, by a +happy inspiration, I added that although Miss Weidermann was generally +well-conducted enough, she sometimes got blazing drunk, and made a beast +of herself. This explanation satisfied the chiefs, if not the women, and +everything went on smoothly. And as it was then nearly dark, and I was +determined that Mataafa should get his rifles, half a dozen of his men +took us off in their canoes, and we went on board. The skipper and I had +fixed up as to what we should do with the Weidermann creature. She was +seated at the cabin table waiting to open out on us, but the skipper +didn't give her a chance. + +"'Go to your cabin at once, madam,' he said solemnly, 'and I trust you +will not again leave it in your present condition. Your conduct is +simply astounding. _Steward, see that you give Miss Weidermann no more +grog_.' + +"The poor old girl thought that either he or she herself was going mad, +but he gave her no time to talk. The captain opened her state-room door, +gently pushed her in, and put a man outside to see that she didn't come +out again. Then we handed out the rifles through the stern-ports to the +natives in the canoes, and sent them away rejoicing. And that's the end +of the yarn, and Miss Weidermann nearly went into a fit next morning +when we told her that no less than thirty respectable native women had +taken their oaths that she was mad drunk, and abused them vilely." + +The junior partner laughed loudly at the story, and Otway, with a more +amiable look on his face, rose. + +"Well, I'll do what I can for these people. I'll make room for them +somehow. Where are they going?" + +"Samoa. They have an idea of settling down there, I think, for a few +months, and then going on to China. They have plenty of money, +apparently." + +"Oh, well, tell them to come on board to-morrow, and I'll show them what +can be done for them." + + * * * * * + +So the Rev. and Mrs. Lacy did come on board, and Mr. Charles Otway was +vanquished by just one single glance from the lady's violet eyes. + +"It would have been such a dreadful disappointment to us if we could not +have obtained passages in the _Tucopia_," she said, in her soft, sweet +voice, as she sank back in the deck-chair he placed before her. "My +husband is so bent on making a tour through Samoa. Now, do tell me, Mr. +Otway, are these islands so very lovely?" + +"Very, very lovely, Mrs. Lacy," replied Otway, leaning with his back +against the rail and regarding her with half-closed eyes; "as sweet and +fair to look upon as a lovely woman--a woman with violet eyes and lips +like a budding rose." + +She gave him one swift glance, seemingly in anger, yet her eyes smiled +into his; then she bent her head and regarded the deck with intense +interest. Otway thought he had scored. She was sure _she_ had. + +Otway had just shown her and her husband his own cabin, and had told +them that they could occupy it--he would make himself comfortable in the +trade-room, he said. This was after the first look from the violet eyes. + + * * * * * + +Robertson, the skipper, came aboard, shook hands with Mrs. Lacy and her +husband, nodded to the other passengers, dived below for a moment or +two, and then reappeared on deck, full of energy, blasphemy, and anxiety +to get under way. In less than an hour the smart barque was outside the +Heads, and heeling over to a brisk south-westerly breeze. Two days later +she was four hundred miles on her course. + +The Rev. Wilfrid Lacy soon made himself very agreeable to the rest of +the passengers, who all agreed that he was a splendid type of parson, +and even Otway, who had as much principle as a rat and began making love +to his wife from the outset, liked him. First of all, he was not the +usual style of travelling clergyman. He didn't say grace at meals, he +smoked a pipe, drank whisky and brandy with Otway and Robertson, told +rattling good stories, and displayed an immediate interest when the +skipper mentioned that the second mate was a "bit of a bruiser," and +that there were gloves on board; and the second mate, a nuggety little +Tynesider, at once consented to a friendly mill as soon as he was off +duty. + +"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy, "you'll shock every one. I can see that +Captain Robertson wonders what sort of a clergyman you are." + +Robertson saw the merry light in her dark eyes, and then laughed aloud +as he saw Miss Weidermann's face. It expressed the very strongest +disapproval, and during the rest of the meal the virgin lady preserved a +dismal silence. The rest of the passengers, however, "took" to the +clerical gentleman at once. With old Father Roget--the Marist +missionary who sat opposite him--he soon entered into an animated +conversation, while the two De Boos girls, vivacious Samoan half-castes, +attached themselves to his wife. Seated beside Otway was another +passenger, an American skipper named Burr, who was going to Apia to take +command of a vessel belonging to the same firm as the _Tucopia_. He was +a silent, good-looking man of about sixty, and possessed of much caustic +humour and a remarkable fund of smoking-room stories, which, on rare +occasions, he would relate in an inimitable, drawling manner, as if he +was tired. The chief mate was a deeply but not obtrusively religious +Scotsman; the second officer, Allen, was a young man of thirty, an +excellent seaman, but rough to the verge of brutality with the crew. +Bruce, on the other hand, was too easy-going and patient. + +"I never want to raise my hand against a man," he said one day, as a +protest, when Allen gave one of the crew an unmerciful cuff which sent +him down as if he had been shot. + +"Neither do I," replied Allen, "I prefer raising my foot. But it's +habit, Mr. Bruce, only habit." + +For five days the barque ran steadily on an E.N.E. course, then on the +sixth day the wind hauled, and by sunset it was blowing hard from the +eastward with a fast-gathering sea. By two in the morning Robertson and +his officers knew that they were in for a three-days' easterly gale; a +few hours later it was decided to heave-to, as the sea had become +dangerous, and the little vessel was straining badly. Just after this +had been done, the gale set in with redoubled fury, and when Mrs. Lacy +came on deck shortly before breakfast, she shuddered at the wild +spectacle. Coming to the break of the poop, she clasped the iron rail +with both hands, and gazed fearfully about her. + +"You had better go below, ma'am," said the second mate, who was standing +near, talking to Otway, "there's some nasty, lumpy seas." + +Then he gave a yell. + +"Look out there!" + +Springing to Mrs. Lacy's side, he clasped his left arm around her waist, +and held on tightly to the iron rail with his right, just as a vast +mountain of water took the barque amidships, fell on her deck with +terrific force, and fairly buried her from the topgallant foc'scle to +the level of the poop. In less than half a minute the galley, for'ard +deck-house, long-boat, which was lying on the main hatch, and the port +bulwarks had vanished, together with three poor seamen who were asleep +in the deck-house. The fearful crash brought the captain flying on deck. +One glance showed him that there was no chance of saving the men--to +attempt to lower a boat in such a sea was utterly impossible, and would +be madness itself. He sighed, and then took off his cap. Allen and Otway +followed his example. + +"Is there no hope for them?" Mrs. Lacy whispered to Otway. + +"None," replied the supercargo in a low voice. "None." Then he urged her +to go below, as it was not safe for her to remain on deck. She went at +once, and met her husband just as he was leaving their cabin. + +"What is the matter, Nell?" he asked, as he saw that tears were in her +eyes. + +"Three poor men have been carried overboard, Wilfrid. They were in the +deck-house asleep ten minutes ago--now they are gone! Oh, isn't it +dreadful, dreadful!" And then she sat down beside him and wept silently. + +Breakfast was a forlorn meal--Robertson and his officers were not +present, and Otway took the captain's seat. He, too, only remained to +drink a cup of coffee, then hurriedly went on deck. Lacy rose at the +same time, but at the foot of the companion, Otway motioned him to stop. + +"Don't come on deck awhile, if you please," he said, "and tell the +ladies to keep to the cabin." + +"Anything fresh gone wrong?" + +"Yes," replied the supercargo, looking steadily at the clergyman--"the +ship is making water badly. Don't you hear the pumps going? Tell the +ladies not to come on deck--say it is not safe. And if the old +Weidermann girl hears the pumps, and gets inquisitive, tell her that a +lot of water got into the hold when that big sea tumbled aboard. She's +an inquisitive old ass, and would be bound to tell the other ladies that +the ship is in danger." + +Lacy nodded. "All right, I'll see to her. How long has the ship been +leaking?" + +"For quite a long time. And there is fourteen inches in her, and it's as +much as we can do to keep it under." + +"That is serious." + +Otway nodded. "Yes, it is serious in weather like this. Now I must go. +Daresay we may give you a call in the course of the morning. Ever try a +spell at old-fashioned brake pumps? Fine exercise." + +"I'm ready now if you want me," was the quiet answer. + +The _Tucopia_ was indeed in a pretty bad case. Immediately after the +fatal sea had swept her decks the carpenter had sounded the well and +found fifteen inches of water, some little of which had got below +through the fore-scuttle, but the greater portion, it was soon evident, +was the result of a leak. The barque was a comparatively new vessel, and +Robertson and his officers, after two hours' pumping, came to the +conclusion that she had either strained herself badly or a butt-end had +started somewhere. + +For two hours the crew worked at the pumps, taking a spell of ten +minutes every half-hour, Otway, the American captain Burr, and Mr. Lacy +all lending a hand. Then the well was sounded, and showed two inches +less. + +Robertson ordered the men to come aft and get a glass of grog. They +trooped down into the cabin wet and exhausted, and the steward served +them each out half a tumblerful of good French brandy. They drank it +off, and then went on deck again to have a smoke before resuming +pumping. A quarter of an hour later the pumps choked. There were a +hundred tons of coal in the lower hold, and some of the small of it had +been drawn up. By the time the carpenter had them cleared the water had +gained seven inches, and the little barque was labouring heavily. Again, +however, the willing crew turned to and pumped steadily for another +hour, but only succeeded in reducing the water by an inch or two. Then +Robertson called his officers together and consulted. + +"We can't keep on like this much longer," he said, "the water is gaining +on us too fast. And we can't run before such a sea as this, in our +condition; we should be pooped in less than five minutes. We shall have +to take to the boats in another couple of hours, unless a change takes +place. Mr. Allen, and you, Mr. Otway, see to the two boats, and get them +in readiness." + +Then he went below to the passengers. They were all seated in the main +cabin, and looked anxiously at him as he entered. + +"I am sorry to tell you, ladies," he said quietly, "that the ship is +leaking so badly that I fear we shall have to abandon her. The men +cannot keep on pumping much longer, now that we are three hands short. +Fortunately we have two good boats, and, if we must take to them, shall +have no trouble in reaching land." + +They heard him in silence, then the old priest opened his state-room +door, and came out. + +"That is bad news indeed, captain," he said gently. "Still we must bow +to God's will, and trust to His guidance and protection. And you and +your officers and crew are good and brave seamen." + +"Thank you, father. We'll do all right if we have to take to the boats. +And you must try and cheer up the ladies. Now I must leave you all for +awhile. We will stick to the pumps for another hour or two." + +"Captain," said Sarah de Boos, a tall, finely built young woman of +twenty, "let my sister and myself and our servant help the men at the +pump. _Do_, please. We are all three very strong, and our help is surely +worth having." + +Robertson patted her soft cheek with his big, sunburnt hand. "You are +your father's daughter, Sarah, and I thank you. Of course your help +would be something; three fine lusty young women"--he tried to +smile--"but it's too dangerous for you to be on deck. All the bulwarks +are gone, and nasty lumping seas come aboard every now and then." + +"I'm not afraid of a life-line hurting my waist," was the prompt answer, +"and neither is Sukie--are you Sukie? Go on deck, captain, and Sukie and +I and Mina" (the servant) "will just kick off our boots and follow you." + +"And I too," broke in old Father Roget. "Surely I am not too old to +help." + +In less than five minutes the two half-caste girls, the native woman +Mina, and the old priest, were working the starboard brake, three seamen +being on the lee side. Every now and then, as the barque took a heavy +roll to windward, the water would flood her deck up to the workers' +knees; but they stuck steadily to their task for half an hour, when they +gave place to Burr, the carpenter, the Rev. Wilfrid, and three native +seamen. + +In the cabin Mrs. Lacy sat with ashen-hued face beside Miss Weidermann, +their hands clasped together, and listening to the wild clamour of the +wind and sea. Presently the two De Boos girls, Lacy, Father Roget, and +Mina, came below to rest awhile, the water streaming from their sodden +garments. The old priest, thoroughly exhausted, threw himself down upon +the transom locker cushions. + +"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy coming over to him and placing her shaking +hand on his shoulder, "cannot I do something? Oh, Miss De Boos, I wish I +were brave, like you. But I am not--I am a coward, and I hate myself for +it." + +The Rev. Wilfrid smiled tenderly at her as he drew her to him for a +moment. "Don't worry, little woman. You can't do anything--yes, you can, +though! Get me my pipe and fill it for me. My hands are wet and +cramped." + +Sukie De Boos, whose firm, rounded bosom and strong square shoulders +made a startling contrast, as they revealed their shape under her +soddened blouse, to Mrs. Lacy's fragile figure, impulsively put her +hands out, and taking Mrs. Lacy's face between them, kissed her twice. + +"Dear Mrs. Lacy," she said, "don't be frightened, please. Now get Mr. +Lacy's pipe, and I'll rummage the steward's pantry and get some food for +us all to eat. Mr. Otway told me to tell you and Miss Weidermann to eat +something, as maybe we may not get anything for some hours. So I'm just +going to stay here and see that every one _does_ eat. I'll set you a +good example." + +In a few minutes she laid upon the table an assortment of tinned meats, +bread, and some bottled beer, and some brandy for Father Roget and Lacy. +Otway came down, followed by the steward, and nodded approval. + +"That's right, Sukie. Eat as much as you can. I'll take a drink myself. +Here's luck to you, Sukie. Perhaps we won't have to make up a boating +party after all. But there's nothing like being ready. So will you, Mr. +Lacy, lend a hand here with the steward, and pass up our provisions to +the second mate? The captain will be down in a minute, and will tell you +ladies what clothing to get ready. For my part I'll be jolly glad if we +do have to take to the boats, where we shall be nice and comfy, instead +of rolling about in this beastly way--I'll be sea-sick in another ten +minutes. Old Bruce says he felt sick an hour ago. Come on, steward." + +The assumed cheerfulness of his manner produced a good effect, and even +old Miss Weidermann plucked up heart a little as she saw him +nonchalantly light a cigar as he disappeared with the steward below into +the lazzarette. + +On deck Robertson and the mate were talking in low tones, as they +assisted the second mate with the boats. There was now nearly three feet +of water in the hold, and every one knew that the barque could not keep +afloat much longer. Fortunately the violence of the wind had decreased +somewhat, though there was still a mountainous sea. + +Both the old mate and the captain knew that the two small quarter boats +would be dangerously overladen, and their unspoken fears were shared by +the rest of the officers and crew. But another hour would perhaps make a +great difference; and then as the two men were speaking a savage sea +smote the _Tucopia_ on the starboard bow, with such violence that she +trembled in every timber, and as she staggered under the shock and then +rolled heavily to windward, she dipped the starboard quarter boat under +the water; it filled, and as she rose again, boat and davits went away +together. + +Robertson groaned and looked at the mate. + +"It is God's will, sir," said the old Scotsman quietly. + +Robertson nodded. "Tell Allen and the others to come here," he said. + +The Tynesider, followed by Captain Burr, Otway, and the carpenter, came. + +"Mr. Allen," said the captain, "you are the best man in such an +emergency as this. You handle a boat better than any man I know. There +is now only one boat left, and you must take charge of her. You will +have to take a big lot of people--the four women, the parson, the old +French priest, Mr. Otway, Captain Burr, the carpenter, and the five +men." + +"I guess I'll stand out, and stick to the ship," said Burr in a lazy, +drawling manner, "I don't like bein' crowded up with a lot of wimmen." + +"Neither do I, said Otway. + +"Same here, captain," said the carpenter, a little grizzled man of +sixty. + +Robertson shook hands with each of them in turn. "I knew you were +_men_," he said simply. "Come below and let's have a drink together, and +then see to the boat." + +"What's all this, skipper?" said Allen, with an oath, "d'ye think I'm +going to save my carcase and let you men drown? I'll see you all damned +first!" + +"You'll obey orders," growled the captain, "and my orders are that you +take charge of that boat. And don't give me any lip. You are a married +man and have children. None of us who are standing by the ship are +married men. By God, my joker, if you don't know your duty, I'll teach +you. Are you going to let these four women go adrift in a boat to perish +when you can save them?" + +Allen looked the captain squarely in the face and then put out his hand. + +"I understand you, sir. But I don't like doing it. The ship won't keep +afloat another hour. But, as you say, I've a wife and kids to consider." + + * * * * * + +Followed by the others, Robertson went below, and told his passengers to +get ready for the boat. The old French priest, exhausted by his labour +at the pumps, was still lying on the transom cushions, sleeping; the +Rev. Lacy was seated at the table smoking his pipe (all the ladies were +in their state-rooms). He rose as the men entered, and looked at them +inquiringly. + +"We're in a bit of a tight place," said the captain, as he coolly +poured out half a tumblerful of brandy, "but I'm sending you, Mr. Lacy, +and Father Roget, and the ladies away with Mr. Allen in one of the +boats. Allen is a man whom I rely upon. He'll bring you ashore safely. +He's a bit rough in his talk, but he's one of God's own chosen in a +boat, and a fine sailor man--better than the mate, Captain Burr, or +myself; isn't that so, Mr. Bruce?" + +The white-haired old mate bent his head in acknowledgment. Then he stood +up stiff and stark, his rough bony hands clasped upon his chest. + +"I'll no' deny but that Mr. Allen is far and awa' the best man to have +charge o' the boat. But as there is a meenister here, surely he will now +offer up a prayer to the Almighty for those in peril on the sea, and +especially implore Him to consider a sma' boat, deep to the gunwales." + +He looked at the clergyman, who at first made no reply, but stood with +downcast eyes. The men looked at him expectantly; he put one hand on the +table, and then slowly raised his face. + +"I think, gentlemen, that ... that Father Roget is the older man." He +spoke haltingly, and a flush dyed his smooth, clean-shaven face from +brow to chin. "Will you not ask him?" Then his eyes dropped again. + +Robertson, who was in a hurry, and yet had a sincere but secret respect +for old Bruce's unobtrusive religious feelings, now backed up his mate's +request. + +"I think, sir, that as the mate says, a bit of a short prayer would not +be out of place just now, seeing the mess we are in. And that poor old +gentleman over there is too done up to stand on his feet. So will you +please begin, sir. Steward, call the ladies. We can no longer disguise +from them, Mr. Lacy, that we are in a bad way--as bad a way as I have +ever been in during my thirty years at sea." + +In a couple of minutes the two De Boos girls, Miss Weidermann, and the +native girl Mina, came out of their cabins; and when the steward said +that Mrs. Lacy felt too ill to leave her berth, her husband could not +help giving an audible sigh of relief. Then he braced up and spoke with +firmness. + +"Please shut Mrs. Lacy's door, steward. Mr. Bruce, will you lend me your +church service--I do not want to go into my cabin for my own. My wife, I +fear, has given way." + +The mate brought the church service, and then whilst the men stood with +bowed heads, and the women knelt, the clergyman, with strong, +unfaltering voice read the second of the prayers "To be used in Storms +at Sea." He finished, and then sitting down again, placed one hand over +his eyes. + +"_The living, the living shall praise Thee_." + +It was the old mate who spoke. He alone of the men had knelt beside the +women, and when he rose his face bore such an expression of calmness and +content, that Otway, who five minutes before had been silently cursing +him for his "damned idiotcy," looked at him with a sudden mingled +respect and wonder. + +Stepping across to the clergyman, Bruce respectfully placed his hand on +his shoulder, and as he spoke his clear blue eyes smiled at the still +kneeling women. + +"Cheer up, sir. God will protect ye and your gude wife, and us all. You, +his meenister, have made supplication to Him, and He has heard. Dinna +weep, ladies. We are in the care of One who holds the sea in the hollow +of His hand." + +Then he followed the captain and the others on deck, Otway alone +remaining to assist the steward. + +"For God's sake give me some brandy," said Lacy to him, in a low voice. + +Otway looked at him in astonishment. Was the man a coward after all? + +He brought the brandy, and with ill-disguised contempt placed it before +him without a word. Lacy looked up at him, and his face flushed. + +"Oh, I'm not funking--not a d----d bit, I can assure you." + +Otway at once poured out a nip of brandy for himself, and clinked his +glass against that of the clergyman. + +"Pon my soul, I couldn't make it out, and I apologise. But a man's +nerves go all at once sometimes--can't help himself, you know. Mine did +once when I was in the nigger-catching business in the Solomon Islands. +Natives opened fire on us when our boats were aground in a creek, and +some of our men got hit. I wasn't a bit scared of a smack from a bullet, +but when I got a scratch on my hand from an arrow, I dropped in a blue +funk, and acted like a cur. Knew it was poisoned, felt sure I'd die of +lockjaw, and began to weep internally. Then the mate called me a rotten +young cur, shook me up, and put my Snider into my hand. But I shall +always feel funky at the sight even of a child's twopenny bow and arrow. +Now I must go." + +The clergyman nodded and smiled, and then rising from his seat, he +tapped at the door of his wife's state-room. She opened it, and then +Otway, who was helping the steward, heard her sob hysterically. + +"Oh, Will, Will, why did you? How could you? I love you, Will dear, I +love you, and if death comes to us in another hour, another minute, I +shall die happily with your arms round me. But, Will dear, there is a +God, I'm sure there _is_ a God.... I feel it in my heart, I feel it. And +now that death is so near to us----" + +Lacy put his arms around her, and lifted her trembling figure upon his +knees. + +"There, rest yourself, my pet." + +"Rest! Rest?" she said brokenly, as Lacy drew her to him. "How can I +rest when I think of how I have sinned, and how I shall die! Will dear, +when I heard you reading that prayer--" + +"I _had_ to do it, Nell." + +"Will, dear Will.... Perhaps God may forgive us both.... But as I sat +here in my dark cabin, and listened to you reading that prayer, my +husband's face came before me--the face that I thought was so dull and +stupid. And his eyes seemed so soft and kind--" + +"For God's sake, my dear little woman, don't think of what is past. We +have made the plunge together----" + +The woman uttered one last sobbing sigh. "I am not afraid to die, Will. +I am not afraid, but when I heard you begin to read that prayer, my +courage forsook me. I wanted to scream--to rush out and stop you, for it +seemed to me as if you were doing it in sheer mockery." + +"I can only say again, Nell, that I could not help myself; made me feel +pretty sick, I assure you." + +Their voices ceased, and presently Lacy stepped out into the main cabin, +and then went on deck again. + +Robertson met him with a cheerful face. "Come on, Mr. Lacy. I've some +good news for you--we are making less water! The leak must be taking up +in some way." Then holding on to the rail with one hand, he shouted to +the men at the pumps. + +"Shake her up, boys! shake her up. Here's Mr. Lacy come to lend a hand, +and the supercargo and steward will be with you in a minute. Now I'm +going below for a minute to tell the ladies, and mix you a bucket of +grog. Shake her up, you, Tom Tarbucket, my bully boy with a glass eye! +Shake her up, and when she sucks dry, I'll stand a sovereign all round." + +The willing crew answered him with a cheer, and Tom Tarbucket, a +square-built, merry faced native of Savage Island, who was stripped to +the waist, shouted out, amid the laughter of his shipmates-- + +"Ay, ay, capt'in, we soon make pump suck dry if two Miss de Boos girl +come." + +Robertson laughed in response, and then picking up a wooden bucket from +under the fife rail, clattered down the companion way. + +"Where are you, Otway? Up you get on deck, and you too, steward. The +leak is taken up and 'everything is lovely and the goose hangs high.' Up +you go to the pumps, and make 'em suck. I'll bring up some grog +presently." + +Then as Otway and the steward sprang up on deck, the captain stamped +along the cabin in his sodden sea boots, banging at each door. + +"Come out, Sarah, come out Sukie, my little chickabiddies--there's to be +no boat trip for you after all. Miss Weidermann, I've good news, good +news! Mrs. Lacy, cheer up, dear lady. The leak has taken up, and you can +go on deck and see your husband working at the pumps like a number one +chop Trojan. Ha! Father Roget, give me your hand. You're a white man, +sir, and ought to be a bishop." + +As he spoke to the now awakened old priest, the two De Boos girls, Mrs. +Lacy and Miss Weidermann, all came out of their cabins, and Robertson +shook hands with them, and lifting Sukie de Boos up between his two +rough hands as if she were a little girl, he kissed her, and then made a +grab at Sarah, who dodged behind Mrs. Lacy. + +"Now, father, don't you attempt to come on deck. Mrs. Lacy, just you +keep him here. Sukie, my chick, you and Sarah get a couple of bottles of +brandy, make this bucket full of half-and-half, and bring it on deck to +the men." + +As he noisily stamped out of the cabin again, the old priest turned to +the ladies, and raised his hand-- + +"A brave, brave man--a very good English sailor. And now let us thank +God for His mercies to us." + +The four ladies, with Mina, knelt, and then the good old man prayed +fervently for a few minutes. Then Sukie de Boos and her sister flung +their arms around Mrs. Lacy, and kissed her, and even Miss Weidermann, +now thoroughly unstrung, began to cry hysterically. She had at first +detested Mrs. Lacy as being altogether too scandalously young and pretty +for a clergyman's wife. Now she was ready to take her to her bosom (that +is, to her metaphorical bosom, as she had no other), for she believed +that Mr. Lacy's prayer had saved them all, he being a Protestant +clergyman, and therefore better qualified to avert imminent death than a +priest of Rome. + +Sukie and Sally de Boos mixed the grog, took it on deck, and served it +out to the men at the pumps. + +The carpenter sounded the well, and as he drew up the iron rod, the +second mate gave a shout. + +"Only seven inches, captain." + +"Right, my boy. Take a good spell now, Mr. Allen. Mr. Bruce, we can give +her a bit more lower canvas now. She'll stand it. Mr. Lacy, and you +Captain Burr, come aft and get into some dry togs. The glass is rising +steadily, and in a few hours we'll feel a bit more comfy." + +He prophesied truly, for the violence of the gale decreased rapidly, +and when at the end of an hour the pumps sucked, the crew gave a cheer, +and tired out as they were, eagerly sprang aloft to repair damages and +then spread more sail, Sarah and Susan de Boos hauling and pulling at +the running gear from the deck below. They were both girls of splendid +physique, and, in a way, sailors, and had Robertson allowed them to do +so, would have gone aloft and handled the canvas with the men. + +By four o'clock in the afternoon the little barque, with her wave-swept, +bulwarkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, was running before a +warm, good-hearted breeze, and the pumps were only attended to twice in +every watch. + +Mrs. Lacy, Miss Weidermann, the De Boos girls, and the French priest +were seated on the poop deck, on rugs and blankets spread out for them +by Otway and the steward. Lacy, with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro +smoking his pipe, and laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to +make his wife smoke a cigarette. Presently old Bruce came along with the +second mate and some men to set a new gaff-topsail, and the ladies rose +to go below, so as to be out of the way. + +"Nae, nae, leddies, dinna go below," said the old mate cheerfully, +"ye'll no' hinder us. And the sight o' sae many sweet, bonny faces will +mak' us work a' the better. And how are ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink +roses are in your cheeks once mair." And then he stepped quickly up to +the young clergyman and took his hand. + +"Mr. Lacy, ye must pardon me, but I'm an auld man, and must hae my way. +Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added in a low voice, "and ye called +upon Him, and He heard us." + +"Thank you, Mr. Bruce," Lacy answered nervously, as he saw his wife's +eyes droop, and a vivid blush dye her fair cheeks. Then he plucked the +American captain by the sleeve and went below, and Sukie de Boos laughed +loudly when in another minute they heard the pop of a bottle of soda +water. She ran to the skylight and bent down. + +"You're a pair of exceedingly rude men. You might think of Father +Roget--even if you don't think of us poor women. Mr. Otway, come here, +you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! Go below and get a glass of +port wine for Father Roget, a bottle of champagne for Mrs. Lacy and my +sister and myself, and a cup of tea for Mrs. Weidermann, and bring some +biscuits, too." + +"Come and help me, then," said the supercargo, who was indeed +dirty-faced and ragged. + +Sukie danced towards the companion way with him. Half-way down he put +his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She returned his kisses +with interest, and laughingly smacked his cheek. + +"Let me go, Charlie Otway, you horrid, bold fellow. Now, one, two, +three, or I'll call out and invoke the protection of the clergy, above +and below--those on board this ship I mean, not those who are in heaven +or elsewhere." + + * * * * * + +Ten days later the _Tucopia_ sailed into Apia Harbour and dropped +anchor inside Matautu Point just as the evening mists were closing their +fleecy mantle around the verdant slopes of Vailima Mountain. + +The two half-caste girls, with their maid and Mr. and Mrs. Lacy, came to +bid Otway and the captain a brief farewell, before they went ashore in +the pilot boat to D'Acosta's hotel in Matafele. + +"Now remember, Otway, and you, Captain Robertson, and you, Captain Burr, +you are all to dine with us at the hotel the day after to-morrow. And +perhaps you, too, Father Roget will reconsider your decision and come +too." It was Lacy who spoke. + +The gentle-voiced old Frenchman shook his head and smiled--"Ah no, it +was impossible," he said. The bishop would not like him to so soon leave +the Mission. But the bishop and his brothers at the Mission would look +forward to have the good captain, and Mr. Burr, and Mr. Otway, and the +ladies to accept his hospitality. + +Mrs. Lacy's soft little gloved hand was in Otway's. + +"I thank you, Mr. Otway, very, very sincerely for your many kindnesses +to me. You have indeed been most generous to us both. It was cruel of us +to take your cabin and compel you to sleep in the trade-room. But I +shall never forget how kind you have been." + +All that was good in Otway came into his vicious heart and voiced softly +through his lips. + +"I am only too glad, Mrs. Lacy.... I am indeed. I didn't like giving up +my cabin to strangers at first, and was a bit of a beast when Mr. Harry +told me we were taking two extra passengers. But I am glad now." + +He turned away, and went below with burning cheeks. Before the storm he +had tried his best, late on several nights, to make Lacy drunk, and to +keep him drunk; but Lacy could stand as much or more grog than he could +himself; and when he heard that passionate, sobbing appeal, "Oh, Will, +Will, how could you?" his better nature was stirred, and his fierce +sensual desire for her changed into a sentimental affection and respect. +He knew her secret, and now, instead of wishing to take advantage of it, +felt he was too much of a man to abuse his knowledge. + + * * * * * + +Supper was over, and as the skipper, Burr, and Otway paced the +quarter-deck before going ashore to play a game or two of billiards and +meet some friends, a boat came alongside, and a man stepped on deck and +inquired for the captain. As he followed Robertson down the companion, +Otway saw that he was a well-dressed, rather gentlemanly-looking young +man of about five and twenty. + +"Who's that joker, I wonder?" he said to Burr; "not any one living in +Samoa, unless he's a new-comer. Hope he won't stay long--it's eight +o'clock now." + +Ten minutes later the steward came to him. + +"The captain wishes to see you, sir." + +Otway entered the cabin. Robertson, with frowning face, motioned him to +a seat. The strange gentleman sat near the captain smoking a cigar, and +with some papers in his hands. + +"Mr. Otway, I have sent for you. This gentleman has a warrant for the +arrest of Mr. Lacy, issued by the New Zealand Government and initialled +by the British Consul here." + +Otway rose to the occasion. He nodded to the stranger and sat down +quietly. + +"Yes, sir?" he asked inquiringly of Robertson. + +"You will please tell my supercargo your business, mister," said the +captain gruffly to the stranger; "he can tell you all you wish to +know--that is, if he cares to do so. I don't see that your warrant holds +any force here in Samoa. You can't execute it. There's no government +here, no police, no anything, and the British Consul can't act on a +warrant issued from New Zealand. It is of no more use in Samoa than it +would be at Cape Horn." + +"Now, sir, make haste," said Otway with a mingled and studied insolence +and politeness. He already began to detest the stranger. + +"I am a detective of the police force of New Zealand, and I have come +from Auckland to arrest William Barton, alias the Rev. Wilfrid Lacy, on +a charge of stealing twenty thousand, five hundred pounds from the +National Bank of Christchurch, of which he was manager. I believe that +twenty thousand pounds of the money he has stolen is on board this +vessel at this moment, and I now demand access to his cabin." + +"Do you? How are you going to enforce your demand, my cocksure friend?" + +Otway rose, and placing his two hands on the table, looked insultingly +at the detective. "What rot you are talking, man!" + +The detective drew back, alarmed and startled. + +"The British Consul has endorsed my warrant to arrest this man," he +said, "and it will go hard with any one who attempts to interfere with +me in the performance of my duty." + +Otway shot a quick, triumphant glance at the captain. + +"The Consul is, and always was, a silly old ass. You have come on a +fool's errand; and are going on the wrong tack by making threats. That +idiotic warrant of yours is of no more use to you than a sheet of fly +paper--Samoa is outside British jurisdiction. The High Commissioner for +the Western Pacific would not have endorsed such a fool of a document, +and I'll report the matter to him.... Now, sit down and tell me what you +_do_ want, and I'll try and help you all I can. But don't try to bluff +us--it's only wasting your time. Steward, bring us something to drink." + +As soon as the steward brought them "something to drink" Otway became +deeply sympathetic with the detective, and Robertson, who knew his +supercargo well, smiled inwardly at the manner he adopted. + +"Now, just tell us, Mr.--O'Donovan, I think you said is your name--what +is all the trouble? I need hardly tell you that whilst both the captain +and myself felt annoyed at your dictatorial manner, we are both sensible +men, and will do all in our power to assist you. Our firm's reputation +has to be studied--has it not, captain? We don't want it to be +insinuated that we helped an embezzler to escape, do we?" + +"Certainly not," replied Robertson, puffing slowly at his cigar, +watching Otway keenly through his half-closed eyelids, and wondering +what that astute young gentleman was driving at. "I guess that you, Mr. +Otway, will do all that is right and cor-rect." + +"Thank you, sir," replied Otway humbly, and with great seriousness, "I +know my duty to my employers, and I know that this gentleman may be led +into very serious trouble through the dense stupidity of the British +Consul here." + +He turned to Mr. O'Donovan--"Are you aware, Mr. O'Donikin--I beg your +pardon, O'Donovan--that the British Consul here is not, officially, the +British Consul. He is merely a commercial agent, like the United States +Consul. Neither are accredited by their Governments to act officially on +behalf of their respective countries, and even if they were, there is no +extradition treaty with the Samoan Islands, which is a country without a +recognised government. Of course, Mr. O'Donovan, you are acting in good +faith; but you have no more legal right nor the power to arrest a man in +Samoa, than you have to arrest one in Manchuria or Patagonia. Of course, +old Johns (the British Consul) doesn't know this, or he would not have +made such a fool of himself by endorsing a warrant from an irresponsible +judge of a New Zealand court. But as I told you, I shall aid you in +every possible way." + +O'Donovan was no fool. He knew that all that Otway had said was +absolutely correct, but he braced himself up. + +"I daresay what you say may be right, Mr. Supercargo. But I've come from +New Zealand to get this joker, and by blazes I mean to get him, and take +him back with me to New Zealand. And I mean to have those twenty +thousand sovereigns to take back as well." + +"Well, then, why the devil don't you go and get your man? He's at Joe +D'Acosta's hotel with his wife." + +"I don't want to be bothered with him just yet. I have no place to put +him into. The Californian mail boat from San Francisco is not due here +for another ten days. But I know that he hasn't taken his stolen money +ashore yet, and you had better hand it over to me at once. I can get +_him_ at any time." + +Otway leant back in his chair and laughed. + +"I don't doubt that, Mr. O'Donovan. If you have enough money to do it, +you can do as you say--get this man at any time. But you want to have +some guns behind you to enforce it; and then his capture won't affect +our custody of the money. If the Consul instigates you to make an attack +on the ship, you will do so at your peril, for we shall resist any +piratical attempt." + +O'Donovan's face fell. "You said you would assist me?" + +"So I will," replied Otway, lying genially, "But you must point out a +way. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, in Fiji, is the only +man who could give you power to arrest the man and convey him to New +Zealand, and the moment you show me the High or the Deputy High +Commissioner's order to hand over the money, and Lacy's other effects, +I'll do so." + +The detective made his last stroke. + +"I can take the law into my own hands and chance the consequences. The +Consul will supply me with a force--" + +Robertson smiled grimly, and pointed to the rack of Snider rifles around +the mizen-mast at the head of the table. + +"You and your force will have a bad time of it then, and be shot down +before you can put foot on my deck. I've never seen a shark eat a +policeman, but there seems a chance of it now." + +O'Donovan laughed uneasily, then he changed his tactics. + +"Now look here, gentlemen," he said confidentially, leaning across the +table, "I can see I'm in a bit of a hole, but I'm a business man, and +you are business men, and I think we understand one another, eh? As you +say, my warrant doesn't hold good here in Samoa. But the Consul will +back me up, and if I can take this chap back to New Zealand it means a +big thing for me. Now, what's your figure?" + +"Two hundred each for the skipper and myself," answered Otway promptly. + +"Done. You shall have it." + +"When?" + +"Give me till to-morrow afternoon. I've only a hundred and fifty pounds +with me, and I'll have to raise the rest." + +"Very well, it's a deal. But mind, you'll have to take care to be here +before the parson. He's coming off at eleven o'clock." + +"Trust me for that, gentlemen." + +"I'm sorry for his wife," said Otway meditatively. + +O'Donovan grinned. "Ah, I haven't told you the yarn--she's not his wife! +She bolted from her husband, who is a big swell in Auckland, a Mr.----." + +"How did you get on their tracks?" + +"Sydney police found out that two people answering their description had +sailed for the Islands in the _Tucopia_, and cabled over to us. We +thought they had lit out for America. I only got here the day before +yesterday in the _Ryno_, from Auckland." + +Otway paid him some very florid compliments on his smartness, and then +after another drink or two, the detective went on shore, highly pleased. + +As soon as he was gone, Otway turned to Robertson. + +"You won't stand in my way, Robertson, will you?" he asked--"I want to +see the poor devils get away." + +"You take all the responsibility, then." + +"I will," and then he rapidly told the skipper his plan, and set to +work by at once asking the second mate to get ready the boat and then +come back to the cabin. + +"All ready," said Allen, five minutes later. + +"Then come with the steward and help me with this gear." + +He unlocked the door of Lacy's state-room, lit the swinging candle, and +quickly passed out Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining luggage to the second +mate and steward. Three small leather trunks, marked "Books with Care," +were especially heavy, and he guessed their contents. + +"Stow them safely in the boat, Allen. Don't make more noise than you can +help. I'll be with you in a minute." + +Going into his own cabin, he took a large handbag, threw into it his +revolver and two boxes of cartridges, then carried it into the +trade-room, and added half a dozen tins of the brand of tobacco which he +knew Lacy liked, and then filled the remaining space with pint bottles +of champagne. Then he whipped up a sheet or two of letter paper and an +envelope from the cabin-table, thrust them into his coat pocket, and, +bag in hand, stepped quickly on deck. The old mate was in his cabin, and +had not heard anything. + +"Give it to her, boys," he said to the crew, taking the steer-oar in his +hand, and heading the boat towards a small fore-and-aft schooner lying +half a mile away in the Matafele horn of the reef encircling Apia +Harbour. + +The four native seamen bent to their oars in silence, and sped swiftly +through the darkness over the calm waters of the harbour. The schooner +showed no riding light on her forestay, but, on the after deck under the +awning, a lamp was burning, and three men--the captain, mate, and +boatswain--were playing cards on the skylight. + +Otway jumped on deck, just as the men rose to meet him. + +"Great Ascensial Jehosophat! Why, it's you, Mr. Otway?" cried the +captain, a little clean-shaven man, as he shook hands with the +supercargo. "Well, now, I was just wondering whether I'd go ashore and +try and drop across you. Say, tell me now, hev you any good tinned beef +and a case of Winchesters you can sell me?" + +"Yes, both," replied Otway, shaking hands with the three in turn--they +were all old acquaintances, especially Le Brun, the mate. "But come +below with me, Revels; I've important business, and it has to be done +right away--this very night." + +Revels led the way below into the schooner's cabin, and at once produced +a bottle of Bourbon and a couple of glasses. + +"No time to drink, Revels.... All right, just a little, then. Now, tell +me, do you want to make--and make it easy--five hundred pounds?" + +"Guess I do." + +"Are you ready for sea?" + +"I was thinking of sailing on a cruise among the Tokelau Islands in a +day or two." + +"Then don't think of it. If you put to sea to-night for a longer voyage, +I can guarantee you that you will get five hundred pounds--if you will +take two passengers on board, and put to sea as soon as they come +alongside." + +"Where do they want to go?" + +"That I can't say. Manila or Hongkong, most likely. It'll pay you." + +"Is the money safe?" + +Otway struck his hand on the table. "Safe as rain, Revels. They have +plenty. I have it here alongside, and if you don't get five hundred +sovereigns paid you when you have dropped Samoa astern, you can come +back with your passengers, and I'll give you fifty pounds myself." + +"Friends of yours?" + +"Yes." + +"That's enough fur me, Otway. Now, just tell me what to do." + +"Tell your mate to get your boat ready to go ashore, while I write a +note." + +He took a sheet of paper, and hurriedly wrote in pencil: + + "DEAR LACY,--Don't hesitate to follow my instructions. There's a man + here from New Zealand. Tried to get access to your cabin; bluffed + him. You and your wife must follow bearer of this note to his boat, + which will bring you to a schooner. The captain's name is Revels. He + expects you, and you can trust him. Have pledged him my word that + you will give him £500 to land you at Manila or thereabouts; also + that you will hand it to him as soon as the schooner is clear of the + land. _All_ your luggage is on board the schooner, awaiting you. + Allen helped me. You might send him a present by Revels. Goodbye, + and all good luck. One last word--_be quick, be quick_!" + +"Boat is ready," said Revels. + +"Right," and Otway closed the letter and handed it to the mate. "Here +you are, Le Brun. Now, listen. Pull in to the mouth of the creek at the +French Mission, just beside the bridge. Leave your boat there and then +take this letter to D'Acosta's Hotel and ask to see Mr. Lacy. If he and +his wife have gone out for a walk, you must follow them and give him the +letter; but I feel pretty sure you'll find them on the verandah. Bring +them off on board as quickly and as quietly as possible. No one will +take any notice of the boat in the creek. Oh! and tell Mr. Lacy to be +dead sure not to bring anything in the way of even a small bag with +him--Joe D'Acosta might wonder. I'll settle the hotel bill later on. Are +you clear?" + +"Clear as mud," replied Le Brun, a big, black-whiskered Guernsey man. + +"Then goodbye." + +The schooner's boat, manned by two hands only, pushed off, and then +Revels turned to Otway. + +"Shall I heave short so as to be ready?" + +"Heave short, be d----d!" replied Otway testily. "No, just lie nice and +quiet, and as soon as you have your passengers on board slip your cable. +I'll see that your anchor is fished up for you. And even if you lost +your anchor and a few fathoms of chain it doesn't matter against five +hundred sovereigns. The people on shore would be sure to hear the sound +of the windlass pawls, and there's a man here from Auckland--a +detective--who might make a bold stroke, get a dozen native bullies and +collar you. So slip, my boy, slip. There's a fine healthy breeze which +will take you clear of the reef in ten minutes." + +The two men shook hands, and Otway stepped into his boat, which he +steered in towards the principal jetty. + +Jumping out he walked along the roadway which led from Matafele to Apia. +As he passed the British Consul's house he saw Mr. O'Donovan standing on +the verandah talking to the Consul. He waved his hand to them, and +cheerfully invited the detective to come along to "Johnnie Hall's" and +play a game of billiards. + +Mr. O'Donovan, little thinking that Otway had a purpose in view, took +the bait. The Consul knew Otway, and, in a measure, dreaded him, for the +supercargo's knowledge of certain transactions in connection with the +sale of arms to natives, in which he (the Consul) had taken a leading +and lucrative part. So when he saw the supercargo of the _Tucopia_ +beckoning to O'Donovan he smiled genially at him, and hurriedly told the +detective to go. + +"He's a most astute and clever young scoundrel, Mr. O'Donovan, and in a +way we are at his mercy. But you shall have the four hundred pounds in +the morning--not later than noon. This man Barton must be brought to +justice at any cost." + +"Just so, sir; and you will get a hundred out of the business, any way," +replied O'Donovan, who had gauged the Consul's morality pretty fairly. + +As Otway and the detective walked towards the hotel known as "Johnny +Hall's" the former said lazily-- + +"Look here, Mr. O'Donovan. Are the skipper and myself to get those four +hundred sovs to-morrow or not? To tell you the exact truth, I have a +fair amount of doubt about your promise. Where are you going to get the +money?" + +"That's all right, Mr. Otway. You're a business man. And you and the +skipper will have your two hundred each before one o'clock to-morrow. +The Consul is doing the necessary." + +"Right, my boy," said Otway effusively. "Now we'll play a game or two at +Johnny's and have some fun with the girls." + +By eleven o'clock Mr. O'Donovan was comfortably half drunk, and Otway +led him out on to the verandah to look at the harbour, shimmering under +the starlight. They sat down on two cane lounges, and the supercargo's +keen eye saw that Revel's schooner had gone. He breathed freely, and +then brought Mr. O'Donovan a large whisky and soda. + + * * * * * + +In the morning Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. William Johns, the British Consul, +were in a state of frenzy on discovering that Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had +escaped during the night in the schooner _Solafanua_. The Consul knew +that Otway was at the bottom of the matter, but dared not say so, but +O'Donovan, who had more pluck and nothing to lose, lost his temper and +came on board the _Tucopia_ just as she was being hauled up on the beach +to get at the leak. + +"You're a dirty sweep," he said to Otway. + +The supercargo hit him between the eyes, and sent him down. Allen picked +him up, dumped him into the boat alongside, and sent him ashore. + +When the _Tucopia_ lay high and dry on Apia beach Otway and old Bruce +walked round under her counter and looked for the leak. As the skipper +had surmised, a butt-end had started, but the gaping orifice was now +choked and filled with a large piece of seaweed. + +"The prayer of one of God's ain ministers has saved us," said the Scotch +mate, pointing upward. + +"No doubt," replied Otway, who knew that the good old man had heard +nothing of what had happened. + + + + +_The Man in the Buffalo Hide_ + + +Twelve years ago in a North Queensland town I was told the story of "The +Man in the Buffalo Hide" by Ned D----. He (D----) was then a prosperous +citizen, having made a small fortune by "striking it rich" on the +Gilbert and Etheridge Rivers goldfields. Returning from the arid wastes +of the Queensland back country to Sydney, he tired of leading an +inactive life, and hearing that gold had been discovered on one of the +Solomon Islands, he took passage thither in the Sydney whaling barque +_Costa Rica_ packet, and though he returned to Australia without +discovering gold in the islands, he had kept one of the most interesting +logs of a whaling cruise it has ever been my fortune to read. The master +of the whaleship was Captain J.Y. Carpenter, a man who is well known +and highly respected, not only in Sydney (where he now resides), but +throughout the East Indies and China, where he had lived for over thirty +years. And it was from Captain Carpenter who was one of the actors in +this twice-told tragedy, that D----heard this story of Chinese +vengeance. He (D----) related it to me in '88, and I wish I could write +the tale as well and vividly as he told it. However, I wrote it out for +him then and there. Much to our disgust the editor of the little journal +to whom we sent the MS., considered it a fairy tale, and cut it down to +some two or three hundred words. I mention these apparently unnecessary +details merely that the reader may not think that the tale is fiction, +for two years or so after, Captain Carpenter corroborated my friend's +story. + + * * * * * + +It was after the Taeping rebellion had been stamped out in blood and +fire by Gordon and his "Ever Victorious Army," and the Viceroy (Li Hung +Chang) had taken up his quarters in Canton, and was secretly torturing +and beheading those prisoners whom he had sworn to the English +Government to spare. + +Carpenter was in command of a Chinese Government despatch vessel--a +side-wheeler--which was immediately under the Viceroy's orders. She was +but lightly armed, but was very fast, as fast went in those days. His +ship had been lying in the filthy river for about a week, when, one +afternoon, a mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready +to proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous +experience of his estimable and astute Chinese employers warned him not +to ask the fat-faced, almond-eyed mandarin any questions as to the +steamer's destination, or the duration of the voyage. He simply said +that he would be ready at the appointed time. + +At daylight another mandarin, named Kwang--one of much higher rank than +his visitor of the previous day--came on board. He was attended by +thirty of the most ruffianly-looking scoundrels--even for Chinamen--that +the captain had ever seen. They were all well armed, and came off in a +large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin intimated with a polite +smile, was to be towed, if she was too heavy to be hoisted aboard. A +couple of hands were put in her, and she was veered astern. Then the +anchor was lifted, and the steamer started on her eighty miles trip down +the river to the sea, the mandarin informing the captain that he would +name the ship's destination as soon as they were clear of the land. + +Most of Carpenter's officers were Europeans--Englishmen or +Americans--and one or two of them who spoke Chinese, attempted to enter +into conversation with the thirty braves, and endeavour to learn the +object of the steamer's mission. Their inquiries were met either with a +mocking jest or downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who +hitherto had preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat on the +quarter-deck, turned to the captain with a sullen and ferocious aspect, +and bade him remind his officers that they had no business to question +the servants of the "high and excellent Viceroy." + +But though neither Carpenter nor any of his officers could learn aught +about this sudden mission, one of their servants, a Chinese who was +deeply attached to his master, whispered tremblingly to him that the +mandarin and the thirty braves were in quest of one of the Viceroy's +most hated enemies--a noted leader of the Taepings who had escaped the +bloodied hands of Li Hung Chang, and whose retreat had been betrayed to +the cruel, merciless Li the previous day. + +Once clear of the land, the mandarin, with a polite smile and many +compliments to Carpenter on the skilful and expeditious manner in which +he had navigated the steamer down the river, requested him to proceed to +a certain point on the western side of the island of Formosa. + +"When you are within twenty miles of the land, captain," he said +suavely, "you will make the steamer stop, and my men and I will leave +you in the boat. You must await our return, which may be on the +following day, or the day after, or perhaps longer still. But whether I +am absent one, or two, or six days, you must keep your ship in the +position I indicate as nearly as possible. You must avoid observation +from the shore, you must be watchful, diligent, and patient, and, when +you see my boat returning, you must make your engines work quickly, and +come towards us with all speed. High commendation and a great reward +from the serene nobleness of our great Viceroy--who has already +condescended to notice your honourable ability and great integrity in +your profession--awaits you." Then with another smile and bow he went to +his cabin. + +As soon as the steamer reached the place indicated by the mandarin the +engines were stopped. The boat, which was towing astern, was hauled +alongside, and the thirty truculent "braves," with a Chinese pilot and +the ever-smiling mandarin, got into her and pushed off for the shore. +That they were all picked men, who could handle an oar as well as a +rifle, was very evident from the manner in which they sent the big boat +along towards the blue outline of the distant shore. + + * * * * * + +For two days Carpenter and his officers waited and watched, the steamer +lying and rolling about upon a long swell, and under a hot and brazen +sun. Then, about seven o'clock in the morning, as the sea haze lifted, a +look-out on the foreyard hailed the deck and said the boat was in sight. +The steamer's head was at once put towards her under a full head of +steam, and in another hour the mandarin and his braves were alongside. + +The mandarin clambered up on deck, his always-smiling face (which +Carpenter and his officers had come to detest) now darkly exultant. + +"You have done well, sir," he said to the captain; "the Viceroy himself, +when my own miserable worthlessness abases itself before him, shall know +how truly and cleverly you and your officers (who shall be honoured for +countless ages in the future) have obeyed the behests which I have had +the never-to-be-extinguished honour to convey from him to you. There is +a prisoner in the boat--a prisoner who is to be tried before those high +and merciful judges whose Heaven-sent authority your valorous commander +of the Ever Victorious Army has upheld." + +Carpenter, being a sailor man before all else, swallowed the mandarin's +compliments for all they were worth, and I can imagine him giving a +grumpy nod to the smiling minion of the Viceroy as he ordered "the +prisoner" to be brought on deck, and the boat to be veered astern for +towing. + +The official interposed oilily. There was no need, he said, to tow the +boat to Canton if she could not be hoisted on board, and was likely to +impede the steamer's progress. Some of his braves could remain in her, +and the insignia of the Viceroy which they wore would ensure both their +and the boat's safety--no pirates would touch them. + +The captain said that to tow such a heavy boat for such a long distance +would certainly delay the steamer's arrival in Canton by at least six or +eight hours. The mandarin smiled sweetly, and said that as speed was +everything the most honourable navigator, whom he now had the privilege +to address, and who was so soon to be distinguished by his mightiness +the Viceroy, could at once let the boat which had conveyed his worthless +self into the sunshine of his (the captain's) presence, go adrift. + +At a sign from Kwang, six of his cutthroats clambered down the side into +the boat, which was at once cast oft; the steamer was sent along under a +full head of steam, and the captain was about to ascend the bridge when +the mandarin stayed him, and requested that a meal should be at once +prepared in the cabin for the prisoner, who, he said, was somewhat +exhausted, for his capture was only effected after he had killed three +and wounded half a dozen of "the braves." So courageous a man, he added +softly, whatever his offence might be, must not be allowed to suffer the +pangs of hunger and thirst. + +Carpenter gave the necessary order to the steward with a sensation of +pleasure, feeling that he had done the suave and gentle-voiced Kwang an +injustice in imagining him to be like most Chinese officials--utterly +indifferent and callous to human suffering. Then he stepped along the +deck towards the bridge just as two of the braves lifted the prisoner to +his feet, which a third had freed from a thong of hide, bound so tightly +around them that it had literally cut into the flesh. His hands were +tied in the same manner, and round his neck was an iron collar, with a +chain about six feet in length which was secured at the end to another +band around the waist of one of the "braves." + +As the prisoner stood erect, Carpenter saw that he was a man of +herculean proportions and over six feet three or four inches in height. +His arms and naked chest were cut, bleeding and bruised, and a bamboo +gag was in his mouth; but what at once attracted the captain's attention +and sympathy was the man's face. + +So calm, steadfast, and serene were his clear, undaunted eyes; so proud, +lofty, and contemptuous and yet so dignified his bearing, as he glanced +at his guards when they bade him walk, that Carpenter, drawing back a +little, raised his hand in salute. + +In an instant the deep, dark eyes lit up, and the tortured, distorted +mouth would have smiled had it not been for the cruel gag. But twice he +bent his head, and his eyes did that which was denied to his lips. + +Captain Carpenter was deeply moved. The man's heroic fortitude, his +noble bearing under such physical suffering, the tender, woman-like +resignation in the eyes which could yet smile into his, affected him so +strongly that he could not help asking one of the "braves" the +prisoner's name. + +An insolent, threatening gesture was the only answer. But the prisoner +had heard, and bent his head in acknowledgment. When he raised it again +and saw that Carpenter had now taken off his cap, tears trickled down +his cheeks. In another moment he was hurried along the deck into the +cabin, and half a dozen "braves" stood guard at the door to prevent +intrusion, whilst the gag was removed, and the victim of the Viceroy's +vengeance was urged to eat. Whether he did so or not was never known, +for half an hour afterwards he was removed to one of the state-rooms, +where he was closely guarded by Kwang's cutthroats. When he was next +seen by Carpenter and the officers of the steamer the gag was again in +his mouth, but the calm, resolute eyes met theirs as it trying to tell +them that the heroic soul within the tortured body knew no fear, and +felt and appreciated their sympathy. + +On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Formosa the steamer +ploughed her way up the muddy waters of the river, and came to an anchor +off the city at a place which was within half a mile of the Viceroy's +residence. The mandarin requested the captain to fire three guns, and +hoist the Chinese flag at both the fore and main peaks. + +This signal was, so Kwang condescended to say, to inform His +Illustriousness the Ever-Merciful Viceroy that he, Kwang, his crawling +dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, and supreme and +honoured skill as a navigator, had achieved the object which His +Illustriousness desired. + +The captain listened to all this "flam," bowed his acknowledgments, and +then suddenly asked the mandarin the prisoner's name. + +Again the fat, complacent face darkened, and almost scowled. "No," he +replied sullenly, he himself "was not permitted" to know the prisoner's +name. His crime? He did not know. When was he to be tried? To-morrow. +Then he rose and abruptly requested the captain to ask no more +questions. But, he added, with a smile, he could promise him that he +should at least see the captive again. + +In a few minutes a boat came off, and the prisoner, closely guarded, and +with his face covered with a piece of cloth, was hurried ashore. + + * * * * * + +Four days had passed--days of heat so intense that even the Chinese crew +of the steamer lay about the decks under the awning, stripped to their +waists, and fanning themselves languidly. During this time the captain +and his officers, by careful inquiries, ascertained that the unfortunate +prisoner was a brother of one of the Wangs, or seven "Heavenly Kings," +who had led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past the +Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his capture, being +particularly exasperated with him, not only for his courage in the +field, and the influence he had wielded over the unfortunate Taepings, +who were wiped out by Gordon and the Ever-Victorious Army, but also +because he refused to accept Li Hung Chang's sworn word to spare his +life if he surrendered; for well he knew that a death by torture awaited +him. Gordon himself, it was said, revolver in hand, and with tears of +rage streaming down his face, had sought to find and shoot the Viceroy +for the cruel murder of other leaders who had surrendered to him under +the solemn promise of their lives being spared. + +Late in the afternoon, a messenger came on board with a note to the +captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained but a line. +"Follow the bearer, who will guide you to the prisoner." + +An hour later Carpenter was conducted through a narrow door which was +set in a very high wall of great thickness. He found himself in a garden +of the greatest beauty, and magnificent proportions. Temples and other +buildings of the most elaborate and artistic design and construction +showed here and there amid a profusion of gloriously-foliaged trees and +flowering shrubs. No sound broke the silence except the twittering of +birds; and not a single person was visible. + +The guide, who had not yet uttered a single word, now turned and +motioned Carpenter to follow him along a winding path, paved with white +marble slabs, and bordered with gaily-hued flowers. Suddenly they +emerged upon a lovely sward of the brightest green, in the centre of +which a fountain played, sending its fine feathery spray high in air. + +On one side of the fountain were a number of "braves" who stood in a +close circle, and, as Carpenter approached, two of them silently stepped +out of the cordon, brought their rifles to the salute, and the guide +whispered to him to enter. + +Within the circle was Kwang, who was seated in his chair of office. He +rose and greeted the captain politely. + +"I promised you that you should again see the criminal in whom you and +your officers took such a deep and benevolent interest. I now fulfil +that promise--and leave you." And, with a malevolent smile, he bowed and +disappeared. + +The guide touched Carpenter's arm. + +"Look," he said in a whisper. + + * * * * * + +Within a few inches of a wavering line of spray from the fountain, +purposely diverted so as to fall upon the grass, lay what appeared at +first sight to be a round bundle tied up in a buffalo hide. A black +swarm of flies buzzed and buzzed over and around it. + +"Draw near and look," said the harsh voice of the officer who commanded +the grim, silent guard, as he stepped up to the strange-looking bundle, +and waved his fan quickly to and fro over a protuberance in the centre. + +A black cloud of flies arose, and revealed a sight that will haunt +Carpenter to his dying day--the purpled, distorted face of a living man. +The eyelids had been cut off, and only two dreadful, bloodied, glaring +things of horror appealed mutely to God. The victim's knees had been +drawn up to his chin, and only his head was visible; for the fresh +buffalo hide in which his body had been sewn, fitted tightly around his +neck. + +Shuddering with horror, and yet fascinated with the dreadful spectacle, +Carpenter asked the officer how long the prisoner had been tortured. + +"Four days," was the reply. + +For the buffalo, the hide of which was to be the prisoner's death-wrap, +was in readiness the moment the steamer arrived, and ten minutes after +the signal was hoisted, the creature was killed, the hide stripped off, +and the prisoner sewn up in it, only his head being left free. + +Then he was carried to a heated room, so that the hide should contract +quickly. From there he was taken to the fountain, where his eyelids were +cut off, and then he was laid upon the ground, his mouth just within a +few inches of a spray from the fountain. + +And the Viceroy came, saw, approved, and smiled, and assigned to Kwang +the honoured post of watching his hated enemy die under slow and +agonising torture. To attract the flies, honeyed water was applied to +the prisoner's shaven head and face. And the guards, now and then as his +thirst increased, offered him brine to drink. + +"He is still alive," the brutal-faced Tartar officer said genially, as +he touched one of the dreadful eyeballs, and the poor, tortured +creature's lips moved slightly. + +Sick at heart and almost overcome with horror, Captain Carpenter, with +quickened footsteps, passed through the cordon of guards, and followed +his guide from the dreadful spot. + +In a few minutes he was without the wall, and a sigh of relief broke +from him as he set out towards the river. + + + + +A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS + +(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS) + + + + + +_A Cruise in the South Seas_ + +(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS) + + +The traveller who makes a hurried trip in an excursion steamer through +the Cook, Society, Samoan, or Tongan Islands has but little opportunity +of seeing anything of the social life of the natives, or getting either +fishing or shooting; for it is but rarely that the vessel remains for +more than forty-eight hours at any of the ports visited. Personally, if +I wanted to have an enjoyable cruise among the various island groups in +the South Pacific I should avoid the "excursion" steamer as I would the +plague. In the first place, one sees next to nothing for his passage +money if he fatuously takes a ticket in either Sydney or New Zealand for +"a round trip to Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and back." Certainly, he will +enjoy the sea voyage, for in the Australasian winter months the weather +in the South Seas is never very hot, and cloudless skies and a smooth +sea may almost be relied upon from April until the end of July. At such +places as Nukualofa, the little capital of the Tonga Islands, an +excursion steamer will remain for perhaps forty hours; at Apia, in +Samoa, forty-eight hours; and at Papeite, the capital of the French +island of Tahiti, forty-eight hours. At the two latter places the +traveller will be charmed by the lovely scenery, and disgusted by the +squalid appearance of the natives; for within the last ten years great +changes have occurred, and the native communities inhabiting the island +ports, such as Apia and Papeite, have degenerated into the veriest +loafers, spongers, and thieves. The appearance of a strange European in +any of the environs of Apia is the signal for an onslaught of beggars of +all ages and both sexes, who will pester his life out for tobacco; if he +says he does not smoke, they say a sixpence will do as well. If he +refuses he is pretty sure to be insulted by some half-naked ruffian, and +will be glad to get back to the ship or to the refuge of an hotel. And +yet, away from the contaminating influences of the town the white +stranger will meet with politeness and respect wherever he +goes--particularly if he is an Englishman--and will at once note the +pleasing difference in the manners of the natives. Yet it must now be +remembered that Samoa--with the exception of the beautiful island of +Tutuila--is German territory, and German officials are none too effusive +to Englishmen or Americans--in Samoa. + +But if any one wants to spend an enjoyable time in the South Seas let +him avoid the "excursion ship" and go there in a trading steamer. There +are several of these now sailing out of Australasian ports, and there is +a choice of groups to visit. If a four months' voyage is not too long, a +passage may be obtained in a small, but fairly fast and comfortable +boat of 600 tons sailing from Sydney, which visits over forty islands in +her cruise from Niué or Savage Island, ten days' steam from Sydney, to +Jaluit in the Marshall Islands. But this particular cruise I would not +recommend to any one in search of a variety of beautiful scenery, for +nearly all of the islands visited are of the one type--low-lying sandy +atolls, densely verdured with coco-palms, and very monotonous from their +sameness of appearance. Their inhabitants, however, are widely different +in manners, customs, and general mode of life. To the ethnologist such a +cruise among the Ellice, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands would no doubt be +full of interest; but to the traveller in search of either beautiful +scenery or sport (except fishing) they would be disappointing. + +Let us suppose that the intending traveller desires to make a stay of +some two or three months in the Samoan Group. He can reach there easily +enough from Sydney or Auckland by steamer once a month, either by one of +the Union Steamship Company's regular traders or by one of the San +Francisco mail boats. From Sydney the voyage occupies eight days, from +Auckland five. The outfit required for a three or four months' stay is +not a large one--light clothing can be bought almost as cheaply in Samoa +as in Sydney, a couple of guns with plenty of ammunition (for cartridges +are shockingly dear in the Islands), a large and varied assortment of +deep-sea tackle, a rod for fresh-water or reef fishing, and a good +waterproof and rugs for camping out, as the early mornings are sometimes +very chilly. And there is one other thing that is worth while taking, +even though it may cost from £30 to £50 or so in Sydney--a good +secondhand boat, with two suits of sails. Thus provided the sportsman +can sail all along the coasts of Savaii and Upolu, and be practically +independent of the local storekeepers. To hire a boat is very expensive, +and to travel in native craft is horribly uncomfortable, and risky as +well. And such a boat can always be sold again for at least its cost. + +A stay of two or three days, or at most a week, in Apia is quite long +enough, and the stranger will get all the information he requires about +the outlying districts from the Consuls or any of the old white +residents. Such provisions as are needed--tea, sugar, flour, biscuits, +tinned or other meats, &c.--can be had at fairly cheap rates; but a +large stock should be taken, for, besides the keep of the native crew +of, say, four men, it must always be borne in mind that a white visitor +is expected to return the hospitality he receives from the native chiefs +by making a present, and the Samoans are particularly susceptible to the +charms of tinned meats, sardines, salmon, and _falaoa_ (bread or +biscuit). That such a return should be made is only just and natural, +though I am sorry to say that very often it is not. Then, again, it is +very easy to stow away in the trade box in the boat eight or ten pieces +of good print, cut off in pieces of six fathoms (which is enough to make +a woman's gown), about 30 lbs. of twist negrohead tobacco (twenty to +thirty sticks to the pound), half a gross of lucifer matches, and such +things as cotton, scissors, combs, &c., and powder, caps, and a bag of +No. 3 shot for pigeon shooting. Now, this seems a lot of articles for a +man to take on a short Samoan _malaga_ (journey), but it is not, and for +the £50 which it may cost for such an outfit (exclusive of the boat and +crew's wages) the traveller will see more of the people and their mode +of life, be more hospitably received, and spend a pleasanter time than +if he were cruising about in a 1,000-ton yacht. The wages or boatmen and +native sailors in Samoa are usually $15.00 per month, but many will +gladly go on a _malaga_ (the general acceptance of the word is a +pleasure trip) for much less, for there is but little work, and much +eating and drinking. But, as sailors, the Samoans are a wretched lot, +and the local living Savage Islanders, as the natives of Niué Island are +called, are far better, especially if there is any wind or a beat to +windward in a heavy sea. These Savage Island "boys" can always be +obtained in Apia. They are good seamen and very willing to work; but +they have to be fed entirely by their white employer, for the Samoans +seldom make a present of food to a crew of Niué boys, for whom they +profess a contempt and designate _au puáa_--_i.e._, pigs. + +The Samoan Group consists of five islands, trending from west by north +to east by south. The two largest are Upolu and Savaii. Tutuila, and the +Manua Group of three islands are too far to the windward to attempt in a +small boat against the south-east trades. And it would take quite three +months to visit the principal villages on the two large islands, staying +a few days at each place. + +The best plan is to make to windward along the coast of Upolu after +leaving Apia. A large boat cannot be taken all the way inside the reef, +owing to the many coral patches which, at low tide, render this course +impracticable. The first place of any importance is Saluafata, fifteen +miles from Apia (I must mention that Apia is in the centre of Upolu, and +on the north side), then Falifa|, an exquisitely pretty place, and +then Fa|goloa Bay and village, eight miles further on. This is the +deepest indentation in Samoa, except the famous Pa|go Pa|go Harbour +on Tutuila, and the scenery is very beautiful. After leaving Fa|goloa, +the open sea has to be taken, for there is now no barrier reef for ten +miles, where it begins at Samusu village, to the towns of Aleipata and +Lepa|, two of the best in the group, and inhabited by cleanly and +hospitable people. This is the weather point of Upolu, and after leaving +Lepa| the boat has a clear run of over sixty miles before the glorious +trades to the lee end of the island--that is, unless a stay is made at +the populous towns of Falealilli, Sa|fata, Lafa|ga, and Falelatai, +on the southern coast. The scenery along this part of the island is +enchanting, but sudden squalls at night-time are sometimes frequent, +from December to March, and 'tis always advisable to run into a port at +sunset. + +Two miles off the lee end of Upolu is the low-lying island of Manono, +which is, however, enclosed in the Upolu barrier reef. It is only about +three miles in circumference, exceedingly fertile, and is the most +important place in the group, owing to the political influence wielded +by the chiefly families who have always made it their home. A mile from +Manono, and in the centre of the deep strait separating Upolu from +Savaii, is a curiously picturesque spot, an island named Apolima.[17] It +is an extinct crater, but has a narrow passage on the north side, and is +inhabited by about fifty people, who are delighted to see any _papalagi_ +(foreigner) who is venturesome enough to make a landing there. + +Savaii is distant about ten miles from Upolu. Its coast is for the most +part _itu papa_--i.e., iron bound--but there are five populous towns +there--Palaulae, Salealua, Asaua, Matautu, and Safune. After making the +round of Savaii, the boat has to make back to Manono, and then can +proceed inside the reef all the way to Apia, making stoppages at the +many minor villages which stud the shore at intervals of every few +miles. + +These _malaga_ by boat along the coast or from one island to another are +much in favour with many of the white residents of Samoa, who find their +life in Apia very monotonous. European ladies frequently accompany their +husbands, and sometimes quite a large party is made up. More than +five-and-twenty years ago, when the writer was gaining his first +experiences of Samoan life, it was his good fortune to be one of such a +party, and a right merry time he had of it among the natives; for in +those days, although there was party warfare occasionally, the group +was free from the savage hatreds and dissensions--largely fomented by +the interference and intrigues of unscrupulous traders and incapable +officials--which for the past ten or twelve years have made it +notorious. + +In travelling in Samoa one need not always rely upon native hospitality. +Though most of the white traders at the outlying villages nowadays make +nothing beyond a scanty living, they are as a rule very hospitable and +pleased to see and entertain white visitors as well as their poor means +will allow, and in nine cases out of ten would feel hurt if they were +ignored and the native teacher's house visited first; for between the +average trader and the native teacher there is always a natural and yet +reasonable jealousy. And here let me say a word in praise of the Samoan +teacher--in Samoa. Away from his native land, in charge of a mission +station in another part of Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often +pompous and overbearing alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here +he is far from the control and supervision of the white missionaries, +who only visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself +a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt to curb +any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse over his flock or +interfere with any matter not strictly connected with his charge. So, in +Samoa, the native teacher is generally a good fellow, the soul of +hospitality, and anxious to entertain any chance white visitor; and +although the Samoans are not bigoted ranters like the Tongans or +Fijians, and the teachers have not anything like the undue and improper +influence over the people possessed by the native ministers in Tonga or +Fiji, to needlessly offend one would be resented by the villagers and +make the visitor's stay anything but pleasant. As for the white +missionaries in Samoa, all I need say of them is that they are +gentlemen, and that the words "Mission House" are synonymous in most +cases with warm welcome to the traveller. + +Travelling inland in Savaii or crossing Upolu from north to south, or +_vice-versâ,_ is very delightful, though one misses much of the lovely +scenery that unfolds itself in a panorama-like manner when sailing along +the coast. One journey that can easily be accomplished in a day is that +from Apia to Safata. Carriers are easily obtainable, and some splendid +pigeon shooting can be had an hour or two after leaving Apia till within +a few miles of Safata. Pigeons are about the only game to be had in +Samoa, though the _manutagi_, or ring-dove, is very plentiful, but one +hardly likes to shoot such dear little creatures. Occasionally one may +get a wild duck or two and some fearful-looking wild fowls--the progeny +of the domestic fowl. Wild pigs are not now plentiful in Upolu though +they are in Savaii, but they are exceedingly difficult to shoot and the +country they frequent is fearfully rough. In some of the streams there +are some very good fish, running up to 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. They bite +eagerly at the _ula_ or freshwater prawn, and are excellent eating; and +yet, strange to say, very few of the white residents in the group even +know of their existence. This applies also to deep-sea fishing; for +although the deep water outside the reefs and the passages leading into +the harbours teem with splendid fish, the residents of Apia are content +to buy the wretched things brought to them by women who capture them in +nets in the shallow water inside the reef. Once, during my stay on +Manono, a young Manhiki half-caste and myself went out in our boat about +a mile from the land, and in thirty fathoms of water caught in an hour +three large-scaled fish of the groper species. These fish, though once +familiar enough to the people of the island, are now never fished for, +and our appearance with our prizes caused quite an excitement in the +village, everyone thronging around us to look. And yet there are two or +three varieties of groper--many of them weighing 50 lbs. or 60 +lbs.--which can be caught anywhere on the Samoan coast; but the Samoan +of the present day has sadly degenerated, and, except bonito catching, +deep-sea fishing is one of the lost arts. But at almost any place in the +group, except Apia, great quantities of fish are caught inside the reefs +by nets, and one may always be sure of getting a splendid mullet of some +sort for either breakfast or supper. + +Let us suppose that a party of Europeans have arrived at a village, and +are the guests of the chief and people generally. Food is at once +brought to them, even before any visits of ceremony are paid, for the +news of the coming of a party of travellers has doubtless been brought +to the village the previous day by a messenger from the last +stopping-place. The repast provided may be simple, but will be ample, +baked pork most likely being the _pièce de résistance,_ with roast +fowl, baked pigeons, breadfruit (if in season), and yams or taro, with a +plentiful supply of young drinking-coconuts. (Should the host be the +local teacher, some deplorable tea and a loaf of terrible bread are sure +to be produced.) This preliminary meal finished, the formalities begin +by a visit from the chief and his _tulafale,_ or "talking-man," +accompanied by the leading citizens. The talking-man then makes a +speech, welcoming the guests, and is by no means sparing of "buttery" +phrases which indicate the intense delight, &c., of the inhabitants of +the village at having the honoured privilege of entertaining such noble +and distinguished visitors, &c. A suitable reply is made by the guests +(through an interpreter, if no one among them can speak Samoan), and +then follows a ceremonious brewing and drinking of kava. This is a most +important function in Samoa, and to the stranger unaccustomed to the +manner of making the beverage, the ordeal of drinking it is an +exceedingly trying one. It is prepared as follows: The dried kava root +is cut up in thin slices and handed to a number of young women, who +masticate it and then deposit it in a large wooden _tanoa_, or bowl. +Water is then added in sufficient quantity till the _tanoa_ is +half-filled with a thin yellowish-green liquid, which is carefully +strained by a thick "swab" of the beaten bark of the _fau_-tree. This +straining operation is performed only by a very experienced lady, and is +watched in respectful silence. Then the drink is handed round in a +polished bowl of coconut-shell. But for a full description of all the +details of a kava-drinking, let me commend my readers to the best and +most charming book ever written on South Sea life, "South Sea Bubbles," +by the late Earl of Pembroke and Dr. Kingsley. Nowadays, however, many +Samoan households, out of deference to European tastes, have the kava +root grated instead of being chewed. + +The kava-drinking over, all stiffness and formality disappears for the +time, and the visitors are surrounded by the villagers, eager to learn +the latest news from Apia, and from the world abroad. The discussion of +political matters always has a strong attraction for Samoans, who are +anxious to learn the state of affairs in Europe, and their knowledge and +shrewdness is surprising. Should there be any white ladies present, the +brown ones make much of them. The Samoans are a fine, handsome race, and +the faces and figures of many of the young women are very attractive; +but the practice of cutting off their long, flowing black hair, and +allowing it to grow in a short, stiff "frizz" is all too common, and +detracts very much from an otherwise handsome and graceful appearance, +especially when the hair is coated with lime in order to change its +colour to red. Many of the men, particularly those of chiefly rank, are +of magnificent stature and proportions, and their walk and carriage are +in consonance. + +An announcement that the visitors intend to go pigeon shooting is warmly +applauded, and each white man is at once provided with a guide, for, +unless he has had experience of the Samoan forest, he will return with +an empty bag, as, however plentiful the birds may be, their habit of +hiding in the branches of the lofty _tamanu_ and _masa'oi_-trees render +them difficult of detection. The natives themselves are very good shots, +and very rarely fail to bring down a bird, even when nothing more than a +scarlet leg or a blue-grey feather is visible. The guns they use are +very common, cheap German affairs, but are specially made for Samoa, +being very small bored and long in the barrel. The best time is in the +early morning and towards the cool of the evening, when the birds are +feeding on _masa'oi_ and other berries; during the heat of the day they +seldom leave their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard +everywhere. In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii there is +but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a thick layer of +leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked beneath, and simply to +breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is delightful. At certain times of +the year the birds are very fat, and I have very often seen them +literally burst when striking the ground after being shot in high trees. +Their flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day. I may +here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same species of pigeon +is very often quite uneatable through feeding upon Chili berries, which +in that island grow in profusion. In shooting in a Samoan forest one has +nothing to fear from venomous reptiles, for, although there are two or +three kinds of snakes, they are rarely ever seen and quite harmless. +Scorpions and centipedes--the latter often six inches in length--there +are in plenty, but these detestable vermin are more common in European +habitations than in the bush. At the same time, mosquitoes are a +terrible annoyance anywhere in the vicinity of water, and delight in +attacking the tender skin of the stranger. Then, again, beware of +scratching any exposed part of the skin, for, unless it is quickly +covered by plaister or otherwise attended to, an irritating sore, which +may take months to heal, will often result. + +There are, during the visit of a travelling party to a Samoan town, no +fixed times for meals. You are expected to eat much and often. During +the day there will be continuous arrivals of people bringing baskets of +provisions as presents, which are formally presented--with a speech. The +speech has to be responded to, and the bringers of the presents treated +politely, as long as they remain, and they remain until their +curiosity--and avarice--is satisfied. A return present must be sent on +the following day; for although Samoans designate every present of food +or anything else made to a party of visitors as an "alofa"--_i.e.,_ a +gift of love--this is but a hollow conventionalism, it being the +time-honoured custom of the country to always give a _quid pro quo_ for +whatever has been received. Yet it must not be imagined that they are a +selfish people; if the recipients of an "alofa" of food are too poor to +respond otherwise than by a profusion of thanks, the donors of the +"alofa" are satisfied--it would be a disgrace for their village to be +spoken of as having treated guests meanly. + +After evening service--conducted on week-days in each house by the head +of the family--another meal is served. Then either lamps or a fire of +coconut-shells is lit, and there is a great making of _sului_, or +cigarettes of strong tobacco rolled in dry banana leaf, and there is +much merry jostling and shoving among the young lads and girls for a +seat on the matted floor, to hear the white people talk. A dance is sure +to be suggested, and presently the _fale po-ula,_ or dance-house, is lit +up in preparation, as the dancers, male and female, hurry away to adorn +themselves. Much has been said about the impropriety of Samoa dancing by +travellers who have only witnessed the degrading and indecent +exhibitions, given on a large scale by the loafing class of natives who +inhabit Apia and its immediate vicinity. The natives are an adaptive +race, and suit their manners to their company, and there are always +numbers of sponging men and _paumotu_ (beach-women) ready to pander to +the tastes of low whites who are willing to witness a lewd dance. But in +most villages, situated away from the contaminating influences of the +principal port, a native _siva_, or dance, is well worth witnessing, and +the accompanying singing is very melodious. It is, however, true, that +on important occasions, such as the marriage of a great chief, &c., that +the dancing, decorous enough in the earlier stages of the evening, +degenerates under the influence of excitement into an exhibition that +provokes sorrow and disgust. And yet, curiously enough, the dancers at +these times are not low class, common people, but young men and women +of high lineage, who, led by the _taupo_, or maid of the village, cast +aside all restraint and modesty. In many of the dances the costumes are +exceedingly pretty, the men wearing aprons made of the yellow and +scarlet leaves of the _ti_ or dracoena plant, with head-dresses formed +of pieces of iridescent pearl-shell, intermixed with silver coins and +scarlet and amber beads, and the hair of both sexes is profusely adorned +with the scarlet flowers of the hibiscus, while from their necks depend +large strings of _sea-sea, masa'oi,_ and other brightly-coloured and +sweet-smelling berries. Of late years the Tahitian fashion of wearing +thick wreaths of orange or lemon blossoms has come into vogue. + +Before concluding these remarks upon Samoa, I must mention that the +climate is very healthy for the greater part of the year; but in the +rainy season, December to March, the heat is intense, and sickness is +often prevalent, especially in Apia. Still fever, such as is met with in +the New Hebrides and the Solomon Group, "the grave of the white man in +the South Seas," is unknown, and one may sleep in the open air with +impunity. Before setting out from Apia the services of a competent +interpreter should be secured--a man who thoroughly understands the +Samoan _customs_ as well as the language. Plenty of reliable half-castes +can always be found, any one of whom would be glad to engage for a very +moderate payment. Too often the pleasures of such a trip as I have +described have been marred by the interpreter's lack of tact and +knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the inhabitants of the various +districts and villages. The mere fact of a man being able to speak the +language fairly well is not the all in all; for the Samoans are a highly +sensitive people, and the omission by the interpreter of a chief's +titles, &c., when the guests are responding through him to an address of +welcome, would be considered "shockingly bad form." + +But the reader must not imagine that the Samoan Group is the only one in +the South Pacific where an enjoyable holiday may be spent. The French +possession of the Society Islands, of which the pretty town Papeite, in +the noble island of Tahiti, is the capital, rivals, if not exceeds, +Samoa in the magnificence of its scenery, and the natives are a highly +intelligent race of Malayo-Polynesians who, despite their being citizens +of the French Republic, never forget that they were redeemed from +savagery by Englishmen, and a _taata Peretane_ (Englishman) is an +ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities for visiting the different +islands of the Society Group are very good, for there is quite a fleet +of native and European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the +archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east to its +north-west point is one of the most delightful trips imaginable. Then +again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which consist of the fertile islands +of Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atui, Aitutaki, and Mauki, are well worth +visiting. The people speak a language similar to that of Tahiti, and +they are a fine, hospitable race, albeit a little over-civilised. Both +of these groups can be reached from Auckland by sailing vessels, but +not direct from Sydney. As for the lonely islands of the North Pacific, +they are too far afield for any one to visit but the trader or the +traveller to whom time is nothing. + + * * * * * + + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +1: Literally, "clear crony." + +2: Port. + +3: Happiness. + +4: A libertine, profligate. + +5: My love to you, PâkÃa; are you well? + +6: White foreigners. + +7: Frank. + +8: Small-pox. + +9: An accordion. + +10: Idler, gad about--a Samoan expression. + +11: German. + +12: The Tokelau and Ellice Islanders are much amused at the white man's + method of hauling in a heavy fish hand _over_ hand. This to them is + "_faka fafine_"--i.e., like a woman. + +13: Cayse. + +14: NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER.--This incident is related by the author in + "By Reef and Palm" under the title of "The Rangers of the Tia Kau." + +15: PUBLISHER'S NOTE.--This Alan Strickland is the "Allan" who has so + frequently figured in the author's other tales of South Sea life, + notably in the works entitled "By Reef and Palm" and "The Ebbing of + the Tide." + +16: Councillors. + +17: _Apo! lima_! "Be quick with your hand!" The passage is narrow and + dangerous, even for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches the + rolling surf, calls out _Apo, lau lima_! to his crew--an expression + synonymous to our nautical, "Pull like the devil!" + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, +and Other Stories, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12798 *** diff --git a/12798-h/12798-h.htm b/12798-h/12798-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..062a8e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/12798-h/12798-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9774 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html +PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" +"http://www.w3c.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="content-type" + content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> + + <title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of By Rock & Pool On An + Austral Shore, by Louis Becke.</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/* +<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + p.footnote { text-indent: -1.2em; margin-left: 1.2em; margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + hr { width: 50%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + hr.full { + width: 100% + } + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + .footnote { vertical-align: super; font-size: smaller; } + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + span.pagenum { font-size: 8pt; right: 91%; left: 1%; position: absolute } + span.footnote { vertical-align: super; font-size: smaller; } + // --> + /* XML end ]]> + +*/ + +</style> + </head> + + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12798 ***</div> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <h1>Note to Readers</h1> + + <p>This file is encoded using the UTF-8 character set.</p> + + <p>The text in this file contains a number of characters not + contained in the standard ASCII character set. To enable the + display of these characters the UTF-8 character set must be + used by the reader.</p> + + <p>A number of character sets supporting UTF-8 are available + from the Unicode web site at + <a href="http://www.unicode.org/" target="_new"> + www.unicode.org</a> + + .</p> + + <p>If you do not have access to + <a href="http://www.unicode.org/" target="_new"> + www.unicode.org</a> + + you should obtain the ASCII encoded version of this file from + Project Gutenberg which uses an alternate representation system + to present the UTF-8 characters.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 1 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_ii" name="page_ii">[pg ii]</a> + </span> + +<!-- Page 2 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_iii" name="page_iii">[pg iii]</a> + </span> + + <h1> + <i>By</i> + + ROCK & POOL</h1> + + <h1>On An Austral Shore</h1> + + <h2> + <i>By</i> + + LOUIS BECKE</h2> + + <h3>AUTHOR OF "PACIFIC TALES," "BY REEF AND PALM," ETC., + ETC.</h3> + + <center>New Amsterdam Book Company + <br /> + + 156 FIFTH AVENUE: NEW YORK CITY: MCMI</center> + +<!-- Page 3 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_iv" name="page_iv">[pg iv]</a> + </span> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <a name='CONTENTS'> + </a> + + <h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<!-- Page 4 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page__v" name="page__v">[pg v]</a> + </span> + + <p> + <a href="#page001">BY ROCK AND POOL</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page020">SOLEPA</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page045">THE FISHER FOLK OF NUKUFETAU</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page066">MRS. MACLAGGAN'S BILLY</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page078">AN ISLAND MEMORY</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page107">A HUNDRED FATHOMS DEEP</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page118">ON A TIDAL RIVER</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page132">DENISON GETS ANOTHER SHIP</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page141">JACK SHARK'S PILOT</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page148">THE "PALU" OF THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page159">THE WILY "GOANNER"</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page165">THE TĂNIFA OF SAMOA</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page174">ON BOARD THE + <i>TUCOPIA</i> + </a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page218">THE MAN IN THE BUFFALO HIDE</a> + </p> + + <hr /> + + <p> + <a href="#page231">A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS—HINTS TO + INTENDING TRAVELLERS</a> + </p> + +<!-- Page 5 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_vi" name="page_vi">[pg vi]</a> + </span> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 6 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page001" name="page001">[pg 1]</a> + </span> + + <a name='By_Rock_and_Pool_on_an_Austral_Shore'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore</i> + </h2> + + <p>The quaint, old-fashioned little town faces eastward to the + blue Pacific, whose billows, when the wind blows from any point + between north and east, come tumbling in across the shallow bar + in ceaseless lines of foaming white, to meet, when the tide is + on the ebb, the swift current of a tidal river as broad as the + Thames at Westminster Bridge. On the south side of the bar, + from the sleepy town itself to the pilot station on the Signal + Hill, there rises a series of smooth grassy bluffs, whose + seaward bases touch the fringe of many small beaches, or start + sheer upward from the water when the tide is high, and the + noisy swish and swirl of the eager river current has + ceased.</p> + + <p>As you stand on the Signal Hill, and look along the coast, + you see a long, long monotonous line of beach, trending + northward ten miles from end to end, forming a great curve from + the sandspit on the north side of the treacherous bar to the + blue loom of a headland in shape like the figure of a couchant + lion. Back from the shore-line, a narrow littoral of dense + scrub, impervious to the rays of the sun, and unbroken in its +<!-- Page 7 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page002" name="page002">[pg 2]</a> + </span> + + solitude except by the cries of birds, or the heavy footfall of + wild cattle upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves; and then, + far to the west, the dimmed, shadowy outline of the main + coastal range.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>It is a keen, frosty morning in June—the midwinter of + Australia—and as the red sun bursts through the sea-rim, + a gentle land breeze creeps softly down from the mountain + forest of gums and iron-barks, and blows away the mists that, + all through a night of cloudless calm, have laid heavily upon + the surface of the sleeping ocean. One by one the doors of the + five little white-painted, weather-boarded houses which form + the quarters of the pilot-boat's crew open, and five brown, + hairy-faced men, each smoking a pipe, issue forth, and, hands + in pockets, scan the surface of the sea from north to south, + for perchance a schooner, trying to make the port, may have + been carried along by the current from the southward, and is + within signalling distance to tell her whether the bar is + passable or not. For the bar of the Port is as changeable in + its moods as the heart of a giddy maid to her + lovers—to-day it may invite you to come in and take + possession of its placid waters in the harbour beyond; + to-morrow it may roar and snarl with boiling surf and savage, + eddying currents, and whirlpools slapping fiercely against the + grim, black rocks of the southern shore.</p> + + <p>Look at the five men as they stand or saunter about on the + smooth, frosty grass. They are sailormen— +<!-- Page 8 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page003" name="page003">[pg 3]</a> + </span> + + one and all—as you can see by their walk and hear by + their talk; rough, ready, and sturdy, though not so sturdy nor + so square-built as your solid men of brave old Deal; but a long + way better in appearance and character than the sponging, + tip-seeking, loafing fraternity of slouching, lazy robbers who + on the parades of Brighton, Hastings, and Eastbourne, and other + fashionable seaside resorts in this country, lean against + lamp-posts with "Licensed Boatman" writ on their hat-bands, and + call themselves fishermen, though they seldom handle a herring + or cod that does not come from a fishmonger's shop. These + Australians of British blood are leaner in face, leaner in limb + than the Kentish men, and drink whiskey instead of coffee or + tea at early morn. But see them at work in the face of danger + and death on that bar, when the surf is leaping high and a + schooner lies broadside on and helpless to the sweeping + rollers, and you will say that a more undaunted crew never + gripped an oar to rescue a fellow-sailorman from the hungry + sea.</p> + + <p>One of them, a grey-haired, deeply-bronzed man of sixty, + with his neck and hands tatooed in strange markings, imprinted + thereon by the hands of the wild natives of Tucopia, in the + South Seas, with whom he has lived forty years before as one of + themselves, is mine own particular friend and crony, for his + two sons have been playmates with my brothers and myself, who + were all born in this quaint old-time seaport of the first + colony in Australia; this forgotten remnant of the dread days + of the awful convict +<!-- Page 9 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page004" name="page004">[pg 4]</a> + </span> + + system, when the clank of horrible gyves sounded on the now + deserted and grass-grown streets, and the swish of the hateful + and ever active "cat" was heard within the walls of the huge + red-brick prison on the bluff facing the sea. Oh, the old, old + memories of those hideous times! How little they wounded or + troubled our boyish minds, as we, bent on some fishing or + hunting venture along the coast, walked along a road which had + been first soddened by tears and then dried by the panting, + anguished breathings of beings fashioned in the image of their + Creator, as they toiled and died under the brutal hands of + their savage task-masters—the civilian officials of that + cruel "System" which, by the irony of fate, the far-seeing, + gentle, and tender-hearted Arthur Phillip, the founder of + Australia, was first appointed to administer.</p> + + <p>But away with such memories for the moment. Over the lee + side with them into the Sea of the Past, together with the + clank of the fetters and the hum of the cat and the merciless + laws of the time; sink them all together with the names of the + military rum-selling traducers of the good Phillip, and of + ill-tempered, passionate sailor Bligh of the + <i>Bounty</i> + + —honest, brave, irascible, vindictive; destroyer of his + ship's company on that fateful adventure to Tahiti, hero of the + most famous boat-voyage the world has ever known; sea-bully and + petty "hazer" of hapless Fletcher Christian and his comrades, + gallant officer in battle and thanked by Nelson at Copenhagen; + conscientious governor of a starveling colony gasping under the + hands of unscrupulous military money-makers, +<!-- Page 10 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page005" name="page005">[pg 5]</a> + </span> + + William Bligh deserves to be remembered by all men of English + blood who are proud of the annals of the most glorious navy in + the world.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>But ere we descend to the beach to wander by rock and pool + in this glowing Australian sun, the warm, loving rays of which + are fast drying the frost-coated grass, let us look at these + square, old-time monuments to the dead, placed on the Barrack + Hill, and overlooking the sea. There are four in all, but + around them are many low, sunken headstones of lichen-covered + slabs, the inscriptions on which, like many of those on the + stones in the cemetery by the reedy creek, have long since + vanished.</p> + + <p>There, indeed, if you care to brave the snake-haunted place + you will discover a word, or the part of a + word—"Talav——," "Torre——Vedras," + "Vimiera," or "Badaj——," or "Fuentes de + On——," and you know that underneath lies the dust + of men who served their country well when the Iron Duke was + rescuing Europe from the grip of the bloodstained Corsican. On + one, which for seventy years has faced the rising sun and the + salty breath of the ocean breeze, there remains but the one + glorious word, "Aboukir!" every indented letter thickly filled + with grey moss and lichen, though the name of he who fought + there has disappeared, and being but that of some humble + seaman, is unrecorded and unknown in the annals of his country. + How strange it seems! but yet how fitting that this one word + alone should be +<!-- Page 11 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page006" name="page006">[pg 6]</a> + </span> + + preserved by loving Nature from the decaying touch of Time. + Perhaps the very hand of the convict mason who held the chisel + to the stone struck deeper as he carved the letters of the name + of the glorious victory.</p> + + <p>But let us away from here; for in the hot summer months amid + these neglected and decaying memorials of the dead, creeping + and crawling in and out of the crumbling masonry of the tombs, + gliding among the long, reedy grass, or lying basking in the + sun upon the fallen headstones, are deadly black and brown + snakes. They have made this old, time-forgotten cemetery their + own favourite haunting place; for the waters of the creek are + near, and on its margin they find their prey. Once, so the + shaky old wharfinger will tell you, a naval lieutenant, who had + been badly wounded in the first Maori war, died in the + commandant's house. He was buried here on the bank of the + creek, and one day his young wife who had come from England to + nurse him and found him dead, sat down on his grave and went to + sleep. When she awoke, a great black snake was lying on her + knees. She died that day from the shock.</p> + + <p>The largest of these four monuments on the bluff stands + nearest to the sea, and the inscription on the heavy flat slab + of sandstone which covers it is fairly legible:—</p> + + <center>Sacred to the Memory of + <br /> + +<!-- Page 12 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page007" name="page007">[pg 7]</a> + </span> + + JAMES VAUGHAN, + <br /> + + Who was a Private in Captain + <br /> + + Fraser Allan's Company + <br /> + + of the 40th Regiment, + <br /> + + Who died on the 24th November, 1823, + <br /> + + of a Gunshot Wound Received + <br /> + + on the 20th Day of the Month, + <br /> + + when in Pursuit of a + <br /> + + Runaway Convict. + <br /> + + Aged 25 years.</center> + + <p>The others record the names of the "infant son and daughters + of Mr. G. Smith, Commissariat Storekeeper," and of "Edward + Marvin, who died 4th July, 1821, aged 21 years."</p> + + <p>Many other sunken headstones denote the last resting-places + of soldiers and sailors, and civilian officials, who died + between 1821 and 1830, when the little port was a thriving + place, and when, as the old gossips will tell you, it made a + "rare show, when the Governor came here, and Major + Innes—him as brought that cussed lantana plant from the + Peninsula—sent ninety mounted men to escort him to Lake + Innes."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>The tide is low, and the flat + <i>congewoi</i> + + -covered ledges of reef on the southern side of the bar lie + bare and exposed to the sun. Here and there in the crystal + pools among the rocks, fish have been left by the tide, +<!-- Page 13 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page008" name="page008">[pg 8]</a> + </span> + + and as you step over the + <i>congewoi</i> + + , whose teats spurt out jets of water to the pressure of your + foot, large silvery bream and gaily-hued parrot-fish rush off + and hide themselves from view. But tear off a piece of + <i>congewoi,</i> + + open it, and throw the sanguinary-coloured delicacy into the + water, and presently you will see the parrot-fish dart out + eagerly, and begin to tear it asunder with their long, + irregular, and needle-like teeth, whilst the more cautious and + lordly bream, with wary eye and gentle, undulating tail, watch + from underneath a ledge for a favourable moment to dash out and + secure a morsel.</p> + + <p>In some of the wider and shallower ponds are countless + thousands of small mullet, each about three or four inches in + length, and swimming closely together in separated but compact + battalions. Some, as the sound of a human footstep warns them + of danger, rush for safety among the submerged clefts and + crevices of their temporary retreat, only to be mercilessly and + fatally enveloped by the snaky, viscous tentacles of the + ever-lurking octopus, for every hole and pool among the rocks + contains one or more of these hideously repulsive + creatures.</p> + + <p>Sometimes you will see one crawling over the + <i>congewoi</i> + + , changing from one pool to another in search of prey; its + greeny-grey eyes regard you with defiant malevolence. Strike it + heavily with a stick, or thrust it through with a spear, and in + an instant its colour, which a moment before was either a dark + mottled brown or a mingled reddish-black, changes to a ghastly, + horrible, marbled grey; the horrid tentacles +<!-- Page 14 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page009" name="page009">[pg 9]</a> + </span> + + writhe and cling to the weapon, or spread out and adhere to the + surrounding points of rock, a black, inky fluid is ejected from + the soft, pulpy, and slimy body; and then, after raining blow + after blow upon it, it lies unable to crawl away, but still + twisting and turning, and showing its red and white + suckers—a thing of horror indeed, the embodiment of all + that is hateful, wicked, and malignant in nature.</p> + + <p>Some idea of the numbers of these crafty and savage denizens + of the limpid pools may be obtained by dropping a baited + fishing line in one of the deeper spots. First you will see + one, and then another, thin end of a tentacle come waveringly + out from underneath a ledge of rock, and point towards the + bait, then the rest of the ugly creature follows, and gathering + itself together, darts upon the hook, for the possession of + which half a dozen more of its fellows are already advancing, + either swimming or by drawing themselves over the sandy bottom + of the pool. Deep buried in the sand itself is another, a brute + which may weigh ten or fifteen pounds, and which would take all + the strength of a strong man to overcome were its loathsome + tentacles clasped round his limbs in their horrid embrace. Only + part of the head and the half-closed, tigerish eyes are + visible, and even these portions are coated over with fine sand + so as to render them almost undistinguishable from the bed in + which it lies awaiting for some careless crab or fish to come + within striking distance. How us boys delighted to destroy + these big fellows when we came across one thus hidden in the + sand or + <i>débris</i> + + on the bottom! A +<!-- Page 15 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page010" name="page010">[pg 10]</a> + </span> + + quick thrust of the spear through the tough, elongated head, a + vision of whirling, outspread, red and black snaky tentacles, + and then the thing is dragged out by main strength and dashed + down upon the rocks, to be struck with waddies or stones until + the spear can be withdrawn. Everything, it is said, has its use + in this world, and the octopus is eminently useful to the + Australian line fisherman, for the bream, trevally, flathead, + jew-fish, and the noble schnapper dearly love its tough, white + flesh, especially after the creature has been held over a flame + for a few minutes, so that the mottled skin may be peeled + off.</p> + + <p>But treacherous and murderous Thug of the Sea as he is, the + octopus has one dreaded foe before whom he flees in terror, and + compresses his body into the narrowest and most inaccessible + cleft or endeavours to bury himself in the loose, soft + sand—and that foe is the orange-coloured or sage-green + rock eel. Never do you see one of these eels in the open water; + they lie deep under the stones or twine their lithe, slippery + bodies among the waving kelp or seaweed. Always hungry, + savage-eyed, and vicious, they know no fear of any living + thing, and seizing an octopus and biting off tentacle after + tentacle with their closely-set, needle-like teeth and + swallowing it whole is a matter of no more moment to them than + the bolting of a tender young mullet or bream. In vain does the + Sea Thug endeavour to enwrap himself round and round the body + of one of these sinuous, scaleless sea-snakes and fasten on to + it with his terrible cupping apparatus of suckers—the eel + slips in and out and "wolfs" and worries his enemy +<!-- Page 16 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page011" name="page011">[pg 11]</a> + </span> + + without the slightest harm to itself. Some of them are + large—especially the orange-coloured variety—three + or four feet in length, and often one will raise his snaky head + apparently out of solid rock and regard you steadily for a + moment. Then he disappears. You advance cautiously to the spot + and find a hole no larger than the circumference of an + afternoon tea cup, communicating with the water beneath. Lower + a baited hook with a strong wire snooding, and "Yellowskin" + will open wide his jaws and swallow it without your feeling the + slightest movement of the line. But you must be quick and + strong of hand then, or you will never drag him forth, for + slippery as he is he can coil his length around a projecting + bit of rock and defy you for perhaps five or ten minutes; and + then when you do succeed in tearing him away and pull him out + with the hook buried deep in his loose, pendulous, wrinkled and + corduroyed throat, he instantly resolves himself into a + quivering Gordian knot, winding the line in and about his coils + and knotting it into such knots that can never be + unravelled.</p> + + <p>Here and there you will see lying buried deep in the growing + coral, or covered with black masses of + <i>congewoi</i> + + such things as iron and copper bolts, or heavy pieces of + squared timber, the relics of the many wrecks that have + occurred on the bar—some recent, some in years long gone + by. Out there, lying wedged in between the weed and + kelp-covered boulders, only visible at low water, are two of + the guns of the ill-fated + <i>Wanderer</i> + + , a ship, like her owner, famous in the history +<!-- Page 17 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page012" name="page012">[pg 12]</a> + </span> + + of the colony. She was the property of a Mr. Benjamin Boyd, a + man of flocks and herds and wealth, who founded a town and a + great whaling station on the shores of Twofold Bay, where he + employed some hundreds of men, bond and free. He was of an + adventurous and restless disposition, and after making several + voyages to the South Seas, was cruelly cut off and murdered by + the cannibal natives of Guadalcanar in the Solomon Islands, in + the "fifties." The captain, after beating off the savages, who, + having killed poor Boyd on shore, made a determined attempt to + capture the ship, set sail for Australia, and in endeavouring + to cross in over the bar went ashore and became a total wreck. + Here is a description written by Judge McFarland of the + <i>Wanderer</i> + + as she was in those days when Boyd dreamed a dream of founding + a Republic in the South Sea Islands with his wild crew of + Polynesians and a few white fellow adventurers:—</p> + + <p>"She was of 240 tons burthen; very fleet, and had a flush + deck; and her cabins were fitted up with every possible + attention to convenience, and with great elegance; and had she + been intended as a war craft, she could scarcely have been more + powerfully armed, for she carried four brass + deck-guns—two six-pounders and two + four-pounders—mounted on carriages resembling dolphins, + four two-pounder rail guns—two on each side—and one + brass twelve-pounder traversing gun (which had seen service at + Waterloo)—in all thirteen serviceable guns. Besides + these, there were two small, highly-ornamented guns used for + firing signals, which were said to have been obtained from the +<!-- Page 18 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page013" name="page013">[pg 13]</a> + </span> + + wreck of the + <i>Royal George</i> + + at Spithead. There were also provided ample stores of round + shot and grape for the guns, and a due proportion of small + arms, boarding pikes, tomahawks, &c."</p> + + <p>Half a mile further on, and we are under the Signal Hill, + and standing on one side of a wide, flat rock, through which a + boat passage has been cut by convict hands, when first the + white tents of the soldiers were seen on the Barrack Hill. And + here, at this same spot, more than a hundred years ago, and + thirty before the sound of the axe was first heard amid the + forest or tallow-woods and red gum, there once landed a strange + party of sea-worn, haggard-faced beings—six men, one + woman, and two infant children. They were the unfortunate + Bryant party—whose wonderful and daring voyage from + Sydney to Timor in a wretched, ill-equipped boat, ranks second + only to that of Bligh himself. For Will Bryant, an ex-smuggler + who was leader, had heard of Bligh's voyage in the boat + belonging to the + <i>Bounty</i> + + ; and fired with the desire to escape with his wife and + children from the famine-stricken community on the shores of + Port Jackson, he and his companions in servitude stole a small + fishing-boat and boldly put to sea to face a journey of more + that three thousand miles over an unknown and dangerous ocean. + A few weeks after leaving Sydney they had sighted this little + nook when seeking refuge from a fierce north-easterly gale, and + here they remained for many days, so that the woman and + children might gain strength and the seams of the leaking boat + be payed with tallow—their only +<!-- Page 19 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page014" name="page014">[pg 14]</a> + </span> + + substitute for oakum. Then onward they sailed or rowed, for + long, long weary weeks, landing here and there on the coast to + seek for water and shell-fish, harried and chased by cannibal + savages, suffering all the agonies that could be suffered on + such a wild venture, until they reached Timor, only by a + strange and unhappy fate to fall into the hands of the brutal + and infamous Edwards of the + <i>Pandora</i> + + frigate, who with his wrecked ship's company, and the surviving + and manacled mutineers of the + <i>Bounty</i> + + , who had surrendered to him, soon afterwards appeared at the + Dutch port. Bryant, the daring leader, was so fortunate as to + die of fever, and so escaped the fate in store for his + comrades. 'Tis a strange story indeed.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>At the end of the point of brown, rugged rocks which form a + natural breakwater to this tiny boat harbour, the water is + deep, showing a pale transparent green at their base, and deep + inpenetrable blue ten fathoms beyond. To-day, because it is + mid-winter, and the wind blows from the west, the sea is + clearer than ever, and far down below will be discerned lazily + swimming to and fro great reddish-brown or bright blue groper, + watching the dripping sides of the rock in hope that some of + the active, gaily-hued crabs which scurry downwards as you + approach may fall in—for the blue groper is a + <i>gourmet</i> + + , disdaining to eat of his own tribe, and caring only for crabs + or the larger and more luscious crayfish. Stand here when the + tide is high and the surf is sweeping in creamy sheets over +<!-- Page 20 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page015" name="page015">[pg 15]</a> + </span> + + the lower ledges of rocks; and as the water pours off + torrent-like from the surface and leaves them bare, you may oft + behold a huge fish—aye, or two or three—lying + kicking on its side with a young crayfish in its thick, fleshy + jaws, calmly waiting for the next sea to set him afloat again. + Brave fellows are these gropers—forty, fifty, up to + seventy pounds sometimes, and dangerous fish to hook in such a + place as this, where a false step may send a man headlong into + the surf below with his line tangled round his feet or arms. + But on such a morning as this one might fall overboard and come + to no harm, for the sea is smooth, and the kelp sways but + gently to the soft rise and fall of the water, and seldom in + these cold days of June does Jack Shark cruise in under the lee + of the rocks. It is in November, hot, sweltering November, when + the clinking sand of the shining beach is burning to the booted + foot, and the countless myriads of terrified sea salmon come + swarming in over the bar on their way to spawn in the river + beyond, that he and his fellows and the bony-snouted saw-fish + rush to and fro in the shallow waters, driving their prey + before them, and gorging as they drive, till the clear waters + of the bar are turned into a bloodied froth. At such a time as + this it might be bad to fall overboard, though some of the + local youths give but little more heed to the tigers of the sea + than they do to the accompanying drove of harmless porpoises, + which join in the onslaught on the hapless salmon.</p> + + <p>A mile eastward from the shore there rises stark and clear a + great dome-shaped rock, the haunt and resting- +<!-- Page 21 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page016" name="page016">[pg 16]</a> + </span> + + place of thousands of snow-white gulls and brown-plumaged + boobies. The breeding-place of the former is within + rifle-shot—over there on that long stretch of banked-up + sand on the north side of the bar, where, amid the shelter of + the coarse, tufted grass the delicate, graceful creatures will + sit three months hence on their fragile white and + purple-splashed eggs. The boobies are but visitors, for their + breeding-places are on the bleak, savage islands far to the + south, amid the snows and storms of black Antarctic seas. But + here they dwell together, in unison with the gulls, and were + the wind not westerly you could hear their shrill cries and + hoarse croaking as they wheel and eddy and circle above the + lonely rock, on the highest pinnacle of which a great + fish-eagle, with neck thrown back upon his shoulders and eyes + fixed eastward to the sun, stands oblivious of their clamour, + as creatures beneath his notice.</p> + + <p>Once round the southern side of the Signal Hill the noise of + the bar is lost. Between the hill and the next point—a + wild, stern-looking precipice of black-trap rock—there + lies a half a mile or more of shingly strand, just such as you + would see at Pevensey Bay or Deal, but backed up at high-water + mark with piles of drift timber—great dead trees that + have floated from the far northern rivers, their mighty + branches and netted roots bleached white by the sun and wind of + many years, and smelling sweet of the salty sea air. Mingled + with the lighter bits of driftwood and heaps of seaweed are the + shells of hundreds of crayfish—some of the largest are + newly cast up by the sea, and +<!-- Page 22 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page017" name="page017">[pg 17]</a> + </span> + + the carapace is yellow and blue; others are burnt red by + exposure to the sun; while almost at every step you crush into + the thin backs and armoured tails of young ones about a foot in + length, the flesh of which, by some mysterious process of + nature, has vanished, leaving the skin, muscles, and beautiful + fan-like tail just as fresh as if the crustaceans were alive. + Just here, out among those kelp-covered rocks, you may, on a + moonlight night, catch as many crayfish as you wish—three + of them will be as much as any one would care to carry a mile, + for a large, full-grown "lobster," as they are called locally, + will weigh a good ten pounds.</p> + + <p>Once round the precipice we come to a new phase of coastal + scenery. From the high land above us green scrub-covered spur + after spur shoots downward to the shore, enclosing numerous + little beaches of coarse sand and many coloured spiral + shells—"Reddies" we boys called them—with here and + there a rare and beautiful cowrie of banded jet black and + pearly white. The sea-wall of rock has here but few pools, + being split up into long, deep, and narrow chasms, into which + the gentle ocean swell comes with strange gurglings and + hissings, and groan-like sounds, and tiny jets of spray spout + up from hundreds of air-holes through the hollow crust of rock. + Here for the first time since the town was left, are heard the + cries of land birds; for in the wild apple and rugged + honeysuckle trees which grow on the rich, red soil of the spurs + they are there in plenty—crocketts, king parrots, + leatherheads, "butcher" and "bell" birds, and the beautiful + bronze-wing pigeon—while deep within the +<!-- Page 23 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page018" name="page018">[pg 18]</a> + </span> + + silent gullies you constantly hear the little black scrub + wallabies leaping through the undergrowth and fallen leaves, to + hide in still darker forest recesses above.</p> + + <p>There are snakes here, too. Everywhere their sinuous tracks + are visible on the sand, criss-crossing with the more defined + scratchy markings of those of iguanas. The latter we know come + down to carry off any dead fish cast ashore by the waves, or to + seize any live ones which may be imprisoned in a shallow pool; + but what brings the deadly brown and black snakes down to the + edge of + <i>salt</i> + + water at night time?</p> + + <p>Point after point, tiny bay after bay, and then we come to a + wider expanse of clear, stoneless beach, at the farther end of + which a huge boulder of jagged, yellow rock, covered on the + summit with a thick mantle of a pale green, fleshly-leaved + creeper, bearing a pink flower. It stands in a deep pool about + a hundred yards in circumference, and as like as not we shall + find the surface of the water covered by thousands of + green-backed, red-billed garfish and silvery mullet, whose very + numbers prevent them from escaping. Scores of them leap out + upon the sand, and lie there with panting gill and flapping + tail. It is a great place for us boys, for here at low tides in + the winter we strip off, and with naked hands catch the mullet + and gars and silvery-sided trumpeters, and throw them out on + the beach, to be grilled later on over a fire of glowing + honeysuckle cobs, and eaten without salt. What boy does care + about such a thing as salt at such times, when his eye is + bright and his skin glows with the flush of health, and the + soft murmuring of the sea +<!-- Page 24 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page019" name="page019">[pg 19]</a> + </span> + + is mingling in his ears with the thrilling call of the birds, + and the rustling hum of the bush; and the yellow sun shines + down from a glorious sky of cloudless blue, and dries the sand + upon his naked feet; and the very joy of being alive, and away + from school, is happiness enough in itself!</p> + + <p>For here, by rock and pool on this lonely Austral beach, it + is good and sweet for man or boy to be, and, if but in utter + idleness, to watch and listen—and think.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 25 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page020" name="page020">[pg 20]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Solepa'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Solepa</i> + </h2> + + <p>The last strokes of the bell for evening service had scarce + died away when I heard a footstep on the pebbly path, and old + Pâkía, staff in hand and pipe dangling from his + pendulous ear-lobe, walked quietly up the steps and sat down + cross-legged on the verandah. All my own people had gone to + church and the house was very quiet.</p> + + <p>"Good evening, Pâkía," I said in English, "how are + you, old man?"</p> + + <p>A smile lit up the brown, old, wrinkled face as he heard my + voice—for I was lying down in the sitting-room, smoking + my after-supper pipe—as he answered in the island dialect + that he was well, but that his house was in darkness and he, + being lonely, had come over to sit with me awhile.</p> + + <p>"That is well, Pâkía, for I too am lonely, and who + so good as thee to talk with when the mind is heavy and the + days are long, and no sail cometh up from the sea-rim? Come, + sit here within the doorway, for the night wind is chill; and + fill thy pipe."</p> + + <p>He came inside as I rose and turned up the lamp so that its + light shone full on his bald, bronzed head +<!-- Page 26 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page021" name="page021">[pg 21]</a> + </span> + + and deeply tatooed arms and shoulders. Laying down his polished + staff of + <i>temana</i> + + wood, he came over to me, placed his hand on my arm, patted it + gently, and then his kindly old eyes sought mine.</p> + + <p>"Be not dull of heart, + <i>taka taina</i> + + . + <a href="#footnote_1" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[1]</span> + </a> + + A ship will soon come—it may be to-morrow; it must be + soon; for twice have I heard the cocks crow at midnight since I + was last here, three days ago. And when the cocks crow at + night-time a ship is near."</p> + + <p>"May it be so, Pâkía, for I am weary of waiting. + Ten months have come and gone since I first put foot on this + land of Nukufetau, and a ship was to have come here in + four."</p> + + <p>He filled his pipe, then drawing a small mat near my lounge, + he squatted on the floor, and we smoked in silence, listening + to the gentle lapping of the lagoon waters upon the inner beach + and the beating, never-ceasing hum of the surf on the reef + beyond. Overhead the branches of the palms swayed and rustled + to the night-breeze.</p> + + <p>Presently, as I turned to look seaward, I caught the old + man's dark eyes fixed upon my face, and in them I read a + sympathy that at that time and place was grateful to me.</p> + + <p>"Six months is long for one who waits, Pâkía," I + said. "I came here but to stay four months and trade for copra; + then the ship was to call and take me to Ponapé, in the + far north-west. And Ponapé is a great land to such a man + as me."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 27 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page022" name="page022">[pg 22]</a> + </span> + + <i>Etonu! Etonu!</i> + + I know it. Thrice have I been there when I sailed in the + whaleships. A great land truly, like the island called Juan + Fernandez, of which I have told thee, with high mountains green + to the summits with trees, and deep, dark valleys wherein the + sound of the sea is never heard but when the surf beats hard + upon the reef. Ah! a fine land—better than this poor + <i>motu</i> + + , which is as but a ring of sand set in the midst of the deep + sea. Would that I were young to go there with thee! Tell me, + dost know the two small, high islands in the + <i>ava</i> + + <a href="#footnote_2" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[2]</span> + </a> + + which is called Jakoits? Hast seen the graves of two white men + there?"</p> + + <p>"I know the islands well; but I have never seen the graves + of any white men there. Who were they, and when did they + die?"</p> + + <p>"Ah, I am a foolish old man. I forget how old I am. Perhaps, + when thou wert a child in thy mother's arms, the graves stood + up out of the greensward at the foot of the high cliff which + faces to the south. Tell me, is there not a high wall of rock a + little way back from the landing beach?... Aye!... that is the + place ... and the bones of the men are there, though now great + trees may grow over the place. They were both good + men—good to look at, tall and strong; and they fought and + died there just under the cliff. I saw them die, for I was + there with the captain of my ship. We, and others with us, saw + it all."</p> + + <p>"Who were they, Pâkía, and how came they to + fight?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 28 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page023" name="page023">[pg 23]</a> + </span> + + One was a trader, whose name was Preston; he lived on the + mainland of Ponapé, where he had a great house and oil + store and many servants. The name of the other man was Frank. + They fought because of a woman."</p> + + <p>"Tell me the story, Pâkía. Thou hast seen many + lands and many strange things. And when ye come and sit and + talk to me the dulness goeth away from me and I no longer think + of the ship; for of all the people on this + <i>motu</i> + + , to thee and Temana my servant alone do I talk freely. And + Temana is now at church."</p> + + <p>The old man chuckled. "Aye, he is at church because Malepa, + his wife, is so jealous of him that she fears to leave him + alone. Better would it please him to be sitting here with + us."</p> + + <p>I drew the mat curtain across the sitting-room window so + that we could not be seen by prying eyes, and put two cups, a + gourd of water, and some brandy on the table. Except my own + man, Temana, the rest of the natives were intensely jealous of + the poor old ex-sailor and wanderer in many lands, and they + very much resented his frequent visits to me—partly on + account of the occasional glass of grog which I gave him, and + partly because he was suspected of still being a + <i>tagata po-uriuri, i.e.</i> + + , a heathen. This, however, he vigorously denied, and though + Maréko, the Samoan teacher, was a kind-hearted and + tolerant man for a native minister, the deacons delighted in + persecuting and harassing the ancient upon every possible + opportunity, and upon one pretext or another had +<!-- Page 29 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page024" name="page024">[pg 24]</a> + </span> + + succeeded in robbing him of his land and dividing it among his + relatives; so that now in his extreme old age he was dependent + upon one of his daughters, a woman who herself must have been + past sixty.</p> + + <p>I poured some brandy into the cups; we clicked them together + and said, "May you be lucky" to each other. Then he told me of + Solepa.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>"There were many whaleships came to anchor in the three + harbours of Ponapé in those days. They came there for wood + and water and fresh provisions, before they sailed to the cold, + icy seas of the south. I was then a boat-steerer in an English + ship—a good and lucky ship with a good captain. When we + came to Ponapé we found there six other whaleships, all + anchored close together under the shelter of the two islets. + All the captains were friends, and the few white men who lived + on shore were friends with them, and every night there was much + singing and dancing on board the ships, for, as was the custom, + every one on board had been given a Ponapé girl for wife + as long as his ship stayed there; and sometimes a ship would be + there a long time—a month perhaps.</p> + + <p>"The trader who lived in the big house was one of the first + to come on board our ship; for the captain and he were good + friends. They talked together on the poop deck, and I heard the + trader say that he had been away to Honolulu for nearly a year + and had brought back with him a young wife.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 30 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page025" name="page025">[pg 25]</a> + </span> + + 'Good,' said my captain, 'to-night I shall come ashore and + drink + <i>manuia!</i> + + <a href="#footnote_3" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[3]</span> + </a> + + to ye both.'</p> + + <p>"The trader was pleased, and said that some of the other + captains could come also, and that he had sent a letter to the + other trader, Frank, who lived on the other side of the island, + bidding him to come and greet the new wife. At these words the + face of Stacey—that was my captain's name, became dark, + and he said—</p> + + <p>"'You are foolish. Such a man as he is, is better away from + thy house—and thy wife. He is a + <i>manaia</i> + + , an + <i>ulavale</i> + + <a href="#footnote_4" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[4]</span> + </a> + + . Take heed of my words and have no dealings with him.'</p> + + <p>"But the man Preston only laughed. He was a fool in this + though he was so clever in many other things. He was a big man, + broad in the shoulders with the bright eye and the merry laugh + of a boy. He had been a sailor, but had wearied of the life, + and so he bought land in Ponapé and became a trader. He + was a fair-dealing man with the people there, and so in three + or four years he became rich, and bought more land and built a + schooner which he sent away to far distant islands to trade for + pearl-shell and + <i>loli</i> + + (beche-de-mer). Then it was that he went to Honolulu and came + back with a wife.</p> + + <p>"That day ere it became dark I went on shore with my + captain; some of the other captains went with us. The white man + met them on the beach, surrounded by many of his servants, male + and female. Some were of Ponapé, some from Tahiti, some + from Oahu, and some from the place which you call Savage Island + and we call Niué. As soon as the captains had stepped out + upon the beach and I had bidden the four sailors who were with + me to push off to return to the ship, the trader, seeing the + tatooing on my arms, gave a shout.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 31 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page026" name="page026">[pg 26]</a> + </span> + + 'Ho,' he cried, turning to my captain, 'whence comes that + boat-steerer of thine? By the markings on his arms and chest he + should be from the isles of the Tokelau.'</p> + + <p>"My captain laughed. 'He comes from near there. He is of + Nukufetau.'</p> + + <p>"Then let him stay on shore to-night, for there are here + with me a man and a woman from Nanomaga; they can talk + together. And my wife Solepa, too, will be well pleased to see + him, for her mother was a Samoan, and this man can talk to her + in her mother's tongue.'</p> + + <p>"'So I too went up to the house with the white men, but + would not enter with them, for I was stripped to the waist and + could not go into the presence of the lady. Presently the man + and woman from Nanomaga sought me out and embraced me and made + much of me and took me into another part of the house, where I + waited till one of my shipmates returned from the ship bringing + my jumper and trousers of white duck and a new Panama hat. + Tāpā! I was a fine-looking man in those days, and + women looked at me from the corner of the eye. And now— +<!-- Page 32 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page027" name="page027">[pg 27]</a> + </span> + + look at me now! I am like a blind fish which is swept hither + and thither by the current against the rocks and sandbanks. + Give me some more grog, dear friend; when I talk of the days of + my youth my belly yearns for it, and I am not ashamed to + beg.</p> + + <p>"Presently, after I had dressed myself, I was taken by the + Nanomea man into the big room where Solepa, the white man's + wife, was sitting with the white men. She came to me and took + my hand, and said to me in Samoan + <i>'Talofa, Pâkía, e mālolō ea oe?'</i> + + <a href="#footnote_5" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[5]</span> + </a> + + and my heart was glad; for it was long since I heard any one + speak in a tongue which is akin to mine own.... Was she + beautiful? you ask. Tāpā! All women are beautiful + when they are young, and their eyes are full and clear and + their voices are soft and their bosoms are round and smooth! + All I can remember of her is that she was very young, with a + white, fair skin, and dressed like the + <i>papalagi</i> + + <a href="#footnote_6" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[6]</span> + </a> + + women I have seen in Peretania and Itālia and in Chili and + in Sydney.</p> + + <p>"As I stood before her, hat in hand and with my eyes looking + downward, which is proper and correct for a modest man to do + when a high lady speaks to him before many people, a white man + who had been sitting at the far end of the room came over to me + and said some words of greeting to me. This was Franka + <a href="#footnote_7" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[7]</span> + </a> + + —he whom my captain said was a + <i>manaia</i> + + . He was better clothed than any other of the white men, and + was proud and overbearing in his manner. He +<!-- Page 33 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page028" name="page028">[pg 28]</a> + </span> + + had brought with him more than a score of young Ponapé + men, all of whom carried rifles and had cutlasses strapped to + their waists. This was done to show the people of Jakoits that + he was as great a man as Preston, whom he hated, as you will + see. But Preston had naught for him but good words, and when he + saw the armed men he bade them welcome and set aside a house + for them to sleep in, and his servants brought them many + baskets of cooked food—taro and yams, and fish, turtle, + and pork. All this I saw whilst I was in the big room.</p> + + <p>"After I had spoken with the lady Solepa I returned to where + the man from Nanomaga and his wife were awaiting me. They + pressed me to eat and drink, and by and by sent for a young + girl to make kava. Tāpā! that kava of Ponapé! It + is not made there as it is in Samoa—where the young men + and women chew the dried root and mix it in a wooden + <i>tanoa</i> + + (bowl); there the green root is crushed up in a hollowed stone + and but little water is added, so that it is strong, very + strong, and one is soon made drunk.</p> + + <p>"The girl who made the kava for us was named Sipi. She had + eyes like the stars when they are shining upon a deep mountain + pool, and round her smooth forehead was bound a circlet of + yellow pandanus leaf worked with beads of many colours and + fringed with red parrakeet feathers; about her waist were two + fine mats, and her bosom and hands were stained with turmeric. + I sat and watched her beating the kava, and as her right arm + rose and fell her short, black wavy hair danced about her + cheeks and hid the +<!-- Page 34 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page029" name="page029">[pg 29]</a> + </span> + + red mouth and white teeth when she smiled at me. And she smiled + at me very often, and the man and woman beside me laughed when + they saw me regard her so intently, and asked me was it in my + mind to have her for my wife.</p> + + <p>"I did not answer at once, for I knew that if I ran away + from the ship for the sake of this girl I would be doing a + foolish thing, for I had money coming to me when the ship was + <i>oti folau</i> + + (paid off). But, as I pondered, the girl bent forward and again + her eyes smiled at me through her hair; and then it was I saw + that on her head there was a narrow shaven strip from the crown + backward. Now, in Tokelau, this fashion is called + <i>tu tagita</i> + + , and showeth that a girl is in her virginity. When I saw this + I was pleased, but to make sure I said to my friends, 'Her hair + is + <i>tu tagita</i> + + . Is she a virgin?'</p> + + <p>"The woman of Nanomaga laughed loudly at this and pinched my + hand, then she translated my words to the girl who looked into + my face and laughed too, shaking her head as she put one hand + over her eyes—</p> + + <p>"'Nay, nay, O stranger,' she said, 'I am no virgin; neither + am I a harlot. I am respectable, and my father and mother have + land. I do not go to the ships.' Then she tossed her hair back + from her face and began to beat the kava again.</p> + + <p>"Now, this girl pleased me greatly, for there were no twists + in her tongue; so, when the kava-drinking was finished I made + her sit beside me, and the Nanomaga woman told her I would run + away from the ship if she would be my wife. She put her face +<!-- Page 35 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page030" name="page030">[pg 30]</a> + </span> + + to my shoulder, and then took the circlet from her forehead and + bound it round my bared arm, and I gave her a silver ring which + I wore on my little finger. Then, together with the Nanomaga + man and his wife, we made our plans.... Ah! she was a fine + girl. For nearly a year was she wife to me until she sickened + and died of the + <i>meisake elo</i> + + <a href="#footnote_8" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[8]</span> + </a> + + which was brought to Ponapé by the missionary ship from + Honolulu.</p> + + <p>"So the girl and I made our plans, and my friends promised + to hide me when the time came for me to run away. We sat long + into the night, and I heard much of the man called Franka and + of the jealousy he bore to Preston. He was jealous of him + because of two reasons; one was that he possessed such a fine + house and so much land and a schooner, and the other was that + the people of Jakoits paid him the same respect as they paid + one of their high chiefs. So that was why Franka hated him. His + heart was full of hatred, and sometimes when he was drunk in + his own house at Rōan Kiti he would boast to the natives + that he would one day show them that he was a better man than + Preston. Sometimes his drunken boastings were brought to the + ears of Preston, who only laughed and took no heed, and always + gave him the good word when they met, which was but seldom, for + Jakoits and Kiti are far apart, and there was bad blood between + the people of the two places. And then—so the girl Sipi + afterwards told me—Franka was a lover +<!-- Page 36 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page031" name="page031">[pg 31]</a> + </span> + + of grog and a stealer of women, and kept a noisy house and made + much trouble, and so Preston went not near him, for he was a + quiet man and no drinker, and hated dissension. And, besides + this, Franka took part in the wars of the Kiti people, and went + about with a following of armed men, and such money as he made + in trading he spent in muskets and powder and ball; for all + this Preston had no liking, and one day he said to Franka, 'Be + warned, this fighting and slaying is wrong; it is not correct + for a white man to enter into these wars; you are doing wrong, + and some day you will be killed.' Now these were good words, + but of what use are good words to an evil heart?</p> + + <p>"So we pair sat talking and smoking, and the girl Sipi made + us more kava, and then again sat by my side and leant her face + against my shoulder, and presently we heard the sounds of music + and singing from the big house. We went outside to see and + listen, and saw that Preston was playing on a + <i>pese laakau</i> + + <a href="#footnote_9" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[9]</span> + </a> + + and Solepa and the captain of my ship were dancing + together—like as white people dance—and two of the + other captains were also dancing in the same fashion. All round + the room were seated many of the high chiefs of Ponapé + with their wives, dressed very finely, and at one end of the + room stood a long table covered with a white cloth, on which + was laid food of all kinds and wine and grog to + drink—just as you would see in your own country when a + rich man gives a feast. Presently as we looked, we saw Franka +<!-- Page 37 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page032" name="page032">[pg 32]</a> + </span> + + walk into the room from a side door and look about. His face + was flushed, and he staggered slightly in his steps. He went + over to the table and poured out some grog, and then beckoned + to Preston to come and drink with him, but Preston smiled and + shook his head. How could he go when he was making the music? + Then Franka struck his clenched fist on the table in anger, and + went over to Preston, just as the dancers had stopped.</p> + + <p>"'Why will ye not drink with me?' he said in a loud voice so + that all heard him. 'Art thou too great a man to drink with me + again?'</p> + + <p>"'Nay,' answered the other jestingly and taking no heed of + Franka's rude voice and angry eyes, 'not so great that I cannot + drink with all my friends tonight, be they white or brown,' and + so saying he bade every one in the room come to the great table + with him and drink + <i>manuia</i> + + to him and his young wife.</p> + + <p>"So the nine white men—Preston, and Franka, and the + seven whaleship captains, and Nanakin, the head chief of + Ponapé, and many other lesser chiefs, all gathered + together around the table and filled their glasses and drank + <i>manuia</i> + + to the bride, who sat on a chair in the centre of the room + surrounded by the chiefs' wives, and smiled and bowed when my + captain called her name and raised his glass towards her. Then + after this he again took up the + <i>pese laakau</i> + + and began to play, and my captain and Solepa danced again. + Suddenly Franka pushed his way through the others and rudely + placed his hand on her arm.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 38 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page033" name="page033">[pg 33]</a> + </span> + + 'Come,' he said, 'leave this fellow and dance with me.'</p> + + <p>"She cried out in terror, and then silence fell upon all as + my captain withdrew his right arm from her waist and struck + Franka on the mouth; it was a strong blow, and Franka staggered + backwards and then fell near to the open door. As he rose to + his feet again my captain came up to him and bade him leave + quickly. 'We want no drunken bullies here,' he said, and at + that moment Franka drew a pistol and pointed it at his chest. I + leapt upon him and as we struggled together the pistol went + off, but the bullet hurt no one.</p> + + <p>"Then there was a great commotion, and my captain and + Preston ran to my aid and seized Franka. They dragged him out + of the room, and with words of scorn and contempt threw him out + amongst his own people who were gathered together outside the + house, with their muskets in their hands. But already Nanakin + and his chiefs had summoned their fighting men; they came + running towards us from all directions, and surrounding Franka + and his men, drove them away and bade them beware of ever + returning to Jakoits.</p> + + <p>"When they had gone, my captain called me to him, and, + turning to the other white men, said, 'This man hath saved my + life. He hath a brave heart. I shall do much for him in the + time to come.' Then he and the others all shook my hand and + praised me, and I was silent and said nothing, for I was + ashamed to think I was about to run away from such a good + captain.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 39 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page034" name="page034">[pg 34]</a> + </span> + + In the morning we went back to the ship, and the boats were + then sent away to fill and bring off casks of water. Every time + my boat went I took something with me; tobacco and clothing and + other things which I had in my sea chest. Sipi and some other + girls met us at the watering place, and they took these from me + and put them in a place of safety. That afternoon as the boats + were about to leave the shore for the last time, towing the + casks, I slipped into the forest which grew very densely on + both sides of the little river, and ran till I came to the spot + where Sipi was awaiting me. Then together we went inland + towards the mountains and kept on walking till nightfall. That + night we slept in the forest; we were afraid to make a fire + lest it should be seen by some of Nanakin's people and betray + us, for I knew that my captain would cause a great search to be + made for me. When dawn came we again set out and went on + steadily till we came to the summit of the range of mountains + which divides the island. There was a clear space on the side + of the mountain; a great village had once stood there, so Sipi + told me, but all those who had dwelt there had long since died, + and their ghosts could be heard flitting to and fro at night + time. Far below us we could see the blue sea, and the long + waving line of reef with the surf beating upon it, and within, + anchored in the green water, were the seven ships and Preston's + schooner.</p> + + <p>"All that day and the next the girl and I worked at building + a little house for us to live in until the ships had gone. We + had no fear of any one seeking +<!-- Page 40 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page035" name="page035">[pg 35]</a> + </span> + + us out in that place, for it had a bad name and none but + travelling parties from Rōan Kiti ever passed there. Sipi + had brought with her a basket of cooked food; in the deserted + plantations we found plenty of bananas and yams, and in the + stream at the foot of the valley we caught many small fish. + Four days went by, and then one morning we saw the ships set + their sails and go to sea. We watched them till they touched + the sky rim and disappeared; then we went back to Jakoits.</p> + + <p>"The white man and Solepa were sitting under the shade of a + tree in front of their house. I went boldly up to him and asked + him to give me work to do. At first he was angry, for he and my + captain were great friends, and said he would have naught to do + with me. Why did I run away from such a good man and such a + good ship? There were too many men like me, he said, in + Ponapé, who had run away so that they might do naught but + wander from village to village and eat and drink and sleep. + Then again he asked why I had run away.</p> + + <p>"'Because of her,' I said, pointing to the girl Sipi, who + was sitting at the gate with her face covered with the corner + of her mat. 'But I am no + <i>tafao vale</i> + + . + <a href="#footnote_10" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[10]</span> + </a> + + I am a true man. Give me work on thy ship.'</p> + + <p>"He thought a little while, then he and Solepa talked + together, and Solepa bade Sipi come near so that she might talk + to her. Presently he said to me that I had done a foolish thing + to run away for the +<!-- Page 41 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page036" name="page036">[pg 36]</a> + </span> + + sake of the girl when I had money coming to me and when the + captain's heart was filled with friendship towards me for + turning aside Franka's pistol.</p> + + <p>"I bent my head, for I was ashamed. Then I said, 'I care not + for the money I have lost, but I am eaten up with shame for + running away, for my captain was a good captain to me.'</p> + + <p>"This pleased him, for he smiled and said, 'I will try thee. + I will make thee boatswain of the schooner, and this girl here + shall be servant to my wife.'</p> + + <p>"So Sipi became servant to Solepa, and I was sent on board + the schooner to help prepare her for sea. My new captain gave + us a house to live in, and every night I came on shore. Ah, + those were brave times, and Preston made much of me when he + found that I was a true man and did my work well, and would + stand no saucy words nor black looks from those of the + schooner's crew who thought that the boatswain should be a + white man.</p> + + <p>"Ten days after the whaleships had sailed, the schooner was + ready for sea. We were to sail to the westward isles to trade + for oil and tortoiseshell, and then go to China, where Preston + thought to sell his cargo. On the eve of the day on which we + were to leave, the mate, who was an old and stupid Siamani, + <a href="#footnote_11" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[11]</span> + </a> + + went ashore to my master's house, and I was left in charge of + the schooner. Sipi, my wife, was with me, and we sat together + in the stern of the ship, smoking our + <i>sului</i> + + (cigarettes) and talking of the time when I +<!-- Page 42 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page037" name="page037">[pg 37]</a> + </span> + + should return and buy a piece of land from her father's people, + on which I should build a new house. There were six native + sailors on board, and these, as the night drew on, spread their + mats on the fore deck and went to sleep. Then Sipi and I went + into the cabin, which was on deck, and we too slept.</p> + + <p>"How long we had slumbered I cannot tell, but suddenly we + were aroused by the sound of a great clamour on deck and the + groans and cries of dying men, and then ere we were well + awakened the cabin door was opened and Solepa was thrust + inside. Then the door was quickly closed and fastened on the + outside, and I heard Franka's voice calling out orders to hoist + sails and slip the cable.</p> + + <p>"There was a lamp burning dimly in the cabin, and Sipi and I + ran to the aid of Solepa, who lay prone upon the floor as if + dead. Her dress was torn, and her hands and arms were scratched + and bleeding, so that Sipi wept as she leant over her and put + water to her lips. In a little while she opened her eyes, and + when she saw us a great sob broke from her bosom and she caught + my hand in hers and tried to speak.</p> + + <p>"Now, grog is a good thing. It is good for a weak, panting + woman when her strength is gone and her soul is terrified, and + it is good for an old man who is despised by his relations + because he is bitten with poverty. There was grog in a wicker + jar in the cabin. I gave her some in a glass, and then as the + dog Franka, whose soul and body are now in hell, was getting + the schooner under way, she told me that while she and Preston + were asleep the house was +<!-- Page 43 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page038" name="page038">[pg 38]</a> + </span> + + surrounded by a hundred or more of men from Rōan Kiti, led + by Franka. They burst in suddenly, and Franka and some others + rushed into their sleeping-room and she was torn away from her + husband and carried down to the beach.</p> + + <p>"'Is thy husband dead?' I asked.</p> + + <p>"'I cannot tell,' she said in a weak voice. 'I heard some + shots fired and saw him struggling with Franka's men. That is + all I know. If he is dead then shall I die too. Give me a + knife, so that I may die.'</p> + + <p>"As she spoke the schooner began to move, and again we heard + Franka's voice calling out in English to some one to go forward + and con the ship whilst he steered, for the night was dark and + he, clever stealer of women as he was, did not know the passage + out through the reef, and trusted to those with him who knew + but little more. Then something came into my mind, and I took + Solepa's hand in mine.</p> + + <p>"'I will save thee from this pig Franka,' I said quickly, + 'he shall never take thee away. Sit ye here with Sipi, and when + ye hear the schooner strike, spring ye both into the sea and + swim towards the two islands which are near.'</p> + + <p>"In the centre of the deck cabin was a hatch which led into + the hold. There was no deck between, for the vessel was but + small. I took my knife from the sheath and then lifted the + hatch, descended, and crawled forward in the darkness to the + fore hatch, up which I crept very carefully, for I had much in + my mind. I saw a man standing up, holding on to the fore stay. + He was calling out to Franka every now +<!-- Page 44 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page039" name="page039">[pg 39]</a> + </span> + + and then, telling him how to steer. I sprang up behind him, and + as I drove my knife into his back with my left hand, I struck + him with my right on his neck and he fell overboard. He was a + white man, I think for when my knife went into his back he + called out 'Oh Christ!' But then many native men who have mixed + with white people call out 'Oh, Christ,' just like white men + when they are drunk. Anyway, it does not matter now.</p> + + <p>"But as I struck my knife into him, I called out in English + to put the helm hard down, for I saw that the schooner was very + near the reef on the starboard hand. Franka, who was at the + wheel, at once obeyed and was fooled, for the schooner, which + was now leaping and singing to the strong night wind from the + mountains smote suddenly upon the coral reef with a noise like + the felling of a great forest tree, and began to grind and tear + her timbers.</p> + + <p>"Almost as she struck Solepa and Sipi stood by me, and + together we sprang overboard into the white surf ... Give me + some more grog, dear friend of my heart. I am no boaster, nor + am I a liar; but when I think of that swim to the shore through + the rolling seas with those two women, my belly cleaves to my + backbone and I become faint.... For the current was against us, + and neither Sipi nor Solepa were good swimmers, and many times + had we to clutch hold of the jagged coral, which tore our skins + so that our blood ran out freely, and had the sharks come to us + then I would not be here with thee to-night drinking this, thy + good sweet grog which thou givest me out of thy +<!-- Page 45 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page040" name="page040">[pg 40]</a> + </span> + + kind heart. Tāpā! When I look into thy face and see + thy kind eyes, I am young again. I love thee, not alone because + thou hast been kind to me in my poverty and paid the fines of + my granddaughter when she hath committed adultery with the + young men of the village, but because thou hast seen many lands + and have upheld me before the teacher, who is a circumcised but + yet untatooed dog of a Samoan. A man who is not tatooed is no + better than a woman. He is a male harlot and should be + despised. He is only fit to associate with women, and has no + right to beget children....</p> + + <p>"We three swam to the shore, and when the dawn came we saw + that the schooner stood high and dry on the reef and that + Franka and his men were trying to float her by throwing + overboard the iron ballast and putting a kedge anchor out upon + the lee side of the reef. And at the same time we saw three + boats put off from the mainland. These boats were all painted + white, and when I saw them I said to Solepa, 'Be of good heart. + Thy husband is not dead, for here are three of his boats + coming. He is not dead. He is coming to seek thee.'"</p> + + <p>"The three boats came quickly towards the schooner, but ere + they reached her Franka and those with him got into the boats + in which they had boarded the vessel, and then we saw smoke + arise from the bow and stern.... They had set fire to the ship. + They were cowards. Fire is a great help to cowards, because in + the glare and dazzling light of burning houses or ships, when + the thunder of cannons and the +<!-- Page 46 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page041" name="page041">[pg 41]</a> + </span> + + rattle of rifles is heard, they can run about and kill + people.... I have seen these things done in Chili.... I have + seen men who would not stand and fight on board ship run away + on shore and slay women and children in their fury and + cowardice. No, they were not Englishmen; they were Spaniolas. + But the officers were Englishmen and Germans. + <i>They</i> + + did not run away, they were killed. Brave men get killed and + cowards live. I am no coward though I am still alive. It is + quite proper that I should live, for I never ran away when + there was fighting to be done. I have only been a fool because + of my love for women. No one could say I was a coward, and no + one can say I am a fool, because I am too old now to be a + fool.</p> + + <p>"As Franka and those with him left the burning schooner and + rowed towards the islands, the three boats from the shore + changed their course and followed him. Franka and his men were + the first to reach the land, and they quickly ran up the beach + and crouched behind the bushes which grew at high-water mark. + They all had guns, and Sipi and Solepa and I saw them waiting + to shoot. We were hiding amid the roots of a great banyan tree, + and could see well. As the boats drew near Solepa watched them + eagerly, and then began to weep and laugh at the same time when + she saw her husband Preston was steering the one which led. She + was a good woman. She loved her husband. I was pleased with + her, and told her to be of good cheer, for I was sure that + Preston and his people would kill Franka and those with him, + for as they rowed they made no noise. No one shouted nor +<!-- Page 47 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page042" name="page042">[pg 42]</a> + </span> + + challenged; they came on and on, and the white man Preston + stood up with the steer oar in his hand, and his face was as a + stone in which was set eyes of fire. When his boat was within + twenty fathoms of the beach the rowers ceased, and he held up + his hand to those who awaited his coming.</p> + + <p>"'Listen to me, men of Rōan Kiti. We are as three to + one of ye, and ye are caught in a trap. Death is in my mouth if + I speak the word. Tell me, is my wife Solepa alive?'</p> + + <p>"No one answered, but suddenly Franka stepped out from + behind the bushes and pointed his rifle at him, and was about + to pull the trigger when a young man of his party who was of + good heart seized him by the arm, and cried out 'twas a + coward's act; then two or three followed him, and together they + bore Franka down upon the sand; and one of them cried out to + Preston—</p> + + <p>"'This is a wrong business. We were led astray by this man. + We are no cowards, and have no ill-will to thee. Thy wife is + alive. She swam ashore with two others when the ship struck. + Are we dead men?'</p> + + <p>"Then, ere Preston could answer, Solepa leapt out from + beneath the banyan tree and ran through the men of Rōan + Kiti towards the beach, and cried—</p> + + <p>"'Oh, my husband, for the love of God let no blood be shed! + I am well and unharmed. Spare these people and spare even this + man Franka, for he is mad!'</p> + + <p>"Then Preston leapt out of the boat and put his +<!-- Page 48 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page043" name="page043">[pg 43]</a> + </span> + + arms around her waist and kissed her, and then put her aside, + and called to every one around him—</p> + + <p>"'These are my words,' he said. 'I am a man of peace, but + this man Franka is a robber and a dog, and hath stolen upon me + in the night and slain my people, and his hands are reddened + with blood. And he hath put foul dishonour on me by stealing + Solepa my wife, and carrying her away from my house as if she + were a slave or a harlot. And there is no room here for such a + man to live unless he be a better man than I. But I am no + murderer. So stand aside all! Let him rise and rest awhile, and + then shall we two fight, man to man. Either he or I must + die.'</p> + + <p>"Then many men of both sides came to him and said, 'Let this + thing be finished. You are a strong man. Take this robber and + slay him as you would slay a pig.' But he put them aside, and + said he would fight him man to man, as Englishmen fought.</p> + + <p>"So when Franka was rested two cutlasses were brought, and + the two men stood face to face on the sand. I kept close to + Franka, for I meant to stab him if I could, but Preston angrily + bade me stand back. Then the two crossed their swords together + and began to fight. It was a great fight, but it did not last + long, for Preston soon ran his sword through Franka's chest. I + saw it come out through his back. But as he fell and Preston + bent over him he thrust his cutlass into Preston's stomach and + worked it to and fro. Then Preston fell on him, and they died + together.</p> + + <p>"There was no more bloodshed. Solepa and Sipi and I dressed + the dead man in his best clothes, and the +<!-- Page 49 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page044" name="page044">[pg 44]</a> + </span> + + Rōan Kiti men dressed Franka in his best clothes, and a + great funeral feast was made, and we buried them together on + the little island. And Solepa went back again to Honolulu in a + whaleship. She was young and fair, and should have soon found + another husband. I do not know. But Sipi was a fine wife to + me."</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 50 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page045" name="page045">[pg 45]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Fisher_Folk_of_Nukufetau'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Fisher Folk of Nukufetau</i> + </h2> + + <p>Early one morning, about a week after I had settled down on + Nukufetau as a trader, I opened my chest of fishing-gear and + began to overhaul it. In a few minutes I was surrounded by an + eager and interested group of natives, who examined everything + with the greatest curiosity.</p> + + <p>Now for the preceding twelve months I had been living on the + little island of Nanomaga, a day's sail from Nukufetau; and + between Nanomaga and Nukufetau there was a great bitterness of + long standing—the Nanomagans claimed to be the most + daring canoe-men and expert fishermen in all the eight isles of + the Ellice Group, and the people of Nukufetau resented the + claim strongly. The feeling had been accentuated by my good + friend the Samoan teacher on Nanomaga, himself an ardent + fisherman, writing to his brother minister on Nukufetau and + informing him that although I was not a high-class Christian I + was all right in all other respects, and a good + fisherman—"all that he did not know we have taught him, + therefore," he added slyly, "let your young men watch him so + that they may learn how to fish in deep and rough +<!-- Page 51 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page046" name="page046">[pg 46]</a> + </span> + + water, such as ours." These remarks were of course duly made + public, and caused much indignation, neither the minister nor + his flock liking the gibe about the deep, rough water; also the + insinuation that anything about fishing was to be learnt from + the new white man was annoying and uncalled for.</p> + + <p>I must here mention that the natives of De Peyster's Island + (Nukufetau) caught all the fish they wanted in the smooth and + spacious waters of the lagoon, and were not fond of venturing + outside the barrier reef, except during the bonito season, or + when the sea was very calm at night, to catch flying-fish. + Then, too, the currents outside the reef were swift and + dangerous, and the canoes had either to be carried a long + distance over the coral or paddled a couple of miles across the + lagoon to the ship passage before the open sea was gained. + Hudson's Island (Nanomaga)—a tiny spot less than four + miles in circumference—had no lagoon, and all fishing was + done in the deep water of the ocean. The natives were used to + launching their canoes, year in and year out, to face the + wildest surf, and were, in consequence, wonderfully expert, and + in the history of the island there is only one instance of a + man having been drowned. The De Peyster people, by reason of + the advantage of their placid lagoon, had no reason to risk + their lives in the surf in this manner, and so, naturally + enough, they were not nearly as skilful in the management of + their frail canoes when they had to face a sweeping sea on the + outer or ocean reef.</p> + + <p>Just as I was placing some coils of heavy, deep-sea +<!-- Page 52 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page047" name="page047">[pg 47]</a> + </span> + + lines upon the matted floor, Marèko the native teacher, + fat, jovial, and bubbling-voiced, entered in a great hurry, and + hardly giving himself time to shake hands with me, announced in + a tone of triumph, that a body of + <i>atuli</i> + + (baby bonito) had just entered the passage and were making + their way up the lagoon.</p> + + <p>In less than ten seconds every man, woman, and child on the + island, except the teacher and myself, were agog with + excitement and bawling and shouting as they rushed to the beach + to launch and man the canoes, the advent of the + <i>atuli</i> + + having been expected for some days. In nearly all the + equatorial islands of the Pacific these beautiful little fish + make their appearance every year almost to a day, with + unvarying regularity. They remain in the smooth waters of + lagoons for about two weeks, swimming about in incredible + numbers, and apparently so terrified of their many enemies in + their own element, and the savage, keen-eyed frigate birds + which constantly assail them from above, that they sometimes + crowd into small pools on the inner reef, and when the tide is + low, seek to hide themselves by lying in thick masses under the + overhanging ledges of coral rock. Simultaneously—or at + least within a day or two at most—the swarming millions + of + <i>atuli</i> + + are followed into the lagoons by the + <i>gatala</i> + + —a large black and grey rock-cod (much esteemed by the + natives for the delicacy of its flavour) and great numbers of + enormous eels. At other times of the year both the + <i>gatala</i> + + and the eels are never or but rarely seen inside the lagoons, + but are occasionally caught outside the reef at a good + depth—forty to sixty +<!-- Page 53 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page048" name="page048">[pg 48]</a> + </span> + + fathoms. As soon, however, as the young bonito appear, both + eels and rock-cod change their normal habits, and entering the + lagoons through the passages thereto, they take up their + quarters in the deeper parts—places which are fringed by + a labyrinthine border of coral forest, and are at most ten + fathoms deep. Here, when the + <i>atuli</i> + + are covering the surface above, the eels and rock-cod actually + rise to the surface and play havoc among them, especially + during moonlight nights, and in the daytime both rock-cod and + eels may be seen pursuing their hapless prey in the very + shallowest water, amidst the little pools and runnels of the + coral reef. It is at this time that the natives of Nukufetau + and some other islands have some glorious sport, for in + addition to the huge eels and rock-cod many other deep-sea fish + flock into the shallower lagoon waters—all in pursuit of + the + <i>atuli</i> + + —and all eager to take the hook.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>As soon as the natives had left the house, Marèko + turned to me with a beaming smile. "Let them go on first and + net some + <i>atuli</i> + + for us for bait," he said, "you and I shall follow in my own + canoe and fish for + <i>gatala</i> + + . It will be a great thing for one of us to catch the first + <i>gatala</i> + + of the season. Yesterday, when I was over there," pointing to + two tiny islets within the lagoon, "I saw some + <i>gatala</i> + + . The natives laugh at me and say I am mistaken—that + because the + <i>atuli</i> + + had not come there could be no + <i>gatala</i> + + . Now, + <i>I</i> + + think that the big fish came in some days ago, but the strong +<!-- Page 54 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page049" name="page049">[pg 49]</a> + </span> + + wind and current kept the + <i>atuli</i> + + outside till now. Come."</p> + + <p>I needed no pressing. In five minutes I had my basket of + lines (of white American cotton) ready, and joined Marèko. + His canoe (the best on the island, of course) was already in + the water and manned by his two sons, boys of eight and twelve + respectively. I sat for'ard, the two youngsters amidships, the + father took the post of honour as + <i>tautai</i> + + or steersman, and with a chuckle of satisfaction from the boys, + off we went in the wake of about thirty other canoes.</p> + + <p>Oh, the delight of urging a light canoe over the glassy + water of an island lagoon, and watching the changing colours + and strange, grotesque shapes of the coral trees and plants of + the garden beneath as they vanish swiftly astern, and the quick + + <i>chip, chip</i> + + of the flashing paddles sends the whirling, noisy eddies to + right and left, and frights the lazy, many-hued rock-fish into + the darker depths beneath! On, on, till the half mile or more + of shallow water which covers the inner reef is passed, and + then suddenly you shoot over the top of the submarine wall, + into deepest, loveliest blue, full thirty fathoms deep, and as + calm and quiet as an infant sleeping on its mother's bosom, + though perhaps not a quarter of a mile away on either hand the + long rollers of the Pacific are bellowing and thundering on the + grim black shelves of the weather coast.</p> + + <p>So it was on this morning, but with added delights and + beauties; as instead of striking straight across the lagoon to + our rendezvous we had to skirt the beaches +<!-- Page 55 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page050" name="page050">[pg 50]</a> + </span> + + of a chain of thickly wooded islets, which gave forth a sweet + smell, mingled with the odours of + <i>nono</i> + + blossoms; for during the night rain had fallen after a long + month of dry weather, and Nature was breathing with joy. High + overhead there floated some snow-white tropic birds—those + gentle, ethereal creatures which, to the toil-spent seaman who + watches their mysterious poise in illimitable space, seem to + denote the greater Mystery and Rest that lieth beyond all + things; and lower down, and sweeping swiftly to and fro with + steady, outspread wing and long, forked tail, the fierce-eyed, + savage frigate birds scanned the surface of the water in search + of prey, and then finding it not, rose without apparent motion + to the cloudless canopy of blue and became as but tiny black + specks—and then, + <i>swish</i> + + ! and the tiny black specks which but a minute ago were high in + heaven are flashing by your cheeks with a weird, whistling + sound like winged spectres. You look for them. They are gone. + Already they are a thousand feet overhead. Five of them. And + all five are as motionless as if they, with their wide, + outspread wings, had never moved from their present position + for a thousand years.</p> + + <p>"Chip, chip," and "chunk, chunk," go our paddles as we now + head eastward towards the rising sun in whose resplendent rays + the tufted palms of the two islets stand clearly out, + silhouetted against the sea rim beyond. Now and again we hear, + as from a long, long distance, the echoes of the voices of the + people in the canoes ahead; a soft white mist began to gather + over and then ascend from the water, and as we drew near +<!-- Page 56 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page051" name="page051">[pg 51]</a> + </span> + + the islets the occasional thunder of the serf on Motuluga Reef + we heard awhile ago changed into a monotonous droning hum.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Aue</i> + + !" said Marèko the + <i>tautai</i> + + , with a laugh, as he ceased paddling and laid his paddle + athwartships, "'tis like to be a hot day and calm. So much the + better for our fishing, for the water will be very clear. Boy, + give me a coconut to drink."</p> + + <p>"Take some whisky with it, Marèko," I said, taking a + flask out of my basket.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Isa</i> + + ! Shame upon you! How can you say such a thing to me, a + minister!" And then he added, with a reproachful look, "and my + children here, too." He would have winked, but he dared not do + so, for one of his boys had turned his face aft and was facing + him. I, however, made him a hurried gesture which he quite + understood. Good old Marèko! He was an honest, + generous-hearted, broad-minded fellow, but terribly afraid of + his tyrannical deacons, who objected to him smoking even in the + seclusion of his own curatage, and otherwise bullied and + worried him into behaving exactly as they thought he + should.</p> + + <p>By the time we reached the islets the + <i>atuli</i> + + catching had begun, and more than a hundred natives were + encircling a considerable area of water with finely-meshed nets + and driving the fish shoreward upon a small sandy beach, where + they were scooped up in gleaming masses of shining blue and + silver by a number of women and children, who tumbled over and + pushed each other aside amidst much laughter and merriment.</p> + + <p>On the larger of the two islets were a few thatched +<!-- Page 57 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page052" name="page052">[pg 52]</a> + </span> + + huts with open sides. One of these was reserved for the + missionary and the white man, and hauling our canoe up on the + beach at the invitation of the people, we sat down under a shed + whilst the women grilled us some of the freshly-caught fish. + This took barely over ten minutes, as fires had already been + lighted by the children. The absence of bread was made up for + by the flesh of half-grown coconuts and cooked + <i>puraka</i> + + —gigantic species of taro which thrives well in the sandy + soil of the Equatorial islands of the Pacific. Just as we had + finished eating and were preparing our lines we heard loud + cries from the natives who were still engaged among the + <i>atuli</i> + + , and three or four of them seizing spears began chasing what + were evidently some large fish. Presently one of them darted + his weapon, and then gave a loud cry of triumph, as he leapt + into the water and dragged out a large salmon-like fish called + "utu", which was at once brought ashore for my inspection. The + man who had struck it—an active, wiry old fellow named + Viliamu (William) was panting with excitement. Some large + <i>gatala</i> + + , he said, had just made their appearance with the + <i>utu</i> + + and were pursuing the small fish; therefore would we please + hurry forward with our preparations. Then the leader of the + entire party stood up and bellowed out in bull-like tones his + instructions. The canoes were all to start together, and when + the ground was reached all lines were to be lowered + simultaneously; there was to be no crowding. The white man and + missionary, however, if they wished, could start first and make + a choice of position.</p> + + <p>"No, no," I said, "let us all start fair."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 58 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page053" name="page053">[pg 53]</a> + </span> + + This was greeted with a chorus of approval, and then leaving + the women and children to attend to the camp, we hurried back + to the canoes. Just as we were leaving the hut I had a look at + the + <i>utu</i> + + —a fish I had never before seen. It was about three feet + in length, and only for its head (which was coarse and clumsy) + much like a heavy salmon. The back was covered with light green + scales, the sides and belly a pure silver, and the fins and + tail tipped with yellow. It weighed about 20 lbs., and + presented a very handsome appearance.</p> + + <p>The fishing-ground to which we were now paddling was not + half a mile from the islets, and lay between them and the outer + reef which formed its northern boundary. It consisted of a + series of deep channels or connected pools running or situated + amidst a network of minor reefs, the surfaces of which were, + for the most part, bare at low water. Generally the depth was + from eight to ten fathoms; in places, however, it was much + deeper, and I subsequently found that there were spots whereon + I could stand (on the coral ledge) and drop my line into chasms + of thirty-two or thirty-three fathoms. Here the water was + almost as blue to the eye as the ocean, and here the very + largest fish resorted—such as the + <i>pura</i> + + , a species of rock-cod, and a blue-scaled groper, the native + name of which I cannot now recall.</p> + + <p>It must have been nearly ten o'clock when the canoes were + all in position, and the word was given to let go lines. The + particular spot in which we were congregated was about three + acres in extent and about +<!-- Page 59 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page054" name="page054">[pg 54]</a> + </span> + + seven fathoms in depth, with water as clear as crystal; and + even the dullest eye could discern the smallest pebble or piece + of broken coral lying upon the bottom, which was generally + composed of patches of coarse sand surrounded by an interlacing + fringe of growing coral, or white, blue, or yellow boulders. A + glance over the side showed us that the + <i>gatala</i> + + had arrived; we could see numbers of them swimming lazily to + and fro beneath, awaiting the flowing tide which would soon + cover the lagoon from one shore to the other with swarms of + young bonito, as they swam about in search of such places as + that in which we were now about to begin fishing.</p> + + <p>Each man had baited his hook with the third of an + <i>atuli</i> + + —at this stage of their life about four inches long and + exactly the colour and shape of a young mackerel—and + within five minutes after "" + <i>Tu'u tau kafa</i> + + !" ("Let go lines!") had been called out several of the canoes + around our own began to pull up fish—four to six + pounders. I was fishing with a white cotton line, with two + hooks, and Marèko with the usual native gear—a + hand-made line of hibiscus bark with a barbless hook made from + a long wire nail, with its point ground fine and well-curved + inwards. We both struck fish at the same moment, and I knew by + the zigzag pull that I had two. Up they came + together—three spotted beauties about eighteen inches in + length and weighing over 5 lbs. each. Then I found the + advantage of the native style of hook; Marèko simply put + his left thumb and forefinger into the fish's eye, had his hook + free in a moment, had baited, +<!-- Page 60 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page055" name="page055">[pg 55]</a> + </span> + + lowered again and was pulling up another before I had succeeded + in freeing even my first hook which was firmly fixed in the + fish's gullet, out of sight. I soon put myself on a more even + footing by cutting off the small one and a half inch hooks I + had been using and bending on two thick and long-shanked four + inchers. These answered beautifully, as although the barbs + caused me some trouble, their stout shanks afforded a good grip + and leverage when extracting them from the hard and + keen-toothed jaws of the struggling fish. Then, too, I had + another advantage over my companions; I was wearing a pair of + seaboots which effectually protected my feet from either the + terrible fins or the teeth of the fish in the bottom of the + canoe.</p> + + <p>I had caught my eighth fish, when an outcry came from a + canoe near us, as a young man who was seated on the for'ard + thwart rose to his feet and began hauling in his line, which + was standing straight up and down, taut as an iron bar, the + canoe meanwhile spinning round and round although the steersman + used all his efforts to keep her steady.</p> + + <p>"What is it, Tuluia?" called out fifty voices at once. "A + shark?"</p> + + <p>"My mother's bones!" said old Viliamu with a laugh of + contempt. "'Tis an eel, and Tuluia, who was asleep, has let it + twist its tail around a piece of coral. May he lose it for his + stupidity."</p> + + <p>We all ceased fishing to watch, and half a dozen men began + jeering at the lad, who was too excited to heed them. Old + Viliamu, who was in the next canoe, looked down, and then cried + out that he could see the +<!-- Page 61 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page056" name="page056">[pg 56]</a> + </span> + + eel, which had taken several turns of its body around a thick + branch of growing coral.</p> + + <p>"His head is up," he called out to the youth, "but you + cannot move him, he has too many turns in and out among the + coral." Then paddling up alongside he again looked at the + struggling creature, then felt the line which was vibrating + with the tension. Stepping out of his own craft into that of + the young man, the line was placed in his hands without an inch + of it being payed out, for once one of these giant eels can get + his head down he will so quickly twine the line in and out + among the rugged coral that it is soon chafed through, if of + ordinary thickness. But the ancient knew his work well, as we + were soon to see. Taking a turn of the line well up on his + forearm and grasping it with his right a yard lower down, he + waited for a second or two, then suddenly bent his body till + his face nearly touched the water, then he sprang erect and + with lightning-like rapidity began to haul in hand + <i>under</i> + + hand + <a href="#footnote_12" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[12]</span> + </a> + + amid loud cries of approval as the wriggling body of the eel + was seen ascending clear of the coral. The moment it reached + the surface, a second native, with unerring aim sent a spear + through it and then a blow or two upon the head with a club + carried for the purpose took all further fight out of the + creature, which was then lifted out of the water and dropped + into the canoe. Here the end of its tail was quickly split open + and we saw no more of him for the time being.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 62 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page057" name="page057">[pg 57]</a> + </span> + + To capture an eel so soon was looked upon as a lucky omen, to + have lost it would have been a presage of ill-fortune for the + rest of the day, and the incident put every one in high good + humour. By this time the tide was flowing over the flatter + parts of the reef and young bonito could be seen jumping out of + the water in all directions. Immense bodies were, so I was + assured by the natives, now coming into the lagoon from the + sea, and would continue to do so till the tide turned, when + those in the passage, unable to face a six-knot current, would + be carried out again, to make another attempt later on.</p> + + <p>By this time every canoe was hauling in large rock-cod + almost as quick as the lines could be baited, and the bottom of + our own craft presented a gruesome sight—a lather of + blood and froth and kicking fish, some of which were over 20 + lbs. weight. Telling the two boys to cease fishing awhile and + stun some of the liveliest, I unthinkingly began to bale out + some of the ensanguined water, when a score of indignant voices + bade me cease. Did I want to bring all the sharks in the world + around us? I was asked; and old Viliamu, who was a sarcastic + old gentleman, made a mock apology for me—</p> + + <p>"How should he know any better? The sharks of Tokelau have + no teeth, like the people there, for they too are eaters of + <i>fala</i> + + ."</p> + + <p>This evoked a sally of laughter, in which of course I + joined. I must explain that the natives of the Tokelau +<!-- Page 63 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page058" name="page058">[pg 58]</a> + </span> + + Group, among whom I had lived, through constantly chewing the + tough drupes of the fruit of the + <i>fala</i> + + (pandanus palm) wear out their teeth prematurely, and are + sometimes termed "toothless" by other natives of the South + Pacific. However, I was to have my own little joke at Viliamu's + expense later on.</p> + + <p>Just at this time a sudden squall, accompanied by torrents + of rain, came down upon us from the eastward, and whilst + Marèko and his boys kept us head to wind—none of the + canoes were anchored—I took the opportunity of getting + ready two of my own lines, each treble-hooked, for the boys. + Their own were old and rotten, and had parted so often that + they were now too short to be of use, and, besides that, the + few remaining hooks of soft wire were too small. As soon as the + squall was over I showed Marèko what I had done. He nodded + and smiled, but said I should try and break off the + barbs—his boys did not understand them as well as + native-made hooks. This was quickly accomplished with a heavy + knife, and the youngsters began to haul up fish two and three + at a time at such a rate that the canoe soon became deep in the + water outside and very full inside.</p> + + <p>"A few more, Marèko," I said, "and then we'll go + ashore, unload, and come back again. I want to tease that old + man."</p> + + <p>We caught all we could possibly carry in another quarter of + an hour, and I was confident that our take exceeded that of any + other canoe. This was because the natives would carefully watch + their stone sinkers descend, and use every care to keep them + from being +<!-- Page 64 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page059" name="page059">[pg 59]</a> + </span> + + entangled in the coral, whilst my line, which had a 12 oz. + leaden sinker, would plump quickly to the bottom in the midst + of the hungry fish; consequently, although I lost some hooks by + fouling and now and then dragged up a bunch of coral, I was + catching more fish than any one else. And I was not going to + let my reputation suffer for the sake of a few hooks. So we + coiled up our lines on the outrigger platform, and taking up + our paddles headed shoreward, taking care to pass near + Viliamu's canoe. He hailed me and asked me for a pipe of + tobacco.</p> + + <p>"I shall give it to you when we return," I said.</p> + + <p>"When you return! Why, where are you going?" he asked.</p> + + <p>"On shore, you silly old woman! I have been showing these + boys how to fish for + <i>gatala</i> + + , and we go because the canoe is sinking. When we return these + two + <i>tamariki</i> + + (infants) shall show + <i>you</i> + + how to fish now that they have learnt from me."</p> + + <p>There was a loud laugh at this, and as the old man took the + jest very good-naturedly I brought up alongside, showed him our + take, and gave him a stick of tobacco. The astonishment of + himself and his crew of three at the quantity of fish we had + afforded me much satisfaction, though I could not help feeling + that our luck was not due to my own skill alone.</p> + + <p>Returning to the islets we were just in time to escape two + fierce squalls, which lasted half an hour and raised such a sea + that the remaining canoes began to follow us, as they were + unable to keep on the ground. During our absence the women and + children +<!-- Page 65 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page060" name="page060">[pg 60]</a> + </span> + + had been most industrious; the weather-worn, dilapidated huts + had been made habitable with freshly-plaited + <i>kapaus</i> + + —coarse mats of green coconut leaves, the floors covered + with clean white pebbles, sleeping mats in readiness, and heaps + of young drinking nuts piled up in every corner, whilst outside + smoke was arising from a score of ground ovens in which taro + and puraka were being cooked, together with bundles of + <i>atuli</i> + + wrapped in leaves.</p> + + <p>Etiquette forbade Marèko and myself counting our fish + until the rest of the party returned, although the women had + taken them out of the canoe and laid them on the beach, where + the pouring rain soon washed them clean and showed them in all + their shining beauty. Among them were two or three + parrot-fish—rich carmine, striped with bands of bright + yellow, boneless fins, and long protruding teeth in the upper + jaw showing out from the thick, fleshy lips; and one + <i>afulu</i> + + —a species of deep-water sand mullet with purple scales + and yellow fins.</p> + + <p>Whilst awaiting the rest of the canoes I drew the teacher + into our hut and pressed him to take some whisky. He was wet, + cold, and shivering, but resolutely declined to take any. "I + should like to drink a little," he said frankly, "but I must + not. I cannot drink it in secret, and yet I must not set a bad + example. Do not ask me, please. But if you like to give some to + the old men do so, but only a very little." I did do so. As + soon as the rest of the party landed I called up four of the + oldest men and gave each of them a stiff nip. They were all + nude to the waist, and like all +<!-- Page 66 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page061" name="page061">[pg 61]</a> + </span> + + Polynesians who have been exposed to a cold rain squall, were + shivering and miserable. After each man had taken his nip and + emitted a deep sigh of satisfaction I observed that hundreds of + old white men saved their lives by taking a glass of spirits + when they were wet through—they had to do so by the + doctor's orders.</p> + + <p>"That is true," said one old fellow; "when men grow old, and + the rain falls upon them it does not run off their skins as it + would from the smooth skins of young men. It gets into the + wrinkles and stays there. But when the belly is warmed with + grog a man does not feel the cold."</p> + + <p>"True," I said gravely, as I poured some whisky out for + myself; "true, quite true, my dear friends. And in these + islands it is very bad for an old man to be exposed to much + rain. That is why I am disturbed in my mind. See, there is + Marèko, your minister. He, like you, is old; he is wet and + cold. And he shivers. And he will not take a mouthful of this + <i>rom</i> + + because he fears scandal. Now if he should become ill and die I + should be a disgraced man. This + <i>rom</i> + + is now not + <i>rom</i> + + ; it is medicine. And Marèko should take some even as you + have taken it—to keep away danger."</p> + + <p>The four old fellows arose to the occasion. They talked + earnestly together for a minute, and then formed themselves + into a committee, requested me to head them as a deputation + with the whisky, and then waited upon their pastor, who was + putting on a dry shirt in another hut. I am glad to say that + under our united +<!-- Page 67 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page062" name="page062">[pg 62]</a> + </span> + + protests he at last consented to save his life, and felt much + better.</p> + + <p>Presently the women announced that the ovens were ready to + be opened. As soon as the fish were counted, and the rain + having ceased, we all gathered round the canoes and watched + each one emptied of its load. As I imagined, our party had + taken the most fish, and not only the most, but the heaviest as + well. Marèko added to my blushing honours by informing the + company that as a fisherman and a knowledgable man generally I + justified his brother minister's opinion and would prove an + acquisition to the community. We then inspected the first eel + caught, and a truly huge creature it was, quite nine feet in + length, and in girth at its thickest part, as near as I could + guess with a piece of line, thirty inches. The line with which + it was caught was made of new four-stranded coir-cinnet, as + thick as a stout lead pencil, and the hook a piece of 3/6 or + 1/2 inch iron with a 6-inch shank, once used as a fish spear, + without a barb! The natives seemed much pleased at the interest + displayed, and told me that sometimes these eels grew to + <i>elua gafa</i> + + ( + <i>i.e.</i> + + , two fathoms), but were seldom caught, and asked me if I had + tackle strong enough for such. Later on I showed them a + 27-stranded American cotton line 100 fathoms long, with a + 4-inch hook, curved in the shank, as thick as a pencil, and + "eyed" for a twisted wire snooding. They had never seen such + beautiful tackle before, and were loud in their expressions of + admiration, but thought the line too thin for a very heavy + fish. I told them that at Nanomaga I had caught + <i>palu</i> + + (a nocturnal feeding +<!-- Page 68 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page063" name="page063">[pg 63]</a> + </span> + + fish of great size) in over sixty fathoms with that same + line.</p> + + <p>"That is true," said one of them politely, "we were told + that you and Tiaki (one Jack O'Brien, an old trader) of + Funafuti have caught many + <i>palu</i> + + with your long lines; but the + <i>palu</i> + + is a weak fish even when he is a fathom long. And as he comes + up he grows weaker and weaker, and sometimes he bursts open + when he comes to the surface. Now if a big eel—an eel two + fathoms long—"</p> + + <p>"If he was three fathoms long he could not break this line," + I replied positively.</p> + + <p>They laughed and told me that when I hooked even a small + eel, one half a fathom in length, I would change my + opinion.</p> + + <p>Soon after our midday meal was over, and we were preparing + to return to our fishing-ground with an ample supply of fresh + bait, the sky to windward became black and threatening, and + through the breaks in the long line of palms on the weather + side of the island, which permitted the horizon to be viewed, + we could see that a squall of unusual violence was coming. All + the canoes were at once hauled up on the lee-side of the + islets, the huts were secured by ropes as quickly as possible, + and every one hurried under shelter. In a few minutes the wind + was blowing with astonishing fury, and the air was full of + leaves, sticks, and other + <i>débris</i> + + , whilst the coco-palms and other trees on the islets seemed + likely to be torn up by the roots. This lasted about ten + minutes. Then came a sudden lull, followed by a terrific and + deafening downpour of rain; +<!-- Page 69 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page064" name="page064">[pg 64]</a> + </span> + + then more wind, another downpour, and the sun was out + again!</p> + + <p>As soon as the squall was over, I walked round to the + weather side of the islet with some children. We found the + beach covered with some thousands of + <i>atuli</i> + + and beautiful little garfish which had been driven on shore by + the force of the wind. We were soon joined by women carrying + baskets, which they filled with fish and carried back to the + camp. On returning, we again launched the canoes and started + off again—to meet with some disappointment, for although + the + <i>gatala</i> + + still bit freely and several eels were also taken, some scores + of the small, pestilent, lagoon sharks were swimming about and + played havoc with our lines. These torments are from two to + four feet in length, and their mouths, which are quite out of + proportion to their insignificant size, are set with rows of + teeth of razor-like keenness. The moment a baited hook was seen + one of these little wretches would dart at it like lightning, + and generally bit the line through just above the hook. So + quick were they, that one could seldom even feel a tug unless + the hook got fast in their jaws. Taking off my sinker, and + bending on a big hook with a wire snood, I abandoned myself to + their destruction, and as fast as I hauled one alongside it was + stunned, cut into three or four pieces, and thrown overboard to + be devoured by its fellows. Many of the Ellice and Tokelau + islanders regard these young sharks as a delicacy, as their + flesh is very tender, and has not the usual unpleasant smell. + In one of these young sea lawyers we found no less than +<!-- Page 70 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page065" name="page065">[pg 65]</a> + </span> + + five hooks, with pieces of line attached; these were duly + restored to their owners.</p> + + <p>Another two hours passed, during which we had fairly good + sport, then the rain began to fall so heavily that we gave up + for the day. We spent the first part of the evening in the + huts, eating, smoking, and talking, and overhauling our tackle + for the next day. It had been intended that about midnight we + should all go crayfishing in the shallow waters along the shore + of the islets, but this idea had to be abandoned in consequence + of the rain having soaked the coco palms—the dead + branches of which are rolled and plaited into a cylindrical + form and used as torches. The method of catching crayfish is + very simple: a number of men, each carrying a + <i>kaulama</i> + + torch about 6 feet in length in the left hand, and a small + scoop net in the right, walk waist-high through the water; the + crayfish, dazed by the brilliant light, are whipped up into the + nets and dropped into baskets carried by the women and children + who follow. They can only be caught on dark, moonless + nights.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>When we returned to the village our spoils included besides + a great number of fish, a few turtle and some young frigate + birds. The latter were captured for the purpose of being tamed. + I made many subsequent visits to the two islets, sometimes + alone and sometimes with my native friends, and on each + occasion I left these lovely little spots with a keen feeling + of regret, for they are ideal resting-places to him who + possesses a love of nature and the soul of a fisherman.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 71 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page066" name="page066">[pg 66]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Mrs_MacLaggans_quotBillyquot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Mrs. MacLaggan's "Billy"</i> + </h2> + + <p>When Tom Denison was quite a young man he was earning a not + too dishonest sort of a living as supercargo of a leaky old + ketch owned by Mrs. Molly MacLaggan of Samoa, which in those + days was the Land of Primeval Wickedness and Original and + Imported Sin, Strong Drink, and Loose Fish generally. Captain + "Bully" Hayes also lived in Samoa; his house and garden + adjoined that of Mrs. MacLaggan, and at the back there was a + galvanised iron cottage, inhabited by a drunken French + carpenter named Leger, whose wife was a full-blooded negress, + and made kava for Denison and "Bully" every evening, and used + to beat Billy MacLaggan on the head with a pole about six times + a day, and curse him vigorously in mongrel Martinique French. + Billy MacLaggan was Mrs. Molly's male goat, and as notorious in + Samoa as Bully Hayes himself.</p> + + <p>I want to try and tell this story as clearly as possible, + but there are so many people concerned, and so many things + which really happened together, though each one seemed to come + before the other a little and try and get into the general + jumble, and +<!-- Page 72 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page067" name="page067">[pg 67]</a> + </span> + + every one was so confused, some fatuous people blaming the + goat, and some Denison, who was generally disliked by the + Germans, while Mrs. Molly said it was caused by the man with + the bucket of milk, and Captain Hayes who had bribed him to do + it, and nearly caused bloodshed, as the German officer who was + insulted by Hayes had shot a lot of people in duels, or if he + had not shot them he had stuck his sword into them in fifteen + places, more or less.</p> + + <p>Now let me explain: First of all there was Mrs. Molly, who + was the hostess; then there was Hamilton, the Apia pilot and + his wife; the manager of the big German firm at Matafale (he + wore gold spectacles, and was very fond of Mrs. Molly, who was + a widow); then there was Bully Hayes, and old Coe the American + consul, and young Denison; all these were some of the local + guests, and lived in Samoa, the rest were officers from a + German man-of-war lying in port, and the usual respectable town + loafers. Then there were Leger, the bibulous carpenter; ' + <i>Liza,</i> + + his black wife; a white policeman named Thady O'Brien, and a + loafing scoundrel of a Samoan named Mataiasi, called "Matty" + for brevity, who was the public flogger, and milked Mrs. + MacLaggan's herd of seven imported Australian cows; and lastly + the goat, and about thirty or forty of Bully Hayes's crew, and + as many Samoans, who came to look at the dancing and see what + they could steal, Leger and his wife and the policeman and the + town flogger had charge of the refreshment tables, which for + the sake of coolness had been laid out upon the wide, back + verandah, +<!-- Page 73 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page068" name="page068">[pg 68]</a> + </span> + + and handsomely decorated with pot plants and flags from the + man-of-war, and blanc-manges and jellies, and tipsy cake, and + cold roast pigeons and chickens were lying around as if they + weren't worth two cents.</p> + + <p>The big wholesale store, which formed part of Mrs. Molly's + house and establishment, made a fine ballroom. All the barrels + of whisky and Queensland rum, and the cases of lager beer and + Holland's gin, had been stowed neatly on each side, and covered + over with flags and orange blossoms by Denison and Bully Hayes + and his men, and the orange blossoms killed the smell of the + rum so much that strangers would have thought it was + sherry.</p> + + <p>Everything went on beautifully for the first two hours, and + then Mrs. Molly asked Denison to take out a very pretty young + half-caste lady and get her a drink of milk. When they reached + the side table where the milk should have been, they found it + all gone; but O'Brien the policeman said that Mataiasi had just + started off to milk another cow.</p> + + <p>Just then Hayes came out to the refreshment tables with a + lady on his arm. She was thirsty, and so "Bully" opened a large + bottle of champagne, and she and he and Denison and the young + half-caste lady drank it; then they drank another, and all went + oft together to see Mataiasi milking the cow, which was tied up + to a coconut tree just outside the fence. The cow was a yellow + cow, and was standing very quietly, and just beside her Billy + MacLaggan (who caused all this trouble) was lying down, working + his jaws to and +<!-- Page 74 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page069" name="page069">[pg 69]</a> + </span> + + fro and making curious, snorting sounds in the bright and + gorgeous moonlight. I forgot to say that Wm. MacLaggan was the + largest and ugliest goat ever known to the memory of man, and + had been taught every vice and wickedness any goat could be + taught, and it is as natural for a goat to imbibe sin as it is + for him to eat a cactus, or a hedgehog, or a tract.</p> + + <p>Hayes addressed the goat by his Christian name, and asked + him how he did, and Billy looked at Hayes for a second or two + out of his green, sharky eyes, then he rose in a dignified + manner, and came over to him to be scratched under the chin. + Then he blew himself out, snorted, and rubbed his horns against + the captain's knee: and Hayes remarked to Denison that the poor + beggar wanted a drink, and proposed to give him a "proper + one."</p> + + <p>The goat knew perfectly well what "drink" meant, and made + his vicious tail quiver; then he followed them back to the + house, and stood at the foot of the steps waiting for Hayes and + Tom to come out again.</p> + + <p>On the other side of the courtyard was Mrs. MacLaggan's + laundry. The door was wide open and the place was in darkness, + and no one took any notice when presently Tom sauntered out of + the ballroom, picked up a large plateful of tipsy-cake, and, + being kind to animals, gave a piece to William, who followed + him into the laundry for the rest; then Hayes came in with a + quart bottle of champagne, shut the door and struck a light. + Then he opened the bottle of fizz and poured it out into a + deep, enamelled starching-dish, and Billy MacLaggan drank + thereof, and then raised his head, +<!-- Page 75 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page070" name="page070">[pg 70]</a> + </span> + + with his immoral-looking beard hanging in a sodden point like a + wet deck-swab, and asked for more. That is, he asked as well as + any Christian and civilised goat could ask, by standing up on + his hind legs like a circus-horse and making strange, unearthly + noises. Then he rammed his wicked old nose into the dish again, + and pushed it all round the room, trying to sop up more liquor, + which wasn't there, and trod on Denison's canvas-slippered + foot, and knocked over the little tin kerosene oil lamp which + was standing on the floor, and when Hayes, with loud and + blasphemous remarks grabbed at the ironing-blanket of the + laundry-table to extinguish the flames, he pulled the table + down on the top of Denison and himself and the goat and + everything, for the blanket was nailed on at the four corners, + and when he was down on his hands and knees, the goat being + exceedingly alarmed and half-drunk, and smelling his own hair + burning, put his head down and charged at the universe in + general, or anything else he could hit, and he hit Hayes fair + on the temple with a noise like a ship's mainmast going by the + board; then the people outside burst in the door, and the + creature, with a bull-like bellow, charged out among them, and + landed his bony head into the stomach of Mataiasi, who was + carrying the bucket of milk, and was afraid to put it down when + he saw him coming; then in some way the handle of the iron + bucket got on Billy MacLaggan's horns, which simply made him + thirst for gore, for he thought he was being made fun of + because he was in liquor. With the bucket swinging and + clattering and banging around, +<!-- Page 76 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page071" name="page071">[pg 71]</a> + </span> + + he made a dash up on the verandah, among the pretty muslin-clad + ladies and white-duck suited men, creating havoc and + destruction, and smelling of kerosene and burnt hair and + ancient goat, and uttering horrible, blood-curdling + <i>bah-h-h-s</i> + + , till he got into the card-table corner, and mistaking the + wide glass window for an open door, he promptly jumped through + it, and fell with a shower of glass outside on to the verandah + again, where Thady O'Brien and the fat German with the + spectacles fell on him, and tried to hold him down, and the + spectacles were ground into dust and otherwise damaged, and + some of the ladies endeavouring to escape out of the hideous + <i>mélée</i> + + fell with him, and then the goat struggled to his feet with the + bucket squashed flat against his forehead, and his horns + covered with lace, and tulle, and bits of kid gloves, and + planted one of his cloven forefeet into the shirt-front of a + German officer, and smashed his watch. Then with another roar + of defiance he burst through and disappeared into the + wilderness at the back of Mrs. MacLaggan's garden, where he was + followed by Leger, the drunken carpenter, and his wife, and + nineteen Samoans, all armed with rifles. The army fired at him + for two hours, and about midnight returned and reported him + riddled with bullets, whereupon Mrs. Molly, who was a little + hysterical at the awful mess and wreckage caused by the brute, + thanked them and gave them ten dollars.</p> + + <p>Now it so happened that Billy MacLaggan was not killed at + all, for about two o'clock in the morning, as Bully Hayes and + Tom Denison were sitting on the +<!-- Page 77 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page072" name="page072">[pg 72]</a> + </span> + + verandah of the former's house at Matautu Point, drinking + brandy and soda, and dabbing arnica bandages on their various + contusions, Pilot Hamilton hailed them from the front gate. He + had just left the dance with his wife, and was quite + sober—for Samoa. He asked them to come on with him to his + place, as Billy MacLaggan, he said, was lying down in Mrs. + Hamilton's kitchen, and seemed poorly, and that he hoped Hayes + would forgive the poor thing, which was only a dumb animal. So + Hayes and Denison went and saw William, who was now sober and + looked sorry. They dressed his wounds, and Tom Denison took him + on board early in the morning, intending to take him to sea + till the memory of his misdeeds had toned down a bit, for Billy + was a great institution in Samoa, and had many friends. Hardly + a white man in the place, no matter how hard up he was, but + would stand Billy a bottle of lager or a chew of tobacco. (I + forgot to mention that Billy would drink anything and chew + anything, except cigarettes, at which he snorted with + contempt.) Now Denison's little vessel was lying quite near the + German man-of-war, and was to sail next day for the Solomons if + the captain was sober, and he (Denison) had a lot of work to do + to get the ship ready, and whilst he was poring over accounts + in the cabin about noon, a boat ran alongside and Bully Hayes + came into the cabin.</p> + + <p>"Where's Billy?" he said. "Quick, get him into my boat at + once. There's a search-party coming on board, and the widow is + going to give you the dirty kick-out, Tom Denison. There's been + the devil to +<!-- Page 78 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page073" name="page073">[pg 73]</a> + </span> + + pay over that cursed goat, but I'm going to save his life all + the same. But if she does sack you, you can come to me for a + berth."</p> + + <p>Billy, who was placidly eating bananas on the main deck, was + at once seized and hoisted over the side into Hayes's boat, + which shoved off, leaving Hayes on board to explain things to + Tom.</p> + + <p>It seemed that when the fat German manager—the man + with spectacles—I mean the man who had the spectacles + until Billy MacLaggan came in—the man who was courting + Mrs. Molly—fell on the top of the goat, some other man + trod on his face, and Leger (who was not sober enough to tell + one person from another) said that he saw Tom Denison do it. + Seven natives, male and female, swore that at the time alleged + Tom was out on the beach bathing his crushed toe in the salt + water, and using solemn British oaths; but Leger, who disliked + Denison, who had once kicked him overboard violently for being + drunk, not only stuck to the story, but said that Hayes and Tom + had set the goat on fire on purpose to break up the dance and + cause annoyance to the Germans present; also he vaguely hinted + that they, Denison and Hayes, would have driven the seven cows + into the ballroom but couldn't find them. Then Mrs. MacLaggan + promised the fat man to sack Denison on the following morning, + and at midnight, as I have said, word was brought in that Billy + had been shot. But about ten in the morning Leger heard from + some native that the goat was as well as ever, and on board + Denison's vessel, and being a mean, spiteful little hound, off + he trotted to the +<!-- Page 79 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page074" name="page074">[pg 74]</a> + </span> + + German manager, and said that Captain Hayes and Mr. Denison had + rescued the creature. At that very moment the manager was + talking to some German officers, one of whom was the man whose + watch had been smashed, and as every German in Samoa hated + Hayes most fervently, it was at once concluded that Hayes had + trained, or suborned, or bribed, or corrupted the goat to do + it. So a young lieutenant went and called upon Hayes, and + demanded satisfaction for his friend, and Hayes was exceedingly + rude to him, but said that if the man with the broken watch + liked to meet Billy MacLaggan with his own weapons, and fight + him in a goatsmanlike manner, for fifty dollars a side, he + (Hayes) would put up Billy's fifty. Then the lieutenant asked + for a written apology for his friend, and Hayes said that Billy + couldn't write, and, anyway, he was Mrs. Molly's goat. If the + man with the smashed nickel wanted an apology, why the blazes + didn't he approach Mrs. MacLaggan? he asked.</p> + + <p>Whilst Hayes was telling all this to Tom, pulling his thick + beard and laughing loudly, as they paced the little vessel's + deck, the search-party came on board to recover the goat. The + leader bore a letter from Mrs. MacLaggan to Tom, informing him + that his services as supercargo were no longer required, also + that he could come ashore at once and be paid off, as his + conduct was heartless, and the consuls said it might lead to + serious complications, as it had been done with intent to + insult the citizens of a friendly nation, one of whom, as he + was aware, had made the natives cut +<!-- Page 80 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page075" name="page075">[pg 75]</a> + </span> + + down the price of copra half a cent. Under these circumstances, + &c.</p> + + <p>Tom grinned and showed the letter to Hayes. Then he turned + to the mate.</p> + + <p>"I've got the sack, Waters. You're in charge of this rotten, + filthy old hooker now until the old man is sober."</p> + + <p>He packed up his traps, went ashore, drew his money from + Mrs. MacLaggan's cashier, and bade him goodbye.</p> + + <p>"Where's the goat, Tom?"</p> + + <p>"On board Bully Hayes' ship. His crool, crool mistress shall + see him no more! Never more shall his plaintive call to his + nannies resound o' nights among the sleeping palm-groves of the + Vaisigago Valley; never——"</p> + + <p>The cashier jumped up out of his chair and seized the + dismissed supercargo by the collar.</p> + + <p>"Stop that bosh, you rattlebrained young ass, and come and + take a farewell drink."</p> + + <p>"Never more will he butt alike the just and the unjust, the + fat and bloated German merchant nor the herring-gutted Yankee + skipper, nor the bare—ah—um—legged Samoan, + nor the gorgeous consul in the solar topee. Gone is the glory + of Samoa with Billy MacLaggan. Goodbye for the present, Wade, + old man—I am not so proud of my new dignity—I am to + be supercargo of the brig + <i>Rona</i> + + —as to refuse to drink with you, though you are but a + cashier. And give my farewell to the widow, and tell her that I + bear her no ill-will, for I leave a dirty little tub of a + cockroach- +<!-- Page 81 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page076" name="page076">[pg 76]</a> + </span> + + infested ketch for a swagger brig, where I shall wear white + suits every day and feel that peace of mind which—"</p> + + <p>"Oh, do dry up, you young beggar," said the good-natured + cashier, whose laughter proved so infectious that Tom joined + in.</p> + + <p>"Come then, Wade, just another ere we part."</p> + + <p>Now as these two were drinking in the cashier's office it + happened that Thady O'Brien, the policeman (he was chief of the + municipal police, and fond of drink) saw them, and invited + himself to join them and also to express his sorrow at + Denison's "misfortune," as he called it, for Denison was a + lovable sort of youth, and often gave him drink on board. So + they all sat down, Wade in the one chair, and Tom and the + policeman on the table, and had several more drinks, and just + then Mrs. MacLaggan came to the door, holding a note in her + hand. She bowed coldly to Tom, whose three stiff drinks of + brandy enabled him to give her a reproachful glance.</p> + + <p>"Captain Hayes wants to buy one or two of the nanny-goats, + to take away with him to Ponapé, Mr. Wade," she said. "I + shall be glad to let him have them. Please tell Leger and + Mataiasi to catch them at once."</p> + + <p>Then Mrs. MacLaggan went away, and Tom and O'Brien went down + to the jetty to wait for a boat to take them on board—Tom + to his duty, and O'Brien because he was thirsty again. + Presently Leger and Mataiasi and a large concourse of native + children came down, carrying two female goats, who, imagining + they +<!-- Page 82 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page077" name="page077">[pg 77]</a> + </span> + + were to be cast into the sea, began to cry with great violence, + and were immediately answered in a deep voice by Billy + MacLaggan from over the water, whereupon Leger started to run + off and tell Mrs. MacLaggan that Billy was alive, and on board + the + <i>Rona</i> + + , and Denison put out his foot and tripped him, and was at once + assailed by Leger's black wife, who hit him on the head with a + stick, and then herself was pushed backwards off the jetty into + the water by Mr. O'Brien, taking several children and one of + the goats with her, and in less than two minutes there was as + pretty a fight as ever was seen. Several native police ran to + help their superior officer, and a lot of dogs came with them; + the dogs bit anybody and everybody indiscriminately, but most + of them went for Leger and Denison, who were lying gasping + together on the jetty, striving to murder each other; then a + number of sailors belonging to a whaleship joined in, and tried + to massacre or otherwise injure and generally maltreat the + policemen, and by the time the boat from the + <i>Rona</i> + + came to the rescue the jetty looked like a battlefield, and one + goat was drowned, and the new supercargo was taken on board to + have his excoriations attended to, for he was in a very bad + state.</p> + + <p>That is the end of the story, which I have told in a + confused sort of away, I admit, because there are so many + things in it, though I could tell a lot more about the + adventures of Billy MacLaggan, after he went to sea with + Captain Bully Hayes.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 83 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page078" name="page078">[pg 78]</a> + </span> + + <a name='An_Island_Memory'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>An Island Memory</i> + </h2> + + <h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + + <p>From early dawn wild excitement had prevailed in the great + native village on the shores of Port Lele, and on board two + ships which were anchored on the placid waters of the + land-locked harbour. As the fleecy, cloud-like mist which, + during the night, had enveloped the forest-clad spurs and + summit of Mont Buache, was dispelled by the first airs of the + awakened trade wind and the yellow shafts of sunrise, a fleet + or canoes crowded with natives put off from the sandy beach in + front of the king's house, and paddled swiftly over towards the + ships, the captains of which only awaited their arrival to + weigh and tow out through the passage.</p> + + <p>As the mist lifted, Cayse, the master of the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + of Sagharbour, stepped briskly up on the poop, and hailed the + skipper of the other vessel, a small, yellow-painted barque of + less than two hundred tons.</p> + + <p>"Are you ready, Captain Ross?"</p> + + <p>"All ready," was the answer; "only waiting for the + military," and then followed a hoarse laugh.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 84 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page079" name="page079">[pg 79]</a> + </span> + + Cayse, a little, grizzled, and leathern-faced man of fifty, + replied by an angry snarl, then turned to his mate, who stood + beside him awaiting his orders.</p> + + <p>"Get these natives settled down as quickly as possible, Mr. + North, then start to heave-up and loose sails. I reckon we'll + tow out in an hour. The king will be here presently in his own + boat. Hoist it aboard."</p> + + <p>North nodded in silence, and was just moving on to the main + deck, when Cayse stopped him.</p> + + <p>"You don't seem too ragin' pleased this mornin', Mr. North, + over this business. Naow, as I told you yesterday, I admire + your feelin's on the subject, but I can't afford—"</p> + + <p>The mate's eyes blazed with anger.</p> + + <p>"And I tell you again that I won't have anything to do with + it. I know my duty, and mean to stick to it. I shipped for a + whaling voyage, and not to help savages to fight. Take my + advice and give it up. Money got in this way will do you no + good."</p> + + <p>Cayse shifted his feet uneasily.</p> + + <p>"I can't afford to sling away the chance of earnin' two or + three thousan' dollars so easy. An' you'll hev to do your duty + to me. Naow, look here—"</p> + + <p>North raised his hand.</p> + + <p>"That will do. I have said I will do my duty as mate, but + not a hand's turn will I take in such bloody work as you and + the skipper of that crowd of Sydney cut-throats and convicts + are going into for the sake of six thousand dollars."</p> + + <p>"Well, I reckon we can do without you. Any +<!-- Page 85 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page080" name="page080">[pg 80]</a> + </span> + + one would think we was going piratin', instead of helping the + king of this island to his rights. Naow, just tell + me—"</p> + + <p>Again the mate interrupted him.</p> + + <p>"I am going for'ard to get the anchor up, and will obey all + your orders as far as the working of the ship is + concerned—nothing more."</p> + + <p>An hour later the two vessels, their decks crowded with + three hundred savages, armed with muskets, spears, and clubs, + were towed out through the narrow, reef-bound passage, and with + the now freshening trade wind filling their sails, set a course + along the coast which before sunset would bring them to + Leassé, on the lee side of the island. But presently, in + response to a signal from the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + , the whaler lay to; a boat put off from the smaller ship, and + Captain Ross came alongside, clambered over the bulwarks and + joined Cayse and the young king of Port Lele, who were awaiting + him on the poop, to discuss with him the plan of surprise and + slaughter of the offending people of Leassé.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Nearly a week before the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + had run into Port Lele to refresh before proceeding westward + and northward to the Bonin Islands in pursuance of her cruise. + Charlik, the king, was delighted to see Cayse, for in the days + when his father was king the American captain had conveyed a + party of one hundred Strong's Islanders from Port Lele to + MacAskill's Island, landed them in his boats during the night, + and stood off and +<!-- Page 86 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page081" name="page081">[pg 81]</a> + </span> + + on till daylight, when they returned reeking from their work of + slaughter upon the sleeping people, and bringing with them some + scores of women and children as captives. For this service the + king had given Cayse half a ton of turtle-shell, and the + services of ten young men as seamen for as long a time as the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + cruised in the Pacific on that voyage. When Charlik's father + was dying, he called his head chiefs around him, and gave the + boy into their care with these words—"Here die I upon my + mat like a woman, long before my time, and to-morrow my spirit + will hear the mocking laughs of the men of Môut and + Leassé, when they say, 'Sikra is dead; Sikra was but an + empty boaster.'"</p> + + <p>Then his son spoke.</p> + + <p>"Not many days shall they laugh. They shall be destroyed + all, all, all of them."</p> + + <p>The king touched his son's hand.</p> + + <p>"Those are good words. But be not too hasty. Wait till the + American comes again. He will help with his men and guns. But + he is a greedy man. Yet spare nothing; give him all the silver + and gold money I have stored by for his return, and all the + turtle-shell that can be gathered together. And let there be + not even one little child left in Môut or + Leassé."</p> + + <p>Charlik was a lad or seventeen when his savage old father + died, and for a year after his death he harried and distressed + his people by his exactions. All day long the men toiled at + making coconut oil, and at night time they watched along the + beaches for the +<!-- Page 87 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page082" name="page082">[pg 82]</a> + </span> + + hawk-bill turtle; the oil they put into huge butts, which stood + in the king's boat-sheds, and the costly turtle-shell was taken + by the young ruler and locked up in the seamen's chests which + lined the inside wall of the great council-house. And no man + durst now fire a musket at a wild pig, for powder and ball had + been made + <i>tapu</i> + + —such things were given up to the chiefs, lest they might + be wasted, and every morning three young men climbed up the + rugged side of Mont Buache, to keep a look-out for the ship + whose captain would help their master to wreak a bloody + vengeance upon the rebellious people of Leassé.</p> + + <p>At the end of the sixteenth month of watching, a sail + appeared coming from the southward, and the watchers on the + mountain-top sped down to the king's house, and sinking upon + their knees in the courtyard of coral slabs, whispered their + news to one of the king's serving-men, who, with a musket in + his hand and a cutlass girt around his naked waist, stood + sentry before the youthful despot's sleeping-room.</p> + + <p>"Good," said the king to Kanka, his head chief; "'tis surely + the American Késa, + <a href="#footnote_13" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[13]</span> + </a> + + for this is the month in which he said he would return. Let the + women make ready a great feast, and launch my three boats, so + that if the wind fail, when the sun is high, they may help to + drag the ship into Lele."</p> + + <p>Then came the sound of beating drums, and the long, mournful + note of the conch-shells calling the wild people together to + prepare for the ship. Turtle +<!-- Page 88 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page083" name="page083">[pg 83]</a> + </span> + + were lifted from their walled-in prison holes on the reef, hogs + were strangled, and the king's wives went hither and thither + among his slave women, bidding them hasten to kindle the ovens, + whilst children went out into the great canework cage, wherein + were hundreds of the king's wild pigeons, and seizing the + birds, began to pluck them alive.</p> + + <p>An hour passed. Charlik, sitting in a European chair, was + watching the wild bustle and excitement around him in the + courtyard, when his eye fell on the three messengers, who, with + bent head and bended knees, were awaiting his further + commands.</p> + + <p>Beckoning to a young, light-skinned woman, who stood near + him, he bade her bring him three of his best pearl-shell bonito + hooks. They were brought, and taking them from her, he threw + them to the men.</p> + + <p>"Ye have watched well," he said. "There is thy reward. Now + go and eat and sleep."</p> + + <p>With eyes sparkling with pleasure, the young men each took + up his precious gift, and with crouching forms crept slowly + over to the further side of the courtyard, where they were + waited upon by women with food.</p> + + <p>Presently the fair young woman—his sister + Sè—returned to her brother's side.</p> + + <p>"The ship is near," she said, and then her voice faltered; + "but it is not the ship of Késa. It is but a small ship, + and she hath but two boats. Késa's had five."</p> + + <p>"What lies are these?" said the young savage fiercely. "Go + look again."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 89 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page084" name="page084">[pg 84]</a> + </span> + + The girl left him, to return a few minutes later with + grey-headed old Kanka, who in response to an inquiring look + from his master, bent his head and said slowly—</p> + + <p>"'Tis a strange ship—one that never before have we + seen in Lele."</p> + + <p>The youth made him no answer. He merely raised his arm and + pointed his finger at the three messengers.</p> + + <p>"Then they have lied to me. Bring them here to me."</p> + + <p>Kanka stepped over to where the fated men were sitting. They + rose at his behest, and crept over to the king; behind them, at + some invisible sign given by him, followed a man with a heavy + club of + <i>toa</i> + + wood. The clamour which had filled the courtyard ceased, and + terrified silence fell. One by one the messengers knelt upon + the coral flags—no need for them to ask for mercy from + Charlik, the savage son of a bloodstained father. The bearer of + the club held the weapon knob downward, and watched the king's + face for the signal of death. He nodded, and then, one after + another of the men were struck and fell prone upon the stones. + With scowling eyes Charlik regarded them for a moment or two in + silence, then he turned unconcernedly away, as some of his + slaves came forward and carried the bodies out of sight.</p> + + <p>Suddenly he sprang to his feet, as a loud, long cry, first + from a single throat, and then echoed and reechoed by a hundred + more, came upward from the beach.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 90 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page085" name="page085">[pg 85]</a> + </span> + + A ship! A ship! Another ship! The ship of Késa!"</p> + + <p>Bidding his sister and the old chief Kanka to come with him, + Charlik quickly left the house, and walking through a grove of + breadfruit trees, reached a spot from where he had a full view + of the open sea. There right in the passage was a small barque; + and, almost within hail, and just rounding the northern horn of + the reef was a larger vessel, one glance at which told Charlik + that it was the American whaler for which he had so long + waited. In less than an hour they were at anchor abreast of the + king's house, and the two captains were being rowed ashore. + They met on the beach. The master of the smaller vessel was a + tall, broad-shouldered man, armed with a pair of pistols and a + cutlass. Striding over the sand he held out his hand to the + American.</p> + + <p>"Good day. My name's Ross, barque + <i>Lucy May</i> + + , of Sydney, from the New Hebrides to Hong Kong with + sandalwood."</p> + + <p>"Glad to meet ye. My name is Cayse, ship + <i>Iroquois</i> + + , bound on a sperm whalin' cruise."</p> + + <p>Further speech was denied them, for suddenly the thronging + and excited natives around them drew aside right and left as + Charlik, with a face beaming with smiles, came up to Cayse with + outstretched hand, and greeted him warmly in English. Then he + turned quickly to the Englishman and shook hands with him also, + and asked him from whence he came.</p> + + <p>"From Sydney. I came here to get wood, water, and + provisions."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 91 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page086" name="page086">[pg 86]</a> + </span> + + Good. You can get all you want. Have you muskets and bullets to + sell?"</p> + + <p>"I can spare you some."</p> + + <p>"Ah, that is good. I want plenty, plenty. Now come to my + house and eat and drink; then we can talk."</p> + + <p>It was well on towards sunset before Charlik and Cayse had + finished their talk. Ross meanwhile had gone on board the + barque for some firearms which he was giving the king in + exchange for several boatloads of provisions. When he returned, + with two of his crew carrying six muskets, a keg of powder, and + a bag of bullets, Cayse met him on the threshold of the king's + house.</p> + + <p>"Come inside, mister. The king wants to talk to you on a + matter of business. I reckon you an' me together can do what he + wants done. But jest come along with me first. I want to show + you the kind of fellow he is when he gets upset."</p> + + <p>The master of the sandalwooder followed the American across + the wide courtyard to some native houses. Stopping in front of + one, from which the low murmur of women's voices, broken now + and then by a wailing cry, proceeded, he desired Ross to look + in through the doorway. A small fire of coconut shells was + burning in the centre of the room, and + <i>by</i> + + its light Ross saw several women crouched round the bodies of + three men, performing the last offices for the dead. They + looked at the white strangers with apathetic indifference, but + ceased their labours whilst Ross bent down and +<!-- Page 92 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page087" name="page087">[pg 87]</a> + </span> + + examined the still faces. His scrutiny was brief, but it was + enough.</p> + + <p>Cayse gave a sniggering laugh. "I reckon you'll feel sorter + startled, mister, when I tell you that you were the cause of + those men getting clubbed, hey?"</p> + + <p>Ross frowned angrily. "What are you driving at? What the + devil had I to do with it?"</p> + + <p>"On'y this. You see I'm the white-headed boy with this young + island cock, an' he's been expectin' to see the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + for quite a time. Your barque happened to heave in sight first, + an' these three fellows who were standin' mast-head watch up + thar on the mountain, came tearin' down an' reported that it + was my old hooker. Charlik bein' a most impatient young fellow, + had 'em clubbed on the spot; he should hev waited another five + minutes. Come on, he's ready to talk business with us now."</p> + + <p>In the centre of the big council room Charlik, attended by + his sister, was seated upon a mat. A couple of brightly burning + ship's lanterns suspended from the beams overhead, revealed the + figures of a score of armed natives, seated with their backs to + the canework walls of the room; midway between them and the + young king were two seamen's chests, beside which crouched the + half-naked, tatooed form or old Kanka.</p> + + <p>Followed by the sailors carrying the muskets, the two + captains walked over the soft, springy floor of mats, and + seated themselves facing the young man. His eye lit up at the + sight of the arms, and then he +<!-- Page 93 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page088" name="page088">[pg 88]</a> + </span> + + desired Ross to tell his men to withdraw. Then as the sound of + their footsteps died away, he looked at Cayse and said + briefly—</p> + + <p>"Go on, capèn. You talk."</p> + + <p>Cayse went into the subject at once.</p> + + <p>"Captain Ross, do you want to earn three thousand + dollars?"</p> + + <p>"Don't mind."</p> + + <p>"Neither do I. Well, just listen. The king here has three + thousand dollars in cash and three thousand dollars' worth of + coconut ile and turtle-shell. Now, if you and I will help him + to do a bit of fightin' it's ours. The money and shell is here + in this room, the ile is in the sheds near by. If you agree, + the king will hand us over the money now, and we can ship the + ile in the morning."</p> + + <p>Ross thought a moment, then he said suspiciously—</p> + + <p>"Why are you giving me a chance?"</p> + + <p>"Not from any feelin' of affection for you, mister," + answered Cayse with his peculiar snarl, "but because I ain't + able to do the whole business myself—if I could I + wouldn't ask + <i>you</i> + + to come in. Now, I noticed this mornin' that you carry a big + crew, and have six guns, and I reckon thet you hev to use 'em + sometimes in your business?"</p> + + <p>Ross laughed grimly. "All of us sandalwooding ships carry a + few nine-pounders as well as plenty of small arms. We are + allowed to do so by the Governor of New South Wales."</p> + + <p>"Just so. Well, now, listen. This island is +<!-- Page 94 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page089" name="page089">[pg 89]</a> + </span> + + governed by two chiefs; this one here, Charlik, has most + people, but the other lot, who live on the lee side of the + island, rebelled against his father more'n ten years ago. + They've had a good many fights, an' in the last one these Lele + people got badly whipped. Charlik is the proper king, but ever + since a white man named Ledyard went to live with the + Leassé people, they've refused to pay tribute. This + Ledyard is the cause of all the trouble, and he has taught his + natives how to fight European fashion. There's only about six + hundred of 'em altogether—men, women, and + children—eh, Charlik?"</p> + + <p>The young chief nodded in assent.</p> + + <p>"Now, by a bit of luck, news came up the other day by one of + Charlik's spies that Ledyard has gone away to Ponapé in a + cutter he has built. It will take him two or three weeks to go + there and back, and now is the time for Charlik to wipe out old + scores—the Leassé people won't stand much of a + chance agin' a night attack by three hundred of Charlik's + people. If Ledyard was there it would be different."</p> + + <p>Ross soon made his decision. He was a man utterly without + pity, and Cayse who, while inciting others to slaughter for the + sake of his own gain, yet had some grains of compunction in his + nature, almost shuddered when the master of the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + laughed hoarsely and said—</p> + + <p>"It's a bargain—just the thing that my crowd could + tackle and carry through themselves. Two +<!-- Page 95 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page090" name="page090">[pg 90]</a> + </span> + + voyages ago me and my beauties wiped out every living soul on + one of the Cartaret's Islands. I'll tell you the yarn some day. + But look here, king, can't we make another deal about the women + and children. Let me keep as many of them as I have room for + aboard, and I'll pay for them in muskets and powder and + bullets."</p> + + <p>"What do you want with them?"</p> + + <p>"Sell them to old Abba Dul, the king of the Pelews. I've + done business with him before."</p> + + <p>Charlik called Kanka over to him, and the two spoke in low + tones. Then the young ruler of Lele shook his head.</p> + + <p>"No. There must be but one left to live—the white + man's wife. Now we shall count this money."</p> + + <p>The boxes were carried over directly under the rays of the + lamps and opened, the bags containing the money lifted out, the + coins counted, and then evenly divided between the two + wolves.</p> + + <p>On the following morning the casks of oil were rolled down + to the beach and rafted off to the two ships, and before dawn, + on the fourth day, Ross and his fellow-ruffian sent word ashore + to the king that all was ready, and that he and his fighting + men could come on board at once and proceed on their dreadful + mission.</p> + + <hr /> + +<!-- Page 96 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page091" name="page091">[pg 91]</a> + </span> + + <a name='CHAPTER_II'> + </a> + + <h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + + <p>As the two captains and their ferocious young employer sat + on the snow-white poop of the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + and discussed the plan of attack, the ship and barque kept + closely together, so closely that North, who had not yet placed + foot on board the sandalwooder, had now an opportunity of + looking down upon her decks, and watching the actions of those + who manned her. A more ragged and desperate looking lot of + ruffians he had never seen in his life; and their wild, unkempt + appearance was in perfect accord with the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + herself, whose dirty, yellow sides were stained from stem to + stern with long streaks and broad patches of iron-rust. Aloft + she was in as equally a bad condition, and North and his + fellow-officers, used to the trimness and unceasing care of a + whaleship's sails and running gear, looked with contempt at the + disorder and neglect everywhere visible. On deck, however, some + attempt at setting things ship-shape were being made by the two + mates and boatswain, the six guns were being overhauled, and a + pile of muskets lying on the main hatch were being examined and + passed up to the poop one by one, to old Kanka, who was in + command of the contingent of Lele natives on board the barque. + Similar preparations with small arms were being made on board + the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + by her crew which, largely composed of Chilenos, Portuguese, + and Polynesians, had eagerly accepted the offer of twenty + dollars for +<!-- Page 97 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page092" name="page092">[pg 92]</a> + </span> + + each man for a few hours' fighting. North alone had spoken + against and tried to dissuade his fellow-officers from taking + any active part in the expedition, but his remonstrances fell + upon unheeding ears. The details of the scheme to surprise the + unsuspecting inhabitants of the two villages had filled him + with unutterable horror and indignation, and all sorts of wild + plans formed in his brain to prevent the accomplishment of the + cruel deed. For the consequences of such interference to + himself he cared nothing. He was alone in the world, and had no + thought beyond that of making enough money to enable him to one + day buy a ship of his own. Once, as he passed the trio on the + poop, and glanced at the smooth, olive-coloured features of the + young king, who, with anticipative zest, was fondling a rifle + which Ross had brought on board for him, he felt inclined to + whip a belaying-pin out of the rail and bring it crashing down + upon his skull. Had there been any other ship but the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + near, he would have left the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + that moment. But help was coming to his troubled mind.</p> + + <p>An hour before sunset the two vessels ran into a little + harbour, then called Port Lottin, but now known as South + Harbour by the few wandering whalers which sometimes touch at + the island. Here, ere it became dark, the natives, with + fourteen of the + <i>Lucy May's</i> + + crew under Ross, were landed. They were to march at early + morning, cross the mountain range which intervened between + South Harbour and Leassé, and then, hidden by the dense + forest, await the appearance of the ships off the +<!-- Page 98 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page093" name="page093">[pg 93]</a> + </span> + + doomed villages on the following afternoon. The six + boats—two from the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + and four from the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + —were to pull ashore as soon as the ships were off + Leassé and take up positions, three to the north and three + to the south, so as to cut off all who attempted to escape + along the beaches from the attack which would be made by Ross. + Charlik was to command one of the boat parties, Cayse the + other, and should any canoes with fugitives attempt to gain the + open sea, they were to be sunk by the + <i>Lucy May's</i> + + guns, for she was to anchor in such a position that an escaping + canoe would have to pass within fifty yards of her.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Eight bells had struck, and North, who had declined to join + the captain and his fellow-officers at supper, was sitting in + his cabin smoking and listening to the soft hum of the surf on + the barrier reef a mile away. On deck all was quiet, only the + fourth mate and three of the hands were keeping watch, the rest + of the crew who were not turned in had gone ashore to witness a + dance given by King Charlik's warriors.</p> + + <p>Suddenly he heard a footfall on the cabin deck, and then + some one said in a low voice—</p> + + <p>"May I come in, sir?"</p> + + <p>North, recognising the voice as that of a young man named + Macy, his own harpooner, at once bade him enter.</p> + + <p>Macy, a sunburnt, blue-eyed youth, closed the cabin door + behind him, and held up his finger to enjoin silence.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 99 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page094" name="page094">[pg 94]</a> + </span> + + I've only just now heard, sir, that you will not take a hand in + this work which is going on. Neither will I, sir; for those + damned savages are going to kill all the poor women and + children. I've come to ask you what I'm to do if I'm ordered + away in the boat? My God! Mr. North, must we all be turned into + a gang of murderers like those fellows on the + <i>Lucy May!</i> + + "</p> + + <p>The officer shook the young seaman's hand. "I for one will + have no hand in it, my lad; and I wish there were more of us on + board of our way of thinking. I wish we could leave the ship. I + would rather die of thirst on the open ocean ... Macy, my lad, + will you stand to me?"</p> + + <p>"Stand to you, sir! Aye, Mr. North. If you mean to take to + our boat, sir, I am with you."</p> + + <p>"No," answered North in a whisper. "That, after all, would + only save us two from being mixed up in this murderous + business—I want to prevent it altogether. Have you heard + how far it is across the island to this place Leassé?"</p> + + <p>"Seven miles, sir, over the mountains."</p> + + <p>"And twenty by the boats! Macy, I am determined to leave the + ship to-night, cut across the island, and save the poor people + from massacre. Will you come? We may pay for it with our + lives."</p> + + <p>The harpooner raised his rough hand. "We must all die some + day, sir."</p> + + <p>For some minutes they conversed in whispered tones; then + Macy slipped on deck, and North took his pistols from their + racks, filled his coat pockets +<!-- Page 100 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page095" name="page095">[pg 95]</a> + </span> + + with ammunition, and then followed him. His own boat was lying + astern.</p> + + <p>Telling the cooper, who was the only one of the afterguard + on deck, that he was going ashore to look at the dance, and + that only Macy and another hand need come with him, North + ordered the boat to be hauled alongside. A quarter of an hour + later he and Macy stepped out upon the shore under the shadow + of a high bluff, and quite out of view from Ross and his party, + although the many camp-fires cast long lines of light across + the sleeping waters of the little harbour.</p> + + <p>Informing the boat-keeper that they should return in a + couple of hours, the two men first walked along the beach in + the direction of the encampment. Then once out of sight from + the boat, they struck inland into a deep valley through which, + Macy said, a narrow track led up to the range, and then + downwards to the two villages. After a careful search the track + was found, and the bright stars shining through the canopy of + leaves overhead gave them sufficient light to pursue their way. + For two hours they toiled along through the silent forest, + hearing no sound except now and then the affrighted rush of + some startled wild boar, and, far distant, the dull cry of the + ever-restless breakers upon the coral reef. At last the summit + of the range was reached, and they sat down to rest upon the + thick carpet of fallen leaves which covered the ground. Here + North took a spirit-flask from his jacket, and Macy and he + drank in turns.</p> + + <p>"Do you know, sir," said Macy, as he returned +<!-- Page 101 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page096" name="page096">[pg 96]</a> + </span> + + the flask to the officer, "that there's a white man living at + this village?"</p> + + <p>"He's not there now, Macy. He's gone away to another island + in his cutter."</p> + + <p>"I know that, sir. I've heard all about it from one of the + chaps on the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + . The man's name is Ledyard, and this young devil's-limb of a + king hates him like poison—for two reasons. One is, that + Ledyard, who settled in Leassé a few years ago, taught the + people there how to use their muskets in a fight, when + Charlik's father tried to destroy them time and again; the + other is that his wife is a white woman—or almost a white + woman, a Bonin Island Portuguese—and Charlik means to get + her. When Ledyard comes back in his cutter he will walk into a + trap, and be killed as soon as he steps ashore."</p> + + <p>North struck his hand upon the ground. "And to think that I + have sailed with such a villain as Cayse, who—"</p> + + <p>"That's not all. Ledyard has two children. Charlik has given + orders for them to be killed, as he says he only wants the + woman! Ross, I believe, wanted him to spare 'em, but the young + cut-throat said 'No.' I heard all this from two men—the + chap from the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + and one of Charlik's fighting men, who speaks English and seems + to have a soft place in his heart for Ledyard."</p> + + <p>The mate of the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + sprang to his feet. "The cold-blooded wretches! Come on, Macy. + We + <i>must</i> + + get there in time."</p> + + <p>For another two hours they made steady progress +<!-- Page 102 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page097" name="page097">[pg 97]</a> + </span> + + through the darkened forest aisles, and then as they emerged + out upon a piece of open country, they saw far beneath them the + gleaming sea. And here, amidst a dense patch of pandanus palms, + the path they had followed came to an end. Pushing their way + through the thorny leaves, which tore the skin from their hands + and faces, Macy exclaimed excitedly—</p> + + <p>"We're all right, sir. I can see a light down there. It must + be a fire on the beach."</p> + + <p>Heedless of the unknown dangers of the deep descent, and + every now and then tripping and falling over the roots of trees + and fallen timber, they again came out into the open, and + there, two hundred feet below them, they saw the high-peaked, + saddle-backed houses of Leassé village standing clearly + out in the starlight. But at this point their further progress + was barred by a cliff, which seemed to extend for half a mile + on both sides of them. Cautiously feeling their way along its + ledge they sought in vain for a path.</p> + + <p>"We must hail them, Macy. There will be sure to be plenty of + them who can speak a little English and show us the way to get + down."</p> + + <p>Returning as quickly as possible to the spot immediately + over the village, the officer gave a long, loud hail.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Below there, you sleepers!</i> + + "</p> + + <p>The hoarse, shrieking notes of countless thousands of + roosting sea-birds, as they rose in alarm from their perches in + the forest trees, mingled with the barking of dogs from the + village, and then came a wild cry of alarm from a human + throat.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 103 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page098" name="page098">[pg 98]</a> + </span> + + Waiting for a few moments till the clamour had somewhat + subsided, the two men again hailed in unison.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Below there! Awake, you sleepers!</i> + + "</p> + + <p>Another furious outburst of yelping and + barking—through which ran the quavering of voices of the + affrighted natives—smote the stillness of the night. Then + the bright light of torches of coconut leaves flashed below, + nude figures ran swiftly to and fro among the houses, and then + came a deep-voiced answering hail in English—</p> + + <p>" + <i>Hallo there! Who hails</i> + + ?"</p> + + <p>"Two white men," was the officer's quick reply. "We cannot + get down. Bear a hand with a torch; we have lost the track." + Then as something flashed across his mind, he added, "Who are + you? Are you a white man?"</p> + + <p>"Yes. I am Tom Ledyard."</p> + + <p>"Thank God for that! Send a light quickly. You and your + people are in deadly danger."</p> + + <p>In a few minutes the waiting men saw the gleam of torches + amid the trees to their right, and presently a tall, bearded, + white man appeared, followed by half a dozen natives. All were + armed with muskets, whose barrels glinted and shone in the + firelight.</p> + + <p>Springing forward to meet him, North told his story in as + few words as possible.</p> + + <p>Ledyard's dark face paled with passion. "By heaven, they + shall get a bloody welcome! Now, come, sir; follow me. You must + need rest badly."</p> + + <p>As they passed through the village square, now lit +<!-- Page 104 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page099" name="page099">[pg 99]</a> + </span> + + up by many fires and filled with alarmed natives, Ledyard + called out in his deep tones—</p> + + <p>"Gather ye together, my friends. The son of the Slaughterer + is near. Send a man fleet of foot to Môut and bid him tell + Nena, the chief, and his head men to come to my house quickly, + else in a little while our bones will be gnawed by Charlik's + dogs."</p> + + <p>Then with North and Macy besides him, he entered his house, + the largest in the village. A woman, young, slender, and + fair-skinned, met them at the door. Behind her were some + terrified native women, one of whom carried Ledyard's youngest + child in her arms.</p> + + <p>"'Rita, my girl," said Ledyard, placing his hand on his + wife's shoulder and speaking in English, "these are friends. + They have come to warn us. That young hell-pup, Charlik, is + attacking us tomorrow. But quick, girl, get something for these + gentlemen to eat and drink."</p> + + <p>But North and the harpooner were too excited to eat, and, + seated opposite their host, they listened eagerly to him as he + told them of his plans to repel the attack; of the bitter + hatred that for ten years had existed between the people of + Leassé and the old king; and then—he set his + teeth—how that Sé, the friendly sister of the young + king, had once sent a secret messenger to him telling him to + guard his wife well, for her brother had made a boast that when + Leassé and Môut were given to the flames only Cerita + should be spared.</p> + + <p>"Then, ten days ago, Mr. North, thinking that this +<!-- Page 105 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page100" name="page100">[pg 100]</a> + </span> + + young tiger-cub Charlik knew that these people here were well + prepared to resist an attack, I left in my cutter on a trading + voyage to Ponapé. Three days out the vessel began to make + water so badly that I had to beat back. I only came ashore + yesterday."</p> + + <p>He rose and walked to and fro, muttering to himself. Then he + spoke again.</p> + + <p>"Mr. North, and you, my friend"—turning to + Macy—"have saved me and those I love from a sudden and + cruel death. What can I do to show my gratitude? You cannot now + return to your ship; will you join your fortunes with mine? I + have long thought of leaving this island and settling in + Ponapé. There is money to be made there. Join me and be my + partners. My cutter is now hauled up on the beach—if she + were fit to go to sea we could leave the island to-night. But + that cannot be done. It will take me a week to put her in + proper repair—and to-morrow we must fight for our + lives."</p> + + <p>North stretched out his hand. "Macy and I will stand by you, + Ledyard. We do not want to ever put foot again on the deck of + the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + ."</p> + + <hr /> + + <a name='CHAPTER_III'> + </a> + + <h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + + <p>The story of that day of bloodshed and horror, when Charlik + and his white allies sought to exterminate the whole community, + cannot here be told in + <i>all</i> + + its dreadful details. Seventy years have come and gone since + then, and there are but two or three men +<!-- Page 106 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page101" name="page101">[pg 101]</a> + </span> + + now living on the island who can speak of it with knowledge as + a tale of "the olden days when we were heathens." Let the rest + of the tale be told in the words of one of those natives of + Leassé, who, then a boy, fought side by side with Ledyard, + North, and Macy.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>"The sun was going westward in the sky when the two ships + rounded the point and anchored in what you white men now call + Coquille Harbour. We of Leassé, who watched from the + shore, saw six boats put off, filled with men. There pulled + inside the reef, and went to the right towards Môut; three + went to the left. Letya (Ledyard), with the two white strangers + who had come to him in the night, and two hundred of our men, + had long before gone into the mountains to await Charlik and + his fighting men, and their white friends. They—Letya and + the Leassé people—made a trap for Charlik's men in + the forest. Charlik himself was in the boats with the other + white men. He wanted to see the people of Leassé and + Môut driven into the water, so that he might shoot at them + with a new rifle which Késa or the other ship + captain—I forget which—had given to him. But he + wanted most of all to get Cerita, the wife of Letya, the white + man. Only Cerita was to live. These were Charlik's words. He + did not know that her husband had returned from the sea. Had he + known that, he would not have given all his money and all his + oil to the two white captains to +<!-- Page 107 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page102" name="page102">[pg 102]</a> + </span> + + help him to make Leassé and Môut desolate and give + our bones to his dogs to eat.</p> + + <p>"It was a great trap—the trap prepared by Letya; and + Charlik's men and the white men with them fell in it. They fell + as a stone falls in a deep well, and sinks and is no more seen + of men.</p> + + <p>"This was the manner of the trap: The path down the cliff + was between two high walls of rock; at the foot of the cliff + was a thick clump of high pandanus trees growing closely + together. In between these trees Letya built a high barrier of + logs, encompassing the outlet of the path to Leassé. This + barrier was a half circle; the two ends touched the edge of the + cliff, and the centre was hidden among the pandanus trees. On + the top of this barrier the men of Leassé waited with + loaded muskets; lower down on the ground were others, they too + had loaded muskets. On the top of the cliff where the path led + down, fifty men were hidden. They were hidden in the thick + scrub which we call + <i>oap. Oap</i> + + is a good thing in which to hide from an enemy, and then spring + from and slay him suddenly.</p> + + <p>"I, who was then a boy, saw all this. I heard Letya, our + white man, tell the head of our village that Charlik's men + would enter into the trap and perish. Then kava was made, and + Letya and the head men drank. Kava is good, but rum is better + to make men fight. We had no rum, but we had great love for + Letya and his wife, and his two children, and great hate for + Charlik. So we said, 'If this is death, it is death,' and every + man went to his post—some to the barrier at the foot of + the cliff, and some to the thicket +<!-- Page 108 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page103" name="page103">[pg 103]</a> + </span> + + of + <i>oap</i> + + on the summit. Cerita, the wife of Letya the Englishman, was + weeping. She was weeping because Nená, the chief of + Môut, was waiting in the house to kill her if her husband + should be slain. But she did not weep because of the fear of + death; it was for her children she wept. That is the way of + women. What is the life of a child to the life of a man?</p> + + <p>"Nená was my father's brother. He was a brave man, but + was too old to fight, for his eyes were dimmed by many years. + So he sat beside Cerita and her two children, with a long knife + in his hand and waited. He covered his face with a mat and + waited. It was right for him to do this, for Letya was a great + man; and his wife, although she was a foreigner, was an + honoured woman. Therefore though Nená might not look upon + her face at other times, he could kill her if Letya said she + must die. This was quite right and correct. A wife must be + guided by her husband and do what is right and correct, and + avoid scandal.</p> + + <p>"For many hours the women in the houses waited in silence. + Then suddenly they heard the thunder of two hundred guns, and + the roaring of voices, then more muskets. They ran out of the + houses and looked up to the cliff, and lo! the sky was bright + as day, for when Charlik's people and the white men walked into + the trap in the darkness, Letya and our people set alight great + heaps of dry leaves and scrub, which were placed all along the + barrier of logs. This was done so that they could see better to + shoot. There were thirty or forty of Charlik's men killed by + that volley. +<!-- Page 109 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page104" name="page104">[pg 104]</a> + </span> + + The white man who was leading them was very brave; he tried to + climb over the barrier, but fell back dead, for a man named Sru + thrust a whale-lance into his heart. All this time the other + white men and the rest of Charlik's people were firing their + muskets, but their bullets only hit the heavy logs of the + barrier, and Letya and our people killed them very easily by + putting their muskets through the spaces. When the sailors saw + their captain fall, they tried to run away, and the Lele + warriors ran with them. But when they reached the path which + led up between the cliff, it too was blocked, and many of them + became jammed together between the walls, and these were all + killed very easily—some with bullets, and some with big + stones. Then those that were left ran round and found inside + the trap, trying to get out. They were like rats in a cask, and + our people kept killing them as they ran. Some of + them—about thirty—did climb over, but all were + killed, for when they jumped down on the other side our people + were there waiting. At last four of the sailors made a big hole + by tearing out two posts, and rushed out, followed by the Lele + men. Letya was the first man to meet the sailors, and he told + them to surrender. Two of them threw down their arms, but the + other two ran at Letya, and one of them ran his cutlass into + him. It went in at the stomach, and Letya fell. We killed all + these white sailors, but some of the Lele men escaped. That was + a great pity, but then how can these things be helped?" The two + strange white men who were fighting beside Lētya, picked + him up, and they carried him +<!-- Page 110 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page105" name="page105">[pg 105]</a> + </span> + + into his house. He was not dead, but he said, 'I shall soon + die, take me to my wife.' I did not go with them to the house. + I went into the barrier with the other youths to kill the + wounded. It is a foolish thing not to kill wounded men; they + may get better and kill you. So we killed them. There were + fourteen white men slain in that fight beside their + captain.</p> + + <p>"Before it was daylight some of our men set out along the + beach to look for the boats. They did not want to kill any more + white men, but they did want to kill Charlik. They were very + fortunate, for before they had gone far on their way they saw + three of the boats coming along close in to the beach. So they + hid behind some rocks. Charlik was in the first boat; he was + standing in the bow pointing out the way. When he came very + close they all fired together, and Charlik's life was gone. He + fell dead into the sea. Then the boats all turned seaward, and + pulled hard for the ships. Then before long, we saw the other + three boats going back to the ships; in these last were four of + Charlik's men who had escaped. The boats were quickly pulled + up, and the ships sailed away, for those on board were + terrified when they heard that all the white men they had sent + to fight were dead.</p> + + <p>"Letya did not die at once—not for two days. Cerita + his wife and two white men watched beside him all this time. + Before he died he called the head men to him, and said that he + gave his small ship to the two white men, together with many + other things. All his money he gave to his wife, and told her + she must go away with the white men, who would take +<!-- Page 111 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page106" name="page106">[pg 106]</a> + </span> + + her back to her own people. To the head men he gave many + valuable things, such as tierces of tobacco and barrels of + powder. This was quite right and proper, and showed he knew + what was correct to do before he died. We buried him on the + little islet over there called Bèsi.</p> + + <p>"The two white men and Cerita and her two children went away + in the little ship. But they did not go to Cerita's country: + they remained at Ponapé, and there the tall man of the + two—the officer—married Cerita. All this we learnt + a year afterwards from the captain of a whaling ship. It was + quite right and proper for Letya's widow to marry so quickly, + and to marry the man who had been a friend to her husband."</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 112 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page107" name="page107">[pg 107]</a> + </span> + + <a name='A_Hundred_Fathoms_Deep'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>A Hundred Fathoms Deep</i> + </h2> + + <p>There is still a world or discovery open to the + ichthyologist who, in addition to scientific knowledge, is a + lover of deep-sea fishing, has some nerve, and is content to + undergo some occasional rough experiences, if he elects to + begin his researches among the many island groups of the North + and South Pacific. I possessed, to some extent, the two latter + qualifications; the former, much to my present and lasting + regret, I did not. Nearly twenty-six years ago the vessel in + which I sailed as supercargo was wrecked on Strong's Island, + the eastern outlier of the fertile Caroline Archipelago, and + for more than twelve months I devoted the greater part of my + time to traversing the mountainous island from end to end, or, + accompanied by a hardy and intelligent native, in fishing, + either in the peculiarly-formed lagoon at the south end, or two + miles or so outside the barrier reef.</p> + + <p>The master of the vessel, I may mention, was the notorious, + over maligned, and genial Captain Bully Hayes, and from him I + had learnt a little about some of the generally unknown + deep-sea fish of Polynesia and Melanesia. He had told me that + when once +<!-- Page 113 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page108" name="page108">[pg 108]</a> + </span> + + sailing between Aneityum and Tanna, in the New Hebrides, + shortly after a severe volcanic eruption on the former island + had been followed by a submarine convulsion, his brig passed + through many hundreds of dead and dying fish of great size, + some of which were of a character utterly unknown to any of his + native crew—men who came from all parts of the North and + South Pacific. More remarkable still, some of these fish had + never before been seen by the inhabitants of the islands near + which they were found. There were, he said, some five or six + kinds, but they were all of the groper family. One of three + which was brought on board was discovered floating on the + surface when the ship was five miles off Tanna. A boat was + lowered, but on getting up to it, the crew found they were + unable to lift it from the water; it was, however, towed to the + ship, hoisted on board, and cut into three parts, the whole of + which were weighed, and reached over 300 lbs. In colour it was + a dull grey, with large, closely-adhering scales about the size + of a florin; the fins, tail, and lips were blue. Another one, + weighing less, had a differently-shaped head, with a curious, + pipe-like mouth; this was a uniform dull blue. A similar + upturning from the ocean's dark depths of strange fish occurred + during a submarine earthquake near Rose Island, a barren spot + to the south-west of Samoa. The disturbance threw up vast + numbers of fish upon the reefs of Manua, the nearest island of + the group, and the natives looked upon their great size and + peculiar appearance with unbounded astonishment.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 114 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page109" name="page109">[pg 109]</a> + </span> + + Without desiring to bore the reader with unnecessary details of + my own experiences in the South Seas, but because the statement + bears on the subject of this article—a subject which has + been my delight since I was a boy of ten years of age—I + may say that, nine years after the loss of Captain Hayes's + vessel on Strong's Island, I was again shipwrecked on Peru, one + of the Gilbert, or, as we traders call them, the "Line" + Islands. Here I was so fortunate as to take up my residence + with one of the local traders, a Swiss named Frank Voliero, who + was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and whose catches were the + envy and wonder of the wild and intractable natives among whom + he lived; for he had excellent tackle, which enabled him to + fish at depths seldom tried by the natives, who have no reason + to go beyond sixty or eighty fathoms. In the long interval that + had elapsed since my fishing days in the Carolines and my + arrival at Peru Island, I had gained such experience in my + hobby in many other parts of the Pacific as falls to few men, + and the desire to fish in deep water, and get something that + astonished the natives of the various islands, had become a + passion with me. Voliero and myself went out together + frequently, and, did space permit, I should like to describe + the fortune that attended us at Peru, as well as my fishing + adventures at Strong's Island.</p> + + <p>In a former work I have endeavoured to describe that + extraordinary nocturnal-feeding fish, the + <i>palu</i> + + , and the manner of its capture by the Malayo-Polynesian + islanders of the Equatorial Pacific, and in the present +<!-- Page 115 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page110" name="page110">[pg 110]</a> + </span> + + article I shall try to convey to my readers an idea of deep-sea + fishing in the South Seas generally. When I was living on the + little island of Nanomaga (one of the Ellice Group, situated + about 600 miles to the north-west of Samoa), as the one + resident trader, I found myself in—if I may use the + term—a marine paradise, as far as fishing went. The + natives were one and all expert fishermen, extremely jealous of + their reputation of being not only the best and most skilful + men in Polynesia in the handling of their frail canoes in a + heavy surf, but also of being deep-learned in the lore of + deep-sea fishing.</p> + + <p>My arrival at the island caused no little commotion among + the young bloods, each of whose chances of gaining the girl of + his heart, and being united to her by the local Samoan + missionary teacher, depended in a great measure upon his + ability to provide sustenance for her from the sea; for + Nanomaga, like the rest of the Ellice Group, is but little more + than a richly-verdured sandbank, based upon a foundation of + coral, and yielding nothing to its people but coconuts and a + coarse species of taro, called puraka. The inhabitants, in + their low-lying atolls, possess no running streams, no fertile + soil, in which, as in the mountainous isles of Polynesia, the + breadfruit, the yam, and the sweet potato grow and flourish + side by side with such rich and luscious fruits as the orange + and banana, and pineapple—they have but the beneficent + coconut and the evergiving sea to supply their needs. And the + sea is kind to them, as Nature meant it to be to her own + children.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 116 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page111" name="page111">[pg 111]</a> + </span> + + The native missionary at Nanomaga was a Samoan. He was intended + by nature to be a warrior, a leader of men; or—and no + higher praise can I give to his dauntless courage—a + boat-header on a sperm whaler. Strong of arm and quick of eye, + he was the very man to either throw the harpoon or deal the + death-giving thrust or the lance to the monarch of the ocean + world; but fate or circumstance had made him a missionary + instead. He was a fairly good missionary, but a better + fisherman.</p> + + <p>Three miles from Nanomaga is a submerged reef, marked on the + chart as the Grand Coral Reef, but known to the natives as Tia + Kau, "the reef." It is in reality a vast mountain of coral, + whose bases lie two hundred fathoms deep, with a flattened + summit of about fifty acres in extent, rising to within five + fathoms of the surface of the sea. This spot is the resort of + incredible numbers of fish, both deep-sea haunting and surface + swimming. Some of the latter, such as the + <i>pala</i> + + (not the + <i>palu</i> + + )—a long, scaleless, beautifully-formed fish, with a head + of bony plates and teeth like a rip-saw—are of great + size, and afford splendid sport, as they are game fighters and + almost as powerful as a porpoise. They run to over 100 lbs., + and yet are by no means a coarse fish. In the shallow water on + the top of this mountain reef there are some eight or nine + varieties of rock cod, none of which were of any great size; + but far below, at a depth of from fifty to seventy fathoms, + there were some truly monstrous fish of this species, and I and + my missionary friend had the luck to catch the four largest + ever taken—221 lbs., 208 lbs., 118 lbs., and 111 lbs. I + had caught when fishing for +<!-- Page 117 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page112" name="page112">[pg 112]</a> + </span> + + schnapper, in thirty fathoms off Camden Haven, on the coast of + New South Wales, a mottled black and grey rock cod, which + weighed 83 lbs., and was assured by the Sydney Museum + authorities that such a weight for a rock cod was rare in that + part of the Pacific, but that + <i>bêche-de-mer</i> + + fishermen on the Great Barrier Reef had occasionally captured + fish of the same variety of double that size and weight.</p> + + <p>Not possessing a boat, we fished from a canoe—a light, + but strong and beautifully constructed craft, with "whalebacks" + fore and aft to keep it from being swamped by seas when facing + or running from a surf. The outrigger was formed of a very + light wood, called + <i>pua</i> + + , about fourteen inches in circumference. With the teacher and + myself there usually went with us a third man, whose duty it + was to keep the canoe head to wind, for anchoring in deep water + in such a tiny craft was out of the question, as well as + dangerous, should a heavy fish or a shark get foul of the + outrigger. Capsizes in the daytime we did not mind, but at + night numbers of grey sharks were always cruising around, and + they were then especially savage and daring.</p> + + <p>Leaving the pretty little village, which was embowered in a + palm grove on the lee side of the island, we would, if + intending to fish on the Tia Kau, make a start before dawn, + remain there till the canoe was loaded to her raised gunwale + pieces with the weight of fish, and then return. Night fishing + on the Tia Kau by a single canoe was forbidden by the + <i>kaupule</i> + + (head men) as being too dangerous on account of the sharks, and + so usually from ten to twenty canoes set out +<!-- Page 118 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page113" name="page113">[pg 113]</a> + </span> + + together. If one did come to grief through being swamped, or + capsized by having the outrigger fouled by a shark, there was + always assistance near at hand, and it rarely happened that any + of the crew were bitten. In 1872, however, a fearful tragedy + occurred on the Tia Kau, when a party of seventy + natives—men, women, and children—who were crossing + to the neighbouring Island of Nanomea, were attacked by sharks + when overtaken on the reef by a squall at night. Only two + escaped to tell the tale. + <a href="#footnote_14" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[14]</span> + </a> + </p> + + <p>If, however, we meant to try for + <i>takuo</i> + + , a huge variety of the mackerel-tribe, or + <i>lahe'u</i> + + , a magnificent bream-shaped fish, we had no need to go so far + as the dangerous Tia Kau; three or four cable-lengths from the + beach, and right in front of the village, we could lie in water + as smooth as glass, and seventy fathoms in depth. Our bait was + invariably flying-fish, freshly caught, or the tentacles of an + octopus. My lines were of white American cotton, and I + generally used two hooks, one below and one above the sinker, + both baited with a whole flying-fish, while my companions + preferred wooden or iron hooks, of their own manufacture, and + lines made from hibiscus bark or coconut fibre.</p> + + <p>I shall always remember with pleasure my first + <i>lahe'u</i> + + . I was accompanied by the native teacher alone, and we paddled + off from the village just after evening service, and brought to + about a quarter of a mile outside the reef. The rest of the + islanders had gone +<!-- Page 119 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page114" name="page114">[pg 114]</a> + </span> + + round in their canoes to the weather side of the little island + to fish for + <i>takuo</i> + + , for we were expecting a + <i>malaga</i> + + , or party of visitors from the Island of Nukufetau in a day or + two, and unusual supplies of fish had to be obtained, to + sustain, not only the island's record as the fishing centre of + the universe, but the people's reputation for hospitality. It + had been my suggestion to the teacher that he and I, who were + unable to accompany the others, should try what we could do + nearer home. The night was brilliantly starlight, and the sea + as smooth as glass—so smooth that there was not even the + faintest swell upon the reef. The trade wind was at rest, and + not the faintest breath of air moved the foliage of the coco + palms lining the white strip of beach. Now and then a splash or + a sudden commotion in the water around us would denote that + some hapless flying-fish had taken an aerial flight from a + pursuing + <i>pala</i> + + , or that a shark had seized a turtle in his cruel jaws. + Lighting our pipes, we lowered our lines together according to + island etiquette, and touched bottom at thirty fathoms; then + hauled in a fathom or two of line to avoid fouling the coral. + In a few minutes my companion hooked an + <i>utu</i> + + , a sluggish fish, somewhat like a salmon in appearance, with + shining silvery scales and a broad flat head. As he was hauling + in, and I was looking over the side of the canoe to watch it + coming up, I felt a sharp, heavy tug at my own line, and, + before I could check it, thirty or forty yards of line whizzed + through my fingers with lightning speed.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Lahe'u!</i> + + " shouted the teacher, hurriedly making +<!-- Page 120 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page115" name="page115">[pg 115]</a> + </span> + + his own line fast, and whipping up his paddle. "Don't give out + any more line or he will run under the reef, and we shall lose + him."</p> + + <p>I knew by the vibration and hum of the line as soon as I had + it well in hand that there was a heavy and powerful fish at the + end. Ioane, disregarding the + <i>utu</i> + + as being of no importance in comparison to a + <i>lahe'u</i> + + , was plunging his paddle rapidly into the water, and + endeavouring to back the canoe seaward into deeper water, but, + in spite of his efforts and my own, we were being taken quickly + inshore. For some two or three minutes the canoe was dragged + steadily landward, and I knew that once the + <i>lahe'u</i> + + succeeded in getting underneath the overhanging ledge of reef, + there would be but little chance of our taking him except by + diving, and diving on a moonless night under a reef, and + freeing a fish from jagged branches of coral, is not a pleasant + task, although an Ellice Islander does not much mind it. + Finding that I could not possibly turn the fish, I asked Ioane + what I should do. He told me to let go a few fathoms of line, + brace my knee against the thwart, and then trust to the sudden + jerk to cant the fish's head one way or the other. I did as I + was told. Out flew the line, and then came a shock that made + the canoe fairly jump, lifted the outrigger clear out of the + water, and all but capsized her. But the ruse was successful, + for, with a furious shake, + <i>lahe'u</i> + + changed his course, and started off at a tremendous rate, + parallel with the reef, and then gradually headed seaward.</p> + + <p>"Let him go," said Ioane, who was carefully +<!-- Page 121 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page116" name="page116">[pg 116]</a> + </span> + + watching the tautened-out line, and steering at the same time. + "'Tis a strong fish, but he is + <i>man tonu</i> + + (truly hooked), and will now tire. But give him no more line, + and haul up to him."</p> + + <p>For fully five minutes the canoe went flying over the water, + and I continued to haul in line fathom by fathom, until I + caught sight of, deep down in the water right ahead, a great + phosphorescent boil and bubble. Then the pace began to slacken, + as the gallant fighter began to turn from side to side, shaking + his head and making futile breaks from port to starboard. + Bidding me come amidships with the line, Ioane took in his + paddle, and picked up the harpoon which we always carried on + the outrigger platform in case of meeting a turtle. Nearer and + nearer came the great fish, till, with a splash of + phosphorescent light and spray, he came to the surface, beating + the water with his forked and bony tail, and still trying to + get a chance for another downward run. Then Ioane, waiting his + opportunity, sent the iron clean through him from side to side, + and I sat down and watched, with a thrill of satisfaction and a + sigh of relief, his final flurry. In a few minutes we hauled + him alongside, drew the harpoon, and with some difficulty + managed to get him over the side and lower him into the bottom + of the canoe amidships, where he lay fore and aft, his curved + back standing up nearly a foot and a half above the raised + gunwale. Although not above four feet in length, he was nearly + three in depth, and about sixteen inches thick at the + shoulder—a truly noble fish.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 122 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page117" name="page117">[pg 117]</a> + </span> + + We have done well," said the teacher, with a pleased laugh, as + he hauled in his own line and dropped a 6-lb. + <i>utu</i> + + into the canoe. "There will be much talk over this to-morrow, + for these people here are very conceited, and think that no one + but themselves can catch + <i>lahe'u</i> + + and + <i>pala</i> + + . They will know better now, when they see this one."</p> + + <p>We returned to the shore within two hours from the time we + left, with my + <i>lahe'u</i> + + , an + <i>utu</i> + + , and five or six salmon-like fish called + <i>tau-tau</i> + + , all nocturnal feeders, and all highly thought of by the + natives, especially the latter. The + <i>lahe'u</i> + + we hung up under the missionary's verandah, and at daylight I + had the intense satisfaction of seeing a crowd of natives + surrounding it, and of hearing their flattering allusions to + myself as a + <i>papalagi masani tonu futi íka</i> + + —a white man who really could fish like a native.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 123 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page118" name="page118">[pg 118]</a> + </span> + + <a name='On_a_Tidal_River'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>On a Tidal River</i> + </h2> + + <p>The English visitor to the Eastern Colonies of Australia who + is in search of sport with either rod or hand line can always + obtain excellent fishing in the summer months even in such + traffic-disturbed harbours as Sydney, Newcastle, and other + ports; but on the tidal rivers of the eastern and southern + seaboard he can, every day, catch more fish than he can carry + during seven months of the year. In the true winter months deep + sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence + of westerly winds, when, for days at a time, the Pacific is as + smooth as a lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, + which is a few miles over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed + River on the north of New South Wales, the stranger may fairly + revel not only in the delights of splendid fishing but in the + charms of beautiful scenery. He needs no guide, will be put to + but little expense, for the country hotel accommodation is good + and cheap; and, should he visit some of the northern rivers + where the towns, or rather small settlements, are few and far + between, he will find the settlers the embodiment of British + hospitality.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 124 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page119" name="page119">[pg 119]</a> + </span> + + Some three years ago the writer formed one of the crew of a + little steamer of fifty tons named the + <i>Jenny Lind</i> + + , which was sent out along the coast in the endeavour to revive + the coast whaling industry. Through stress of weather we had + frequently to make a dash for shelter, towing our sole + whaleboat, to one of the many tidal rivers on the coast between + Sydney and Gabo Island. Here we would remain until the weather + broke, and our crew would literally cover the deck with an + extraordinary variety of fish in the course of a few hours. + Then, at low tide, we could always fill a couple of cornsacks + with excellent oysters, and get bucketfuls of large prawns by + means of a scoop net improvised from a piece of mosquito + netting; game, too, was very plentiful on the lagoons. The + settlers were generally glad to see us, and gave us so freely + of milk, butter, pumpkins, &c., that, despite the rough + handling we always got at sea from the weather, we grew quite + fat. But as the greater part of my fishing experience was + gained on the northern rivers of the colony of N.S. Wales it is + of them I shall write.</p> + + <p>Eighteen hours' run by steamer from Sydney is the Hastings + River, on the southern bank of which, a mile from the bar, is + the old-time town of Port Macquarie, a quaint, sleepy little + place of six hundred inhabitants, who spend their days in + fishing and sleeping and waiting for better times. There are + two or three fairly good hotels, very pretty scenery along the + coast and up the river, and a stranger can pass a month without + suffering from ennui— +<!-- Page 125 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page120" name="page120">[pg 120]</a> + </span> + + that is, of course, if he be fond of fishing and shooting; if + he is not he should avoid going there, for it is the dullest + coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore, from the + steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach, + on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit + down in comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and + flathead. As soon as the tide turns, however, and is well on + the ebb or flow, further fishing is impossible, for the river + rushes out to sea with great velocity, and the incoming tide is + almost as swift. On the other side of the harbour is a long, + sandy point, called the North Shore, about a mile in length. + This, at the north end, is met by a somewhat dense scrub, which + lines the right bank of the river for a couple of miles, and + affords a splendid shade to any one fishing on the river bank. + The outer or ocean beach is but a few minutes' walk from the + river, and a magnificent beach it is, trending in one great + unbroken curve to Point Plomer, seven miles from the + township.</p> + + <p>Before ascending the river on a fishing trip one has to + provide one's self with a plentiful supply of cockles, or + "pippies," as they are called locally. These can only be + obtained on the northern ocean beach, and not the least + enjoyable part of a day's sport consists in getting them. They + are triangular in shape, with smooth shells of every imaginable + colour, though a rich purple is commonest. As the back wash + leaves the sands bare these bivalves may be seen in thick but + irregular patches protruding from the sand. Some +<!-- Page 126 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page121" name="page121">[pg 121]</a> + </span> + + times, if the tide is not low enough, one may get rolled over + by the surf if he happen to have his back turned seaward. + Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as "Condon's + Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the + smartest young sportsmen—although only twelve years + old—ever met with. Both were very small for their age, + and I was always in doubt as to which was which. They were + always delighted to come with me, and did not mind being soused + by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag. Pippies + are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in + Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch + fish bait of any sort, although, when very hungry, it will + sometimes take to octopus flesh. Bream (whether black or + silvery), flathead, trevally, jew-fish, and, indeed, all other + fish obtained in Australia, are not so dainty, for, although + they like "pippies" and prawns best, they will take raw meat, + fish, or octopus bait with readiness. Certain species of sea + and river mullet are like them in this respect, and good sport + may be had from them with a rod in the hot months, as Dick and + Fred, the twins aforesaid, well knew, for often would their + irate father wrathfully ask them why they wasted their time + catching "them worthless mullet."</p> + + <p>But let me give an idea of one of many days' fishing on the + Hastings, spent with the "Twins." Having filled a sugar bag + with "pippies" on the ocean beach, we put on our boots and make + our way through the belt of scrub to where our boat is lying, +<!-- Page 127 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page122" name="page122">[pg 122]</a> + </span> + + tied to the protruding roots of a tree. Each of us is armed + with a green stick, and we pick our way pretty carefully, for + black snakes are plentiful, and to tread on one may mean death. + The density of the foliage overhead is such that but little + sunlight can pierce through it, and the ground is soft to our + feet with the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath. No sound + but the murmuring of the sea and the hoarse notes of countless + gulls breaks the silence, for this side of the river is + uninhabited, and its solitude disturbed only by some settler + who has ridden down the coast to look for straying cattle, or + by a fishing party from the town. Our boat, which we had hauled + up and then tied to the tree, is now afloat, for the tide has + risen, and the long stretches of yellow sandbanks which line + the channel on the farther side are covered now with a foot of + water. As we drift up the river, eating our lunch, and letting + the boat take care of herself, a huge, misshapen thing comes + round a low point, emitting horrid groanings and wheezings. It + is a steam stern-wheel punt, loaded with mighty logs of + black-butt and tallow wood, from fifty feet to seventy feet in + length, cut far up the Hastings and the Maria and Wilson + Rivers, and destined for the sawmill at Port Macquarie.</p> + + <p>In another hour we are at our landing-place, a selector's + abandoned homestead, built of rough slabs, and standing about + fifty yards back from the river and the narrow line of brown, + winding beach. The roof had long since fallen in, and the + fences and outbuildings lay low, covered with vines and + creepers. The intense solitude of the place, the motionless + forest +<!-- Page 128 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page123" name="page123">[pg 123]</a> + </span> + + of lofty grey-boled swamp gums that encompassed it on all sides + but one, and the wide stretch of river before it were + calculated to inspire melancholy in any one but an ardent + fisherman. Scarcely have we hauled our boat up on the sand, and + deposited our provisions and water in the roofless house, when + we hear a commotion in the river—a swarm of fish called + "tailer" are making havoc among a "school" of small mullet, + many of which fling themselves out upon the sand. Presently all + is quiet again, and we get our lines ready.</p> + + <p>For whiting and silvery bream rather fine lines are used, + but we each have a heavy line for flathead, for these fish are + caught in the tidal rivers on a sandy bottom up to three feet + and four feet in length. They are in colour, both on back and + belly, much like a sole, of great width across the shoulders, + and then taper away to a very fine tail. The head is perfectly + flat, very thin, and armed on each side with very sharp bones + pointing tailward; a wound from one of these causes intense + inflammation. The fins are small—so small as to appear + almost rudimentary—yet the fish swims, or rather darts, + along the bottom with amazing rapidity. They love to lie along + the banks a few feet from the shore, where, concealed in the + sand, they can dart out upon and seize their prey in their + enormous "gripsack" mouths. The approach of a boat or a person + walking along the sand will cause them to at once speed like + lightning into deep water, leaving behind them a wake of sand + and mud which is washed off their backs in their flight. Still, + although not a +<!-- Page 129 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page124" name="page124">[pg 124]</a> + </span> + + pleasing fish to look at, the flathead is of a delicious and + delicate flavour. There are some variations in their shades of + colour, from a pale, delicate grey to a very dark brown, + according to their habitat, and, although most frequent in very + shallow water, they are often caught in great quantities off + the coast in from ten to fifteen fathoms of water. Gut or wire + snoodings are indispensable when fishing for flathead, else the + fish invariably severs the line with his fine needle-pointed + teeth, which are set very closely together. Nothing comes amiss + to them as food, but they have a great love for small mullet or + whiting, or a piece of octopus tentacle.</p> + + <p>Baiting our heavy lines with mullet—two hooks with + brass-wire snoods to each line—we throw out about thirty + yards, then, leaving two or three fathoms loose upon the shore, + we each thrust a stick firmly into the sand, and take a turn of + the line round it. As the largest flathead invariably dart upon + the bait, and then make a bolt with it, this plan is a good one + to follow, unless, of course, they are biting freely; in that + case the smaller lines for bream and whiting, &c., are + hauled in, for there is more real sport in landing an 8-lb. + flathead than there is in catching smaller fish, for he is very + game, and fights fiercely for his life.</p> + + <p>Having disposed our big lines, we bait the smaller ones with + "pippies," and not two minutes at the outside elapse after the + sinkers have touched bottom when we know we are to have a good + time, for each of us has hooked a fish, and three whiting are + kicking on the sand before five minutes have expired. Then +<!-- Page 130 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page125" name="page125">[pg 125]</a> + </span> + + for another hour we throw out and haul in again as quickly as + possible, landing whiting from 6 oz. to nearly 2 lbs. in + weight. One of the "Twins" has three hooks on his line, and + occasionally lands three fish together, and now and again we + get small bream and an occasional "tailer" of 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. + As the sun mounts higher the breeze dies away, the heat becomes + very great, and we have frequent recourse to our water + jar—in one case mixing it with whisky. Then the whiting + cease to bite as suddenly as they have begun, and move off into + deeper water. Just as we are debating as to whether we shall + take the boat out into mid-stream, Twin Dick gives a yell as + his stick is suddenly whipped out of the sand, and the loose + line lying beside it rushes away into the water. But Dick is an + old hand, and lets his fish have his first bolt, and then turns + him. "By Jingo! sir, he's a big fellow," he cries, as he hauls + in, the line now as taut as a telegraph wire, and then the + other twin comes to his aid, and in a few minutes the outline + of the fish is seen, coming in straight ahead as quick as they + can pull him. When he is within ten feet of the beach the boys + run up the bank and land him safely, as he turns his body into + a circle in his attempts to shake out the hook. Being called + upon to estimate his weight, I give it as 11 lbs., much to the + twins' sorrow—they think it 15 lbs.</p> + + <p>Half an hour passes, and we catch but half a dozen silvery + bream and some small baby whiting, for now the sun is beating + down upon our heads, and our naked feet begin to burn and + sting, so we adjourn to +<!-- Page 131 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page126" name="page126">[pg 126]</a> + </span> + + the old house and rest awhile, leaving our big lines securely + tied. But, though the breeze for which we wait comes along by + two o'clock, the fish do not, and so, after disinterring our + takes from the wet sand wherein we had buried them as caught to + prevent them being spoilt by the sun, we get aboard again and + pull across to the opposite bank of the river. Here, in much + deeper water, about fifteen feet right under the clayey bank, + we can see hundreds of fine bream, and now and then some small + jew-fish. Taking off our sinkers, we have as good and more + exciting sport among the bream than we had with the whiting, + catching between four and five dozen by six o'clock. Then, + after boiling the billy and eating some fearfully tough corned + meat, we get into the boat again, hoist our sail, and land at + the little township just after dark.</p> + + <p>Such was one of many similar day's sport on the Hastings, + which, with the Bellinger, the Nambucca, the Macleay, and the + Clarence, affords good fishing practically all the year round. + Then, besides these tidal rivers, there are at frequent + intervals along the coast tidal lagoons and "blind" creeks + where fish congregate in really incredible quantities. Such + places as Lake Illawarra and Lake Macquarie are fishing resorts + well known to the tourist; but along the northern coast, where + the population is scantier, and access by rail or steamer more + difficult, there is an absolutely new field open to the + sportsman—in fact, these places are seldom visited for + either fishing or shooting by people from Sydney. During +<!-- Page 132 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page127" name="page127">[pg 127]</a> + </span> + + November and December the bars of these rivers are literally + black with incredible numbers of coarse sea-salmon—a fish + much like the English sea-bass—which, making their way + over the bars, swim up the rivers and remain there for about a + week. Although these fish, which weigh from 6 lbs. to 10 lbs., + do not take a bait and are rather too coarse to eat, their roes + are very good, especially when smoked. They are captured with + the greatest of ease, either by spearing or by the hand; for + sometimes they are in such dense masses that they are unable to + manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins of coastal towns hail + their yearly advent with delight. They usually make their first + appearance about the second week in November, and are always + followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish, + which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless + ranks. Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in + January by shoals of very large sea-mullet—blue-black + backs, silvery bellies and sides, and yellow fins and tails. + These, too, will not take a bait, but are caught in nets, and, + if a steamer happens to be on the eve of leaving for Sydney, + many hundreds of baskets are sent away; but they barely pay the + cost of freight and commission, I believe. There are several + varieties of sea-mullet, one or two of which will take the hook + freely, and I have often caught them off the rocky coast of New + South Wales with a rod when the sea has been smooth. The + arrival of the big sea-mullet denotes that the season for + jew-fish is at its height; and if the stranger to Australian +<!-- Page 133 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page128" name="page128">[pg 128]</a> + </span> + + waters wants exciting sport let him try jew-fishing at night. + In deep water off the coast these great fish are occasionally + caught during daylight, but a dull, cloudy night is best, when + they may be caught from the beach or river bank in shallow + water. Very stout lines and heavy hooks are used, for a 90-lb. + or l00-lb. jew-fish is very common. Baiting with a whole mullet + or whiting, or one of the tentacles of an octopus, the most + amateurish fisherman cannot fail to hook two or three jew-fish + in a night. (Even in Sydney harbour I have seen some very large + ones caught by people fishing from ferry wharves.) They are + very powerful, and also very game, and when they rise to the + surface make a terrific splashing. At one place on the Hastings + River, called Blackman's Point, a party of four of us took + thirteen fish, the heaviest of which was 42 lbs. and the + lightest 9 lbs. Next morning, however, the Blackman's Point + ferryman, who always set a line from his punt when he turned + in, showed us one of over 70 lbs. When they grow to such a size + as this they are not eaten locally, as the flesh is very often + full of thin, thread-like worms. The young fish, however, are + very palatable.</p> + + <p>The saw-fish, to which I have before alluded as harrying the + swarms of sea-salmon, also make havoc with the jew-fish, and + very often are caught on jew-fish lines. They are terrible + customers to get foul of (I do not confound them with the + sword-fish) when fishing from a small boat. Their huge bone + bill, set on both sides with its terrible sharp spikes, their + great length, and enormous strength, render it impossible +<!-- Page 134 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page129" name="page129">[pg 129]</a> + </span> + + to even get them alongside, and there is no help for it but + either to cut the line or pull up anchor and land the creature + on the shore. Even then the task of despatching one of these + fish is no child's play on a dark night, for they lash their + long tails about with such fury that a broken leg might be the + result of coming too close. In the rivers of Northern + Queensland the saw-fish attain an enormous size, and the + Chinese fishermen about Cooktown and Townsville often have + their nets destroyed by a saw-fish enfolding himself in them. + Alligators, by the way, do the same thing there, and are + sometimes captured, perfectly helpless, in the folds of the + nets, in which they have rolled themselves over and over again, + tearing it beyond repair with their feet, but eventually + yielding to their fate.</p> + + <p>The schnapper, the best of all Australian fish, is too well + known to English visitors to describe in detail. Most town-bred + Australians generally regard it as a purely ocean-loving fish, + or at least only frequenting very deep waters in deep harbours, + such as Sydney, Jervis Bay, and Twofold Bay. This is quite a + mistake, for in many of the rivers, twenty or more miles up + from the sea, the writer and many other people have not only + caught these beautiful fish, but seen fishermen haul in their + nets filled with them. But they seldom remain long, preferring + the blue depths of ocean to the muddy bottoms of tidal rivers, + for they are rock-haunting and surf-loving.</p> + + <p>Of late years the northern bar harbours and rivers of New + South Wales have been visited by a fish that +<!-- Page 135 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page130" name="page130">[pg 130]</a> + </span> + + in my boyhood's days was unknown even to the oldest + fisherman—the bonito. Although in shape and size they + exactly resemble the ocean bonito of tropic seas, these new + arrivals are lighter in colour, with bands of marbled grey + along the sides and belly. They bite freely at a running + bait— + <i>i.e.,</i> + + when a line is towed astern, and are very good when eaten quite + fresh, but, like all of the mackerel tribe, rapidly deteriorate + in a few hours after being caught. The majority of the coast + settlers will not eat them, being under the idea that, as they + are all but scaleless, they are "poisonous." This silly + impression also prevails with regard to many other scaleless + fish on the Australian coast, some of which, such as the + trevally, are among the best and most delicate in flavour. The + black and white rock cod is also regarded with aversion by the + untutored settlers of the small coast settlements, yet these + fish are sold in Sydney, like the schnapper, at prohibitive + prices.</p> + + <p>In conclusion, let me advise any one who is contemplating a + visit to Australia, and means to devote any of his time to + either river or sea fishing, to take his rods with him; all the + rest of his tackle he can buy as cheap in the colonies as he + can in England. Rods are but little used in salt-water fishing + in Australia, and are rather expensive. Those who do use a rod + are usually satisfied with a bamboo—a very good rod it + makes, too, although inconvenient to carry when + travelling—but the generality of people use hand lines. + And the visitor must not be persuaded that he can always get + good fishing without +<!-- Page 136 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page131" name="page131">[pg 131]</a> + </span> + + going some distance from Sydney or Melbourne. That there is + some excellent sport to be obtained in Port Jackson in summer + is true, but it is lacking in a very essential thing—the + quietude that is dear to the heart of every true fisherman.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 137 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page132" name="page132">[pg 132]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Denison_Gets_Another_Ship'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Denison Gets Another Ship</i> + </h2> + + <p>Owing to reduced circumstances, and a growing hatred of the + hardships of the sea, young Tom Denison (ex-supercargo of the + South Sea Island trading schooner + <i>Palestine</i> + + ) had sailed from Sydney to undertake the management of an + alleged duck-farm in North Queensland. The ducks, and the vast + area of desolation in which they suffered a brief existence, + were the property of a Cooktown bank, the manager of which was + Denison's brother. He was a kind-hearted man, who wanted to + help Tom along in the world, and, therefore, was grieved when + at the end of three weeks the latter came into Cooktown humping + his swag, smoking a clay pipe, and looking exceedingly tired, + dirty, and disreputable generally. However, all might have gone + well even then had not Mrs. Aubrey Denison, the brother's wife, + unduly interfered and lectured Tom on his "idle and dissolute + life," as she called it, and made withering remarks about the + low tastes of sailors other than captains of mail steamers or + officers in the Navy. Tom, who intended to borrow £10 from + his brother to pay his passage back to Sydney to look for a + ship, bore it all in silence, and +<!-- Page 138 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page133" name="page133">[pg 133]</a> + </span> + + then said that he should like to give up the sea and become a + missionary in the South Seas, where he was "well acquainted + with the natives."</p> + + <p>Mrs. Aubrey (who was a very refined young lady) smiled + contemptuously, and turned down the corners of her pretty + little mouth in a manner that made the unsuccessful duck-farmer + boil with suppressed fury, as she remarked that + <i>she</i> + + had heard of some of the shocking stories he had been telling + the accountant and cashier of the + <i>characters</i> + + of the people in the South Seas, and + <i>she</i> + + quite understood + <i>why</i> + + he wished to return there and re-associate with his vulgar and + wicked companions. Now, she added, had he stuck bravely to work + with the ducks, the Bank (she uttered the word "Bank" in the + tone of reverence as one would say "The Almighty") would have + watched his career with interest, and in time his brother would + have used his influence with the General Manager to obtain a + position for him, Tom Denison, in the Bank itself! But, judging + from + <i>her</i> + + knowledge of his (Tom's) habits and disposition, she would be + doing wrong to hold out the slightest hope for him now, + and——</p> + + <p>"Look here, Maud, you're only twenty-two—two years + older than me, and you talk like an old grandmother;" and then + his wrath overpowered his judgment—"and you'll look like + one before you're twenty-five. Don't you lecture + <i>me</i> + + . I'm not your husband, + <i>thank Heaven above</i> + + ! And damn the bank and its carmine ducks." (He did not say + "carmine," but I study the proprieties, and this is not a + sanguinary story.)</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 139 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page134" name="page134">[pg 134]</a> + </span> + + From the weatherboard portals of the bank Tom strode out in + undisguised anger, and obtained employment on a collier, + discharging coals. Then, by an extraordinary piece of good + luck, he got a billet as proof-reader on the North Queensland + <i>Trumpet Call</i> + + , from which, after an exciting three weeks, he was dismissed + for "general incompetency and wilful neglect of his duties." So + with sorrow in his heart he had turned to the ever-resourceful + sea again for a living. He worked his passage down to Sydney in + an old, heart-broken, wheezing steamer named the + <i>You Yangs</i> + + , and stepped jauntily ashore with sixteen shillings in his + pocket, some little personal luggage rolled up in his blanket, + and an unlimited confidence in his own luck.</p> + + <p>Two vessels were due from the South Sea Islands in about a + month, and as the skippers were both well known to and were on + friendly terms with him, he felt pretty certain of getting a + berth as second mate or supercargo on one of them. Then he went + to look for a quiet lodging.</p> + + <p>This was soon found, and then realising the fact that + sixteen shillings would not permit him viewing the sights of + Sydney and calling upon the Governor, as is the usual procedure + with intellectual and dead-broke Englishmen who come to + Australia with letters of introduction from people who are + anxious to get rid of them, he tried to get temporary + employment by applying personally at the leading warehouses and + merchants' offices. The first day he failed; also the second. + On the third day the secretary of a milk company desired him to + call again in three days. He did, and was then +<!-- Page 140 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page135" name="page135">[pg 135]</a> + </span> + + told by the manager that he "might have something" for him in a + month or two. This annoyed Tom, as he had put on his sole clean + collar that morning to produce a good impression. He asked the + official if six months would not suit him better, as he wanted + to go away on a lengthy fishing trip with the Attorney-General. + The manager looked at him in a dignified manner, and then bade + him an abrupt good-day.</p> + + <p>A week passed. Funds were getting low. Eight shillings had + been paid in advance for his room, and he had spent five in + meals. But he was not despondent; the + <i>Susannah Booth</i> + + , dear, comfortable old wave-puncher, beloved of hard-up + supercargoes, was due in a week, and, provided he could inspire + his landlady with confidence until then, all would be well.</p> + + <p>But the day came when he had to spend his last shilling, and + after a fruitless endeavour to get a job on the wharves to + drive one of the many steam winches at work discharging cargo + from the various ships, he returned home in disgust.</p> + + <p>That night, as he sat cogitating in his bedroom over his + lucklessness, his eye fell on a vegetable monstrosity from + Queensland, presented to him by one of the hands on board the + <i>You Yangs</i> + + . It was a huge, dried bean-pod, about four feet long, and + contained about a dozen large black beans, each about the size + of a watch. He had seen these beans, after the kernels were + scooped out, mounted with silver, and used as match-boxes by + bushmen and other Australian gentry. It at once occurred to him + that he might sell it. Surely the thing ought to be worth at + least five shillings.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 141 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page136" name="page136">[pg 136]</a> + </span> + + In two minutes he was out in the street, but to his disgust + found most of the shops closed, except the very small retail + establishments.</p> + + <p>Entering a little grocery store, he approached the + proprietor, a man with a pale, gargoyle-like face, and + unpleasant-looking, raggedy teeth, and showing him the bean, + asked him to buy it.</p> + + <p>The merchant looked at it with some interest and asked Tom + what it was called.</p> + + <p>Tom said it was a + <i>Locomotor Ataxy</i> + + . (He didn't know what a + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + was; but it sounded well, and was all the Latin he knew, having + heard from his mother that a dissolute brother of hers had been + afflicted with that complaint, superinduced by spirituous + liquors.)</p> + + <p>The grocer-man turned the vegetable over and over again in + his hand, and then asked the would-be vendor if he had any + more. Tom said he hadn't. The + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + , he remarked, was a very rare bean, and very valuable. But he + would sell it cheap—for five shillings.</p> + + <p>"Don't want it," said the man rudely, pushing it away + contemptuously. "It's only a faked-up thing anyway, made of + paper-mashy."</p> + + <p>Tom tried to convince him that the thing was perfectly + genuine, and actually grew on a vine in North Queensland; but + the Notre Dame gargoyle-featured person only heard him with a + snort of contempt. It was obvious he wouldn't buy it. So, + sneeringly observing to the grocer that no doubt five shillings + was a large sum for a man in such a small way of +<!-- Page 142 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page137" name="page137">[pg 137]</a> + </span> + + business as he was, Tom went out again into the cold world.</p> + + <p>He tried several other places, but no one would even look at + the thing. After vainly tramping about for over two hours, he + turned away towards his lodging, feeling very dispirited, and + thinking about breakfast.</p> + + <p>Turning up a side street called Queen's Place, so as to make + a short cut home, he espied in a dimly-lighted little shop an + old man and a boy working at the cobbler trade. They had + honest, intelligent faces, and looked as if they wanted to buy + a + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + very badly. He tapped at the door and then entered.</p> + + <p>"Would you like to buy this?" he said to the old man. He did + not like to repeat his foolish Latin nonsense, for the old + fellow had such a worn, kindly face, and his honest, searching + eyes met his in such a way that he felt ashamed to ask him to + buy what could only be worthless rubbish to him.</p> + + <p>The cobbler looked at the monstrosity wonderingly. "'Tis a + rare big bean," he said, in the trembling quaver of old age, + and with a mumbling laugh like that of a pleased child. "I'll + give you two shillin's for it. I suppose you want money badly, + or else you wouldn't be wanderin' about at ten o'clock at night + tryin' to sell it. I hope you come by it honest, young + man?"</p> + + <p>Tom satisfied him on this score, and then the ancient gave + him the two shillings. Bidding him good-night, Tom returned + home and went to bed.</p> + + <p>(Quite two years after, when Denison returned to +<!-- Page 143 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page138" name="page138">[pg 138]</a> + </span> + + Sydney from the South Seas with more money "than was good for + his moral welfare," as his sister-in-law remarked, he sought + out the old cobbler gentleman and bought back his + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + bean for as many sovereigns as he had been given shillings for + it.)</p> + + <p>Next morning he was down at the wharves before six o'clock, + smoking his pipe contentedly, after breakfasting sumptuously at + a coffee-stall for sixpence. There was a little American barque + lying alongside the Circular Quay, and some of the hands were + bending on her head-sails. Tom sat down on the wharf stringer + dangling his feet and watching them intently. Presently the + mate appeared on the poop, smoking a cigar. He looked at Tom + critically for a moment or so, and then said—</p> + + <p>"Looking for a ship, young feller?"</p> + + <p>The moment Tom heard him speak, he jumped to his feet, for + he knew the voice, last heard when the possessor of it was mate + of the island trading schooner + <i>Sadie Caller</i> + + , a year before in Samoa.</p> + + <p>"Is that you, Bannister?" he cried.</p> + + <p>"Reckon 'taint no one else, young feller. Why, Tom Denison, + is it you? Step right aboard."</p> + + <p>Tom was on the poop in an instant, the mate coming to him + with outstretched hand.</p> + + <p>"What's the matter, Tom? Broke?"</p> + + <p>"Stony!"</p> + + <p>"Sit down here and tell me all about it. I heard you had + left the + <i>Palestine</i> + + . Say, sling that dirty old pipe overboard, and take one of + these cigars. The skipper will be on deck presently, and the + sight of it +<!-- Page 144 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page139" name="page139">[pg 139]</a> + </span> + + would rile him terrible. He hez his new wife aboard, and she + considers pipes ez low-down."</p> + + <p>Tom laughed as he thought of Mrs. Aubrey, and flung his clay + over the side. "What ship is this, Bannister?"</p> + + <p>"The + <i>J.W. Seaver</i> + + , of 'Frisco. We're from the Gilbert Islands with a cargo of + copra."</p> + + <p>"Who is your supercargo?"</p> + + <p>"Haven't got one. Can't get one here, either. Say, Tom, + you're the man. The captain will jump at getting you! Since he + married he considers his life too valuable to be trusted among + natives, and funks at going ashore and doing supercargo's work. + Now you come below, and I'll rake out enough money to get you a + high-class suit of store clothes and shiny boots. Then you come + back to dinner. I'll talk to him between then and now. He knows + a lot about you. I'll tell him that since you left the + <i>Palestine</i> + + you've been touring your native country to 'expand your mind.' + <i>She's</i> + + Boston, as ugly as a brown stone jug, and highly intellectual. + <i>He's</i> + + all right, and as good a sailor-man as ever trod a deck, but + <i>she's</i> + + boss, runs the ship, and looks after the crew's morals. Thet's + why we're short-handed. But she'll take to you like + lightning—when she hears that you've been 'expanding your + mind.' Buy a second-hand copy of Longfellow's, poems, and tell + her that it has been your constant companion in all your + wanderings among vicious cannibals, and she'll just decorate + your cabin like a prima-donna's boudoir, darn your socks, and + make you read some of her own poetry."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 145 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page140" name="page140">[pg 140]</a> + </span> + + That afternoon, Mr. Thomas Denison, clean-shirted and looking + eminently respectable and prosperous, and feeling once more a + man after the degrading duck episode in North Queensland, was + strolling about George Street with Bannister, and at peace with + the world and himself. For the skipper's wife had been + impressed with his intellectuality and modest demeanour, and + was already at work decorating his cabin—as Bannister had + prophesied.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 146 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page141" name="page141">[pg 141]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Jack_Sharks_Pilot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Jack Shark's Pilot</i> + </h2> + + <p>Early one morning as we in the + <i>Palestine</i> + + , South Sea trading schooner, were sailing slowly between + Fotuna and Alofa—two islands lying to the northward of + Fiji—one of the native hands came aft and reported two + large sharks alongside. The mate at once dived below for his + shark hook, while I tried to find a suitable bit of beef in the + harness cask. Just as the mate appeared carrying the heavy hook + and chain, our skipper, who was lying on the skylight smoking + his pipe, although half asleep, inquired if there were "any + pilot fish with the brutes."</p> + + <p>"Yes, sir," said a sailor who was standing in the waist, + looking over the side, "there's quite a lot of 'em. I've never + seen so many at one time before. There's nigh on a dozen."</p> + + <p>The captain was on his feet in an instant. "Don't lower that + hook of yours just yet, Porter," he said to the mate. "I'm + going to get those pilot fish first. Tom, bring me up my small + fishing line."</p> + + <p>"They won't take a hook, will they?" I inquired.</p> + + <p>"Just you wait and see, sonny. Ever taste pilot fish?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 147 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page142" name="page142">[pg 142]</a> + </span> + + No. Are they good to eat?"</p> + + <p>"Best fish in the ocean, barring flying-fish," replied the + skipper, as, after examining his line, he cut off both hook and + leaden sinker and bent on a small-sized + <i>pa</i> + + —a native-made bonito hook cut out from a solid piece of + pearl-shell.</p> + + <p>Then jumping up into the whaleboat which hung in davits on + the starboard quarter he waited for the sharks to appear, and + the mate and I leant over the side and watched. We had not long + to wait, for in a few minutes one came swimming quickly up from + astern, and was almost immediately joined by the other, which + had been hanging about amidships. They were both, however, + pretty deep down, and at first I could not discern any pilot + fish. The captain, however, made a cast and the hook dropped in + the water, about fifty feet in the rear of the sharks; he let + it sink for less than half a minute, and then began hauling in + the line as quickly as possible, and at the same moment I saw + some of the pilot fish quite distinctly—some swimming + alongside and some just ahead of their detestable companions, + which were now right under the counter. Then something gleamed + brightly, and the shining hook appeared, for a second or two + only, for two of the "pilots" darted after it with + lightning-like rapidity, and presently one came to the surface + with a splash, beautifully hooked, and was swung up into the + boat.</p> + + <p>"Now for some fun," cried the captain, as tossing the fish + to us on deck he again lowered the hook. This time it had + barely touched the surface of the +<!-- Page 148 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page143" name="page143">[pg 143]</a> + </span> + + water when away went the line with a rush right under our + keel.</p> + + <p>"This is a big fellow," said the skipper, and up came + another dark blue and silver beauty about a foot in length, + dropping off the hook just in time as he was hoisted clear of + the gunwale. Then, in less than ten minutes—so eager were + they to rush the hook the moment it struck the water—five + more were jumping about upon the deck or in the boat. Then came + a calamity, the eighth fish dropped off when half way up and + took the hook with him, having swallowed it and bitten through + the line.</p> + + <p>The captain jumped on deck again and began rooting out his + bag for another small-sized + <i>pa</i> + + , but to his disgust could not find one ready for + use—none of them having the actual "hook" portion lashed + to the shank, and the operation of lashing one of these + cleverly-made native hooks takes some little time and patience, + for the holes which are bored through the base of the "hook" + part in order to lash it to the shank are very small, and only + very fine and strong cord, such as banana-fibre, can be used. + However, while the irate captain was fussing over his task, the + mate and I were watching the movements of the sharks and their + little friends with the greatest interest, having promised the + captain not to lower the shark hook till he had caught the rest + of the pilot fish, for he assured us that they would most + likely disappear after the sharks were captured. (I learned + from my own experience afterward that he was mistaken, for when + a shark is caught at sea his attendants will frequently +<!-- Page 149 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page144" name="page144">[pg 144]</a> + </span> + + remain with the ship for weeks, or until another shark appears, + in which case they at once attach themselves to him.)</p> + + <p>Both sharks were now swimming almost on the surface, so + close to the ship that they could have been caught in a running + bowline or harpooned with the greatest ease; and in fact our + native crew, who were very partial to shark's flesh, had both + harpoon and bowline in readiness in case the cunning brutes + would not take a bait. They were both of great size—the + largest being over twelve or thirteen feet in length. With the + smaller one were three pilot fish, one swimming directly under + the end of its nose, the others just over its eyes; the larger + had but one attendant, which kept continually changing its + position, sometimes being on one side, then on another, then + disappearing for a few moments underneath the monster's belly, + or pressing itself so closely against the creature's side that + it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had never before + seen these fish at such close quarters, and their extraordinary + activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions was + most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the + sharks would cease moving, they would take up a position within + a few inches of its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then + swim under its belly and reappear at the tail, then slowly make + their way along its back or sides to the hideous head again. + Sometimes, either singly or all together, they would dart away + on either side, but quickly returned, never being absent more + than a minute. These brief excursions showed them to be +<!-- Page 150 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page145" name="page145">[pg 145]</a> + </span> + + extremely swift, yet when they returned to their huge + companions they instantly became—at least to all + appearance—intensely sluggish and languid in their + movements, and swam in an undecided, indefinite sort of manner + as if thoroughly exhausted. But this was but in appearance, for + suddenly they would again shoot away along the surface of the + water with lightning-like rapidity, disappear from view of the + keenest eye, and, ere you could count five, again be beside the + vessel swimming as leisurely, if not as lazily, as if they were + incapable of quickening their speed.</p> + + <p>Having his line ready again, the captain now began fishing + from the stern, and succeeded in catching three of the + remaining four, the last one (which our natives said was the + fish which had swallowed the first hook) refusing even to look + at the tempting bit of iridescent pearl-shell. Then the + impatient mate lowered his bait over the stern, having first + passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four of + the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller + of the two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up + alongside amidships struggled and lashed about so furiously + that the big fellow came lumbering up to see what was the + matter, and Billy Rotumah, our native boatswain, who was + watching for him, promptly drove a harpoon socket deeply into + him between the shoulders; then, after some difficulty, a + couple of running bowlines settled them both in a comfortable + position to be stunned with an axe.</p> + + <p>The schooner was at this time within a few miles of a small + village on Alofa, named Mua, and presently +<!-- Page 151 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page146" name="page146">[pg 146]</a> + </span> + + a boat manned by natives boarded us to sell yams, taro, + pineapples, and bananas, all of which we bought from them in + exchange for the sharks' livers and some huge pieces of flesh + weighing two or three hundred pounds. These people (who + resemble the Samoans in appearance and language) were much + impressed and terrified when they saw the pilot fish which had + been caught, and told our crew that ours would be an unlucky + ship—that we had done a dangerous and foolish thing. + Their feeling on the subject was strong; for when I asked them + if they would take two or three of the fish on shore to Father + Hervé, one of the French priests living on Fotuna, who was + an old friend, they started back in mingled terror and + indignation, and absolutely declined to even touch them. Taking + one of the pilot fish up I held it by the head between my + forefinger and thumb and asked the natives if they did not + consider it good to look at.</p> + + <p>"True," replied a fine, stalwart young fellow, speaking in + Samoan, "it is good to look at," and then he added gravely, "<i>Talofa + lava ia te outou i le vaa nei, ua lata mai ne aso + malaia ma le tigā</i>" + + ("Alas for all you people on this ship, there is a day of + disaster and sorrow near you").</p> + + <p>I tried to ascertain the cause of their terror, but could + only elicit the statement that to kill a pilot fish meant + direful misfortune. No sensible man, they asserted, would do + such a senseless and + <i>saua</i> + + (cruel) thing, and to eat one was an abomination + unutterable.</p> + + <p>As soon as our visitors had left I hurried to make a closer + examination of our prizes before the cook took +<!-- Page 152 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page147" name="page147">[pg 147]</a> + </span> + + possession of them. Of the eleven, only one was over a foot in + length, the rest ranged from five to ten inches. The beautiful + dark blue of the head and along the back, so noticeable when + first caught, had now lost its brilliancy, and the four wide + vertical black stripes on the sides had also become dulled, + although the silvery belly was still as bright as a new dollar. + The eyes were rather large for such a small fish, and all the + fins were blue-black, with a narrow white line running along + the edges. Their appearance even an hour after death was very + handsome, and in shape they were much like a very plump trout. + In the stomachs of some we found small flying squid, little + shrimps, and other Crustacea.</p> + + <p>Our Manila-man cook, although not a genius, certainly knew + how to fry fish, and that morning we had for breakfast some of + Jack Shark's pilots—the most delicately-flavoured + deep-sea fish I have ever tasted—except, perhaps, that + wonderful and beautiful creature, the flying-fish.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 153 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page148" name="page148">[pg 148]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_quotPaluquot_of_the_Equatorial_Pacific'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The "Palu" of the Equatorial Pacific</i> + </h2> + + <p>During a residence of half a lifetime among the various + island-groups of the North-western and South Pacific, I devoted + much of my spare time—and I had plenty of it + occasionally—to deep-sea fishing, my tutors being the + natives of the Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert, and Ellice + Groups.</p> + + <p>The inhabitants of the last-named cluster of islands are, as + I have said, the most skilled fishermen of all the + Malayo-Polynesian peoples with whom it has been my fortune to + have come in contact. The very poverty of their island + homes—mere sandbanks covered with coconut and pandanus + palms only—drives them to the sea for their food; for the + Ellice Islanders, unlike their more fortunate prototypes who + dwell in the forest-clad, mountainous, and fertile islands of + Samoa, Tahiti, Raratonga, &c., live almost exclusively upon + coconuts, the drupes of the pandanus palm, and fish. From their + very infancy they look to the sea as the main source of their + food-supply, either in the clear waters of the lagoon, among + the breaking surf on the +<!-- Page 154 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page149" name="page149">[pg 149]</a> + </span> + + reef, or out in the blue depths of the ocean beyond. From morn + till night the frail canoes of these semi-nude, brown-skinned, + and fearless toilers of the sea may be seen by the voyager + paddling swiftly over the rolling swell of the wide Pacific in + chase of the + <i>bonito</i> + + , or lying motionless upon the water, miles and miles away from + the land, ground-fishing with lines a hundred fathoms long. + Then, as the sun dips, the flare of torches will be seen along + the sandy beaches as the night-seekers of flying-fish launch + their canoes and urge them through the rolling surf beyond the + reef, where, for perhaps three or four hours, they will paddle + slowly to and fro, just outside the white line of roaring + breakers, and return to the shore with their tiny craft + half-filled with the most beautiful and wonderful fish in the + world. The Ellice Island method of catching flying-fish would + take too long to explain here, much as I should like to do so; + my purpose is to describe a very remarkable fish called the + <i>palu</i> + + , in the capture of which these people are the most skilful. + The catching of flying-fish, however, bears somewhat on the + subject of this article, as the + <i>palu</i> + + will not take any other bait but a flying-fish, and therefore a + supply of the former is a necessary preliminary to + <i>palu</i> + + fishing.</p> + + <p>Let us imagine, then, that the bait has been secured, and + that a party of + <i>palu</i> + + -fishers are ready to set out from the little island of + Nanomaga, the smallest but most thickly populated of the Ellice + Group. The night must be windless and moonless, the latter + condition being absolutely indispensable, although, +<!-- Page 155 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page150" name="page150">[pg 150]</a> + </span> + + curiously enough, the fish will take the hook on an ordinary + starlight night. Time after time have I tried my luck with + either a growing or a waning moon, much to the amusement of the + natives, and never once did I get a + <i>palu</i> + + , although other nocturnal-feeding fish bit freely enough.</p> + + <p>The tackle used by the natives is made of coconut cinnet, + four or eight-stranded, of great strength, and capable of + holding a fifteen-foot shark should one of these prowlers seize + the bait. The hook is made of wood—in fact, the same as + is used for shark-fishing—about one inch and a half in + diameter, fourteen inches in the shank, with a natural curve; + the barb, or rather that which answers the purpose of a barb, + being supplied by a small piece lashed horizontally across the + top of the end of the curve. These peculiar wooden hooks are + <i>grown</i> + + ; the roots of a tree called + <i>ngiia</i> + + , whose wood is of great toughness, are watched when they + protrude from a bank, and trained into the desired shape; + specimens of these hooks may be seen in almost any + ethnographical museum. To sink the line, coral stones of three + or four pounds weight are used, attached by a very thin piece + of cinnet or bark, which, when the fish is struck, is always + broken by its struggles, and falls off, thus releasing the line + from an unnecessary weight. It is no light task hauling in a + thick, heavy line, hanging straight up and down for a length of + from seventy-five to a hundred fathoms or more!</p> + + <p>Each canoe is manned by four men, only two of whom usually + fish, the other two, one at the bow and +<!-- Page 156 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page151" name="page151">[pg 151]</a> + </span> + + the other at the stern, being employed in keeping the little + craft in a stationary position with their paddles. If, however, + there is not much current all four lower their lines, one man + working his paddle with one hand so as to keep from drifting. + My usual companions were the resident native teacher and two + stalwart young natives of the island—Tulu'ao and Muli'ao; + and I may here indulge in a little vanity when I say that my + success as a + <i>palu</i> + + -fisher was regarded as something phenomenal, only one other + white man in the group, a trader on the atoll of Funafuti, + having ever caught a + <i>palu</i> + + , or, in fact, tried to catch one. But then I had such + beautiful tackle that even the most skilled native fisherman + had no chance when competing with me. My lines were of + twenty-seven-strand white American cotton, as thick as a small + goose-quill, and easily handled, never tangling or twisting + like the native cinnet; and my hooks were the admiration and + envy of all who saw them. They were of the "flatted" Kirby + type, eyed, but with a curve in the shank, which was five + inches in length, and as thick as a lead-pencil. I had bought + these in Sydney, and during the voyage down had rigged them + with snoodings of the very best seizing wire, intending to use + them for shark-fishing. I had smaller ones down to three + inches, but always preferred using the largest size, as the + <i>palu</i> + + has a large mouth, and it is a difficult matter in a small + canoe on a dark night to free a hook embedded in the gullet of + a fish which is awkward to handle even when exhausted, and + weighing as much as sixty or seventy +<!-- Page 157 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page152" name="page152">[pg 152]</a> + </span> + + pounds; while I also knew that any unusual noise or commotion + would be almost sure to attract some of those most dangerous of + all night-prowlers of the Pacific, the deep-water blue + shark.</p> + + <p>Paddling out due westward from the lee side of the island, + where the one village is situated, we would bring-to in about + seventy or eighty fathoms. As I always used leaden sinkers, my + companions invariably let me lower first to test the depth, as + with a two or three-pound lead my comparatively thin line took + but little time in running out and touching bottom. A whole + flying-fish was used for one bait by the natives, it being tied + on to the inner curve of the great wooden hook, whilst I cut + one in half, fore-and-aft, and ran my hook through it + lengthwise.</p> + + <p>The utmost silence was always observed; and even when + lighting our pipes we were always careful not to let the + reflection of the flame of the match fall upon the water, on + account of the sharks, which would at once be attracted to the + canoe, and hover about until they were rewarded for their + vigilance by seizing the first + <i>palu</i> + + brought to the surface. Sometimes a hungry shark will seize the + outrigger in his jaws, or get foul of it, and upset the canoe, + and a capsize under such circumstances is a serious matter + indeed. For this reason the canoes are never far apart from + each other; if one should be attacked or disabled by a shark + the others at once render assistance, and the shark is usually + thrust through with a lance if he is too big to be captured and + killed. All haste is then made to get away from the spot, + leaving the disturber of the pro +<!-- Page 158 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page153" name="page153">[pg 153]</a> + </span> + + ceedings to be devoured by his companions, whom the scent of + blood soon brings upon the scene.</p> + + <p>With ordinary luck we would get our first + <i>palu</i> + + within an hour of lowering our lines. At such a great depth as + eighty or ninety fathoms a bite would scarcely be felt by one + of my companions on his thick, heavy, and clumsy line; but on + mine it was very different, and there was hardly an occasion on + which I did not secure the first fish. Like most + bottom-haunting fish in very deep water the + <i>palu</i> + + makes but a brief fight. If he can succeed in "getting his + head," he will at once rush into the coral forest amid which he + lives, and endeavour to save himself by jamming his body into a + cleft or chasm of rock, and let the hook be torn from his jaws, + which are soft, boneless, and glutinous. Once, however, he is + dragged clear of the coral he seems to lose all heart; and, + although he makes an occasional spurt, he grows weaker and + weaker as he is dragged toward the surface, and when lifted + into the canoe is apparently lifeless, his large eyes literally + standing out of his head, and his stomach distended like a + balloon. So enormous is the distention of the bladder that + sometimes it will protrude from the mouth, and then burst with + a noise like a pistol-shot! Perhaps some of my readers will + smile at this, but they could see the same thing occur with + other deep-sea fish besides the + <i>palu</i> + + . In the Caroline and Marshall Islands there is a species of + grey groper which is caught in a depth ranging from one hundred + to one hundred and fifty fathoms; these fish, which range up to + two hundred pounds, actually burst their +<!-- Page 159 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page154" name="page154">[pg 154]</a> + </span> + + stomachs when brought to the surface; for the air in the + cavities of the body expands on the removal of the great + pressure which at such depths keeps it compressed.</p> + + <p>Now as to the appearance of the + <i>palu</i> + + . When first caught, and seen by the light of a lantern or + torch, it is a dark, silvery grey in colour, with prickly, + inverted scales—like the feathers of a French fowl of a + certain breed. The head is somewhat cod-shaped, with eyes quite + as large as a crown-piece; the teeth are many, small, and soft, + and bend to a firm pressure; and the bones in the fin and tail + are so soft and flexible that they may be bent into any shape, + but when dried are of the appearance and consistency of + gelatine. The length of the largest + <i>palu</i> + + I have seen was five feet six inches, with a girth of about + forty inches. This one was caught in about ninety fathoms of + water; and when I opened the stomach I found it to contain five + or six undigested fish, about seven inches in length, of the + groper species, and for which the natives of the island had no + name or knowledge of beyond the appellation + <i>ika kehe</i> + + —"unknown fish"—that is, fish which are only seen + when taken from the stomach of a deep-sea fish, or are brought + to the surface or washed ashore after some submarine + disturbance.</p> + + <p>The flesh of the + <i>palu</i> + + is greatly valued by the natives of the equatorial islands of + the Pacific for its medicinal qualities as a laxative, whilst + the oil with which it is permeated is much used as a remedy for + rheumatism and similar complaints. Within half an hour of its + being taken from the water the skin +<!-- Page 160 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page155" name="page155">[pg 155]</a> + </span> + + changes to a dead black, and the flesh assumes the appearance + of whale blubber. Generally, the fish is cooked in the usual + native ground-oven as quickly as possible, care being taken to + wrap it closely up in the broad leaves of the + <i>puraka</i> + + plant—a species of gigantic taro—in order that none + of the oil may be lost. Thinking that the oil, which is + perfectly colourless and with scarcely any odour, might prove + of value, I once "tried out" two of the largest fish taken, and + obtained a gallon. This I sent to a firm of drug-merchants in + Sydney; but unfortunately the vessel was lost on the + passage.</p> + + <p>The + <i>palu</i> + + does not seem to have a wide habitat. In the Tonga Islands it + is, I believe, very rare; and in Fiji, Samoa, and other + mountainous groups throughout Polynesia the natives appear to + have no knowledge of it, although they have a fish possessing + the same peculiar characteristics, but of a somewhat different + shape. I have fished for it without success at half a dozen + places in Samoa, in New Britain, and New Ireland. But it is + generally to be found about the coasts of any of the low-lying + coral islands of the Union (or Tokelau) Group, the Ellice, + Gilbert, Marshall, and part of the Caroline archipelagoes. The + Gilbert Islanders call it + <i>te ika ne peka</i> + + —a name that cannot well be translated into bald English, + though there is a very lucid Latin equivalent.</p> + + <p>In 1882 I took passage from the Island of Nukufetau in the + Ellice Group for the Caroline Islands. The vessel was a fine + brigantine of 160 tons, and was named the + <i>Orwell</i> + + . She was, unfortunately, com +<!-- Page 161 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page156" name="page156">[pg 156]</a> + </span> + + manded by an incompetent, obstinate, self-willed man, who, + though a good seaman, had no meteorological knowledge and + succeeded in losing the ship, when lying at anchor, on Peru + Island, in the Gilbert Group, ten days after leaving Nukufetau, + simply through disregarding the local trader's advice to put to + sea. Disastrous as was the incident to me, for I lost trade + goods and personal effects to the value of over a thousand + pounds, and came ashore with what I stood in—to wit, a + pyjama suit—and a bag of Chili dollars, I had reason to + afterwards congratulate myself from a fisherman's point of + view.</p> + + <p>Living on the island was a Swiss, Frank Voliero, whom I have + before mentioned. He was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and was + on that account highly respected by the natives, who otherwise + did not care for him, as he was of an exceedingly quarrelsome + disposition. He was an expert + <i>palu</i> + + man, and he and I therefore quickly made Island + <i>bruderschaft</i> + + . During the three months I remained on Peru we had many + fishing trips, and caught not less than fifty + <i>palu</i> + + . The largest of these was evidently a patriarch, for although + he was in rather poor condition he weighed 136 lbs. and was 6 + feet 10 inches in length. Another, hooked at a depth of + eighty-five fathoms, was only 5 feet 2 inches, and weighed 129 + lbs. Its stomach contained a small octopus with curiously + stunted tentacles, almost as thick at the tips as they were at + the base, but in all other respects similar to those found in + shallow water upon the reefs and in the lagoon.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 162 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page157" name="page157">[pg 157]</a> + </span> + + Both Voliero and myself tried many kinds of bait for + <i>palu,</i> + + believing that the native theory that the fish would only take + flying-fish was wrong. We found that on Peru, any elongated + fish, such as gars, silvery mullet, or young bonito, were + acceptable, and that the tentacle of an octopus, after the + outer skin was removed, answered just as well. Yet further + southward among the Pacific Isles, flying-fish is the only bait + they will take! Evidently, therefore, the + <i>palu</i> + + , at the great depths in which it lives, is attracted by a + brightly-hued fish whose habitat is on the surface of the + ocean. Why this is so must be decided by ichthyologists, for + there are no bright, silvery-scaled fish inhabiting the ocean + at such depths as eighty or a hundred fathoms. And why is it + that the + <i>palu,</i> + + quiescent by day, and feeding only at night, so eagerly seizes + a hook baited with a flying-fish—a fish which never + descends more than a few fathoms below the surface, and which + the + <i>palu</i> + + can never possibly see except when it is lowered by human hands + to, or sinks to the bottom?</p> + + <p>Of the marvellous efficacy of the + <i>palu</i> + + -oil in a case of acute rheumatism I can speak with knowledge. + The second mate of an island-trading schooner of which I was + the supercargo, was landed at Arorai, in the Line Islands, + unable to move, and suffering great agony. After two days' + massaging with + <i>palu</i> + + -oil he recovered and returned to his duties.</p> + + <p>[Since this was written I have learned that Mr. E.R. Waite, + of the Sydney Museum, has described the + <i>palu</i> + + as the + <i>Ruvettus pretiosus</i> + + , "which hitherto +<!-- Page 163 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page158" name="page158">[pg 158]</a> + </span> + + was known only from the North Atlantic, and whose recorded + range is now enormously increased. The Escolar—to give it + its Atlantic name—has been taken at depths as great as + three and four hundred fathoms, but can only be taken at night + in September and the early part of October." I should very much + like to learn how the + <i>palu</i> + + is taken at a depth of four hundred fathoms—eight hundred + yards!]</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 164 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page159" name="page159">[pg 159]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Wily_quotGoannerquot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Wily "Goanner"</i> + </h2> + + <p>In the early part of the year 1899 a settler named Hardy, + residing at Glenowlan, in the Rylstone district of New South + Wales, about 150 miles from Sydney, lost numbers of his lambs + during the lambing season. Naturally enough, dingoes were + suspected, but none were seen. Then other sheep—men began + to lose lambs, and a close watch was set, with the result that + iguanas, which are very numerous in this part of the country, + were discovered to be the murderers of the little "baa-baa's." + The cause of this new departure in the predatory habits of the + "goanner"—which hitherto had confined his evil deeds to + nocturnal visits to the fowl-yards—is stated to be the + extermination of the opossum, which has driven the cunning + reptile to seek for another source of food. And, as before the + shooting of kangaroos, wallabies, and opossums was resorted to + as a means of livelihood by hundreds of bushmen who had no + other employment open to them, the young of these marsupials + furnished the iguana with an ample supply of food, the theory + is very probably correct. Poison will be the only method of + destroying or reducing the numbers of the iguana, +<!-- Page 165 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page160" name="page160">[pg 160]</a> + </span> + + who, robber as he is, yet has his good points, as has even the + sneaking, blood-loving native cat—for both are merciless + foes to snakes of all kinds; and 'tis better to have an + energetic and hungry native cat and a score of wily iguanas + working havoc among the tenants of your fowl-house than one + brown or an equally deadly "bandy-bandy" snake within half a + mile.</p> + + <p>In that part of New South Wales in which the writer was + born—one of the tidal rivers on the northern + coast—both snakes and iguanas were plentiful, and a + source of continual worry to the settlers.</p> + + <p>On one occasion some boyish companions and myself set to + work to build a raft for fishing purposes out of some old and + discarded blue gum rails which were lying along the bank of the + river. Boy-like, we utterly disregarded our parents' admonition + to put on our boots, and, aided by a couple of blackfellows, we + moved about the long grass on our bare feet, picking up the + heavy rails and carrying them on our shoulders, one by one, + down to the sandy beach, where we were to lash them together. + Presently we came across a very heavy rail, about eight feet + long, twelve inches in width, and two inches thick. It was no + sooner up-ended than we saw half a dozen + "bandy-bandies"—the smallest but most deadly of + Australian snakes, not even excepting the + death-adder—lying beneath! We gave a united yell of + terror and fled as the black and yellow banded + reptiles—none of which were over eighteen inches in + length nor thicker than a man's little finger—wriggled + between our feet into the long grass around +<!-- Page 166 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page161" name="page161">[pg 161]</a> + </span> + + us. For some minutes we were too frightened at our escape to + speak; but soon set to work to complete the raft. Presently one + of the blackfellows pointed to a tall honeysuckle-tree about + fifty feet away, and said with a gleeful chuckle, "Hallo, you + see him that 'pfeller goanner been catch him bandy-bandy?"</p> + + <p>Sure enough, an iguana, about three feet in length, was + scurrying up the rough, ridgy bark of the honeysuckle with a + "bandy-bandy" in his jaws. He had seized the snake by its head, + I imagine, for we could see the rest of its form twisting and + turning about and enveloping the body of its capturer. In a few + seconds we saw the iguana ascend still higher, then he + disappeared with his hateful prey among the loftier branches. + No doubt he enjoyed his meal.</p> + + <p>About a year or so later I was given another instance of the + "cuteness" of the wicked "goanner." My sister (aged twelve) and + myself (two years younger) were fishing with bamboo rods for + mullet. We were standing, one on each side, of the rocky edges + of a tiny little bay on the coast near Port Macquarie (New + South Wales). The background was a short, steep beach of soft, + snow-white sand, fringed at the high-water margin with a dense + jungle of wild apple and pandanus-trees.</p> + + <p>The mullet bit freely, and as we swung the gleaming, + bright-silvered fish out of the water on to the rocks on which + we stood, we threw them up on to the beach, and left them to + kick about and coat themselves with the clean, white + sand—which they did in such an artistic manner that one + would imagine +<!-- Page 167 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page162" name="page162">[pg 162]</a> + </span> + + they considered it egg and breadcrumb, and were preparing + themselves to fulfil their ultimate and proper use to the + <i>genus homo</i> + + .</p> + + <p>My sister had caught seven and I five, when, the sun being + amidships, we decided to boil the billy of tea and get + something to eat; young mullet, roasted on a glowing fire of + honeysuckle cobs were, we knew, very nice. So, laying down our + rods on the rocks, we walked up to the beach—just in time + to see two "goanners"—one of them with a wriggling mullet + in his mouth—scamper off into the bush.</p> + + <p>A careful search revealed the harrowing fact that nine of + the twelve fish were missing, and the multitudinous criss-cross + tracks on the sand showed the cause of their disappearance. My + sister sat down on a hollow log and wept, out of sheer vexation + of spirit, while I lit a fire to boil the billy and grill the + three remaining mullet. Then after we had eaten the fish and + drank some tea, we concocted a plan of deadly revenge. We took + four large bream-hooks, bent them on to a piece of + fishing-line, baited each hook with a good-sized piece of + octopus (our mullet bait), and suspended the line between two + saplings, about three inches above the leaf-strewn ground. + Then, feeling confident of the success of our murderous device, + we finished the billy of tea and went back to our fishing. We + caught a couple of dozen or more of fine mullet, each one + weighing not less than 1-1/2 lbs.; and then the incoming tide + with its sweeping seas drove us from the ledge of rocks to the + beach, where we changed our bamboo rods for hand-lines with + sinkers, +<!-- Page 168 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page163" name="page163">[pg 163]</a> + </span> + + and flung them, baited with chunks of mullet, out into the + breaking surf for sea-bream. By four in the afternoon we had + caught more fish than we could well carry home, five miles + away; and after stringing the mullet and bream through the + gills with a strip of supple-jack cane, we went up the beach to + our camp for the billy can and basket.</p> + + <p>And then we saw a sight that struck terror into our guilty + souls—a + <i>Danse Macabre</i> + + of three writhing black and yellow, long-tailed "goanners," + twisting, turning and lashing their sinuous and scaly tails in + agony as they sought to free their widely-opened jaws from the + cruel hooks. One had two hooks in his mouth. He was the + quietest of the lot, as he had less purchase than the other two + upon the ground, and with one hook in his lower and one in his + upper jaw, glared upwards at us in his torture and smote his + sides with his long, thin tail.</p> + + <p>"Oh, you wicked, wicked boy!" said my partner in + guilt—at once shifting the responsibility of the whole + affair upon me—"you ought to be ashamed of yourself for + doing such a thing! You know well enough that we should never + hurt a poor, harmless iguana. Oh, + <i>do</i> + + take those horrible hooks out of the poor things' mouths and + let them go, you wicked, cruel boy!"</p> + + <p>With my heart in my mouth I crept round through the scrub, + knife in hand.</p> + + <p>"Go on, you horrible, horrible, coward!" screamed my sister; + "one would think that the poor things were alligators or + sharks. Oh, my goodness, if you're so frightened, I'll come and + do it myself." With that +<!-- Page 169 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page164" name="page164">[pg 164]</a> + </span> + + she clambered up into the branches of a pandanus-tree and + looked at me excitedly, mingled with considerable contempt and + much fear.</p> + + <p>Being quite wise enough not to attempt to take the hooks out + of the "goanners'" mouths, I cut the two ends of the line to + which they hung. They instantly sought refuge on the tree + trunks around them; but as each "goanner" selected his + individual tree, and as they were still connected to each other + by the line and the hooks in their jaws, their attempts to + reach a higher plane was a failure. So they fell to upon one + another savagely.</p> + + <p>"Come away, you wicked, thoughtless boy," said my sister, + weepingly. "I shall never come out with you again; you cruel + thing."</p> + + <p>Then, overcoming my fear, I valiantly advanced, and gingerly + extending my arm, cut the tangled-up fishing line in a dozen + places; and with my bamboo fishing-rod disintegrated the + combatants. They stood for a few seconds, panting and + open-mouthed, and then, with the hooks still fast in their + jaws, scurried away into the scrub.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 170 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page165" name="page165">[pg 165]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Tanifa_of_Samoa'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Tănifa of Samoa</i> + </h2> + + <p>Many years ago, at the close of an intensely hot day, I set + out from Apia, the principal port of Samoa, to walk to a + village named Laulii, a few miles along the coast. Passing + through the semi-Europeanised town of Matautu, I emerged out + upon the open beach. I was bound on a pigeon-shooting trip to + the mountains, but intended sleeping that night at Laulii with + some native friends who were to accompany me. With me was a + young Manhiki half-caste named Allan Strickland; he was about + twenty-two years of age and one of the most perfect specimens + of athletic manhood in the South Pacific. + <a href="#footnote_15" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[15]</span> + </a> + + For six months we had been business partners and comrades in a + small cutter in which we traded between Apia and + Sava'ii—the largest island of the Samoan group; and now + after some months of toil we were taking a week's holiday + together, and enjoying ourselves greatly, although at the time + (1873) the country was in the throes of an internecine war.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 171 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page166" name="page166">[pg 166]</a> + </span> + + A walk of a mile brought us to the mouth of the Vaivasa River, + a small stream flowing into the sea from the littoral on our + right. The tide was high and we therefore hailed a picket who + were stationed in the trenches on the opposite bank and asked + them in a jocular manner not to fire at us while we were wading + across. To our surprise, for we were both well known to and on + very friendly terms with the contending parties, half a dozen + of them sprang up and excitedly bade us not to attempt to + cross.</p> + + <p>"Go further up the bank and cross to our + <i>olo</i> + + (lines) in a canoe," added a young Manono chief whose family I + knew well, "there is a + <i>tănifa</i> + + about. We saw it last night."</p> + + <p>That was quite enough for us—for the name + <i>Tănifa</i> + + sent a cold chill down our backs. We turned to the right, and + after walking a quarter of a mile came to a hut on the bank at + a spot regarded as neutral ground. Here we found some women and + children and a canoe, and in less than five minutes we were + landed on the other side, the women chorusing the dreadful fate + that would have befallen us had we attempted to cross at the + mouth of the river.</p> + + <p>" + <i>E lima gafa le umi!</i> + + " ("'Tis five fathoms long!") cried one old dame.</p> + + <p>"And a fathom wide at the shoulders," said another + bare-bosomed lady, with a shudder. "It hath come to the mouth + of the Vaivasa because it hath smelt the blood of the three men + who were killed in the river here two days ago."</p> + + <p>"We'll hear the true yarn presently," said my +<!-- Page 172 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page167" name="page167">[pg 167]</a> + </span> + + companion as we walked down the left-hand bank of the river. + "There must be a + <i>tănifa</i> + + cruising about, or else those Manono fellows wouldn't have been + so scared at us wanting to cross."</p> + + <p>As soon as we reached the young chief's quarters, we were + made very welcome, and were obliged to accept his invitation to + remain and share supper with himself and his men—all + stalwart young natives from the little island of Manono—a + lovely spot situated in the straits separating Upolo from + Savaii. Placing our guns and bags in the care of one of the + warriors, we took our seats on the matted floor, filled our + pipes anew, and, whilst a bowl of kava was being prepared, + Li'o, the young chief told us about the advent of the + <i>tănifa</i> + + .</p> + + <p>Let me first of all, however, explain that the + <i>tănifa</i> + + is a somewhat rare and greatly-dreaded member of the + old-established shark family. By many white residents in Samoa + it was believed to occasionally reach a length of from twenty + to twenty-five feet; as a matter of fact it seldom exceeds ten + feet, but its great girth, and its solitary, nocturnal habit of + haunting the mouths of shallow streams has invested it even to + the native mind with fictional powers of voracity and + destruction. Yet, despite the exaggerated accounts of the + creature, it is really a dreadful monster, rendered the more + dangerous to human life by the persistency with which it + frequents muddied and shallow water, particularly after a + freshet caused by heavy rain, when its presence cannot be + discerned.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 173 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page168" name="page168">[pg 168]</a> + </span> + + Into the port of Apia there fall two small streams—called + "rivers" by the local people—the Mulivai and the + Vaisigago, and I was fortunate to see specimens of the + <i>tănifa</i> + + on three occasions, twice at the Vaisigago, and once at the + mouth of the Mulivai, but I had never seen one caught, or even + sufficiently exposed to give me an idea of its proportions. + Many natives, however—particularly an old Rarotongan + named Hapai, who lived in Apia, and was the proud capturer of + several + <i>tănifa</i> + + —gave me a reliable description, which I afterwards + verified.</p> + + <p>A + <i>tăifa</i> + + ten feet long, they assured me, was an enormously bulky and + powerful creature with jaws and teeth much larger than an + ocean-haunting shark of double that length; the width across + the shoulders was very great, and although it generally swam + slowly, it would, when it had once sighted its prey, dart along + under the water with great rapidity without causing a ripple. + At a village in Savaii, a powerfully built woman who was + incautiously bathing at the mouth of a stream was seized by one + of these sharks almost before she could utter a cry, so swiftly + and suddenly was she attacked. Several attempts were made to + capture the brute, which continued to haunt the scene of the + tragedy for several days, but it was too cunning to take a hook + and was never caught.</p> + + <p>This particular + <i>tănifa</i> + + , which had been seen by the young Manono chief and his men on + the preceding evening had made its appearance soon after + darkness had fallen and had cruised to and fro across the mouth + of the Vaivasa till the tide began to fall, when it made +<!-- Page 174 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page169" name="page169">[pg 169]</a> + </span> + + its way seaward through a passage in the reef. It was, so Li'o + assured me, quite eight feet in length and very wide across the + head and shoulders. The water was clear and by the bright + starlight they had discerned its movements very easily; once it + came well into the river and remained stationary for some + minutes, lying under about two feet of water. Some of the + Manono men, hailing a picket of the enemy on the opposite bank + of the river, asked for a ten minutes' truce to try and shoot + it; this was granted, and standing on top of the sandy trench, + half a dozen young fellows fired a volley at the shark from + their Sniders. None of the bullets took effect and the + <i>tănifa</i> + + sailed slowly off again to cruise to and fro for another hour, + watching for any hapless person who might cross the river.</p> + + <p>Just as the kava was being handed round, some children who + were on watch cried out that the + <i>tănifa</i> + + had come. Springing to his feet, Li'o again hailed the enemy's + picket on the other side, and a truce was agreed to, so that + "the white men could have a look at the + <i>mālie</i> + + "—shark.</p> + + <p>Thirty or forty yards away was what seemed to be a huge, + irregular and waving mass of phosphorus which, as it drew + nearer, revealed the outlines of the dreaded fish. It came in + straight for the mouth of the creek, passed over the pebbly + bar, and then swam leisurely about in the brackish water, + moving from bank to bank at less than a dozen feet from the + shore. The stream of bright phosphorescent light which had + surrounded its body when it first appeared had now, owing to + there being but a minor degree of phos +<!-- Page 175 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page170" name="page170">[pg 170]</a> + </span> + + phorus in the brackish water, given place to a dulled, sickly, + greenish reflection, accentuated however by thin, vivid + streaks, caused by the exudation from the gills of a streaming, + viscid matter, common to some species of sharks, and giving it + a truly terrifying and horrible appearance. Presently a couple + of natives, taking careful aim, fired at the creature's head; + in an instant it darted off with extraordinary velocity, + rushing through the water like a submerged comet—if I may + use the illustration. Both of the men who had fired were + confident their bullets had struck and badly wounded the shark, + but were greatly disgusted when, ten minutes later, it again + appeared, swimming leisurely about, at ten fathoms from the + beach.</p> + + <p>Three days later, as we were returning to Apia, we were told + by our native friends that the shark still haunted the mouth of + the Vaivasa; and I determined to capture it. I sent Allan on + board the cutter for our one shark hook—a hook which had + done much execution among the sea prowlers. Although not of the + largest size, being only ten inches in the shank, it was made + of splendid steel, and we had frequently caught fifteen-feet + sharks with it at sea. It was a cherished possession with us + and we always kept it—and the four feet of chain to which + it was attached—bright and clean.</p> + + <p>In the evening Allan returned, accompanied by the local + pilot (a Captain Hamilton) and the fat, puffing, master of a + German barque. They wanted "to see the fun." We soon had + everything in readiness; the hook, baited with the + belly-portion of a freshly-killed pig +<!-- Page 176 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page171" name="page171">[pg 171]</a> + </span> + + (which the Manono people had commandeered from a bush village) + was buoyed to piece of light + <i>pua</i> + + wood to keep it from sinking, and then with twenty fathoms of + brand-new whale line attached, we let it drift out into the + centre of the passage. Then making our end of the line fast to + the trunk of a coconut tree, we set some children to watch, and + went into the trenches to drink some kava, smoke, and + gossip.</p> + + <p>We had not long to wait—barely half an hour—when + we heard a warning yell from the watchers. The + <i>tănifa</i> + + was in sight.</p> + + <p>Jumping up and tumbling over each other in our eagerness we + rushed out; but alas! too late for the shark; for instead of + approaching in its usual leisurely manner, it made a straight + dart at the bait, and before we could free our end of the line + it was as taut as an iron bar, and the creature, with the hook + firmly fastened in his jaw, was ploughing the water into foam, + amid yells of excitement from the natives. Then suddenly the + line fell slack, and the half-a-dozen men who were holding it + went over on their backs, heels up.</p> + + <p>In mournful silence we hauled it in, and then, oh woe! the + hook, our prized, our beautiful hook, was gone! and with it two + feet of the chain, which had parted at the centre swivel. That + particular + <i>tănifa</i> + + was seen no more.</p> + + <p>Nearly two months later, two + <i>tănifa</i> + + of a much larger size, appeared at the mouth of the Vaivasa. + Several of the white residents tried, night after night, to + hook them, but the monsters refused to look at +<!-- Page 177 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page172" name="page172">[pg 172]</a> + </span> + + the baits. Then appeared on the scene an old one-eyed Malay + named 'Reo, who asserted he could kill them easily. The way in + which he set to work was described to me by the natives who + witnessed the operations. Taking a piece of green bamboo, about + four feet in length, he split from it two strips each an inch + wide. The ends of these he then, after charring the points, + sharpened carefully; then by great pressure he coiled them up + into as small a compass as possible, keeping the whole in + position by sewing the coil up in the fresh skin of a fish + known as the + <i>isuumu moana</i> + + —a species of the "leather-jacket." Then he asked to be + provided with two dogs. A couple of curs were soon provided, + killed, and the viscera removed. The coils of bamboo were then + placed in the vacancy and the skin of the bellies stitched up + with small wooden skewers. That completed the preparation of + the baits.</p> + + <p>As soon as the two sharks made their appearance, one of the + dead dogs was thrown into the water. It was quickly swallowed. + Then the second followed, and was also seized by the other + <i>tănifa</i> + + . The creatures cruised about for some hours, then went off, as + the tide began to fall.</p> + + <p>On the following evening they did not turn up, nor on the + next; but the Malay insisted that within four or five days both + would be dead. As soon as the dogs were digested, he said, the + thin fish-skin would follow, the bamboo coil would fly apart, + and the sharpened ends penetrate not only the sharks' + intestines, but protrude through the outer skin as well.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 178 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page173" name="page173">[pg 173]</a> + </span> + + Quite a week afterwards, during which time neither of the + <i>tănifa</i> + + had been seen alive, the smaller of the two was found dead on + the beach at Vailele Plantation, about four miles from the + Vaivasa. It was examined by numbers of people, and presented an + extremely interesting sight; one end of the bamboo spring was + protruding over a foot from the belly, which was so cut and + lacerated by the agonised efforts of the monster to free itself + from the instrument of torture, that much of the intestines was + gone.</p> + + <p>That the larger of these dreaded fish had died in the same + manner there was no reason to doubt; but probably it had sunk + in the deep water outside the barrier reef.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 179 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page174" name="page174">[pg 174]</a> + </span> + + <a name='On_Board_the_quotTucopiaquot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>On Board the "Tucopia."</i> + </h2> + + <p>The little island trading barque + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , Henry Robertson, master, lay just below Garden Island in + Sydney Harbour, ready to sail for the Friendly Islands and + Samoa as soon as the captain came on board. At nine o'clock, as + Bruce, the old, white-haired, Scotch mate, was pointing out to + Mrs. Lacy and the Reverend Wilfrid Lacy the many ships around, + and telling them from whence they came or where they were + bound, the second mate called out—</p> + + <p>"Here's the captain's boat coming, sir."</p> + + <p>Bruce touched his cap to the pale-faced, violet-eyed + clergyman's wife, and turning to the break of the poop, at once + gave orders to "heave short," leaving the field clear to Mr. + Charles Otway, the supercargo of the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , who was twenty-two years of age, had had seven years' + experience of general wickedness in the South Seas, thought he + was in love with Mrs. Lacy, and that, before the barque reached + Samoa, he would make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid + was a serious mistake, and that he, Charles Otway, was the one + man in the world whom she could love and be happy with for + ever. So, being a hot-blooded +<!-- Page 180 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page175" name="page175">[pg 175]</a> + </span> + + and irresponsible young villain, though careful and decorous to + all outward seeming, he set himself to work, took exceeding + care over his yellow, curly hair, and moustache, and abstained + from swearing in Mrs. Lacy's hearing.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>A week before, Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had called at the owner's + office and inquired about a passage to Samoa in the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , and Otway was sent for.</p> + + <p>"Otway," said the junior partner, "can you make room on the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + for two more passengers—nice people, a clergyman and his + wife."</p> + + <p>"D——all nice people, especially clergymen and + their wives," he answered promptly—for although the + youngest supercargo in the firm, he was considered, the + smartest—and took every advantage of the fact. "I'm sick + of carting these confounded missionaries about, Mr. Harry. Last + trip we took two down to Tonga—beastly hymn-grinding + pair, who wanted the hands to come aft every night to prayers, + and played-up generally with the discipline of the ship. + Robertson never interfered, and old Bruce, who is one of the + psalm-singing kidney himself, encouraged the beasts to turn the + ship into a floating Bethel."</p> + + <p>"Mr. Harry" laughed good-naturedly. "Otway, my boy, you + mustn't put on so much side—the firm can't afford it. If + you hadn't drunk so much whisky last night you would be in a + better temper this morning."</p> + + <p>"Oh, if you've got some one else to take my billet +<!-- Page 181 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page176" name="page176">[pg 176]</a> + </span> + + on the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , why don't you say so, instead of backing and filling about, + like a billy-goat in stays? + <i>I</i> + + don't care a damn if you load the schooner up to her maintop + with sky-pilots and their dowdy women-kind. I've had enough of + 'em, and I hereby tender you my resignation. I can get another + and a better ship to-morrow, if—"</p> + + <p>"Sit down, you cock-a-hoopy young ass," and "Mr. Harry" hit + the supercargo a good-humoured but stiff blow in the chest. + "These people aren't missionaries; they're a cut above the + usual breed. Man's a gentleman; woman's as sweet as a rosebud. + Now look here, Otway; we give you a pretty free hand generally, + but in this instance we want you to stretch a point—you + can give these people berths in the trade-room, can't you?"</p> + + <p>The supercargo considered a moment. "There's a lot returning + this trip. First, there's the French priest for Wallis + Island—nice old buffer, but never washes, and grinds his + teeth in his sleep—he's in the cabin next to mine; old + Miss Wiedermann for Tonga—cabin on starboard + side—fussy old cat, who is always telling me that she can + distinctly hear Robertson's bad language on deck. But her + brother is a good sort, and so I put up with her. Then there's + Captain Burr, in the skipper's cabin, two Samoan half-caste + girls in the deck-house—there's going to be trouble over + those women, old Bruce says, and I don't doubt it—and the + whole lot will have their meals in the beastly dog-kennel you + call a saloon, and I call a sweat-box."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 182 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page177" name="page177">[pg 177]</a> + </span> + + Thank you, Mr. Otway. Your elegant manner of speaking shows + clearly the refining influence of the charming people with whom + you associate. Just let me tell you this—you looked like + a gentleman a year or two ago, but become less like one every + day."</p> + + <p>"No wonder," replied Otway sullenly, "the Island trade is + not calculated to turn out Chesterfields. I'm sick enough of + it, now we are carrying passengers as well as cargo. I suppose + the firm will be asking us supercargoes to wear uniform and + brass buttons soon, like the ticket collector on a penny + ferry."</p> + + <p>"Quite likely, my sulky young friend—quite likely, if + it will pay us to do so."</p> + + <p>"Then I'll clear out, and go nigger-catching again in the + Solomons. That's a lot better than having to be civil to people + who worry the soul out of you, are always in the way at sea, + and a beastly nuisance in port. Why, do you know what old Miss + Weidermann did at Manono, in Samoa, when we were there buying + yams three months ago?"</p> + + <p>"No; what did she do?"</p> + + <p>"Got the skipper and myself into a howling mess through her + infernal interference; and if the chiefs and old Mataafa + himself had not come to our help there would have been some + shooting, and this firm could never have sent another ship to + Manono again. It makes me mad when I think of it—the + silly old bundle of propriety and feminine spite."</p> + + <p>"Tell me all about it, Otway. 'Twill do you good, I can see, + to unburden yourself of some of your +<!-- Page 183 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page178" name="page178">[pg 178]</a> + </span> + + bad temper. Shut that door, and we'll have a brandy-and-soda + together."</p> + + <p>"Well," said Otway, "this is what occurred. I was ashore in + the village, buying and weighing the yams, the skipper was + lending me a hand, and everything was going on bully, when + Mataafa and his chiefs sent an invitation to us to come up to + his house and drink kava. Of course such an invitation from the + native point of view was a great honour; and then, besides + that, it was good business to keep in with old Mataafa, who had + just given the Germans a thrashing at Vailele, and was as proud + as a dog with two tails. So, although I hate kava, I accepted + the invitation with 'many expressions of pleasure,' and felt + sure that as the old fellow knew me of old, and I knew he + wanted to buy some rifles, that I should get the bulk of a bag + of sovereigns his mongrel, low-down American secretary was + carrying around. So oft went the skipper and I, letting the + yams stand over till we returned; the barque was lying about a + mile off the beach. Mataafa was very polite to us, and during + the kava drinking I found out that he had about three hundred + sovereigns, and wanted to see the Martini-Henrys we had on + board. Of course I told him that it would be a serious business + for the ship if he gave us away—imprisonment in a + dreadful dungeon in Fiji, if not hanging at the yard-arm or a + man-of-war—and the old cock winked his eye and laughed. + Then, as time was valuable, we at once concocted a plan to get + the rifles—fifty—ashore without making too much of + a show. Well, +<!-- Page 184 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page179" name="page179">[pg 179]</a> + </span> + + among some of the women present there were two great swells, + one was the + <i>taupo</i> + + , or town maid, of Palaulae in Savaii, and the other was a + niece of Mataafa himself. These two, accompanied by a lot of + young women of Manono, were to go off on board the barque in + our boats, ostensibly to pay their respects to the white lady + on board, and invite her on shore, so as to get her out of the + way; then I was to pass the arms out of the stern ports into + some canoes which would be waiting just as it became dark. + About five o'clock they started off in one boat, leaving me and + the skipper to follow in another. I had sent a note off to the + mate telling him all about the little game, and to be mighty + polite to the two chief women, who were to be introduced to + Miss Weidermann, give the old devil some presents of mats, + fruits, and such things, and ask her to come ashore as + Mataafa's guest.</p> + + <p>"Well, something had gone wrong with the Weidermann's + temper; for when the women came on board she was sulking in her + cabin, and refused to show her vinegary face outside her + state-room door. Thinking she would get over her tantrum in a + few minutes, the mate invited the two Samoan ladies and their + attendants down into the cabin, where they awaited her + appearance, behaving themselves, of course, very decorously, it + being a visit of ceremony.</p> + + <p>"Presently Old Cat-face opened her door, and then, without + giving the native ladies time to utter a word, she launched out + at them in her bastard-mongrel Samoan-Tongan. The first thing + she said was that she knew the kind of women they were, and + what +<!-- Page 185 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page180" name="page180">[pg 180]</a> + </span> + + had brought them on board! How dared such brazen, shameless + cattle come into the cabin! Into the same cabin as a white + lady! The bold, half-naked, disgraceful hussies, etc., etc. And + then she capped the thing by calling to the steward to come and + drive them out!</p> + + <p>"Not one of the native women could answer her. They were all + simply dumbfounded at such a gross insult, and left the cabin + in silence. The mate tried to smooth things over, but one of + the women—Mataafa's niece—gave him a look that told + him to say no more. In half an hour the whole lot of them were + back on the beach, and came up to the chiefs house, where the + skipper and myself were having a final drink of kava with old + Mataafa and his + <i>faipule</i> + + . + <a href="#footnote_16" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[16]</span> + </a> + + The face of the elder of the two women was blazing with anger, + and then, pointing to the captain and myself, she gave us such + a tongue-lashing for sending her off to the ship to be shamed + and insulted, that made us blush. Old Mataafa waited until she + had finished, and then, with an ugly gleam in his eye but + speaking very quietly, asked us what it meant.</p> + + <p>"What + <i>could</i> + + we say but that it was no fault of ours; and then, by a happy + inspiration, I added that although Miss Weidermann was + generally well-conducted enough, she sometimes got blazing + drunk, and made a beast of herself. This explanation satisfied + the chiefs, if not the women, and everything went on +<!-- Page 186 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page181" name="page181">[pg 181]</a> + </span> + + smoothly. And as it was then nearly dark, and I was determined + that Mataafa should get his rifles, half a dozen of his men + took us off in their canoes, and we went on board. The skipper + and I had fixed up as to what we should do with the Weidermann + creature. She was seated at the cabin table waiting to open out + on us, but the skipper didn't give her a chance.</p> + + <p>"'Go to your cabin at once, madam,' he said solemnly, 'and I + trust you will not again leave it in your present condition. + Your conduct is simply astounding. + <i>Steward, see that you give Miss Weidermann no more grog</i> + + .'</p> + + <p>"The poor old girl thought that either he or she herself was + going mad, but he gave her no time to talk. The captain opened + her state-room door, gently pushed her in, and put a man + outside to see that she didn't come out again. Then we handed + out the rifles through the stern-ports to the natives in the + canoes, and sent them away rejoicing. And that's the end of the + yarn, and Miss Weidermann nearly went into a fit next morning + when we told her that no less than thirty respectable native + women had taken their oaths that she was mad drunk, and abused + them vilely."</p> + + <p>The junior partner laughed loudly at the story, and Otway, + with a more amiable look on his face, rose.</p> + + <p>"Well, I'll do what I can for these people. I'll make room + for them somehow. Where are they going?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 187 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page182" name="page182">[pg 182]</a> + </span> + + Samoa. They have an idea of settling down there, I think, for a + few months, and then going on to China. They have plenty of + money, apparently."</p> + + <p>"Oh, well, tell them to come on board to-morrow, and I'll + show them what can be done for them."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>So the Rev. and Mrs. Lacy did come on board, and Mr. Charles + Otway was vanquished by just one single glance from the lady's + violet eyes.</p> + + <p>"It would have been such a dreadful disappointment to us if + we could not have obtained passages in the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + ," she said, in her soft, sweet voice, as she sank back in the + deck-chair he placed before her. "My husband is so bent on + making a tour through Samoa. Now, do tell me, Mr. Otway, are + these islands so very lovely?"</p> + + <p>"Very, very lovely, Mrs. Lacy," replied Otway, leaning with + his back against the rail and regarding her with half-closed + eyes; "as sweet and fair to look upon as a lovely woman—a + woman with violet eyes and lips like a budding rose."</p> + + <p>She gave him one swift glance, seemingly in anger, yet her + eyes smiled into his; then she bent her head and regarded the + deck with intense interest. Otway thought he had scored. She + was sure + <i>she</i> + + had.</p> + + <p>Otway had just shown her and her husband his own cabin, and + had told them that they could occupy it—he would make + himself comfortable in the trade-room, he said. This was after + the first look from the violet eyes.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p> +<!-- Page 188 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page183" name="page183">[pg 183]</a> + </span> + + Robertson, the skipper, came aboard, shook hands with Mrs. Lacy + and her husband, nodded to the other passengers, dived below + for a moment or two, and then reappeared on deck, full of + energy, blasphemy, and anxiety to get under way. In less than + an hour the smart barque was outside the Heads, and heeling + over to a brisk south-westerly breeze. Two days later she was + four hundred miles on her course.</p> + + <p>The Rev. Wilfrid Lacy soon made himself very agreeable to + the rest of the passengers, who all agreed that he was a + splendid type of parson, and even Otway, who had as much + principle as a rat and began making love to his wife from the + outset, liked him. First of all, he was not the usual style of + travelling clergyman. He didn't say grace at meals, he smoked a + pipe, drank whisky and brandy with Otway and Robertson, told + rattling good stories, and displayed an immediate interest when + the skipper mentioned that the second mate was a "bit of a + bruiser," and that there were gloves on board; and the second + mate, a nuggety little Tynesider, at once consented to a + friendly mill as soon as he was off duty.</p> + + <p>"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy, "you'll shock every one. I can + see that Captain Robertson wonders what sort of a clergyman you + are."</p> + + <p>Robertson saw the merry light in her dark eyes, and then + laughed aloud as he saw Miss Weidermann's face. It expressed + the very strongest disapproval, and during the rest of the meal + the virgin lady preserved a dismal silence. The rest of the + passengers, however, "took" to the clerical gentleman at once. + With +<!-- Page 189 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page184" name="page184">[pg 184]</a> + </span> + + old Father Roget—the Marist missionary who sat opposite + him—he soon entered into an animated conversation, while + the two De Boos girls, vivacious Samoan half-castes, attached + themselves to his wife. Seated beside Otway was another + passenger, an American skipper named Burr, who was going to + Apia to take command of a vessel belonging to the same firm as + the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + . He was a silent, good-looking man of about sixty, and + possessed of much caustic humour and a remarkable fund of + smoking-room stories, which, on rare occasions, he would relate + in an inimitable, drawling manner, as if he was tired. The + chief mate was a deeply but not obtrusively religious Scotsman; + the second officer, Allen, was a young man of thirty, an + excellent seaman, but rough to the verge of brutality with the + crew. Bruce, on the other hand, was too easy-going and + patient.</p> + + <p>"I never want to raise my hand against a man," he said one + day, as a protest, when Allen gave one of the crew an + unmerciful cuff which sent him down as if he had been shot.</p> + + <p>"Neither do I," replied Allen, "I prefer raising my foot. + But it's habit, Mr. Bruce, only habit."</p> + + <p>For five days the barque ran steadily on an E.N.E. course, + then on the sixth day the wind hauled, and by sunset it was + blowing hard from the eastward with a fast-gathering sea. By + two in the morning Robertson and his officers knew that they + were in for a three-days' easterly gale; a few hours later it + was decided to heave-to, as the sea had become dangerous, and + the +<!-- Page 190 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page185" name="page185">[pg 185]</a> + </span> + + little vessel was straining badly. Just after this had been + done, the gale set in with redoubled fury, and when Mrs. Lacy + came on deck shortly before breakfast, she shuddered at the + wild spectacle. Coming to the break of the poop, she clasped + the iron rail with both hands, and gazed fearfully about + her.</p> + + <p>"You had better go below, ma'am," said the second mate, who + was standing near, talking to Otway, "there's some nasty, lumpy + seas."</p> + + <p>Then he gave a yell.</p> + + <p>"Look out there!"</p> + + <p>Springing to Mrs. Lacy's side, he clasped his left arm + around her waist, and held on tightly to the iron rail with his + right, just as a vast mountain of water took the barque + amidships, fell on her deck with terrific force, and fairly + buried her from the topgallant foc'scle to the level of the + poop. In less than half a minute the galley, for'ard + deck-house, long-boat, which was lying on the main hatch, and + the port bulwarks had vanished, together with three poor seamen + who were asleep in the deck-house. The fearful crash brought + the captain flying on deck. One glance showed him that there + was no chance of saving the men—to attempt to lower a + boat in such a sea was utterly impossible, and would be madness + itself. He sighed, and then took off his cap. Allen and Otway + followed his example.</p> + + <p>"Is there no hope for them?" Mrs. Lacy whispered to + Otway.</p> + + <p>"None," replied the supercargo in a low voice. "None." Then + he urged her to go below, as it was not safe for her to remain + on deck. She went at once, +<!-- Page 191 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page186" name="page186">[pg 186]</a> + </span> + + and met her husband just as he was leaving their cabin.</p> + + <p>"What is the matter, Nell?" he asked, as he saw that tears + were in her eyes.</p> + + <p>"Three poor men have been carried overboard, Wilfrid. They + were in the deck-house asleep ten minutes ago—now they + are gone! Oh, isn't it dreadful, dreadful!" And then she sat + down beside him and wept silently.</p> + + <p>Breakfast was a forlorn meal—Robertson and his + officers were not present, and Otway took the captain's seat. + He, too, only remained to drink a cup of coffee, then hurriedly + went on deck. Lacy rose at the same time, but at the foot of + the companion, Otway motioned him to stop.</p> + + <p>"Don't come on deck awhile, if you please," he said, "and + tell the ladies to keep to the cabin."</p> + + <p>"Anything fresh gone wrong?"</p> + + <p>"Yes," replied the supercargo, looking steadily at the + clergyman—"the ship is making water badly. Don't you hear + the pumps going? Tell the ladies not to come on deck—say + it is not safe. And if the old Weidermann girl hears the pumps, + and gets inquisitive, tell her that a lot of water got into the + hold when that big sea tumbled aboard. She's an inquisitive old + ass, and would be bound to tell the other ladies that the ship + is in danger."</p> + + <p>Lacy nodded. "All right, I'll see to her. How long has the + ship been leaking?"</p> + + <p>"For quite a long time. And there is fourteen inches in her, + and it's as much as we can do to keep it under."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 192 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page187" name="page187">[pg 187]</a> + </span> + + That is serious."</p> + + <p>Otway nodded. "Yes, it is serious in weather like this. Now + I must go. Daresay we may give you a call in the course of the + morning. Ever try a spell at old-fashioned brake pumps? Fine + exercise."</p> + + <p>"I'm ready now if you want me," was the quiet answer.</p> + + <p>The + <i>Tucopia</i> + + was indeed in a pretty bad case. Immediately after the fatal + sea had swept her decks the carpenter had sounded the well and + found fifteen inches of water, some little of which had got + below through the fore-scuttle, but the greater portion, it was + soon evident, was the result of a leak. The barque was a + comparatively new vessel, and Robertson and his officers, after + two hours' pumping, came to the conclusion that she had either + strained herself badly or a butt-end had started somewhere.</p> + + <p>For two hours the crew worked at the pumps, taking a spell + of ten minutes every half-hour, Otway, the American captain + Burr, and Mr. Lacy all lending a hand. Then the well was + sounded, and showed two inches less.</p> + + <p>Robertson ordered the men to come aft and get a glass of + grog. They trooped down into the cabin wet and exhausted, and + the steward served them each out half a tumblerful of good + French brandy. They drank it off, and then went on deck again + to have a smoke before resuming pumping. A quarter of an hour + later the pumps choked. There were a hundred tons of coal in + the lower hold, and some of the small of it had been drawn up. + By the time the carpenter had +<!-- Page 193 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page188" name="page188">[pg 188]</a> + </span> + + them cleared the water had gained seven inches, and the little + barque was labouring heavily. Again, however, the willing crew + turned to and pumped steadily for another hour, but only + succeeded in reducing the water by an inch or two. Then + Robertson called his officers together and consulted.</p> + + <p>"We can't keep on like this much longer," he said, "the + water is gaining on us too fast. And we can't run before such a + sea as this, in our condition; we should be pooped in less than + five minutes. We shall have to take to the boats in another + couple of hours, unless a change takes place. Mr. Allen, and + you, Mr. Otway, see to the two boats, and get them in + readiness."</p> + + <p>Then he went below to the passengers. They were all seated + in the main cabin, and looked anxiously at him as he + entered.</p> + + <p>"I am sorry to tell you, ladies," he said quietly, "that the + ship is leaking so badly that I fear we shall have to abandon + her. The men cannot keep on pumping much longer, now that we + are three hands short. Fortunately we have two good boats, and, + if we must take to them, shall have no trouble in reaching + land."</p> + + <p>They heard him in silence, then the old priest opened his + state-room door, and came out.</p> + + <p>"That is bad news indeed, captain," he said gently. "Still + we must bow to God's will, and trust to His guidance and + protection. And you and your officers and crew are good and + brave seamen."</p> + + <p>"Thank you, father. We'll do all right if we +<!-- Page 194 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page189" name="page189">[pg 189]</a> + </span> + + have to take to the boats. And you must try and cheer up the + ladies. Now I must leave you all for awhile. We will stick to + the pumps for another hour or two."</p> + + <p>"Captain," said Sarah de Boos, a tall, finely built young + woman of twenty, "let my sister and myself and our servant help + the men at the pump. + <i>Do</i> + + , please. We are all three very strong, and our help is surely + worth having."</p> + + <p>Robertson patted her soft cheek with his big, sunburnt hand. + "You are your father's daughter, Sarah, and I thank you. Of + course your help would be something; three fine lusty young + women"—he tried to smile—"but it's too dangerous + for you to be on deck. All the bulwarks are gone, and nasty + lumping seas come aboard every now and then."</p> + + <p>"I'm not afraid of a life-line hurting my waist," was the + prompt answer, "and neither is Sukie—are you Sukie? Go on + deck, captain, and Sukie and I and Mina" (the servant) "will + just kick off our boots and follow you."</p> + + <p>"And I too," broke in old Father Roget. "Surely I am not too + old to help."</p> + + <p>In less than five minutes the two half-caste girls, the + native woman Mina, and the old priest, were working the + starboard brake, three seamen being on the lee side. Every now + and then, as the barque took a heavy roll to windward, the + water would flood her deck up to the workers' knees; but they + stuck steadily to their task for half an hour, when they gave + place +<!-- Page 195 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page190" name="page190">[pg 190]</a> + </span> + + to Burr, the carpenter, the Rev. Wilfrid, and three native + seamen.</p> + + <p>In the cabin Mrs. Lacy sat with ashen-hued face beside Miss + Weidermann, their hands clasped together, and listening to the + wild clamour of the wind and sea. Presently the two De Boos + girls, Lacy, Father Roget, and Mina, came below to rest awhile, + the water streaming from their sodden garments. The old priest, + thoroughly exhausted, threw himself down upon the transom + locker cushions.</p> + + <p>"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy coming over to him and placing her + shaking hand on his shoulder, "cannot I do something? Oh, Miss + De Boos, I wish I were brave, like you. But I am not—I am + a coward, and I hate myself for it."</p> + + <p>The Rev. Wilfrid smiled tenderly at her as he drew her to + him for a moment. "Don't worry, little woman. You can't do + anything—yes, you can, though! Get me my pipe and fill it + for me. My hands are wet and cramped."</p> + + <p>Sukie De Boos, whose firm, rounded bosom and strong square + shoulders made a startling contrast, as they revealed their + shape under her soddened blouse, to Mrs. Lacy's fragile figure, + impulsively put her hands out, and taking Mrs. Lacy's face + between them, kissed her twice.</p> + + <p>"Dear Mrs. Lacy," she said, "don't be frightened, please. + Now get Mr. Lacy's pipe, and I'll rummage the steward's pantry + and get some food for us all to eat. Mr. Otway told me to tell + you and Miss Weidermann to eat something, as maybe we may not + get anything +<!-- Page 196 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page191" name="page191">[pg 191]</a> + </span> + + for some hours. So I'm just going to stay here and see that + every one + <i>does</i> + + eat. I'll set you a good example."</p> + + <p>In a few minutes she laid upon the table an assortment of + tinned meats, bread, and some bottled beer, and some brandy for + Father Roget and Lacy. Otway came down, followed by the + steward, and nodded approval.</p> + + <p>"That's right, Sukie. Eat as much as you can. I'll take a + drink myself. Here's luck to you, Sukie. Perhaps we won't have + to make up a boating party after all. But there's nothing like + being ready. So will you, Mr. Lacy, lend a hand here with the + steward, and pass up our provisions to the second mate? The + captain will be down in a minute, and will tell you ladies what + clothing to get ready. For my part I'll be jolly glad if we do + have to take to the boats, where we shall be nice and comfy, + instead of rolling about in this beastly way—I'll be + sea-sick in another ten minutes. Old Bruce says he felt sick an + hour ago. Come on, steward."</p> + + <p>The assumed cheerfulness of his manner produced a good + effect, and even old Miss Weidermann plucked up heart a little + as she saw him nonchalantly light a cigar as he disappeared + with the steward below into the lazzarette.</p> + + <p>On deck Robertson and the mate were talking in low tones, as + they assisted the second mate with the boats. There was now + nearly three feet of water in the hold, and every one knew that + the barque could not keep afloat much longer. Fortunately the +<!-- Page 197 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page192" name="page192">[pg 192]</a> + </span> + + violence of the wind had decreased somewhat, though there was + still a mountainous sea.</p> + + <p>Both the old mate and the captain knew that the two small + quarter boats would be dangerously overladen, and their + unspoken fears were shared by the rest of the officers and + crew. But another hour would perhaps make a great difference; + and then as the two men were speaking a savage sea smote the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + on the starboard bow, with such violence that she trembled in + every timber, and as she staggered under the shock and then + rolled heavily to windward, she dipped the starboard quarter + boat under the water; it filled, and as she rose again, boat + and davits went away together.</p> + + <p>Robertson groaned and looked at the mate.</p> + + <p>"It is God's will, sir," said the old Scotsman quietly.</p> + + <p>Robertson nodded. "Tell Allen and the others to come here," + he said.</p> + + <p>The Tynesider, followed by Captain Burr, Otway, and the + carpenter, came.</p> + + <p>"Mr. Allen," said the captain, "you are the best man in such + an emergency as this. You handle a boat better than any man I + know. There is now only one boat left, and you must take charge + of her. You will have to take a big lot of people—the + four women, the parson, the old French priest, Mr. Otway, + Captain Burr, the carpenter, and the five men."</p> + + <p>"I guess I'll stand out, and stick to the ship," said Burr + in a lazy, drawling manner, "I don't like bein' crowded up with + a lot of wimmen."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 198 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page193" name="page193">[pg 193]</a> + </span> + + Neither do I, said Otway.</p> + + <p>"Same here, captain," said the carpenter, a little grizzled + man of sixty.</p> + + <p>Robertson shook hands with each of them in turn. "I knew you + were + <i>men</i> + + ," he said simply. "Come below and let's have a drink together, + and then see to the boat."</p> + + <p>"What's all this, skipper?" said Allen, with an oath, "d'ye + think I'm going to save my carcase and let you men drown? I'll + see you all damned first!"</p> + + <p>"You'll obey orders," growled the captain, "and my orders + are that you take charge of that boat. And don't give me any + lip. You are a married man and have children. None of us who + are standing by the ship are married men. By God, my joker, if + you don't know your duty, I'll teach you. Are you going to let + these four women go adrift in a boat to perish when you can + save them?"</p> + + <p>Allen looked the captain squarely in the face and then put + out his hand.</p> + + <p>"I understand you, sir. But I don't like doing it. The ship + won't keep afloat another hour. But, as you say, I've a wife + and kids to consider."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Followed by the others, Robertson went below, and told his + passengers to get ready for the boat. The old French priest, + exhausted by his labour at the pumps, was still lying on the + transom cushions, sleeping; the Rev. Lacy was seated at the + table smoking his pipe (all the ladies were in their + state-rooms). He rose as the men entered, and looked at them + inquiringly.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 199 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page194" name="page194">[pg 194]</a> + </span> + + We're in a bit of a tight place," said the captain, as he + coolly poured out half a tumblerful of brandy, "but I'm sending + you, Mr. Lacy, and Father Roget, and the ladies away with Mr. + Allen in one of the boats. Allen is a man whom I rely upon. + He'll bring you ashore safely. He's a bit rough in his talk, + but he's one of God's own chosen in a boat, and a fine sailor + man—better than the mate, Captain Burr, or myself; isn't + that so, Mr. Bruce?"</p> + + <p>The white-haired old mate bent his head in acknowledgment. + Then he stood up stiff and stark, his rough bony hands clasped + upon his chest.</p> + + <p>"I'll no' deny but that Mr. Allen is far and awa' the best + man to have charge o' the boat. But as there is a meenister + here, surely he will now offer up a prayer to the Almighty for + those in peril on the sea, and especially implore Him to + consider a sma' boat, deep to the gunwales."</p> + + <p>He looked at the clergyman, who at first made no reply, but + stood with downcast eyes. The men looked at him expectantly; he + put one hand on the table, and then slowly raised his face.</p> + + <p>"I think, gentlemen, that ... that Father Roget is the older + man." He spoke haltingly, and a flush dyed his smooth, + clean-shaven face from brow to chin. "Will you not ask him?" + Then his eyes dropped again.</p> + + <p>Robertson, who was in a hurry, and yet had a sincere but + secret respect for old Bruce's unobtrusive religious feelings, + now backed up his mate's request.</p> + + <p>"I think, sir, that as the mate says, a bit of a short +<!-- Page 200 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page195" name="page195">[pg 195]</a> + </span> + + prayer would not be out of place just now, seeing the mess we + are in. And that poor old gentleman over there is too done up + to stand on his feet. So will you please begin, sir. Steward, + call the ladies. We can no longer disguise from them, Mr. Lacy, + that we are in a bad way—as bad a way as I have ever been + in during my thirty years at sea."</p> + + <p>In a couple of minutes the two De Boos girls, Miss + Weidermann, and the native girl Mina, came out of their cabins; + and when the steward said that Mrs. Lacy felt too ill to leave + her berth, her husband could not help giving an audible sigh of + relief. Then he braced up and spoke with firmness.</p> + + <p>"Please shut Mrs. Lacy's door, steward. Mr. Bruce, will you + lend me your church service—I do not want to go into my + cabin for my own. My wife, I fear, has given way."</p> + + <p>The mate brought the church service, and then whilst the men + stood with bowed heads, and the women knelt, the clergyman, + with strong, unfaltering voice read the second of the prayers + "To be used in Storms at Sea." He finished, and then sitting + down again, placed one hand over his eyes.</p> + + <p>" + <i>The living, the living shall praise Thee</i> + + ."</p> + + <p>It was the old mate who spoke. He alone of the men had knelt + beside the women, and when he rose his face bore such an + expression of calmness and content, that Otway, who five + minutes before had been silently cursing him for his "damned + idiotcy," looked at him with a sudden mingled respect and + wonder.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 201 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page196" name="page196">[pg 196]</a> + </span> + + Stepping across to the clergyman, Bruce respectfully placed his + hand on his shoulder, and as he spoke his clear blue eyes + smiled at the still kneeling women.</p> + + <p>"Cheer up, sir. God will protect ye and your gude wife, and + us all. You, his meenister, have made supplication to Him, and + He has heard. Dinna weep, ladies. We are in the care of One who + holds the sea in the hollow of His hand."</p> + + <p>Then he followed the captain and the others on deck, Otway + alone remaining to assist the steward.</p> + + <p>"For God's sake give me some brandy," said Lacy to him, in a + low voice.</p> + + <p>Otway looked at him in astonishment. Was the man a coward + after all?</p> + + <p>He brought the brandy, and with ill-disguised contempt + placed it before him without a word. Lacy looked up at him, and + his face flushed.</p> + + <p>"Oh, I'm not funking—not a d——d bit, I can + assure you."</p> + + <p>Otway at once poured out a nip of brandy for himself, and + clinked his glass against that of the clergyman.</p> + + <p>"Pon my soul, I couldn't make it out, and I apologise. But a + man's nerves go all at once sometimes—can't help himself, + you know. Mine did once when I was in the nigger-catching + business in the Solomon Islands. Natives opened fire on us when + our boats were aground in a creek, and some of our men got hit. + I wasn't a bit scared of a smack from a bullet, but when I got + a scratch on my hand from an arrow, I dropped in a blue funk, + and acted like a cur. +<!-- Page 202 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page197" name="page197">[pg 197]</a> + </span> + + Knew it was poisoned, felt sure I'd die of lockjaw, and began + to weep internally. Then the mate called me a rotten young cur, + shook me up, and put my Snider into my hand. But I shall always + feel funky at the sight even of a child's twopenny bow and + arrow. Now I must go."</p> + + <p>The clergyman nodded and smiled, and then rising from his + seat, he tapped at the door of his wife's state-room. She + opened it, and then Otway, who was helping the steward, heard + her sob hysterically.</p> + + <p>"Oh, Will, Will, why did you? How could you? I love you, + Will dear, I love you, and if death comes to us in another + hour, another minute, I shall die happily with your arms round + me. But, Will dear, there is a God, I'm sure there + <i>is</i> + + a God.... I feel it in my heart, I feel it. And now that death + is so near to us——"</p> + + <p>Lacy put his arms around her, and lifted her trembling + figure upon his knees.</p> + + <p>"There, rest yourself, my pet."</p> + + <p>"Rest! Rest?" she said brokenly, as Lacy drew her to him. + "How can I rest when I think of how I have sinned, and how I + shall die! Will dear, when I heard you reading that + prayer—"</p> + + <p>"I + <i>had</i> + + to do it, Nell."</p> + + <p>"Will, dear Will.... Perhaps God may forgive us both.... But + as I sat here in my dark cabin, and listened to you reading + that prayer, my husband's face came before me—the face + that I thought was so dull and stupid. And his eyes seemed so + soft and kind—"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 203 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page198" name="page198">[pg 198]</a> + </span> + + For God's sake, my dear little woman, don't think of what is + past. We have made the plunge together——"</p> + + <p>The woman uttered one last sobbing sigh. "I am not afraid to + die, Will. I am not afraid, but when I heard you begin to read + that prayer, my courage forsook me. I wanted to scream—to + rush out and stop you, for it seemed to me as if you were doing + it in sheer mockery."</p> + + <p>"I can only say again, Nell, that I could not help myself; + made me feel pretty sick, I assure you."</p> + + <p>Their voices ceased, and presently Lacy stepped out into the + main cabin, and then went on deck again.</p> + + <p>Robertson met him with a cheerful face. "Come on, Mr. Lacy. + I've some good news for you—we are making less water! The + leak must be taking up in some way." Then holding on to the + rail with one hand, he shouted to the men at the pumps.</p> + + <p>"Shake her up, boys! shake her up. Here's Mr. Lacy come to + lend a hand, and the supercargo and steward will be with you in + a minute. Now I'm going below for a minute to tell the ladies, + and mix you a bucket of grog. Shake her up, you, Tom Tarbucket, + my bully boy with a glass eye! Shake her up, and when she sucks + dry, I'll stand a sovereign all round."</p> + + <p>The willing crew answered him with a cheer, and Tom + Tarbucket, a square-built, merry faced native of Savage Island, + who was stripped to the waist, shouted out, amid the laughter + of his shipmates—</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 204 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page199" name="page199">[pg 199]</a> + </span> + + Ay, ay, capt'in, we soon make pump suck dry if two Miss de Boos + girl come."</p> + + <p>Robertson laughed in response, and then picking up a wooden + bucket from under the fife rail, clattered down the companion + way.</p> + + <p>"Where are you, Otway? Up you get on deck, and you too, + steward. The leak is taken up and 'everything is lovely and the + goose hangs high.' Up you go to the pumps, and make 'em suck. + I'll bring up some grog presently."</p> + + <p>Then as Otway and the steward sprang up on deck, the captain + stamped along the cabin in his sodden sea boots, banging at + each door.</p> + + <p>"Come out, Sarah, come out Sukie, my little + chickabiddies—there's to be no boat trip for you after + all. Miss Weidermann, I've good news, good news! Mrs. Lacy, + cheer up, dear lady. The leak has taken up, and you can go on + deck and see your husband working at the pumps like a number + one chop Trojan. Ha! Father Roget, give me your hand. You're a + white man, sir, and ought to be a bishop."</p> + + <p>As he spoke to the now awakened old priest, the two De Boos + girls, Mrs. Lacy and Miss Weidermann, all came out of their + cabins, and Robertson shook hands with them, and lifting Sukie + de Boos up between his two rough hands as if she were a little + girl, he kissed her, and then made a grab at Sarah, who dodged + behind Mrs. Lacy.</p> + + <p>"Now, father, don't you attempt to come on deck. Mrs. Lacy, + just you keep him here. Sukie, my chick, you and Sarah get a + couple of bottles of brandy, +<!-- Page 205 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page200" name="page200">[pg 200]</a> + </span> + + make this bucket full of half-and-half, and bring it on deck to + the men."</p> + + <p>As he noisily stamped out of the cabin again, the old priest + turned to the ladies, and raised his hand—</p> + + <p>"A brave, brave man—a very good English sailor. And + now let us thank God for His mercies to us."</p> + + <p>The four ladies, with Mina, knelt, and then the good old man + prayed fervently for a few minutes. Then Sukie de Boos and her + sister flung their arms around Mrs. Lacy, and kissed her, and + even Miss Weidermann, now thoroughly unstrung, began to cry + hysterically. She had at first detested Mrs. Lacy as being + altogether too scandalously young and pretty for a clergyman's + wife. Now she was ready to take her to her bosom (that is, to + her metaphorical bosom, as she had no other), for she believed + that Mr. Lacy's prayer had saved them all, he being a + Protestant clergyman, and therefore better qualified to avert + imminent death than a priest of Rome.</p> + + <p>Sukie and Sally de Boos mixed the grog, took it on deck, and + served it out to the men at the pumps.</p> + + <p>The carpenter sounded the well, and as he drew up the iron + rod, the second mate gave a shout.</p> + + <p>"Only seven inches, captain."</p> + + <p>"Right, my boy. Take a good spell now, Mr. Allen. Mr. Bruce, + we can give her a bit more lower canvas now. She'll stand it. + Mr. Lacy, and you Captain Burr, come aft and get into some dry + togs. The glass is rising steadily, and in a few hours we'll + feel a bit more comfy."</p> + + <p>He prophesied truly, for the violence of the gale +<!-- Page 206 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page201" name="page201">[pg 201]</a> + </span> + + decreased rapidly, and when at the end of an hour the pumps + sucked, the crew gave a cheer, and tired out as they were, + eagerly sprang aloft to repair damages and then spread more + sail, Sarah and Susan de Boos hauling and pulling at the + running gear from the deck below. They were both girls of + splendid physique, and, in a way, sailors, and had Robertson + allowed them to do so, would have gone aloft and handled the + canvas with the men.</p> + + <p>By four o'clock in the afternoon the little barque, with her + wave-swept, bulwarkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, + was running before a warm, good-hearted breeze, and the pumps + were only attended to twice in every watch.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Lacy, Miss Weidermann, the De Boos girls, and the + French priest were seated on the poop deck, on rugs and + blankets spread out for them by Otway and the steward. Lacy, + with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro smoking his pipe, and + laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to make his wife + smoke a cigarette. Presently old Bruce came along with the + second mate and some men to set a new gaff-topsail, and the + ladies rose to go below, so as to be out of the way.</p> + + <p>"Nae, nae, leddies, dinna go below," said the old mate + cheerfully, "ye'll no' hinder us. And the sight o' sae many + sweet, bonny faces will mak' us work a' the better. And how are + ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink roses are in your cheeks once + mair." And then he stepped quickly up to the young clergyman + and took his hand.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 207 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page202" name="page202">[pg 202]</a> + </span> + + Mr. Lacy, ye must pardon me, but I'm an auld man, and must hae + my way. Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added in a low voice, + "and ye called upon Him, and He heard us."</p> + + <p>"Thank you, Mr. Bruce," Lacy answered nervously, as he saw + his wife's eyes droop, and a vivid blush dye her fair cheeks. + Then he plucked the American captain by the sleeve and went + below, and Sukie de Boos laughed loudly when in another minute + they heard the pop of a bottle of soda water. She ran to the + skylight and bent down.</p> + + <p>"You're a pair of exceedingly rude men. You might think of + Father Roget—even if you don't think of us poor women. + Mr. Otway, come here, you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! + Go below and get a glass of port wine for Father Roget, a + bottle of champagne for Mrs. Lacy and my sister and myself, and + a cup of tea for Mrs. Weidermann, and bring some biscuits, + too."</p> + + <p>"Come and help me, then," said the supercargo, who was + indeed dirty-faced and ragged.</p> + + <p>Sukie danced towards the companion way with him. Half-way + down he put his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She + returned his kisses with interest, and laughingly smacked his + cheek.</p> + + <p>"Let me go, Charlie Otway, you horrid, bold fellow. Now, + one, two, three, or I'll call out and invoke the protection of + the clergy, above and below—those on board this ship I + mean, not those who are in heaven or elsewhere."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p> +<!-- Page 208 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page203" name="page203">[pg 203]</a> + </span> + + Ten days later the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + sailed into Apia Harbour and dropped anchor inside Matautu + Point just as the evening mists were closing their fleecy + mantle around the verdant slopes of Vailima Mountain.</p> + + <p>The two half-caste girls, with their maid and Mr. and Mrs. + Lacy, came to bid Otway and the captain a brief farewell, + before they went ashore in the pilot boat to D'Acosta's hotel + in Matafele.</p> + + <p>"Now remember, Otway, and you, Captain Robertson, and you, + Captain Burr, you are all to dine with us at the hotel the day + after to-morrow. And perhaps you, too, Father Roget will + reconsider your decision and come too." It was Lacy who + spoke.</p> + + <p>The gentle-voiced old Frenchman shook his head and + smiled—"Ah no, it was impossible," he said. The bishop + would not like him to so soon leave the Mission. But the bishop + and his brothers at the Mission would look forward to have the + good captain, and Mr. Burr, and Mr. Otway, and the ladies to + accept his hospitality.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Lacy's soft little gloved hand was in Otway's.</p> + + <p>"I thank you, Mr. Otway, very, very sincerely for your many + kindnesses to me. You have indeed been most generous to us + both. It was cruel of us to take your cabin and compel you to + sleep in the trade-room. But I shall never forget how kind you + have been."</p> + + <p>All that was good in Otway came into his vicious heart and + voiced softly through his lips.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 209 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page204" name="page204">[pg 204]</a> + </span> + + I am only too glad, Mrs. Lacy.... I am indeed. I didn't like + giving up my cabin to strangers at first, and was a bit of a + beast when Mr. Harry told me we were taking two extra + passengers. But I am glad now."</p> + + <p>He turned away, and went below with burning cheeks. Before + the storm he had tried his best, late on several nights, to + make Lacy drunk, and to keep him drunk; but Lacy could stand as + much or more grog than he could himself; and when he heard that + passionate, sobbing appeal, "Oh, Will, Will, how could you?" + his better nature was stirred, and his fierce sensual desire + for her changed into a sentimental affection and respect. He + knew her secret, and now, instead of wishing to take advantage + of it, felt he was too much of a man to abuse his + knowledge.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Supper was over, and as the skipper, Burr, and Otway paced + the quarter-deck before going ashore to play a game or two of + billiards and meet some friends, a boat came alongside, and a + man stepped on deck and inquired for the captain. As he + followed Robertson down the companion, Otway saw that he was a + well-dressed, rather gentlemanly-looking young man of about + five and twenty.</p> + + <p>"Who's that joker, I wonder?" he said to Burr; "not any one + living in Samoa, unless he's a new-comer. Hope he won't stay + long—it's eight o'clock now."</p> + + <p>Ten minutes later the steward came to him.</p> + + <p>"The captain wishes to see you, sir."</p> + + <p>Otway entered the cabin. Robertson, with frowning +<!-- Page 210 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page205" name="page205">[pg 205]</a> + </span> + + face, motioned him to a seat. The strange gentleman sat near + the captain smoking a cigar, and with some papers in his + hands.</p> + + <p>"Mr. Otway, I have sent for you. This gentleman has a + warrant for the arrest of Mr. Lacy, issued by the New Zealand + Government and initialled by the British Consul here."</p> + + <p>Otway rose to the occasion. He nodded to the stranger and + sat down quietly.</p> + + <p>"Yes, sir?" he asked inquiringly of Robertson.</p> + + <p>"You will please tell my supercargo your business, mister," + said the captain gruffly to the stranger; "he can tell you all + you wish to know—that is, if he cares to do so. I don't + see that your warrant holds any force here in Samoa. You can't + execute it. There's no government here, no police, no anything, + and the British Consul can't act on a warrant issued from New + Zealand. It is of no more use in Samoa than it would be at Cape + Horn."</p> + + <p>"Now, sir, make haste," said Otway with a mingled and + studied insolence and politeness. He already began to detest + the stranger.</p> + + <p>"I am a detective of the police force of New Zealand, and I + have come from Auckland to arrest William Barton, alias the + Rev. Wilfrid Lacy, on a charge of stealing twenty thousand, + five hundred pounds from the National Bank of Christchurch, of + which he was manager. I believe that twenty thousand pounds of + the money he has stolen is on board this vessel at this moment, + and I now demand access to his cabin."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 211 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page206" name="page206">[pg 206]</a> + </span> + + Do you? How are you going to enforce your demand, my cocksure + friend?"</p> + + <p>Otway rose, and placing his two hands on the table, looked + insultingly at the detective. "What rot you are talking, + man!"</p> + + <p>The detective drew back, alarmed and startled.</p> + + <p>"The British Consul has endorsed my warrant to arrest this + man," he said, "and it will go hard with any one who attempts + to interfere with me in the performance of my duty."</p> + + <p>Otway shot a quick, triumphant glance at the captain.</p> + + <p>"The Consul is, and always was, a silly old ass. You have + come on a fool's errand; and are going on the wrong tack by + making threats. That idiotic warrant of yours is of no more use + to you than a sheet of fly paper—Samoa is outside British + jurisdiction. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific + would not have endorsed such a fool of a document, and I'll + report the matter to him.... Now, sit down and tell me what you + + <i>do</i> + + want, and I'll try and help you all I can. But don't try to + bluff us—it's only wasting your time. Steward, bring us + something to drink."</p> + + <p>As soon as the steward brought them "something to drink" + Otway became deeply sympathetic with the detective, and + Robertson, who knew his supercargo well, smiled inwardly at the + manner he adopted.</p> + + <p>"Now, just tell us, Mr.—O'Donovan, I think you said is + your name—what is all the trouble? I need +<!-- Page 212 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page207" name="page207">[pg 207]</a> + </span> + + hardly tell you that whilst both the captain and myself felt + annoyed at your dictatorial manner, we are both sensible men, + and will do all in our power to assist you. Our firm's + reputation has to be studied—has it not, captain? We + don't want it to be insinuated that we helped an embezzler to + escape, do we?"</p> + + <p>"Certainly not," replied Robertson, puffing slowly at his + cigar, watching Otway keenly through his half-closed eyelids, + and wondering what that astute young gentleman was driving at. + "I guess that you, Mr. Otway, will do all that is right and + cor-rect."</p> + + <p>"Thank you, sir," replied Otway humbly, and with great + seriousness, "I know my duty to my employers, and I know that + this gentleman may be led into very serious trouble through the + dense stupidity of the British Consul here."</p> + + <p>He turned to Mr. O'Donovan—"Are you aware, Mr. + O'Donikin—I beg your pardon, O'Donovan—that the + British Consul here is not, officially, the British Consul. He + is merely a commercial agent, like the United States Consul. + Neither are accredited by their Governments to act officially + on behalf of their respective countries, and even if they were, + there is no extradition treaty with the Samoan Islands, which + is a country without a recognised government. Of course, Mr. + O'Donovan, you are acting in good faith; but you have no more + legal right nor the power to arrest a man in Samoa, than you + have to arrest one in Manchuria or Patagonia. Of course, old + Johns (the British Consul) doesn't know this, or +<!-- Page 213 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page208" name="page208">[pg 208]</a> + </span> + + he would not have made such a fool of himself by endorsing a + warrant from an irresponsible judge of a New Zealand court. But + as I told you, I shall aid you in every possible way."</p> + + <p>O'Donovan was no fool. He knew that all that Otway had said + was absolutely correct, but he braced himself up.</p> + + <p>"I daresay what you say may be right, Mr. Supercargo. But + I've come from New Zealand to get this joker, and by blazes I + mean to get him, and take him back with me to New Zealand. And + I mean to have those twenty thousand sovereigns to take back as + well."</p> + + <p>"Well, then, why the devil don't you go and get your man? + He's at Joe D'Acosta's hotel with his wife."</p> + + <p>"I don't want to be bothered with him just yet. I have no + place to put him into. The Californian mail boat from San + Francisco is not due here for another ten days. But I know that + he hasn't taken his stolen money ashore yet, and you had better + hand it over to me at once. I can get + <i>him</i> + + at any time."</p> + + <p>Otway leant back in his chair and laughed.</p> + + <p>"I don't doubt that, Mr. O'Donovan. If you have enough money + to do it, you can do as you say—get this man at any time. + But you want to have some guns behind you to enforce it; and + then his capture won't affect our custody of the money. If the + Consul instigates you to make an attack on the ship, you will + do so at your peril, for we shall resist any piratical + attempt."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 214 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page209" name="page209">[pg 209]</a> + </span> + + O'Donovan's face fell. "You said you would assist me?"</p> + + <p>"So I will," replied Otway, lying genially, "But you must + point out a way. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, + in Fiji, is the only man who could give you power to arrest the + man and convey him to New Zealand, and the moment you show me + the High or the Deputy High Commissioner's order to hand over + the money, and Lacy's other effects, I'll do so."</p> + + <p>The detective made his last stroke.</p> + + <p>"I can take the law into my own hands and chance the + consequences. The Consul will supply me with a + force—"</p> + + <p>Robertson smiled grimly, and pointed to the rack of Snider + rifles around the mizen-mast at the head of the table.</p> + + <p>"You and your force will have a bad time of it then, and be + shot down before you can put foot on my deck. I've never seen a + shark eat a policeman, but there seems a chance of it now."</p> + + <p>O'Donovan laughed uneasily, then he changed his tactics.</p> + + <p>"Now look here, gentlemen," he said confidentially, leaning + across the table, "I can see I'm in a bit of a hole, but I'm a + business man, and you are business men, and I think we + understand one another, eh? As you say, my warrant doesn't hold + good here in Samoa. But the Consul will back me up, and if I + can take this chap back to New Zealand it means a big thing for + me. Now, what's your figure?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 215 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page210" name="page210">[pg 210]</a> + </span> + + Two hundred each for the skipper and myself," answered Otway + promptly.</p> + + <p>"Done. You shall have it."</p> + + <p>"When?"</p> + + <p>"Give me till to-morrow afternoon. I've only a hundred and + fifty pounds with me, and I'll have to raise the rest."</p> + + <p>"Very well, it's a deal. But mind, you'll have to take care + to be here before the parson. He's coming off at eleven + o'clock."</p> + + <p>"Trust me for that, gentlemen."</p> + + <p>"I'm sorry for his wife," said Otway meditatively.</p> + + <p>O'Donovan grinned. "Ah, I haven't told you the + yarn—she's not his wife! She bolted from her husband, who + is a big swell in Auckland, a Mr.——."</p> + + <p>"How did you get on their tracks?"</p> + + <p>"Sydney police found out that two people answering their + description had sailed for the Islands in the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , and cabled over to us. We thought they had lit out for + America. I only got here the day before yesterday in the + <i>Ryno</i> + + , from Auckland."</p> + + <p>Otway paid him some very florid compliments on his + smartness, and then after another drink or two, the detective + went on shore, highly pleased.</p> + + <p>As soon as he was gone, Otway turned to Robertson.</p> + + <p>"You won't stand in my way, Robertson, will you?" he + asked—"I want to see the poor devils get away."</p> + + <p>"You take all the responsibility, then."</p> + + <p>"I will," and then he rapidly told the skipper his +<!-- Page 216 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page211" name="page211">[pg 211]</a> + </span> + + plan, and set to work by at once asking the second mate to get + ready the boat and then come back to the cabin.</p> + + <p>"All ready," said Allen, five minutes later.</p> + + <p>"Then come with the steward and help me with this gear."</p> + + <p>He unlocked the door of Lacy's state-room, lit the swinging + candle, and quickly passed out Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining + luggage to the second mate and steward. Three small leather + trunks, marked "Books with Care," were especially heavy, and he + guessed their contents.</p> + + <p>"Stow them safely in the boat, Allen. Don't make more noise + than you can help. I'll be with you in a minute."</p> + + <p>Going into his own cabin, he took a large handbag, threw + into it his revolver and two boxes of cartridges, then carried + it into the trade-room, and added half a dozen tins of the + brand of tobacco which he knew Lacy liked, and then filled the + remaining space with pint bottles of champagne. Then he whipped + up a sheet or two of letter paper and an envelope from the + cabin-table, thrust them into his coat pocket, and, bag in + hand, stepped quickly on deck. The old mate was in his cabin, + and had not heard anything.</p> + + <p>"Give it to her, boys," he said to the crew, taking the + steer-oar in his hand, and heading the boat towards a small + fore-and-aft schooner lying half a mile away in the Matafele + horn of the reef encircling Apia Harbour.</p> + + <p>The four native seamen bent to their oars in silence, and + sped swiftly through the darkness over the calm +<!-- Page 217 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page212" name="page212">[pg 212]</a> + </span> + + waters of the harbour. The schooner showed no riding light on + her forestay, but, on the after deck under the awning, a lamp + was burning, and three men—the captain, mate, and + boatswain—were playing cards on the skylight.</p> + + <p>Otway jumped on deck, just as the men rose to meet him.</p> + + <p>"Great Ascensial Jehosophat! Why, it's you, Mr. Otway?" + cried the captain, a little clean-shaven man, as he shook hands + with the supercargo. "Well, now, I was just wondering whether + I'd go ashore and try and drop across you. Say, tell me now, + hev you any good tinned beef and a case of Winchesters you can + sell me?"</p> + + <p>"Yes, both," replied Otway, shaking hands with the three in + turn—they were all old acquaintances, especially Le Brun, + the mate. "But come below with me, Revels; I've important + business, and it has to be done right away—this very + night."</p> + + <p>Revels led the way below into the schooner's cabin, and at + once produced a bottle of Bourbon and a couple of glasses.</p> + + <p>"No time to drink, Revels.... All right, just a little, + then. Now, tell me, do you want to make—and make it + easy—five hundred pounds?"</p> + + <p>"Guess I do."</p> + + <p>"Are you ready for sea?"</p> + + <p>"I was thinking of sailing on a cruise among the Tokelau + Islands in a day or two."</p> + + <p>"Then don't think of it. If you put to sea to-night for a + longer voyage, I can guarantee you that you will +<!-- Page 218 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page213" name="page213">[pg 213]</a> + </span> + + get five hundred pounds—if you will take two passengers + on board, and put to sea as soon as they come alongside."</p> + + <p>"Where do they want to go?"</p> + + <p>"That I can't say. Manila or Hongkong, most likely. It'll + pay you."</p> + + <p>"Is the money safe?"</p> + + <p>Otway struck his hand on the table. "Safe as rain, Revels. + They have plenty. I have it here alongside, and if you don't + get five hundred sovereigns paid you when you have dropped + Samoa astern, you can come back with your passengers, and I'll + give you fifty pounds myself."</p> + + <p>"Friends of yours?"</p> + + <p>"Yes."</p> + + <p>"That's enough fur me, Otway. Now, just tell me what to + do."</p> + + <p>"Tell your mate to get your boat ready to go ashore, while I + write a note."</p> + + <p>He took a sheet of paper, and hurriedly wrote in pencil:</p> + + <p class="blkquot">"DEAR LACY,—Don't hesitate to follow + my instructions. There's a man here from New Zealand. Tried to + get access to your cabin; bluffed him. You and your wife must + follow bearer of this note to his boat, which will bring you to + a schooner. The captain's name is Revels. He expects you, and + you can trust him. Have pledged him my word that you will give + him £500 to land you at Manila or thereabouts; also that + you will hand it to him as soon as the schooner is clear of the + land. + <i>All</i> + + your luggage is on board the schooner, awaiting you. Allen + helped me. You might send him a present by Revels. Goodbye, and + all good luck. One last word— + <i>be quick, be quick</i> + + !"</p> + + <p>"Boat is ready," said Revels.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 219 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page214" name="page214">[pg 214]</a> + </span> + + Right," and Otway closed the letter and handed it to the mate. + "Here you are, Le Brun. Now, listen. Pull in to the mouth of + the creek at the French Mission, just beside the bridge. Leave + your boat there and then take this letter to D'Acosta's Hotel + and ask to see Mr. Lacy. If he and his wife have gone out for a + walk, you must follow them and give him the letter; but I feel + pretty sure you'll find them on the verandah. Bring them off on + board as quickly and as quietly as possible. No one will take + any notice of the boat in the creek. Oh! and tell Mr. Lacy to + be dead sure not to bring anything in the way of even a small + bag with him—Joe D'Acosta might wonder. I'll settle the + hotel bill later on. Are you clear?"</p> + + <p>"Clear as mud," replied Le Brun, a big, black-whiskered + Guernsey man.</p> + + <p>"Then goodbye."</p> + + <p>The schooner's boat, manned by two hands only, pushed off, + and then Revels turned to Otway.</p> + + <p>"Shall I heave short so as to be ready?"</p> + + <p>"Heave short, be d——d!" replied Otway testily. + "No, just lie nice and quiet, and as soon as you have your + passengers on board slip your cable. I'll see that your anchor + is fished up for you. And even if you lost your anchor and a + few fathoms of chain it doesn't matter against five hundred + sovereigns. The people on shore would be sure to hear the sound + of the windlass pawls, and there's a man here from + Auckland—a detective—who might make a bold stroke, + get a dozen native bullies and collar +<!-- Page 220 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page215" name="page215">[pg 215]</a> + </span> + + you. So slip, my boy, slip. There's a fine healthy breeze which + will take you clear of the reef in ten minutes."</p> + + <p>The two men shook hands, and Otway stepped into his boat, + which he steered in towards the principal jetty.</p> + + <p>Jumping out he walked along the roadway which led from + Matafele to Apia. As he passed the British Consul's house he + saw Mr. O'Donovan standing on the verandah talking to the + Consul. He waved his hand to them, and cheerfully invited the + detective to come along to "Johnnie Hall's" and play a game of + billiards.</p> + + <p>Mr. O'Donovan, little thinking that Otway had a purpose in + view, took the bait. The Consul knew Otway, and, in a measure, + dreaded him, for the supercargo's knowledge of certain + transactions in connection with the sale of arms to natives, in + which he (the Consul) had taken a leading and lucrative part. + So when he saw the supercargo of the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + beckoning to O'Donovan he smiled genially at him, and hurriedly + told the detective to go.</p> + + <p>"He's a most astute and clever young scoundrel, Mr. + O'Donovan, and in a way we are at his mercy. But you shall have + the four hundred pounds in the morning—not later than + noon. This man Barton must be brought to justice at any + cost."</p> + + <p>"Just so, sir; and you will get a hundred out of the + business, any way," replied O'Donovan, who had gauged the + Consul's morality pretty fairly.</p> + + <p>As Otway and the detective walked towards the +<!-- Page 221 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page216" name="page216">[pg 216]</a> + </span> + + hotel known as "Johnny Hall's" the former said + lazily—</p> + + <p>"Look here, Mr. O'Donovan. Are the skipper and myself to get + those four hundred sovs to-morrow or not? To tell you the exact + truth, I have a fair amount of doubt about your promise. Where + are you going to get the money?"</p> + + <p>"That's all right, Mr. Otway. You're a business man. And you + and the skipper will have your two hundred each before one + o'clock to-morrow. The Consul is doing the necessary."</p> + + <p>"Right, my boy," said Otway effusively. "Now we'll play a + game or two at Johnny's and have some fun with the girls."</p> + + <p>By eleven o'clock Mr. O'Donovan was comfortably half drunk, + and Otway led him out on to the verandah to look at the + harbour, shimmering under the starlight. They sat down on two + cane lounges, and the supercargo's keen eye saw that Revel's + schooner had gone. He breathed freely, and then brought Mr. + O'Donovan a large whisky and soda.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>In the morning Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. William Johns, the + British Consul, were in a state of frenzy on discovering that + Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had escaped during the night in the schooner + <i>Solafanua</i> + + . The Consul knew that Otway was at the bottom of the matter, + but dared not say so, but O'Donovan, who had more pluck and + nothing to lose, lost his temper and came on board the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + just as she was being hauled up on the beach to get at the + leak.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 222 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page217" name="page217">[pg 217]</a> + </span> + + You're a dirty sweep," he said to Otway.</p> + + <p>The supercargo hit him between the eyes, and sent him down. + Allen picked him up, dumped him into the boat alongside, and + sent him ashore.</p> + + <p>When the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + lay high and dry on Apia beach Otway and old Bruce walked round + under her counter and looked for the leak. As the skipper had + surmised, a butt-end had started, but the gaping orifice was + now choked and filled with a large piece of seaweed.</p> + + <p>"The prayer of one of God's ain ministers has saved us," + said the Scotch mate, pointing upward.</p> + + <p>"No doubt," replied Otway, who knew that the good old man + had heard nothing of what had happened.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 223 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page218" name="page218">[pg 218]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Man_in_the_Buffalo_Hide'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Man in the Buffalo Hide</i> + </h2> + + <p>Twelve years ago in a North Queensland town I was told the + story of "The Man in the Buffalo Hide" by Ned D——. + He (D——) was then a prosperous citizen, having made + a small fortune by "striking it rich" on the Gilbert and + Etheridge Rivers goldfields. Returning from the arid wastes of + the Queensland back country to Sydney, he tired of leading an + inactive life, and hearing that gold had been discovered on one + of the Solomon Islands, he took passage thither in the Sydney + whaling barque + <i>Costa Rica</i> + + packet, and though he returned to Australia without discovering + gold in the islands, he had kept one of the most interesting + logs of a whaling cruise it has ever been my fortune to read. + The master of the whaleship was Captain J.Y. Carpenter, a man + who is well known and highly respected, not only in Sydney + (where he now resides), but throughout the East Indies and + China, where he had lived for over thirty years. And it was + from Captain Carpenter who was one of the actors in this + twice-told tragedy, that D——heard this story of + Chinese vengeance. He (D——) related it to me in + '88, and I wish I +<!-- Page 224 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page219" name="page219">[pg 219]</a> + </span> + + could write the tale as well and vividly as he told it. + However, I wrote it out for him then and there. Much to our + disgust the editor of the little journal to whom we sent the + MS., considered it a fairy tale, and cut it down to some two or + three hundred words. I mention these apparently unnecessary + details merely that the reader may not think that the tale is + fiction, for two years or so after, Captain Carpenter + corroborated my friend's story.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>It was after the Taeping rebellion had been stamped out in + blood and fire by Gordon and his "Ever Victorious Army," and + the Viceroy (Li Hung Chang) had taken up his quarters in + Canton, and was secretly torturing and beheading those + prisoners whom he had sworn to the English Government to + spare.</p> + + <p>Carpenter was in command of a Chinese Government despatch + vessel—a side-wheeler—which was immediately under + the Viceroy's orders. She was but lightly armed, but was very + fast, as fast went in those days. His ship had been lying in + the filthy river for about a week, when, one afternoon, a + mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready to + proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous + experience of his estimable and astute Chinese employers warned + him not to ask the fat-faced, almond-eyed mandarin any + questions as to the steamer's destination, or the duration of + the voyage. He simply said that he would be ready at the + appointed time.</p> + + <p>At daylight another mandarin, named Kwang— +<!-- Page 225 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page220" name="page220">[pg 220]</a> + </span> + + one of much higher rank than his visitor of the previous + day—came on board. He was attended by thirty of the most + ruffianly-looking scoundrels—even for Chinamen—that + the captain had ever seen. They were all well armed, and came + off in a large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin + intimated with a polite smile, was to be towed, if she was too + heavy to be hoisted aboard. A couple of hands were put in her, + and she was veered astern. Then the anchor was lifted, and the + steamer started on her eighty miles trip down the river to the + sea, the mandarin informing the captain that he would name the + ship's destination as soon as they were clear of the land.</p> + + <p>Most of Carpenter's officers were Europeans—Englishmen + or Americans—and one or two of them who spoke Chinese, + attempted to enter into conversation with the thirty braves, + and endeavour to learn the object of the steamer's mission. + Their inquiries were met either with a mocking jest or + downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who hitherto had + preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat on the + quarter-deck, turned to the captain with a sullen and ferocious + aspect, and bade him remind his officers that they had no + business to question the servants of the "high and excellent + Viceroy."</p> + + <p>But though neither Carpenter nor any of his officers could + learn aught about this sudden mission, one of their servants, a + Chinese who was deeply attached to his master, whispered + tremblingly to him that the mandarin and the thirty braves were + in quest of one of the Viceroy's most hated enemies—a + noted leader +<!-- Page 226 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page221" name="page221">[pg 221]</a> + </span> + + of the Taepings who had escaped the bloodied hands of Li Hung + Chang, and whose retreat had been betrayed to the cruel, + merciless Li the previous day.</p> + + <p>Once clear of the land, the mandarin, with a polite smile + and many compliments to Carpenter on the skilful and + expeditious manner in which he had navigated the steamer down + the river, requested him to proceed to a certain point on the + western side of the island of Formosa.</p> + + <p>"When you are within twenty miles of the land, captain," he + said suavely, "you will make the steamer stop, and my men and I + will leave you in the boat. You must await our return, which + may be on the following day, or the day after, or perhaps + longer still. But whether I am absent one, or two, or six days, + you must keep your ship in the position I indicate as nearly as + possible. You must avoid observation from the shore, you must + be watchful, diligent, and patient, and, when you see my boat + returning, you must make your engines work quickly, and come + towards us with all speed. High commendation and a great reward + from the serene nobleness of our great Viceroy—who has + already condescended to notice your honourable ability and + great integrity in your profession—awaits you." Then with + another smile and bow he went to his cabin.</p> + + <p>As soon as the steamer reached the place indicated by the + mandarin the engines were stopped. The boat, which was towing + astern, was hauled alongside, and the thirty truculent + "braves," with a Chinese +<!-- Page 227 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page222" name="page222">[pg 222]</a> + </span> + + pilot and the ever-smiling mandarin, got into her and pushed + off for the shore. That they were all picked men, who could + handle an oar as well as a rifle, was very evident from the + manner in which they sent the big boat along towards the blue + outline of the distant shore.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>For two days Carpenter and his officers waited and watched, + the steamer lying and rolling about upon a long swell, and + under a hot and brazen sun. Then, about seven o'clock in the + morning, as the sea haze lifted, a look-out on the foreyard + hailed the deck and said the boat was in sight. The steamer's + head was at once put towards her under a full head of steam, + and in another hour the mandarin and his braves were + alongside.</p> + + <p>The mandarin clambered up on deck, his always-smiling face + (which Carpenter and his officers had come to detest) now + darkly exultant.</p> + + <p>"You have done well, sir," he said to the captain; "the + Viceroy himself, when my own miserable worthlessness abases + itself before him, shall know how truly and cleverly you and + your officers (who shall be honoured for countless ages in the + future) have obeyed the behests which I have had the + never-to-be-extinguished honour to convey from him to you. + There is a prisoner in the boat—a prisoner who is to be + tried before those high and merciful judges whose Heaven-sent + authority your valorous commander of the Ever Victorious Army + has upheld."</p> + + <p>Carpenter, being a sailor man before all else, +<!-- Page 228 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page223" name="page223">[pg 223]</a> + </span> + + swallowed the mandarin's compliments for all they were worth, + and I can imagine him giving a grumpy nod to the smiling minion + of the Viceroy as he ordered "the prisoner" to be brought on + deck, and the boat to be veered astern for towing.</p> + + <p>The official interposed oilily. There was no need, he said, + to tow the boat to Canton if she could not be hoisted on board, + and was likely to impede the steamer's progress. Some of his + braves could remain in her, and the insignia of the Viceroy + which they wore would ensure both their and the boat's + safety—no pirates would touch them.</p> + + <p>The captain said that to tow such a heavy boat for such a + long distance would certainly delay the steamer's arrival in + Canton by at least six or eight hours. The mandarin smiled + sweetly, and said that as speed was everything the most + honourable navigator, whom he now had the privilege to address, + and who was so soon to be distinguished by his mightiness the + Viceroy, could at once let the boat which had conveyed his + worthless self into the sunshine of his (the captain's) + presence, go adrift.</p> + + <p>At a sign from Kwang, six of his cutthroats clambered down + the side into the boat, which was at once cast oft; the steamer + was sent along under a full head of steam, and the captain was + about to ascend the bridge when the mandarin stayed him, and + requested that a meal should be at once prepared in the cabin + for the prisoner, who, he said, was somewhat exhausted, for his + capture was only effected after he had killed three and wounded + half a dozen of "the +<!-- Page 229 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page224" name="page224">[pg 224]</a> + </span> + + braves." So courageous a man, he added softly, whatever his + offence might be, must not be allowed to suffer the pangs of + hunger and thirst.</p> + + <p>Carpenter gave the necessary order to the steward with a + sensation of pleasure, feeling that he had done the suave and + gentle-voiced Kwang an injustice in imagining him to be like + most Chinese officials—utterly indifferent and callous to + human suffering. Then he stepped along the deck towards the + bridge just as two of the braves lifted the prisoner to his + feet, which a third had freed from a thong of hide, bound so + tightly around them that it had literally cut into the flesh. + His hands were tied in the same manner, and round his neck was + an iron collar, with a chain about six feet in length which was + secured at the end to another band around the waist of one of + the "braves."</p> + + <p>As the prisoner stood erect, Carpenter saw that he was a man + of herculean proportions and over six feet three or four inches + in height. His arms and naked chest were cut, bleeding and + bruised, and a bamboo gag was in his mouth; but what at once + attracted the captain's attention and sympathy was the man's + face.</p> + + <p>So calm, steadfast, and serene were his clear, undaunted + eyes; so proud, lofty, and contemptuous and yet so dignified + his bearing, as he glanced at his guards when they bade him + walk, that Carpenter, drawing back a little, raised his hand in + salute.</p> + + <p>In an instant the deep, dark eyes lit up, and the tortured, + distorted mouth would have smiled had it not been for the cruel + gag. But twice he bent his +<!-- Page 230 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page225" name="page225">[pg 225]</a> + </span> + + head, and his eyes did that which was denied to his lips.</p> + + <p>Captain Carpenter was deeply moved. The man's heroic + fortitude, his noble bearing under such physical suffering, the + tender, woman-like resignation in the eyes which could yet + smile into his, affected him so strongly that he could not help + asking one of the "braves" the prisoner's name.</p> + + <p>An insolent, threatening gesture was the only answer. But + the prisoner had heard, and bent his head in acknowledgment. + When he raised it again and saw that Carpenter had now taken + off his cap, tears trickled down his cheeks. In another moment + he was hurried along the deck into the cabin, and half a dozen + "braves" stood guard at the door to prevent intrusion, whilst + the gag was removed, and the victim of the Viceroy's vengeance + was urged to eat. Whether he did so or not was never known, for + half an hour afterwards he was removed to one of the + state-rooms, where he was closely guarded by Kwang's + cutthroats. When he was next seen by Carpenter and the officers + of the steamer the gag was again in his mouth, but the calm, + resolute eyes met theirs as it trying to tell them that the + heroic soul within the tortured body knew no fear, and felt and + appreciated their sympathy.</p> + + <p>On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Formosa the + steamer ploughed her way up the muddy waters of the river, and + came to an anchor off the city at a place which was within half + a mile of the Viceroy's residence. The mandarin requested the +<!-- Page 231 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page226" name="page226">[pg 226]</a> + </span> + + captain to fire three guns, and hoist the Chinese flag at both + the fore and main peaks.</p> + + <p>This signal was, so Kwang condescended to say, to inform His + Illustriousness the Ever-Merciful Viceroy that he, Kwang, his + crawling dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, + and supreme and honoured skill as a navigator, had achieved the + object which His Illustriousness desired.</p> + + <p>The captain listened to all this "flam," bowed his + acknowledgments, and then suddenly asked the mandarin the + prisoner's name.</p> + + <p>Again the fat, complacent face darkened, and almost scowled. + "No," he replied sullenly, he himself "was not permitted" to + know the prisoner's name. His crime? He did not know. When was + he to be tried? To-morrow. Then he rose and abruptly requested + the captain to ask no more questions. But, he added, with a + smile, he could promise him that he should at least see the + captive again.</p> + + <p>In a few minutes a boat came off, and the prisoner, closely + guarded, and with his face covered with a piece of cloth, was + hurried ashore.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Four days had passed—days of heat so intense that even + the Chinese crew of the steamer lay about the decks under the + awning, stripped to their waists, and fanning themselves + languidly. During this time the captain and his officers, by + careful inquiries, ascertained that the unfortunate prisoner + was a brother of one of the Wangs, or seven "Heavenly Kings," + who had led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past +<!-- Page 232 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page227" name="page227">[pg 227]</a> + </span> + + the Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his + capture, being particularly exasperated with him, not only for + his courage in the field, and the influence he had wielded over + the unfortunate Taepings, who were wiped out by Gordon and the + Ever-Victorious Army, but also because he refused to accept Li + Hung Chang's sworn word to spare his life if he surrendered; + for well he knew that a death by torture awaited him. Gordon + himself, it was said, revolver in hand, and with tears of rage + streaming down his face, had sought to find and shoot the + Viceroy for the cruel murder of other leaders who had + surrendered to him under the solemn promise of their lives + being spared.</p> + + <p>Late in the afternoon, a messenger came on board with a note + to the captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained + but a line. "Follow the bearer, who will guide you to the + prisoner."</p> + + <p>An hour later Carpenter was conducted through a narrow door + which was set in a very high wall of great thickness. He found + himself in a garden of the greatest beauty, and magnificent + proportions. Temples and other buildings of the most elaborate + and artistic design and construction showed here and there amid + a profusion of gloriously-foliaged trees and flowering shrubs. + No sound broke the silence except the twittering of birds; and + not a single person was visible.</p> + + <p>The guide, who had not yet uttered a single word, now turned + and motioned Carpenter to follow him along a winding path, + paved with white marble slabs, +<!-- Page 233 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page228" name="page228">[pg 228]</a> + </span> + + and bordered with gaily-hued flowers. Suddenly they emerged + upon a lovely sward of the brightest green, in the centre of + which a fountain played, sending its fine feathery spray high + in air.</p> + + <p>On one side of the fountain were a number of "braves" who + stood in a close circle, and, as Carpenter approached, two of + them silently stepped out of the cordon, brought their rifles + to the salute, and the guide whispered to him to enter.</p> + + <p>Within the circle was Kwang, who was seated in his chair of + office. He rose and greeted the captain politely.</p> + + <p>"I promised you that you should again see the criminal in + whom you and your officers took such a deep and benevolent + interest. I now fulfil that promise—and leave you." And, + with a malevolent smile, he bowed and disappeared.</p> + + <p>The guide touched Carpenter's arm.</p> + + <p>"Look," he said in a whisper.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Within a few inches of a wavering line of spray from the + fountain, purposely diverted so as to fall upon the grass, lay + what appeared at first sight to be a round bundle tied up in a + buffalo hide. A black swarm of flies buzzed and buzzed over and + around it.</p> + + <p>"Draw near and look," said the harsh voice of the officer + who commanded the grim, silent guard, as he stepped up to the + strange-looking bundle, and waved his fan quickly to and fro + over a protuberance in the centre.</p> + + <p>A black cloud of flies arose, and revealed a sight +<!-- Page 234 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page229" name="page229">[pg 229]</a> + </span> + + that will haunt Carpenter to his dying day—the purpled, + distorted face of a living man. The eyelids had been cut off, + and only two dreadful, bloodied, glaring things of horror + appealed mutely to God. The victim's knees had been drawn up to + his chin, and only his head was visible; for the fresh buffalo + hide in which his body had been sewn, fitted tightly around his + neck.</p> + + <p>Shuddering with horror, and yet fascinated with the dreadful + spectacle, Carpenter asked the officer how long the prisoner + had been tortured.</p> + + <p>"Four days," was the reply.</p> + + <p>For the buffalo, the hide of which was to be the prisoner's + death-wrap, was in readiness the moment the steamer arrived, + and ten minutes after the signal was hoisted, the creature was + killed, the hide stripped off, and the prisoner sewn up in it, + only his head being left free.</p> + + <p>Then he was carried to a heated room, so that the hide + should contract quickly. From there he was taken to the + fountain, where his eyelids were cut off, and then he was laid + upon the ground, his mouth just within a few inches of a spray + from the fountain.</p> + + <p>And the Viceroy came, saw, approved, and smiled, and + assigned to Kwang the honoured post of watching his hated enemy + die under slow and agonising torture. To attract the flies, + honeyed water was applied to the prisoner's shaven head and + face. And the guards, now and then as his thirst increased, + offered him brine to drink.</p> + + <p>"He is still alive," the brutal-faced Tartar officer +<!-- Page 235 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page230" name="page230">[pg 230]</a> + </span> + + said genially, as he touched one of the dreadful eyeballs, and + the poor, tortured creature's lips moved slightly.</p> + + <p>Sick at heart and almost overcome with horror, Captain + Carpenter, with quickened footsteps, passed through the cordon + of guards, and followed his guide from the dreadful spot.</p> + + <p>In a few minutes he was without the wall, and a sigh of + relief broke from him as he set out towards the river.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 236 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page231" name="page231">[pg 231]</a> + </span> + + <a name='A_CRUISE_IN_THE_SOUTH_SEAS'> + </a> + + <h2>A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS</h2> + + <h3>(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS)</h3> + +<!-- Page 237 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page232" name="page232">[pg 232]</a> + </span> + + <hr /> + +<!-- Page 238 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page233" name="page233">[pg 233]</a> + </span> + + <a name='A_Cruise_in_the_South_Seas'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>A Cruise in the South Seas</i> + </h2> + + <h3>(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS)</h3> + + <p>The traveller who makes a hurried trip in an excursion + steamer through the Cook, Society, Samoan, or Tongan Islands + has but little opportunity of seeing anything of the social + life of the natives, or getting either fishing or shooting; for + it is but rarely that the vessel remains for more than + forty-eight hours at any of the ports visited. Personally, if I + wanted to have an enjoyable cruise among the various island + groups in the South Pacific I should avoid the "excursion" + steamer as I would the plague. In the first place, one sees + next to nothing for his passage money if he fatuously takes a + ticket in either Sydney or New Zealand for "a round trip to + Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and back." Certainly, he will enjoy the + sea voyage, for in the Australasian winter months the weather + in the South Seas is never very hot, and cloudless skies and a + smooth sea may almost be relied upon from April until the end + of July. At such places as Nukualofa, the little capital of the + Tonga Islands, an excursion steamer will remain for perhaps + forty hours; at Apia, in Samoa, forty-eight hours; and at + Papeite, the +<!-- Page 239 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page234" name="page234">[pg 234]</a> + </span> + + capital of the French island of Tahiti, forty-eight hours. At + the two latter places the traveller will be charmed by the + lovely scenery, and disgusted by the squalid appearance of the + natives; for within the last ten years great changes have + occurred, and the native communities inhabiting the island + ports, such as Apia and Papeite, have degenerated into the + veriest loafers, spongers, and thieves. The appearance of a + strange European in any of the environs of Apia is the signal + for an onslaught of beggars of all ages and both sexes, who + will pester his life out for tobacco; if he says he does not + smoke, they say a sixpence will do as well. If he refuses he is + pretty sure to be insulted by some half-naked ruffian, and will + be glad to get back to the ship or to the refuge of an hotel. + And yet, away from the contaminating influences of the town the + white stranger will meet with politeness and respect wherever + he goes—particularly if he is an Englishman—and + will at once note the pleasing difference in the manners of the + natives. Yet it must now be remembered that Samoa—with + the exception of the beautiful island of Tutuila—is + German territory, and German officials are none too effusive to + Englishmen or Americans—in Samoa.</p> + + <p>But if any one wants to spend an enjoyable time in the South + Seas let him avoid the "excursion ship" and go there in a + trading steamer. There are several of these now sailing out of + Australasian ports, and there is a choice of groups to visit. + If a four months' voyage is not too long, a passage may be + obtained in a small, but fairly fast and com +<!-- Page 240 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page235" name="page235">[pg 235]</a> + </span> + + fortable boat of 600 tons sailing from Sydney, which visits + over forty islands in her cruise from Niué or Savage + Island, ten days' steam from Sydney, to Jaluit in the Marshall + Islands. But this particular cruise I would not recommend to + any one in search of a variety of beautiful scenery, for nearly + all of the islands visited are of the one type—low-lying + sandy atolls, densely verdured with coco-palms, and very + monotonous from their sameness of appearance. Their + inhabitants, however, are widely different in manners, customs, + and general mode of life. To the ethnologist such a cruise + among the Ellice, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands would no doubt + be full of interest; but to the traveller in search of either + beautiful scenery or sport (except fishing) they would be + disappointing.</p> + + <p>Let us suppose that the intending traveller desires to make + a stay of some two or three months in the Samoan Group. He can + reach there easily enough from Sydney or Auckland by steamer + once a month, either by one of the Union Steamship Company's + regular traders or by one of the San Francisco mail boats. From + Sydney the voyage occupies eight days, from Auckland five. The + outfit required for a three or four months' stay is not a large + one—light clothing can be bought almost as cheaply in + Samoa as in Sydney, a couple of guns with plenty of ammunition + (for cartridges are shockingly dear in the Islands), a large + and varied assortment of deep-sea tackle, a rod for fresh-water + or reef fishing, and a good waterproof and rugs for camping + out, as the early mornings are sometimes very chilly. And there + is one other thing +<!-- Page 241 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page236" name="page236">[pg 236]</a> + </span> + + that is worth while taking, even though it may cost from + £30 to £50 or so in Sydney—a good secondhand + boat, with two suits of sails. Thus provided the sportsman can + sail all along the coasts of Savaii and Upolu, and be + practically independent of the local storekeepers. To hire a + boat is very expensive, and to travel in native craft is + horribly uncomfortable, and risky as well. And such a boat can + always be sold again for at least its cost.</p> + + <p>A stay of two or three days, or at most a week, in Apia is + quite long enough, and the stranger will get all the + information he requires about the outlying districts from the + Consuls or any of the old white residents. Such provisions as + are needed—tea, sugar, flour, biscuits, tinned or other + meats, &c.—can be had at fairly cheap rates; but a + large stock should be taken, for, besides the keep of the + native crew of, say, four men, it must always be borne in mind + that a white visitor is expected to return the hospitality he + receives from the native chiefs by making a present, and the + Samoans are particularly susceptible to the charms of tinned + meats, sardines, salmon, and + <i>falaoa</i> + + (bread or biscuit). That such a return should be made is only + just and natural, though I am sorry to say that very often it + is not. Then, again, it is very easy to stow away in the trade + box in the boat eight or ten pieces of good print, cut off in + pieces of six fathoms (which is enough to make a woman's gown), + about 30 lbs. of twist negrohead tobacco (twenty to thirty + sticks to the pound), half a gross of lucifer matches, and such + things as cotton, scissors, combs, &c., and powder, caps, + and a +<!-- Page 242 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page237" name="page237">[pg 237]</a> + </span> + + bag of No. 3 shot for pigeon shooting. Now, this seems a lot of + articles for a man to take on a short Samoan + <i>malaga</i> + + (journey), but it is not, and for the £50 which it may + cost for such an outfit (exclusive of the boat and crew's + wages) the traveller will see more of the people and their mode + of life, be more hospitably received, and spend a pleasanter + time than if he were cruising about in a 1,000-ton yacht. The + wages or boatmen and native sailors in Samoa are usually $15.00 + per month, but many will gladly go on a + <i>malaga</i> + + (the general acceptance of the word is a pleasure trip) for + much less, for there is but little work, and much eating and + drinking. But, as sailors, the Samoans are a wretched lot, and + the local living Savage Islanders, as the natives of Niué + Island are called, are far better, especially if there is any + wind or a beat to windward in a heavy sea. These Savage Island + "boys" can always be obtained in Apia. They are good seamen and + very willing to work; but they have to be fed entirely by their + white employer, for the Samoans seldom make a present of food + to a crew of Niué boys, for whom they profess a contempt + and designate + <i>au puáa</i> + + — + <i>i.e.</i> + + , pigs.</p> + + <p>The Samoan Group consists of five islands, trending from + west by north to east by south. The two largest are Upolu and + Savaii. Tutuila, and the Manua Group of three islands are too + far to the windward to attempt in a small boat against the + south-east trades. And it would take quite three months to + visit the principal villages on the two large islands, staying + a few days at each place.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 243 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page238" name="page238">[pg 238]</a> + </span> + + The best plan is to make to windward along the coast of Upolu + after leaving Apia. A large boat cannot be taken all the way + inside the reef, owing to the many coral patches which, at low + tide, render this course impracticable. The first place of any + importance is Saluafata, fifteen miles from Apia (I must + mention that Apia is in the centre of Upolu, and on the north + side), then Falifā, an exquisitely pretty place, and then + Fāgoloa Bay and village, eight miles further on. This is + the deepest indentation in Samoa, except the famous Pāgo + Pāgo Harbour on Tutuila, and the scenery is very + beautiful. After leaving Fāgoloa, the open sea has to be + taken, for there is now no barrier reef for ten miles, where it + begins at Samusu village, to the towns of Aleipata and + Lepā, two of the best in the group, and inhabited by + cleanly and hospitable people. This is the weather point of + Upolu, and after leaving Lepā the boat has a clear run of + over sixty miles before the glorious trades to the lee end of + the island—that is, unless a stay is made at the populous + towns of Falealilli, Sāfata, Lafāga, and Falelatai, + on the southern coast. The scenery along this part of the + island is enchanting, but sudden squalls at night-time are + sometimes frequent, from December to March, and 'tis always + advisable to run into a port at sunset.</p> + + <p>Two miles off the lee end of Upolu is the low-lying island + of Manono, which is, however, enclosed in the Upolu barrier + reef. It is only about three miles in circumference, + exceedingly fertile, and is the most important place in the + group, owing to the political influence wielded by the chiefly + families who have +<!-- Page 244 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page239" name="page239">[pg 239]</a> + </span> + + always made it their home. A mile from Manono, and in the + centre of the deep strait separating Upolu from Savaii, is a + curiously picturesque spot, an island named Apolima. + <a href="#footnote_17" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[17]</span> + </a> + + It is an extinct crater, but has a narrow passage on the north + side, and is inhabited by about fifty people, who are delighted + to see any + <i>papalagi</i> + + (foreigner) who is venturesome enough to make a landing + there.</p> + + <p>Savaii is distant about ten miles from Upolu. Its coast is + for the most part + <i>itu papa</i> + + —i.e., iron bound—but there are five populous towns + there—Palaulae, Salealua, Asaua, Matautu, and Safune. + After making the round of Savaii, the boat has to make back to + Manono, and then can proceed inside the reef all the way to + Apia, making stoppages at the many minor villages which stud + the shore at intervals of every few miles.</p> + + <p>These + <i>malaga</i> + + by boat along the coast or from one island to another are much + in favour with many of the white residents of Samoa, who find + their life in Apia very monotonous. European ladies frequently + accompany their husbands, and sometimes quite a large party is + made up. More than five-and-twenty years ago, when the writer + was gaining his first experiences of Samoan life, it was his + good fortune to be one of such a party, and a right merry time + he had of it among the natives; for in those days, although +<!-- Page 245 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page240" name="page240">[pg 240]</a> + </span> + + there was party warfare occasionally, the group was free from + the savage hatreds and dissensions—largely fomented by + the interference and intrigues of unscrupulous traders and + incapable officials—which for the past ten or twelve + years have made it notorious.</p> + + <p>In travelling in Samoa one need not always rely upon native + hospitality. Though most of the white traders at the outlying + villages nowadays make nothing beyond a scanty living, they are + as a rule very hospitable and pleased to see and entertain + white visitors as well as their poor means will allow, and in + nine cases out of ten would feel hurt if they were ignored and + the native teacher's house visited first; for between the + average trader and the native teacher there is always a natural + and yet reasonable jealousy. And here let me say a word in + praise of the Samoan teacher—in Samoa. Away from his + native land, in charge of a mission station in another part of + Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often pompous and overbearing + alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here he is far from + the control and supervision of the white missionaries, who only + visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself + a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt + to curb any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse + over his flock or interfere with any matter not strictly + connected with his charge. So, in Samoa, the native teacher is + generally a good fellow, the soul of hospitality, and anxious + to entertain any chance white visitor; and although the Samoans + are not bigoted ranters like the Tongans or +<!-- Page 246 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page241" name="page241">[pg 241]</a> + </span> + + Fijians, and the teachers have not anything like the undue and + improper influence over the people possessed by the native + ministers in Tonga or Fiji, to needlessly offend one would be + resented by the villagers and make the visitor's stay anything + but pleasant. As for the white missionaries in Samoa, all I + need say of them is that they are gentlemen, and that the words + "Mission House" are synonymous in most cases with warm welcome + to the traveller.</p> + + <p>Travelling inland in Savaii or crossing Upolu from north to + south, or + <i>vice-versâ,</i> + + is very delightful, though one misses much of the lovely + scenery that unfolds itself in a panorama-like manner when + sailing along the coast. One journey that can easily be + accomplished in a day is that from Apia to Safata. Carriers are + easily obtainable, and some splendid pigeon shooting can be had + an hour or two after leaving Apia till within a few miles of + Safata. Pigeons are about the only game to be had in Samoa, + though the + <i>manutagi</i> + + , or ring-dove, is very plentiful, but one hardly likes to + shoot such dear little creatures. Occasionally one may get a + wild duck or two and some fearful-looking wild fowls—the + progeny of the domestic fowl. Wild pigs are not now plentiful + in Upolu though they are in Savaii, but they are exceedingly + difficult to shoot and the country they frequent is fearfully + rough. In some of the streams there are some very good fish, + running up to 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. They bite eagerly at the + <i>ula</i> + + or freshwater prawn, and are excellent eating; and yet, strange + to say, very few of the white residents in the group even know + of their existence. This applies also to +<!-- Page 247 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page242" name="page242">[pg 242]</a> + </span> + + deep-sea fishing; for although the deep water outside the reefs + and the passages leading into the harbours teem with splendid + fish, the residents of Apia are content to buy the wretched + things brought to them by women who capture them in nets in the + shallow water inside the reef. Once, during my stay on Manono, + a young Manhiki half-caste and myself went out in our boat + about a mile from the land, and in thirty fathoms of water + caught in an hour three large-scaled fish of the groper + species. These fish, though once familiar enough to the people + of the island, are now never fished for, and our appearance + with our prizes caused quite an excitement in the village, + everyone thronging around us to look. And yet there are two or + three varieties of groper—many of them weighing 50 lbs. + or 60 lbs.—which can be caught anywhere on the Samoan + coast; but the Samoan of the present day has sadly degenerated, + and, except bonito catching, deep-sea fishing is one of the + lost arts. But at almost any place in the group, except Apia, + great quantities of fish are caught inside the reefs by nets, + and one may always be sure of getting a splendid mullet of some + sort for either breakfast or supper.</p> + + <p>Let us suppose that a party of Europeans have arrived at a + village, and are the guests of the chief and people generally. + Food is at once brought to them, even before any visits of + ceremony are paid, for the news of the coming of a party of + travellers has doubtless been brought to the village the + previous day by a messenger from the last stopping-place. The + repast provided may be simple, but will be ample, +<!-- Page 248 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page243" name="page243">[pg 243]</a> + </span> + + baked pork most likely being the + <i>pièce de résistance,</i> + + with roast fowl, baked pigeons, breadfruit (if in season), and + yams or taro, with a plentiful supply of young + drinking-coconuts. (Should the host be the local teacher, some + deplorable tea and a loaf of terrible bread are sure to be + produced.) This preliminary meal finished, the formalities + begin by a visit from the chief and his + <i>tulafale,</i> + + or "talking-man," accompanied by the leading citizens. The + talking-man then makes a speech, welcoming the guests, and is + by no means sparing of "buttery" phrases which indicate the + intense delight, &c., of the inhabitants of the village at + having the honoured privilege of entertaining such noble and + distinguished visitors, &c. A suitable reply is made by the + guests (through an interpreter, if no one among them can speak + Samoan), and then follows a ceremonious brewing and drinking of + kava. This is a most important function in Samoa, and to the + stranger unaccustomed to the manner of making the beverage, the + ordeal of drinking it is an exceedingly trying one. It is + prepared as follows: The dried kava root is cut up in thin + slices and handed to a number of young women, who masticate it + and then deposit it in a large wooden + <i>tanoa</i> + + , or bowl. Water is then added in sufficient quantity till the + <i>tanoa</i> + + is half-filled with a thin yellowish-green liquid, which is + carefully strained by a thick "swab" of the beaten bark of the + <i>fau</i> + + -tree. This straining operation is performed only by a very + experienced lady, and is watched in respectful silence. Then + the drink is handed round in a polished bowl of coconut-shell. + But for a full +<!-- Page 249 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page244" name="page244">[pg 244]</a> + </span> + + description of all the details of a kava-drinking, let me + commend my readers to the best and most charming book ever + written on South Sea life, "South Sea Bubbles," by the late + Earl of Pembroke and Dr. Kingsley. Nowadays, however, many + Samoan households, out of deference to European tastes, have + the kava root grated instead of being chewed.</p> + + <p>The kava-drinking over, all stiffness and formality + disappears for the time, and the visitors are surrounded by the + villagers, eager to learn the latest news from Apia, and from + the world abroad. The discussion of political matters always + has a strong attraction for Samoans, who are anxious to learn + the state of affairs in Europe, and their knowledge and + shrewdness is surprising. Should there be any white ladies + present, the brown ones make much of them. The Samoans are a + fine, handsome race, and the faces and figures of many of the + young women are very attractive; but the practice of cutting + off their long, flowing black hair, and allowing it to grow in + a short, stiff "frizz" is all too common, and detracts very + much from an otherwise handsome and graceful appearance, + especially when the hair is coated with lime in order to change + its colour to red. Many of the men, particularly those of + chiefly rank, are of magnificent stature and proportions, and + their walk and carriage are in consonance.</p> + + <p>An announcement that the visitors intend to go pigeon + shooting is warmly applauded, and each white man is at once + provided with a guide, for, unless he has had experience of the + Samoan forest, he will return +<!-- Page 250 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page245" name="page245">[pg 245]</a> + </span> + + with an empty bag, as, however plentiful the birds may be, + their habit of hiding in the branches of the lofty + <i>tamanu</i> + + and + <i>masa'oi</i> + + -trees render them difficult of detection. The natives + themselves are very good shots, and very rarely fail to bring + down a bird, even when nothing more than a scarlet leg or a + blue-grey feather is visible. The guns they use are very + common, cheap German affairs, but are specially made for Samoa, + being very small bored and long in the barrel. The best time is + in the early morning and towards the cool of the evening, when + the birds are feeding on + <i>masa'oi</i> + + and other berries; during the heat of the day they seldom leave + their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard + everywhere. In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii + there is but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a + thick layer of leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked + beneath, and simply to breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is + delightful. At certain times of the year the birds are very + fat, and I have very often seen them literally burst when + striking the ground after being shot in high trees. Their + flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day. I + may here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same + species of pigeon is very often quite uneatable through feeding + upon Chili berries, which in that island grow in profusion. In + shooting in a Samoan forest one has nothing to fear from + venomous reptiles, for, although there are two or three kinds + of snakes, they are rarely ever seen and quite harmless. + Scorpions and centipedes—the latter often six inches in + length—there are in plenty, but these +<!-- Page 251 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page246" name="page246">[pg 246]</a> + </span> + + detestable vermin are more common in European habitations than + in the bush. At the same time, mosquitoes are a terrible + annoyance anywhere in the vicinity of water, and delight in + attacking the tender skin of the stranger. Then, again, beware + of scratching any exposed part of the skin, for, unless it is + quickly covered by plaister or otherwise attended to, an + irritating sore, which may take months to heal, will often + result.</p> + + <p>There are, during the visit of a travelling party to a + Samoan town, no fixed times for meals. You are expected to eat + much and often. During the day there will be continuous + arrivals of people bringing baskets of provisions as presents, + which are formally presented—with a speech. The speech + has to be responded to, and the bringers of the presents + treated politely, as long as they remain, and they remain until + their curiosity—and avarice—is satisfied. A return + present must be sent on the following day; for although Samoans + designate every present of food or anything else made to a + party of visitors as an "alofa"— + <i>i.e.,</i> + + a gift of love—this is but a hollow conventionalism, it + being the time-honoured custom of the country to always give a + <i>quid pro quo</i> + + for whatever has been received. Yet it must not be imagined + that they are a selfish people; if the recipients of an "alofa" + of food are too poor to respond otherwise than by a profusion + of thanks, the donors of the "alofa" are satisfied—it + would be a disgrace for their village to be spoken of as having + treated guests meanly.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 252 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page247" name="page247">[pg 247]</a> + </span> + + After evening service—conducted on week-days in each + house by the head of the family—another meal is served. + Then either lamps or a fire of coconut-shells is lit, and there + is a great making of + <i>sului</i> + + , or cigarettes of strong tobacco rolled in dry banana leaf, + and there is much merry jostling and shoving among the young + lads and girls for a seat on the matted floor, to hear the + white people talk. A dance is sure to be suggested, and + presently the + <i>fale po-ula,</i> + + or dance-house, is lit up in preparation, as the dancers, male + and female, hurry away to adorn themselves. Much has been said + about the impropriety of Samoa dancing by travellers who have + only witnessed the degrading and indecent exhibitions, given on + a large scale by the loafing class of natives who inhabit Apia + and its immediate vicinity. The natives are an adaptive race, + and suit their manners to their company, and there are always + numbers of sponging men and + <i>paumotu</i> + + (beach-women) ready to pander to the tastes of low whites who + are willing to witness a lewd dance. But in most villages, + situated away from the contaminating influences of the + principal port, a native + <i>siva</i> + + , or dance, is well worth witnessing, and the accompanying + singing is very melodious. It is, however, true, that on + important occasions, such as the marriage of a great chief, + &c., that the dancing, decorous enough in the earlier + stages of the evening, degenerates under the influence of + excitement into an exhibition that provokes sorrow and disgust. + And yet, curiously enough, the dancers at these times are not + low class, common people, but young men and women +<!-- Page 253 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page248" name="page248">[pg 248]</a> + </span> + + of high lineage, who, led by the + <i>taupo</i> + + , or maid of the village, cast aside all restraint and modesty. + In many of the dances the costumes are exceedingly pretty, the + men wearing aprons made of the yellow and scarlet leaves of the + + <i>ti</i> + + or dracoena plant, with head-dresses formed of pieces of + iridescent pearl-shell, intermixed with silver coins and + scarlet and amber beads, and the hair of both sexes is + profusely adorned with the scarlet flowers of the hibiscus, + while from their necks depend large strings of + <i>sea-sea, masa'oi,</i> + + and other brightly-coloured and sweet-smelling berries. Of late + years the Tahitian fashion of wearing thick wreaths of orange + or lemon blossoms has come into vogue.</p> + + <p>Before concluding these remarks upon Samoa, I must mention + that the climate is very healthy for the greater part of the + year; but in the rainy season, December to March, the heat is + intense, and sickness is often prevalent, especially in Apia. + Still fever, such as is met with in the New Hebrides and the + Solomon Group, "the grave of the white man in the South Seas," + is unknown, and one may sleep in the open air with impunity. + Before setting out from Apia the services of a competent + interpreter should be secured—a man who thoroughly + understands the Samoan + <i>customs</i> + + as well as the language. Plenty of reliable half-castes can + always be found, any one of whom would be glad to engage for a + very moderate payment. Too often the pleasures of such a trip + as I have described have been marred by the interpreter's lack + of tact and knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the in +<!-- Page 254 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page249" name="page249">[pg 249]</a> + </span> + + habitants of the various districts and villages. The mere fact + of a man being able to speak the language fairly well is not + the all in all; for the Samoans are a highly sensitive people, + and the omission by the interpreter of a chief's titles, + &c., when the guests are responding through him to an + address of welcome, would be considered "shockingly bad + form."</p> + + <p>But the reader must not imagine that the Samoan Group is the + only one in the South Pacific where an enjoyable holiday may be + spent. The French possession of the Society Islands, of which + the pretty town Papeite, in the noble island of Tahiti, is the + capital, rivals, if not exceeds, Samoa in the magnificence of + its scenery, and the natives are a highly intelligent race of + Malayo-Polynesians who, despite their being citizens of the + French Republic, never forget that they were redeemed from + savagery by Englishmen, and a + <i>taata Peretane</i> + + (Englishman) is an ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities + for visiting the different islands of the Society Group are + very good, for there is quite a fleet of native and + European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the + archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east + to its north-west point is one of the most delightful trips + imaginable. Then again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which + consist of the fertile islands of Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atui, + Aitutaki, and Mauki, are well worth visiting. The people speak + a language similar to that of Tahiti, and they are a fine, + hospitable race, albeit a little over-civilised. Both of these + groups can be reached from Auckland by sailing vessels, +<!-- Page 255 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page250" name="page250">[pg 250]</a> + </span> + + but not direct from Sydney. As for the lonely islands of the + North Pacific, they are too far afield for any one to visit but + the trader or the traveller to whom time is nothing.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <a name='FOOTNOTES'> + </a> + + <h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_1">1</a> + + : Literally, "clear crony."</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_2">2</a> + + : Port.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_3">3</a> + + : Happiness.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_4">4</a> + + : A libertine, profligate.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_5">5</a> + + : My love to you, Pâkía; are you well?</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_6">6</a> + + : White foreigners.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_7">7</a> + + : Frank.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_8">8</a> + + : Small-pox.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_9">9</a> + + : An accordion.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_10">10</a> + + : Idler, gad about—a Samoan expression.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_11">11</a> + + : German.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_12">12</a> + + : The Tokelau and Ellice Islanders are much amused at the white + man's method of hauling in a heavy fish hand + <i>over</i> + + hand. This to them is " + <i>faka fafine</i> + + "—i.e., like a woman.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_13">13</a> + + : Cayse.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_14">14</a> + + : NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER.—This incident is related by the + author in "By Reef and Palm" under the title of "The Rangers of + the Tia Kau."</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_15">15</a> + + : PUBLISHER'S NOTE.—This Alan Strickland is the "Allan" + who has so frequently figured in the author's other tales of + South Sea life, notably in the works entitled "By Reef and + Palm" and "The Ebbing of the Tide."</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_16">16</a> + + : Councillors.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_17">17</a> + + : + <i>Apo! lima</i> + + ! "Be quick with your hand!" The passage is narrow and + dangerous, even for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches + the rolling surf, calls out + <i>Apo, lau lima</i> + + ! to his crew—an expression synonymous to our nautical, + "Pull like the devil!"</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12798 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + + diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8aead61 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #12798 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12798) diff --git a/old/12798-8.txt b/old/12798-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..de6edfc --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12798-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6855 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, and +Other Stories, by Louis Becke + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, and Other Stories + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: July 1, 2004 [EBook #12798] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK AND POOL *** + + + + +Produced by David McLachlan and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + * * * * * + ***NOTE TO READERS*** + +This file is encoded using the ASCII character set. + +The text in this file contains a number of characters not contained in +the standard ASCII character set. To enable the display of these +characters the following alternatives have been placed in the text: + + A macron is indicated by the character | immediately after the + accented letter. For example a| is used to indicate the letter a + with a macron diacritical. + + A breve is indicated by the character ~ immediately after the + accented letter. For example a~ is used to indicate the letter a + with a breve diacritical. + +The characters | and ~ only appear in the text to indicate the +diacritical accents. + + * * * * * + +_By_ ROCK & POOL +On An Austral Shore + +_By_ LOUIS BECKE + +AUTHOR OF "PACIFIC TALES," +"BY REEF AND PALM," ETC., ETC. + +New Amsterdam Book Company +156 FIFTH AVENUE: NEW YORK CITY: MCMI + + + + +CONTENTS + +BY ROCK AND POOL + +SOLEPA + +THE FISHER FOLK OF NUKUFETAU + +MRS. MACLAGGAN'S BILLY + +AN ISLAND MEMORY + +A HUNDRED FATHOMS DEEP + +ON A TIDAL RIVER + +DENISON GETS ANOTHER SHIP + +JACK SHARK'S PILOT + +THE "PALU" OF THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC + +THE WILY "GOANNER" + +THE TA~NIFA OF SAMOA + +ON BOARD THE _TUCOPIA_ + +THE MAN IN THE BUFFALO HIDE + + * * * * * + +A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS--HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS + + + + +_By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore_ + + +The quaint, old-fashioned little town faces eastward to the blue +Pacific, whose billows, when the wind blows from any point between north +and east, come tumbling in across the shallow bar in ceaseless lines of +foaming white, to meet, when the tide is on the ebb, the swift current +of a tidal river as broad as the Thames at Westminster Bridge. On the +south side of the bar, from the sleepy town itself to the pilot station +on the Signal Hill, there rises a series of smooth grassy bluffs, whose +seaward bases touch the fringe of many small beaches, or start sheer +upward from the water when the tide is high, and the noisy swish and +swirl of the eager river current has ceased. + +As you stand on the Signal Hill, and look along the coast, you see a +long, long monotonous line of beach, trending northward ten miles from +end to end, forming a great curve from the sandspit on the north side of +the treacherous bar to the blue loom of a headland in shape like the +figure of a couchant lion. Back from the shore-line, a narrow littoral +of dense scrub, impervious to the rays of the sun, and unbroken in its +solitude except by the cries of birds, or the heavy footfall of wild +cattle upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves; and then, far to the +west, the dimmed, shadowy outline of the main coastal range. + + * * * * * + +It is a keen, frosty morning in June--the midwinter of Australia--and as +the red sun bursts through the sea-rim, a gentle land breeze creeps +softly down from the mountain forest of gums and iron-barks, and blows +away the mists that, all through a night of cloudless calm, have laid +heavily upon the surface of the sleeping ocean. One by one the doors of +the five little white-painted, weather-boarded houses which form the +quarters of the pilot-boat's crew open, and five brown, hairy-faced men, +each smoking a pipe, issue forth, and, hands in pockets, scan the +surface of the sea from north to south, for perchance a schooner, trying +to make the port, may have been carried along by the current from the +southward, and is within signalling distance to tell her whether the bar +is passable or not. For the bar of the Port is as changeable in its +moods as the heart of a giddy maid to her lovers--to-day it may invite +you to come in and take possession of its placid waters in the harbour +beyond; to-morrow it may roar and snarl with boiling surf and savage, +eddying currents, and whirlpools slapping fiercely against the grim, +black rocks of the southern shore. + +Look at the five men as they stand or saunter about on the smooth, +frosty grass. They are sailormen--one and all--as you can see by their +walk and hear by their talk; rough, ready, and sturdy, though not so +sturdy nor so square-built as your solid men of brave old Deal; but a +long way better in appearance and character than the sponging, +tip-seeking, loafing fraternity of slouching, lazy robbers who on the +parades of Brighton, Hastings, and Eastbourne, and other fashionable +seaside resorts in this country, lean against lamp-posts with "Licensed +Boatman" writ on their hat-bands, and call themselves fishermen, though +they seldom handle a herring or cod that does not come from a +fishmonger's shop. These Australians of British blood are leaner in +face, leaner in limb than the Kentish men, and drink whiskey instead of +coffee or tea at early morn. But see them at work in the face of danger +and death on that bar, when the surf is leaping high and a schooner lies +broadside on and helpless to the sweeping rollers, and you will say that +a more undaunted crew never gripped an oar to rescue a fellow-sailorman +from the hungry sea. + +One of them, a grey-haired, deeply-bronzed man of sixty, with his neck +and hands tatooed in strange markings, imprinted thereon by the hands of +the wild natives of Tucopia, in the South Seas, with whom he has lived +forty years before as one of themselves, is mine own particular friend +and crony, for his two sons have been playmates with my brothers and +myself, who were all born in this quaint old-time seaport of the first +colony in Australia; this forgotten remnant of the dread days of the +awful convict system, when the clank of horrible gyves sounded on the +now deserted and grass-grown streets, and the swish of the hateful and +ever active "cat" was heard within the walls of the huge red-brick +prison on the bluff facing the sea. Oh, the old, old memories of those +hideous times! How little they wounded or troubled our boyish minds, as +we, bent on some fishing or hunting venture along the coast, walked +along a road which had been first soddened by tears and then dried by +the panting, anguished breathings of beings fashioned in the image of +their Creator, as they toiled and died under the brutal hands of their +savage task-masters--the civilian officials of that cruel "System" +which, by the irony of fate, the far-seeing, gentle, and tender-hearted +Arthur Phillip, the founder of Australia, was first appointed to +administer. + +But away with such memories for the moment. Over the lee side with them +into the Sea of the Past, together with the clank of the fetters and the +hum of the cat and the merciless laws of the time; sink them all +together with the names of the military rum-selling traducers of the +good Phillip, and of ill-tempered, passionate sailor Bligh of the +_Bounty_--honest, brave, irascible, vindictive; destroyer of his ship's +company on that fateful adventure to Tahiti, hero of the most famous +boat-voyage the world has ever known; sea-bully and petty "hazer" of +hapless Fletcher Christian and his comrades, gallant officer in battle +and thanked by Nelson at Copenhagen; conscientious governor of a +starveling colony gasping under the hands of unscrupulous military +money-makers, William Bligh deserves to be remembered by all men of +English blood who are proud of the annals of the most glorious navy in +the world. + + * * * * * + +But ere we descend to the beach to wander by rock and pool in this +glowing Australian sun, the warm, loving rays of which are fast drying +the frost-coated grass, let us look at these square, old-time monuments +to the dead, placed on the Barrack Hill, and overlooking the sea. There +are four in all, but around them are many low, sunken headstones of +lichen-covered slabs, the inscriptions on which, like many of those on +the stones in the cemetery by the reedy creek, have long since vanished. + +There, indeed, if you care to brave the snake-haunted place you will +discover a word, or the part of a word--"Talav----," "Torre----Vedras," +"Vimiera," or "Badaj----," or "Fuentes de On----," and you know that +underneath lies the dust of men who served their country well when the +Iron Duke was rescuing Europe from the grip of the bloodstained +Corsican. On one, which for seventy years has faced the rising sun and +the salty breath of the ocean breeze, there remains but the one glorious +word, "Aboukir!" every indented letter thickly filled with grey moss and +lichen, though the name of he who fought there has disappeared, and +being but that of some humble seaman, is unrecorded and unknown in the +annals of his country. How strange it seems! but yet how fitting that +this one word alone should be preserved by loving Nature from the +decaying touch of Time. Perhaps the very hand of the convict mason who +held the chisel to the stone struck deeper as he carved the letters of +the name of the glorious victory. + +But let us away from here; for in the hot summer months amid these +neglected and decaying memorials of the dead, creeping and crawling in +and out of the crumbling masonry of the tombs, gliding among the long, +reedy grass, or lying basking in the sun upon the fallen headstones, are +deadly black and brown snakes. They have made this old, time-forgotten +cemetery their own favourite haunting place; for the waters of the creek +are near, and on its margin they find their prey. Once, so the shaky old +wharfinger will tell you, a naval lieutenant, who had been badly wounded +in the first Maori war, died in the commandant's house. He was buried +here on the bank of the creek, and one day his young wife who had come +from England to nurse him and found him dead, sat down on his grave and +went to sleep. When she awoke, a great black snake was lying on her +knees. She died that day from the shock. + +The largest of these four monuments on the bluff stands nearest to the +sea, and the inscription on the heavy flat slab of sandstone which +covers it is fairly legible:-- + + Sacred to the Memory of + JAMES VAUGHAN, + Who was a Private in Captain + Fraser Allan's Company + of the 40th Regiment, +Who died on the 24th November, 1823, + of a Gunshot Wound Received + on the 20th Day of the Month, + when in Pursuit of a + Runaway Convict. + Aged 25 years. + +The others record the names of the "infant son and daughters of Mr. G. +Smith, Commissariat Storekeeper," and of "Edward Marvin, who died 4th +July, 1821, aged 21 years." + +Many other sunken headstones denote the last resting-places of soldiers +and sailors, and civilian officials, who died between 1821 and 1830, +when the little port was a thriving place, and when, as the old gossips +will tell you, it made a "rare show, when the Governor came here, and +Major Innes--him as brought that cussed lantana plant from the +Peninsula--sent ninety mounted men to escort him to Lake Innes." + + * * * * * + +The tide is low, and the flat _congewoi_-covered ledges of reef on the +southern side of the bar lie bare and exposed to the sun. Here and there +in the crystal pools among the rocks, fish have been left by the tide, +and as you step over the _congewoi_, whose teats spurt out jets of +water to the pressure of your foot, large silvery bream and gaily-hued +parrot-fish rush off and hide themselves from view. But tear off a piece +of _congewoi,_ open it, and throw the sanguinary-coloured delicacy into +the water, and presently you will see the parrot-fish dart out eagerly, +and begin to tear it asunder with their long, irregular, and needle-like +teeth, whilst the more cautious and lordly bream, with wary eye and +gentle, undulating tail, watch from underneath a ledge for a favourable +moment to dash out and secure a morsel. + +In some of the wider and shallower ponds are countless thousands of +small mullet, each about three or four inches in length, and swimming +closely together in separated but compact battalions. Some, as the sound +of a human footstep warns them of danger, rush for safety among the +submerged clefts and crevices of their temporary retreat, only to be +mercilessly and fatally enveloped by the snaky, viscous tentacles of the +ever-lurking octopus, for every hole and pool among the rocks contains +one or more of these hideously repulsive creatures. + +Sometimes you will see one crawling over the _congewoi_, changing from +one pool to another in search of prey; its greeny-grey eyes regard you +with defiant malevolence. Strike it heavily with a stick, or thrust it +through with a spear, and in an instant its colour, which a moment +before was either a dark mottled brown or a mingled reddish-black, +changes to a ghastly, horrible, marbled grey; the horrid tentacles +writhe and cling to the weapon, or spread out and adhere to the +surrounding points of rock, a black, inky fluid is ejected from the +soft, pulpy, and slimy body; and then, after raining blow after blow +upon it, it lies unable to crawl away, but still twisting and turning, +and showing its red and white suckers--a thing of horror indeed, the +embodiment of all that is hateful, wicked, and malignant in nature. + +Some idea of the numbers of these crafty and savage denizens of the +limpid pools may be obtained by dropping a baited fishing line in one of +the deeper spots. First you will see one, and then another, thin end of +a tentacle come waveringly out from underneath a ledge of rock, and +point towards the bait, then the rest of the ugly creature follows, and +gathering itself together, darts upon the hook, for the possession of +which half a dozen more of its fellows are already advancing, either +swimming or by drawing themselves over the sandy bottom of the pool. +Deep buried in the sand itself is another, a brute which may weigh ten +or fifteen pounds, and which would take all the strength of a strong man +to overcome were its loathsome tentacles clasped round his limbs in +their horrid embrace. Only part of the head and the half-closed, +tigerish eyes are visible, and even these portions are coated over with +fine sand so as to render them almost undistinguishable from the bed in +which it lies awaiting for some careless crab or fish to come within +striking distance. How us boys delighted to destroy these big fellows +when we came across one thus hidden in the sand or _débris_ on the +bottom! A quick thrust of the spear through the tough, elongated head, +a vision of whirling, outspread, red and black snaky tentacles, and then +the thing is dragged out by main strength and dashed down upon the +rocks, to be struck with waddies or stones until the spear can be +withdrawn. Everything, it is said, has its use in this world, and the +octopus is eminently useful to the Australian line fisherman, for the +bream, trevally, flathead, jew-fish, and the noble schnapper dearly love +its tough, white flesh, especially after the creature has been held over +a flame for a few minutes, so that the mottled skin may be peeled off. + +But treacherous and murderous Thug of the Sea as he is, the octopus has +one dreaded foe before whom he flees in terror, and compresses his body +into the narrowest and most inaccessible cleft or endeavours to bury +himself in the loose, soft sand--and that foe is the orange-coloured or +sage-green rock eel. Never do you see one of these eels in the open +water; they lie deep under the stones or twine their lithe, slippery +bodies among the waving kelp or seaweed. Always hungry, savage-eyed, and +vicious, they know no fear of any living thing, and seizing an octopus +and biting off tentacle after tentacle with their closely-set, +needle-like teeth and swallowing it whole is a matter of no more moment +to them than the bolting of a tender young mullet or bream. In vain does +the Sea Thug endeavour to enwrap himself round and round the body of one +of these sinuous, scaleless sea-snakes and fasten on to it with his +terrible cupping apparatus of suckers--the eel slips in and out and +"wolfs" and worries his enemy without the slightest harm to itself. +Some of them are large--especially the orange-coloured variety--three or +four feet in length, and often one will raise his snaky head apparently +out of solid rock and regard you steadily for a moment. Then he +disappears. You advance cautiously to the spot and find a hole no larger +than the circumference of an afternoon tea cup, communicating with the +water beneath. Lower a baited hook with a strong wire snooding, and +"Yellowskin" will open wide his jaws and swallow it without your feeling +the slightest movement of the line. But you must be quick and strong of +hand then, or you will never drag him forth, for slippery as he is he +can coil his length around a projecting bit of rock and defy you for +perhaps five or ten minutes; and then when you do succeed in tearing him +away and pull him out with the hook buried deep in his loose, pendulous, +wrinkled and corduroyed throat, he instantly resolves himself into a +quivering Gordian knot, winding the line in and about his coils and +knotting it into such knots that can never be unravelled. + +Here and there you will see lying buried deep in the growing coral, or +covered with black masses of _congewoi_ such things as iron and copper +bolts, or heavy pieces of squared timber, the relics of the many wrecks +that have occurred on the bar--some recent, some in years long gone by. +Out there, lying wedged in between the weed and kelp-covered boulders, +only visible at low water, are two of the guns of the ill-fated +_Wanderer_, a ship, like her owner, famous in the history of the +colony. She was the property of a Mr. Benjamin Boyd, a man of flocks and +herds and wealth, who founded a town and a great whaling station on the +shores of Twofold Bay, where he employed some hundreds of men, bond and +free. He was of an adventurous and restless disposition, and after +making several voyages to the South Seas, was cruelly cut off and +murdered by the cannibal natives of Guadalcanar in the Solomon Islands, +in the "fifties." The captain, after beating off the savages, who, +having killed poor Boyd on shore, made a determined attempt to capture +the ship, set sail for Australia, and in endeavouring to cross in over +the bar went ashore and became a total wreck. Here is a description +written by Judge McFarland of the _Wanderer_ as she was in those days +when Boyd dreamed a dream of founding a Republic in the South Sea +Islands with his wild crew of Polynesians and a few white fellow +adventurers:-- + +"She was of 240 tons burthen; very fleet, and had a flush deck; and her +cabins were fitted up with every possible attention to convenience, and +with great elegance; and had she been intended as a war craft, she could +scarcely have been more powerfully armed, for she carried four brass +deck-guns--two six-pounders and two four-pounders--mounted on carriages +resembling dolphins, four two-pounder rail guns--two on each side--and +one brass twelve-pounder traversing gun (which had seen service at +Waterloo)--in all thirteen serviceable guns. Besides these, there were +two small, highly-ornamented guns used for firing signals, which were +said to have been obtained from the wreck of the _Royal George_ at +Spithead. There were also provided ample stores of round shot and grape +for the guns, and a due proportion of small arms, boarding pikes, +tomahawks, &c." + +Half a mile further on, and we are under the Signal Hill, and standing +on one side of a wide, flat rock, through which a boat passage has been +cut by convict hands, when first the white tents of the soldiers were +seen on the Barrack Hill. And here, at this same spot, more than a +hundred years ago, and thirty before the sound of the axe was first +heard amid the forest or tallow-woods and red gum, there once landed a +strange party of sea-worn, haggard-faced beings--six men, one woman, and +two infant children. They were the unfortunate Bryant party--whose +wonderful and daring voyage from Sydney to Timor in a wretched, +ill-equipped boat, ranks second only to that of Bligh himself. For Will +Bryant, an ex-smuggler who was leader, had heard of Bligh's voyage in +the boat belonging to the _Bounty_; and fired with the desire to escape +with his wife and children from the famine-stricken community on the +shores of Port Jackson, he and his companions in servitude stole a small +fishing-boat and boldly put to sea to face a journey of more that three +thousand miles over an unknown and dangerous ocean. A few weeks after +leaving Sydney they had sighted this little nook when seeking refuge +from a fierce north-easterly gale, and here they remained for many days, +so that the woman and children might gain strength and the seams of the +leaking boat be payed with tallow--their only substitute for oakum. +Then onward they sailed or rowed, for long, long weary weeks, landing +here and there on the coast to seek for water and shell-fish, harried +and chased by cannibal savages, suffering all the agonies that could be +suffered on such a wild venture, until they reached Timor, only by a +strange and unhappy fate to fall into the hands of the brutal and +infamous Edwards of the _Pandora_ frigate, who with his wrecked ship's +company, and the surviving and manacled mutineers of the _Bounty_, who +had surrendered to him, soon afterwards appeared at the Dutch port. +Bryant, the daring leader, was so fortunate as to die of fever, and so +escaped the fate in store for his comrades. 'Tis a strange story indeed. + + * * * * * + +At the end of the point of brown, rugged rocks which form a natural +breakwater to this tiny boat harbour, the water is deep, showing a pale +transparent green at their base, and deep inpenetrable blue ten fathoms +beyond. To-day, because it is mid-winter, and the wind blows from the +west, the sea is clearer than ever, and far down below will be discerned +lazily swimming to and fro great reddish-brown or bright blue groper, +watching the dripping sides of the rock in hope that some of the active, +gaily-hued crabs which scurry downwards as you approach may fall in--for +the blue groper is a _gourmet_, disdaining to eat of his own tribe, and +caring only for crabs or the larger and more luscious crayfish. Stand +here when the tide is high and the surf is sweeping in creamy sheets +over the lower ledges of rocks; and as the water pours off torrent-like +from the surface and leaves them bare, you may oft behold a huge +fish--aye, or two or three--lying kicking on its side with a young +crayfish in its thick, fleshy jaws, calmly waiting for the next sea to +set him afloat again. Brave fellows are these gropers--forty, fifty, up +to seventy pounds sometimes, and dangerous fish to hook in such a place +as this, where a false step may send a man headlong into the surf below +with his line tangled round his feet or arms. But on such a morning as +this one might fall overboard and come to no harm, for the sea is +smooth, and the kelp sways but gently to the soft rise and fall of the +water, and seldom in these cold days of June does Jack Shark cruise in +under the lee of the rocks. It is in November, hot, sweltering November, +when the clinking sand of the shining beach is burning to the booted +foot, and the countless myriads of terrified sea salmon come swarming in +over the bar on their way to spawn in the river beyond, that he and his +fellows and the bony-snouted saw-fish rush to and fro in the shallow +waters, driving their prey before them, and gorging as they drive, till +the clear waters of the bar are turned into a bloodied froth. At such a +time as this it might be bad to fall overboard, though some of the local +youths give but little more heed to the tigers of the sea than they do +to the accompanying drove of harmless porpoises, which join in the +onslaught on the hapless salmon. + +A mile eastward from the shore there rises stark and clear a great +dome-shaped rock, the haunt and resting-place of thousands of +snow-white gulls and brown-plumaged boobies. The breeding-place of the +former is within rifle-shot--over there on that long stretch of +banked-up sand on the north side of the bar, where, amid the shelter of +the coarse, tufted grass the delicate, graceful creatures will sit three +months hence on their fragile white and purple-splashed eggs. The +boobies are but visitors, for their breeding-places are on the bleak, +savage islands far to the south, amid the snows and storms of black +Antarctic seas. But here they dwell together, in unison with the gulls, +and were the wind not westerly you could hear their shrill cries and +hoarse croaking as they wheel and eddy and circle above the lonely rock, +on the highest pinnacle of which a great fish-eagle, with neck thrown +back upon his shoulders and eyes fixed eastward to the sun, stands +oblivious of their clamour, as creatures beneath his notice. + +Once round the southern side of the Signal Hill the noise of the bar is +lost. Between the hill and the next point--a wild, stern-looking +precipice of black-trap rock--there lies a half a mile or more of +shingly strand, just such as you would see at Pevensey Bay or Deal, but +backed up at high-water mark with piles of drift timber--great dead +trees that have floated from the far northern rivers, their mighty +branches and netted roots bleached white by the sun and wind of many +years, and smelling sweet of the salty sea air. Mingled with the lighter +bits of driftwood and heaps of seaweed are the shells of hundreds of +crayfish--some of the largest are newly cast up by the sea, and the +carapace is yellow and blue; others are burnt red by exposure to the +sun; while almost at every step you crush into the thin backs and +armoured tails of young ones about a foot in length, the flesh of which, +by some mysterious process of nature, has vanished, leaving the skin, +muscles, and beautiful fan-like tail just as fresh as if the crustaceans +were alive. Just here, out among those kelp-covered rocks, you may, on a +moonlight night, catch as many crayfish as you wish--three of them will +be as much as any one would care to carry a mile, for a large, +full-grown "lobster," as they are called locally, will weigh a good ten +pounds. + +Once round the precipice we come to a new phase of coastal scenery. From +the high land above us green scrub-covered spur after spur shoots +downward to the shore, enclosing numerous little beaches of coarse sand +and many coloured spiral shells--"Reddies" we boys called them--with +here and there a rare and beautiful cowrie of banded jet black and +pearly white. The sea-wall of rock has here but few pools, being split +up into long, deep, and narrow chasms, into which the gentle ocean swell +comes with strange gurglings and hissings, and groan-like sounds, and +tiny jets of spray spout up from hundreds of air-holes through the +hollow crust of rock. Here for the first time since the town was left, +are heard the cries of land birds; for in the wild apple and rugged +honeysuckle trees which grow on the rich, red soil of the spurs they are +there in plenty--crocketts, king parrots, leatherheads, "butcher" and +"bell" birds, and the beautiful bronze-wing pigeon--while deep within +the silent gullies you constantly hear the little black scrub wallabies +leaping through the undergrowth and fallen leaves, to hide in still +darker forest recesses above. + +There are snakes here, too. Everywhere their sinuous tracks are visible +on the sand, criss-crossing with the more defined scratchy markings of +those of iguanas. The latter we know come down to carry off any dead +fish cast ashore by the waves, or to seize any live ones which may be +imprisoned in a shallow pool; but what brings the deadly brown and black +snakes down to the edge of _salt_ water at night time? + +Point after point, tiny bay after bay, and then we come to a wider +expanse of clear, stoneless beach, at the farther end of which a huge +boulder of jagged, yellow rock, covered on the summit with a thick +mantle of a pale green, fleshly-leaved creeper, bearing a pink flower. +It stands in a deep pool about a hundred yards in circumference, and as +like as not we shall find the surface of the water covered by thousands +of green-backed, red-billed garfish and silvery mullet, whose very +numbers prevent them from escaping. Scores of them leap out upon the +sand, and lie there with panting gill and flapping tail. It is a great +place for us boys, for here at low tides in the winter we strip off, and +with naked hands catch the mullet and gars and silvery-sided trumpeters, +and throw them out on the beach, to be grilled later on over a fire of +glowing honeysuckle cobs, and eaten without salt. What boy does care +about such a thing as salt at such times, when his eye is bright and his +skin glows with the flush of health, and the soft murmuring of the sea +is mingling in his ears with the thrilling call of the birds, and the +rustling hum of the bush; and the yellow sun shines down from a glorious +sky of cloudless blue, and dries the sand upon his naked feet; and the +very joy of being alive, and away from school, is happiness enough in +itself! + +For here, by rock and pool on this lonely Austral beach, it is good and +sweet for man or boy to be, and, if but in utter idleness, to watch and +listen--and think. + + + + +_Solepa_ + + +The last strokes of the bell for evening service had scarce died away +when I heard a footstep on the pebbly path, and old Pâkía, staff in hand +and pipe dangling from his pendulous ear-lobe, walked quietly up the +steps and sat down cross-legged on the verandah. All my own people had +gone to church and the house was very quiet. + +"Good evening, Pâkía," I said in English, "how are you, old man?" + +A smile lit up the brown, old, wrinkled face as he heard my voice--for I +was lying down in the sitting-room, smoking my after-supper pipe--as he +answered in the island dialect that he was well, but that his house was +in darkness and he, being lonely, had come over to sit with me awhile. + +"That is well, Pâkía, for I too am lonely, and who so good as thee to +talk with when the mind is heavy and the days are long, and no sail +cometh up from the sea-rim? Come, sit here within the doorway, for the +night wind is chill; and fill thy pipe." + +He came inside as I rose and turned up the lamp so that its light shone +full on his bald, bronzed head and deeply tatooed arms and shoulders. +Laying down his polished staff of _temana_ wood, he came over to me, +placed his hand on my arm, patted it gently, and then his kindly old +eyes sought mine. + +"Be not dull of heart, _taka taina_.[1] A ship will soon come--it may be +to-morrow; it must be soon; for twice have I heard the cocks crow at +midnight since I was last here, three days ago. And when the cocks crow +at night-time a ship is near." + +"May it be so, Pâkía, for I am weary of waiting. Ten months have come +and gone since I first put foot on this land of Nukufetau, and a ship +was to have come here in four." + +He filled his pipe, then drawing a small mat near my lounge, he squatted +on the floor, and we smoked in silence, listening to the gentle lapping +of the lagoon waters upon the inner beach and the beating, never-ceasing +hum of the surf on the reef beyond. Overhead the branches of the palms +swayed and rustled to the night-breeze. + +Presently, as I turned to look seaward, I caught the old man's dark eyes +fixed upon my face, and in them I read a sympathy that at that time and +place was grateful to me. + +"Six months is long for one who waits, Pâkía," I said. "I came here but +to stay four months and trade for copra; then the ship was to call and +take me to Ponapé, in the far north-west. And Ponapé is a great land to +such a man as me." + +"_Etonu! Etonu!_ I know it. Thrice have I been there when I sailed in +the whaleships. A great land truly, like the island called Juan +Fernandez, of which I have told thee, with high mountains green to the +summits with trees, and deep, dark valleys wherein the sound of the sea +is never heard but when the surf beats hard upon the reef. Ah! a fine +land--better than this poor _motu_, which is as but a ring of sand set +in the midst of the deep sea. Would that I were young to go there with +thee! Tell me, dost know the two small, high islands in the _ava_[2] +which is called Jakoits? Hast seen the graves of two white men there?" + +"I know the islands well; but I have never seen the graves of any white +men there. Who were they, and when did they die?" + +"Ah, I am a foolish old man. I forget how old I am. Perhaps, when thou +wert a child in thy mother's arms, the graves stood up out of the +greensward at the foot of the high cliff which faces to the south. Tell +me, is there not a high wall of rock a little way back from the landing +beach?... Aye!... that is the place ... and the bones of the men are +there, though now great trees may grow over the place. They were both +good men--good to look at, tall and strong; and they fought and died +there just under the cliff. I saw them die, for I was there with the +captain of my ship. We, and others with us, saw it all." + +"Who were they, Pâkía, and how came they to fight?" + +"One was a trader, whose name was Preston; he lived on the mainland of +Ponapé, where he had a great house and oil store and many servants. The +name of the other man was Frank. They fought because of a woman." + +"Tell me the story, Pâkía. Thou hast seen many lands and many strange +things. And when ye come and sit and talk to me the dulness goeth away +from me and I no longer think of the ship; for of all the people on this +_motu_, to thee and Temana my servant alone do I talk freely. And Temana +is now at church." + +The old man chuckled. "Aye, he is at church because Malepa, his wife, is +so jealous of him that she fears to leave him alone. Better would it +please him to be sitting here with us." + +I drew the mat curtain across the sitting-room window so that we could +not be seen by prying eyes, and put two cups, a gourd of water, and some +brandy on the table. Except my own man, Temana, the rest of the natives +were intensely jealous of the poor old ex-sailor and wanderer in many +lands, and they very much resented his frequent visits to me--partly on +account of the occasional glass of grog which I gave him, and partly +because he was suspected of still being a _tagata po-uriuri, i.e._, a +heathen. This, however, he vigorously denied, and though Maréko, the +Samoan teacher, was a kind-hearted and tolerant man for a native +minister, the deacons delighted in persecuting and harassing the ancient +upon every possible opportunity, and upon one pretext or another had +succeeded in robbing him of his land and dividing it among his +relatives; so that now in his extreme old age he was dependent upon one +of his daughters, a woman who herself must have been past sixty. + +I poured some brandy into the cups; we clicked them together and said, +"May you be lucky" to each other. Then he told me of Solepa. + + * * * * * + +"There were many whaleships came to anchor in the three harbours of +Ponapé in those days. They came there for wood and water and fresh +provisions, before they sailed to the cold, icy seas of the south. I was +then a boat-steerer in an English ship--a good and lucky ship with a +good captain. When we came to Ponapé we found there six other +whaleships, all anchored close together under the shelter of the two +islets. All the captains were friends, and the few white men who lived +on shore were friends with them, and every night there was much singing +and dancing on board the ships, for, as was the custom, every one on +board had been given a Ponapé girl for wife as long as his ship stayed +there; and sometimes a ship would be there a long time--a month perhaps. + +"The trader who lived in the big house was one of the first to come on +board our ship; for the captain and he were good friends. They talked +together on the poop deck, and I heard the trader say that he had been +away to Honolulu for nearly a year and had brought back with him a young +wife. + +"'Good,' said my captain, 'to-night I shall come ashore and drink +_manuia!_[3] to ye both.' + +"The trader was pleased, and said that some of the other captains could +come also, and that he had sent a letter to the other trader, Frank, who +lived on the other side of the island, bidding him to come and greet the +new wife. At these words the face of Stacey--that was my captain's name, +became dark, and he said-- + +"'You are foolish. Such a man as he is, is better away from thy +house--and thy wife. He is a _manaia_, an _ulavale_[4]. Take heed of my +words and have no dealings with him.' + +"But the man Preston only laughed. He was a fool in this though he was +so clever in many other things. He was a big man, broad in the shoulders +with the bright eye and the merry laugh of a boy. He had been a sailor, +but had wearied of the life, and so he bought land in Ponapé and became +a trader. He was a fair-dealing man with the people there, and so in +three or four years he became rich, and bought more land and built a +schooner which he sent away to far distant islands to trade for +pearl-shell and _loli_ (beche-de-mer). Then it was that he went to +Honolulu and came back with a wife. + +"That day ere it became dark I went on shore with my captain; some of +the other captains went with us. The white man met them on the beach, +surrounded by many of his servants, male and female. Some were of +Ponapé, some from Tahiti, some from Oahu, and some from the place which +you call Savage Island and we call Niué. As soon as the captains had +stepped out upon the beach and I had bidden the four sailors who were +with me to push off to return to the ship, the trader, seeing the +tatooing on my arms, gave a shout. + +"'Ho,' he cried, turning to my captain, 'whence comes that boat-steerer +of thine? By the markings on his arms and chest he should be from the +isles of the Tokelau.' + +"My captain laughed. 'He comes from near there. He is of Nukufetau.' + +"Then let him stay on shore to-night, for there are here with me a man +and a woman from Nanomaga; they can talk together. And my wife Solepa, +too, will be well pleased to see him, for her mother was a Samoan, and +this man can talk to her in her mother's tongue.' + +"'So I too went up to the house with the white men, but would not enter +with them, for I was stripped to the waist and could not go into the +presence of the lady. Presently the man and woman from Nanomaga sought +me out and embraced me and made much of me and took me into another part +of the house, where I waited till one of my shipmates returned from the +ship bringing my jumper and trousers of white duck and a new Panama hat. +Ta|pa|! I was a fine-looking man in those days, and women looked at +me from the corner of the eye. And now--look at me now! I am like a +blind fish which is swept hither and thither by the current against the +rocks and sandbanks. Give me some more grog, dear friend; when I talk of +the days of my youth my belly yearns for it, and I am not ashamed to +beg. + +"Presently, after I had dressed myself, I was taken by the Nanomea man +into the big room where Solepa, the white man's wife, was sitting with +the white men. She came to me and took my hand, and said to me in Samoan +_'Talofa, Pâkía, e ma|lolo| ea oe?'_[5] and my heart was glad; for +it was long since I heard any one speak in a tongue which is akin to +mine own.... Was she beautiful? you ask. Ta|pa|! All women are +beautiful when they are young, and their eyes are full and clear and +their voices are soft and their bosoms are round and smooth! All I can +remember of her is that she was very young, with a white, fair skin, and +dressed like the _papalagi_[6] women I have seen in Peretania and +Ita|lia and in Chili and in Sydney. + +"As I stood before her, hat in hand and with my eyes looking downward, +which is proper and correct for a modest man to do when a high lady +speaks to him before many people, a white man who had been sitting at +the far end of the room came over to me and said some words of greeting +to me. This was Franka[7]--he whom my captain said was a _manaia_. He +was better clothed than any other of the white men, and was proud and +overbearing in his manner. He had brought with him more than a score of +young Ponapé men, all of whom carried rifles and had cutlasses strapped +to their waists. This was done to show the people of Jakoits that he was +as great a man as Preston, whom he hated, as you will see. But Preston +had naught for him but good words, and when he saw the armed men he bade +them welcome and set aside a house for them to sleep in, and his +servants brought them many baskets of cooked food--taro and yams, and +fish, turtle, and pork. All this I saw whilst I was in the big room. + +"After I had spoken with the lady Solepa I returned to where the man +from Nanomaga and his wife were awaiting me. They pressed me to eat and +drink, and by and by sent for a young girl to make kava. Ta|pa|! +that kava of Ponapé! It is not made there as it is in Samoa--where the +young men and women chew the dried root and mix it in a wooden _tanoa_ +(bowl); there the green root is crushed up in a hollowed stone and but +little water is added, so that it is strong, very strong, and one is +soon made drunk. + +"The girl who made the kava for us was named Sipi. She had eyes like the +stars when they are shining upon a deep mountain pool, and round her +smooth forehead was bound a circlet of yellow pandanus leaf worked with +beads of many colours and fringed with red parrakeet feathers; about her +waist were two fine mats, and her bosom and hands were stained with +turmeric. I sat and watched her beating the kava, and as her right arm +rose and fell her short, black wavy hair danced about her cheeks and hid +the red mouth and white teeth when she smiled at me. And she smiled at +me very often, and the man and woman beside me laughed when they saw me +regard her so intently, and asked me was it in my mind to have her for +my wife. + +"I did not answer at once, for I knew that if I ran away from the ship +for the sake of this girl I would be doing a foolish thing, for I had +money coming to me when the ship was _oti folau_ (paid off). But, as I +pondered, the girl bent forward and again her eyes smiled at me through +her hair; and then it was I saw that on her head there was a narrow +shaven strip from the crown backward. Now, in Tokelau, this fashion is +called _tu tagita_, and showeth that a girl is in her virginity. When I +saw this I was pleased, but to make sure I said to my friends, 'Her hair +is _tu tagita_. Is she a virgin?' + +"The woman of Nanomaga laughed loudly at this and pinched my hand, then +she translated my words to the girl who looked into my face and laughed +too, shaking her head as she put one hand over her eyes-- + +"'Nay, nay, O stranger,' she said, 'I am no virgin; neither am I a +harlot. I am respectable, and my father and mother have land. I do not +go to the ships.' Then she tossed her hair back from her face and began +to beat the kava again. + +"Now, this girl pleased me greatly, for there were no twists in her +tongue; so, when the kava-drinking was finished I made her sit beside +me, and the Nanomaga woman told her I would run away from the ship if +she would be my wife. She put her face to my shoulder, and then took +the circlet from her forehead and bound it round my bared arm, and I +gave her a silver ring which I wore on my little finger. Then, together +with the Nanomaga man and his wife, we made our plans.... Ah! she was a +fine girl. For nearly a year was she wife to me until she sickened and +died of the _meisake elo_[8] which was brought to Ponapé by the +missionary ship from Honolulu. + +"So the girl and I made our plans, and my friends promised to hide me +when the time came for me to run away. We sat long into the night, and I +heard much of the man called Franka and of the jealousy he bore to +Preston. He was jealous of him because of two reasons; one was that he +possessed such a fine house and so much land and a schooner, and the +other was that the people of Jakoits paid him the same respect as they +paid one of their high chiefs. So that was why Franka hated him. His +heart was full of hatred, and sometimes when he was drunk in his own +house at Ro|an Kiti he would boast to the natives that he would one +day show them that he was a better man than Preston. Sometimes his +drunken boastings were brought to the ears of Preston, who only laughed +and took no heed, and always gave him the good word when they met, which +was but seldom, for Jakoits and Kiti are far apart, and there was bad +blood between the people of the two places. And then--so the girl Sipi +afterwards told me--Franka was a lover of grog and a stealer of women, +and kept a noisy house and made much trouble, and so Preston went not +near him, for he was a quiet man and no drinker, and hated dissension. +And, besides this, Franka took part in the wars of the Kiti people, and +went about with a following of armed men, and such money as he made in +trading he spent in muskets and powder and ball; for all this Preston +had no liking, and one day he said to Franka, 'Be warned, this fighting +and slaying is wrong; it is not correct for a white man to enter into +these wars; you are doing wrong, and some day you will be killed.' Now +these were good words, but of what use are good words to an evil heart? + +"So we pair sat talking and smoking, and the girl Sipi made us more +kava, and then again sat by my side and leant her face against my +shoulder, and presently we heard the sounds of music and singing from +the big house. We went outside to see and listen, and saw that Preston +was playing on a _pese laakau_[9] and Solepa and the captain of my ship +were dancing together--like as white people dance--and two of the other +captains were also dancing in the same fashion. All round the room were +seated many of the high chiefs of Ponapé with their wives, dressed very +finely, and at one end of the room stood a long table covered with a +white cloth, on which was laid food of all kinds and wine and grog to +drink--just as you would see in your own country when a rich man gives a +feast. Presently as we looked, we saw Franka walk into the room from a +side door and look about. His face was flushed, and he staggered +slightly in his steps. He went over to the table and poured out some +grog, and then beckoned to Preston to come and drink with him, but +Preston smiled and shook his head. How could he go when he was making +the music? Then Franka struck his clenched fist on the table in anger, +and went over to Preston, just as the dancers had stopped. + +"'Why will ye not drink with me?' he said in a loud voice so that all +heard him. 'Art thou too great a man to drink with me again?' + +"'Nay,' answered the other jestingly and taking no heed of Franka's rude +voice and angry eyes, 'not so great that I cannot drink with all my +friends tonight, be they white or brown,' and so saying he bade every +one in the room come to the great table with him and drink _manuia_ to +him and his young wife. + +"So the nine white men--Preston, and Franka, and the seven whaleship +captains, and Nanakin, the head chief of Ponapé, and many other lesser +chiefs, all gathered together around the table and filled their glasses +and drank _manuia_ to the bride, who sat on a chair in the centre of the +room surrounded by the chiefs' wives, and smiled and bowed when my +captain called her name and raised his glass towards her. Then after +this he again took up the _pese laakau_ and began to play, and my +captain and Solepa danced again. Suddenly Franka pushed his way through +the others and rudely placed his hand on her arm. + +"'Come,' he said, 'leave this fellow and dance with me.' + +"She cried out in terror, and then silence fell upon all as my captain +withdrew his right arm from her waist and struck Franka on the mouth; it +was a strong blow, and Franka staggered backwards and then fell near to +the open door. As he rose to his feet again my captain came up to him +and bade him leave quickly. 'We want no drunken bullies here,' he said, +and at that moment Franka drew a pistol and pointed it at his chest. I +leapt upon him and as we struggled together the pistol went off, but the +bullet hurt no one. + +"Then there was a great commotion, and my captain and Preston ran to my +aid and seized Franka. They dragged him out of the room, and with words +of scorn and contempt threw him out amongst his own people who were +gathered together outside the house, with their muskets in their hands. +But already Nanakin and his chiefs had summoned their fighting men; they +came running towards us from all directions, and surrounding Franka and +his men, drove them away and bade them beware of ever returning to +Jakoits. + +"When they had gone, my captain called me to him, and, turning to the +other white men, said, 'This man hath saved my life. He hath a brave +heart. I shall do much for him in the time to come.' Then he and the +others all shook my hand and praised me, and I was silent and said +nothing, for I was ashamed to think I was about to run away from such a +good captain. + +"In the morning we went back to the ship, and the boats were then sent +away to fill and bring off casks of water. Every time my boat went I +took something with me; tobacco and clothing and other things which I +had in my sea chest. Sipi and some other girls met us at the watering +place, and they took these from me and put them in a place of safety. +That afternoon as the boats were about to leave the shore for the last +time, towing the casks, I slipped into the forest which grew very +densely on both sides of the little river, and ran till I came to the +spot where Sipi was awaiting me. Then together we went inland towards +the mountains and kept on walking till nightfall. That night we slept in +the forest; we were afraid to make a fire lest it should be seen by some +of Nanakin's people and betray us, for I knew that my captain would +cause a great search to be made for me. When dawn came we again set out +and went on steadily till we came to the summit of the range of +mountains which divides the island. There was a clear space on the side +of the mountain; a great village had once stood there, so Sipi told me, +but all those who had dwelt there had long since died, and their ghosts +could be heard flitting to and fro at night time. Far below us we could +see the blue sea, and the long waving line of reef with the surf beating +upon it, and within, anchored in the green water, were the seven ships +and Preston's schooner. + +"All that day and the next the girl and I worked at building a little +house for us to live in until the ships had gone. We had no fear of any +one seeking us out in that place, for it had a bad name and none but +travelling parties from Ro|an Kiti ever passed there. Sipi had brought +with her a basket of cooked food; in the deserted plantations we found +plenty of bananas and yams, and in the stream at the foot of the valley +we caught many small fish. Four days went by, and then one morning we +saw the ships set their sails and go to sea. We watched them till they +touched the sky rim and disappeared; then we went back to Jakoits. + +"The white man and Solepa were sitting under the shade of a tree in +front of their house. I went boldly up to him and asked him to give me +work to do. At first he was angry, for he and my captain were great +friends, and said he would have naught to do with me. Why did I run away +from such a good man and such a good ship? There were too many men like +me, he said, in Ponapé, who had run away so that they might do naught +but wander from village to village and eat and drink and sleep. Then +again he asked why I had run away. + +"'Because of her,' I said, pointing to the girl Sipi, who was sitting at +the gate with her face covered with the corner of her mat. 'But I am no +_tafao vale_.[10] I am a true man. Give me work on thy ship.' + +"He thought a little while, then he and Solepa talked together, and +Solepa bade Sipi come near so that she might talk to her. Presently he +said to me that I had done a foolish thing to run away for the sake of +the girl when I had money coming to me and when the captain's heart was +filled with friendship towards me for turning aside Franka's pistol. + +"I bent my head, for I was ashamed. Then I said, 'I care not for the +money I have lost, but I am eaten up with shame for running away, for my +captain was a good captain to me.' + +"This pleased him, for he smiled and said, 'I will try thee. I will make +thee boatswain of the schooner, and this girl here shall be servant to +my wife.' + +"So Sipi became servant to Solepa, and I was sent on board the schooner +to help prepare her for sea. My new captain gave us a house to live in, +and every night I came on shore. Ah, those were brave times, and Preston +made much of me when he found that I was a true man and did my work +well, and would stand no saucy words nor black looks from those of the +schooner's crew who thought that the boatswain should be a white man. + +"Ten days after the whaleships had sailed, the schooner was ready for +sea. We were to sail to the westward isles to trade for oil and +tortoiseshell, and then go to China, where Preston thought to sell his +cargo. On the eve of the day on which we were to leave, the mate, who +was an old and stupid Siamani,[11] went ashore to my master's house, and +I was left in charge of the schooner. Sipi, my wife, was with me, and we +sat together in the stern of the ship, smoking our _sului_ (cigarettes) +and talking of the time when I should return and buy a piece of land +from her father's people, on which I should build a new house. There +were six native sailors on board, and these, as the night drew on, +spread their mats on the fore deck and went to sleep. Then Sipi and I +went into the cabin, which was on deck, and we too slept. + +"How long we had slumbered I cannot tell, but suddenly we were aroused +by the sound of a great clamour on deck and the groans and cries of +dying men, and then ere we were well awakened the cabin door was opened +and Solepa was thrust inside. Then the door was quickly closed and +fastened on the outside, and I heard Franka's voice calling out orders +to hoist sails and slip the cable. + +"There was a lamp burning dimly in the cabin, and Sipi and I ran to the +aid of Solepa, who lay prone upon the floor as if dead. Her dress was +torn, and her hands and arms were scratched and bleeding, so that Sipi +wept as she leant over her and put water to her lips. In a little while +she opened her eyes, and when she saw us a great sob broke from her +bosom and she caught my hand in hers and tried to speak. + +"Now, grog is a good thing. It is good for a weak, panting woman when +her strength is gone and her soul is terrified, and it is good for an +old man who is despised by his relations because he is bitten with +poverty. There was grog in a wicker jar in the cabin. I gave her some in +a glass, and then as the dog Franka, whose soul and body are now in +hell, was getting the schooner under way, she told me that while she and +Preston were asleep the house was surrounded by a hundred or more of +men from Ro|an Kiti, led by Franka. They burst in suddenly, and Franka +and some others rushed into their sleeping-room and she was torn away +from her husband and carried down to the beach. + +"'Is thy husband dead?' I asked. + +"'I cannot tell,' she said in a weak voice. 'I heard some shots fired +and saw him struggling with Franka's men. That is all I know. If he is +dead then shall I die too. Give me a knife, so that I may die.' + +"As she spoke the schooner began to move, and again we heard Franka's +voice calling out in English to some one to go forward and con the ship +whilst he steered, for the night was dark and he, clever stealer of +women as he was, did not know the passage out through the reef, and +trusted to those with him who knew but little more. Then something came +into my mind, and I took Solepa's hand in mine. + +"'I will save thee from this pig Franka,' I said quickly, 'he shall +never take thee away. Sit ye here with Sipi, and when ye hear the +schooner strike, spring ye both into the sea and swim towards the two +islands which are near.' + +"In the centre of the deck cabin was a hatch which led into the hold. +There was no deck between, for the vessel was but small. I took my knife +from the sheath and then lifted the hatch, descended, and crawled +forward in the darkness to the fore hatch, up which I crept very +carefully, for I had much in my mind. I saw a man standing up, holding +on to the fore stay. He was calling out to Franka every now and then, +telling him how to steer. I sprang up behind him, and as I drove my +knife into his back with my left hand, I struck him with my right on his +neck and he fell overboard. He was a white man, I think for when my +knife went into his back he called out 'Oh Christ!' But then many native +men who have mixed with white people call out 'Oh, Christ,' just like +white men when they are drunk. Anyway, it does not matter now. + +"But as I struck my knife into him, I called out in English to put the +helm hard down, for I saw that the schooner was very near the reef on +the starboard hand. Franka, who was at the wheel, at once obeyed and was +fooled, for the schooner, which was now leaping and singing to the +strong night wind from the mountains smote suddenly upon the coral reef +with a noise like the felling of a great forest tree, and began to grind +and tear her timbers. + +"Almost as she struck Solepa and Sipi stood by me, and together we +sprang overboard into the white surf ... Give me some more grog, dear +friend of my heart. I am no boaster, nor am I a liar; but when I think +of that swim to the shore through the rolling seas with those two women, +my belly cleaves to my backbone and I become faint.... For the current +was against us, and neither Sipi nor Solepa were good swimmers, and many +times had we to clutch hold of the jagged coral, which tore our skins so +that our blood ran out freely, and had the sharks come to us then I +would not be here with thee to-night drinking this, thy good sweet grog +which thou givest me out of thy kind heart. Ta|pa|! When I look +into thy face and see thy kind eyes, I am young again. I love thee, not +alone because thou hast been kind to me in my poverty and paid the fines +of my granddaughter when she hath committed adultery with the young men +of the village, but because thou hast seen many lands and have upheld me +before the teacher, who is a circumcised but yet untatooed dog of a +Samoan. A man who is not tatooed is no better than a woman. He is a male +harlot and should be despised. He is only fit to associate with women, +and has no right to beget children.... + +"We three swam to the shore, and when the dawn came we saw that the +schooner stood high and dry on the reef and that Franka and his men were +trying to float her by throwing overboard the iron ballast and putting a +kedge anchor out upon the lee side of the reef. And at the same time we +saw three boats put off from the mainland. These boats were all painted +white, and when I saw them I said to Solepa, 'Be of good heart. Thy +husband is not dead, for here are three of his boats coming. He is not +dead. He is coming to seek thee.'" + +"The three boats came quickly towards the schooner, but ere they reached +her Franka and those with him got into the boats in which they had +boarded the vessel, and then we saw smoke arise from the bow and +stern.... They had set fire to the ship. They were cowards. Fire is a +great help to cowards, because in the glare and dazzling light of +burning houses or ships, when the thunder of cannons and the rattle of +rifles is heard, they can run about and kill people.... I have seen +these things done in Chili.... I have seen men who would not stand and +fight on board ship run away on shore and slay women and children in +their fury and cowardice. No, they were not Englishmen; they were +Spaniolas. But the officers were Englishmen and Germans. _They_ did not +run away, they were killed. Brave men get killed and cowards live. I am +no coward though I am still alive. It is quite proper that I should +live, for I never ran away when there was fighting to be done. I have +only been a fool because of my love for women. No one could say I was a +coward, and no one can say I am a fool, because I am too old now to be a +fool. + +"As Franka and those with him left the burning schooner and rowed +towards the islands, the three boats from the shore changed their course +and followed him. Franka and his men were the first to reach the land, +and they quickly ran up the beach and crouched behind the bushes which +grew at high-water mark. They all had guns, and Sipi and Solepa and I +saw them waiting to shoot. We were hiding amid the roots of a great +banyan tree, and could see well. As the boats drew near Solepa watched +them eagerly, and then began to weep and laugh at the same time when she +saw her husband Preston was steering the one which led. She was a good +woman. She loved her husband. I was pleased with her, and told her to be +of good cheer, for I was sure that Preston and his people would kill +Franka and those with him, for as they rowed they made no noise. No one +shouted nor challenged; they came on and on, and the white man Preston +stood up with the steer oar in his hand, and his face was as a stone in +which was set eyes of fire. When his boat was within twenty fathoms of +the beach the rowers ceased, and he held up his hand to those who +awaited his coming. + +"'Listen to me, men of Ro|an Kiti. We are as three to one of ye, and +ye are caught in a trap. Death is in my mouth if I speak the word. Tell +me, is my wife Solepa alive?' + +"No one answered, but suddenly Franka stepped out from behind the bushes +and pointed his rifle at him, and was about to pull the trigger when a +young man of his party who was of good heart seized him by the arm, and +cried out 'twas a coward's act; then two or three followed him, and +together they bore Franka down upon the sand; and one of them cried out +to Preston-- + +"'This is a wrong business. We were led astray by this man. We are no +cowards, and have no ill-will to thee. Thy wife is alive. She swam +ashore with two others when the ship struck. Are we dead men?' + +"Then, ere Preston could answer, Solepa leapt out from beneath the +banyan tree and ran through the men of Ro|an Kiti towards the beach, +and cried-- + +"'Oh, my husband, for the love of God let no blood be shed! I am well +and unharmed. Spare these people and spare even this man Franka, for he +is mad!' + +"Then Preston leapt out of the boat and put his arms around her waist +and kissed her, and then put her aside, and called to every one around +him-- + +"'These are my words,' he said. 'I am a man of peace, but this man +Franka is a robber and a dog, and hath stolen upon me in the night and +slain my people, and his hands are reddened with blood. And he hath put +foul dishonour on me by stealing Solepa my wife, and carrying her away +from my house as if she were a slave or a harlot. And there is no room +here for such a man to live unless he be a better man than I. But I am +no murderer. So stand aside all! Let him rise and rest awhile, and then +shall we two fight, man to man. Either he or I must die.' + +"Then many men of both sides came to him and said, 'Let this thing be +finished. You are a strong man. Take this robber and slay him as you +would slay a pig.' But he put them aside, and said he would fight him +man to man, as Englishmen fought. + +"So when Franka was rested two cutlasses were brought, and the two men +stood face to face on the sand. I kept close to Franka, for I meant to +stab him if I could, but Preston angrily bade me stand back. Then the +two crossed their swords together and began to fight. It was a great +fight, but it did not last long, for Preston soon ran his sword through +Franka's chest. I saw it come out through his back. But as he fell and +Preston bent over him he thrust his cutlass into Preston's stomach and +worked it to and fro. Then Preston fell on him, and they died together. + +"There was no more bloodshed. Solepa and Sipi and I dressed the dead man +in his best clothes, and the Ro|an Kiti men dressed Franka in his +best clothes, and a great funeral feast was made, and we buried them +together on the little island. And Solepa went back again to Honolulu in +a whaleship. She was young and fair, and should have soon found another +husband. I do not know. But Sipi was a fine wife to me." + + + + +_The Fisher Folk of Nukufetau_ + +Early one morning, about a week after I had settled down on Nukufetau as +a trader, I opened my chest of fishing-gear and began to overhaul it. In +a few minutes I was surrounded by an eager and interested group of +natives, who examined everything with the greatest curiosity. + +Now for the preceding twelve months I had been living on the little +island of Nanomaga, a day's sail from Nukufetau; and between Nanomaga +and Nukufetau there was a great bitterness of long standing--the +Nanomagans claimed to be the most daring canoe-men and expert fishermen +in all the eight isles of the Ellice Group, and the people of Nukufetau +resented the claim strongly. The feeling had been accentuated by my good +friend the Samoan teacher on Nanomaga, himself an ardent fisherman, +writing to his brother minister on Nukufetau and informing him that +although I was not a high-class Christian I was all right in all other +respects, and a good fisherman--"all that he did not know we have taught +him, therefore," he added slyly, "let your young men watch him so that +they may learn how to fish in deep and rough water, such as ours." +These remarks were of course duly made public, and caused much +indignation, neither the minister nor his flock liking the gibe about +the deep, rough water; also the insinuation that anything about fishing +was to be learnt from the new white man was annoying and uncalled for. + +I must here mention that the natives of De Peyster's Island (Nukufetau) +caught all the fish they wanted in the smooth and spacious waters of the +lagoon, and were not fond of venturing outside the barrier reef, except +during the bonito season, or when the sea was very calm at night, to +catch flying-fish. Then, too, the currents outside the reef were swift +and dangerous, and the canoes had either to be carried a long distance +over the coral or paddled a couple of miles across the lagoon to the +ship passage before the open sea was gained. Hudson's Island +(Nanomaga)--a tiny spot less than four miles in circumference--had no +lagoon, and all fishing was done in the deep water of the ocean. The +natives were used to launching their canoes, year in and year out, to +face the wildest surf, and were, in consequence, wonderfully expert, and +in the history of the island there is only one instance of a man having +been drowned. The De Peyster people, by reason of the advantage of their +placid lagoon, had no reason to risk their lives in the surf in this +manner, and so, naturally enough, they were not nearly as skilful in the +management of their frail canoes when they had to face a sweeping sea on +the outer or ocean reef. + +Just as I was placing some coils of heavy, deep-sea lines upon the +matted floor, Marèko the native teacher, fat, jovial, and +bubbling-voiced, entered in a great hurry, and hardly giving himself +time to shake hands with me, announced in a tone of triumph, that a body +of _atuli_ (baby bonito) had just entered the passage and were making +their way up the lagoon. + +In less than ten seconds every man, woman, and child on the island, +except the teacher and myself, were agog with excitement and bawling and +shouting as they rushed to the beach to launch and man the canoes, the +advent of the _atuli_ having been expected for some days. In nearly all +the equatorial islands of the Pacific these beautiful little fish make +their appearance every year almost to a day, with unvarying regularity. +They remain in the smooth waters of lagoons for about two weeks, +swimming about in incredible numbers, and apparently so terrified of +their many enemies in their own element, and the savage, keen-eyed +frigate birds which constantly assail them from above, that they +sometimes crowd into small pools on the inner reef, and when the tide is +low, seek to hide themselves by lying in thick masses under the +overhanging ledges of coral rock. Simultaneously--or at least within a +day or two at most--the swarming millions of _atuli_ are followed into +the lagoons by the _gatala_--a large black and grey rock-cod (much +esteemed by the natives for the delicacy of its flavour) and great +numbers of enormous eels. At other times of the year both the _gatala_ +and the eels are never or but rarely seen inside the lagoons, but are +occasionally caught outside the reef at a good depth--forty to sixty +fathoms. As soon, however, as the young bonito appear, both eels and +rock-cod change their normal habits, and entering the lagoons through +the passages thereto, they take up their quarters in the deeper +parts--places which are fringed by a labyrinthine border of coral +forest, and are at most ten fathoms deep. Here, when the _atuli_ are +covering the surface above, the eels and rock-cod actually rise to the +surface and play havoc among them, especially during moonlight nights, +and in the daytime both rock-cod and eels may be seen pursuing their +hapless prey in the very shallowest water, amidst the little pools and +runnels of the coral reef. It is at this time that the natives of +Nukufetau and some other islands have some glorious sport, for in +addition to the huge eels and rock-cod many other deep-sea fish flock +into the shallower lagoon waters--all in pursuit of the _atuli_--and all +eager to take the hook. + + * * * * * + +As soon as the natives had left the house, Marèko turned to me with a +beaming smile. "Let them go on first and net some _atuli_ for us for +bait," he said, "you and I shall follow in my own canoe and fish for +_gatala_. It will be a great thing for one of us to catch the first +_gatala_ of the season. Yesterday, when I was over there," pointing to +two tiny islets within the lagoon, "I saw some _gatala_. The natives +laugh at me and say I am mistaken--that because the _atuli_ had not come +there could be no _gatala_. Now, _I_ think that the big fish came in +some days ago, but the strong wind and current kept the _atuli_ outside +till now. Come." + +I needed no pressing. In five minutes I had my basket of lines (of white +American cotton) ready, and joined Marèko. His canoe (the best on the +island, of course) was already in the water and manned by his two sons, +boys of eight and twelve respectively. I sat for'ard, the two youngsters +amidships, the father took the post of honour as _tautai_ or steersman, +and with a chuckle of satisfaction from the boys, off we went in the +wake of about thirty other canoes. + +Oh, the delight of urging a light canoe over the glassy water of an +island lagoon, and watching the changing colours and strange, grotesque +shapes of the coral trees and plants of the garden beneath as they +vanish swiftly astern, and the quick _chip, chip_ of the flashing +paddles sends the whirling, noisy eddies to right and left, and frights +the lazy, many-hued rock-fish into the darker depths beneath! On, on, +till the half mile or more of shallow water which covers the inner reef +is passed, and then suddenly you shoot over the top of the submarine +wall, into deepest, loveliest blue, full thirty fathoms deep, and as +calm and quiet as an infant sleeping on its mother's bosom, though +perhaps not a quarter of a mile away on either hand the long rollers of +the Pacific are bellowing and thundering on the grim black shelves of +the weather coast. + +So it was on this morning, but with added delights and beauties; as +instead of striking straight across the lagoon to our rendezvous we had +to skirt the beaches of a chain of thickly wooded islets, which gave +forth a sweet smell, mingled with the odours of _nono_ blossoms; for +during the night rain had fallen after a long month of dry weather, and +Nature was breathing with joy. High overhead there floated some +snow-white tropic birds--those gentle, ethereal creatures which, to the +toil-spent seaman who watches their mysterious poise in illimitable +space, seem to denote the greater Mystery and Rest that lieth beyond all +things; and lower down, and sweeping swiftly to and fro with steady, +outspread wing and long, forked tail, the fierce-eyed, savage frigate +birds scanned the surface of the water in search of prey, and then +finding it not, rose without apparent motion to the cloudless canopy of +blue and became as but tiny black specks--and then, _swish_! and the +tiny black specks which but a minute ago were high in heaven are +flashing by your cheeks with a weird, whistling sound like winged +spectres. You look for them. They are gone. Already they are a thousand +feet overhead. Five of them. And all five are as motionless as if they, +with their wide, outspread wings, had never moved from their present +position for a thousand years. + +"Chip, chip," and "chunk, chunk," go our paddles as we now head eastward +towards the rising sun in whose resplendent rays the tufted palms of the +two islets stand clearly out, silhouetted against the sea rim beyond. +Now and again we hear, as from a long, long distance, the echoes of the +voices of the people in the canoes ahead; a soft white mist began to +gather over and then ascend from the water, and as we drew near the +islets the occasional thunder of the serf on Motuluga Reef we heard +awhile ago changed into a monotonous droning hum. + +"_Aue_!" said Marèko the _tautai_, with a laugh, as he ceased paddling +and laid his paddle athwartships, "'tis like to be a hot day and calm. +So much the better for our fishing, for the water will be very clear. +Boy, give me a coconut to drink." + +"Take some whisky with it, Marèko," I said, taking a flask out of my +basket. + +"_Isa_! Shame upon you! How can you say such a thing to me, a minister!" +And then he added, with a reproachful look, "and my children here, too." +He would have winked, but he dared not do so, for one of his boys had +turned his face aft and was facing him. I, however, made him a hurried +gesture which he quite understood. Good old Marèko! He was an honest, +generous-hearted, broad-minded fellow, but terribly afraid of his +tyrannical deacons, who objected to him smoking even in the seclusion of +his own curatage, and otherwise bullied and worried him into behaving +exactly as they thought he should. + +By the time we reached the islets the _atuli_ catching had begun, and +more than a hundred natives were encircling a considerable area of water +with finely-meshed nets and driving the fish shoreward upon a small +sandy beach, where they were scooped up in gleaming masses of shining +blue and silver by a number of women and children, who tumbled over and +pushed each other aside amidst much laughter and merriment. + +On the larger of the two islets were a few thatched huts with open +sides. One of these was reserved for the missionary and the white man, +and hauling our canoe up on the beach at the invitation of the people, +we sat down under a shed whilst the women grilled us some of the +freshly-caught fish. This took barely over ten minutes, as fires had +already been lighted by the children. The absence of bread was made up +for by the flesh of half-grown coconuts and cooked _puraka_--gigantic +species of taro which thrives well in the sandy soil of the Equatorial +islands of the Pacific. Just as we had finished eating and were +preparing our lines we heard loud cries from the natives who were still +engaged among the _atuli_, and three or four of them seizing spears +began chasing what were evidently some large fish. Presently one of them +darted his weapon, and then gave a loud cry of triumph, as he leapt into +the water and dragged out a large salmon-like fish called "utu", which +was at once brought ashore for my inspection. The man who had struck +it--an active, wiry old fellow named Viliamu (William) was panting with +excitement. Some large _gatala_, he said, had just made their appearance +with the _utu_ and were pursuing the small fish; therefore would we +please hurry forward with our preparations. Then the leader of the +entire party stood up and bellowed out in bull-like tones his +instructions. The canoes were all to start together, and when the ground +was reached all lines were to be lowered simultaneously; there was to be +no crowding. The white man and missionary, however, if they wished, +could start first and make a choice of position. + +"No, no," I said, "let us all start fair." + +This was greeted with a chorus of approval, and then leaving the women +and children to attend to the camp, we hurried back to the canoes. Just +as we were leaving the hut I had a look at the _utu_--a fish I had never +before seen. It was about three feet in length, and only for its head +(which was coarse and clumsy) much like a heavy salmon. The back was +covered with light green scales, the sides and belly a pure silver, and +the fins and tail tipped with yellow. It weighed about 20 lbs., and +presented a very handsome appearance. + +The fishing-ground to which we were now paddling was not half a mile +from the islets, and lay between them and the outer reef which formed +its northern boundary. It consisted of a series of deep channels or +connected pools running or situated amidst a network of minor reefs, the +surfaces of which were, for the most part, bare at low water. Generally +the depth was from eight to ten fathoms; in places, however, it was much +deeper, and I subsequently found that there were spots whereon I could +stand (on the coral ledge) and drop my line into chasms of thirty-two or +thirty-three fathoms. Here the water was almost as blue to the eye as +the ocean, and here the very largest fish resorted--such as the _pura_, +a species of rock-cod, and a blue-scaled groper, the native name of +which I cannot now recall. + +It must have been nearly ten o'clock when the canoes were all in +position, and the word was given to let go lines. The particular spot in +which we were congregated was about three acres in extent and about +seven fathoms in depth, with water as clear as crystal; and even the +dullest eye could discern the smallest pebble or piece of broken coral +lying upon the bottom, which was generally composed of patches of coarse +sand surrounded by an interlacing fringe of growing coral, or white, +blue, or yellow boulders. A glance over the side showed us that the +_gatala_ had arrived; we could see numbers of them swimming lazily to +and fro beneath, awaiting the flowing tide which would soon cover the +lagoon from one shore to the other with swarms of young bonito, as they +swam about in search of such places as that in which we were now about +to begin fishing. + +Each man had baited his hook with the third of an _atuli_--at this stage +of their life about four inches long and exactly the colour and shape of +a young mackerel--and within five minutes after "_Tu'u tau kafa_!" +("Let go lines!") had been called out several of the canoes around our +own began to pull up fish--four to six pounders. I was fishing with a +white cotton line, with two hooks, and Marèko with the usual native +gear--a hand-made line of hibiscus bark with a barbless hook made from a +long wire nail, with its point ground fine and well-curved inwards. We +both struck fish at the same moment, and I knew by the zigzag pull that +I had two. Up they came together--three spotted beauties about eighteen +inches in length and weighing over 5 lbs. each. Then I found the +advantage of the native style of hook; Marèko simply put his left thumb +and forefinger into the fish's eye, had his hook free in a moment, had +baited, lowered again and was pulling up another before I had succeeded +in freeing even my first hook which was firmly fixed in the fish's +gullet, out of sight. I soon put myself on a more even footing by +cutting off the small one and a half inch hooks I had been using and +bending on two thick and long-shanked four inchers. These answered +beautifully, as although the barbs caused me some trouble, their stout +shanks afforded a good grip and leverage when extracting them from the +hard and keen-toothed jaws of the struggling fish. Then, too, I had +another advantage over my companions; I was wearing a pair of seaboots +which effectually protected my feet from either the terrible fins or the +teeth of the fish in the bottom of the canoe. + +I had caught my eighth fish, when an outcry came from a canoe near us, +as a young man who was seated on the for'ard thwart rose to his feet and +began hauling in his line, which was standing straight up and down, taut +as an iron bar, the canoe meanwhile spinning round and round although +the steersman used all his efforts to keep her steady. + +"What is it, Tuluia?" called out fifty voices at once. "A shark?" + +"My mother's bones!" said old Viliamu with a laugh of contempt. "'Tis an +eel, and Tuluia, who was asleep, has let it twist its tail around a +piece of coral. May he lose it for his stupidity." + +We all ceased fishing to watch, and half a dozen men began jeering at +the lad, who was too excited to heed them. Old Viliamu, who was in the +next canoe, looked down, and then cried out that he could see the eel, +which had taken several turns of its body around a thick branch of +growing coral. + +"His head is up," he called out to the youth, "but you cannot move him, +he has too many turns in and out among the coral." Then paddling up +alongside he again looked at the struggling creature, then felt the line +which was vibrating with the tension. Stepping out of his own craft into +that of the young man, the line was placed in his hands without an inch +of it being payed out, for once one of these giant eels can get his head +down he will so quickly twine the line in and out among the rugged coral +that it is soon chafed through, if of ordinary thickness. But the +ancient knew his work well, as we were soon to see. Taking a turn of the +line well up on his forearm and grasping it with his right a yard lower +down, he waited for a second or two, then suddenly bent his body till +his face nearly touched the water, then he sprang erect and with +lightning-like rapidity began to haul in hand _under_ hand [12] amid +loud cries of approval as the wriggling body of the eel was seen +ascending clear of the coral. The moment it reached the surface, a +second native, with unerring aim sent a spear through it and then a blow +or two upon the head with a club carried for the purpose took all +further fight out of the creature, which was then lifted out of the +water and dropped into the canoe. Here the end of its tail was quickly +split open and we saw no more of him for the time being. + +To capture an eel so soon was looked upon as a lucky omen, to have lost +it would have been a presage of ill-fortune for the rest of the day, and +the incident put every one in high good humour. By this time the tide +was flowing over the flatter parts of the reef and young bonito could be +seen jumping out of the water in all directions. Immense bodies were, so +I was assured by the natives, now coming into the lagoon from the sea, +and would continue to do so till the tide turned, when those in the +passage, unable to face a six-knot current, would be carried out again, +to make another attempt later on. + +By this time every canoe was hauling in large rock-cod almost as quick +as the lines could be baited, and the bottom of our own craft presented +a gruesome sight--a lather of blood and froth and kicking fish, some of +which were over 20 lbs. weight. Telling the two boys to cease fishing +awhile and stun some of the liveliest, I unthinkingly began to bale out +some of the ensanguined water, when a score of indignant voices bade me +cease. Did I want to bring all the sharks in the world around us? I was +asked; and old Viliamu, who was a sarcastic old gentleman, made a mock +apology for me-- + +"How should he know any better? The sharks of Tokelau have no teeth, +like the people there, for they too are eaters of _fala_." + +This evoked a sally of laughter, in which of course I joined. I must +explain that the natives of the Tokelau Group, among whom I had lived, +through constantly chewing the tough drupes of the fruit of the _fala_ +(pandanus palm) wear out their teeth prematurely, and are sometimes +termed "toothless" by other natives of the South Pacific. However, I was +to have my own little joke at Viliamu's expense later on. + +Just at this time a sudden squall, accompanied by torrents of rain, came +down upon us from the eastward, and whilst Marèko and his boys kept us +head to wind--none of the canoes were anchored--I took the opportunity +of getting ready two of my own lines, each treble-hooked, for the boys. +Their own were old and rotten, and had parted so often that they were +now too short to be of use, and, besides that, the few remaining hooks +of soft wire were too small. As soon as the squall was over I showed +Marèko what I had done. He nodded and smiled, but said I should try and +break off the barbs--his boys did not understand them as well as +native-made hooks. This was quickly accomplished with a heavy knife, and +the youngsters began to haul up fish two and three at a time at such a +rate that the canoe soon became deep in the water outside and very full +inside. + +"A few more, Marèko," I said, "and then we'll go ashore, unload, and +come back again. I want to tease that old man." + +We caught all we could possibly carry in another quarter of an hour, and +I was confident that our take exceeded that of any other canoe. This was +because the natives would carefully watch their stone sinkers descend, +and use every care to keep them from being entangled in the coral, +whilst my line, which had a 12 oz. leaden sinker, would plump quickly to +the bottom in the midst of the hungry fish; consequently, although I +lost some hooks by fouling and now and then dragged up a bunch of coral, +I was catching more fish than any one else. And I was not going to let +my reputation suffer for the sake of a few hooks. So we coiled up our +lines on the outrigger platform, and taking up our paddles headed +shoreward, taking care to pass near Viliamu's canoe. He hailed me and +asked me for a pipe of tobacco. + +"I shall give it to you when we return," I said. + +"When you return! Why, where are you going?" he asked. + +"On shore, you silly old woman! I have been showing these boys how to +fish for _gatala_, and we go because the canoe is sinking. When we +return these two _tamariki_ (infants) shall show _you_ how to fish now +that they have learnt from me." + +There was a loud laugh at this, and as the old man took the jest very +good-naturedly I brought up alongside, showed him our take, and gave him +a stick of tobacco. The astonishment of himself and his crew of three at +the quantity of fish we had afforded me much satisfaction, though I +could not help feeling that our luck was not due to my own skill alone. + +Returning to the islets we were just in time to escape two fierce +squalls, which lasted half an hour and raised such a sea that the +remaining canoes began to follow us, as they were unable to keep on the +ground. During our absence the women and children had been most +industrious; the weather-worn, dilapidated huts had been made habitable +with freshly-plaited _kapaus_--coarse mats of green coconut leaves, the +floors covered with clean white pebbles, sleeping mats in readiness, and +heaps of young drinking nuts piled up in every corner, whilst outside +smoke was arising from a score of ground ovens in which taro and puraka +were being cooked, together with bundles of _atuli_ wrapped in leaves. + +Etiquette forbade Marèko and myself counting our fish until the rest of +the party returned, although the women had taken them out of the canoe +and laid them on the beach, where the pouring rain soon washed them +clean and showed them in all their shining beauty. Among them were two +or three parrot-fish--rich carmine, striped with bands of bright yellow, +boneless fins, and long protruding teeth in the upper jaw showing out +from the thick, fleshy lips; and one _afulu_--a species of deep-water +sand mullet with purple scales and yellow fins. + +Whilst awaiting the rest of the canoes I drew the teacher into our hut +and pressed him to take some whisky. He was wet, cold, and shivering, +but resolutely declined to take any. "I should like to drink a little," +he said frankly, "but I must not. I cannot drink it in secret, and yet I +must not set a bad example. Do not ask me, please. But if you like to +give some to the old men do so, but only a very little." I did do so. As +soon as the rest of the party landed I called up four of the oldest men +and gave each of them a stiff nip. They were all nude to the waist, and +like all Polynesians who have been exposed to a cold rain squall, were +shivering and miserable. After each man had taken his nip and emitted a +deep sigh of satisfaction I observed that hundreds of old white men +saved their lives by taking a glass of spirits when they were wet +through--they had to do so by the doctor's orders. + +"That is true," said one old fellow; "when men grow old, and the rain +falls upon them it does not run off their skins as it would from the +smooth skins of young men. It gets into the wrinkles and stays there. +But when the belly is warmed with grog a man does not feel the cold." + +"True," I said gravely, as I poured some whisky out for myself; "true, +quite true, my dear friends. And in these islands it is very bad for an +old man to be exposed to much rain. That is why I am disturbed in my +mind. See, there is Marèko, your minister. He, like you, is old; he is +wet and cold. And he shivers. And he will not take a mouthful of this +_rom_ because he fears scandal. Now if he should become ill and die I +should be a disgraced man. This _rom_ is now not _rom_; it is medicine. +And Marèko should take some even as you have taken it--to keep away +danger." + +The four old fellows arose to the occasion. They talked earnestly +together for a minute, and then formed themselves into a committee, +requested me to head them as a deputation with the whisky, and then +waited upon their pastor, who was putting on a dry shirt in another hut. +I am glad to say that under our united protests he at last consented to +save his life, and felt much better. + +Presently the women announced that the ovens were ready to be opened. As +soon as the fish were counted, and the rain having ceased, we all +gathered round the canoes and watched each one emptied of its load. As I +imagined, our party had taken the most fish, and not only the most, but +the heaviest as well. Marèko added to my blushing honours by informing +the company that as a fisherman and a knowledgable man generally I +justified his brother minister's opinion and would prove an acquisition +to the community. We then inspected the first eel caught, and a truly +huge creature it was, quite nine feet in length, and in girth at its +thickest part, as near as I could guess with a piece of line, thirty +inches. The line with which it was caught was made of new four-stranded +coir-cinnet, as thick as a stout lead pencil, and the hook a piece of +3/6 or 1/2 inch iron with a 6-inch shank, once used as a fish spear, +without a barb! The natives seemed much pleased at the interest +displayed, and told me that sometimes these eels grew to _elua gafa_ +(_i.e._, two fathoms), but were seldom caught, and asked me if I had +tackle strong enough for such. Later on I showed them a 27-stranded +American cotton line 100 fathoms long, with a 4-inch hook, curved in the +shank, as thick as a pencil, and "eyed" for a twisted wire snooding. +They had never seen such beautiful tackle before, and were loud in their +expressions of admiration, but thought the line too thin for a very +heavy fish. I told them that at Nanomaga I had caught _palu_ (a +nocturnal feeding fish of great size) in over sixty fathoms with that +same line. + +"That is true," said one of them politely, "we were told that you and +Tiaki (one Jack O'Brien, an old trader) of Funafuti have caught many +_palu_ with your long lines; but the _palu_ is a weak fish even when he +is a fathom long. And as he comes up he grows weaker and weaker, and +sometimes he bursts open when he comes to the surface. Now if a big +eel--an eel two fathoms long--" + +"If he was three fathoms long he could not break this line," I replied +positively. + +They laughed and told me that when I hooked even a small eel, one half a +fathom in length, I would change my opinion. + +Soon after our midday meal was over, and we were preparing to return to +our fishing-ground with an ample supply of fresh bait, the sky to +windward became black and threatening, and through the breaks in the +long line of palms on the weather side of the island, which permitted +the horizon to be viewed, we could see that a squall of unusual violence +was coming. All the canoes were at once hauled up on the lee-side of the +islets, the huts were secured by ropes as quickly as possible, and every +one hurried under shelter. In a few minutes the wind was blowing with +astonishing fury, and the air was full of leaves, sticks, and other +_débris_, whilst the coco-palms and other trees on the islets seemed +likely to be torn up by the roots. This lasted about ten minutes. Then +came a sudden lull, followed by a terrific and deafening downpour of +rain; then more wind, another downpour, and the sun was out again! + +As soon as the squall was over, I walked round to the weather side of +the islet with some children. We found the beach covered with some +thousands of _atuli_ and beautiful little garfish which had been driven +on shore by the force of the wind. We were soon joined by women carrying +baskets, which they filled with fish and carried back to the camp. On +returning, we again launched the canoes and started off again--to meet +with some disappointment, for although the _gatala_ still bit freely and +several eels were also taken, some scores of the small, pestilent, +lagoon sharks were swimming about and played havoc with our lines. These +torments are from two to four feet in length, and their mouths, which +are quite out of proportion to their insignificant size, are set with +rows of teeth of razor-like keenness. The moment a baited hook was seen +one of these little wretches would dart at it like lightning, and +generally bit the line through just above the hook. So quick were they, +that one could seldom even feel a tug unless the hook got fast in their +jaws. Taking off my sinker, and bending on a big hook with a wire snood, +I abandoned myself to their destruction, and as fast as I hauled one +alongside it was stunned, cut into three or four pieces, and thrown +overboard to be devoured by its fellows. Many of the Ellice and Tokelau +islanders regard these young sharks as a delicacy, as their flesh is +very tender, and has not the usual unpleasant smell. In one of these +young sea lawyers we found no less than five hooks, with pieces of line +attached; these were duly restored to their owners. + +Another two hours passed, during which we had fairly good sport, then +the rain began to fall so heavily that we gave up for the day. We spent +the first part of the evening in the huts, eating, smoking, and talking, +and overhauling our tackle for the next day. It had been intended that +about midnight we should all go crayfishing in the shallow waters along +the shore of the islets, but this idea had to be abandoned in +consequence of the rain having soaked the coco palms--the dead branches +of which are rolled and plaited into a cylindrical form and used as +torches. The method of catching crayfish is very simple: a number of +men, each carrying a _kaulama_ torch about 6 feet in length in the left +hand, and a small scoop net in the right, walk waist-high through the +water; the crayfish, dazed by the brilliant light, are whipped up into +the nets and dropped into baskets carried by the women and children who +follow. They can only be caught on dark, moonless nights. + + * * * * * + +When we returned to the village our spoils included besides a great +number of fish, a few turtle and some young frigate birds. The latter +were captured for the purpose of being tamed. I made many subsequent +visits to the two islets, sometimes alone and sometimes with my native +friends, and on each occasion I left these lovely little spots with a +keen feeling of regret, for they are ideal resting-places to him who +possesses a love of nature and the soul of a fisherman. + + + + +_Mrs. MacLaggan's "Billy"_ + + +When Tom Denison was quite a young man he was earning a not too +dishonest sort of a living as supercargo of a leaky old ketch owned by +Mrs. Molly MacLaggan of Samoa, which in those days was the Land of +Primeval Wickedness and Original and Imported Sin, Strong Drink, and +Loose Fish generally. Captain "Bully" Hayes also lived in Samoa; his +house and garden adjoined that of Mrs. MacLaggan, and at the back there +was a galvanised iron cottage, inhabited by a drunken French carpenter +named Leger, whose wife was a full-blooded negress, and made kava for +Denison and "Bully" every evening, and used to beat Billy MacLaggan on +the head with a pole about six times a day, and curse him vigorously in +mongrel Martinique French. Billy MacLaggan was Mrs. Molly's male goat, +and as notorious in Samoa as Bully Hayes himself. + +I want to try and tell this story as clearly as possible, but there are +so many people concerned, and so many things which really happened +together, though each one seemed to come before the other a little and +try and get into the general jumble, and every one was so confused, +some fatuous people blaming the goat, and some Denison, who was +generally disliked by the Germans, while Mrs. Molly said it was caused +by the man with the bucket of milk, and Captain Hayes who had bribed him +to do it, and nearly caused bloodshed, as the German officer who was +insulted by Hayes had shot a lot of people in duels, or if he had not +shot them he had stuck his sword into them in fifteen places, more or +less. + +Now let me explain: First of all there was Mrs. Molly, who was the +hostess; then there was Hamilton, the Apia pilot and his wife; the +manager of the big German firm at Matafale (he wore gold spectacles, and +was very fond of Mrs. Molly, who was a widow); then there was Bully +Hayes, and old Coe the American consul, and young Denison; all these +were some of the local guests, and lived in Samoa, the rest were +officers from a German man-of-war lying in port, and the usual +respectable town loafers. Then there were Leger, the bibulous carpenter; +'_Liza,_ his black wife; a white policeman named Thady O'Brien, and a +loafing scoundrel of a Samoan named Mataiasi, called "Matty" for +brevity, who was the public flogger, and milked Mrs. MacLaggan's herd of +seven imported Australian cows; and lastly the goat, and about thirty or +forty of Bully Hayes's crew, and as many Samoans, who came to look at +the dancing and see what they could steal, Leger and his wife and the +policeman and the town flogger had charge of the refreshment tables, +which for the sake of coolness had been laid out upon the wide, back +verandah, and handsomely decorated with pot plants and flags from the +man-of-war, and blanc-manges and jellies, and tipsy cake, and cold roast +pigeons and chickens were lying around as if they weren't worth two +cents. + +The big wholesale store, which formed part of Mrs. Molly's house and +establishment, made a fine ballroom. All the barrels of whisky and +Queensland rum, and the cases of lager beer and Holland's gin, had been +stowed neatly on each side, and covered over with flags and orange +blossoms by Denison and Bully Hayes and his men, and the orange blossoms +killed the smell of the rum so much that strangers would have thought it +was sherry. + +Everything went on beautifully for the first two hours, and then Mrs. +Molly asked Denison to take out a very pretty young half-caste lady and +get her a drink of milk. When they reached the side table where the milk +should have been, they found it all gone; but O'Brien the policeman said +that Mataiasi had just started off to milk another cow. + +Just then Hayes came out to the refreshment tables with a lady on his +arm. She was thirsty, and so "Bully" opened a large bottle of champagne, +and she and he and Denison and the young half-caste lady drank it; then +they drank another, and all went oft together to see Mataiasi milking +the cow, which was tied up to a coconut tree just outside the fence. The +cow was a yellow cow, and was standing very quietly, and just beside her +Billy MacLaggan (who caused all this trouble) was lying down, working +his jaws to and fro and making curious, snorting sounds in the bright +and gorgeous moonlight. I forgot to say that Wm. MacLaggan was the +largest and ugliest goat ever known to the memory of man, and had been +taught every vice and wickedness any goat could be taught, and it is as +natural for a goat to imbibe sin as it is for him to eat a cactus, or a +hedgehog, or a tract. + +Hayes addressed the goat by his Christian name, and asked him how he +did, and Billy looked at Hayes for a second or two out of his green, +sharky eyes, then he rose in a dignified manner, and came over to him to +be scratched under the chin. Then he blew himself out, snorted, and +rubbed his horns against the captain's knee: and Hayes remarked to +Denison that the poor beggar wanted a drink, and proposed to give him a +"proper one." + +The goat knew perfectly well what "drink" meant, and made his vicious +tail quiver; then he followed them back to the house, and stood at the +foot of the steps waiting for Hayes and Tom to come out again. + +On the other side of the courtyard was Mrs. MacLaggan's laundry. The +door was wide open and the place was in darkness, and no one took any +notice when presently Tom sauntered out of the ballroom, picked up a +large plateful of tipsy-cake, and, being kind to animals, gave a piece +to William, who followed him into the laundry for the rest; then Hayes +came in with a quart bottle of champagne, shut the door and struck a +light. Then he opened the bottle of fizz and poured it out into a deep, +enamelled starching-dish, and Billy MacLaggan drank thereof, and then +raised his head, with his immoral-looking beard hanging in a sodden +point like a wet deck-swab, and asked for more. That is, he asked as +well as any Christian and civilised goat could ask, by standing up on +his hind legs like a circus-horse and making strange, unearthly noises. +Then he rammed his wicked old nose into the dish again, and pushed it +all round the room, trying to sop up more liquor, which wasn't there, +and trod on Denison's canvas-slippered foot, and knocked over the little +tin kerosene oil lamp which was standing on the floor, and when Hayes, +with loud and blasphemous remarks grabbed at the ironing-blanket of the +laundry-table to extinguish the flames, he pulled the table down on the +top of Denison and himself and the goat and everything, for the blanket +was nailed on at the four corners, and when he was down on his hands and +knees, the goat being exceedingly alarmed and half-drunk, and smelling +his own hair burning, put his head down and charged at the universe in +general, or anything else he could hit, and he hit Hayes fair on the +temple with a noise like a ship's mainmast going by the board; then the +people outside burst in the door, and the creature, with a bull-like +bellow, charged out among them, and landed his bony head into the +stomach of Mataiasi, who was carrying the bucket of milk, and was afraid +to put it down when he saw him coming; then in some way the handle of +the iron bucket got on Billy MacLaggan's horns, which simply made him +thirst for gore, for he thought he was being made fun of because he was +in liquor. With the bucket swinging and clattering and banging around, +he made a dash up on the verandah, among the pretty muslin-clad ladies +and white-duck suited men, creating havoc and destruction, and smelling +of kerosene and burnt hair and ancient goat, and uttering horrible, +blood-curdling _bah-h-h-s_, till he got into the card-table corner, and +mistaking the wide glass window for an open door, he promptly jumped +through it, and fell with a shower of glass outside on to the verandah +again, where Thady O'Brien and the fat German with the spectacles fell +on him, and tried to hold him down, and the spectacles were ground into +dust and otherwise damaged, and some of the ladies endeavouring to +escape out of the hideous _mélée_ fell with him, and then the goat +struggled to his feet with the bucket squashed flat against his +forehead, and his horns covered with lace, and tulle, and bits of kid +gloves, and planted one of his cloven forefeet into the shirt-front of a +German officer, and smashed his watch. Then with another roar of +defiance he burst through and disappeared into the wilderness at the +back of Mrs. MacLaggan's garden, where he was followed by Leger, the +drunken carpenter, and his wife, and nineteen Samoans, all armed with +rifles. The army fired at him for two hours, and about midnight returned +and reported him riddled with bullets, whereupon Mrs. Molly, who was a +little hysterical at the awful mess and wreckage caused by the brute, +thanked them and gave them ten dollars. + +Now it so happened that Billy MacLaggan was not killed at all, for about +two o'clock in the morning, as Bully Hayes and Tom Denison were sitting +on the verandah of the former's house at Matautu Point, drinking brandy +and soda, and dabbing arnica bandages on their various contusions, Pilot +Hamilton hailed them from the front gate. He had just left the dance +with his wife, and was quite sober--for Samoa. He asked them to come on +with him to his place, as Billy MacLaggan, he said, was lying down in +Mrs. Hamilton's kitchen, and seemed poorly, and that he hoped Hayes +would forgive the poor thing, which was only a dumb animal. So Hayes and +Denison went and saw William, who was now sober and looked sorry. They +dressed his wounds, and Tom Denison took him on board early in the +morning, intending to take him to sea till the memory of his misdeeds +had toned down a bit, for Billy was a great institution in Samoa, and +had many friends. Hardly a white man in the place, no matter how hard up +he was, but would stand Billy a bottle of lager or a chew of tobacco. (I +forgot to mention that Billy would drink anything and chew anything, +except cigarettes, at which he snorted with contempt.) Now Denison's +little vessel was lying quite near the German man-of-war, and was to +sail next day for the Solomons if the captain was sober, and he +(Denison) had a lot of work to do to get the ship ready, and whilst he +was poring over accounts in the cabin about noon, a boat ran alongside +and Bully Hayes came into the cabin. + +"Where's Billy?" he said. "Quick, get him into my boat at once. There's +a search-party coming on board, and the widow is going to give you the +dirty kick-out, Tom Denison. There's been the devil to pay over that +cursed goat, but I'm going to save his life all the same. But if she +does sack you, you can come to me for a berth." + +Billy, who was placidly eating bananas on the main deck, was at once +seized and hoisted over the side into Hayes's boat, which shoved off, +leaving Hayes on board to explain things to Tom. + +It seemed that when the fat German manager--the man with spectacles--I +mean the man who had the spectacles until Billy MacLaggan came in--the +man who was courting Mrs. Molly--fell on the top of the goat, some other +man trod on his face, and Leger (who was not sober enough to tell one +person from another) said that he saw Tom Denison do it. Seven natives, +male and female, swore that at the time alleged Tom was out on the beach +bathing his crushed toe in the salt water, and using solemn British +oaths; but Leger, who disliked Denison, who had once kicked him +overboard violently for being drunk, not only stuck to the story, but +said that Hayes and Tom had set the goat on fire on purpose to break up +the dance and cause annoyance to the Germans present; also he vaguely +hinted that they, Denison and Hayes, would have driven the seven cows +into the ballroom but couldn't find them. Then Mrs. MacLaggan promised +the fat man to sack Denison on the following morning, and at midnight, +as I have said, word was brought in that Billy had been shot. But about +ten in the morning Leger heard from some native that the goat was as +well as ever, and on board Denison's vessel, and being a mean, spiteful +little hound, off he trotted to the German manager, and said that +Captain Hayes and Mr. Denison had rescued the creature. At that very +moment the manager was talking to some German officers, one of whom was +the man whose watch had been smashed, and as every German in Samoa hated +Hayes most fervently, it was at once concluded that Hayes had trained, +or suborned, or bribed, or corrupted the goat to do it. So a young +lieutenant went and called upon Hayes, and demanded satisfaction for his +friend, and Hayes was exceedingly rude to him, but said that if the man +with the broken watch liked to meet Billy MacLaggan with his own +weapons, and fight him in a goatsmanlike manner, for fifty dollars a +side, he (Hayes) would put up Billy's fifty. Then the lieutenant asked +for a written apology for his friend, and Hayes said that Billy couldn't +write, and, anyway, he was Mrs. Molly's goat. If the man with the +smashed nickel wanted an apology, why the blazes didn't he approach Mrs. +MacLaggan? he asked. + +Whilst Hayes was telling all this to Tom, pulling his thick beard and +laughing loudly, as they paced the little vessel's deck, the +search-party came on board to recover the goat. The leader bore a letter +from Mrs. MacLaggan to Tom, informing him that his services as +supercargo were no longer required, also that he could come ashore at +once and be paid off, as his conduct was heartless, and the consuls said +it might lead to serious complications, as it had been done with intent +to insult the citizens of a friendly nation, one of whom, as he was +aware, had made the natives cut down the price of copra half a cent. +Under these circumstances, &c. + +Tom grinned and showed the letter to Hayes. Then he turned to the mate. + +"I've got the sack, Waters. You're in charge of this rotten, filthy old +hooker now until the old man is sober." + +He packed up his traps, went ashore, drew his money from Mrs. +MacLaggan's cashier, and bade him goodbye. + +"Where's the goat, Tom?" + +"On board Bully Hayes' ship. His crool, crool mistress shall see him no +more! Never more shall his plaintive call to his nannies resound o' +nights among the sleeping palm-groves of the Vaisigago Valley; +never----" + +The cashier jumped up out of his chair and seized the dismissed +supercargo by the collar. + +"Stop that bosh, you rattlebrained young ass, and come and take a +farewell drink." + +"Never more will he butt alike the just and the unjust, the fat and +bloated German merchant nor the herring-gutted Yankee skipper, nor the +bare--ah--um--legged Samoan, nor the gorgeous consul in the solar topee. +Gone is the glory of Samoa with Billy MacLaggan. Goodbye for the +present, Wade, old man--I am not so proud of my new dignity--I am to be +supercargo of the brig _Rona_--as to refuse to drink with you, though +you are but a cashier. And give my farewell to the widow, and tell her +that I bear her no ill-will, for I leave a dirty little tub of a +cockroach-infested ketch for a swagger brig, where I shall wear white +suits every day and feel that peace of mind which--" + +"Oh, do dry up, you young beggar," said the good-natured cashier, whose +laughter proved so infectious that Tom joined in. + +"Come then, Wade, just another ere we part." + +Now as these two were drinking in the cashier's office it happened that +Thady O'Brien, the policeman (he was chief of the municipal police, and +fond of drink) saw them, and invited himself to join them and also to +express his sorrow at Denison's "misfortune," as he called it, for +Denison was a lovable sort of youth, and often gave him drink on board. +So they all sat down, Wade in the one chair, and Tom and the policeman +on the table, and had several more drinks, and just then Mrs. MacLaggan +came to the door, holding a note in her hand. She bowed coldly to Tom, +whose three stiff drinks of brandy enabled him to give her a reproachful +glance. + +"Captain Hayes wants to buy one or two of the nanny-goats, to take away +with him to Ponapé, Mr. Wade," she said. "I shall be glad to let him +have them. Please tell Leger and Mataiasi to catch them at once." + +Then Mrs. MacLaggan went away, and Tom and O'Brien went down to the +jetty to wait for a boat to take them on board--Tom to his duty, and +O'Brien because he was thirsty again. Presently Leger and Mataiasi and a +large concourse of native children came down, carrying two female goats, +who, imagining they were to be cast into the sea, began to cry with +great violence, and were immediately answered in a deep voice by Billy +MacLaggan from over the water, whereupon Leger started to run off and +tell Mrs. MacLaggan that Billy was alive, and on board the _Rona_, and +Denison put out his foot and tripped him, and was at once assailed by +Leger's black wife, who hit him on the head with a stick, and then +herself was pushed backwards off the jetty into the water by Mr. +O'Brien, taking several children and one of the goats with her, and in +less than two minutes there was as pretty a fight as ever was seen. +Several native police ran to help their superior officer, and a lot of +dogs came with them; the dogs bit anybody and everybody +indiscriminately, but most of them went for Leger and Denison, who were +lying gasping together on the jetty, striving to murder each other; then +a number of sailors belonging to a whaleship joined in, and tried to +massacre or otherwise injure and generally maltreat the policemen, and +by the time the boat from the _Rona_ came to the rescue the jetty looked +like a battlefield, and one goat was drowned, and the new supercargo was +taken on board to have his excoriations attended to, for he was in a +very bad state. + +That is the end of the story, which I have told in a confused sort of +away, I admit, because there are so many things in it, though I could +tell a lot more about the adventures of Billy MacLaggan, after he went +to sea with Captain Bully Hayes. + + + + +_An Island Memory_ + +CHAPTER I + + +From early dawn wild excitement had prevailed in the great native +village on the shores of Port Lele, and on board two ships which were +anchored on the placid waters of the land-locked harbour. As the fleecy, +cloud-like mist which, during the night, had enveloped the forest-clad +spurs and summit of Mont Buache, was dispelled by the first airs of the +awakened trade wind and the yellow shafts of sunrise, a fleet or canoes +crowded with natives put off from the sandy beach in front of the king's +house, and paddled swiftly over towards the ships, the captains of which +only awaited their arrival to weigh and tow out through the passage. + +As the mist lifted, Cayse, the master of the _Iroquois_ of Sagharbour, +stepped briskly up on the poop, and hailed the skipper of the other +vessel, a small, yellow-painted barque of less than two hundred tons. + +"Are you ready, Captain Ross?" + +"All ready," was the answer; "only waiting for the military," and then +followed a hoarse laugh. + +Cayse, a little, grizzled, and leathern-faced man of fifty, replied by +an angry snarl, then turned to his mate, who stood beside him awaiting +his orders. + +"Get these natives settled down as quickly as possible, Mr. North, then +start to heave-up and loose sails. I reckon we'll tow out in an hour. +The king will be here presently in his own boat. Hoist it aboard." + +North nodded in silence, and was just moving on to the main deck, when +Cayse stopped him. + +"You don't seem too ragin' pleased this mornin', Mr. North, over this +business. Naow, as I told you yesterday, I admire your feelin's on the +subject, but I can't afford--" + +The mate's eyes blazed with anger. + +"And I tell you again that I won't have anything to do with it. I know +my duty, and mean to stick to it. I shipped for a whaling voyage, and +not to help savages to fight. Take my advice and give it up. Money got +in this way will do you no good." + +Cayse shifted his feet uneasily. + +"I can't afford to sling away the chance of earnin' two or three +thousan' dollars so easy. An' you'll hev to do your duty to me. Naow, +look here--" + +North raised his hand. + +"That will do. I have said I will do my duty as mate, but not a hand's +turn will I take in such bloody work as you and the skipper of that +crowd of Sydney cut-throats and convicts are going into for the sake of +six thousand dollars." + +"Well, I reckon we can do without you. Any one would think we was going +piratin', instead of helping the king of this island to his rights. +Naow, just tell me--" + +Again the mate interrupted him. + +"I am going for'ard to get the anchor up, and will obey all your orders +as far as the working of the ship is concerned--nothing more." + +An hour later the two vessels, their decks crowded with three hundred +savages, armed with muskets, spears, and clubs, were towed out through +the narrow, reef-bound passage, and with the now freshening trade wind +filling their sails, set a course along the coast which before sunset +would bring them to Leassé, on the lee side of the island. But +presently, in response to a signal from the _Lucy May_, the whaler lay +to; a boat put off from the smaller ship, and Captain Ross came +alongside, clambered over the bulwarks and joined Cayse and the young +king of Port Lele, who were awaiting him on the poop, to discuss with +him the plan of surprise and slaughter of the offending people of +Leassé. + + * * * * * + +Nearly a week before the _Iroquois_ had run into Port Lele to refresh +before proceeding westward and northward to the Bonin Islands in +pursuance of her cruise. Charlik, the king, was delighted to see Cayse, +for in the days when his father was king the American captain had +conveyed a party of one hundred Strong's Islanders from Port Lele to +MacAskill's Island, landed them in his boats during the night, and stood +off and on till daylight, when they returned reeking from their work of +slaughter upon the sleeping people, and bringing with them some scores +of women and children as captives. For this service the king had given +Cayse half a ton of turtle-shell, and the services of ten young men as +seamen for as long a time as the _Iroquois_ cruised in the Pacific on +that voyage. When Charlik's father was dying, he called his head chiefs +around him, and gave the boy into their care with these words--"Here die +I upon my mat like a woman, long before my time, and to-morrow my spirit +will hear the mocking laughs of the men of Môut and Leassé, when they +say, 'Sikra is dead; Sikra was but an empty boaster.'" + +Then his son spoke. + +"Not many days shall they laugh. They shall be destroyed all, all, all +of them." + +The king touched his son's hand. + +"Those are good words. But be not too hasty. Wait till the American +comes again. He will help with his men and guns. But he is a greedy man. +Yet spare nothing; give him all the silver and gold money I have stored +by for his return, and all the turtle-shell that can be gathered +together. And let there be not even one little child left in Môut or +Leassé." + +Charlik was a lad or seventeen when his savage old father died, and for +a year after his death he harried and distressed his people by his +exactions. All day long the men toiled at making coconut oil, and at +night time they watched along the beaches for the hawk-bill turtle; the +oil they put into huge butts, which stood in the king's boat-sheds, and +the costly turtle-shell was taken by the young ruler and locked up in +the seamen's chests which lined the inside wall of the great +council-house. And no man durst now fire a musket at a wild pig, for +powder and ball had been made _tapu_--such things were given up to the +chiefs, lest they might be wasted, and every morning three young men +climbed up the rugged side of Mont Buache, to keep a look-out for the +ship whose captain would help their master to wreak a bloody vengeance +upon the rebellious people of Leassé. + +At the end of the sixteenth month of watching, a sail appeared coming +from the southward, and the watchers on the mountain-top sped down to +the king's house, and sinking upon their knees in the courtyard of coral +slabs, whispered their news to one of the king's serving-men, who, with +a musket in his hand and a cutlass girt around his naked waist, stood +sentry before the youthful despot's sleeping-room. + +"Good," said the king to Kanka, his head chief; "'tis surely the +American Késa,[13] for this is the month in which he said he would +return. Let the women make ready a great feast, and launch my three +boats, so that if the wind fail, when the sun is high, they may help to +drag the ship into Lele." + +Then came the sound of beating drums, and the long, mournful note of the +conch-shells calling the wild people together to prepare for the ship. +Turtle were lifted from their walled-in prison holes on the reef, hogs +were strangled, and the king's wives went hither and thither among his +slave women, bidding them hasten to kindle the ovens, whilst children +went out into the great canework cage, wherein were hundreds of the +king's wild pigeons, and seizing the birds, began to pluck them alive. + +An hour passed. Charlik, sitting in a European chair, was watching the +wild bustle and excitement around him in the courtyard, when his eye +fell on the three messengers, who, with bent head and bended knees, were +awaiting his further commands. + +Beckoning to a young, light-skinned woman, who stood near him, he bade +her bring him three of his best pearl-shell bonito hooks. They were +brought, and taking them from her, he threw them to the men. + +"Ye have watched well," he said. "There is thy reward. Now go and eat +and sleep." + +With eyes sparkling with pleasure, the young men each took up his +precious gift, and with crouching forms crept slowly over to the further +side of the courtyard, where they were waited upon by women with food. + +Presently the fair young woman--his sister Sè--returned to her brother's +side. + +"The ship is near," she said, and then her voice faltered; "but it is +not the ship of Késa. It is but a small ship, and she hath but two +boats. Késa's had five." + +"What lies are these?" said the young savage fiercely. "Go look again." + +The girl left him, to return a few minutes later with grey-headed old +Kanka, who in response to an inquiring look from his master, bent his +head and said slowly-- + +"'Tis a strange ship--one that never before have we seen in Lele." + +The youth made him no answer. He merely raised his arm and pointed his +finger at the three messengers. + +"Then they have lied to me. Bring them here to me." + +Kanka stepped over to where the fated men were sitting. They rose at his +behest, and crept over to the king; behind them, at some invisible sign +given by him, followed a man with a heavy club of _toa_ wood. The +clamour which had filled the courtyard ceased, and terrified silence +fell. One by one the messengers knelt upon the coral flags--no need for +them to ask for mercy from Charlik, the savage son of a bloodstained +father. The bearer of the club held the weapon knob downward, and +watched the king's face for the signal of death. He nodded, and then, +one after another of the men were struck and fell prone upon the stones. +With scowling eyes Charlik regarded them for a moment or two in silence, +then he turned unconcernedly away, as some of his slaves came forward +and carried the bodies out of sight. + +Suddenly he sprang to his feet, as a loud, long cry, first from a single +throat, and then echoed and reechoed by a hundred more, came upward from +the beach. + +"A ship! A ship! Another ship! The ship of Késa!" + +Bidding his sister and the old chief Kanka to come with him, Charlik +quickly left the house, and walking through a grove of breadfruit trees, +reached a spot from where he had a full view of the open sea. There +right in the passage was a small barque; and, almost within hail, and +just rounding the northern horn of the reef was a larger vessel, one +glance at which told Charlik that it was the American whaler for which +he had so long waited. In less than an hour they were at anchor abreast +of the king's house, and the two captains were being rowed ashore. They +met on the beach. The master of the smaller vessel was a tall, +broad-shouldered man, armed with a pair of pistols and a cutlass. +Striding over the sand he held out his hand to the American. + +"Good day. My name's Ross, barque _Lucy May_, of Sydney, from the New +Hebrides to Hong Kong with sandalwood." + +"Glad to meet ye. My name is Cayse, ship _Iroquois_, bound on a sperm +whalin' cruise." + +Further speech was denied them, for suddenly the thronging and excited +natives around them drew aside right and left as Charlik, with a face +beaming with smiles, came up to Cayse with outstretched hand, and +greeted him warmly in English. Then he turned quickly to the Englishman +and shook hands with him also, and asked him from whence he came. + +"From Sydney. I came here to get wood, water, and provisions." + +"Good. You can get all you want. Have you muskets and bullets to sell?" + +"I can spare you some." + +"Ah, that is good. I want plenty, plenty. Now come to my house and eat +and drink; then we can talk." + +It was well on towards sunset before Charlik and Cayse had finished +their talk. Ross meanwhile had gone on board the barque for some +firearms which he was giving the king in exchange for several boatloads +of provisions. When he returned, with two of his crew carrying six +muskets, a keg of powder, and a bag of bullets, Cayse met him on the +threshold of the king's house. + +"Come inside, mister. The king wants to talk to you on a matter of +business. I reckon you an' me together can do what he wants done. But +jest come along with me first. I want to show you the kind of fellow he +is when he gets upset." + +The master of the sandalwooder followed the American across the wide +courtyard to some native houses. Stopping in front of one, from which +the low murmur of women's voices, broken now and then by a wailing cry, +proceeded, he desired Ross to look in through the doorway. A small fire +of coconut shells was burning in the centre of the room, and _by_ its +light Ross saw several women crouched round the bodies of three men, +performing the last offices for the dead. They looked at the white +strangers with apathetic indifference, but ceased their labours whilst +Ross bent down and examined the still faces. His scrutiny was brief, +but it was enough. + +Cayse gave a sniggering laugh. "I reckon you'll feel sorter startled, +mister, when I tell you that you were the cause of those men getting +clubbed, hey?" + +Ross frowned angrily. "What are you driving at? What the devil had I to +do with it?" + +"On'y this. You see I'm the white-headed boy with this young island +cock, an' he's been expectin' to see the _Iroquois_ for quite a time. +Your barque happened to heave in sight first, an' these three fellows +who were standin' mast-head watch up thar on the mountain, came tearin' +down an' reported that it was my old hooker. Charlik bein' a most +impatient young fellow, had 'em clubbed on the spot; he should hev +waited another five minutes. Come on, he's ready to talk business with +us now." + +In the centre of the big council room Charlik, attended by his sister, +was seated upon a mat. A couple of brightly burning ship's lanterns +suspended from the beams overhead, revealed the figures of a score of +armed natives, seated with their backs to the canework walls of the +room; midway between them and the young king were two seamen's chests, +beside which crouched the half-naked, tatooed form or old Kanka. + +Followed by the sailors carrying the muskets, the two captains walked +over the soft, springy floor of mats, and seated themselves facing the +young man. His eye lit up at the sight of the arms, and then he desired +Ross to tell his men to withdraw. Then as the sound of their footsteps +died away, he looked at Cayse and said briefly-- + +"Go on, capèn. You talk." + +Cayse went into the subject at once. + +"Captain Ross, do you want to earn three thousand dollars?" + +"Don't mind." + +"Neither do I. Well, just listen. The king here has three thousand +dollars in cash and three thousand dollars' worth of coconut ile and +turtle-shell. Now, if you and I will help him to do a bit of fightin' +it's ours. The money and shell is here in this room, the ile is in the +sheds near by. If you agree, the king will hand us over the money now, +and we can ship the ile in the morning." + +Ross thought a moment, then he said suspiciously-- + +"Why are you giving me a chance?" + +"Not from any feelin' of affection for you, mister," answered Cayse with +his peculiar snarl, "but because I ain't able to do the whole business +myself--if I could I wouldn't ask _you_ to come in. Now, I noticed this +mornin' that you carry a big crew, and have six guns, and I reckon thet +you hev to use 'em sometimes in your business?" + +Ross laughed grimly. "All of us sandalwooding ships carry a few +nine-pounders as well as plenty of small arms. We are allowed to do so +by the Governor of New South Wales." + +"Just so. Well, now, listen. This island is governed by two chiefs; +this one here, Charlik, has most people, but the other lot, who live on +the lee side of the island, rebelled against his father more'n ten years +ago. They've had a good many fights, an' in the last one these Lele +people got badly whipped. Charlik is the proper king, but ever since a +white man named Ledyard went to live with the Leassé people, they've +refused to pay tribute. This Ledyard is the cause of all the trouble, +and he has taught his natives how to fight European fashion. There's +only about six hundred of 'em altogether--men, women, and +children--eh, Charlik?" + +The young chief nodded in assent. + +"Now, by a bit of luck, news came up the other day by one of Charlik's +spies that Ledyard has gone away to Ponapé in a cutter he has built. It +will take him two or three weeks to go there and back, and now is the +time for Charlik to wipe out old scores--the Leassé people won't stand +much of a chance agin' a night attack by three hundred of Charlik's +people. If Ledyard was there it would be different." + +Ross soon made his decision. He was a man utterly without pity, and +Cayse who, while inciting others to slaughter for the sake of his own +gain, yet had some grains of compunction in his nature, almost shuddered +when the master of the _Lucy May_ laughed hoarsely and said-- + +"It's a bargain--just the thing that my crowd could tackle and carry +through themselves. Two voyages ago me and my beauties wiped out every +living soul on one of the Cartaret's Islands. I'll tell you the yarn +some day. But look here, king, can't we make another deal about the +women and children. Let me keep as many of them as I have room for +aboard, and I'll pay for them in muskets and powder and bullets." + +"What do you want with them?" + +"Sell them to old Abba Dul, the king of the Pelews. I've done business +with him before." + +Charlik called Kanka over to him, and the two spoke in low tones. Then +the young ruler of Lele shook his head. + +"No. There must be but one left to live--the white man's wife. Now we +shall count this money." + +The boxes were carried over directly under the rays of the lamps and +opened, the bags containing the money lifted out, the coins counted, and +then evenly divided between the two wolves. + +On the following morning the casks of oil were rolled down to the beach +and rafted off to the two ships, and before dawn, on the fourth day, +Ross and his fellow-ruffian sent word ashore to the king that all was +ready, and that he and his fighting men could come on board at once and +proceed on their dreadful mission. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +As the two captains and their ferocious young employer sat on the +snow-white poop of the _Iroquois_ and discussed the plan of attack, the +ship and barque kept closely together, so closely that North, who had +not yet placed foot on board the sandalwooder, had now an opportunity of +looking down upon her decks, and watching the actions of those who +manned her. A more ragged and desperate looking lot of ruffians he had +never seen in his life; and their wild, unkempt appearance was in +perfect accord with the _Lucy May_ herself, whose dirty, yellow sides +were stained from stem to stern with long streaks and broad patches of +iron-rust. Aloft she was in as equally a bad condition, and North and +his fellow-officers, used to the trimness and unceasing care of a +whaleship's sails and running gear, looked with contempt at the disorder +and neglect everywhere visible. On deck, however, some attempt at +setting things ship-shape were being made by the two mates and +boatswain, the six guns were being overhauled, and a pile of muskets +lying on the main hatch were being examined and passed up to the poop +one by one, to old Kanka, who was in command of the contingent of Lele +natives on board the barque. Similar preparations with small arms were +being made on board the _Iroquois_ by her crew which, largely composed +of Chilenos, Portuguese, and Polynesians, had eagerly accepted the offer +of twenty dollars for each man for a few hours' fighting. North alone +had spoken against and tried to dissuade his fellow-officers from taking +any active part in the expedition, but his remonstrances fell upon +unheeding ears. The details of the scheme to surprise the unsuspecting +inhabitants of the two villages had filled him with unutterable horror +and indignation, and all sorts of wild plans formed in his brain to +prevent the accomplishment of the cruel deed. For the consequences of +such interference to himself he cared nothing. He was alone in the +world, and had no thought beyond that of making enough money to enable +him to one day buy a ship of his own. Once, as he passed the trio on the +poop, and glanced at the smooth, olive-coloured features of the young +king, who, with anticipative zest, was fondling a rifle which Ross had +brought on board for him, he felt inclined to whip a belaying-pin out of +the rail and bring it crashing down upon his skull. Had there been any +other ship but the _Lucy May_ near, he would have left the _Iroquois_ +that moment. But help was coming to his troubled mind. + +An hour before sunset the two vessels ran into a little harbour, then +called Port Lottin, but now known as South Harbour by the few wandering +whalers which sometimes touch at the island. Here, ere it became dark, +the natives, with fourteen of the _Lucy May's_ crew under Ross, were +landed. They were to march at early morning, cross the mountain range +which intervened between South Harbour and Leassé, and then, hidden by +the dense forest, await the appearance of the ships off the doomed +villages on the following afternoon. The six boats--two from the _Lucy +May_ and four from the _Iroquois_--were to pull ashore as soon as the +ships were off Leassé and take up positions, three to the north and +three to the south, so as to cut off all who attempted to escape along +the beaches from the attack which would be made by Ross. Charlik was to +command one of the boat parties, Cayse the other, and should any canoes +with fugitives attempt to gain the open sea, they were to be sunk by the +_Lucy May's_ guns, for she was to anchor in such a position that an +escaping canoe would have to pass within fifty yards of her. + + * * * * * + +Eight bells had struck, and North, who had declined to join the captain +and his fellow-officers at supper, was sitting in his cabin smoking and +listening to the soft hum of the surf on the barrier reef a mile away. +On deck all was quiet, only the fourth mate and three of the hands were +keeping watch, the rest of the crew who were not turned in had gone +ashore to witness a dance given by King Charlik's warriors. + +Suddenly he heard a footfall on the cabin deck, and then some one said +in a low voice-- + +"May I come in, sir?" + +North, recognising the voice as that of a young man named Macy, his own +harpooner, at once bade him enter. + +Macy, a sunburnt, blue-eyed youth, closed the cabin door behind him, and +held up his finger to enjoin silence. + +"I've only just now heard, sir, that you will not take a hand in this +work which is going on. Neither will I, sir; for those damned savages +are going to kill all the poor women and children. I've come to ask you +what I'm to do if I'm ordered away in the boat? My God! Mr. North, must +we all be turned into a gang of murderers like those fellows on the +_Lucy May!_" + +The officer shook the young seaman's hand. "I for one will have no hand +in it, my lad; and I wish there were more of us on board of our way of +thinking. I wish we could leave the ship. I would rather die of thirst +on the open ocean ... Macy, my lad, will you stand to me?" + +"Stand to you, sir! Aye, Mr. North. If you mean to take to our boat, +sir, I am with you." + +"No," answered North in a whisper. "That, after all, would only save us +two from being mixed up in this murderous business--I want to prevent it +altogether. Have you heard how far it is across the island to this place +Leassé?" + +"Seven miles, sir, over the mountains." + +"And twenty by the boats! Macy, I am determined to leave the ship +to-night, cut across the island, and save the poor people from massacre. +Will you come? We may pay for it with our lives." + +The harpooner raised his rough hand. "We must all die some day, sir." + +For some minutes they conversed in whispered tones; then Macy slipped on +deck, and North took his pistols from their racks, filled his coat +pockets with ammunition, and then followed him. His own boat was lying +astern. + +Telling the cooper, who was the only one of the afterguard on deck, that +he was going ashore to look at the dance, and that only Macy and another +hand need come with him, North ordered the boat to be hauled alongside. +A quarter of an hour later he and Macy stepped out upon the shore under +the shadow of a high bluff, and quite out of view from Ross and his +party, although the many camp-fires cast long lines of light across the +sleeping waters of the little harbour. + +Informing the boat-keeper that they should return in a couple of hours, +the two men first walked along the beach in the direction of the +encampment. Then once out of sight from the boat, they struck inland +into a deep valley through which, Macy said, a narrow track led up to +the range, and then downwards to the two villages. After a careful +search the track was found, and the bright stars shining through the +canopy of leaves overhead gave them sufficient light to pursue their +way. For two hours they toiled along through the silent forest, hearing +no sound except now and then the affrighted rush of some startled wild +boar, and, far distant, the dull cry of the ever-restless breakers upon +the coral reef. At last the summit of the range was reached, and they +sat down to rest upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves which covered +the ground. Here North took a spirit-flask from his jacket, and Macy and +he drank in turns. + +"Do you know, sir," said Macy, as he returned the flask to the officer, +"that there's a white man living at this village?" + +"He's not there now, Macy. He's gone away to another island in his +cutter." + +"I know that, sir. I've heard all about it from one of the chaps on the +_Lucy May_. The man's name is Ledyard, and this young devil's-limb of a +king hates him like poison--for two reasons. One is, that Ledyard, who +settled in Leassé a few years ago, taught the people there how to use +their muskets in a fight, when Charlik's father tried to destroy them +time and again; the other is that his wife is a white woman--or almost a +white woman, a Bonin Island Portuguese--and Charlik means to get her. +When Ledyard comes back in his cutter he will walk into a trap, and be +killed as soon as he steps ashore." + +North struck his hand upon the ground. "And to think that I have sailed +with such a villain as Cayse, who--" + +"That's not all. Ledyard has two children. Charlik has given orders for +them to be killed, as he says he only wants the woman! Ross, I believe, +wanted him to spare 'em, but the young cut-throat said 'No.' I heard all +this from two men--the chap from the _Lucy May_ and one of Charlik's +fighting men, who speaks English and seems to have a soft place in his +heart for Ledyard." + +The mate of the _Iroquois_ sprang to his feet. "The cold-blooded +wretches! Come on, Macy. We _must_ get there in time." + +For another two hours they made steady progress through the darkened +forest aisles, and then as they emerged out upon a piece of open +country, they saw far beneath them the gleaming sea. And here, amidst a +dense patch of pandanus palms, the path they had followed came to an +end. Pushing their way through the thorny leaves, which tore the skin +from their hands and faces, Macy exclaimed excitedly-- + +"We're all right, sir. I can see a light down there. It must be a fire +on the beach." + +Heedless of the unknown dangers of the deep descent, and every now and +then tripping and falling over the roots of trees and fallen timber, +they again came out into the open, and there, two hundred feet below +them, they saw the high-peaked, saddle-backed houses of Leassé village +standing clearly out in the starlight. But at this point their further +progress was barred by a cliff, which seemed to extend for half a mile +on both sides of them. Cautiously feeling their way along its ledge they +sought in vain for a path. + +"We must hail them, Macy. There will be sure to be plenty of them who +can speak a little English and show us the way to get down." + +Returning as quickly as possible to the spot immediately over the +village, the officer gave a long, loud hail. + +"_Below there, you sleepers!_" + +The hoarse, shrieking notes of countless thousands of roosting +sea-birds, as they rose in alarm from their perches in the forest trees, +mingled with the barking of dogs from the village, and then came a wild +cry of alarm from a human throat. + +Waiting for a few moments till the clamour had somewhat subsided, the +two men again hailed in unison. + +"_Below there! Awake, you sleepers!_" + +Another furious outburst of yelping and barking--through which ran the +quavering of voices of the affrighted natives--smote the stillness of +the night. Then the bright light of torches of coconut leaves flashed +below, nude figures ran swiftly to and fro among the houses, and then +came a deep-voiced answering hail in English-- + +"_Hallo there! Who hails_?" + +"Two white men," was the officer's quick reply. "We cannot get down. +Bear a hand with a torch; we have lost the track." Then as something +flashed across his mind, he added, "Who are you? Are you a white man?" + +"Yes. I am Tom Ledyard." + +"Thank God for that! Send a light quickly. You and your people are in +deadly danger." + +In a few minutes the waiting men saw the gleam of torches amid the trees +to their right, and presently a tall, bearded, white man appeared, +followed by half a dozen natives. All were armed with muskets, whose +barrels glinted and shone in the firelight. + +Springing forward to meet him, North told his story in as few words as +possible. + +Ledyard's dark face paled with passion. "By heaven, they shall get a +bloody welcome! Now, come, sir; follow me. You must need rest badly." + +As they passed through the village square, now lit up by many fires and +filled with alarmed natives, Ledyard called out in his deep tones-- + +"Gather ye together, my friends. The son of the Slaughterer is near. +Send a man fleet of foot to Môut and bid him tell Nena, the chief, and +his head men to come to my house quickly, else in a little while our +bones will be gnawed by Charlik's dogs." + +Then with North and Macy besides him, he entered his house, the largest +in the village. A woman, young, slender, and fair-skinned, met them at +the door. Behind her were some terrified native women, one of whom +carried Ledyard's youngest child in her arms. + +"'Rita, my girl," said Ledyard, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder +and speaking in English, "these are friends. They have come to warn us. +That young hell-pup, Charlik, is attacking us tomorrow. But quick, girl, +get something for these gentlemen to eat and drink." + +But North and the harpooner were too excited to eat, and, seated +opposite their host, they listened eagerly to him as he told them of his +plans to repel the attack; of the bitter hatred that for ten years had +existed between the people of Leassé and the old king; and then--he set +his teeth--how that Sé, the friendly sister of the young king, had once +sent a secret messenger to him telling him to guard his wife well, for +her brother had made a boast that when Leassé and Môut were given to the +flames only Cerita should be spared. + +"Then, ten days ago, Mr. North, thinking that this young tiger-cub +Charlik knew that these people here were well prepared to resist an +attack, I left in my cutter on a trading voyage to Ponapé. Three days +out the vessel began to make water so badly that I had to beat back. I +only came ashore yesterday." + +He rose and walked to and fro, muttering to himself. Then he spoke +again. + +"Mr. North, and you, my friend"--turning to Macy--"have saved me and +those I love from a sudden and cruel death. What can I do to show my +gratitude? You cannot now return to your ship; will you join your +fortunes with mine? I have long thought of leaving this island and +settling in Ponapé. There is money to be made there. Join me and be my +partners. My cutter is now hauled up on the beach--if she were fit to go +to sea we could leave the island to-night. But that cannot be done. It +will take me a week to put her in proper repair--and to-morrow we must +fight for our lives." + +North stretched out his hand. "Macy and I will stand by you, Ledyard. We +do not want to ever put foot again on the deck of the _Iroquois_." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +The story of that day of bloodshed and horror, when Charlik and his +white allies sought to exterminate the whole community, cannot here be +told in _all_ its dreadful details. Seventy years have come and gone +since then, and there are but two or three men now living on the island +who can speak of it with knowledge as a tale of "the olden days when we +were heathens." Let the rest of the tale be told in the words of one of +those natives of Leassé, who, then a boy, fought side by side with +Ledyard, North, and Macy. + + * * * * * + +"The sun was going westward in the sky when the two ships rounded the +point and anchored in what you white men now call Coquille Harbour. We +of Leassé, who watched from the shore, saw six boats put off, filled +with men. There pulled inside the reef, and went to the right towards +Môut; three went to the left. Letya (Ledyard), with the two white +strangers who had come to him in the night, and two hundred of our men, +had long before gone into the mountains to await Charlik and his +fighting men, and their white friends. They--Letya and the Leassé +people--made a trap for Charlik's men in the forest. Charlik himself was +in the boats with the other white men. He wanted to see the people of +Leassé and Môut driven into the water, so that he might shoot at them +with a new rifle which Késa or the other ship captain--I forget +which--had given to him. But he wanted most of all to get Cerita, the +wife of Letya, the white man. Only Cerita was to live. These were +Charlik's words. He did not know that her husband had returned from the +sea. Had he known that, he would not have given all his money and all +his oil to the two white captains to help him to make Leassé and Môut +desolate and give our bones to his dogs to eat. + +"It was a great trap--the trap prepared by Letya; and Charlik's men and +the white men with them fell in it. They fell as a stone falls in a deep +well, and sinks and is no more seen of men. + +"This was the manner of the trap: The path down the cliff was between +two high walls of rock; at the foot of the cliff was a thick clump of +high pandanus trees growing closely together. In between these trees +Letya built a high barrier of logs, encompassing the outlet of the path +to Leassé. This barrier was a half circle; the two ends touched the edge +of the cliff, and the centre was hidden among the pandanus trees. On the +top of this barrier the men of Leassé waited with loaded muskets; lower +down on the ground were others, they too had loaded muskets. On the top +of the cliff where the path led down, fifty men were hidden. They were +hidden in the thick scrub which we call _oap. Oap_ is a good thing in +which to hide from an enemy, and then spring from and slay him suddenly. + +"I, who was then a boy, saw all this. I heard Letya, our white man, tell +the head of our village that Charlik's men would enter into the trap and +perish. Then kava was made, and Letya and the head men drank. Kava is +good, but rum is better to make men fight. We had no rum, but we had +great love for Letya and his wife, and his two children, and great hate +for Charlik. So we said, 'If this is death, it is death,' and every man +went to his post--some to the barrier at the foot of the cliff, and some +to the thicket of _oap_ on the summit. Cerita, the wife of Letya the +Englishman, was weeping. She was weeping because Nená, the chief of +Môut, was waiting in the house to kill her if her husband should be +slain. But she did not weep because of the fear of death; it was for her +children she wept. That is the way of women. What is the life of a child +to the life of a man? + +"Nená was my father's brother. He was a brave man, but was too old to +fight, for his eyes were dimmed by many years. So he sat beside Cerita +and her two children, with a long knife in his hand and waited. He +covered his face with a mat and waited. It was right for him to do this, +for Letya was a great man; and his wife, although she was a foreigner, +was an honoured woman. Therefore though Nená might not look upon her +face at other times, he could kill her if Letya said she must die. This +was quite right and correct. A wife must be guided by her husband and do +what is right and correct, and avoid scandal. + +"For many hours the women in the houses waited in silence. Then suddenly +they heard the thunder of two hundred guns, and the roaring of voices, +then more muskets. They ran out of the houses and looked up to the +cliff, and lo! the sky was bright as day, for when Charlik's people and +the white men walked into the trap in the darkness, Letya and our people +set alight great heaps of dry leaves and scrub, which were placed all +along the barrier of logs. This was done so that they could see better +to shoot. There were thirty or forty of Charlik's men killed by that +volley. The white man who was leading them was very brave; he tried to +climb over the barrier, but fell back dead, for a man named Sru thrust a +whale-lance into his heart. All this time the other white men and the +rest of Charlik's people were firing their muskets, but their bullets +only hit the heavy logs of the barrier, and Letya and our people killed +them very easily by putting their muskets through the spaces. When the +sailors saw their captain fall, they tried to run away, and the Lele +warriors ran with them. But when they reached the path which led up +between the cliff, it too was blocked, and many of them became jammed +together between the walls, and these were all killed very easily--some +with bullets, and some with big stones. Then those that were left ran +round and found inside the trap, trying to get out. They were like rats +in a cask, and our people kept killing them as they ran. Some of +them--about thirty--did climb over, but all were killed, for when they +jumped down on the other side our people were there waiting. At last +four of the sailors made a big hole by tearing out two posts, and rushed +out, followed by the Lele men. Letya was the first man to meet the +sailors, and he told them to surrender. Two of them threw down their +arms, but the other two ran at Letya, and one of them ran his cutlass +into him. It went in at the stomach, and Letya fell. We killed all these +white sailors, but some of the Lele men escaped. That was a great pity, +but then how can these things be helped?" The two strange white men who +were fighting beside Le|tya, picked him up, and they carried him into +his house. He was not dead, but he said, 'I shall soon die, take me to +my wife.' I did not go with them to the house. I went into the barrier +with the other youths to kill the wounded. It is a foolish thing not to +kill wounded men; they may get better and kill you. So we killed them. +There were fourteen white men slain in that fight beside their captain. + +"Before it was daylight some of our men set out along the beach to look +for the boats. They did not want to kill any more white men, but they +did want to kill Charlik. They were very fortunate, for before they had +gone far on their way they saw three of the boats coming along close in +to the beach. So they hid behind some rocks. Charlik was in the first +boat; he was standing in the bow pointing out the way. When he came very +close they all fired together, and Charlik's life was gone. He fell dead +into the sea. Then the boats all turned seaward, and pulled hard for the +ships. Then before long, we saw the other three boats going back to the +ships; in these last were four of Charlik's men who had escaped. The +boats were quickly pulled up, and the ships sailed away, for those on +board were terrified when they heard that all the white men they had +sent to fight were dead. + +"Letya did not die at once--not for two days. Cerita his wife and two +white men watched beside him all this time. Before he died he called the +head men to him, and said that he gave his small ship to the two white +men, together with many other things. All his money he gave to his wife, +and told her she must go away with the white men, who would take her +back to her own people. To the head men he gave many valuable things, +such as tierces of tobacco and barrels of powder. This was quite right +and proper, and showed he knew what was correct to do before he died. We +buried him on the little islet over there called Bèsi. + +"The two white men and Cerita and her two children went away in the +little ship. But they did not go to Cerita's country: they remained at +Ponapé, and there the tall man of the two--the officer--married Cerita. +All this we learnt a year afterwards from the captain of a whaling ship. +It was quite right and proper for Letya's widow to marry so quickly, and +to marry the man who had been a friend to her husband." + + + + +_A Hundred Fathoms Deep_ + + +There is still a world or discovery open to the ichthyologist who, in +addition to scientific knowledge, is a lover of deep-sea fishing, has +some nerve, and is content to undergo some occasional rough experiences, +if he elects to begin his researches among the many island groups of the +North and South Pacific. I possessed, to some extent, the two latter +qualifications; the former, much to my present and lasting regret, I did +not. Nearly twenty-six years ago the vessel in which I sailed as +supercargo was wrecked on Strong's Island, the eastern outlier of the +fertile Caroline Archipelago, and for more than twelve months I devoted +the greater part of my time to traversing the mountainous island from +end to end, or, accompanied by a hardy and intelligent native, in +fishing, either in the peculiarly-formed lagoon at the south end, or two +miles or so outside the barrier reef. + +The master of the vessel, I may mention, was the notorious, over +maligned, and genial Captain Bully Hayes, and from him I had learnt a +little about some of the generally unknown deep-sea fish of Polynesia +and Melanesia. He had told me that when once sailing between Aneityum +and Tanna, in the New Hebrides, shortly after a severe volcanic eruption +on the former island had been followed by a submarine convulsion, his +brig passed through many hundreds of dead and dying fish of great size, +some of which were of a character utterly unknown to any of his native +crew--men who came from all parts of the North and South Pacific. More +remarkable still, some of these fish had never before been seen by the +inhabitants of the islands near which they were found. There were, he +said, some five or six kinds, but they were all of the groper family. +One of three which was brought on board was discovered floating on the +surface when the ship was five miles off Tanna. A boat was lowered, but +on getting up to it, the crew found they were unable to lift it from the +water; it was, however, towed to the ship, hoisted on board, and cut +into three parts, the whole of which were weighed, and reached over 300 +lbs. In colour it was a dull grey, with large, closely-adhering scales +about the size of a florin; the fins, tail, and lips were blue. Another +one, weighing less, had a differently-shaped head, with a curious, +pipe-like mouth; this was a uniform dull blue. A similar upturning from +the ocean's dark depths of strange fish occurred during a submarine +earthquake near Rose Island, a barren spot to the south-west of Samoa. +The disturbance threw up vast numbers of fish upon the reefs of Manua, +the nearest island of the group, and the natives looked upon their great +size and peculiar appearance with unbounded astonishment. + +Without desiring to bore the reader with unnecessary details of my own +experiences in the South Seas, but because the statement bears on the +subject of this article--a subject which has been my delight since I was +a boy of ten years of age--I may say that, nine years after the loss of +Captain Hayes's vessel on Strong's Island, I was again shipwrecked on +Peru, one of the Gilbert, or, as we traders call them, the "Line" +Islands. Here I was so fortunate as to take up my residence with one of +the local traders, a Swiss named Frank Voliero, who was an ardent +deep-sea fisherman, and whose catches were the envy and wonder of the +wild and intractable natives among whom he lived; for he had excellent +tackle, which enabled him to fish at depths seldom tried by the natives, +who have no reason to go beyond sixty or eighty fathoms. In the long +interval that had elapsed since my fishing days in the Carolines and my +arrival at Peru Island, I had gained such experience in my hobby in many +other parts of the Pacific as falls to few men, and the desire to fish +in deep water, and get something that astonished the natives of the +various islands, had become a passion with me. Voliero and myself went +out together frequently, and, did space permit, I should like to +describe the fortune that attended us at Peru, as well as my fishing +adventures at Strong's Island. + +In a former work I have endeavoured to describe that extraordinary +nocturnal-feeding fish, the _palu_, and the manner of its capture by +the Malayo-Polynesian islanders of the Equatorial Pacific, and in the +present article I shall try to convey to my readers an idea of deep-sea +fishing in the South Seas generally. When I was living on the little +island of Nanomaga (one of the Ellice Group, situated about 600 miles to +the north-west of Samoa), as the one resident trader, I found myself +in--if I may use the term--a marine paradise, as far as fishing went. +The natives were one and all expert fishermen, extremely jealous of +their reputation of being not only the best and most skilful men in +Polynesia in the handling of their frail canoes in a heavy surf, but +also of being deep-learned in the lore of deep-sea fishing. + +My arrival at the island caused no little commotion among the young +bloods, each of whose chances of gaining the girl of his heart, and +being united to her by the local Samoan missionary teacher, depended in +a great measure upon his ability to provide sustenance for her from the +sea; for Nanomaga, like the rest of the Ellice Group, is but little more +than a richly-verdured sandbank, based upon a foundation of coral, and +yielding nothing to its people but coconuts and a coarse species of +taro, called puraka. The inhabitants, in their low-lying atolls, possess +no running streams, no fertile soil, in which, as in the mountainous +isles of Polynesia, the breadfruit, the yam, and the sweet potato grow +and flourish side by side with such rich and luscious fruits as the +orange and banana, and pineapple--they have but the beneficent coconut +and the evergiving sea to supply their needs. And the sea is kind to +them, as Nature meant it to be to her own children. + +The native missionary at Nanomaga was a Samoan. He was intended by +nature to be a warrior, a leader of men; or--and no higher praise can I +give to his dauntless courage--a boat-header on a sperm whaler. Strong +of arm and quick of eye, he was the very man to either throw the harpoon +or deal the death-giving thrust or the lance to the monarch of the ocean +world; but fate or circumstance had made him a missionary instead. He +was a fairly good missionary, but a better fisherman. + +Three miles from Nanomaga is a submerged reef, marked on the chart as +the Grand Coral Reef, but known to the natives as Tia Kau, "the reef." +It is in reality a vast mountain of coral, whose bases lie two hundred +fathoms deep, with a flattened summit of about fifty acres in extent, +rising to within five fathoms of the surface of the sea. This spot is +the resort of incredible numbers of fish, both deep-sea haunting and +surface swimming. Some of the latter, such as the _pala_ (not the +_palu_)--a long, scaleless, beautifully-formed fish, with a head of bony +plates and teeth like a rip-saw--are of great size, and afford splendid +sport, as they are game fighters and almost as powerful as a porpoise. +They run to over 100 lbs., and yet are by no means a coarse fish. In the +shallow water on the top of this mountain reef there are some eight or +nine varieties of rock cod, none of which were of any great size; but +far below, at a depth of from fifty to seventy fathoms, there were some +truly monstrous fish of this species, and I and my missionary friend had +the luck to catch the four largest ever taken--221 lbs., 208 lbs., 118 +lbs., and 111 lbs. I had caught when fishing for schnapper, in thirty +fathoms off Camden Haven, on the coast of New South Wales, a mottled +black and grey rock cod, which weighed 83 lbs., and was assured by the +Sydney Museum authorities that such a weight for a rock cod was rare in +that part of the Pacific, but that _bêche-de-mer_ fishermen on the Great +Barrier Reef had occasionally captured fish of the same variety of +double that size and weight. + +Not possessing a boat, we fished from a canoe--a light, but strong and +beautifully constructed craft, with "whalebacks" fore and aft to keep it +from being swamped by seas when facing or running from a surf. The +outrigger was formed of a very light wood, called _pua_, about fourteen +inches in circumference. With the teacher and myself there usually went +with us a third man, whose duty it was to keep the canoe head to wind, +for anchoring in deep water in such a tiny craft was out of the +question, as well as dangerous, should a heavy fish or a shark get foul +of the outrigger. Capsizes in the daytime we did not mind, but at night +numbers of grey sharks were always cruising around, and they were then +especially savage and daring. + +Leaving the pretty little village, which was embowered in a palm grove +on the lee side of the island, we would, if intending to fish on the Tia +Kau, make a start before dawn, remain there till the canoe was loaded to +her raised gunwale pieces with the weight of fish, and then return. +Night fishing on the Tia Kau by a single canoe was forbidden by the +_kaupule_ (head men) as being too dangerous on account of the sharks, +and so usually from ten to twenty canoes set out together. If one did +come to grief through being swamped, or capsized by having the outrigger +fouled by a shark, there was always assistance near at hand, and it +rarely happened that any of the crew were bitten. In 1872, however, a +fearful tragedy occurred on the Tia Kau, when a party of seventy +natives--men, women, and children--who were crossing to the neighbouring +Island of Nanomea, were attacked by sharks when overtaken on the reef by +a squall at night. Only two escaped to tell the tale.[14] + +If, however, we meant to try for _takuo_, a huge variety of the +mackerel-tribe, or _lahe'u_, a magnificent bream-shaped fish, we had no +need to go so far as the dangerous Tia Kau; three or four cable-lengths +from the beach, and right in front of the village, we could lie in water +as smooth as glass, and seventy fathoms in depth. Our bait was +invariably flying-fish, freshly caught, or the tentacles of an octopus. +My lines were of white American cotton, and I generally used two hooks, +one below and one above the sinker, both baited with a whole +flying-fish, while my companions preferred wooden or iron hooks, of +their own manufacture, and lines made from hibiscus bark or coconut +fibre. + +I shall always remember with pleasure my first _lahe'u_. I was +accompanied by the native teacher alone, and we paddled off from the +village just after evening service, and brought to about a quarter of a +mile outside the reef. The rest of the islanders had gone round in +their canoes to the weather side of the little island to fish for +_takuo_, for we were expecting a _malaga_, or party of visitors from the +Island of Nukufetau in a day or two, and unusual supplies of fish had to +be obtained, to sustain, not only the island's record as the fishing +centre of the universe, but the people's reputation for hospitality. It +had been my suggestion to the teacher that he and I, who were unable to +accompany the others, should try what we could do nearer home. The night +was brilliantly starlight, and the sea as smooth as glass--so smooth +that there was not even the faintest swell upon the reef. The trade wind +was at rest, and not the faintest breath of air moved the foliage of the +coco palms lining the white strip of beach. Now and then a splash or a +sudden commotion in the water around us would denote that some hapless +flying-fish had taken an aerial flight from a pursuing _pala_, or that a +shark had seized a turtle in his cruel jaws. Lighting our pipes, we +lowered our lines together according to island etiquette, and touched +bottom at thirty fathoms; then hauled in a fathom or two of line to +avoid fouling the coral. In a few minutes my companion hooked an _utu_, +a sluggish fish, somewhat like a salmon in appearance, with shining +silvery scales and a broad flat head. As he was hauling in, and I was +looking over the side of the canoe to watch it coming up, I felt a +sharp, heavy tug at my own line, and, before I could check it, thirty or +forty yards of line whizzed through my fingers with lightning speed. + +"_Lahe'u!_" shouted the teacher, hurriedly making his own line fast, +and whipping up his paddle. "Don't give out any more line or he will run +under the reef, and we shall lose him." + +I knew by the vibration and hum of the line as soon as I had it well in +hand that there was a heavy and powerful fish at the end. Ioane, +disregarding the _utu_ as being of no importance in comparison to a +_lahe'u_, was plunging his paddle rapidly into the water, and +endeavouring to back the canoe seaward into deeper water, but, in spite +of his efforts and my own, we were being taken quickly inshore. For some +two or three minutes the canoe was dragged steadily landward, and I knew +that once the _lahe'u_ succeeded in getting underneath the overhanging +ledge of reef, there would be but little chance of our taking him except +by diving, and diving on a moonless night under a reef, and freeing a +fish from jagged branches of coral, is not a pleasant task, although an +Ellice Islander does not much mind it. Finding that I could not possibly +turn the fish, I asked Ioane what I should do. He told me to let go a +few fathoms of line, brace my knee against the thwart, and then trust to +the sudden jerk to cant the fish's head one way or the other. I did as I +was told. Out flew the line, and then came a shock that made the canoe +fairly jump, lifted the outrigger clear out of the water, and all but +capsized her. But the ruse was successful, for, with a furious shake, +_lahe'u_ changed his course, and started off at a tremendous rate, +parallel with the reef, and then gradually headed seaward. + +"Let him go," said Ioane, who was carefully watching the tautened-out +line, and steering at the same time. "'Tis a strong fish, but he is _man +tonu_ (truly hooked), and will now tire. But give him no more line, and +haul up to him." + +For fully five minutes the canoe went flying over the water, and I +continued to haul in line fathom by fathom, until I caught sight of, +deep down in the water right ahead, a great phosphorescent boil and +bubble. Then the pace began to slacken, as the gallant fighter began to +turn from side to side, shaking his head and making futile breaks from +port to starboard. Bidding me come amidships with the line, Ioane took +in his paddle, and picked up the harpoon which we always carried on the +outrigger platform in case of meeting a turtle. Nearer and nearer came +the great fish, till, with a splash of phosphorescent light and spray, +he came to the surface, beating the water with his forked and bony tail, +and still trying to get a chance for another downward run. Then Ioane, +waiting his opportunity, sent the iron clean through him from side to +side, and I sat down and watched, with a thrill of satisfaction and a +sigh of relief, his final flurry. In a few minutes we hauled him +alongside, drew the harpoon, and with some difficulty managed to get him +over the side and lower him into the bottom of the canoe amidships, +where he lay fore and aft, his curved back standing up nearly a foot and +a half above the raised gunwale. Although not above four feet in length, +he was nearly three in depth, and about sixteen inches thick at the +shoulder--a truly noble fish. + +"We have done well," said the teacher, with a pleased laugh, as he +hauled in his own line and dropped a 6-lb. _utu_ into the canoe. "There +will be much talk over this to-morrow, for these people here are very +conceited, and think that no one but themselves can catch _lahe'u_ and +_pala_. They will know better now, when they see this one." + +We returned to the shore within two hours from the time we left, with my +_lahe'u_, an _utu_, and five or six salmon-like fish called _tau-tau_, +all nocturnal feeders, and all highly thought of by the natives, +especially the latter. The _lahe'u_ we hung up under the missionary's +verandah, and at daylight I had the intense satisfaction of seeing a +crowd of natives surrounding it, and of hearing their flattering +allusions to myself as a _papalagi masani tonu futi íka_--a white man +who really could fish like a native. + + + + +_On a Tidal River_ + + +The English visitor to the Eastern Colonies of Australia who is in +search of sport with either rod or hand line can always obtain excellent +fishing in the summer months even in such traffic-disturbed harbours as +Sydney, Newcastle, and other ports; but on the tidal rivers of the +eastern and southern seaboard he can, every day, catch more fish than he +can carry during seven months of the year. In the true winter months +deep sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence of +westerly winds, when, for days at a time, the Pacific is as smooth as a +lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, which is a few miles +over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed River on the north of New +South Wales, the stranger may fairly revel not only in the delights of +splendid fishing but in the charms of beautiful scenery. He needs no +guide, will be put to but little expense, for the country hotel +accommodation is good and cheap; and, should he visit some of the +northern rivers where the towns, or rather small settlements, are few +and far between, he will find the settlers the embodiment of British +hospitality. + +Some three years ago the writer formed one of the crew of a little +steamer of fifty tons named the _Jenny Lind_, which was sent out along +the coast in the endeavour to revive the coast whaling industry. Through +stress of weather we had frequently to make a dash for shelter, towing +our sole whaleboat, to one of the many tidal rivers on the coast between +Sydney and Gabo Island. Here we would remain until the weather broke, +and our crew would literally cover the deck with an extraordinary +variety of fish in the course of a few hours. Then, at low tide, we +could always fill a couple of cornsacks with excellent oysters, and get +bucketfuls of large prawns by means of a scoop net improvised from a +piece of mosquito netting; game, too, was very plentiful on the lagoons. +The settlers were generally glad to see us, and gave us so freely of +milk, butter, pumpkins, &c., that, despite the rough handling we always +got at sea from the weather, we grew quite fat. But as the greater part +of my fishing experience was gained on the northern rivers of the colony +of N.S. Wales it is of them I shall write. + +Eighteen hours' run by steamer from Sydney is the Hastings River, on the +southern bank of which, a mile from the bar, is the old-time town of +Port Macquarie, a quaint, sleepy little place of six hundred +inhabitants, who spend their days in fishing and sleeping and waiting +for better times. There are two or three fairly good hotels, very pretty +scenery along the coast and up the river, and a stranger can pass a +month without suffering from ennui--that is, of course, if he be fond +of fishing and shooting; if he is not he should avoid going there, for +it is the dullest coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore, +from the steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach, +on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit down in +comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and flathead. As soon +as the tide turns, however, and is well on the ebb or flow, further +fishing is impossible, for the river rushes out to sea with great +velocity, and the incoming tide is almost as swift. On the other side of +the harbour is a long, sandy point, called the North Shore, about a mile +in length. This, at the north end, is met by a somewhat dense scrub, +which lines the right bank of the river for a couple of miles, and +affords a splendid shade to any one fishing on the river bank. The outer +or ocean beach is but a few minutes' walk from the river, and a +magnificent beach it is, trending in one great unbroken curve to Point +Plomer, seven miles from the township. + +Before ascending the river on a fishing trip one has to provide one's +self with a plentiful supply of cockles, or "pippies," as they are +called locally. These can only be obtained on the northern ocean beach, +and not the least enjoyable part of a day's sport consists in getting +them. They are triangular in shape, with smooth shells of every +imaginable colour, though a rich purple is commonest. As the back wash +leaves the sands bare these bivalves may be seen in thick but irregular +patches protruding from the sand. Sometimes, if the tide is not low +enough, one may get rolled over by the surf if he happen to have his +back turned seaward. Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as +"Condon's Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the +smartest young sportsmen--although only twelve years old--ever met with. +Both were very small for their age, and I was always in doubt as to +which was which. They were always delighted to come with me, and did not +mind being soused by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag. +Pippies are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in +Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch fish bait +of any sort, although, when very hungry, it will sometimes take to +octopus flesh. Bream (whether black or silvery), flathead, trevally, +jew-fish, and, indeed, all other fish obtained in Australia, are not so +dainty, for, although they like "pippies" and prawns best, they will +take raw meat, fish, or octopus bait with readiness. Certain species of +sea and river mullet are like them in this respect, and good sport may +be had from them with a rod in the hot months, as Dick and Fred, the +twins aforesaid, well knew, for often would their irate father +wrathfully ask them why they wasted their time catching "them worthless +mullet." + +But let me give an idea of one of many days' fishing on the Hastings, +spent with the "Twins." Having filled a sugar bag with "pippies" on the +ocean beach, we put on our boots and make our way through the belt of +scrub to where our boat is lying, tied to the protruding roots of a +tree. Each of us is armed with a green stick, and we pick our way pretty +carefully, for black snakes are plentiful, and to tread on one may mean +death. The density of the foliage overhead is such that but little +sunlight can pierce through it, and the ground is soft to our feet with +the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath. No sound but the murmuring of +the sea and the hoarse notes of countless gulls breaks the silence, for +this side of the river is uninhabited, and its solitude disturbed only +by some settler who has ridden down the coast to look for straying +cattle, or by a fishing party from the town. Our boat, which we had +hauled up and then tied to the tree, is now afloat, for the tide has +risen, and the long stretches of yellow sandbanks which line the channel +on the farther side are covered now with a foot of water. As we drift up +the river, eating our lunch, and letting the boat take care of herself, +a huge, misshapen thing comes round a low point, emitting horrid +groanings and wheezings. It is a steam stern-wheel punt, loaded with +mighty logs of black-butt and tallow wood, from fifty feet to seventy +feet in length, cut far up the Hastings and the Maria and Wilson Rivers, +and destined for the sawmill at Port Macquarie. + +In another hour we are at our landing-place, a selector's abandoned +homestead, built of rough slabs, and standing about fifty yards back +from the river and the narrow line of brown, winding beach. The roof had +long since fallen in, and the fences and outbuildings lay low, covered +with vines and creepers. The intense solitude of the place, the +motionless forest of lofty grey-boled swamp gums that encompassed it on +all sides but one, and the wide stretch of river before it were +calculated to inspire melancholy in any one but an ardent fisherman. +Scarcely have we hauled our boat up on the sand, and deposited our +provisions and water in the roofless house, when we hear a commotion in +the river--a swarm of fish called "tailer" are making havoc among a +"school" of small mullet, many of which fling themselves out upon the +sand. Presently all is quiet again, and we get our lines ready. + +For whiting and silvery bream rather fine lines are used, but we each +have a heavy line for flathead, for these fish are caught in the tidal +rivers on a sandy bottom up to three feet and four feet in length. They +are in colour, both on back and belly, much like a sole, of great width +across the shoulders, and then taper away to a very fine tail. The head +is perfectly flat, very thin, and armed on each side with very sharp +bones pointing tailward; a wound from one of these causes intense +inflammation. The fins are small--so small as to appear almost +rudimentary--yet the fish swims, or rather darts, along the bottom with +amazing rapidity. They love to lie along the banks a few feet from the +shore, where, concealed in the sand, they can dart out upon and seize +their prey in their enormous "gripsack" mouths. The approach of a boat +or a person walking along the sand will cause them to at once speed like +lightning into deep water, leaving behind them a wake of sand and mud +which is washed off their backs in their flight. Still, although not a +pleasing fish to look at, the flathead is of a delicious and delicate +flavour. There are some variations in their shades of colour, from a +pale, delicate grey to a very dark brown, according to their habitat, +and, although most frequent in very shallow water, they are often caught +in great quantities off the coast in from ten to fifteen fathoms of +water. Gut or wire snoodings are indispensable when fishing for +flathead, else the fish invariably severs the line with his fine +needle-pointed teeth, which are set very closely together. Nothing comes +amiss to them as food, but they have a great love for small mullet or +whiting, or a piece of octopus tentacle. + +Baiting our heavy lines with mullet--two hooks with brass-wire snoods to +each line--we throw out about thirty yards, then, leaving two or three +fathoms loose upon the shore, we each thrust a stick firmly into the +sand, and take a turn of the line round it. As the largest flathead +invariably dart upon the bait, and then make a bolt with it, this plan +is a good one to follow, unless, of course, they are biting freely; in +that case the smaller lines for bream and whiting, &c., are hauled in, +for there is more real sport in landing an 8-lb. flathead than there is +in catching smaller fish, for he is very game, and fights fiercely for +his life. + +Having disposed our big lines, we bait the smaller ones with "pippies," +and not two minutes at the outside elapse after the sinkers have touched +bottom when we know we are to have a good time, for each of us has +hooked a fish, and three whiting are kicking on the sand before five +minutes have expired. Then for another hour we throw out and haul in +again as quickly as possible, landing whiting from 6 oz. to nearly 2 +lbs. in weight. One of the "Twins" has three hooks on his line, and +occasionally lands three fish together, and now and again we get small +bream and an occasional "tailer" of 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. As the sun mounts +higher the breeze dies away, the heat becomes very great, and we have +frequent recourse to our water jar--in one case mixing it with whisky. +Then the whiting cease to bite as suddenly as they have begun, and move +off into deeper water. Just as we are debating as to whether we shall +take the boat out into mid-stream, Twin Dick gives a yell as his stick +is suddenly whipped out of the sand, and the loose line lying beside it +rushes away into the water. But Dick is an old hand, and lets his fish +have his first bolt, and then turns him. "By Jingo! sir, he's a big +fellow," he cries, as he hauls in, the line now as taut as a telegraph +wire, and then the other twin comes to his aid, and in a few minutes the +outline of the fish is seen, coming in straight ahead as quick as they +can pull him. When he is within ten feet of the beach the boys run up +the bank and land him safely, as he turns his body into a circle in his +attempts to shake out the hook. Being called upon to estimate his +weight, I give it as 11 lbs., much to the twins' sorrow--they think it +15 lbs. + +Half an hour passes, and we catch but half a dozen silvery bream and +some small baby whiting, for now the sun is beating down upon our heads, +and our naked feet begin to burn and sting, so we adjourn to the old +house and rest awhile, leaving our big lines securely tied. But, though +the breeze for which we wait comes along by two o'clock, the fish do +not, and so, after disinterring our takes from the wet sand wherein we +had buried them as caught to prevent them being spoilt by the sun, we +get aboard again and pull across to the opposite bank of the river. +Here, in much deeper water, about fifteen feet right under the clayey +bank, we can see hundreds of fine bream, and now and then some small +jew-fish. Taking off our sinkers, we have as good and more exciting +sport among the bream than we had with the whiting, catching between +four and five dozen by six o'clock. Then, after boiling the billy and +eating some fearfully tough corned meat, we get into the boat again, +hoist our sail, and land at the little township just after dark. + +Such was one of many similar day's sport on the Hastings, which, with +the Bellinger, the Nambucca, the Macleay, and the Clarence, affords good +fishing practically all the year round. Then, besides these tidal +rivers, there are at frequent intervals along the coast tidal lagoons +and "blind" creeks where fish congregate in really incredible +quantities. Such places as Lake Illawarra and Lake Macquarie are fishing +resorts well known to the tourist; but along the northern coast, where +the population is scantier, and access by rail or steamer more +difficult, there is an absolutely new field open to the sportsman--in +fact, these places are seldom visited for either fishing or shooting by +people from Sydney. During November and December the bars of these +rivers are literally black with incredible numbers of coarse +sea-salmon--a fish much like the English sea-bass--which, making their +way over the bars, swim up the rivers and remain there for about a week. +Although these fish, which weigh from 6 lbs. to 10 lbs., do not take a +bait and are rather too coarse to eat, their roes are very good, +especially when smoked. They are captured with the greatest of ease, +either by spearing or by the hand; for sometimes they are in such dense +masses that they are unable to manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins +of coastal towns hail their yearly advent with delight. They usually +make their first appearance about the second week in November, and are +always followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish, +which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless ranks. +Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in January by +shoals of very large sea-mullet--blue-black backs, silvery bellies and +sides, and yellow fins and tails. These, too, will not take a bait, but +are caught in nets, and, if a steamer happens to be on the eve of +leaving for Sydney, many hundreds of baskets are sent away; but they +barely pay the cost of freight and commission, I believe. There are +several varieties of sea-mullet, one or two of which will take the hook +freely, and I have often caught them off the rocky coast of New South +Wales with a rod when the sea has been smooth. The arrival of the big +sea-mullet denotes that the season for jew-fish is at its height; and if +the stranger to Australian waters wants exciting sport let him try +jew-fishing at night. In deep water off the coast these great fish are +occasionally caught during daylight, but a dull, cloudy night is best, +when they may be caught from the beach or river bank in shallow water. +Very stout lines and heavy hooks are used, for a 90-lb. or l00-lb. +jew-fish is very common. Baiting with a whole mullet or whiting, or one +of the tentacles of an octopus, the most amateurish fisherman cannot +fail to hook two or three jew-fish in a night. (Even in Sydney harbour I +have seen some very large ones caught by people fishing from ferry +wharves.) They are very powerful, and also very game, and when they rise +to the surface make a terrific splashing. At one place on the Hastings +River, called Blackman's Point, a party of four of us took thirteen +fish, the heaviest of which was 42 lbs. and the lightest 9 lbs. Next +morning, however, the Blackman's Point ferryman, who always set a line +from his punt when he turned in, showed us one of over 70 lbs. When they +grow to such a size as this they are not eaten locally, as the flesh is +very often full of thin, thread-like worms. The young fish, however, are +very palatable. + +The saw-fish, to which I have before alluded as harrying the swarms of +sea-salmon, also make havoc with the jew-fish, and very often are caught +on jew-fish lines. They are terrible customers to get foul of (I do not +confound them with the sword-fish) when fishing from a small boat. Their +huge bone bill, set on both sides with its terrible sharp spikes, their +great length, and enormous strength, render it impossible to even get +them alongside, and there is no help for it but either to cut the line +or pull up anchor and land the creature on the shore. Even then the task +of despatching one of these fish is no child's play on a dark night, for +they lash their long tails about with such fury that a broken leg might +be the result of coming too close. In the rivers of Northern Queensland +the saw-fish attain an enormous size, and the Chinese fishermen about +Cooktown and Townsville often have their nets destroyed by a saw-fish +enfolding himself in them. Alligators, by the way, do the same thing +there, and are sometimes captured, perfectly helpless, in the folds of +the nets, in which they have rolled themselves over and over again, +tearing it beyond repair with their feet, but eventually yielding to +their fate. + +The schnapper, the best of all Australian fish, is too well known to +English visitors to describe in detail. Most town-bred Australians +generally regard it as a purely ocean-loving fish, or at least only +frequenting very deep waters in deep harbours, such as Sydney, Jervis +Bay, and Twofold Bay. This is quite a mistake, for in many of the +rivers, twenty or more miles up from the sea, the writer and many other +people have not only caught these beautiful fish, but seen fishermen +haul in their nets filled with them. But they seldom remain long, +preferring the blue depths of ocean to the muddy bottoms of tidal +rivers, for they are rock-haunting and surf-loving. + +Of late years the northern bar harbours and rivers of New South Wales +have been visited by a fish that in my boyhood's days was unknown even +to the oldest fisherman--the bonito. Although in shape and size they +exactly resemble the ocean bonito of tropic seas, these new arrivals are +lighter in colour, with bands of marbled grey along the sides and belly. +They bite freely at a running bait--_i.e.,_ when a line is towed astern, +and are very good when eaten quite fresh, but, like all of the mackerel +tribe, rapidly deteriorate in a few hours after being caught. The +majority of the coast settlers will not eat them, being under the idea +that, as they are all but scaleless, they are "poisonous." This silly +impression also prevails with regard to many other scaleless fish on the +Australian coast, some of which, such as the trevally, are among the +best and most delicate in flavour. The black and white rock cod is also +regarded with aversion by the untutored settlers of the small coast +settlements, yet these fish are sold in Sydney, like the schnapper, at +prohibitive prices. + +In conclusion, let me advise any one who is contemplating a visit to +Australia, and means to devote any of his time to either river or sea +fishing, to take his rods with him; all the rest of his tackle he can +buy as cheap in the colonies as he can in England. Rods are but little +used in salt-water fishing in Australia, and are rather expensive. Those +who do use a rod are usually satisfied with a bamboo--a very good rod +it makes, too, although inconvenient to carry when travelling--but the +generality of people use hand lines. And the visitor must not be +persuaded that he can always get good fishing without going some +distance from Sydney or Melbourne. That there is some excellent sport to +be obtained in Port Jackson in summer is true, but it is lacking in a +very essential thing--the quietude that is dear to the heart of every +true fisherman. + + + + +_Denison Gets Another Ship_ + + +Owing to reduced circumstances, and a growing hatred of the hardships of +the sea, young Tom Denison (ex-supercargo of the South Sea Island +trading schooner _Palestine_) had sailed from Sydney to undertake the +management of an alleged duck-farm in North Queensland. The ducks, and +the vast area of desolation in which they suffered a brief existence, +were the property of a Cooktown bank, the manager of which was Denison's +brother. He was a kind-hearted man, who wanted to help Tom along in the +world, and, therefore, was grieved when at the end of three weeks the +latter came into Cooktown humping his swag, smoking a clay pipe, and +looking exceedingly tired, dirty, and disreputable generally. However, +all might have gone well even then had not Mrs. Aubrey Denison, the +brother's wife, unduly interfered and lectured Tom on his "idle and +dissolute life," as she called it, and made withering remarks about the +low tastes of sailors other than captains of mail steamers or officers +in the Navy. Tom, who intended to borrow £10 from his brother to pay his +passage back to Sydney to look for a ship, bore it all in silence, and +then said that he should like to give up the sea and become a +missionary in the South Seas, where he was "well acquainted with the +natives." + +Mrs. Aubrey (who was a very refined young lady) smiled contemptuously, +and turned down the corners of her pretty little mouth in a manner that +made the unsuccessful duck-farmer boil with suppressed fury, as she +remarked that _she_ had heard of some of the shocking stories he had +been telling the accountant and cashier of the _characters_ of the +people in the South Seas, and _she_ quite understood _why_ he wished to +return there and re-associate with his vulgar and wicked companions. +Now, she added, had he stuck bravely to work with the ducks, the Bank +(she uttered the word "Bank" in the tone of reverence as one would say +"The Almighty") would have watched his career with interest, and in time +his brother would have used his influence with the General Manager to +obtain a position for him, Tom Denison, in the Bank itself! But, judging +from _her_ knowledge of his (Tom's) habits and disposition, she would be +doing wrong to hold out the slightest hope for him now, and------ + +"Look here, Maud, you're only twenty-two--two years older than me, and +you talk like an old grandmother;" and then his wrath overpowered his +judgment--"and you'll look like one before you're twenty-five. Don't you +lecture _me_. I'm not your husband, _thank Heaven above_! And damn the +bank and its carmine ducks." (He did not say "carmine," but I study the +proprieties, and this is not a sanguinary story.) + +From the weatherboard portals of the bank Tom strode out in undisguised +anger, and obtained employment on a collier, discharging coals. Then, by +an extraordinary piece of good luck, he got a billet as proof-reader on +the North Queensland _Trumpet Call_, from which, after an exciting three +weeks, he was dismissed for "general incompetency and wilful neglect of +his duties." So with sorrow in his heart he had turned to the +ever-resourceful sea again for a living. He worked his passage down to +Sydney in an old, heart-broken, wheezing steamer named the _You Yangs_, +and stepped jauntily ashore with sixteen shillings in his pocket, some +little personal luggage rolled up in his blanket, and an unlimited +confidence in his own luck. + +Two vessels were due from the South Sea Islands in about a month, and as +the skippers were both well known to and were on friendly terms with +him, he felt pretty certain of getting a berth as second mate or +supercargo on one of them. Then he went to look for a quiet lodging. + +This was soon found, and then realising the fact that sixteen shillings +would not permit him viewing the sights of Sydney and calling upon the +Governor, as is the usual procedure with intellectual and dead-broke +Englishmen who come to Australia with letters of introduction from +people who are anxious to get rid of them, he tried to get temporary +employment by applying personally at the leading warehouses and +merchants' offices. The first day he failed; also the second. On the +third day the secretary of a milk company desired him to call again in +three days. He did, and was then told by the manager that he "might +have something" for him in a month or two. This annoyed Tom, as he had +put on his sole clean collar that morning to produce a good impression. +He asked the official if six months would not suit him better, as he +wanted to go away on a lengthy fishing trip with the Attorney-General. +The manager looked at him in a dignified manner, and then bade him an +abrupt good-day. + +A week passed. Funds were getting low. Eight shillings had been paid in +advance for his room, and he had spent five in meals. But he was not +despondent; the _Susannah Booth_, dear, comfortable old wave-puncher, +beloved of hard-up supercargoes, was due in a week, and, provided he +could inspire his landlady with confidence until then, all would be +well. + +But the day came when he had to spend his last shilling, and after a +fruitless endeavour to get a job on the wharves to drive one of the many +steam winches at work discharging cargo from the various ships, he +returned home in disgust. + +That night, as he sat cogitating in his bedroom over his lucklessness, +his eye fell on a vegetable monstrosity from Queensland, presented to +him by one of the hands on board the _You Yangs_. It was a huge, dried +bean-pod, about four feet long, and contained about a dozen large black +beans, each about the size of a watch. He had seen these beans, after +the kernels were scooped out, mounted with silver, and used as +match-boxes by bushmen and other Australian gentry. It at once occurred +to him that he might sell it. Surely the thing ought to be worth at +least five shillings. + +In two minutes he was out in the street, but to his disgust found most +of the shops closed, except the very small retail establishments. + +Entering a little grocery store, he approached the proprietor, a man +with a pale, gargoyle-like face, and unpleasant-looking, raggedy teeth, +and showing him the bean, asked him to buy it. + +The merchant looked at it with some interest and asked Tom what it was +called. + +Tom said it was a _Locomotor Ataxy_. (He didn't know what a _locomotor +ataxy_ was; but it sounded well, and was all the Latin he knew, having +heard from his mother that a dissolute brother of hers had been +afflicted with that complaint, superinduced by spirituous liquors.) + +The grocer-man turned the vegetable over and over again in his hand, and +then asked the would-be vendor if he had any more. Tom said he hadn't. +The _locomotor ataxy_, he remarked, was a very rare bean, and very +valuable. But he would sell it cheap--for five shillings. + +"Don't want it," said the man rudely, pushing it away contemptuously. +"It's only a faked-up thing anyway, made of paper-mashy." + +Tom tried to convince him that the thing was perfectly genuine, and +actually grew on a vine in North Queensland; but the Notre Dame +gargoyle-featured person only heard him with a snort of contempt. It was +obvious he wouldn't buy it. So, sneeringly observing to the grocer that +no doubt five shillings was a large sum for a man in such a small way of +business as he was, Tom went out again into the cold world. + +He tried several other places, but no one would even look at the thing. +After vainly tramping about for over two hours, he turned away towards +his lodging, feeling very dispirited, and thinking about breakfast. + +Turning up a side street called Queen's Place, so as to make a short cut +home, he espied in a dimly-lighted little shop an old man and a boy +working at the cobbler trade. They had honest, intelligent faces, and +looked as if they wanted to buy a _locomotor ataxy_ very badly. He +tapped at the door and then entered. + +"Would you like to buy this?" he said to the old man. He did not like to +repeat his foolish Latin nonsense, for the old fellow had such a worn, +kindly face, and his honest, searching eyes met his in such a way that +he felt ashamed to ask him to buy what could only be worthless rubbish +to him. + +The cobbler looked at the monstrosity wonderingly. "'Tis a rare big +bean," he said, in the trembling quaver of old age, and with a mumbling +laugh like that of a pleased child. "I'll give you two shillin's for it. +I suppose you want money badly, or else you wouldn't be wanderin' about +at ten o'clock at night tryin' to sell it. I hope you come by it honest, +young man?" + +Tom satisfied him on this score, and then the ancient gave him the two +shillings. Bidding him good-night, Tom returned home and went to bed. + +(Quite two years after, when Denison returned to Sydney from the South +Seas with more money "than was good for his moral welfare," as his +sister-in-law remarked, he sought out the old cobbler gentleman and +bought back his _locomotor ataxy_ bean for as many sovereigns as he had +been given shillings for it.) + +Next morning he was down at the wharves before six o'clock, smoking his +pipe contentedly, after breakfasting sumptuously at a coffee-stall for +sixpence. There was a little American barque lying alongside the +Circular Quay, and some of the hands were bending on her head-sails. Tom +sat down on the wharf stringer dangling his feet and watching them +intently. Presently the mate appeared on the poop, smoking a cigar. He +looked at Tom critically for a moment or so, and then said-- + +"Looking for a ship, young feller?" + +The moment Tom heard him speak, he jumped to his feet, for he knew the +voice, last heard when the possessor of it was mate of the island +trading schooner _Sadie Caller_, a year before in Samoa. + +"Is that you, Bannister?" he cried. + +"Reckon 'taint no one else, young feller. Why, Tom Denison, is it you? +Step right aboard." + +Tom was on the poop in an instant, the mate coming to him with +outstretched hand. + +"What's the matter, Tom? Broke?" + +"Stony!" + +"Sit down here and tell me all about it. I heard you had left the +_Palestine_. Say, sling that dirty old pipe overboard, and take one of +these cigars. The skipper will be on deck presently, and the sight of it +would rile him terrible. He hez his new wife aboard, and she considers +pipes ez low-down." + +Tom laughed as he thought of Mrs. Aubrey, and flung his clay over the +side. "What ship is this, Bannister?" + +"The _J.W. Seaver_, of 'Frisco. We're from the Gilbert Islands with a +cargo of copra." + +"Who is your supercargo?" + +"Haven't got one. Can't get one here, either. Say, Tom, you're the man. +The captain will jump at getting you! Since he married he considers his +life too valuable to be trusted among natives, and funks at going ashore +and doing supercargo's work. Now you come below, and I'll rake out +enough money to get you a high-class suit of store clothes and shiny +boots. Then you come back to dinner. I'll talk to him between then and +now. He knows a lot about you. I'll tell him that since you left the +_Palestine_ you've been touring your native country to 'expand your +mind.' _She's_ Boston, as ugly as a brown stone jug, and highly +intellectual. _He's_ all right, and as good a sailor-man as ever trod a +deck, but _she's_ boss, runs the ship, and looks after the crew's +morals. Thet's why we're short-handed. But she'll take to you like +lightning--when she hears that you've been 'expanding your mind.' Buy a +second-hand copy of Longfellow's, poems, and tell her that it has been +your constant companion in all your wanderings among vicious cannibals, +and she'll just decorate your cabin like a prima-donna's boudoir, darn +your socks, and make you read some of her own poetry." + +That afternoon, Mr. Thomas Denison, clean-shirted and looking eminently +respectable and prosperous, and feeling once more a man after the +degrading duck episode in North Queensland, was strolling about George +Street with Bannister, and at peace with the world and himself. For the +skipper's wife had been impressed with his intellectuality and modest +demeanour, and was already at work decorating his cabin--as Bannister +had prophesied. + + + + +_Jack Shark's Pilot_ + + +Early one morning as we in the _Palestine_, South Sea trading schooner, +were sailing slowly between Fotuna and Alofa--two islands lying to the +northward of Fiji--one of the native hands came aft and reported two +large sharks alongside. The mate at once dived below for his shark hook, +while I tried to find a suitable bit of beef in the harness cask. Just +as the mate appeared carrying the heavy hook and chain, our skipper, who +was lying on the skylight smoking his pipe, although half asleep, +inquired if there were "any pilot fish with the brutes." + +"Yes, sir," said a sailor who was standing in the waist, looking over +the side, "there's quite a lot of 'em. I've never seen so many at one +time before. There's nigh on a dozen." + +The captain was on his feet in an instant. "Don't lower that hook of +yours just yet, Porter," he said to the mate. "I'm going to get those +pilot fish first. Tom, bring me up my small fishing line." + +"They won't take a hook, will they?" I inquired. + +"Just you wait and see, sonny. Ever taste pilot fish?" + +"No. Are they good to eat?" + +"Best fish in the ocean, barring flying-fish," replied the skipper, as, +after examining his line, he cut off both hook and leaden sinker and +bent on a small-sized _pa_--a native-made bonito hook cut out from a +solid piece of pearl-shell. + +Then jumping up into the whaleboat which hung in davits on the starboard +quarter he waited for the sharks to appear, and the mate and I leant +over the side and watched. We had not long to wait, for in a few minutes +one came swimming quickly up from astern, and was almost immediately +joined by the other, which had been hanging about amidships. They were +both, however, pretty deep down, and at first I could not discern any +pilot fish. The captain, however, made a cast and the hook dropped in +the water, about fifty feet in the rear of the sharks; he let it sink +for less than half a minute, and then began hauling in the line as +quickly as possible, and at the same moment I saw some of the pilot fish +quite distinctly--some swimming alongside and some just ahead of their +detestable companions, which were now right under the counter. Then +something gleamed brightly, and the shining hook appeared, for a second +or two only, for two of the "pilots" darted after it with lightning-like +rapidity, and presently one came to the surface with a splash, +beautifully hooked, and was swung up into the boat. + +"Now for some fun," cried the captain, as tossing the fish to us on deck +he again lowered the hook. This time it had barely touched the surface +of the water when away went the line with a rush right under our keel. + +"This is a big fellow," said the skipper, and up came another dark blue +and silver beauty about a foot in length, dropping off the hook just in +time as he was hoisted clear of the gunwale. Then, in less than ten +minutes--so eager were they to rush the hook the moment it struck the +water--five more were jumping about upon the deck or in the boat. Then +came a calamity, the eighth fish dropped off when half way up and took +the hook with him, having swallowed it and bitten through the line. + +The captain jumped on deck again and began rooting out his bag for +another small-sized _pa_, but to his disgust could not find one ready +for use--none of them having the actual "hook" portion lashed to the +shank, and the operation of lashing one of these cleverly-made native +hooks takes some little time and patience, for the holes which are bored +through the base of the "hook" part in order to lash it to the shank are +very small, and only very fine and strong cord, such as banana-fibre, +can be used. However, while the irate captain was fussing over his task, +the mate and I were watching the movements of the sharks and their +little friends with the greatest interest, having promised the captain +not to lower the shark hook till he had caught the rest of the pilot +fish, for he assured us that they would most likely disappear after the +sharks were captured. (I learned from my own experience afterward that +he was mistaken, for when a shark is caught at sea his attendants will +frequently remain with the ship for weeks, or until another shark +appears, in which case they at once attach themselves to him.) + +Both sharks were now swimming almost on the surface, so close to the +ship that they could have been caught in a running bowline or harpooned +with the greatest ease; and in fact our native crew, who were very +partial to shark's flesh, had both harpoon and bowline in readiness in +case the cunning brutes would not take a bait. They were both of great +size--the largest being over twelve or thirteen feet in length. With the +smaller one were three pilot fish, one swimming directly under the end +of its nose, the others just over its eyes; the larger had but one +attendant, which kept continually changing its position, sometimes being +on one side, then on another, then disappearing for a few moments +underneath the monster's belly, or pressing itself so closely against +the creature's side that it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had +never before seen these fish at such close quarters, and their +extraordinary activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions +was most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the sharks +would cease moving, they would take up a position within a few inches of +its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then swim under its belly and +reappear at the tail, then slowly make their way along its back or sides +to the hideous head again. Sometimes, either singly or all together, +they would dart away on either side, but quickly returned, never being +absent more than a minute. These brief excursions showed them to be +extremely swift, yet when they returned to their huge companions they +instantly became--at least to all appearance--intensely sluggish and +languid in their movements, and swam in an undecided, indefinite sort of +manner as if thoroughly exhausted. But this was but in appearance, for +suddenly they would again shoot away along the surface of the water with +lightning-like rapidity, disappear from view of the keenest eye, and, +ere you could count five, again be beside the vessel swimming as +leisurely, if not as lazily, as if they were incapable of quickening +their speed. + +Having his line ready again, the captain now began fishing from the +stern, and succeeded in catching three of the remaining four, the last +one (which our natives said was the fish which had swallowed the first +hook) refusing even to look at the tempting bit of iridescent +pearl-shell. Then the impatient mate lowered his bait over the stern, +having first passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four +of the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller of the +two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up alongside amidships +struggled and lashed about so furiously that the big fellow came +lumbering up to see what was the matter, and Billy Rotumah, our native +boatswain, who was watching for him, promptly drove a harpoon socket +deeply into him between the shoulders; then, after some difficulty, a +couple of running bowlines settled them both in a comfortable position +to be stunned with an axe. + +The schooner was at this time within a few miles of a small village on +Alofa, named Mua, and presently a boat manned by natives boarded us to +sell yams, taro, pineapples, and bananas, all of which we bought from +them in exchange for the sharks' livers and some huge pieces of flesh +weighing two or three hundred pounds. These people (who resemble the +Samoans in appearance and language) were much impressed and terrified +when they saw the pilot fish which had been caught, and told our crew +that ours would be an unlucky ship--that we had done a dangerous and +foolish thing. Their feeling on the subject was strong; for when I asked +them if they would take two or three of the fish on shore to Father +Hervé, one of the French priests living on Fotuna, who was an old +friend, they started back in mingled terror and indignation, and +absolutely declined to even touch them. Taking one of the pilot fish up +I held it by the head between my forefinger and thumb and asked the +natives if they did not consider it good to look at. + +"True," replied a fine, stalwart young fellow, speaking in Samoan, "it +is good to look at," and then he added gravely, "_Talofa lava ia te +outou i le vaa nei, ua lata mai ne aso malaia ma le tiga|_" ("Alas for +all you people on this ship, there is a day of disaster and sorrow near +you"). + +I tried to ascertain the cause of their terror, but could only elicit +the statement that to kill a pilot fish meant direful misfortune. No +sensible man, they asserted, would do such a senseless and _saua_ +(cruel) thing, and to eat one was an abomination unutterable. + +As soon as our visitors had left I hurried to make a closer examination +of our prizes before the cook took possession of them. Of the eleven, +only one was over a foot in length, the rest ranged from five to ten +inches. The beautiful dark blue of the head and along the back, so +noticeable when first caught, had now lost its brilliancy, and the four +wide vertical black stripes on the sides had also become dulled, +although the silvery belly was still as bright as a new dollar. The eyes +were rather large for such a small fish, and all the fins were +blue-black, with a narrow white line running along the edges. Their +appearance even an hour after death was very handsome, and in shape they +were much like a very plump trout. In the stomachs of some we found +small flying squid, little shrimps, and other Crustacea. + +Our Manila-man cook, although not a genius, certainly knew how to fry +fish, and that morning we had for breakfast some of Jack Shark's +pilots--the most delicately-flavoured deep-sea fish I have ever +tasted--except, perhaps, that wonderful and beautiful creature, the +flying-fish. + + + + +_The "Palu" of the Equatorial Pacific_ + + +During a residence of half a lifetime among the various island-groups of +the North-western and South Pacific, I devoted much of my spare +time--and I had plenty of it occasionally--to deep-sea fishing, my +tutors being the natives of the Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert, and Ellice +Groups. + +The inhabitants of the last-named cluster of islands are, as I have +said, the most skilled fishermen of all the Malayo-Polynesian peoples +with whom it has been my fortune to have come in contact. The very +poverty of their island homes--mere sandbanks covered with coconut and +pandanus palms only--drives them to the sea for their food; for the +Ellice Islanders, unlike their more fortunate prototypes who dwell in +the forest-clad, mountainous, and fertile islands of Samoa, Tahiti, +Raratonga, &c., live almost exclusively upon coconuts, the drupes of the +pandanus palm, and fish. From their very infancy they look to the sea as +the main source of their food-supply, either in the clear waters of the +lagoon, among the breaking surf on the reef, or out in the blue depths +of the ocean beyond. From morn till night the frail canoes of these +semi-nude, brown-skinned, and fearless toilers of the sea may be seen by +the voyager paddling swiftly over the rolling swell of the wide Pacific +in chase of the _bonito_, or lying motionless upon the water, miles and +miles away from the land, ground-fishing with lines a hundred fathoms +long. Then, as the sun dips, the flare of torches will be seen along the +sandy beaches as the night-seekers of flying-fish launch their canoes +and urge them through the rolling surf beyond the reef, where, for +perhaps three or four hours, they will paddle slowly to and fro, just +outside the white line of roaring breakers, and return to the shore with +their tiny craft half-filled with the most beautiful and wonderful fish +in the world. The Ellice Island method of catching flying-fish would +take too long to explain here, much as I should like to do so; my +purpose is to describe a very remarkable fish called the _palu_, in the +capture of which these people are the most skilful. The catching of +flying-fish, however, bears somewhat on the subject of this article, as +the _palu_ will not take any other bait but a flying-fish, and therefore +a supply of the former is a necessary preliminary to _palu_ fishing. + +Let us imagine, then, that the bait has been secured, and that a party +of _palu_-fishers are ready to set out from the little island of +Nanomaga, the smallest but most thickly populated of the Ellice Group. +The night must be windless and moonless, the latter condition being +absolutely indispensable, although, curiously enough, the fish will +take the hook on an ordinary starlight night. Time after time have I +tried my luck with either a growing or a waning moon, much to the +amusement of the natives, and never once did I get a _palu_, although +other nocturnal-feeding fish bit freely enough. + +The tackle used by the natives is made of coconut cinnet, four or +eight-stranded, of great strength, and capable of holding a fifteen-foot +shark should one of these prowlers seize the bait. The hook is made of +wood--in fact, the same as is used for shark-fishing--about one inch and +a half in diameter, fourteen inches in the shank, with a natural curve; +the barb, or rather that which answers the purpose of a barb, being +supplied by a small piece lashed horizontally across the top of the end +of the curve. These peculiar wooden hooks are _grown_; the roots of a +tree called _ngiia_, whose wood is of great toughness, are watched when +they protrude from a bank, and trained into the desired shape; specimens +of these hooks may be seen in almost any ethnographical museum. To sink +the line, coral stones of three or four pounds weight are used, attached +by a very thin piece of cinnet or bark, which, when the fish is struck, +is always broken by its struggles, and falls off, thus releasing the +line from an unnecessary weight. It is no light task hauling in a thick, +heavy line, hanging straight up and down for a length of from +seventy-five to a hundred fathoms or more! + +Each canoe is manned by four men, only two of whom usually fish, the +other two, one at the bow and the other at the stern, being employed in +keeping the little craft in a stationary position with their paddles. +If, however, there is not much current all four lower their lines, one +man working his paddle with one hand so as to keep from drifting. My +usual companions were the resident native teacher and two stalwart young +natives of the island--Tulu'ao and Muli'ao; and I may here indulge in a +little vanity when I say that my success as a _palu_-fisher was regarded +as something phenomenal, only one other white man in the group, a trader +on the atoll of Funafuti, having ever caught a _palu_, or, in fact, +tried to catch one. But then I had such beautiful tackle that even the +most skilled native fisherman had no chance when competing with me. My +lines were of twenty-seven-strand white American cotton, as thick as a +small goose-quill, and easily handled, never tangling or twisting like +the native cinnet; and my hooks were the admiration and envy of all who +saw them. They were of the "flatted" Kirby type, eyed, but with a curve +in the shank, which was five inches in length, and as thick as a +lead-pencil. I had bought these in Sydney, and during the voyage down +had rigged them with snoodings of the very best seizing wire, intending +to use them for shark-fishing. I had smaller ones down to three inches, +but always preferred using the largest size, as the _palu_ has a large +mouth, and it is a difficult matter in a small canoe on a dark night to +free a hook embedded in the gullet of a fish which is awkward to handle +even when exhausted, and weighing as much as sixty or seventy pounds; +while I also knew that any unusual noise or commotion would be almost +sure to attract some of those most dangerous of all night-prowlers of +the Pacific, the deep-water blue shark. + +Paddling out due westward from the lee side of the island, where the one +village is situated, we would bring-to in about seventy or eighty +fathoms. As I always used leaden sinkers, my companions invariably let +me lower first to test the depth, as with a two or three-pound lead my +comparatively thin line took but little time in running out and touching +bottom. A whole flying-fish was used for one bait by the natives, it +being tied on to the inner curve of the great wooden hook, whilst I cut +one in half, fore-and-aft, and ran my hook through it lengthwise. + +The utmost silence was always observed; and even when lighting our pipes +we were always careful not to let the reflection of the flame of the +match fall upon the water, on account of the sharks, which would at once +be attracted to the canoe, and hover about until they were rewarded for +their vigilance by seizing the first _palu_ brought to the surface. +Sometimes a hungry shark will seize the outrigger in his jaws, or get +foul of it, and upset the canoe, and a capsize under such circumstances +is a serious matter indeed. For this reason the canoes are never far +apart from each other; if one should be attacked or disabled by a shark +the others at once render assistance, and the shark is usually thrust +through with a lance if he is too big to be captured and killed. All +haste is then made to get away from the spot, leaving the disturber of +the proceedings to be devoured by his companions, whom the scent of +blood soon brings upon the scene. + +With ordinary luck we would get our first _palu_ within an hour of +lowering our lines. At such a great depth as eighty or ninety fathoms a +bite would scarcely be felt by one of my companions on his thick, heavy, +and clumsy line; but on mine it was very different, and there was hardly +an occasion on which I did not secure the first fish. Like most +bottom-haunting fish in very deep water the _palu_ makes but a brief +fight. If he can succeed in "getting his head," he will at once rush +into the coral forest amid which he lives, and endeavour to save himself +by jamming his body into a cleft or chasm of rock, and let the hook be +torn from his jaws, which are soft, boneless, and glutinous. Once, +however, he is dragged clear of the coral he seems to lose all heart; +and, although he makes an occasional spurt, he grows weaker and weaker +as he is dragged toward the surface, and when lifted into the canoe is +apparently lifeless, his large eyes literally standing out of his head, +and his stomach distended like a balloon. So enormous is the distention +of the bladder that sometimes it will protrude from the mouth, and then +burst with a noise like a pistol-shot! Perhaps some of my readers will +smile at this, but they could see the same thing occur with other +deep-sea fish besides the _palu_. In the Caroline and Marshall Islands +there is a species of grey groper which is caught in a depth ranging +from one hundred to one hundred and fifty fathoms; these fish, which +range up to two hundred pounds, actually burst their stomachs when +brought to the surface; for the air in the cavities of the body expands +on the removal of the great pressure which at such depths keeps it +compressed. + +Now as to the appearance of the _palu_. When first caught, and seen by +the light of a lantern or torch, it is a dark, silvery grey in colour, +with prickly, inverted scales--like the feathers of a French fowl of a +certain breed. The head is somewhat cod-shaped, with eyes quite as large +as a crown-piece; the teeth are many, small, and soft, and bend to a +firm pressure; and the bones in the fin and tail are so soft and +flexible that they may be bent into any shape, but when dried are of the +appearance and consistency of gelatine. The length of the largest _palu_ +I have seen was five feet six inches, with a girth of about forty +inches. This one was caught in about ninety fathoms of water; and when I +opened the stomach I found it to contain five or six undigested fish, +about seven inches in length, of the groper species, and for which the +natives of the island had no name or knowledge of beyond the appellation +_ika kehe_--"unknown fish"--that is, fish which are only seen when taken +from the stomach of a deep-sea fish, or are brought to the surface or +washed ashore after some submarine disturbance. + +The flesh of the _palu_ is greatly valued by the natives of the +equatorial islands of the Pacific for its medicinal qualities as a +laxative, whilst the oil with which it is permeated is much used as a +remedy for rheumatism and similar complaints. Within half an hour of its +being taken from the water the skin changes to a dead black, and the +flesh assumes the appearance of whale blubber. Generally, the fish is +cooked in the usual native ground-oven as quickly as possible, care +being taken to wrap it closely up in the broad leaves of the _puraka_ +plant--a species of gigantic taro--in order that none of the oil may be +lost. Thinking that the oil, which is perfectly colourless and with +scarcely any odour, might prove of value, I once "tried out" two of the +largest fish taken, and obtained a gallon. This I sent to a firm of +drug-merchants in Sydney; but unfortunately the vessel was lost on the +passage. + +The _palu_ does not seem to have a wide habitat. In the Tonga Islands it +is, I believe, very rare; and in Fiji, Samoa, and other mountainous +groups throughout Polynesia the natives appear to have no knowledge of +it, although they have a fish possessing the same peculiar +characteristics, but of a somewhat different shape. I have fished for it +without success at half a dozen places in Samoa, in New Britain, and New +Ireland. But it is generally to be found about the coasts of any of the +low-lying coral islands of the Union (or Tokelau) Group, the Ellice, +Gilbert, Marshall, and part of the Caroline archipelagoes. The Gilbert +Islanders call it _te ika ne peka_--a name that cannot well be +translated into bald English, though there is a very lucid Latin +equivalent. + +In 1882 I took passage from the Island of Nukufetau in the Ellice Group +for the Caroline Islands. The vessel was a fine brigantine of 160 tons, +and was named the _Orwell_. She was, unfortunately, commanded by an +incompetent, obstinate, self-willed man, who, though a good seaman, had +no meteorological knowledge and succeeded in losing the ship, when lying +at anchor, on Peru Island, in the Gilbert Group, ten days after leaving +Nukufetau, simply through disregarding the local trader's advice to put +to sea. Disastrous as was the incident to me, for I lost trade goods and +personal effects to the value of over a thousand pounds, and came ashore +with what I stood in--to wit, a pyjama suit--and a bag of Chili dollars, +I had reason to afterwards congratulate myself from a fisherman's point +of view. + +Living on the island was a Swiss, Frank Voliero, whom I have before +mentioned. He was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and was on that account +highly respected by the natives, who otherwise did not care for him, as +he was of an exceedingly quarrelsome disposition. He was an expert +_palu_ man, and he and I therefore quickly made Island _bruderschaft_. +During the three months I remained on Peru we had many fishing trips, +and caught not less than fifty _palu_. The largest of these was +evidently a patriarch, for although he was in rather poor condition he +weighed 136 lbs. and was 6 feet 10 inches in length. Another, hooked at +a depth of eighty-five fathoms, was only 5 feet 2 inches, and weighed +129 lbs. Its stomach contained a small octopus with curiously stunted +tentacles, almost as thick at the tips as they were at the base, but in +all other respects similar to those found in shallow water upon the +reefs and in the lagoon. + +Both Voliero and myself tried many kinds of bait for _palu,_ believing +that the native theory that the fish would only take flying-fish was +wrong. We found that on Peru, any elongated fish, such as gars, silvery +mullet, or young bonito, were acceptable, and that the tentacle of an +octopus, after the outer skin was removed, answered just as well. Yet +further southward among the Pacific Isles, flying-fish is the only bait +they will take! Evidently, therefore, the _palu_, at the great depths in +which it lives, is attracted by a brightly-hued fish whose habitat is on +the surface of the ocean. Why this is so must be decided by +ichthyologists, for there are no bright, silvery-scaled fish inhabiting +the ocean at such depths as eighty or a hundred fathoms. And why is it +that the _palu,_ quiescent by day, and feeding only at night, so eagerly +seizes a hook baited with a flying-fish--a fish which never descends +more than a few fathoms below the surface, and which the _palu_ can +never possibly see except when it is lowered by human hands to, or sinks +to the bottom? + +Of the marvellous efficacy of the _palu_-oil in a case of acute +rheumatism I can speak with knowledge. The second mate of an +island-trading schooner of which I was the supercargo, was landed at +Arorai, in the Line Islands, unable to move, and suffering great agony. +After two days' massaging with _palu_-oil he recovered and returned to +his duties. + +[Since this was written I have learned that Mr. E.R. Waite, of the +Sydney Museum, has described the _palu_ as the _Ruvettus pretiosus_, +"which hitherto was known only from the North Atlantic, and whose +recorded range is now enormously increased. The Escolar--to give it its +Atlantic name--has been taken at depths as great as three and four +hundred fathoms, but can only be taken at night in September and the +early part of October." I should very much like to learn how the _palu_ +is taken at a depth of four hundred fathoms--eight hundred yards!] + + + + +_The Wily "Goanner"_ + + +In the early part of the year 1899 a settler named Hardy, residing at +Glenowlan, in the Rylstone district of New South Wales, about 150 miles +from Sydney, lost numbers of his lambs during the lambing season. +Naturally enough, dingoes were suspected, but none were seen. Then other +sheep--men began to lose lambs, and a close watch was set, with the +result that iguanas, which are very numerous in this part of the +country, were discovered to be the murderers of the little "baa-baa's." +The cause of this new departure in the predatory habits of the +"goanner"--which hitherto had confined his evil deeds to nocturnal +visits to the fowl-yards--is stated to be the extermination of the +opossum, which has driven the cunning reptile to seek for another source +of food. And, as before the shooting of kangaroos, wallabies, and +opossums was resorted to as a means of livelihood by hundreds of bushmen +who had no other employment open to them, the young of these marsupials +furnished the iguana with an ample supply of food, the theory is very +probably correct. Poison will be the only method of destroying or +reducing the numbers of the iguana, who, robber as he is, yet has his +good points, as has even the sneaking, blood-loving native cat--for both +are merciless foes to snakes of all kinds; and 'tis better to have an +energetic and hungry native cat and a score of wily iguanas working +havoc among the tenants of your fowl-house than one brown or an equally +deadly "bandy-bandy" snake within half a mile. + +In that part of New South Wales in which the writer was born--one of the +tidal rivers on the northern coast--both snakes and iguanas were +plentiful, and a source of continual worry to the settlers. + +On one occasion some boyish companions and myself set to work to build a +raft for fishing purposes out of some old and discarded blue gum rails +which were lying along the bank of the river. Boy-like, we utterly +disregarded our parents' admonition to put on our boots, and, aided by a +couple of blackfellows, we moved about the long grass on our bare feet, +picking up the heavy rails and carrying them on our shoulders, one by +one, down to the sandy beach, where we were to lash them together. +Presently we came across a very heavy rail, about eight feet long, +twelve inches in width, and two inches thick. It was no sooner up-ended +than we saw half a dozen "bandy-bandies"--the smallest but most deadly +of Australian snakes, not even excepting the death-adder--lying beneath! +We gave a united yell of terror and fled as the black and yellow banded +reptiles--none of which were over eighteen inches in length nor thicker +than a man's little finger--wriggled between our feet into the long +grass around us. For some minutes we were too frightened at our escape +to speak; but soon set to work to complete the raft. Presently one of +the blackfellows pointed to a tall honeysuckle-tree about fifty feet +away, and said with a gleeful chuckle, "Hallo, you see him that 'pfeller +goanner been catch him bandy-bandy?" + +Sure enough, an iguana, about three feet in length, was scurrying up the +rough, ridgy bark of the honeysuckle with a "bandy-bandy" in his jaws. +He had seized the snake by its head, I imagine, for we could see the +rest of its form twisting and turning about and enveloping the body of +its capturer. In a few seconds we saw the iguana ascend still higher, +then he disappeared with his hateful prey among the loftier branches. No +doubt he enjoyed his meal. + +About a year or so later I was given another instance of the "cuteness" +of the wicked "goanner." My sister (aged twelve) and myself (two years +younger) were fishing with bamboo rods for mullet. We were standing, one +on each side, of the rocky edges of a tiny little bay on the coast near +Port Macquarie (New South Wales). The background was a short, steep +beach of soft, snow-white sand, fringed at the high-water margin with a +dense jungle of wild apple and pandanus-trees. + +The mullet bit freely, and as we swung the gleaming, bright-silvered +fish out of the water on to the rocks on which we stood, we threw them +up on to the beach, and left them to kick about and coat themselves with +the clean, white sand--which they did in such an artistic manner that +one would imagine they considered it egg and breadcrumb, and were +preparing themselves to fulfil their ultimate and proper use to the +_genus homo_. + +My sister had caught seven and I five, when, the sun being amidships, we +decided to boil the billy of tea and get something to eat; young mullet, +roasted on a glowing fire of honeysuckle cobs were, we knew, very nice. +So, laying down our rods on the rocks, we walked up to the beach--just +in time to see two "goanners"--one of them with a wriggling mullet in +his mouth--scamper off into the bush. + +A careful search revealed the harrowing fact that nine of the twelve +fish were missing, and the multitudinous criss-cross tracks on the sand +showed the cause of their disappearance. My sister sat down on a hollow +log and wept, out of sheer vexation of spirit, while I lit a fire to +boil the billy and grill the three remaining mullet. Then after we had +eaten the fish and drank some tea, we concocted a plan of deadly +revenge. We took four large bream-hooks, bent them on to a piece of +fishing-line, baited each hook with a good-sized piece of octopus (our +mullet bait), and suspended the line between two saplings, about three +inches above the leaf-strewn ground. Then, feeling confident of the +success of our murderous device, we finished the billy of tea and went +back to our fishing. We caught a couple of dozen or more of fine mullet, +each one weighing not less than 1-1/2 lbs.; and then the incoming tide +with its sweeping seas drove us from the ledge of rocks to the beach, +where we changed our bamboo rods for hand-lines with sinkers, and flung +them, baited with chunks of mullet, out into the breaking surf for +sea-bream. By four in the afternoon we had caught more fish than we +could well carry home, five miles away; and after stringing the mullet +and bream through the gills with a strip of supple-jack cane, we went up +the beach to our camp for the billy can and basket. + +And then we saw a sight that struck terror into our guilty souls--a +_Danse Macabre_ of three writhing black and yellow, long-tailed +"goanners," twisting, turning and lashing their sinuous and scaly tails +in agony as they sought to free their widely-opened jaws from the cruel +hooks. One had two hooks in his mouth. He was the quietest of the lot, +as he had less purchase than the other two upon the ground, and with one +hook in his lower and one in his upper jaw, glared upwards at us in his +torture and smote his sides with his long, thin tail. + +"Oh, you wicked, wicked boy!" said my partner in guilt--at once shifting +the responsibility of the whole affair upon me--"you ought to be ashamed +of yourself for doing such a thing! You know well enough that we should +never hurt a poor, harmless iguana. Oh, _do_ take those horrible hooks +out of the poor things' mouths and let them go, you wicked, cruel boy!" + +With my heart in my mouth I crept round through the scrub, knife in +hand. + +"Go on, you horrible, horrible, coward!" screamed my sister; "one would +think that the poor things were alligators or sharks. Oh, my goodness, +if you're so frightened, I'll come and do it myself." With that she +clambered up into the branches of a pandanus-tree and looked at me +excitedly, mingled with considerable contempt and much fear. + +Being quite wise enough not to attempt to take the hooks out of the +"goanners'" mouths, I cut the two ends of the line to which they hung. +They instantly sought refuge on the tree trunks around them; but as each +"goanner" selected his individual tree, and as they were still connected +to each other by the line and the hooks in their jaws, their attempts to +reach a higher plane was a failure. So they fell to upon one another +savagely. + +"Come away, you wicked, thoughtless boy," said my sister, weepingly. "I +shall never come out with you again; you cruel thing." + +Then, overcoming my fear, I valiantly advanced, and gingerly extending +my arm, cut the tangled-up fishing line in a dozen places; and with my +bamboo fishing-rod disintegrated the combatants. They stood for a few +seconds, panting and open-mouthed, and then, with the hooks still fast +in their jaws, scurried away into the scrub. + + + + +_The Ta~nifa of Samoa_ + + +Many years ago, at the close of an intensely hot day, I set out from +Apia, the principal port of Samoa, to walk to a village named Laulii, a +few miles along the coast. Passing through the semi-Europeanised town of +Matautu, I emerged out upon the open beach. I was bound on a +pigeon-shooting trip to the mountains, but intended sleeping that night +at Laulii with some native friends who were to accompany me. With me was +a young Manhiki half-caste named Allan Strickland; he was about +twenty-two years of age and one of the most perfect specimens of +athletic manhood in the South Pacific.[15] For six months we had been +business partners and comrades in a small cutter in which we traded +between Apia and Sava'ii--the largest island of the Samoan group; and +now after some months of toil we were taking a week's holiday together, +and enjoying ourselves greatly, although at the time (1873) the country +was in the throes of an internecine war. + +A walk of a mile brought us to the mouth of the Vaivasa River, a small +stream flowing into the sea from the littoral on our right. The tide was +high and we therefore hailed a picket who were stationed in the trenches +on the opposite bank and asked them in a jocular manner not to fire at +us while we were wading across. To our surprise, for we were both well +known to and on very friendly terms with the contending parties, half a +dozen of them sprang up and excitedly bade us not to attempt to cross. + +"Go further up the bank and cross to our _olo_ (lines) in a canoe," +added a young Manono chief whose family I knew well, "there is a +_ta~nifa_ about. We saw it last night." + +That was quite enough for us--for the name _Ta~nifa_ sent a cold chill +down our backs. We turned to the right, and after walking a quarter of a +mile came to a hut on the bank at a spot regarded as neutral ground. +Here we found some women and children and a canoe, and in less than five +minutes we were landed on the other side, the women chorusing the +dreadful fate that would have befallen us had we attempted to cross at +the mouth of the river. + +"_E lima gafa le umi!_" ("'Tis five fathoms long!") cried one old dame. + +"And a fathom wide at the shoulders," said another bare-bosomed lady, +with a shudder. "It hath come to the mouth of the Vaivasa because it +hath smelt the blood of the three men who were killed in the river here +two days ago." + +"We'll hear the true yarn presently," said my companion as we walked +down the left-hand bank of the river. "There must be a _ta~nifa_ +cruising about, or else those Manono fellows wouldn't have been so +scared at us wanting to cross." + +As soon as we reached the young chief's quarters, we were made very +welcome, and were obliged to accept his invitation to remain and share +supper with himself and his men--all stalwart young natives from the +little island of Manono--a lovely spot situated in the straits +separating Upolo from Savaii. Placing our guns and bags in the care of +one of the warriors, we took our seats on the matted floor, filled our +pipes anew, and, whilst a bowl of kava was being prepared, Li'o, the +young chief told us about the advent of the _ta~nifa_. + +Let me first of all, however, explain that the _ta~nifa_ is a somewhat +rare and greatly-dreaded member of the old-established shark family. By +many white residents in Samoa it was believed to occasionally reach a +length of from twenty to twenty-five feet; as a matter of fact it seldom +exceeds ten feet, but its great girth, and its solitary, nocturnal habit +of haunting the mouths of shallow streams has invested it even to the +native mind with fictional powers of voracity and destruction. Yet, +despite the exaggerated accounts of the creature, it is really a +dreadful monster, rendered the more dangerous to human life by the +persistency with which it frequents muddied and shallow water, +particularly after a freshet caused by heavy rain, when its presence +cannot be discerned. + +Into the port of Apia there fall two small streams--called "rivers" by +the local people--the Mulivai and the Vaisigago, and I was fortunate to +see specimens of the _ta~nifa_ on three occasions, twice at the +Vaisigago, and once at the mouth of the Mulivai, but I had never seen +one caught, or even sufficiently exposed to give me an idea of its +proportions. Many natives, however--particularly an old Rarotongan named +Hapai, who lived in Apia, and was the proud capturer of several +_ta~nifa_--gave me a reliable description, which I afterwards +verified. + +A _ta~nifa_ ten feet long, they assured me, was an enormously bulky and +powerful creature with jaws and teeth much larger than an ocean-haunting +shark of double that length; the width across the shoulders was very +great, and although it generally swam slowly, it would, when it had once +sighted its prey, dart along under the water with great rapidity without +causing a ripple. At a village in Savaii, a powerfully built woman who +was incautiously bathing at the mouth of a stream was seized by one of +these sharks almost before she could utter a cry, so swiftly and +suddenly was she attacked. Several attempts were made to capture the +brute, which continued to haunt the scene of the tragedy for several +days, but it was too cunning to take a hook and was never caught. + +This particular _ta~nifa_, which had been seen by the young Manono +chief and his men on the preceding evening had made its appearance soon +after darkness had fallen and had cruised to and fro across the mouth of +the Vaivasa till the tide began to fall, when it made its way seaward +through a passage in the reef. It was, so Li'o assured me, quite eight +feet in length and very wide across the head and shoulders. The water +was clear and by the bright starlight they had discerned its movements +very easily; once it came well into the river and remained stationary +for some minutes, lying under about two feet of water. Some of the +Manono men, hailing a picket of the enemy on the opposite bank of the +river, asked for a ten minutes' truce to try and shoot it; this was +granted, and standing on top of the sandy trench, half a dozen young +fellows fired a volley at the shark from their Sniders. None of the +bullets took effect and the _ta~nifa_ sailed slowly off again to +cruise to and fro for another hour, watching for any hapless person who +might cross the river. + +Just as the kava was being handed round, some children who were on watch +cried out that the _ta~nifa_ had come. Springing to his feet, Li'o +again hailed the enemy's picket on the other side, and a truce was +agreed to, so that "the white men could have a look at the +_ma|lie_"--shark. + +Thirty or forty yards away was what seemed to be a huge, irregular and +waving mass of phosphorus which, as it drew nearer, revealed the +outlines of the dreaded fish. It came in straight for the mouth of the +creek, passed over the pebbly bar, and then swam leisurely about in the +brackish water, moving from bank to bank at less than a dozen feet from +the shore. The stream of bright phosphorescent light which had +surrounded its body when it first appeared had now, owing to there being +but a minor degree of phosphorus in the brackish water, given place to +a dulled, sickly, greenish reflection, accentuated however by thin, +vivid streaks, caused by the exudation from the gills of a streaming, +viscid matter, common to some species of sharks, and giving it a truly +terrifying and horrible appearance. Presently a couple of natives, +taking careful aim, fired at the creature's head; in an instant it +darted off with extraordinary velocity, rushing through the water like a +submerged comet--if I may use the illustration. Both of the men who had +fired were confident their bullets had struck and badly wounded the +shark, but were greatly disgusted when, ten minutes later, it again +appeared, swimming leisurely about, at ten fathoms from the beach. + +Three days later, as we were returning to Apia, we were told by our +native friends that the shark still haunted the mouth of the Vaivasa; +and I determined to capture it. I sent Allan on board the cutter for our +one shark hook--a hook which had done much execution among the sea +prowlers. Although not of the largest size, being only ten inches in the +shank, it was made of splendid steel, and we had frequently caught +fifteen-feet sharks with it at sea. It was a cherished possession with +us and we always kept it--and the four feet of chain to which it was +attached--bright and clean. + +In the evening Allan returned, accompanied by the local pilot (a Captain +Hamilton) and the fat, puffing, master of a German barque. They wanted +"to see the fun." We soon had everything in readiness; the hook, baited +with the belly-portion of a freshly-killed pig (which the Manono people +had commandeered from a bush village) was buoyed to piece of light _pua_ +wood to keep it from sinking, and then with twenty fathoms of brand-new +whale line attached, we let it drift out into the centre of the passage. +Then making our end of the line fast to the trunk of a coconut tree, we +set some children to watch, and went into the trenches to drink some +kava, smoke, and gossip. + +We had not long to wait--barely half an hour--when we heard a warning +yell from the watchers. The _ta~nifa_ was in sight. + +Jumping up and tumbling over each other in our eagerness we rushed out; +but alas! too late for the shark; for instead of approaching in its +usual leisurely manner, it made a straight dart at the bait, and before +we could free our end of the line it was as taut as an iron bar, and the +creature, with the hook firmly fastened in his jaw, was ploughing the +water into foam, amid yells of excitement from the natives. Then +suddenly the line fell slack, and the half-a-dozen men who were holding +it went over on their backs, heels up. + +In mournful silence we hauled it in, and then, oh woe! the hook, our +prized, our beautiful hook, was gone! and with it two feet of the chain, +which had parted at the centre swivel. That particular _ta~nifa_ was +seen no more. + +Nearly two months later, two _ta~nifa_ of a much larger size, appeared +at the mouth of the Vaivasa. Several of the white residents tried, night +after night, to hook them, but the monsters refused to look at the +baits. Then appeared on the scene an old one-eyed Malay named 'Reo, who +asserted he could kill them easily. The way in which he set to work was +described to me by the natives who witnessed the operations. Taking a +piece of green bamboo, about four feet in length, he split from it two +strips each an inch wide. The ends of these he then, after charring the +points, sharpened carefully; then by great pressure he coiled them up +into as small a compass as possible, keeping the whole in position by +sewing the coil up in the fresh skin of a fish known as the _isuumu +moana_--a species of the "leather-jacket." Then he asked to be provided +with two dogs. A couple of curs were soon provided, killed, and the +viscera removed. The coils of bamboo were then placed in the vacancy and +the skin of the bellies stitched up with small wooden skewers. That +completed the preparation of the baits. + +As soon as the two sharks made their appearance, one of the dead dogs +was thrown into the water. It was quickly swallowed. Then the second +followed, and was also seized by the other _ta~nifa_. The creatures +cruised about for some hours, then went off, as the tide began to fall. + +On the following evening they did not turn up, nor on the next; but the +Malay insisted that within four or five days both would be dead. As soon +as the dogs were digested, he said, the thin fish-skin would follow, the +bamboo coil would fly apart, and the sharpened ends penetrate not only +the sharks' intestines, but protrude through the outer skin as well. + +Quite a week afterwards, during which time neither of the _ta~nifa_ +had been seen alive, the smaller of the two was found dead on the beach +at Vailele Plantation, about four miles from the Vaivasa. It was +examined by numbers of people, and presented an extremely interesting +sight; one end of the bamboo spring was protruding over a foot from the +belly, which was so cut and lacerated by the agonised efforts of the +monster to free itself from the instrument of torture, that much of the +intestines was gone. + +That the larger of these dreaded fish had died in the same manner there +was no reason to doubt; but probably it had sunk in the deep water +outside the barrier reef. + + + + +_On Board the "_Tucopia_." + + +The little island trading barque _Tucopia_, Henry Robertson, master, lay +just below Garden Island in Sydney Harbour, ready to sail for the +Friendly Islands and Samoa as soon as the captain came on board. At nine +o'clock, as Bruce, the old, white-haired, Scotch mate, was pointing out +to Mrs. Lacy and the Reverend Wilfrid Lacy the many ships around, and +telling them from whence they came or where they were bound, the second +mate called out-- + +"Here's the captain's boat coming, sir." + +Bruce touched his cap to the pale-faced, violet-eyed clergyman's wife, +and turning to the break of the poop, at once gave orders to "heave +short," leaving the field clear to Mr. Charles Otway, the supercargo of +the _Tucopia_, who was twenty-two years of age, had had seven years' +experience of general wickedness in the South Seas, thought he was in +love with Mrs. Lacy, and that, before the barque reached Samoa, he would +make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid was a serious mistake, and +that he, Charles Otway, was the one man in the world whom she could love +and be happy with for ever. So, being a hot-blooded and irresponsible +young villain, though careful and decorous to all outward seeming, he +set himself to work, took exceeding care over his yellow, curly hair, +and moustache, and abstained from swearing in Mrs. Lacy's hearing. + + * * * * * + +A week before, Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had called at the owner's office and +inquired about a passage to Samoa in the _Tucopia_, and Otway was sent +for. + +"Otway," said the junior partner, "can you make room on the _Tucopia_ +for two more passengers--nice people, a clergyman and his wife." + +"D----all nice people, especially clergymen and their wives," he +answered promptly--for although the youngest supercargo in the firm, he +was considered, the smartest--and took every advantage of the fact. "I'm +sick of carting these confounded missionaries about, Mr. Harry. Last +trip we took two down to Tonga--beastly hymn-grinding pair, who wanted +the hands to come aft every night to prayers, and played-up generally +with the discipline of the ship. Robertson never interfered, and old +Bruce, who is one of the psalm-singing kidney himself, encouraged the +beasts to turn the ship into a floating Bethel." + +"Mr. Harry" laughed good-naturedly. "Otway, my boy, you mustn't put on +so much side--the firm can't afford it. If you hadn't drunk so much +whisky last night you would be in a better temper this morning." + +"Oh, if you've got some one else to take my billet on the _Tucopia_, +why don't you say so, instead of backing and filling about, like a +billy-goat in stays? _I_ don't care a damn if you load the schooner up +to her maintop with sky-pilots and their dowdy women-kind. I've had +enough of 'em, and I hereby tender you my resignation. I can get another +and a better ship to-morrow, if--" + +"Sit down, you cock-a-hoopy young ass," and "Mr. Harry" hit the +supercargo a good-humoured but stiff blow in the chest. "These people +aren't missionaries; they're a cut above the usual breed. Man's a +gentleman; woman's as sweet as a rosebud. Now look here, Otway; we give +you a pretty free hand generally, but in this instance we want you to +stretch a point--you can give these people berths in the trade-room, +can't you?" + +The supercargo considered a moment. "There's a lot returning this trip. +First, there's the French priest for Wallis Island--nice old buffer, but +never washes, and grinds his teeth in his sleep--he's in the cabin next +to mine; old Miss Wiedermann for Tonga--cabin on starboard side--fussy +old cat, who is always telling me that she can distinctly hear +Robertson's bad language on deck. But her brother is a good sort, and so +I put up with her. Then there's Captain Burr, in the skipper's cabin, +two Samoan half-caste girls in the deck-house--there's going to be +trouble over those women, old Bruce says, and I don't doubt it--and the +whole lot will have their meals in the beastly dog-kennel you call a +saloon, and I call a sweat-box." + +"Thank you, Mr. Otway. Your elegant manner of speaking shows clearly +the refining influence of the charming people with whom you associate. +Just let me tell you this--you looked like a gentleman a year or two +ago, but become less like one every day." + +"No wonder," replied Otway sullenly, "the Island trade is not calculated +to turn out Chesterfields. I'm sick enough of it, now we are carrying +passengers as well as cargo. I suppose the firm will be asking us +supercargoes to wear uniform and brass buttons soon, like the ticket +collector on a penny ferry." + +"Quite likely, my sulky young friend--quite likely, if it will pay us to +do so." + +"Then I'll clear out, and go nigger-catching again in the Solomons. +That's a lot better than having to be civil to people who worry the soul +out of you, are always in the way at sea, and a beastly nuisance in +port. Why, do you know what old Miss Weidermann did at Manono, in Samoa, +when we were there buying yams three months ago?" + +"No; what did she do?" + +"Got the skipper and myself into a howling mess through her infernal +interference; and if the chiefs and old Mataafa himself had not come to +our help there would have been some shooting, and this firm could never +have sent another ship to Manono again. It makes me mad when I think of +it--the silly old bundle of propriety and feminine spite." + +"Tell me all about it, Otway. 'Twill do you good, I can see, to unburden +yourself of some of your bad temper. Shut that door, and we'll have a +brandy-and-soda together." + +"Well," said Otway, "this is what occurred. I was ashore in the village, +buying and weighing the yams, the skipper was lending me a hand, and +everything was going on bully, when Mataafa and his chiefs sent an +invitation to us to come up to his house and drink kava. Of course such +an invitation from the native point of view was a great honour; and +then, besides that, it was good business to keep in with old Mataafa, +who had just given the Germans a thrashing at Vailele, and was as proud +as a dog with two tails. So, although I hate kava, I accepted the +invitation with 'many expressions of pleasure,' and felt sure that as +the old fellow knew me of old, and I knew he wanted to buy some rifles, +that I should get the bulk of a bag of sovereigns his mongrel, low-down +American secretary was carrying around. So oft went the skipper and I, +letting the yams stand over till we returned; the barque was lying about +a mile off the beach. Mataafa was very polite to us, and during the kava +drinking I found out that he had about three hundred sovereigns, and +wanted to see the Martini-Henrys we had on board. Of course I told him +that it would be a serious business for the ship if he gave us +away--imprisonment in a dreadful dungeon in Fiji, if not hanging at the +yard-arm or a man-of-war--and the old cock winked his eye and laughed. +Then, as time was valuable, we at once concocted a plan to get the +rifles--fifty--ashore without making too much of a show. Well, among +some of the women present there were two great swells, one was the +_taupo_, or town maid, of Palaulae in Savaii, and the other was a niece +of Mataafa himself. These two, accompanied by a lot of young women of +Manono, were to go off on board the barque in our boats, ostensibly to +pay their respects to the white lady on board, and invite her on shore, +so as to get her out of the way; then I was to pass the arms out of the +stern ports into some canoes which would be waiting just as it became +dark. About five o'clock they started off in one boat, leaving me and +the skipper to follow in another. I had sent a note off to the mate +telling him all about the little game, and to be mighty polite to the +two chief women, who were to be introduced to Miss Weidermann, give the +old devil some presents of mats, fruits, and such things, and ask her to +come ashore as Mataafa's guest. + +"Well, something had gone wrong with the Weidermann's temper; for when +the women came on board she was sulking in her cabin, and refused to +show her vinegary face outside her state-room door. Thinking she would +get over her tantrum in a few minutes, the mate invited the two Samoan +ladies and their attendants down into the cabin, where they awaited her +appearance, behaving themselves, of course, very decorously, it being a +visit of ceremony. + +"Presently Old Cat-face opened her door, and then, without giving the +native ladies time to utter a word, she launched out at them in her +bastard-mongrel Samoan-Tongan. The first thing she said was that she +knew the kind of women they were, and what had brought them on board! +How dared such brazen, shameless cattle come into the cabin! Into the +same cabin as a white lady! The bold, half-naked, disgraceful hussies, +etc., etc. And then she capped the thing by calling to the steward to +come and drive them out! + +"Not one of the native women could answer her. They were all simply +dumbfounded at such a gross insult, and left the cabin in silence. The +mate tried to smooth things over, but one of the women--Mataafa's +niece--gave him a look that told him to say no more. In half an hour the +whole lot of them were back on the beach, and came up to the chiefs +house, where the skipper and myself were having a final drink of kava +with old Mataafa and his _faipule_.[16] The face of the elder of the two +women was blazing with anger, and then, pointing to the captain and +myself, she gave us such a tongue-lashing for sending her off to the +ship to be shamed and insulted, that made us blush. Old Mataafa waited +until she had finished, and then, with an ugly gleam in his eye but +speaking very quietly, asked us what it meant. + +"What _could_ we say but that it was no fault of ours; and then, by a +happy inspiration, I added that although Miss Weidermann was generally +well-conducted enough, she sometimes got blazing drunk, and made a beast +of herself. This explanation satisfied the chiefs, if not the women, and +everything went on smoothly. And as it was then nearly dark, and I was +determined that Mataafa should get his rifles, half a dozen of his men +took us off in their canoes, and we went on board. The skipper and I had +fixed up as to what we should do with the Weidermann creature. She was +seated at the cabin table waiting to open out on us, but the skipper +didn't give her a chance. + +"'Go to your cabin at once, madam,' he said solemnly, 'and I trust you +will not again leave it in your present condition. Your conduct is +simply astounding. _Steward, see that you give Miss Weidermann no more +grog_.' + +"The poor old girl thought that either he or she herself was going mad, +but he gave her no time to talk. The captain opened her state-room door, +gently pushed her in, and put a man outside to see that she didn't come +out again. Then we handed out the rifles through the stern-ports to the +natives in the canoes, and sent them away rejoicing. And that's the end +of the yarn, and Miss Weidermann nearly went into a fit next morning +when we told her that no less than thirty respectable native women had +taken their oaths that she was mad drunk, and abused them vilely." + +The junior partner laughed loudly at the story, and Otway, with a more +amiable look on his face, rose. + +"Well, I'll do what I can for these people. I'll make room for them +somehow. Where are they going?" + +"Samoa. They have an idea of settling down there, I think, for a few +months, and then going on to China. They have plenty of money, +apparently." + +"Oh, well, tell them to come on board to-morrow, and I'll show them what +can be done for them." + + * * * * * + +So the Rev. and Mrs. Lacy did come on board, and Mr. Charles Otway was +vanquished by just one single glance from the lady's violet eyes. + +"It would have been such a dreadful disappointment to us if we could not +have obtained passages in the _Tucopia_," she said, in her soft, sweet +voice, as she sank back in the deck-chair he placed before her. "My +husband is so bent on making a tour through Samoa. Now, do tell me, Mr. +Otway, are these islands so very lovely?" + +"Very, very lovely, Mrs. Lacy," replied Otway, leaning with his back +against the rail and regarding her with half-closed eyes; "as sweet and +fair to look upon as a lovely woman--a woman with violet eyes and lips +like a budding rose." + +She gave him one swift glance, seemingly in anger, yet her eyes smiled +into his; then she bent her head and regarded the deck with intense +interest. Otway thought he had scored. She was sure _she_ had. + +Otway had just shown her and her husband his own cabin, and had told +them that they could occupy it--he would make himself comfortable in the +trade-room, he said. This was after the first look from the violet eyes. + + * * * * * + +Robertson, the skipper, came aboard, shook hands with Mrs. Lacy and her +husband, nodded to the other passengers, dived below for a moment or +two, and then reappeared on deck, full of energy, blasphemy, and anxiety +to get under way. In less than an hour the smart barque was outside the +Heads, and heeling over to a brisk south-westerly breeze. Two days later +she was four hundred miles on her course. + +The Rev. Wilfrid Lacy soon made himself very agreeable to the rest of +the passengers, who all agreed that he was a splendid type of parson, +and even Otway, who had as much principle as a rat and began making love +to his wife from the outset, liked him. First of all, he was not the +usual style of travelling clergyman. He didn't say grace at meals, he +smoked a pipe, drank whisky and brandy with Otway and Robertson, told +rattling good stories, and displayed an immediate interest when the +skipper mentioned that the second mate was a "bit of a bruiser," and +that there were gloves on board; and the second mate, a nuggety little +Tynesider, at once consented to a friendly mill as soon as he was off +duty. + +"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy, "you'll shock every one. I can see that +Captain Robertson wonders what sort of a clergyman you are." + +Robertson saw the merry light in her dark eyes, and then laughed aloud +as he saw Miss Weidermann's face. It expressed the very strongest +disapproval, and during the rest of the meal the virgin lady preserved a +dismal silence. The rest of the passengers, however, "took" to the +clerical gentleman at once. With old Father Roget--the Marist +missionary who sat opposite him--he soon entered into an animated +conversation, while the two De Boos girls, vivacious Samoan half-castes, +attached themselves to his wife. Seated beside Otway was another +passenger, an American skipper named Burr, who was going to Apia to take +command of a vessel belonging to the same firm as the _Tucopia_. He was +a silent, good-looking man of about sixty, and possessed of much caustic +humour and a remarkable fund of smoking-room stories, which, on rare +occasions, he would relate in an inimitable, drawling manner, as if he +was tired. The chief mate was a deeply but not obtrusively religious +Scotsman; the second officer, Allen, was a young man of thirty, an +excellent seaman, but rough to the verge of brutality with the crew. +Bruce, on the other hand, was too easy-going and patient. + +"I never want to raise my hand against a man," he said one day, as a +protest, when Allen gave one of the crew an unmerciful cuff which sent +him down as if he had been shot. + +"Neither do I," replied Allen, "I prefer raising my foot. But it's +habit, Mr. Bruce, only habit." + +For five days the barque ran steadily on an E.N.E. course, then on the +sixth day the wind hauled, and by sunset it was blowing hard from the +eastward with a fast-gathering sea. By two in the morning Robertson and +his officers knew that they were in for a three-days' easterly gale; a +few hours later it was decided to heave-to, as the sea had become +dangerous, and the little vessel was straining badly. Just after this +had been done, the gale set in with redoubled fury, and when Mrs. Lacy +came on deck shortly before breakfast, she shuddered at the wild +spectacle. Coming to the break of the poop, she clasped the iron rail +with both hands, and gazed fearfully about her. + +"You had better go below, ma'am," said the second mate, who was standing +near, talking to Otway, "there's some nasty, lumpy seas." + +Then he gave a yell. + +"Look out there!" + +Springing to Mrs. Lacy's side, he clasped his left arm around her waist, +and held on tightly to the iron rail with his right, just as a vast +mountain of water took the barque amidships, fell on her deck with +terrific force, and fairly buried her from the topgallant foc'scle to +the level of the poop. In less than half a minute the galley, for'ard +deck-house, long-boat, which was lying on the main hatch, and the port +bulwarks had vanished, together with three poor seamen who were asleep +in the deck-house. The fearful crash brought the captain flying on deck. +One glance showed him that there was no chance of saving the men--to +attempt to lower a boat in such a sea was utterly impossible, and would +be madness itself. He sighed, and then took off his cap. Allen and Otway +followed his example. + +"Is there no hope for them?" Mrs. Lacy whispered to Otway. + +"None," replied the supercargo in a low voice. "None." Then he urged her +to go below, as it was not safe for her to remain on deck. She went at +once, and met her husband just as he was leaving their cabin. + +"What is the matter, Nell?" he asked, as he saw that tears were in her +eyes. + +"Three poor men have been carried overboard, Wilfrid. They were in the +deck-house asleep ten minutes ago--now they are gone! Oh, isn't it +dreadful, dreadful!" And then she sat down beside him and wept silently. + +Breakfast was a forlorn meal--Robertson and his officers were not +present, and Otway took the captain's seat. He, too, only remained to +drink a cup of coffee, then hurriedly went on deck. Lacy rose at the +same time, but at the foot of the companion, Otway motioned him to stop. + +"Don't come on deck awhile, if you please," he said, "and tell the +ladies to keep to the cabin." + +"Anything fresh gone wrong?" + +"Yes," replied the supercargo, looking steadily at the clergyman--"the +ship is making water badly. Don't you hear the pumps going? Tell the +ladies not to come on deck--say it is not safe. And if the old +Weidermann girl hears the pumps, and gets inquisitive, tell her that a +lot of water got into the hold when that big sea tumbled aboard. She's +an inquisitive old ass, and would be bound to tell the other ladies that +the ship is in danger." + +Lacy nodded. "All right, I'll see to her. How long has the ship been +leaking?" + +"For quite a long time. And there is fourteen inches in her, and it's as +much as we can do to keep it under." + +"That is serious." + +Otway nodded. "Yes, it is serious in weather like this. Now I must go. +Daresay we may give you a call in the course of the morning. Ever try a +spell at old-fashioned brake pumps? Fine exercise." + +"I'm ready now if you want me," was the quiet answer. + +The _Tucopia_ was indeed in a pretty bad case. Immediately after the +fatal sea had swept her decks the carpenter had sounded the well and +found fifteen inches of water, some little of which had got below +through the fore-scuttle, but the greater portion, it was soon evident, +was the result of a leak. The barque was a comparatively new vessel, and +Robertson and his officers, after two hours' pumping, came to the +conclusion that she had either strained herself badly or a butt-end had +started somewhere. + +For two hours the crew worked at the pumps, taking a spell of ten +minutes every half-hour, Otway, the American captain Burr, and Mr. Lacy +all lending a hand. Then the well was sounded, and showed two inches +less. + +Robertson ordered the men to come aft and get a glass of grog. They +trooped down into the cabin wet and exhausted, and the steward served +them each out half a tumblerful of good French brandy. They drank it +off, and then went on deck again to have a smoke before resuming +pumping. A quarter of an hour later the pumps choked. There were a +hundred tons of coal in the lower hold, and some of the small of it had +been drawn up. By the time the carpenter had them cleared the water had +gained seven inches, and the little barque was labouring heavily. Again, +however, the willing crew turned to and pumped steadily for another +hour, but only succeeded in reducing the water by an inch or two. Then +Robertson called his officers together and consulted. + +"We can't keep on like this much longer," he said, "the water is gaining +on us too fast. And we can't run before such a sea as this, in our +condition; we should be pooped in less than five minutes. We shall have +to take to the boats in another couple of hours, unless a change takes +place. Mr. Allen, and you, Mr. Otway, see to the two boats, and get them +in readiness." + +Then he went below to the passengers. They were all seated in the main +cabin, and looked anxiously at him as he entered. + +"I am sorry to tell you, ladies," he said quietly, "that the ship is +leaking so badly that I fear we shall have to abandon her. The men +cannot keep on pumping much longer, now that we are three hands short. +Fortunately we have two good boats, and, if we must take to them, shall +have no trouble in reaching land." + +They heard him in silence, then the old priest opened his state-room +door, and came out. + +"That is bad news indeed, captain," he said gently. "Still we must bow +to God's will, and trust to His guidance and protection. And you and +your officers and crew are good and brave seamen." + +"Thank you, father. We'll do all right if we have to take to the boats. +And you must try and cheer up the ladies. Now I must leave you all for +awhile. We will stick to the pumps for another hour or two." + +"Captain," said Sarah de Boos, a tall, finely built young woman of +twenty, "let my sister and myself and our servant help the men at the +pump. _Do_, please. We are all three very strong, and our help is surely +worth having." + +Robertson patted her soft cheek with his big, sunburnt hand. "You are +your father's daughter, Sarah, and I thank you. Of course your help +would be something; three fine lusty young women"--he tried to +smile--"but it's too dangerous for you to be on deck. All the bulwarks +are gone, and nasty lumping seas come aboard every now and then." + +"I'm not afraid of a life-line hurting my waist," was the prompt answer, +"and neither is Sukie--are you Sukie? Go on deck, captain, and Sukie and +I and Mina" (the servant) "will just kick off our boots and follow you." + +"And I too," broke in old Father Roget. "Surely I am not too old to +help." + +In less than five minutes the two half-caste girls, the native woman +Mina, and the old priest, were working the starboard brake, three seamen +being on the lee side. Every now and then, as the barque took a heavy +roll to windward, the water would flood her deck up to the workers' +knees; but they stuck steadily to their task for half an hour, when they +gave place to Burr, the carpenter, the Rev. Wilfrid, and three native +seamen. + +In the cabin Mrs. Lacy sat with ashen-hued face beside Miss Weidermann, +their hands clasped together, and listening to the wild clamour of the +wind and sea. Presently the two De Boos girls, Lacy, Father Roget, and +Mina, came below to rest awhile, the water streaming from their sodden +garments. The old priest, thoroughly exhausted, threw himself down upon +the transom locker cushions. + +"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy coming over to him and placing her shaking +hand on his shoulder, "cannot I do something? Oh, Miss De Boos, I wish I +were brave, like you. But I am not--I am a coward, and I hate myself for +it." + +The Rev. Wilfrid smiled tenderly at her as he drew her to him for a +moment. "Don't worry, little woman. You can't do anything--yes, you can, +though! Get me my pipe and fill it for me. My hands are wet and +cramped." + +Sukie De Boos, whose firm, rounded bosom and strong square shoulders +made a startling contrast, as they revealed their shape under her +soddened blouse, to Mrs. Lacy's fragile figure, impulsively put her +hands out, and taking Mrs. Lacy's face between them, kissed her twice. + +"Dear Mrs. Lacy," she said, "don't be frightened, please. Now get Mr. +Lacy's pipe, and I'll rummage the steward's pantry and get some food for +us all to eat. Mr. Otway told me to tell you and Miss Weidermann to eat +something, as maybe we may not get anything for some hours. So I'm just +going to stay here and see that every one _does_ eat. I'll set you a +good example." + +In a few minutes she laid upon the table an assortment of tinned meats, +bread, and some bottled beer, and some brandy for Father Roget and Lacy. +Otway came down, followed by the steward, and nodded approval. + +"That's right, Sukie. Eat as much as you can. I'll take a drink myself. +Here's luck to you, Sukie. Perhaps we won't have to make up a boating +party after all. But there's nothing like being ready. So will you, Mr. +Lacy, lend a hand here with the steward, and pass up our provisions to +the second mate? The captain will be down in a minute, and will tell you +ladies what clothing to get ready. For my part I'll be jolly glad if we +do have to take to the boats, where we shall be nice and comfy, instead +of rolling about in this beastly way--I'll be sea-sick in another ten +minutes. Old Bruce says he felt sick an hour ago. Come on, steward." + +The assumed cheerfulness of his manner produced a good effect, and even +old Miss Weidermann plucked up heart a little as she saw him +nonchalantly light a cigar as he disappeared with the steward below into +the lazzarette. + +On deck Robertson and the mate were talking in low tones, as they +assisted the second mate with the boats. There was now nearly three feet +of water in the hold, and every one knew that the barque could not keep +afloat much longer. Fortunately the violence of the wind had decreased +somewhat, though there was still a mountainous sea. + +Both the old mate and the captain knew that the two small quarter boats +would be dangerously overladen, and their unspoken fears were shared by +the rest of the officers and crew. But another hour would perhaps make a +great difference; and then as the two men were speaking a savage sea +smote the _Tucopia_ on the starboard bow, with such violence that she +trembled in every timber, and as she staggered under the shock and then +rolled heavily to windward, she dipped the starboard quarter boat under +the water; it filled, and as she rose again, boat and davits went away +together. + +Robertson groaned and looked at the mate. + +"It is God's will, sir," said the old Scotsman quietly. + +Robertson nodded. "Tell Allen and the others to come here," he said. + +The Tynesider, followed by Captain Burr, Otway, and the carpenter, came. + +"Mr. Allen," said the captain, "you are the best man in such an +emergency as this. You handle a boat better than any man I know. There +is now only one boat left, and you must take charge of her. You will +have to take a big lot of people--the four women, the parson, the old +French priest, Mr. Otway, Captain Burr, the carpenter, and the five +men." + +"I guess I'll stand out, and stick to the ship," said Burr in a lazy, +drawling manner, "I don't like bein' crowded up with a lot of wimmen." + +"Neither do I, said Otway. + +"Same here, captain," said the carpenter, a little grizzled man of +sixty. + +Robertson shook hands with each of them in turn. "I knew you were +_men_," he said simply. "Come below and let's have a drink together, and +then see to the boat." + +"What's all this, skipper?" said Allen, with an oath, "d'ye think I'm +going to save my carcase and let you men drown? I'll see you all damned +first!" + +"You'll obey orders," growled the captain, "and my orders are that you +take charge of that boat. And don't give me any lip. You are a married +man and have children. None of us who are standing by the ship are +married men. By God, my joker, if you don't know your duty, I'll teach +you. Are you going to let these four women go adrift in a boat to perish +when you can save them?" + +Allen looked the captain squarely in the face and then put out his hand. + +"I understand you, sir. But I don't like doing it. The ship won't keep +afloat another hour. But, as you say, I've a wife and kids to consider." + + * * * * * + +Followed by the others, Robertson went below, and told his passengers to +get ready for the boat. The old French priest, exhausted by his labour +at the pumps, was still lying on the transom cushions, sleeping; the +Rev. Lacy was seated at the table smoking his pipe (all the ladies were +in their state-rooms). He rose as the men entered, and looked at them +inquiringly. + +"We're in a bit of a tight place," said the captain, as he coolly +poured out half a tumblerful of brandy, "but I'm sending you, Mr. Lacy, +and Father Roget, and the ladies away with Mr. Allen in one of the +boats. Allen is a man whom I rely upon. He'll bring you ashore safely. +He's a bit rough in his talk, but he's one of God's own chosen in a +boat, and a fine sailor man--better than the mate, Captain Burr, or +myself; isn't that so, Mr. Bruce?" + +The white-haired old mate bent his head in acknowledgment. Then he stood +up stiff and stark, his rough bony hands clasped upon his chest. + +"I'll no' deny but that Mr. Allen is far and awa' the best man to have +charge o' the boat. But as there is a meenister here, surely he will now +offer up a prayer to the Almighty for those in peril on the sea, and +especially implore Him to consider a sma' boat, deep to the gunwales." + +He looked at the clergyman, who at first made no reply, but stood with +downcast eyes. The men looked at him expectantly; he put one hand on the +table, and then slowly raised his face. + +"I think, gentlemen, that ... that Father Roget is the older man." He +spoke haltingly, and a flush dyed his smooth, clean-shaven face from +brow to chin. "Will you not ask him?" Then his eyes dropped again. + +Robertson, who was in a hurry, and yet had a sincere but secret respect +for old Bruce's unobtrusive religious feelings, now backed up his mate's +request. + +"I think, sir, that as the mate says, a bit of a short prayer would not +be out of place just now, seeing the mess we are in. And that poor old +gentleman over there is too done up to stand on his feet. So will you +please begin, sir. Steward, call the ladies. We can no longer disguise +from them, Mr. Lacy, that we are in a bad way--as bad a way as I have +ever been in during my thirty years at sea." + +In a couple of minutes the two De Boos girls, Miss Weidermann, and the +native girl Mina, came out of their cabins; and when the steward said +that Mrs. Lacy felt too ill to leave her berth, her husband could not +help giving an audible sigh of relief. Then he braced up and spoke with +firmness. + +"Please shut Mrs. Lacy's door, steward. Mr. Bruce, will you lend me your +church service--I do not want to go into my cabin for my own. My wife, I +fear, has given way." + +The mate brought the church service, and then whilst the men stood with +bowed heads, and the women knelt, the clergyman, with strong, +unfaltering voice read the second of the prayers "To be used in Storms +at Sea." He finished, and then sitting down again, placed one hand over +his eyes. + +"_The living, the living shall praise Thee_." + +It was the old mate who spoke. He alone of the men had knelt beside the +women, and when he rose his face bore such an expression of calmness and +content, that Otway, who five minutes before had been silently cursing +him for his "damned idiotcy," looked at him with a sudden mingled +respect and wonder. + +Stepping across to the clergyman, Bruce respectfully placed his hand on +his shoulder, and as he spoke his clear blue eyes smiled at the still +kneeling women. + +"Cheer up, sir. God will protect ye and your gude wife, and us all. You, +his meenister, have made supplication to Him, and He has heard. Dinna +weep, ladies. We are in the care of One who holds the sea in the hollow +of His hand." + +Then he followed the captain and the others on deck, Otway alone +remaining to assist the steward. + +"For God's sake give me some brandy," said Lacy to him, in a low voice. + +Otway looked at him in astonishment. Was the man a coward after all? + +He brought the brandy, and with ill-disguised contempt placed it before +him without a word. Lacy looked up at him, and his face flushed. + +"Oh, I'm not funking--not a d----d bit, I can assure you." + +Otway at once poured out a nip of brandy for himself, and clinked his +glass against that of the clergyman. + +"Pon my soul, I couldn't make it out, and I apologise. But a man's +nerves go all at once sometimes--can't help himself, you know. Mine did +once when I was in the nigger-catching business in the Solomon Islands. +Natives opened fire on us when our boats were aground in a creek, and +some of our men got hit. I wasn't a bit scared of a smack from a bullet, +but when I got a scratch on my hand from an arrow, I dropped in a blue +funk, and acted like a cur. Knew it was poisoned, felt sure I'd die of +lockjaw, and began to weep internally. Then the mate called me a rotten +young cur, shook me up, and put my Snider into my hand. But I shall +always feel funky at the sight even of a child's twopenny bow and arrow. +Now I must go." + +The clergyman nodded and smiled, and then rising from his seat, he +tapped at the door of his wife's state-room. She opened it, and then +Otway, who was helping the steward, heard her sob hysterically. + +"Oh, Will, Will, why did you? How could you? I love you, Will dear, I +love you, and if death comes to us in another hour, another minute, I +shall die happily with your arms round me. But, Will dear, there is a +God, I'm sure there _is_ a God.... I feel it in my heart, I feel it. And +now that death is so near to us----" + +Lacy put his arms around her, and lifted her trembling figure upon his +knees. + +"There, rest yourself, my pet." + +"Rest! Rest?" she said brokenly, as Lacy drew her to him. "How can I +rest when I think of how I have sinned, and how I shall die! Will dear, +when I heard you reading that prayer--" + +"I _had_ to do it, Nell." + +"Will, dear Will.... Perhaps God may forgive us both.... But as I sat +here in my dark cabin, and listened to you reading that prayer, my +husband's face came before me--the face that I thought was so dull and +stupid. And his eyes seemed so soft and kind--" + +"For God's sake, my dear little woman, don't think of what is past. We +have made the plunge together----" + +The woman uttered one last sobbing sigh. "I am not afraid to die, Will. +I am not afraid, but when I heard you begin to read that prayer, my +courage forsook me. I wanted to scream--to rush out and stop you, for it +seemed to me as if you were doing it in sheer mockery." + +"I can only say again, Nell, that I could not help myself; made me feel +pretty sick, I assure you." + +Their voices ceased, and presently Lacy stepped out into the main cabin, +and then went on deck again. + +Robertson met him with a cheerful face. "Come on, Mr. Lacy. I've some +good news for you--we are making less water! The leak must be taking up +in some way." Then holding on to the rail with one hand, he shouted to +the men at the pumps. + +"Shake her up, boys! shake her up. Here's Mr. Lacy come to lend a hand, +and the supercargo and steward will be with you in a minute. Now I'm +going below for a minute to tell the ladies, and mix you a bucket of +grog. Shake her up, you, Tom Tarbucket, my bully boy with a glass eye! +Shake her up, and when she sucks dry, I'll stand a sovereign all round." + +The willing crew answered him with a cheer, and Tom Tarbucket, a +square-built, merry faced native of Savage Island, who was stripped to +the waist, shouted out, amid the laughter of his shipmates-- + +"Ay, ay, capt'in, we soon make pump suck dry if two Miss de Boos girl +come." + +Robertson laughed in response, and then picking up a wooden bucket from +under the fife rail, clattered down the companion way. + +"Where are you, Otway? Up you get on deck, and you too, steward. The +leak is taken up and 'everything is lovely and the goose hangs high.' Up +you go to the pumps, and make 'em suck. I'll bring up some grog +presently." + +Then as Otway and the steward sprang up on deck, the captain stamped +along the cabin in his sodden sea boots, banging at each door. + +"Come out, Sarah, come out Sukie, my little chickabiddies--there's to be +no boat trip for you after all. Miss Weidermann, I've good news, good +news! Mrs. Lacy, cheer up, dear lady. The leak has taken up, and you can +go on deck and see your husband working at the pumps like a number one +chop Trojan. Ha! Father Roget, give me your hand. You're a white man, +sir, and ought to be a bishop." + +As he spoke to the now awakened old priest, the two De Boos girls, Mrs. +Lacy and Miss Weidermann, all came out of their cabins, and Robertson +shook hands with them, and lifting Sukie de Boos up between his two +rough hands as if she were a little girl, he kissed her, and then made a +grab at Sarah, who dodged behind Mrs. Lacy. + +"Now, father, don't you attempt to come on deck. Mrs. Lacy, just you +keep him here. Sukie, my chick, you and Sarah get a couple of bottles of +brandy, make this bucket full of half-and-half, and bring it on deck to +the men." + +As he noisily stamped out of the cabin again, the old priest turned to +the ladies, and raised his hand-- + +"A brave, brave man--a very good English sailor. And now let us thank +God for His mercies to us." + +The four ladies, with Mina, knelt, and then the good old man prayed +fervently for a few minutes. Then Sukie de Boos and her sister flung +their arms around Mrs. Lacy, and kissed her, and even Miss Weidermann, +now thoroughly unstrung, began to cry hysterically. She had at first +detested Mrs. Lacy as being altogether too scandalously young and pretty +for a clergyman's wife. Now she was ready to take her to her bosom (that +is, to her metaphorical bosom, as she had no other), for she believed +that Mr. Lacy's prayer had saved them all, he being a Protestant +clergyman, and therefore better qualified to avert imminent death than a +priest of Rome. + +Sukie and Sally de Boos mixed the grog, took it on deck, and served it +out to the men at the pumps. + +The carpenter sounded the well, and as he drew up the iron rod, the +second mate gave a shout. + +"Only seven inches, captain." + +"Right, my boy. Take a good spell now, Mr. Allen. Mr. Bruce, we can give +her a bit more lower canvas now. She'll stand it. Mr. Lacy, and you +Captain Burr, come aft and get into some dry togs. The glass is rising +steadily, and in a few hours we'll feel a bit more comfy." + +He prophesied truly, for the violence of the gale decreased rapidly, +and when at the end of an hour the pumps sucked, the crew gave a cheer, +and tired out as they were, eagerly sprang aloft to repair damages and +then spread more sail, Sarah and Susan de Boos hauling and pulling at +the running gear from the deck below. They were both girls of splendid +physique, and, in a way, sailors, and had Robertson allowed them to do +so, would have gone aloft and handled the canvas with the men. + +By four o'clock in the afternoon the little barque, with her wave-swept, +bulwarkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, was running before a +warm, good-hearted breeze, and the pumps were only attended to twice in +every watch. + +Mrs. Lacy, Miss Weidermann, the De Boos girls, and the French priest +were seated on the poop deck, on rugs and blankets spread out for them +by Otway and the steward. Lacy, with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro +smoking his pipe, and laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to +make his wife smoke a cigarette. Presently old Bruce came along with the +second mate and some men to set a new gaff-topsail, and the ladies rose +to go below, so as to be out of the way. + +"Nae, nae, leddies, dinna go below," said the old mate cheerfully, +"ye'll no' hinder us. And the sight o' sae many sweet, bonny faces will +mak' us work a' the better. And how are ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink +roses are in your cheeks once mair." And then he stepped quickly up to +the young clergyman and took his hand. + +"Mr. Lacy, ye must pardon me, but I'm an auld man, and must hae my way. +Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added in a low voice, "and ye called +upon Him, and He heard us." + +"Thank you, Mr. Bruce," Lacy answered nervously, as he saw his wife's +eyes droop, and a vivid blush dye her fair cheeks. Then he plucked the +American captain by the sleeve and went below, and Sukie de Boos laughed +loudly when in another minute they heard the pop of a bottle of soda +water. She ran to the skylight and bent down. + +"You're a pair of exceedingly rude men. You might think of Father +Roget--even if you don't think of us poor women. Mr. Otway, come here, +you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! Go below and get a glass of +port wine for Father Roget, a bottle of champagne for Mrs. Lacy and my +sister and myself, and a cup of tea for Mrs. Weidermann, and bring some +biscuits, too." + +"Come and help me, then," said the supercargo, who was indeed +dirty-faced and ragged. + +Sukie danced towards the companion way with him. Half-way down he put +his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She returned his kisses +with interest, and laughingly smacked his cheek. + +"Let me go, Charlie Otway, you horrid, bold fellow. Now, one, two, +three, or I'll call out and invoke the protection of the clergy, above +and below--those on board this ship I mean, not those who are in heaven +or elsewhere." + + * * * * * + +Ten days later the _Tucopia_ sailed into Apia Harbour and dropped +anchor inside Matautu Point just as the evening mists were closing their +fleecy mantle around the verdant slopes of Vailima Mountain. + +The two half-caste girls, with their maid and Mr. and Mrs. Lacy, came to +bid Otway and the captain a brief farewell, before they went ashore in +the pilot boat to D'Acosta's hotel in Matafele. + +"Now remember, Otway, and you, Captain Robertson, and you, Captain Burr, +you are all to dine with us at the hotel the day after to-morrow. And +perhaps you, too, Father Roget will reconsider your decision and come +too." It was Lacy who spoke. + +The gentle-voiced old Frenchman shook his head and smiled--"Ah no, it +was impossible," he said. The bishop would not like him to so soon leave +the Mission. But the bishop and his brothers at the Mission would look +forward to have the good captain, and Mr. Burr, and Mr. Otway, and the +ladies to accept his hospitality. + +Mrs. Lacy's soft little gloved hand was in Otway's. + +"I thank you, Mr. Otway, very, very sincerely for your many kindnesses +to me. You have indeed been most generous to us both. It was cruel of us +to take your cabin and compel you to sleep in the trade-room. But I +shall never forget how kind you have been." + +All that was good in Otway came into his vicious heart and voiced softly +through his lips. + +"I am only too glad, Mrs. Lacy.... I am indeed. I didn't like giving up +my cabin to strangers at first, and was a bit of a beast when Mr. Harry +told me we were taking two extra passengers. But I am glad now." + +He turned away, and went below with burning cheeks. Before the storm he +had tried his best, late on several nights, to make Lacy drunk, and to +keep him drunk; but Lacy could stand as much or more grog than he could +himself; and when he heard that passionate, sobbing appeal, "Oh, Will, +Will, how could you?" his better nature was stirred, and his fierce +sensual desire for her changed into a sentimental affection and respect. +He knew her secret, and now, instead of wishing to take advantage of it, +felt he was too much of a man to abuse his knowledge. + + * * * * * + +Supper was over, and as the skipper, Burr, and Otway paced the +quarter-deck before going ashore to play a game or two of billiards and +meet some friends, a boat came alongside, and a man stepped on deck and +inquired for the captain. As he followed Robertson down the companion, +Otway saw that he was a well-dressed, rather gentlemanly-looking young +man of about five and twenty. + +"Who's that joker, I wonder?" he said to Burr; "not any one living in +Samoa, unless he's a new-comer. Hope he won't stay long--it's eight +o'clock now." + +Ten minutes later the steward came to him. + +"The captain wishes to see you, sir." + +Otway entered the cabin. Robertson, with frowning face, motioned him to +a seat. The strange gentleman sat near the captain smoking a cigar, and +with some papers in his hands. + +"Mr. Otway, I have sent for you. This gentleman has a warrant for the +arrest of Mr. Lacy, issued by the New Zealand Government and initialled +by the British Consul here." + +Otway rose to the occasion. He nodded to the stranger and sat down +quietly. + +"Yes, sir?" he asked inquiringly of Robertson. + +"You will please tell my supercargo your business, mister," said the +captain gruffly to the stranger; "he can tell you all you wish to +know--that is, if he cares to do so. I don't see that your warrant holds +any force here in Samoa. You can't execute it. There's no government +here, no police, no anything, and the British Consul can't act on a +warrant issued from New Zealand. It is of no more use in Samoa than it +would be at Cape Horn." + +"Now, sir, make haste," said Otway with a mingled and studied insolence +and politeness. He already began to detest the stranger. + +"I am a detective of the police force of New Zealand, and I have come +from Auckland to arrest William Barton, alias the Rev. Wilfrid Lacy, on +a charge of stealing twenty thousand, five hundred pounds from the +National Bank of Christchurch, of which he was manager. I believe that +twenty thousand pounds of the money he has stolen is on board this +vessel at this moment, and I now demand access to his cabin." + +"Do you? How are you going to enforce your demand, my cocksure friend?" + +Otway rose, and placing his two hands on the table, looked insultingly +at the detective. "What rot you are talking, man!" + +The detective drew back, alarmed and startled. + +"The British Consul has endorsed my warrant to arrest this man," he +said, "and it will go hard with any one who attempts to interfere with +me in the performance of my duty." + +Otway shot a quick, triumphant glance at the captain. + +"The Consul is, and always was, a silly old ass. You have come on a +fool's errand; and are going on the wrong tack by making threats. That +idiotic warrant of yours is of no more use to you than a sheet of fly +paper--Samoa is outside British jurisdiction. The High Commissioner for +the Western Pacific would not have endorsed such a fool of a document, +and I'll report the matter to him.... Now, sit down and tell me what you +_do_ want, and I'll try and help you all I can. But don't try to bluff +us--it's only wasting your time. Steward, bring us something to drink." + +As soon as the steward brought them "something to drink" Otway became +deeply sympathetic with the detective, and Robertson, who knew his +supercargo well, smiled inwardly at the manner he adopted. + +"Now, just tell us, Mr.--O'Donovan, I think you said is your name--what +is all the trouble? I need hardly tell you that whilst both the captain +and myself felt annoyed at your dictatorial manner, we are both sensible +men, and will do all in our power to assist you. Our firm's reputation +has to be studied--has it not, captain? We don't want it to be +insinuated that we helped an embezzler to escape, do we?" + +"Certainly not," replied Robertson, puffing slowly at his cigar, +watching Otway keenly through his half-closed eyelids, and wondering +what that astute young gentleman was driving at. "I guess that you, Mr. +Otway, will do all that is right and cor-rect." + +"Thank you, sir," replied Otway humbly, and with great seriousness, "I +know my duty to my employers, and I know that this gentleman may be led +into very serious trouble through the dense stupidity of the British +Consul here." + +He turned to Mr. O'Donovan--"Are you aware, Mr. O'Donikin--I beg your +pardon, O'Donovan--that the British Consul here is not, officially, the +British Consul. He is merely a commercial agent, like the United States +Consul. Neither are accredited by their Governments to act officially on +behalf of their respective countries, and even if they were, there is no +extradition treaty with the Samoan Islands, which is a country without a +recognised government. Of course, Mr. O'Donovan, you are acting in good +faith; but you have no more legal right nor the power to arrest a man in +Samoa, than you have to arrest one in Manchuria or Patagonia. Of course, +old Johns (the British Consul) doesn't know this, or he would not have +made such a fool of himself by endorsing a warrant from an irresponsible +judge of a New Zealand court. But as I told you, I shall aid you in +every possible way." + +O'Donovan was no fool. He knew that all that Otway had said was +absolutely correct, but he braced himself up. + +"I daresay what you say may be right, Mr. Supercargo. But I've come from +New Zealand to get this joker, and by blazes I mean to get him, and take +him back with me to New Zealand. And I mean to have those twenty +thousand sovereigns to take back as well." + +"Well, then, why the devil don't you go and get your man? He's at Joe +D'Acosta's hotel with his wife." + +"I don't want to be bothered with him just yet. I have no place to put +him into. The Californian mail boat from San Francisco is not due here +for another ten days. But I know that he hasn't taken his stolen money +ashore yet, and you had better hand it over to me at once. I can get +_him_ at any time." + +Otway leant back in his chair and laughed. + +"I don't doubt that, Mr. O'Donovan. If you have enough money to do it, +you can do as you say--get this man at any time. But you want to have +some guns behind you to enforce it; and then his capture won't affect +our custody of the money. If the Consul instigates you to make an attack +on the ship, you will do so at your peril, for we shall resist any +piratical attempt." + +O'Donovan's face fell. "You said you would assist me?" + +"So I will," replied Otway, lying genially, "But you must point out a +way. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, in Fiji, is the only +man who could give you power to arrest the man and convey him to New +Zealand, and the moment you show me the High or the Deputy High +Commissioner's order to hand over the money, and Lacy's other effects, +I'll do so." + +The detective made his last stroke. + +"I can take the law into my own hands and chance the consequences. The +Consul will supply me with a force--" + +Robertson smiled grimly, and pointed to the rack of Snider rifles around +the mizen-mast at the head of the table. + +"You and your force will have a bad time of it then, and be shot down +before you can put foot on my deck. I've never seen a shark eat a +policeman, but there seems a chance of it now." + +O'Donovan laughed uneasily, then he changed his tactics. + +"Now look here, gentlemen," he said confidentially, leaning across the +table, "I can see I'm in a bit of a hole, but I'm a business man, and +you are business men, and I think we understand one another, eh? As you +say, my warrant doesn't hold good here in Samoa. But the Consul will +back me up, and if I can take this chap back to New Zealand it means a +big thing for me. Now, what's your figure?" + +"Two hundred each for the skipper and myself," answered Otway promptly. + +"Done. You shall have it." + +"When?" + +"Give me till to-morrow afternoon. I've only a hundred and fifty pounds +with me, and I'll have to raise the rest." + +"Very well, it's a deal. But mind, you'll have to take care to be here +before the parson. He's coming off at eleven o'clock." + +"Trust me for that, gentlemen." + +"I'm sorry for his wife," said Otway meditatively. + +O'Donovan grinned. "Ah, I haven't told you the yarn--she's not his wife! +She bolted from her husband, who is a big swell in Auckland, a Mr.----." + +"How did you get on their tracks?" + +"Sydney police found out that two people answering their description had +sailed for the Islands in the _Tucopia_, and cabled over to us. We +thought they had lit out for America. I only got here the day before +yesterday in the _Ryno_, from Auckland." + +Otway paid him some very florid compliments on his smartness, and then +after another drink or two, the detective went on shore, highly pleased. + +As soon as he was gone, Otway turned to Robertson. + +"You won't stand in my way, Robertson, will you?" he asked--"I want to +see the poor devils get away." + +"You take all the responsibility, then." + +"I will," and then he rapidly told the skipper his plan, and set to +work by at once asking the second mate to get ready the boat and then +come back to the cabin. + +"All ready," said Allen, five minutes later. + +"Then come with the steward and help me with this gear." + +He unlocked the door of Lacy's state-room, lit the swinging candle, and +quickly passed out Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining luggage to the second +mate and steward. Three small leather trunks, marked "Books with Care," +were especially heavy, and he guessed their contents. + +"Stow them safely in the boat, Allen. Don't make more noise than you can +help. I'll be with you in a minute." + +Going into his own cabin, he took a large handbag, threw into it his +revolver and two boxes of cartridges, then carried it into the +trade-room, and added half a dozen tins of the brand of tobacco which he +knew Lacy liked, and then filled the remaining space with pint bottles +of champagne. Then he whipped up a sheet or two of letter paper and an +envelope from the cabin-table, thrust them into his coat pocket, and, +bag in hand, stepped quickly on deck. The old mate was in his cabin, and +had not heard anything. + +"Give it to her, boys," he said to the crew, taking the steer-oar in his +hand, and heading the boat towards a small fore-and-aft schooner lying +half a mile away in the Matafele horn of the reef encircling Apia +Harbour. + +The four native seamen bent to their oars in silence, and sped swiftly +through the darkness over the calm waters of the harbour. The schooner +showed no riding light on her forestay, but, on the after deck under the +awning, a lamp was burning, and three men--the captain, mate, and +boatswain--were playing cards on the skylight. + +Otway jumped on deck, just as the men rose to meet him. + +"Great Ascensial Jehosophat! Why, it's you, Mr. Otway?" cried the +captain, a little clean-shaven man, as he shook hands with the +supercargo. "Well, now, I was just wondering whether I'd go ashore and +try and drop across you. Say, tell me now, hev you any good tinned beef +and a case of Winchesters you can sell me?" + +"Yes, both," replied Otway, shaking hands with the three in turn--they +were all old acquaintances, especially Le Brun, the mate. "But come +below with me, Revels; I've important business, and it has to be done +right away--this very night." + +Revels led the way below into the schooner's cabin, and at once produced +a bottle of Bourbon and a couple of glasses. + +"No time to drink, Revels.... All right, just a little, then. Now, tell +me, do you want to make--and make it easy--five hundred pounds?" + +"Guess I do." + +"Are you ready for sea?" + +"I was thinking of sailing on a cruise among the Tokelau Islands in a +day or two." + +"Then don't think of it. If you put to sea to-night for a longer voyage, +I can guarantee you that you will get five hundred pounds--if you will +take two passengers on board, and put to sea as soon as they come +alongside." + +"Where do they want to go?" + +"That I can't say. Manila or Hongkong, most likely. It'll pay you." + +"Is the money safe?" + +Otway struck his hand on the table. "Safe as rain, Revels. They have +plenty. I have it here alongside, and if you don't get five hundred +sovereigns paid you when you have dropped Samoa astern, you can come +back with your passengers, and I'll give you fifty pounds myself." + +"Friends of yours?" + +"Yes." + +"That's enough fur me, Otway. Now, just tell me what to do." + +"Tell your mate to get your boat ready to go ashore, while I write a +note." + +He took a sheet of paper, and hurriedly wrote in pencil: + + "DEAR LACY,--Don't hesitate to follow my instructions. There's a man + here from New Zealand. Tried to get access to your cabin; bluffed + him. You and your wife must follow bearer of this note to his boat, + which will bring you to a schooner. The captain's name is Revels. He + expects you, and you can trust him. Have pledged him my word that + you will give him £500 to land you at Manila or thereabouts; also + that you will hand it to him as soon as the schooner is clear of the + land. _All_ your luggage is on board the schooner, awaiting you. + Allen helped me. You might send him a present by Revels. Goodbye, + and all good luck. One last word--_be quick, be quick_!" + +"Boat is ready," said Revels. + +"Right," and Otway closed the letter and handed it to the mate. "Here +you are, Le Brun. Now, listen. Pull in to the mouth of the creek at the +French Mission, just beside the bridge. Leave your boat there and then +take this letter to D'Acosta's Hotel and ask to see Mr. Lacy. If he and +his wife have gone out for a walk, you must follow them and give him the +letter; but I feel pretty sure you'll find them on the verandah. Bring +them off on board as quickly and as quietly as possible. No one will +take any notice of the boat in the creek. Oh! and tell Mr. Lacy to be +dead sure not to bring anything in the way of even a small bag with +him--Joe D'Acosta might wonder. I'll settle the hotel bill later on. Are +you clear?" + +"Clear as mud," replied Le Brun, a big, black-whiskered Guernsey man. + +"Then goodbye." + +The schooner's boat, manned by two hands only, pushed off, and then +Revels turned to Otway. + +"Shall I heave short so as to be ready?" + +"Heave short, be d----d!" replied Otway testily. "No, just lie nice and +quiet, and as soon as you have your passengers on board slip your cable. +I'll see that your anchor is fished up for you. And even if you lost +your anchor and a few fathoms of chain it doesn't matter against five +hundred sovereigns. The people on shore would be sure to hear the sound +of the windlass pawls, and there's a man here from Auckland--a +detective--who might make a bold stroke, get a dozen native bullies and +collar you. So slip, my boy, slip. There's a fine healthy breeze which +will take you clear of the reef in ten minutes." + +The two men shook hands, and Otway stepped into his boat, which he +steered in towards the principal jetty. + +Jumping out he walked along the roadway which led from Matafele to Apia. +As he passed the British Consul's house he saw Mr. O'Donovan standing on +the verandah talking to the Consul. He waved his hand to them, and +cheerfully invited the detective to come along to "Johnnie Hall's" and +play a game of billiards. + +Mr. O'Donovan, little thinking that Otway had a purpose in view, took +the bait. The Consul knew Otway, and, in a measure, dreaded him, for the +supercargo's knowledge of certain transactions in connection with the +sale of arms to natives, in which he (the Consul) had taken a leading +and lucrative part. So when he saw the supercargo of the _Tucopia_ +beckoning to O'Donovan he smiled genially at him, and hurriedly told the +detective to go. + +"He's a most astute and clever young scoundrel, Mr. O'Donovan, and in a +way we are at his mercy. But you shall have the four hundred pounds in +the morning--not later than noon. This man Barton must be brought to +justice at any cost." + +"Just so, sir; and you will get a hundred out of the business, any way," +replied O'Donovan, who had gauged the Consul's morality pretty fairly. + +As Otway and the detective walked towards the hotel known as "Johnny +Hall's" the former said lazily-- + +"Look here, Mr. O'Donovan. Are the skipper and myself to get those four +hundred sovs to-morrow or not? To tell you the exact truth, I have a +fair amount of doubt about your promise. Where are you going to get the +money?" + +"That's all right, Mr. Otway. You're a business man. And you and the +skipper will have your two hundred each before one o'clock to-morrow. +The Consul is doing the necessary." + +"Right, my boy," said Otway effusively. "Now we'll play a game or two at +Johnny's and have some fun with the girls." + +By eleven o'clock Mr. O'Donovan was comfortably half drunk, and Otway +led him out on to the verandah to look at the harbour, shimmering under +the starlight. They sat down on two cane lounges, and the supercargo's +keen eye saw that Revel's schooner had gone. He breathed freely, and +then brought Mr. O'Donovan a large whisky and soda. + + * * * * * + +In the morning Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. William Johns, the British Consul, +were in a state of frenzy on discovering that Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had +escaped during the night in the schooner _Solafanua_. The Consul knew +that Otway was at the bottom of the matter, but dared not say so, but +O'Donovan, who had more pluck and nothing to lose, lost his temper and +came on board the _Tucopia_ just as she was being hauled up on the beach +to get at the leak. + +"You're a dirty sweep," he said to Otway. + +The supercargo hit him between the eyes, and sent him down. Allen picked +him up, dumped him into the boat alongside, and sent him ashore. + +When the _Tucopia_ lay high and dry on Apia beach Otway and old Bruce +walked round under her counter and looked for the leak. As the skipper +had surmised, a butt-end had started, but the gaping orifice was now +choked and filled with a large piece of seaweed. + +"The prayer of one of God's ain ministers has saved us," said the Scotch +mate, pointing upward. + +"No doubt," replied Otway, who knew that the good old man had heard +nothing of what had happened. + + + + +_The Man in the Buffalo Hide_ + + +Twelve years ago in a North Queensland town I was told the story of "The +Man in the Buffalo Hide" by Ned D----. He (D----) was then a prosperous +citizen, having made a small fortune by "striking it rich" on the +Gilbert and Etheridge Rivers goldfields. Returning from the arid wastes +of the Queensland back country to Sydney, he tired of leading an +inactive life, and hearing that gold had been discovered on one of the +Solomon Islands, he took passage thither in the Sydney whaling barque +_Costa Rica_ packet, and though he returned to Australia without +discovering gold in the islands, he had kept one of the most interesting +logs of a whaling cruise it has ever been my fortune to read. The master +of the whaleship was Captain J.Y. Carpenter, a man who is well known +and highly respected, not only in Sydney (where he now resides), but +throughout the East Indies and China, where he had lived for over thirty +years. And it was from Captain Carpenter who was one of the actors in +this twice-told tragedy, that D----heard this story of Chinese +vengeance. He (D----) related it to me in '88, and I wish I could write +the tale as well and vividly as he told it. However, I wrote it out for +him then and there. Much to our disgust the editor of the little journal +to whom we sent the MS., considered it a fairy tale, and cut it down to +some two or three hundred words. I mention these apparently unnecessary +details merely that the reader may not think that the tale is fiction, +for two years or so after, Captain Carpenter corroborated my friend's +story. + + * * * * * + +It was after the Taeping rebellion had been stamped out in blood and +fire by Gordon and his "Ever Victorious Army," and the Viceroy (Li Hung +Chang) had taken up his quarters in Canton, and was secretly torturing +and beheading those prisoners whom he had sworn to the English +Government to spare. + +Carpenter was in command of a Chinese Government despatch vessel--a +side-wheeler--which was immediately under the Viceroy's orders. She was +but lightly armed, but was very fast, as fast went in those days. His +ship had been lying in the filthy river for about a week, when, one +afternoon, a mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready +to proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous +experience of his estimable and astute Chinese employers warned him not +to ask the fat-faced, almond-eyed mandarin any questions as to the +steamer's destination, or the duration of the voyage. He simply said +that he would be ready at the appointed time. + +At daylight another mandarin, named Kwang--one of much higher rank than +his visitor of the previous day--came on board. He was attended by +thirty of the most ruffianly-looking scoundrels--even for Chinamen--that +the captain had ever seen. They were all well armed, and came off in a +large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin intimated with a polite +smile, was to be towed, if she was too heavy to be hoisted aboard. A +couple of hands were put in her, and she was veered astern. Then the +anchor was lifted, and the steamer started on her eighty miles trip down +the river to the sea, the mandarin informing the captain that he would +name the ship's destination as soon as they were clear of the land. + +Most of Carpenter's officers were Europeans--Englishmen or +Americans--and one or two of them who spoke Chinese, attempted to enter +into conversation with the thirty braves, and endeavour to learn the +object of the steamer's mission. Their inquiries were met either with a +mocking jest or downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who +hitherto had preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat on the +quarter-deck, turned to the captain with a sullen and ferocious aspect, +and bade him remind his officers that they had no business to question +the servants of the "high and excellent Viceroy." + +But though neither Carpenter nor any of his officers could learn aught +about this sudden mission, one of their servants, a Chinese who was +deeply attached to his master, whispered tremblingly to him that the +mandarin and the thirty braves were in quest of one of the Viceroy's +most hated enemies--a noted leader of the Taepings who had escaped the +bloodied hands of Li Hung Chang, and whose retreat had been betrayed to +the cruel, merciless Li the previous day. + +Once clear of the land, the mandarin, with a polite smile and many +compliments to Carpenter on the skilful and expeditious manner in which +he had navigated the steamer down the river, requested him to proceed to +a certain point on the western side of the island of Formosa. + +"When you are within twenty miles of the land, captain," he said +suavely, "you will make the steamer stop, and my men and I will leave +you in the boat. You must await our return, which may be on the +following day, or the day after, or perhaps longer still. But whether I +am absent one, or two, or six days, you must keep your ship in the +position I indicate as nearly as possible. You must avoid observation +from the shore, you must be watchful, diligent, and patient, and, when +you see my boat returning, you must make your engines work quickly, and +come towards us with all speed. High commendation and a great reward +from the serene nobleness of our great Viceroy--who has already +condescended to notice your honourable ability and great integrity in +your profession--awaits you." Then with another smile and bow he went to +his cabin. + +As soon as the steamer reached the place indicated by the mandarin the +engines were stopped. The boat, which was towing astern, was hauled +alongside, and the thirty truculent "braves," with a Chinese pilot and +the ever-smiling mandarin, got into her and pushed off for the shore. +That they were all picked men, who could handle an oar as well as a +rifle, was very evident from the manner in which they sent the big boat +along towards the blue outline of the distant shore. + + * * * * * + +For two days Carpenter and his officers waited and watched, the steamer +lying and rolling about upon a long swell, and under a hot and brazen +sun. Then, about seven o'clock in the morning, as the sea haze lifted, a +look-out on the foreyard hailed the deck and said the boat was in sight. +The steamer's head was at once put towards her under a full head of +steam, and in another hour the mandarin and his braves were alongside. + +The mandarin clambered up on deck, his always-smiling face (which +Carpenter and his officers had come to detest) now darkly exultant. + +"You have done well, sir," he said to the captain; "the Viceroy himself, +when my own miserable worthlessness abases itself before him, shall know +how truly and cleverly you and your officers (who shall be honoured for +countless ages in the future) have obeyed the behests which I have had +the never-to-be-extinguished honour to convey from him to you. There is +a prisoner in the boat--a prisoner who is to be tried before those high +and merciful judges whose Heaven-sent authority your valorous commander +of the Ever Victorious Army has upheld." + +Carpenter, being a sailor man before all else, swallowed the mandarin's +compliments for all they were worth, and I can imagine him giving a +grumpy nod to the smiling minion of the Viceroy as he ordered "the +prisoner" to be brought on deck, and the boat to be veered astern for +towing. + +The official interposed oilily. There was no need, he said, to tow the +boat to Canton if she could not be hoisted on board, and was likely to +impede the steamer's progress. Some of his braves could remain in her, +and the insignia of the Viceroy which they wore would ensure both their +and the boat's safety--no pirates would touch them. + +The captain said that to tow such a heavy boat for such a long distance +would certainly delay the steamer's arrival in Canton by at least six or +eight hours. The mandarin smiled sweetly, and said that as speed was +everything the most honourable navigator, whom he now had the privilege +to address, and who was so soon to be distinguished by his mightiness +the Viceroy, could at once let the boat which had conveyed his worthless +self into the sunshine of his (the captain's) presence, go adrift. + +At a sign from Kwang, six of his cutthroats clambered down the side into +the boat, which was at once cast oft; the steamer was sent along under a +full head of steam, and the captain was about to ascend the bridge when +the mandarin stayed him, and requested that a meal should be at once +prepared in the cabin for the prisoner, who, he said, was somewhat +exhausted, for his capture was only effected after he had killed three +and wounded half a dozen of "the braves." So courageous a man, he added +softly, whatever his offence might be, must not be allowed to suffer the +pangs of hunger and thirst. + +Carpenter gave the necessary order to the steward with a sensation of +pleasure, feeling that he had done the suave and gentle-voiced Kwang an +injustice in imagining him to be like most Chinese officials--utterly +indifferent and callous to human suffering. Then he stepped along the +deck towards the bridge just as two of the braves lifted the prisoner to +his feet, which a third had freed from a thong of hide, bound so tightly +around them that it had literally cut into the flesh. His hands were +tied in the same manner, and round his neck was an iron collar, with a +chain about six feet in length which was secured at the end to another +band around the waist of one of the "braves." + +As the prisoner stood erect, Carpenter saw that he was a man of +herculean proportions and over six feet three or four inches in height. +His arms and naked chest were cut, bleeding and bruised, and a bamboo +gag was in his mouth; but what at once attracted the captain's attention +and sympathy was the man's face. + +So calm, steadfast, and serene were his clear, undaunted eyes; so proud, +lofty, and contemptuous and yet so dignified his bearing, as he glanced +at his guards when they bade him walk, that Carpenter, drawing back a +little, raised his hand in salute. + +In an instant the deep, dark eyes lit up, and the tortured, distorted +mouth would have smiled had it not been for the cruel gag. But twice he +bent his head, and his eyes did that which was denied to his lips. + +Captain Carpenter was deeply moved. The man's heroic fortitude, his +noble bearing under such physical suffering, the tender, woman-like +resignation in the eyes which could yet smile into his, affected him so +strongly that he could not help asking one of the "braves" the +prisoner's name. + +An insolent, threatening gesture was the only answer. But the prisoner +had heard, and bent his head in acknowledgment. When he raised it again +and saw that Carpenter had now taken off his cap, tears trickled down +his cheeks. In another moment he was hurried along the deck into the +cabin, and half a dozen "braves" stood guard at the door to prevent +intrusion, whilst the gag was removed, and the victim of the Viceroy's +vengeance was urged to eat. Whether he did so or not was never known, +for half an hour afterwards he was removed to one of the state-rooms, +where he was closely guarded by Kwang's cutthroats. When he was next +seen by Carpenter and the officers of the steamer the gag was again in +his mouth, but the calm, resolute eyes met theirs as it trying to tell +them that the heroic soul within the tortured body knew no fear, and +felt and appreciated their sympathy. + +On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Formosa the steamer +ploughed her way up the muddy waters of the river, and came to an anchor +off the city at a place which was within half a mile of the Viceroy's +residence. The mandarin requested the captain to fire three guns, and +hoist the Chinese flag at both the fore and main peaks. + +This signal was, so Kwang condescended to say, to inform His +Illustriousness the Ever-Merciful Viceroy that he, Kwang, his crawling +dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, and supreme and +honoured skill as a navigator, had achieved the object which His +Illustriousness desired. + +The captain listened to all this "flam," bowed his acknowledgments, and +then suddenly asked the mandarin the prisoner's name. + +Again the fat, complacent face darkened, and almost scowled. "No," he +replied sullenly, he himself "was not permitted" to know the prisoner's +name. His crime? He did not know. When was he to be tried? To-morrow. +Then he rose and abruptly requested the captain to ask no more +questions. But, he added, with a smile, he could promise him that he +should at least see the captive again. + +In a few minutes a boat came off, and the prisoner, closely guarded, and +with his face covered with a piece of cloth, was hurried ashore. + + * * * * * + +Four days had passed--days of heat so intense that even the Chinese crew +of the steamer lay about the decks under the awning, stripped to their +waists, and fanning themselves languidly. During this time the captain +and his officers, by careful inquiries, ascertained that the unfortunate +prisoner was a brother of one of the Wangs, or seven "Heavenly Kings," +who had led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past the +Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his capture, being +particularly exasperated with him, not only for his courage in the +field, and the influence he had wielded over the unfortunate Taepings, +who were wiped out by Gordon and the Ever-Victorious Army, but also +because he refused to accept Li Hung Chang's sworn word to spare his +life if he surrendered; for well he knew that a death by torture awaited +him. Gordon himself, it was said, revolver in hand, and with tears of +rage streaming down his face, had sought to find and shoot the Viceroy +for the cruel murder of other leaders who had surrendered to him under +the solemn promise of their lives being spared. + +Late in the afternoon, a messenger came on board with a note to the +captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained but a line. +"Follow the bearer, who will guide you to the prisoner." + +An hour later Carpenter was conducted through a narrow door which was +set in a very high wall of great thickness. He found himself in a garden +of the greatest beauty, and magnificent proportions. Temples and other +buildings of the most elaborate and artistic design and construction +showed here and there amid a profusion of gloriously-foliaged trees and +flowering shrubs. No sound broke the silence except the twittering of +birds; and not a single person was visible. + +The guide, who had not yet uttered a single word, now turned and +motioned Carpenter to follow him along a winding path, paved with white +marble slabs, and bordered with gaily-hued flowers. Suddenly they +emerged upon a lovely sward of the brightest green, in the centre of +which a fountain played, sending its fine feathery spray high in air. + +On one side of the fountain were a number of "braves" who stood in a +close circle, and, as Carpenter approached, two of them silently stepped +out of the cordon, brought their rifles to the salute, and the guide +whispered to him to enter. + +Within the circle was Kwang, who was seated in his chair of office. He +rose and greeted the captain politely. + +"I promised you that you should again see the criminal in whom you and +your officers took such a deep and benevolent interest. I now fulfil +that promise--and leave you." And, with a malevolent smile, he bowed and +disappeared. + +The guide touched Carpenter's arm. + +"Look," he said in a whisper. + + * * * * * + +Within a few inches of a wavering line of spray from the fountain, +purposely diverted so as to fall upon the grass, lay what appeared at +first sight to be a round bundle tied up in a buffalo hide. A black +swarm of flies buzzed and buzzed over and around it. + +"Draw near and look," said the harsh voice of the officer who commanded +the grim, silent guard, as he stepped up to the strange-looking bundle, +and waved his fan quickly to and fro over a protuberance in the centre. + +A black cloud of flies arose, and revealed a sight that will haunt +Carpenter to his dying day--the purpled, distorted face of a living man. +The eyelids had been cut off, and only two dreadful, bloodied, glaring +things of horror appealed mutely to God. The victim's knees had been +drawn up to his chin, and only his head was visible; for the fresh +buffalo hide in which his body had been sewn, fitted tightly around his +neck. + +Shuddering with horror, and yet fascinated with the dreadful spectacle, +Carpenter asked the officer how long the prisoner had been tortured. + +"Four days," was the reply. + +For the buffalo, the hide of which was to be the prisoner's death-wrap, +was in readiness the moment the steamer arrived, and ten minutes after +the signal was hoisted, the creature was killed, the hide stripped off, +and the prisoner sewn up in it, only his head being left free. + +Then he was carried to a heated room, so that the hide should contract +quickly. From there he was taken to the fountain, where his eyelids were +cut off, and then he was laid upon the ground, his mouth just within a +few inches of a spray from the fountain. + +And the Viceroy came, saw, approved, and smiled, and assigned to Kwang +the honoured post of watching his hated enemy die under slow and +agonising torture. To attract the flies, honeyed water was applied to +the prisoner's shaven head and face. And the guards, now and then as his +thirst increased, offered him brine to drink. + +"He is still alive," the brutal-faced Tartar officer said genially, as +he touched one of the dreadful eyeballs, and the poor, tortured +creature's lips moved slightly. + +Sick at heart and almost overcome with horror, Captain Carpenter, with +quickened footsteps, passed through the cordon of guards, and followed +his guide from the dreadful spot. + +In a few minutes he was without the wall, and a sigh of relief broke +from him as he set out towards the river. + + + + +A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS + +(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS) + + + + + +_A Cruise in the South Seas_ + +(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS) + + +The traveller who makes a hurried trip in an excursion steamer through +the Cook, Society, Samoan, or Tongan Islands has but little opportunity +of seeing anything of the social life of the natives, or getting either +fishing or shooting; for it is but rarely that the vessel remains for +more than forty-eight hours at any of the ports visited. Personally, if +I wanted to have an enjoyable cruise among the various island groups in +the South Pacific I should avoid the "excursion" steamer as I would the +plague. In the first place, one sees next to nothing for his passage +money if he fatuously takes a ticket in either Sydney or New Zealand for +"a round trip to Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and back." Certainly, he will +enjoy the sea voyage, for in the Australasian winter months the weather +in the South Seas is never very hot, and cloudless skies and a smooth +sea may almost be relied upon from April until the end of July. At such +places as Nukualofa, the little capital of the Tonga Islands, an +excursion steamer will remain for perhaps forty hours; at Apia, in +Samoa, forty-eight hours; and at Papeite, the capital of the French +island of Tahiti, forty-eight hours. At the two latter places the +traveller will be charmed by the lovely scenery, and disgusted by the +squalid appearance of the natives; for within the last ten years great +changes have occurred, and the native communities inhabiting the island +ports, such as Apia and Papeite, have degenerated into the veriest +loafers, spongers, and thieves. The appearance of a strange European in +any of the environs of Apia is the signal for an onslaught of beggars of +all ages and both sexes, who will pester his life out for tobacco; if he +says he does not smoke, they say a sixpence will do as well. If he +refuses he is pretty sure to be insulted by some half-naked ruffian, and +will be glad to get back to the ship or to the refuge of an hotel. And +yet, away from the contaminating influences of the town the white +stranger will meet with politeness and respect wherever he +goes--particularly if he is an Englishman--and will at once note the +pleasing difference in the manners of the natives. Yet it must now be +remembered that Samoa--with the exception of the beautiful island of +Tutuila--is German territory, and German officials are none too effusive +to Englishmen or Americans--in Samoa. + +But if any one wants to spend an enjoyable time in the South Seas let +him avoid the "excursion ship" and go there in a trading steamer. There +are several of these now sailing out of Australasian ports, and there is +a choice of groups to visit. If a four months' voyage is not too long, a +passage may be obtained in a small, but fairly fast and comfortable +boat of 600 tons sailing from Sydney, which visits over forty islands in +her cruise from Niué or Savage Island, ten days' steam from Sydney, to +Jaluit in the Marshall Islands. But this particular cruise I would not +recommend to any one in search of a variety of beautiful scenery, for +nearly all of the islands visited are of the one type--low-lying sandy +atolls, densely verdured with coco-palms, and very monotonous from their +sameness of appearance. Their inhabitants, however, are widely different +in manners, customs, and general mode of life. To the ethnologist such a +cruise among the Ellice, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands would no doubt be +full of interest; but to the traveller in search of either beautiful +scenery or sport (except fishing) they would be disappointing. + +Let us suppose that the intending traveller desires to make a stay of +some two or three months in the Samoan Group. He can reach there easily +enough from Sydney or Auckland by steamer once a month, either by one of +the Union Steamship Company's regular traders or by one of the San +Francisco mail boats. From Sydney the voyage occupies eight days, from +Auckland five. The outfit required for a three or four months' stay is +not a large one--light clothing can be bought almost as cheaply in Samoa +as in Sydney, a couple of guns with plenty of ammunition (for cartridges +are shockingly dear in the Islands), a large and varied assortment of +deep-sea tackle, a rod for fresh-water or reef fishing, and a good +waterproof and rugs for camping out, as the early mornings are sometimes +very chilly. And there is one other thing that is worth while taking, +even though it may cost from £30 to £50 or so in Sydney--a good +secondhand boat, with two suits of sails. Thus provided the sportsman +can sail all along the coasts of Savaii and Upolu, and be practically +independent of the local storekeepers. To hire a boat is very expensive, +and to travel in native craft is horribly uncomfortable, and risky as +well. And such a boat can always be sold again for at least its cost. + +A stay of two or three days, or at most a week, in Apia is quite long +enough, and the stranger will get all the information he requires about +the outlying districts from the Consuls or any of the old white +residents. Such provisions as are needed--tea, sugar, flour, biscuits, +tinned or other meats, &c.--can be had at fairly cheap rates; but a +large stock should be taken, for, besides the keep of the native crew +of, say, four men, it must always be borne in mind that a white visitor +is expected to return the hospitality he receives from the native chiefs +by making a present, and the Samoans are particularly susceptible to the +charms of tinned meats, sardines, salmon, and _falaoa_ (bread or +biscuit). That such a return should be made is only just and natural, +though I am sorry to say that very often it is not. Then, again, it is +very easy to stow away in the trade box in the boat eight or ten pieces +of good print, cut off in pieces of six fathoms (which is enough to make +a woman's gown), about 30 lbs. of twist negrohead tobacco (twenty to +thirty sticks to the pound), half a gross of lucifer matches, and such +things as cotton, scissors, combs, &c., and powder, caps, and a bag of +No. 3 shot for pigeon shooting. Now, this seems a lot of articles for a +man to take on a short Samoan _malaga_ (journey), but it is not, and for +the £50 which it may cost for such an outfit (exclusive of the boat and +crew's wages) the traveller will see more of the people and their mode +of life, be more hospitably received, and spend a pleasanter time than +if he were cruising about in a 1,000-ton yacht. The wages or boatmen and +native sailors in Samoa are usually $15.00 per month, but many will +gladly go on a _malaga_ (the general acceptance of the word is a +pleasure trip) for much less, for there is but little work, and much +eating and drinking. But, as sailors, the Samoans are a wretched lot, +and the local living Savage Islanders, as the natives of Niué Island are +called, are far better, especially if there is any wind or a beat to +windward in a heavy sea. These Savage Island "boys" can always be +obtained in Apia. They are good seamen and very willing to work; but +they have to be fed entirely by their white employer, for the Samoans +seldom make a present of food to a crew of Niué boys, for whom they +profess a contempt and designate _au puáa_--_i.e._, pigs. + +The Samoan Group consists of five islands, trending from west by north +to east by south. The two largest are Upolu and Savaii. Tutuila, and the +Manua Group of three islands are too far to the windward to attempt in a +small boat against the south-east trades. And it would take quite three +months to visit the principal villages on the two large islands, staying +a few days at each place. + +The best plan is to make to windward along the coast of Upolu after +leaving Apia. A large boat cannot be taken all the way inside the reef, +owing to the many coral patches which, at low tide, render this course +impracticable. The first place of any importance is Saluafata, fifteen +miles from Apia (I must mention that Apia is in the centre of Upolu, and +on the north side), then Falifa|, an exquisitely pretty place, and +then Fa|goloa Bay and village, eight miles further on. This is the +deepest indentation in Samoa, except the famous Pa|go Pa|go Harbour +on Tutuila, and the scenery is very beautiful. After leaving Fa|goloa, +the open sea has to be taken, for there is now no barrier reef for ten +miles, where it begins at Samusu village, to the towns of Aleipata and +Lepa|, two of the best in the group, and inhabited by cleanly and +hospitable people. This is the weather point of Upolu, and after leaving +Lepa| the boat has a clear run of over sixty miles before the glorious +trades to the lee end of the island--that is, unless a stay is made at +the populous towns of Falealilli, Sa|fata, Lafa|ga, and Falelatai, +on the southern coast. The scenery along this part of the island is +enchanting, but sudden squalls at night-time are sometimes frequent, +from December to March, and 'tis always advisable to run into a port at +sunset. + +Two miles off the lee end of Upolu is the low-lying island of Manono, +which is, however, enclosed in the Upolu barrier reef. It is only about +three miles in circumference, exceedingly fertile, and is the most +important place in the group, owing to the political influence wielded +by the chiefly families who have always made it their home. A mile from +Manono, and in the centre of the deep strait separating Upolu from +Savaii, is a curiously picturesque spot, an island named Apolima.[17] It +is an extinct crater, but has a narrow passage on the north side, and is +inhabited by about fifty people, who are delighted to see any _papalagi_ +(foreigner) who is venturesome enough to make a landing there. + +Savaii is distant about ten miles from Upolu. Its coast is for the most +part _itu papa_--i.e., iron bound--but there are five populous towns +there--Palaulae, Salealua, Asaua, Matautu, and Safune. After making the +round of Savaii, the boat has to make back to Manono, and then can +proceed inside the reef all the way to Apia, making stoppages at the +many minor villages which stud the shore at intervals of every few +miles. + +These _malaga_ by boat along the coast or from one island to another are +much in favour with many of the white residents of Samoa, who find their +life in Apia very monotonous. European ladies frequently accompany their +husbands, and sometimes quite a large party is made up. More than +five-and-twenty years ago, when the writer was gaining his first +experiences of Samoan life, it was his good fortune to be one of such a +party, and a right merry time he had of it among the natives; for in +those days, although there was party warfare occasionally, the group +was free from the savage hatreds and dissensions--largely fomented by +the interference and intrigues of unscrupulous traders and incapable +officials--which for the past ten or twelve years have made it +notorious. + +In travelling in Samoa one need not always rely upon native hospitality. +Though most of the white traders at the outlying villages nowadays make +nothing beyond a scanty living, they are as a rule very hospitable and +pleased to see and entertain white visitors as well as their poor means +will allow, and in nine cases out of ten would feel hurt if they were +ignored and the native teacher's house visited first; for between the +average trader and the native teacher there is always a natural and yet +reasonable jealousy. And here let me say a word in praise of the Samoan +teacher--in Samoa. Away from his native land, in charge of a mission +station in another part of Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often +pompous and overbearing alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here +he is far from the control and supervision of the white missionaries, +who only visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself +a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt to curb +any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse over his flock or +interfere with any matter not strictly connected with his charge. So, in +Samoa, the native teacher is generally a good fellow, the soul of +hospitality, and anxious to entertain any chance white visitor; and +although the Samoans are not bigoted ranters like the Tongans or +Fijians, and the teachers have not anything like the undue and improper +influence over the people possessed by the native ministers in Tonga or +Fiji, to needlessly offend one would be resented by the villagers and +make the visitor's stay anything but pleasant. As for the white +missionaries in Samoa, all I need say of them is that they are +gentlemen, and that the words "Mission House" are synonymous in most +cases with warm welcome to the traveller. + +Travelling inland in Savaii or crossing Upolu from north to south, or +_vice-versâ,_ is very delightful, though one misses much of the lovely +scenery that unfolds itself in a panorama-like manner when sailing along +the coast. One journey that can easily be accomplished in a day is that +from Apia to Safata. Carriers are easily obtainable, and some splendid +pigeon shooting can be had an hour or two after leaving Apia till within +a few miles of Safata. Pigeons are about the only game to be had in +Samoa, though the _manutagi_, or ring-dove, is very plentiful, but one +hardly likes to shoot such dear little creatures. Occasionally one may +get a wild duck or two and some fearful-looking wild fowls--the progeny +of the domestic fowl. Wild pigs are not now plentiful in Upolu though +they are in Savaii, but they are exceedingly difficult to shoot and the +country they frequent is fearfully rough. In some of the streams there +are some very good fish, running up to 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. They bite +eagerly at the _ula_ or freshwater prawn, and are excellent eating; and +yet, strange to say, very few of the white residents in the group even +know of their existence. This applies also to deep-sea fishing; for +although the deep water outside the reefs and the passages leading into +the harbours teem with splendid fish, the residents of Apia are content +to buy the wretched things brought to them by women who capture them in +nets in the shallow water inside the reef. Once, during my stay on +Manono, a young Manhiki half-caste and myself went out in our boat about +a mile from the land, and in thirty fathoms of water caught in an hour +three large-scaled fish of the groper species. These fish, though once +familiar enough to the people of the island, are now never fished for, +and our appearance with our prizes caused quite an excitement in the +village, everyone thronging around us to look. And yet there are two or +three varieties of groper--many of them weighing 50 lbs. or 60 +lbs.--which can be caught anywhere on the Samoan coast; but the Samoan +of the present day has sadly degenerated, and, except bonito catching, +deep-sea fishing is one of the lost arts. But at almost any place in the +group, except Apia, great quantities of fish are caught inside the reefs +by nets, and one may always be sure of getting a splendid mullet of some +sort for either breakfast or supper. + +Let us suppose that a party of Europeans have arrived at a village, and +are the guests of the chief and people generally. Food is at once +brought to them, even before any visits of ceremony are paid, for the +news of the coming of a party of travellers has doubtless been brought +to the village the previous day by a messenger from the last +stopping-place. The repast provided may be simple, but will be ample, +baked pork most likely being the _pièce de résistance,_ with roast +fowl, baked pigeons, breadfruit (if in season), and yams or taro, with a +plentiful supply of young drinking-coconuts. (Should the host be the +local teacher, some deplorable tea and a loaf of terrible bread are sure +to be produced.) This preliminary meal finished, the formalities begin +by a visit from the chief and his _tulafale,_ or "talking-man," +accompanied by the leading citizens. The talking-man then makes a +speech, welcoming the guests, and is by no means sparing of "buttery" +phrases which indicate the intense delight, &c., of the inhabitants of +the village at having the honoured privilege of entertaining such noble +and distinguished visitors, &c. A suitable reply is made by the guests +(through an interpreter, if no one among them can speak Samoan), and +then follows a ceremonious brewing and drinking of kava. This is a most +important function in Samoa, and to the stranger unaccustomed to the +manner of making the beverage, the ordeal of drinking it is an +exceedingly trying one. It is prepared as follows: The dried kava root +is cut up in thin slices and handed to a number of young women, who +masticate it and then deposit it in a large wooden _tanoa_, or bowl. +Water is then added in sufficient quantity till the _tanoa_ is +half-filled with a thin yellowish-green liquid, which is carefully +strained by a thick "swab" of the beaten bark of the _fau_-tree. This +straining operation is performed only by a very experienced lady, and is +watched in respectful silence. Then the drink is handed round in a +polished bowl of coconut-shell. But for a full description of all the +details of a kava-drinking, let me commend my readers to the best and +most charming book ever written on South Sea life, "South Sea Bubbles," +by the late Earl of Pembroke and Dr. Kingsley. Nowadays, however, many +Samoan households, out of deference to European tastes, have the kava +root grated instead of being chewed. + +The kava-drinking over, all stiffness and formality disappears for the +time, and the visitors are surrounded by the villagers, eager to learn +the latest news from Apia, and from the world abroad. The discussion of +political matters always has a strong attraction for Samoans, who are +anxious to learn the state of affairs in Europe, and their knowledge and +shrewdness is surprising. Should there be any white ladies present, the +brown ones make much of them. The Samoans are a fine, handsome race, and +the faces and figures of many of the young women are very attractive; +but the practice of cutting off their long, flowing black hair, and +allowing it to grow in a short, stiff "frizz" is all too common, and +detracts very much from an otherwise handsome and graceful appearance, +especially when the hair is coated with lime in order to change its +colour to red. Many of the men, particularly those of chiefly rank, are +of magnificent stature and proportions, and their walk and carriage are +in consonance. + +An announcement that the visitors intend to go pigeon shooting is warmly +applauded, and each white man is at once provided with a guide, for, +unless he has had experience of the Samoan forest, he will return with +an empty bag, as, however plentiful the birds may be, their habit of +hiding in the branches of the lofty _tamanu_ and _masa'oi_-trees render +them difficult of detection. The natives themselves are very good shots, +and very rarely fail to bring down a bird, even when nothing more than a +scarlet leg or a blue-grey feather is visible. The guns they use are +very common, cheap German affairs, but are specially made for Samoa, +being very small bored and long in the barrel. The best time is in the +early morning and towards the cool of the evening, when the birds are +feeding on _masa'oi_ and other berries; during the heat of the day they +seldom leave their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard +everywhere. In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii there is +but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a thick layer of +leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked beneath, and simply to +breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is delightful. At certain times of +the year the birds are very fat, and I have very often seen them +literally burst when striking the ground after being shot in high trees. +Their flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day. I may +here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same species of pigeon +is very often quite uneatable through feeding upon Chili berries, which +in that island grow in profusion. In shooting in a Samoan forest one has +nothing to fear from venomous reptiles, for, although there are two or +three kinds of snakes, they are rarely ever seen and quite harmless. +Scorpions and centipedes--the latter often six inches in length--there +are in plenty, but these detestable vermin are more common in European +habitations than in the bush. At the same time, mosquitoes are a +terrible annoyance anywhere in the vicinity of water, and delight in +attacking the tender skin of the stranger. Then, again, beware of +scratching any exposed part of the skin, for, unless it is quickly +covered by plaister or otherwise attended to, an irritating sore, which +may take months to heal, will often result. + +There are, during the visit of a travelling party to a Samoan town, no +fixed times for meals. You are expected to eat much and often. During +the day there will be continuous arrivals of people bringing baskets of +provisions as presents, which are formally presented--with a speech. The +speech has to be responded to, and the bringers of the presents treated +politely, as long as they remain, and they remain until their +curiosity--and avarice--is satisfied. A return present must be sent on +the following day; for although Samoans designate every present of food +or anything else made to a party of visitors as an "alofa"--_i.e.,_ a +gift of love--this is but a hollow conventionalism, it being the +time-honoured custom of the country to always give a _quid pro quo_ for +whatever has been received. Yet it must not be imagined that they are a +selfish people; if the recipients of an "alofa" of food are too poor to +respond otherwise than by a profusion of thanks, the donors of the +"alofa" are satisfied--it would be a disgrace for their village to be +spoken of as having treated guests meanly. + +After evening service--conducted on week-days in each house by the head +of the family--another meal is served. Then either lamps or a fire of +coconut-shells is lit, and there is a great making of _sului_, or +cigarettes of strong tobacco rolled in dry banana leaf, and there is +much merry jostling and shoving among the young lads and girls for a +seat on the matted floor, to hear the white people talk. A dance is sure +to be suggested, and presently the _fale po-ula,_ or dance-house, is lit +up in preparation, as the dancers, male and female, hurry away to adorn +themselves. Much has been said about the impropriety of Samoa dancing by +travellers who have only witnessed the degrading and indecent +exhibitions, given on a large scale by the loafing class of natives who +inhabit Apia and its immediate vicinity. The natives are an adaptive +race, and suit their manners to their company, and there are always +numbers of sponging men and _paumotu_ (beach-women) ready to pander to +the tastes of low whites who are willing to witness a lewd dance. But in +most villages, situated away from the contaminating influences of the +principal port, a native _siva_, or dance, is well worth witnessing, and +the accompanying singing is very melodious. It is, however, true, that +on important occasions, such as the marriage of a great chief, &c., that +the dancing, decorous enough in the earlier stages of the evening, +degenerates under the influence of excitement into an exhibition that +provokes sorrow and disgust. And yet, curiously enough, the dancers at +these times are not low class, common people, but young men and women +of high lineage, who, led by the _taupo_, or maid of the village, cast +aside all restraint and modesty. In many of the dances the costumes are +exceedingly pretty, the men wearing aprons made of the yellow and +scarlet leaves of the _ti_ or dracoena plant, with head-dresses formed +of pieces of iridescent pearl-shell, intermixed with silver coins and +scarlet and amber beads, and the hair of both sexes is profusely adorned +with the scarlet flowers of the hibiscus, while from their necks depend +large strings of _sea-sea, masa'oi,_ and other brightly-coloured and +sweet-smelling berries. Of late years the Tahitian fashion of wearing +thick wreaths of orange or lemon blossoms has come into vogue. + +Before concluding these remarks upon Samoa, I must mention that the +climate is very healthy for the greater part of the year; but in the +rainy season, December to March, the heat is intense, and sickness is +often prevalent, especially in Apia. Still fever, such as is met with in +the New Hebrides and the Solomon Group, "the grave of the white man in +the South Seas," is unknown, and one may sleep in the open air with +impunity. Before setting out from Apia the services of a competent +interpreter should be secured--a man who thoroughly understands the +Samoan _customs_ as well as the language. Plenty of reliable half-castes +can always be found, any one of whom would be glad to engage for a very +moderate payment. Too often the pleasures of such a trip as I have +described have been marred by the interpreter's lack of tact and +knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the inhabitants of the various +districts and villages. The mere fact of a man being able to speak the +language fairly well is not the all in all; for the Samoans are a highly +sensitive people, and the omission by the interpreter of a chief's +titles, &c., when the guests are responding through him to an address of +welcome, would be considered "shockingly bad form." + +But the reader must not imagine that the Samoan Group is the only one in +the South Pacific where an enjoyable holiday may be spent. The French +possession of the Society Islands, of which the pretty town Papeite, in +the noble island of Tahiti, is the capital, rivals, if not exceeds, +Samoa in the magnificence of its scenery, and the natives are a highly +intelligent race of Malayo-Polynesians who, despite their being citizens +of the French Republic, never forget that they were redeemed from +savagery by Englishmen, and a _taata Peretane_ (Englishman) is an +ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities for visiting the different +islands of the Society Group are very good, for there is quite a fleet +of native and European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the +archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east to its +north-west point is one of the most delightful trips imaginable. Then +again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which consist of the fertile islands +of Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atui, Aitutaki, and Mauki, are well worth +visiting. The people speak a language similar to that of Tahiti, and +they are a fine, hospitable race, albeit a little over-civilised. Both +of these groups can be reached from Auckland by sailing vessels, but +not direct from Sydney. As for the lonely islands of the North Pacific, +they are too far afield for any one to visit but the trader or the +traveller to whom time is nothing. + + * * * * * + + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +1: Literally, "clear crony." + +2: Port. + +3: Happiness. + +4: A libertine, profligate. + +5: My love to you, Pâkía; are you well? + +6: White foreigners. + +7: Frank. + +8: Small-pox. + +9: An accordion. + +10: Idler, gad about--a Samoan expression. + +11: German. + +12: The Tokelau and Ellice Islanders are much amused at the white man's + method of hauling in a heavy fish hand _over_ hand. This to them is + "_faka fafine_"--i.e., like a woman. + +13: Cayse. + +14: NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER.--This incident is related by the author in + "By Reef and Palm" under the title of "The Rangers of the Tia Kau." + +15: PUBLISHER'S NOTE.--This Alan Strickland is the "Allan" who has so + frequently figured in the author's other tales of South Sea life, + notably in the works entitled "By Reef and Palm" and "The Ebbing of + the Tide." + +16: Councillors. + +17: _Apo! lima_! "Be quick with your hand!" The passage is narrow and + dangerous, even for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches the + rolling surf, calls out _Apo, lau lima_! to his crew--an expression + synonymous to our nautical, "Pull like the devil!" + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, +and Other Stories, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK AND POOL *** + +***** This file should be named 12798-8.txt or 12798-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/9/12798/ + +Produced by David McLachlan and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, and Other Stories + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: July 1, 2004 [EBook #12798] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK AND POOL *** + + + + +Produced by David McLachlan and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +</pre> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <h1>Note to Readers</h1> + + <p>This file is encoded using the UTF-8 character set.</p> + + <p>The text in this file contains a number of characters not + contained in the standard ASCII character set. To enable the + display of these characters the UTF-8 character set must be + used by the reader.</p> + + <p>A number of character sets supporting UTF-8 are available + from the Unicode web site at + <a href="http://www.unicode.org/" target="_new"> + www.unicode.org</a> + + .</p> + + <p>If you do not have access to + <a href="http://www.unicode.org/" target="_new"> + www.unicode.org</a> + + you should obtain the ASCII encoded version of this file from + Project Gutenberg which uses an alternate representation system + to present the UTF-8 characters.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 1 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_ii" name="page_ii">[pg ii]</a> + </span> + +<!-- Page 2 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_iii" name="page_iii">[pg iii]</a> + </span> + + <h1> + <i>By</i> + + ROCK & POOL</h1> + + <h1>On An Austral Shore</h1> + + <h2> + <i>By</i> + + LOUIS BECKE</h2> + + <h3>AUTHOR OF "PACIFIC TALES," "BY REEF AND PALM," ETC., + ETC.</h3> + + <center>New Amsterdam Book Company + <br /> + + 156 FIFTH AVENUE: NEW YORK CITY: MCMI</center> + +<!-- Page 3 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_iv" name="page_iv">[pg iv]</a> + </span> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <a name='CONTENTS'> + </a> + + <h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<!-- Page 4 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page__v" name="page__v">[pg v]</a> + </span> + + <p> + <a href="#page001">BY ROCK AND POOL</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page020">SOLEPA</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page045">THE FISHER FOLK OF NUKUFETAU</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page066">MRS. MACLAGGAN'S BILLY</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page078">AN ISLAND MEMORY</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page107">A HUNDRED FATHOMS DEEP</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page118">ON A TIDAL RIVER</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page132">DENISON GETS ANOTHER SHIP</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page141">JACK SHARK'S PILOT</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page148">THE "PALU" OF THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page159">THE WILY "GOANNER"</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page165">THE TĂNIFA OF SAMOA</a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page174">ON BOARD THE + <i>TUCOPIA</i> + </a> + </p> + + <p> + <a href="#page218">THE MAN IN THE BUFFALO HIDE</a> + </p> + + <hr /> + + <p> + <a href="#page231">A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS—HINTS TO + INTENDING TRAVELLERS</a> + </p> + +<!-- Page 5 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page_vi" name="page_vi">[pg vi]</a> + </span> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 6 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page001" name="page001">[pg 1]</a> + </span> + + <a name='By_Rock_and_Pool_on_an_Austral_Shore'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore</i> + </h2> + + <p>The quaint, old-fashioned little town faces eastward to the + blue Pacific, whose billows, when the wind blows from any point + between north and east, come tumbling in across the shallow bar + in ceaseless lines of foaming white, to meet, when the tide is + on the ebb, the swift current of a tidal river as broad as the + Thames at Westminster Bridge. On the south side of the bar, + from the sleepy town itself to the pilot station on the Signal + Hill, there rises a series of smooth grassy bluffs, whose + seaward bases touch the fringe of many small beaches, or start + sheer upward from the water when the tide is high, and the + noisy swish and swirl of the eager river current has + ceased.</p> + + <p>As you stand on the Signal Hill, and look along the coast, + you see a long, long monotonous line of beach, trending + northward ten miles from end to end, forming a great curve from + the sandspit on the north side of the treacherous bar to the + blue loom of a headland in shape like the figure of a couchant + lion. Back from the shore-line, a narrow littoral of dense + scrub, impervious to the rays of the sun, and unbroken in its +<!-- Page 7 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page002" name="page002">[pg 2]</a> + </span> + + solitude except by the cries of birds, or the heavy footfall of + wild cattle upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves; and then, + far to the west, the dimmed, shadowy outline of the main + coastal range.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>It is a keen, frosty morning in June—the midwinter of + Australia—and as the red sun bursts through the sea-rim, + a gentle land breeze creeps softly down from the mountain + forest of gums and iron-barks, and blows away the mists that, + all through a night of cloudless calm, have laid heavily upon + the surface of the sleeping ocean. One by one the doors of the + five little white-painted, weather-boarded houses which form + the quarters of the pilot-boat's crew open, and five brown, + hairy-faced men, each smoking a pipe, issue forth, and, hands + in pockets, scan the surface of the sea from north to south, + for perchance a schooner, trying to make the port, may have + been carried along by the current from the southward, and is + within signalling distance to tell her whether the bar is + passable or not. For the bar of the Port is as changeable in + its moods as the heart of a giddy maid to her + lovers—to-day it may invite you to come in and take + possession of its placid waters in the harbour beyond; + to-morrow it may roar and snarl with boiling surf and savage, + eddying currents, and whirlpools slapping fiercely against the + grim, black rocks of the southern shore.</p> + + <p>Look at the five men as they stand or saunter about on the + smooth, frosty grass. They are sailormen— +<!-- Page 8 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page003" name="page003">[pg 3]</a> + </span> + + one and all—as you can see by their walk and hear by + their talk; rough, ready, and sturdy, though not so sturdy nor + so square-built as your solid men of brave old Deal; but a long + way better in appearance and character than the sponging, + tip-seeking, loafing fraternity of slouching, lazy robbers who + on the parades of Brighton, Hastings, and Eastbourne, and other + fashionable seaside resorts in this country, lean against + lamp-posts with "Licensed Boatman" writ on their hat-bands, and + call themselves fishermen, though they seldom handle a herring + or cod that does not come from a fishmonger's shop. These + Australians of British blood are leaner in face, leaner in limb + than the Kentish men, and drink whiskey instead of coffee or + tea at early morn. But see them at work in the face of danger + and death on that bar, when the surf is leaping high and a + schooner lies broadside on and helpless to the sweeping + rollers, and you will say that a more undaunted crew never + gripped an oar to rescue a fellow-sailorman from the hungry + sea.</p> + + <p>One of them, a grey-haired, deeply-bronzed man of sixty, + with his neck and hands tatooed in strange markings, imprinted + thereon by the hands of the wild natives of Tucopia, in the + South Seas, with whom he has lived forty years before as one of + themselves, is mine own particular friend and crony, for his + two sons have been playmates with my brothers and myself, who + were all born in this quaint old-time seaport of the first + colony in Australia; this forgotten remnant of the dread days + of the awful convict +<!-- Page 9 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page004" name="page004">[pg 4]</a> + </span> + + system, when the clank of horrible gyves sounded on the now + deserted and grass-grown streets, and the swish of the hateful + and ever active "cat" was heard within the walls of the huge + red-brick prison on the bluff facing the sea. Oh, the old, old + memories of those hideous times! How little they wounded or + troubled our boyish minds, as we, bent on some fishing or + hunting venture along the coast, walked along a road which had + been first soddened by tears and then dried by the panting, + anguished breathings of beings fashioned in the image of their + Creator, as they toiled and died under the brutal hands of + their savage task-masters—the civilian officials of that + cruel "System" which, by the irony of fate, the far-seeing, + gentle, and tender-hearted Arthur Phillip, the founder of + Australia, was first appointed to administer.</p> + + <p>But away with such memories for the moment. Over the lee + side with them into the Sea of the Past, together with the + clank of the fetters and the hum of the cat and the merciless + laws of the time; sink them all together with the names of the + military rum-selling traducers of the good Phillip, and of + ill-tempered, passionate sailor Bligh of the + <i>Bounty</i> + + —honest, brave, irascible, vindictive; destroyer of his + ship's company on that fateful adventure to Tahiti, hero of the + most famous boat-voyage the world has ever known; sea-bully and + petty "hazer" of hapless Fletcher Christian and his comrades, + gallant officer in battle and thanked by Nelson at Copenhagen; + conscientious governor of a starveling colony gasping under the + hands of unscrupulous military money-makers, +<!-- Page 10 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page005" name="page005">[pg 5]</a> + </span> + + William Bligh deserves to be remembered by all men of English + blood who are proud of the annals of the most glorious navy in + the world.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>But ere we descend to the beach to wander by rock and pool + in this glowing Australian sun, the warm, loving rays of which + are fast drying the frost-coated grass, let us look at these + square, old-time monuments to the dead, placed on the Barrack + Hill, and overlooking the sea. There are four in all, but + around them are many low, sunken headstones of lichen-covered + slabs, the inscriptions on which, like many of those on the + stones in the cemetery by the reedy creek, have long since + vanished.</p> + + <p>There, indeed, if you care to brave the snake-haunted place + you will discover a word, or the part of a + word—"Talav——," "Torre——Vedras," + "Vimiera," or "Badaj——," or "Fuentes de + On——," and you know that underneath lies the dust + of men who served their country well when the Iron Duke was + rescuing Europe from the grip of the bloodstained Corsican. On + one, which for seventy years has faced the rising sun and the + salty breath of the ocean breeze, there remains but the one + glorious word, "Aboukir!" every indented letter thickly filled + with grey moss and lichen, though the name of he who fought + there has disappeared, and being but that of some humble + seaman, is unrecorded and unknown in the annals of his country. + How strange it seems! but yet how fitting that this one word + alone should be +<!-- Page 11 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page006" name="page006">[pg 6]</a> + </span> + + preserved by loving Nature from the decaying touch of Time. + Perhaps the very hand of the convict mason who held the chisel + to the stone struck deeper as he carved the letters of the name + of the glorious victory.</p> + + <p>But let us away from here; for in the hot summer months amid + these neglected and decaying memorials of the dead, creeping + and crawling in and out of the crumbling masonry of the tombs, + gliding among the long, reedy grass, or lying basking in the + sun upon the fallen headstones, are deadly black and brown + snakes. They have made this old, time-forgotten cemetery their + own favourite haunting place; for the waters of the creek are + near, and on its margin they find their prey. Once, so the + shaky old wharfinger will tell you, a naval lieutenant, who had + been badly wounded in the first Maori war, died in the + commandant's house. He was buried here on the bank of the + creek, and one day his young wife who had come from England to + nurse him and found him dead, sat down on his grave and went to + sleep. When she awoke, a great black snake was lying on her + knees. She died that day from the shock.</p> + + <p>The largest of these four monuments on the bluff stands + nearest to the sea, and the inscription on the heavy flat slab + of sandstone which covers it is fairly legible:—</p> + + <center>Sacred to the Memory of + <br /> + +<!-- Page 12 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page007" name="page007">[pg 7]</a> + </span> + + JAMES VAUGHAN, + <br /> + + Who was a Private in Captain + <br /> + + Fraser Allan's Company + <br /> + + of the 40th Regiment, + <br /> + + Who died on the 24th November, 1823, + <br /> + + of a Gunshot Wound Received + <br /> + + on the 20th Day of the Month, + <br /> + + when in Pursuit of a + <br /> + + Runaway Convict. + <br /> + + Aged 25 years.</center> + + <p>The others record the names of the "infant son and daughters + of Mr. G. Smith, Commissariat Storekeeper," and of "Edward + Marvin, who died 4th July, 1821, aged 21 years."</p> + + <p>Many other sunken headstones denote the last resting-places + of soldiers and sailors, and civilian officials, who died + between 1821 and 1830, when the little port was a thriving + place, and when, as the old gossips will tell you, it made a + "rare show, when the Governor came here, and Major + Innes—him as brought that cussed lantana plant from the + Peninsula—sent ninety mounted men to escort him to Lake + Innes."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>The tide is low, and the flat + <i>congewoi</i> + + -covered ledges of reef on the southern side of the bar lie + bare and exposed to the sun. Here and there in the crystal + pools among the rocks, fish have been left by the tide, +<!-- Page 13 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page008" name="page008">[pg 8]</a> + </span> + + and as you step over the + <i>congewoi</i> + + , whose teats spurt out jets of water to the pressure of your + foot, large silvery bream and gaily-hued parrot-fish rush off + and hide themselves from view. But tear off a piece of + <i>congewoi,</i> + + open it, and throw the sanguinary-coloured delicacy into the + water, and presently you will see the parrot-fish dart out + eagerly, and begin to tear it asunder with their long, + irregular, and needle-like teeth, whilst the more cautious and + lordly bream, with wary eye and gentle, undulating tail, watch + from underneath a ledge for a favourable moment to dash out and + secure a morsel.</p> + + <p>In some of the wider and shallower ponds are countless + thousands of small mullet, each about three or four inches in + length, and swimming closely together in separated but compact + battalions. Some, as the sound of a human footstep warns them + of danger, rush for safety among the submerged clefts and + crevices of their temporary retreat, only to be mercilessly and + fatally enveloped by the snaky, viscous tentacles of the + ever-lurking octopus, for every hole and pool among the rocks + contains one or more of these hideously repulsive + creatures.</p> + + <p>Sometimes you will see one crawling over the + <i>congewoi</i> + + , changing from one pool to another in search of prey; its + greeny-grey eyes regard you with defiant malevolence. Strike it + heavily with a stick, or thrust it through with a spear, and in + an instant its colour, which a moment before was either a dark + mottled brown or a mingled reddish-black, changes to a ghastly, + horrible, marbled grey; the horrid tentacles +<!-- Page 14 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page009" name="page009">[pg 9]</a> + </span> + + writhe and cling to the weapon, or spread out and adhere to the + surrounding points of rock, a black, inky fluid is ejected from + the soft, pulpy, and slimy body; and then, after raining blow + after blow upon it, it lies unable to crawl away, but still + twisting and turning, and showing its red and white + suckers—a thing of horror indeed, the embodiment of all + that is hateful, wicked, and malignant in nature.</p> + + <p>Some idea of the numbers of these crafty and savage denizens + of the limpid pools may be obtained by dropping a baited + fishing line in one of the deeper spots. First you will see + one, and then another, thin end of a tentacle come waveringly + out from underneath a ledge of rock, and point towards the + bait, then the rest of the ugly creature follows, and gathering + itself together, darts upon the hook, for the possession of + which half a dozen more of its fellows are already advancing, + either swimming or by drawing themselves over the sandy bottom + of the pool. Deep buried in the sand itself is another, a brute + which may weigh ten or fifteen pounds, and which would take all + the strength of a strong man to overcome were its loathsome + tentacles clasped round his limbs in their horrid embrace. Only + part of the head and the half-closed, tigerish eyes are + visible, and even these portions are coated over with fine sand + so as to render them almost undistinguishable from the bed in + which it lies awaiting for some careless crab or fish to come + within striking distance. How us boys delighted to destroy + these big fellows when we came across one thus hidden in the + sand or + <i>débris</i> + + on the bottom! A +<!-- Page 15 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page010" name="page010">[pg 10]</a> + </span> + + quick thrust of the spear through the tough, elongated head, a + vision of whirling, outspread, red and black snaky tentacles, + and then the thing is dragged out by main strength and dashed + down upon the rocks, to be struck with waddies or stones until + the spear can be withdrawn. Everything, it is said, has its use + in this world, and the octopus is eminently useful to the + Australian line fisherman, for the bream, trevally, flathead, + jew-fish, and the noble schnapper dearly love its tough, white + flesh, especially after the creature has been held over a flame + for a few minutes, so that the mottled skin may be peeled + off.</p> + + <p>But treacherous and murderous Thug of the Sea as he is, the + octopus has one dreaded foe before whom he flees in terror, and + compresses his body into the narrowest and most inaccessible + cleft or endeavours to bury himself in the loose, soft + sand—and that foe is the orange-coloured or sage-green + rock eel. Never do you see one of these eels in the open water; + they lie deep under the stones or twine their lithe, slippery + bodies among the waving kelp or seaweed. Always hungry, + savage-eyed, and vicious, they know no fear of any living + thing, and seizing an octopus and biting off tentacle after + tentacle with their closely-set, needle-like teeth and + swallowing it whole is a matter of no more moment to them than + the bolting of a tender young mullet or bream. In vain does the + Sea Thug endeavour to enwrap himself round and round the body + of one of these sinuous, scaleless sea-snakes and fasten on to + it with his terrible cupping apparatus of suckers—the eel + slips in and out and "wolfs" and worries his enemy +<!-- Page 16 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page011" name="page011">[pg 11]</a> + </span> + + without the slightest harm to itself. Some of them are + large—especially the orange-coloured variety—three + or four feet in length, and often one will raise his snaky head + apparently out of solid rock and regard you steadily for a + moment. Then he disappears. You advance cautiously to the spot + and find a hole no larger than the circumference of an + afternoon tea cup, communicating with the water beneath. Lower + a baited hook with a strong wire snooding, and "Yellowskin" + will open wide his jaws and swallow it without your feeling the + slightest movement of the line. But you must be quick and + strong of hand then, or you will never drag him forth, for + slippery as he is he can coil his length around a projecting + bit of rock and defy you for perhaps five or ten minutes; and + then when you do succeed in tearing him away and pull him out + with the hook buried deep in his loose, pendulous, wrinkled and + corduroyed throat, he instantly resolves himself into a + quivering Gordian knot, winding the line in and about his coils + and knotting it into such knots that can never be + unravelled.</p> + + <p>Here and there you will see lying buried deep in the growing + coral, or covered with black masses of + <i>congewoi</i> + + such things as iron and copper bolts, or heavy pieces of + squared timber, the relics of the many wrecks that have + occurred on the bar—some recent, some in years long gone + by. Out there, lying wedged in between the weed and + kelp-covered boulders, only visible at low water, are two of + the guns of the ill-fated + <i>Wanderer</i> + + , a ship, like her owner, famous in the history +<!-- Page 17 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page012" name="page012">[pg 12]</a> + </span> + + of the colony. She was the property of a Mr. Benjamin Boyd, a + man of flocks and herds and wealth, who founded a town and a + great whaling station on the shores of Twofold Bay, where he + employed some hundreds of men, bond and free. He was of an + adventurous and restless disposition, and after making several + voyages to the South Seas, was cruelly cut off and murdered by + the cannibal natives of Guadalcanar in the Solomon Islands, in + the "fifties." The captain, after beating off the savages, who, + having killed poor Boyd on shore, made a determined attempt to + capture the ship, set sail for Australia, and in endeavouring + to cross in over the bar went ashore and became a total wreck. + Here is a description written by Judge McFarland of the + <i>Wanderer</i> + + as she was in those days when Boyd dreamed a dream of founding + a Republic in the South Sea Islands with his wild crew of + Polynesians and a few white fellow adventurers:—</p> + + <p>"She was of 240 tons burthen; very fleet, and had a flush + deck; and her cabins were fitted up with every possible + attention to convenience, and with great elegance; and had she + been intended as a war craft, she could scarcely have been more + powerfully armed, for she carried four brass + deck-guns—two six-pounders and two + four-pounders—mounted on carriages resembling dolphins, + four two-pounder rail guns—two on each side—and one + brass twelve-pounder traversing gun (which had seen service at + Waterloo)—in all thirteen serviceable guns. Besides + these, there were two small, highly-ornamented guns used for + firing signals, which were said to have been obtained from the +<!-- Page 18 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page013" name="page013">[pg 13]</a> + </span> + + wreck of the + <i>Royal George</i> + + at Spithead. There were also provided ample stores of round + shot and grape for the guns, and a due proportion of small + arms, boarding pikes, tomahawks, &c."</p> + + <p>Half a mile further on, and we are under the Signal Hill, + and standing on one side of a wide, flat rock, through which a + boat passage has been cut by convict hands, when first the + white tents of the soldiers were seen on the Barrack Hill. And + here, at this same spot, more than a hundred years ago, and + thirty before the sound of the axe was first heard amid the + forest or tallow-woods and red gum, there once landed a strange + party of sea-worn, haggard-faced beings—six men, one + woman, and two infant children. They were the unfortunate + Bryant party—whose wonderful and daring voyage from + Sydney to Timor in a wretched, ill-equipped boat, ranks second + only to that of Bligh himself. For Will Bryant, an ex-smuggler + who was leader, had heard of Bligh's voyage in the boat + belonging to the + <i>Bounty</i> + + ; and fired with the desire to escape with his wife and + children from the famine-stricken community on the shores of + Port Jackson, he and his companions in servitude stole a small + fishing-boat and boldly put to sea to face a journey of more + that three thousand miles over an unknown and dangerous ocean. + A few weeks after leaving Sydney they had sighted this little + nook when seeking refuge from a fierce north-easterly gale, and + here they remained for many days, so that the woman and + children might gain strength and the seams of the leaking boat + be payed with tallow—their only +<!-- Page 19 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page014" name="page014">[pg 14]</a> + </span> + + substitute for oakum. Then onward they sailed or rowed, for + long, long weary weeks, landing here and there on the coast to + seek for water and shell-fish, harried and chased by cannibal + savages, suffering all the agonies that could be suffered on + such a wild venture, until they reached Timor, only by a + strange and unhappy fate to fall into the hands of the brutal + and infamous Edwards of the + <i>Pandora</i> + + frigate, who with his wrecked ship's company, and the surviving + and manacled mutineers of the + <i>Bounty</i> + + , who had surrendered to him, soon afterwards appeared at the + Dutch port. Bryant, the daring leader, was so fortunate as to + die of fever, and so escaped the fate in store for his + comrades. 'Tis a strange story indeed.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>At the end of the point of brown, rugged rocks which form a + natural breakwater to this tiny boat harbour, the water is + deep, showing a pale transparent green at their base, and deep + inpenetrable blue ten fathoms beyond. To-day, because it is + mid-winter, and the wind blows from the west, the sea is + clearer than ever, and far down below will be discerned lazily + swimming to and fro great reddish-brown or bright blue groper, + watching the dripping sides of the rock in hope that some of + the active, gaily-hued crabs which scurry downwards as you + approach may fall in—for the blue groper is a + <i>gourmet</i> + + , disdaining to eat of his own tribe, and caring only for crabs + or the larger and more luscious crayfish. Stand here when the + tide is high and the surf is sweeping in creamy sheets over +<!-- Page 20 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page015" name="page015">[pg 15]</a> + </span> + + the lower ledges of rocks; and as the water pours off + torrent-like from the surface and leaves them bare, you may oft + behold a huge fish—aye, or two or three—lying + kicking on its side with a young crayfish in its thick, fleshy + jaws, calmly waiting for the next sea to set him afloat again. + Brave fellows are these gropers—forty, fifty, up to + seventy pounds sometimes, and dangerous fish to hook in such a + place as this, where a false step may send a man headlong into + the surf below with his line tangled round his feet or arms. + But on such a morning as this one might fall overboard and come + to no harm, for the sea is smooth, and the kelp sways but + gently to the soft rise and fall of the water, and seldom in + these cold days of June does Jack Shark cruise in under the lee + of the rocks. It is in November, hot, sweltering November, when + the clinking sand of the shining beach is burning to the booted + foot, and the countless myriads of terrified sea salmon come + swarming in over the bar on their way to spawn in the river + beyond, that he and his fellows and the bony-snouted saw-fish + rush to and fro in the shallow waters, driving their prey + before them, and gorging as they drive, till the clear waters + of the bar are turned into a bloodied froth. At such a time as + this it might be bad to fall overboard, though some of the + local youths give but little more heed to the tigers of the sea + than they do to the accompanying drove of harmless porpoises, + which join in the onslaught on the hapless salmon.</p> + + <p>A mile eastward from the shore there rises stark and clear a + great dome-shaped rock, the haunt and resting- +<!-- Page 21 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page016" name="page016">[pg 16]</a> + </span> + + place of thousands of snow-white gulls and brown-plumaged + boobies. The breeding-place of the former is within + rifle-shot—over there on that long stretch of banked-up + sand on the north side of the bar, where, amid the shelter of + the coarse, tufted grass the delicate, graceful creatures will + sit three months hence on their fragile white and + purple-splashed eggs. The boobies are but visitors, for their + breeding-places are on the bleak, savage islands far to the + south, amid the snows and storms of black Antarctic seas. But + here they dwell together, in unison with the gulls, and were + the wind not westerly you could hear their shrill cries and + hoarse croaking as they wheel and eddy and circle above the + lonely rock, on the highest pinnacle of which a great + fish-eagle, with neck thrown back upon his shoulders and eyes + fixed eastward to the sun, stands oblivious of their clamour, + as creatures beneath his notice.</p> + + <p>Once round the southern side of the Signal Hill the noise of + the bar is lost. Between the hill and the next point—a + wild, stern-looking precipice of black-trap rock—there + lies a half a mile or more of shingly strand, just such as you + would see at Pevensey Bay or Deal, but backed up at high-water + mark with piles of drift timber—great dead trees that + have floated from the far northern rivers, their mighty + branches and netted roots bleached white by the sun and wind of + many years, and smelling sweet of the salty sea air. Mingled + with the lighter bits of driftwood and heaps of seaweed are the + shells of hundreds of crayfish—some of the largest are + newly cast up by the sea, and +<!-- Page 22 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page017" name="page017">[pg 17]</a> + </span> + + the carapace is yellow and blue; others are burnt red by + exposure to the sun; while almost at every step you crush into + the thin backs and armoured tails of young ones about a foot in + length, the flesh of which, by some mysterious process of + nature, has vanished, leaving the skin, muscles, and beautiful + fan-like tail just as fresh as if the crustaceans were alive. + Just here, out among those kelp-covered rocks, you may, on a + moonlight night, catch as many crayfish as you wish—three + of them will be as much as any one would care to carry a mile, + for a large, full-grown "lobster," as they are called locally, + will weigh a good ten pounds.</p> + + <p>Once round the precipice we come to a new phase of coastal + scenery. From the high land above us green scrub-covered spur + after spur shoots downward to the shore, enclosing numerous + little beaches of coarse sand and many coloured spiral + shells—"Reddies" we boys called them—with here and + there a rare and beautiful cowrie of banded jet black and + pearly white. The sea-wall of rock has here but few pools, + being split up into long, deep, and narrow chasms, into which + the gentle ocean swell comes with strange gurglings and + hissings, and groan-like sounds, and tiny jets of spray spout + up from hundreds of air-holes through the hollow crust of rock. + Here for the first time since the town was left, are heard the + cries of land birds; for in the wild apple and rugged + honeysuckle trees which grow on the rich, red soil of the spurs + they are there in plenty—crocketts, king parrots, + leatherheads, "butcher" and "bell" birds, and the beautiful + bronze-wing pigeon—while deep within the +<!-- Page 23 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page018" name="page018">[pg 18]</a> + </span> + + silent gullies you constantly hear the little black scrub + wallabies leaping through the undergrowth and fallen leaves, to + hide in still darker forest recesses above.</p> + + <p>There are snakes here, too. Everywhere their sinuous tracks + are visible on the sand, criss-crossing with the more defined + scratchy markings of those of iguanas. The latter we know come + down to carry off any dead fish cast ashore by the waves, or to + seize any live ones which may be imprisoned in a shallow pool; + but what brings the deadly brown and black snakes down to the + edge of + <i>salt</i> + + water at night time?</p> + + <p>Point after point, tiny bay after bay, and then we come to a + wider expanse of clear, stoneless beach, at the farther end of + which a huge boulder of jagged, yellow rock, covered on the + summit with a thick mantle of a pale green, fleshly-leaved + creeper, bearing a pink flower. It stands in a deep pool about + a hundred yards in circumference, and as like as not we shall + find the surface of the water covered by thousands of + green-backed, red-billed garfish and silvery mullet, whose very + numbers prevent them from escaping. Scores of them leap out + upon the sand, and lie there with panting gill and flapping + tail. It is a great place for us boys, for here at low tides in + the winter we strip off, and with naked hands catch the mullet + and gars and silvery-sided trumpeters, and throw them out on + the beach, to be grilled later on over a fire of glowing + honeysuckle cobs, and eaten without salt. What boy does care + about such a thing as salt at such times, when his eye is + bright and his skin glows with the flush of health, and the + soft murmuring of the sea +<!-- Page 24 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page019" name="page019">[pg 19]</a> + </span> + + is mingling in his ears with the thrilling call of the birds, + and the rustling hum of the bush; and the yellow sun shines + down from a glorious sky of cloudless blue, and dries the sand + upon his naked feet; and the very joy of being alive, and away + from school, is happiness enough in itself!</p> + + <p>For here, by rock and pool on this lonely Austral beach, it + is good and sweet for man or boy to be, and, if but in utter + idleness, to watch and listen—and think.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 25 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page020" name="page020">[pg 20]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Solepa'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Solepa</i> + </h2> + + <p>The last strokes of the bell for evening service had scarce + died away when I heard a footstep on the pebbly path, and old + Pâkía, staff in hand and pipe dangling from his + pendulous ear-lobe, walked quietly up the steps and sat down + cross-legged on the verandah. All my own people had gone to + church and the house was very quiet.</p> + + <p>"Good evening, Pâkía," I said in English, "how are + you, old man?"</p> + + <p>A smile lit up the brown, old, wrinkled face as he heard my + voice—for I was lying down in the sitting-room, smoking + my after-supper pipe—as he answered in the island dialect + that he was well, but that his house was in darkness and he, + being lonely, had come over to sit with me awhile.</p> + + <p>"That is well, Pâkía, for I too am lonely, and who + so good as thee to talk with when the mind is heavy and the + days are long, and no sail cometh up from the sea-rim? Come, + sit here within the doorway, for the night wind is chill; and + fill thy pipe."</p> + + <p>He came inside as I rose and turned up the lamp so that its + light shone full on his bald, bronzed head +<!-- Page 26 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page021" name="page021">[pg 21]</a> + </span> + + and deeply tatooed arms and shoulders. Laying down his polished + staff of + <i>temana</i> + + wood, he came over to me, placed his hand on my arm, patted it + gently, and then his kindly old eyes sought mine.</p> + + <p>"Be not dull of heart, + <i>taka taina</i> + + . + <a href="#footnote_1" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[1]</span> + </a> + + A ship will soon come—it may be to-morrow; it must be + soon; for twice have I heard the cocks crow at midnight since I + was last here, three days ago. And when the cocks crow at + night-time a ship is near."</p> + + <p>"May it be so, Pâkía, for I am weary of waiting. + Ten months have come and gone since I first put foot on this + land of Nukufetau, and a ship was to have come here in + four."</p> + + <p>He filled his pipe, then drawing a small mat near my lounge, + he squatted on the floor, and we smoked in silence, listening + to the gentle lapping of the lagoon waters upon the inner beach + and the beating, never-ceasing hum of the surf on the reef + beyond. Overhead the branches of the palms swayed and rustled + to the night-breeze.</p> + + <p>Presently, as I turned to look seaward, I caught the old + man's dark eyes fixed upon my face, and in them I read a + sympathy that at that time and place was grateful to me.</p> + + <p>"Six months is long for one who waits, Pâkía," I + said. "I came here but to stay four months and trade for copra; + then the ship was to call and take me to Ponapé, in the + far north-west. And Ponapé is a great land to such a man + as me."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 27 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page022" name="page022">[pg 22]</a> + </span> + + <i>Etonu! Etonu!</i> + + I know it. Thrice have I been there when I sailed in the + whaleships. A great land truly, like the island called Juan + Fernandez, of which I have told thee, with high mountains green + to the summits with trees, and deep, dark valleys wherein the + sound of the sea is never heard but when the surf beats hard + upon the reef. Ah! a fine land—better than this poor + <i>motu</i> + + , which is as but a ring of sand set in the midst of the deep + sea. Would that I were young to go there with thee! Tell me, + dost know the two small, high islands in the + <i>ava</i> + + <a href="#footnote_2" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[2]</span> + </a> + + which is called Jakoits? Hast seen the graves of two white men + there?"</p> + + <p>"I know the islands well; but I have never seen the graves + of any white men there. Who were they, and when did they + die?"</p> + + <p>"Ah, I am a foolish old man. I forget how old I am. Perhaps, + when thou wert a child in thy mother's arms, the graves stood + up out of the greensward at the foot of the high cliff which + faces to the south. Tell me, is there not a high wall of rock a + little way back from the landing beach?... Aye!... that is the + place ... and the bones of the men are there, though now great + trees may grow over the place. They were both good + men—good to look at, tall and strong; and they fought and + died there just under the cliff. I saw them die, for I was + there with the captain of my ship. We, and others with us, saw + it all."</p> + + <p>"Who were they, Pâkía, and how came they to + fight?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 28 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page023" name="page023">[pg 23]</a> + </span> + + One was a trader, whose name was Preston; he lived on the + mainland of Ponapé, where he had a great house and oil + store and many servants. The name of the other man was Frank. + They fought because of a woman."</p> + + <p>"Tell me the story, Pâkía. Thou hast seen many + lands and many strange things. And when ye come and sit and + talk to me the dulness goeth away from me and I no longer think + of the ship; for of all the people on this + <i>motu</i> + + , to thee and Temana my servant alone do I talk freely. And + Temana is now at church."</p> + + <p>The old man chuckled. "Aye, he is at church because Malepa, + his wife, is so jealous of him that she fears to leave him + alone. Better would it please him to be sitting here with + us."</p> + + <p>I drew the mat curtain across the sitting-room window so + that we could not be seen by prying eyes, and put two cups, a + gourd of water, and some brandy on the table. Except my own + man, Temana, the rest of the natives were intensely jealous of + the poor old ex-sailor and wanderer in many lands, and they + very much resented his frequent visits to me—partly on + account of the occasional glass of grog which I gave him, and + partly because he was suspected of still being a + <i>tagata po-uriuri, i.e.</i> + + , a heathen. This, however, he vigorously denied, and though + Maréko, the Samoan teacher, was a kind-hearted and + tolerant man for a native minister, the deacons delighted in + persecuting and harassing the ancient upon every possible + opportunity, and upon one pretext or another had +<!-- Page 29 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page024" name="page024">[pg 24]</a> + </span> + + succeeded in robbing him of his land and dividing it among his + relatives; so that now in his extreme old age he was dependent + upon one of his daughters, a woman who herself must have been + past sixty.</p> + + <p>I poured some brandy into the cups; we clicked them together + and said, "May you be lucky" to each other. Then he told me of + Solepa.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>"There were many whaleships came to anchor in the three + harbours of Ponapé in those days. They came there for wood + and water and fresh provisions, before they sailed to the cold, + icy seas of the south. I was then a boat-steerer in an English + ship—a good and lucky ship with a good captain. When we + came to Ponapé we found there six other whaleships, all + anchored close together under the shelter of the two islets. + All the captains were friends, and the few white men who lived + on shore were friends with them, and every night there was much + singing and dancing on board the ships, for, as was the custom, + every one on board had been given a Ponapé girl for wife + as long as his ship stayed there; and sometimes a ship would be + there a long time—a month perhaps.</p> + + <p>"The trader who lived in the big house was one of the first + to come on board our ship; for the captain and he were good + friends. They talked together on the poop deck, and I heard the + trader say that he had been away to Honolulu for nearly a year + and had brought back with him a young wife.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 30 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page025" name="page025">[pg 25]</a> + </span> + + 'Good,' said my captain, 'to-night I shall come ashore and + drink + <i>manuia!</i> + + <a href="#footnote_3" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[3]</span> + </a> + + to ye both.'</p> + + <p>"The trader was pleased, and said that some of the other + captains could come also, and that he had sent a letter to the + other trader, Frank, who lived on the other side of the island, + bidding him to come and greet the new wife. At these words the + face of Stacey—that was my captain's name, became dark, + and he said—</p> + + <p>"'You are foolish. Such a man as he is, is better away from + thy house—and thy wife. He is a + <i>manaia</i> + + , an + <i>ulavale</i> + + <a href="#footnote_4" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[4]</span> + </a> + + . Take heed of my words and have no dealings with him.'</p> + + <p>"But the man Preston only laughed. He was a fool in this + though he was so clever in many other things. He was a big man, + broad in the shoulders with the bright eye and the merry laugh + of a boy. He had been a sailor, but had wearied of the life, + and so he bought land in Ponapé and became a trader. He + was a fair-dealing man with the people there, and so in three + or four years he became rich, and bought more land and built a + schooner which he sent away to far distant islands to trade for + pearl-shell and + <i>loli</i> + + (beche-de-mer). Then it was that he went to Honolulu and came + back with a wife.</p> + + <p>"That day ere it became dark I went on shore with my + captain; some of the other captains went with us. The white man + met them on the beach, surrounded by many of his servants, male + and female. Some were of Ponapé, some from Tahiti, some + from Oahu, and some from the place which you call Savage Island + and we call Niué. As soon as the captains had stepped out + upon the beach and I had bidden the four sailors who were with + me to push off to return to the ship, the trader, seeing the + tatooing on my arms, gave a shout.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 31 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page026" name="page026">[pg 26]</a> + </span> + + 'Ho,' he cried, turning to my captain, 'whence comes that + boat-steerer of thine? By the markings on his arms and chest he + should be from the isles of the Tokelau.'</p> + + <p>"My captain laughed. 'He comes from near there. He is of + Nukufetau.'</p> + + <p>"Then let him stay on shore to-night, for there are here + with me a man and a woman from Nanomaga; they can talk + together. And my wife Solepa, too, will be well pleased to see + him, for her mother was a Samoan, and this man can talk to her + in her mother's tongue.'</p> + + <p>"'So I too went up to the house with the white men, but + would not enter with them, for I was stripped to the waist and + could not go into the presence of the lady. Presently the man + and woman from Nanomaga sought me out and embraced me and made + much of me and took me into another part of the house, where I + waited till one of my shipmates returned from the ship bringing + my jumper and trousers of white duck and a new Panama hat. + Tāpā! I was a fine-looking man in those days, and + women looked at me from the corner of the eye. And now— +<!-- Page 32 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page027" name="page027">[pg 27]</a> + </span> + + look at me now! I am like a blind fish which is swept hither + and thither by the current against the rocks and sandbanks. + Give me some more grog, dear friend; when I talk of the days of + my youth my belly yearns for it, and I am not ashamed to + beg.</p> + + <p>"Presently, after I had dressed myself, I was taken by the + Nanomea man into the big room where Solepa, the white man's + wife, was sitting with the white men. She came to me and took + my hand, and said to me in Samoan + <i>'Talofa, Pâkía, e mālolō ea oe?'</i> + + <a href="#footnote_5" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[5]</span> + </a> + + and my heart was glad; for it was long since I heard any one + speak in a tongue which is akin to mine own.... Was she + beautiful? you ask. Tāpā! All women are beautiful + when they are young, and their eyes are full and clear and + their voices are soft and their bosoms are round and smooth! + All I can remember of her is that she was very young, with a + white, fair skin, and dressed like the + <i>papalagi</i> + + <a href="#footnote_6" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[6]</span> + </a> + + women I have seen in Peretania and Itālia and in Chili and + in Sydney.</p> + + <p>"As I stood before her, hat in hand and with my eyes looking + downward, which is proper and correct for a modest man to do + when a high lady speaks to him before many people, a white man + who had been sitting at the far end of the room came over to me + and said some words of greeting to me. This was Franka + <a href="#footnote_7" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[7]</span> + </a> + + —he whom my captain said was a + <i>manaia</i> + + . He was better clothed than any other of the white men, and + was proud and overbearing in his manner. He +<!-- Page 33 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page028" name="page028">[pg 28]</a> + </span> + + had brought with him more than a score of young Ponapé + men, all of whom carried rifles and had cutlasses strapped to + their waists. This was done to show the people of Jakoits that + he was as great a man as Preston, whom he hated, as you will + see. But Preston had naught for him but good words, and when he + saw the armed men he bade them welcome and set aside a house + for them to sleep in, and his servants brought them many + baskets of cooked food—taro and yams, and fish, turtle, + and pork. All this I saw whilst I was in the big room.</p> + + <p>"After I had spoken with the lady Solepa I returned to where + the man from Nanomaga and his wife were awaiting me. They + pressed me to eat and drink, and by and by sent for a young + girl to make kava. Tāpā! that kava of Ponapé! It + is not made there as it is in Samoa—where the young men + and women chew the dried root and mix it in a wooden + <i>tanoa</i> + + (bowl); there the green root is crushed up in a hollowed stone + and but little water is added, so that it is strong, very + strong, and one is soon made drunk.</p> + + <p>"The girl who made the kava for us was named Sipi. She had + eyes like the stars when they are shining upon a deep mountain + pool, and round her smooth forehead was bound a circlet of + yellow pandanus leaf worked with beads of many colours and + fringed with red parrakeet feathers; about her waist were two + fine mats, and her bosom and hands were stained with turmeric. + I sat and watched her beating the kava, and as her right arm + rose and fell her short, black wavy hair danced about her + cheeks and hid the +<!-- Page 34 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page029" name="page029">[pg 29]</a> + </span> + + red mouth and white teeth when she smiled at me. And she smiled + at me very often, and the man and woman beside me laughed when + they saw me regard her so intently, and asked me was it in my + mind to have her for my wife.</p> + + <p>"I did not answer at once, for I knew that if I ran away + from the ship for the sake of this girl I would be doing a + foolish thing, for I had money coming to me when the ship was + <i>oti folau</i> + + (paid off). But, as I pondered, the girl bent forward and again + her eyes smiled at me through her hair; and then it was I saw + that on her head there was a narrow shaven strip from the crown + backward. Now, in Tokelau, this fashion is called + <i>tu tagita</i> + + , and showeth that a girl is in her virginity. When I saw this + I was pleased, but to make sure I said to my friends, 'Her hair + is + <i>tu tagita</i> + + . Is she a virgin?'</p> + + <p>"The woman of Nanomaga laughed loudly at this and pinched my + hand, then she translated my words to the girl who looked into + my face and laughed too, shaking her head as she put one hand + over her eyes—</p> + + <p>"'Nay, nay, O stranger,' she said, 'I am no virgin; neither + am I a harlot. I am respectable, and my father and mother have + land. I do not go to the ships.' Then she tossed her hair back + from her face and began to beat the kava again.</p> + + <p>"Now, this girl pleased me greatly, for there were no twists + in her tongue; so, when the kava-drinking was finished I made + her sit beside me, and the Nanomaga woman told her I would run + away from the ship if she would be my wife. She put her face +<!-- Page 35 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page030" name="page030">[pg 30]</a> + </span> + + to my shoulder, and then took the circlet from her forehead and + bound it round my bared arm, and I gave her a silver ring which + I wore on my little finger. Then, together with the Nanomaga + man and his wife, we made our plans.... Ah! she was a fine + girl. For nearly a year was she wife to me until she sickened + and died of the + <i>meisake elo</i> + + <a href="#footnote_8" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[8]</span> + </a> + + which was brought to Ponapé by the missionary ship from + Honolulu.</p> + + <p>"So the girl and I made our plans, and my friends promised + to hide me when the time came for me to run away. We sat long + into the night, and I heard much of the man called Franka and + of the jealousy he bore to Preston. He was jealous of him + because of two reasons; one was that he possessed such a fine + house and so much land and a schooner, and the other was that + the people of Jakoits paid him the same respect as they paid + one of their high chiefs. So that was why Franka hated him. His + heart was full of hatred, and sometimes when he was drunk in + his own house at Rōan Kiti he would boast to the natives + that he would one day show them that he was a better man than + Preston. Sometimes his drunken boastings were brought to the + ears of Preston, who only laughed and took no heed, and always + gave him the good word when they met, which was but seldom, for + Jakoits and Kiti are far apart, and there was bad blood between + the people of the two places. And then—so the girl Sipi + afterwards told me—Franka was a lover +<!-- Page 36 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page031" name="page031">[pg 31]</a> + </span> + + of grog and a stealer of women, and kept a noisy house and made + much trouble, and so Preston went not near him, for he was a + quiet man and no drinker, and hated dissension. And, besides + this, Franka took part in the wars of the Kiti people, and went + about with a following of armed men, and such money as he made + in trading he spent in muskets and powder and ball; for all + this Preston had no liking, and one day he said to Franka, 'Be + warned, this fighting and slaying is wrong; it is not correct + for a white man to enter into these wars; you are doing wrong, + and some day you will be killed.' Now these were good words, + but of what use are good words to an evil heart?</p> + + <p>"So we pair sat talking and smoking, and the girl Sipi made + us more kava, and then again sat by my side and leant her face + against my shoulder, and presently we heard the sounds of music + and singing from the big house. We went outside to see and + listen, and saw that Preston was playing on a + <i>pese laakau</i> + + <a href="#footnote_9" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[9]</span> + </a> + + and Solepa and the captain of my ship were dancing + together—like as white people dance—and two of the + other captains were also dancing in the same fashion. All round + the room were seated many of the high chiefs of Ponapé + with their wives, dressed very finely, and at one end of the + room stood a long table covered with a white cloth, on which + was laid food of all kinds and wine and grog to + drink—just as you would see in your own country when a + rich man gives a feast. Presently as we looked, we saw Franka +<!-- Page 37 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page032" name="page032">[pg 32]</a> + </span> + + walk into the room from a side door and look about. His face + was flushed, and he staggered slightly in his steps. He went + over to the table and poured out some grog, and then beckoned + to Preston to come and drink with him, but Preston smiled and + shook his head. How could he go when he was making the music? + Then Franka struck his clenched fist on the table in anger, and + went over to Preston, just as the dancers had stopped.</p> + + <p>"'Why will ye not drink with me?' he said in a loud voice so + that all heard him. 'Art thou too great a man to drink with me + again?'</p> + + <p>"'Nay,' answered the other jestingly and taking no heed of + Franka's rude voice and angry eyes, 'not so great that I cannot + drink with all my friends tonight, be they white or brown,' and + so saying he bade every one in the room come to the great table + with him and drink + <i>manuia</i> + + to him and his young wife.</p> + + <p>"So the nine white men—Preston, and Franka, and the + seven whaleship captains, and Nanakin, the head chief of + Ponapé, and many other lesser chiefs, all gathered + together around the table and filled their glasses and drank + <i>manuia</i> + + to the bride, who sat on a chair in the centre of the room + surrounded by the chiefs' wives, and smiled and bowed when my + captain called her name and raised his glass towards her. Then + after this he again took up the + <i>pese laakau</i> + + and began to play, and my captain and Solepa danced again. + Suddenly Franka pushed his way through the others and rudely + placed his hand on her arm.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 38 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page033" name="page033">[pg 33]</a> + </span> + + 'Come,' he said, 'leave this fellow and dance with me.'</p> + + <p>"She cried out in terror, and then silence fell upon all as + my captain withdrew his right arm from her waist and struck + Franka on the mouth; it was a strong blow, and Franka staggered + backwards and then fell near to the open door. As he rose to + his feet again my captain came up to him and bade him leave + quickly. 'We want no drunken bullies here,' he said, and at + that moment Franka drew a pistol and pointed it at his chest. I + leapt upon him and as we struggled together the pistol went + off, but the bullet hurt no one.</p> + + <p>"Then there was a great commotion, and my captain and + Preston ran to my aid and seized Franka. They dragged him out + of the room, and with words of scorn and contempt threw him out + amongst his own people who were gathered together outside the + house, with their muskets in their hands. But already Nanakin + and his chiefs had summoned their fighting men; they came + running towards us from all directions, and surrounding Franka + and his men, drove them away and bade them beware of ever + returning to Jakoits.</p> + + <p>"When they had gone, my captain called me to him, and, + turning to the other white men, said, 'This man hath saved my + life. He hath a brave heart. I shall do much for him in the + time to come.' Then he and the others all shook my hand and + praised me, and I was silent and said nothing, for I was + ashamed to think I was about to run away from such a good + captain.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 39 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page034" name="page034">[pg 34]</a> + </span> + + In the morning we went back to the ship, and the boats were + then sent away to fill and bring off casks of water. Every time + my boat went I took something with me; tobacco and clothing and + other things which I had in my sea chest. Sipi and some other + girls met us at the watering place, and they took these from me + and put them in a place of safety. That afternoon as the boats + were about to leave the shore for the last time, towing the + casks, I slipped into the forest which grew very densely on + both sides of the little river, and ran till I came to the spot + where Sipi was awaiting me. Then together we went inland + towards the mountains and kept on walking till nightfall. That + night we slept in the forest; we were afraid to make a fire + lest it should be seen by some of Nanakin's people and betray + us, for I knew that my captain would cause a great search to be + made for me. When dawn came we again set out and went on + steadily till we came to the summit of the range of mountains + which divides the island. There was a clear space on the side + of the mountain; a great village had once stood there, so Sipi + told me, but all those who had dwelt there had long since died, + and their ghosts could be heard flitting to and fro at night + time. Far below us we could see the blue sea, and the long + waving line of reef with the surf beating upon it, and within, + anchored in the green water, were the seven ships and Preston's + schooner.</p> + + <p>"All that day and the next the girl and I worked at building + a little house for us to live in until the ships had gone. We + had no fear of any one seeking +<!-- Page 40 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page035" name="page035">[pg 35]</a> + </span> + + us out in that place, for it had a bad name and none but + travelling parties from Rōan Kiti ever passed there. Sipi + had brought with her a basket of cooked food; in the deserted + plantations we found plenty of bananas and yams, and in the + stream at the foot of the valley we caught many small fish. + Four days went by, and then one morning we saw the ships set + their sails and go to sea. We watched them till they touched + the sky rim and disappeared; then we went back to Jakoits.</p> + + <p>"The white man and Solepa were sitting under the shade of a + tree in front of their house. I went boldly up to him and asked + him to give me work to do. At first he was angry, for he and my + captain were great friends, and said he would have naught to do + with me. Why did I run away from such a good man and such a + good ship? There were too many men like me, he said, in + Ponapé, who had run away so that they might do naught but + wander from village to village and eat and drink and sleep. + Then again he asked why I had run away.</p> + + <p>"'Because of her,' I said, pointing to the girl Sipi, who + was sitting at the gate with her face covered with the corner + of her mat. 'But I am no + <i>tafao vale</i> + + . + <a href="#footnote_10" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[10]</span> + </a> + + I am a true man. Give me work on thy ship.'</p> + + <p>"He thought a little while, then he and Solepa talked + together, and Solepa bade Sipi come near so that she might talk + to her. Presently he said to me that I had done a foolish thing + to run away for the +<!-- Page 41 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page036" name="page036">[pg 36]</a> + </span> + + sake of the girl when I had money coming to me and when the + captain's heart was filled with friendship towards me for + turning aside Franka's pistol.</p> + + <p>"I bent my head, for I was ashamed. Then I said, 'I care not + for the money I have lost, but I am eaten up with shame for + running away, for my captain was a good captain to me.'</p> + + <p>"This pleased him, for he smiled and said, 'I will try thee. + I will make thee boatswain of the schooner, and this girl here + shall be servant to my wife.'</p> + + <p>"So Sipi became servant to Solepa, and I was sent on board + the schooner to help prepare her for sea. My new captain gave + us a house to live in, and every night I came on shore. Ah, + those were brave times, and Preston made much of me when he + found that I was a true man and did my work well, and would + stand no saucy words nor black looks from those of the + schooner's crew who thought that the boatswain should be a + white man.</p> + + <p>"Ten days after the whaleships had sailed, the schooner was + ready for sea. We were to sail to the westward isles to trade + for oil and tortoiseshell, and then go to China, where Preston + thought to sell his cargo. On the eve of the day on which we + were to leave, the mate, who was an old and stupid Siamani, + <a href="#footnote_11" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[11]</span> + </a> + + went ashore to my master's house, and I was left in charge of + the schooner. Sipi, my wife, was with me, and we sat together + in the stern of the ship, smoking our + <i>sului</i> + + (cigarettes) and talking of the time when I +<!-- Page 42 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page037" name="page037">[pg 37]</a> + </span> + + should return and buy a piece of land from her father's people, + on which I should build a new house. There were six native + sailors on board, and these, as the night drew on, spread their + mats on the fore deck and went to sleep. Then Sipi and I went + into the cabin, which was on deck, and we too slept.</p> + + <p>"How long we had slumbered I cannot tell, but suddenly we + were aroused by the sound of a great clamour on deck and the + groans and cries of dying men, and then ere we were well + awakened the cabin door was opened and Solepa was thrust + inside. Then the door was quickly closed and fastened on the + outside, and I heard Franka's voice calling out orders to hoist + sails and slip the cable.</p> + + <p>"There was a lamp burning dimly in the cabin, and Sipi and I + ran to the aid of Solepa, who lay prone upon the floor as if + dead. Her dress was torn, and her hands and arms were scratched + and bleeding, so that Sipi wept as she leant over her and put + water to her lips. In a little while she opened her eyes, and + when she saw us a great sob broke from her bosom and she caught + my hand in hers and tried to speak.</p> + + <p>"Now, grog is a good thing. It is good for a weak, panting + woman when her strength is gone and her soul is terrified, and + it is good for an old man who is despised by his relations + because he is bitten with poverty. There was grog in a wicker + jar in the cabin. I gave her some in a glass, and then as the + dog Franka, whose soul and body are now in hell, was getting + the schooner under way, she told me that while she and Preston + were asleep the house was +<!-- Page 43 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page038" name="page038">[pg 38]</a> + </span> + + surrounded by a hundred or more of men from Rōan Kiti, led + by Franka. They burst in suddenly, and Franka and some others + rushed into their sleeping-room and she was torn away from her + husband and carried down to the beach.</p> + + <p>"'Is thy husband dead?' I asked.</p> + + <p>"'I cannot tell,' she said in a weak voice. 'I heard some + shots fired and saw him struggling with Franka's men. That is + all I know. If he is dead then shall I die too. Give me a + knife, so that I may die.'</p> + + <p>"As she spoke the schooner began to move, and again we heard + Franka's voice calling out in English to some one to go forward + and con the ship whilst he steered, for the night was dark and + he, clever stealer of women as he was, did not know the passage + out through the reef, and trusted to those with him who knew + but little more. Then something came into my mind, and I took + Solepa's hand in mine.</p> + + <p>"'I will save thee from this pig Franka,' I said quickly, + 'he shall never take thee away. Sit ye here with Sipi, and when + ye hear the schooner strike, spring ye both into the sea and + swim towards the two islands which are near.'</p> + + <p>"In the centre of the deck cabin was a hatch which led into + the hold. There was no deck between, for the vessel was but + small. I took my knife from the sheath and then lifted the + hatch, descended, and crawled forward in the darkness to the + fore hatch, up which I crept very carefully, for I had much in + my mind. I saw a man standing up, holding on to the fore stay. + He was calling out to Franka every now +<!-- Page 44 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page039" name="page039">[pg 39]</a> + </span> + + and then, telling him how to steer. I sprang up behind him, and + as I drove my knife into his back with my left hand, I struck + him with my right on his neck and he fell overboard. He was a + white man, I think for when my knife went into his back he + called out 'Oh Christ!' But then many native men who have mixed + with white people call out 'Oh, Christ,' just like white men + when they are drunk. Anyway, it does not matter now.</p> + + <p>"But as I struck my knife into him, I called out in English + to put the helm hard down, for I saw that the schooner was very + near the reef on the starboard hand. Franka, who was at the + wheel, at once obeyed and was fooled, for the schooner, which + was now leaping and singing to the strong night wind from the + mountains smote suddenly upon the coral reef with a noise like + the felling of a great forest tree, and began to grind and tear + her timbers.</p> + + <p>"Almost as she struck Solepa and Sipi stood by me, and + together we sprang overboard into the white surf ... Give me + some more grog, dear friend of my heart. I am no boaster, nor + am I a liar; but when I think of that swim to the shore through + the rolling seas with those two women, my belly cleaves to my + backbone and I become faint.... For the current was against us, + and neither Sipi nor Solepa were good swimmers, and many times + had we to clutch hold of the jagged coral, which tore our skins + so that our blood ran out freely, and had the sharks come to us + then I would not be here with thee to-night drinking this, thy + good sweet grog which thou givest me out of thy +<!-- Page 45 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page040" name="page040">[pg 40]</a> + </span> + + kind heart. Tāpā! When I look into thy face and see + thy kind eyes, I am young again. I love thee, not alone because + thou hast been kind to me in my poverty and paid the fines of + my granddaughter when she hath committed adultery with the + young men of the village, but because thou hast seen many lands + and have upheld me before the teacher, who is a circumcised but + yet untatooed dog of a Samoan. A man who is not tatooed is no + better than a woman. He is a male harlot and should be + despised. He is only fit to associate with women, and has no + right to beget children....</p> + + <p>"We three swam to the shore, and when the dawn came we saw + that the schooner stood high and dry on the reef and that + Franka and his men were trying to float her by throwing + overboard the iron ballast and putting a kedge anchor out upon + the lee side of the reef. And at the same time we saw three + boats put off from the mainland. These boats were all painted + white, and when I saw them I said to Solepa, 'Be of good heart. + Thy husband is not dead, for here are three of his boats + coming. He is not dead. He is coming to seek thee.'"</p> + + <p>"The three boats came quickly towards the schooner, but ere + they reached her Franka and those with him got into the boats + in which they had boarded the vessel, and then we saw smoke + arise from the bow and stern.... They had set fire to the ship. + They were cowards. Fire is a great help to cowards, because in + the glare and dazzling light of burning houses or ships, when + the thunder of cannons and the +<!-- Page 46 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page041" name="page041">[pg 41]</a> + </span> + + rattle of rifles is heard, they can run about and kill + people.... I have seen these things done in Chili.... I have + seen men who would not stand and fight on board ship run away + on shore and slay women and children in their fury and + cowardice. No, they were not Englishmen; they were Spaniolas. + But the officers were Englishmen and Germans. + <i>They</i> + + did not run away, they were killed. Brave men get killed and + cowards live. I am no coward though I am still alive. It is + quite proper that I should live, for I never ran away when + there was fighting to be done. I have only been a fool because + of my love for women. No one could say I was a coward, and no + one can say I am a fool, because I am too old now to be a + fool.</p> + + <p>"As Franka and those with him left the burning schooner and + rowed towards the islands, the three boats from the shore + changed their course and followed him. Franka and his men were + the first to reach the land, and they quickly ran up the beach + and crouched behind the bushes which grew at high-water mark. + They all had guns, and Sipi and Solepa and I saw them waiting + to shoot. We were hiding amid the roots of a great banyan tree, + and could see well. As the boats drew near Solepa watched them + eagerly, and then began to weep and laugh at the same time when + she saw her husband Preston was steering the one which led. She + was a good woman. She loved her husband. I was pleased with + her, and told her to be of good cheer, for I was sure that + Preston and his people would kill Franka and those with him, + for as they rowed they made no noise. No one shouted nor +<!-- Page 47 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page042" name="page042">[pg 42]</a> + </span> + + challenged; they came on and on, and the white man Preston + stood up with the steer oar in his hand, and his face was as a + stone in which was set eyes of fire. When his boat was within + twenty fathoms of the beach the rowers ceased, and he held up + his hand to those who awaited his coming.</p> + + <p>"'Listen to me, men of Rōan Kiti. We are as three to + one of ye, and ye are caught in a trap. Death is in my mouth if + I speak the word. Tell me, is my wife Solepa alive?'</p> + + <p>"No one answered, but suddenly Franka stepped out from + behind the bushes and pointed his rifle at him, and was about + to pull the trigger when a young man of his party who was of + good heart seized him by the arm, and cried out 'twas a + coward's act; then two or three followed him, and together they + bore Franka down upon the sand; and one of them cried out to + Preston—</p> + + <p>"'This is a wrong business. We were led astray by this man. + We are no cowards, and have no ill-will to thee. Thy wife is + alive. She swam ashore with two others when the ship struck. + Are we dead men?'</p> + + <p>"Then, ere Preston could answer, Solepa leapt out from + beneath the banyan tree and ran through the men of Rōan + Kiti towards the beach, and cried—</p> + + <p>"'Oh, my husband, for the love of God let no blood be shed! + I am well and unharmed. Spare these people and spare even this + man Franka, for he is mad!'</p> + + <p>"Then Preston leapt out of the boat and put his +<!-- Page 48 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page043" name="page043">[pg 43]</a> + </span> + + arms around her waist and kissed her, and then put her aside, + and called to every one around him—</p> + + <p>"'These are my words,' he said. 'I am a man of peace, but + this man Franka is a robber and a dog, and hath stolen upon me + in the night and slain my people, and his hands are reddened + with blood. And he hath put foul dishonour on me by stealing + Solepa my wife, and carrying her away from my house as if she + were a slave or a harlot. And there is no room here for such a + man to live unless he be a better man than I. But I am no + murderer. So stand aside all! Let him rise and rest awhile, and + then shall we two fight, man to man. Either he or I must + die.'</p> + + <p>"Then many men of both sides came to him and said, 'Let this + thing be finished. You are a strong man. Take this robber and + slay him as you would slay a pig.' But he put them aside, and + said he would fight him man to man, as Englishmen fought.</p> + + <p>"So when Franka was rested two cutlasses were brought, and + the two men stood face to face on the sand. I kept close to + Franka, for I meant to stab him if I could, but Preston angrily + bade me stand back. Then the two crossed their swords together + and began to fight. It was a great fight, but it did not last + long, for Preston soon ran his sword through Franka's chest. I + saw it come out through his back. But as he fell and Preston + bent over him he thrust his cutlass into Preston's stomach and + worked it to and fro. Then Preston fell on him, and they died + together.</p> + + <p>"There was no more bloodshed. Solepa and Sipi and I dressed + the dead man in his best clothes, and the +<!-- Page 49 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page044" name="page044">[pg 44]</a> + </span> + + Rōan Kiti men dressed Franka in his best clothes, and a + great funeral feast was made, and we buried them together on + the little island. And Solepa went back again to Honolulu in a + whaleship. She was young and fair, and should have soon found + another husband. I do not know. But Sipi was a fine wife to + me."</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 50 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page045" name="page045">[pg 45]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Fisher_Folk_of_Nukufetau'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Fisher Folk of Nukufetau</i> + </h2> + + <p>Early one morning, about a week after I had settled down on + Nukufetau as a trader, I opened my chest of fishing-gear and + began to overhaul it. In a few minutes I was surrounded by an + eager and interested group of natives, who examined everything + with the greatest curiosity.</p> + + <p>Now for the preceding twelve months I had been living on the + little island of Nanomaga, a day's sail from Nukufetau; and + between Nanomaga and Nukufetau there was a great bitterness of + long standing—the Nanomagans claimed to be the most + daring canoe-men and expert fishermen in all the eight isles of + the Ellice Group, and the people of Nukufetau resented the + claim strongly. The feeling had been accentuated by my good + friend the Samoan teacher on Nanomaga, himself an ardent + fisherman, writing to his brother minister on Nukufetau and + informing him that although I was not a high-class Christian I + was all right in all other respects, and a good + fisherman—"all that he did not know we have taught him, + therefore," he added slyly, "let your young men watch him so + that they may learn how to fish in deep and rough +<!-- Page 51 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page046" name="page046">[pg 46]</a> + </span> + + water, such as ours." These remarks were of course duly made + public, and caused much indignation, neither the minister nor + his flock liking the gibe about the deep, rough water; also the + insinuation that anything about fishing was to be learnt from + the new white man was annoying and uncalled for.</p> + + <p>I must here mention that the natives of De Peyster's Island + (Nukufetau) caught all the fish they wanted in the smooth and + spacious waters of the lagoon, and were not fond of venturing + outside the barrier reef, except during the bonito season, or + when the sea was very calm at night, to catch flying-fish. + Then, too, the currents outside the reef were swift and + dangerous, and the canoes had either to be carried a long + distance over the coral or paddled a couple of miles across the + lagoon to the ship passage before the open sea was gained. + Hudson's Island (Nanomaga)—a tiny spot less than four + miles in circumference—had no lagoon, and all fishing was + done in the deep water of the ocean. The natives were used to + launching their canoes, year in and year out, to face the + wildest surf, and were, in consequence, wonderfully expert, and + in the history of the island there is only one instance of a + man having been drowned. The De Peyster people, by reason of + the advantage of their placid lagoon, had no reason to risk + their lives in the surf in this manner, and so, naturally + enough, they were not nearly as skilful in the management of + their frail canoes when they had to face a sweeping sea on the + outer or ocean reef.</p> + + <p>Just as I was placing some coils of heavy, deep-sea +<!-- Page 52 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page047" name="page047">[pg 47]</a> + </span> + + lines upon the matted floor, Marèko the native teacher, + fat, jovial, and bubbling-voiced, entered in a great hurry, and + hardly giving himself time to shake hands with me, announced in + a tone of triumph, that a body of + <i>atuli</i> + + (baby bonito) had just entered the passage and were making + their way up the lagoon.</p> + + <p>In less than ten seconds every man, woman, and child on the + island, except the teacher and myself, were agog with + excitement and bawling and shouting as they rushed to the beach + to launch and man the canoes, the advent of the + <i>atuli</i> + + having been expected for some days. In nearly all the + equatorial islands of the Pacific these beautiful little fish + make their appearance every year almost to a day, with + unvarying regularity. They remain in the smooth waters of + lagoons for about two weeks, swimming about in incredible + numbers, and apparently so terrified of their many enemies in + their own element, and the savage, keen-eyed frigate birds + which constantly assail them from above, that they sometimes + crowd into small pools on the inner reef, and when the tide is + low, seek to hide themselves by lying in thick masses under the + overhanging ledges of coral rock. Simultaneously—or at + least within a day or two at most—the swarming millions + of + <i>atuli</i> + + are followed into the lagoons by the + <i>gatala</i> + + —a large black and grey rock-cod (much esteemed by the + natives for the delicacy of its flavour) and great numbers of + enormous eels. At other times of the year both the + <i>gatala</i> + + and the eels are never or but rarely seen inside the lagoons, + but are occasionally caught outside the reef at a good + depth—forty to sixty +<!-- Page 53 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page048" name="page048">[pg 48]</a> + </span> + + fathoms. As soon, however, as the young bonito appear, both + eels and rock-cod change their normal habits, and entering the + lagoons through the passages thereto, they take up their + quarters in the deeper parts—places which are fringed by + a labyrinthine border of coral forest, and are at most ten + fathoms deep. Here, when the + <i>atuli</i> + + are covering the surface above, the eels and rock-cod actually + rise to the surface and play havoc among them, especially + during moonlight nights, and in the daytime both rock-cod and + eels may be seen pursuing their hapless prey in the very + shallowest water, amidst the little pools and runnels of the + coral reef. It is at this time that the natives of Nukufetau + and some other islands have some glorious sport, for in + addition to the huge eels and rock-cod many other deep-sea fish + flock into the shallower lagoon waters—all in pursuit of + the + <i>atuli</i> + + —and all eager to take the hook.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>As soon as the natives had left the house, Marèko + turned to me with a beaming smile. "Let them go on first and + net some + <i>atuli</i> + + for us for bait," he said, "you and I shall follow in my own + canoe and fish for + <i>gatala</i> + + . It will be a great thing for one of us to catch the first + <i>gatala</i> + + of the season. Yesterday, when I was over there," pointing to + two tiny islets within the lagoon, "I saw some + <i>gatala</i> + + . The natives laugh at me and say I am mistaken—that + because the + <i>atuli</i> + + had not come there could be no + <i>gatala</i> + + . Now, + <i>I</i> + + think that the big fish came in some days ago, but the strong +<!-- Page 54 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page049" name="page049">[pg 49]</a> + </span> + + wind and current kept the + <i>atuli</i> + + outside till now. Come."</p> + + <p>I needed no pressing. In five minutes I had my basket of + lines (of white American cotton) ready, and joined Marèko. + His canoe (the best on the island, of course) was already in + the water and manned by his two sons, boys of eight and twelve + respectively. I sat for'ard, the two youngsters amidships, the + father took the post of honour as + <i>tautai</i> + + or steersman, and with a chuckle of satisfaction from the boys, + off we went in the wake of about thirty other canoes.</p> + + <p>Oh, the delight of urging a light canoe over the glassy + water of an island lagoon, and watching the changing colours + and strange, grotesque shapes of the coral trees and plants of + the garden beneath as they vanish swiftly astern, and the quick + + <i>chip, chip</i> + + of the flashing paddles sends the whirling, noisy eddies to + right and left, and frights the lazy, many-hued rock-fish into + the darker depths beneath! On, on, till the half mile or more + of shallow water which covers the inner reef is passed, and + then suddenly you shoot over the top of the submarine wall, + into deepest, loveliest blue, full thirty fathoms deep, and as + calm and quiet as an infant sleeping on its mother's bosom, + though perhaps not a quarter of a mile away on either hand the + long rollers of the Pacific are bellowing and thundering on the + grim black shelves of the weather coast.</p> + + <p>So it was on this morning, but with added delights and + beauties; as instead of striking straight across the lagoon to + our rendezvous we had to skirt the beaches +<!-- Page 55 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page050" name="page050">[pg 50]</a> + </span> + + of a chain of thickly wooded islets, which gave forth a sweet + smell, mingled with the odours of + <i>nono</i> + + blossoms; for during the night rain had fallen after a long + month of dry weather, and Nature was breathing with joy. High + overhead there floated some snow-white tropic birds—those + gentle, ethereal creatures which, to the toil-spent seaman who + watches their mysterious poise in illimitable space, seem to + denote the greater Mystery and Rest that lieth beyond all + things; and lower down, and sweeping swiftly to and fro with + steady, outspread wing and long, forked tail, the fierce-eyed, + savage frigate birds scanned the surface of the water in search + of prey, and then finding it not, rose without apparent motion + to the cloudless canopy of blue and became as but tiny black + specks—and then, + <i>swish</i> + + ! and the tiny black specks which but a minute ago were high in + heaven are flashing by your cheeks with a weird, whistling + sound like winged spectres. You look for them. They are gone. + Already they are a thousand feet overhead. Five of them. And + all five are as motionless as if they, with their wide, + outspread wings, had never moved from their present position + for a thousand years.</p> + + <p>"Chip, chip," and "chunk, chunk," go our paddles as we now + head eastward towards the rising sun in whose resplendent rays + the tufted palms of the two islets stand clearly out, + silhouetted against the sea rim beyond. Now and again we hear, + as from a long, long distance, the echoes of the voices of the + people in the canoes ahead; a soft white mist began to gather + over and then ascend from the water, and as we drew near +<!-- Page 56 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page051" name="page051">[pg 51]</a> + </span> + + the islets the occasional thunder of the serf on Motuluga Reef + we heard awhile ago changed into a monotonous droning hum.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Aue</i> + + !" said Marèko the + <i>tautai</i> + + , with a laugh, as he ceased paddling and laid his paddle + athwartships, "'tis like to be a hot day and calm. So much the + better for our fishing, for the water will be very clear. Boy, + give me a coconut to drink."</p> + + <p>"Take some whisky with it, Marèko," I said, taking a + flask out of my basket.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Isa</i> + + ! Shame upon you! How can you say such a thing to me, a + minister!" And then he added, with a reproachful look, "and my + children here, too." He would have winked, but he dared not do + so, for one of his boys had turned his face aft and was facing + him. I, however, made him a hurried gesture which he quite + understood. Good old Marèko! He was an honest, + generous-hearted, broad-minded fellow, but terribly afraid of + his tyrannical deacons, who objected to him smoking even in the + seclusion of his own curatage, and otherwise bullied and + worried him into behaving exactly as they thought he + should.</p> + + <p>By the time we reached the islets the + <i>atuli</i> + + catching had begun, and more than a hundred natives were + encircling a considerable area of water with finely-meshed nets + and driving the fish shoreward upon a small sandy beach, where + they were scooped up in gleaming masses of shining blue and + silver by a number of women and children, who tumbled over and + pushed each other aside amidst much laughter and merriment.</p> + + <p>On the larger of the two islets were a few thatched +<!-- Page 57 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page052" name="page052">[pg 52]</a> + </span> + + huts with open sides. One of these was reserved for the + missionary and the white man, and hauling our canoe up on the + beach at the invitation of the people, we sat down under a shed + whilst the women grilled us some of the freshly-caught fish. + This took barely over ten minutes, as fires had already been + lighted by the children. The absence of bread was made up for + by the flesh of half-grown coconuts and cooked + <i>puraka</i> + + —gigantic species of taro which thrives well in the sandy + soil of the Equatorial islands of the Pacific. Just as we had + finished eating and were preparing our lines we heard loud + cries from the natives who were still engaged among the + <i>atuli</i> + + , and three or four of them seizing spears began chasing what + were evidently some large fish. Presently one of them darted + his weapon, and then gave a loud cry of triumph, as he leapt + into the water and dragged out a large salmon-like fish called + "utu", which was at once brought ashore for my inspection. The + man who had struck it—an active, wiry old fellow named + Viliamu (William) was panting with excitement. Some large + <i>gatala</i> + + , he said, had just made their appearance with the + <i>utu</i> + + and were pursuing the small fish; therefore would we please + hurry forward with our preparations. Then the leader of the + entire party stood up and bellowed out in bull-like tones his + instructions. The canoes were all to start together, and when + the ground was reached all lines were to be lowered + simultaneously; there was to be no crowding. The white man and + missionary, however, if they wished, could start first and make + a choice of position.</p> + + <p>"No, no," I said, "let us all start fair."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 58 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page053" name="page053">[pg 53]</a> + </span> + + This was greeted with a chorus of approval, and then leaving + the women and children to attend to the camp, we hurried back + to the canoes. Just as we were leaving the hut I had a look at + the + <i>utu</i> + + —a fish I had never before seen. It was about three feet + in length, and only for its head (which was coarse and clumsy) + much like a heavy salmon. The back was covered with light green + scales, the sides and belly a pure silver, and the fins and + tail tipped with yellow. It weighed about 20 lbs., and + presented a very handsome appearance.</p> + + <p>The fishing-ground to which we were now paddling was not + half a mile from the islets, and lay between them and the outer + reef which formed its northern boundary. It consisted of a + series of deep channels or connected pools running or situated + amidst a network of minor reefs, the surfaces of which were, + for the most part, bare at low water. Generally the depth was + from eight to ten fathoms; in places, however, it was much + deeper, and I subsequently found that there were spots whereon + I could stand (on the coral ledge) and drop my line into chasms + of thirty-two or thirty-three fathoms. Here the water was + almost as blue to the eye as the ocean, and here the very + largest fish resorted—such as the + <i>pura</i> + + , a species of rock-cod, and a blue-scaled groper, the native + name of which I cannot now recall.</p> + + <p>It must have been nearly ten o'clock when the canoes were + all in position, and the word was given to let go lines. The + particular spot in which we were congregated was about three + acres in extent and about +<!-- Page 59 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page054" name="page054">[pg 54]</a> + </span> + + seven fathoms in depth, with water as clear as crystal; and + even the dullest eye could discern the smallest pebble or piece + of broken coral lying upon the bottom, which was generally + composed of patches of coarse sand surrounded by an interlacing + fringe of growing coral, or white, blue, or yellow boulders. A + glance over the side showed us that the + <i>gatala</i> + + had arrived; we could see numbers of them swimming lazily to + and fro beneath, awaiting the flowing tide which would soon + cover the lagoon from one shore to the other with swarms of + young bonito, as they swam about in search of such places as + that in which we were now about to begin fishing.</p> + + <p>Each man had baited his hook with the third of an + <i>atuli</i> + + —at this stage of their life about four inches long and + exactly the colour and shape of a young mackerel—and + within five minutes after "" + <i>Tu'u tau kafa</i> + + !" ("Let go lines!") had been called out several of the canoes + around our own began to pull up fish—four to six + pounders. I was fishing with a white cotton line, with two + hooks, and Marèko with the usual native gear—a + hand-made line of hibiscus bark with a barbless hook made from + a long wire nail, with its point ground fine and well-curved + inwards. We both struck fish at the same moment, and I knew by + the zigzag pull that I had two. Up they came + together—three spotted beauties about eighteen inches in + length and weighing over 5 lbs. each. Then I found the + advantage of the native style of hook; Marèko simply put + his left thumb and forefinger into the fish's eye, had his hook + free in a moment, had baited, +<!-- Page 60 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page055" name="page055">[pg 55]</a> + </span> + + lowered again and was pulling up another before I had succeeded + in freeing even my first hook which was firmly fixed in the + fish's gullet, out of sight. I soon put myself on a more even + footing by cutting off the small one and a half inch hooks I + had been using and bending on two thick and long-shanked four + inchers. These answered beautifully, as although the barbs + caused me some trouble, their stout shanks afforded a good grip + and leverage when extracting them from the hard and + keen-toothed jaws of the struggling fish. Then, too, I had + another advantage over my companions; I was wearing a pair of + seaboots which effectually protected my feet from either the + terrible fins or the teeth of the fish in the bottom of the + canoe.</p> + + <p>I had caught my eighth fish, when an outcry came from a + canoe near us, as a young man who was seated on the for'ard + thwart rose to his feet and began hauling in his line, which + was standing straight up and down, taut as an iron bar, the + canoe meanwhile spinning round and round although the steersman + used all his efforts to keep her steady.</p> + + <p>"What is it, Tuluia?" called out fifty voices at once. "A + shark?"</p> + + <p>"My mother's bones!" said old Viliamu with a laugh of + contempt. "'Tis an eel, and Tuluia, who was asleep, has let it + twist its tail around a piece of coral. May he lose it for his + stupidity."</p> + + <p>We all ceased fishing to watch, and half a dozen men began + jeering at the lad, who was too excited to heed them. Old + Viliamu, who was in the next canoe, looked down, and then cried + out that he could see the +<!-- Page 61 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page056" name="page056">[pg 56]</a> + </span> + + eel, which had taken several turns of its body around a thick + branch of growing coral.</p> + + <p>"His head is up," he called out to the youth, "but you + cannot move him, he has too many turns in and out among the + coral." Then paddling up alongside he again looked at the + struggling creature, then felt the line which was vibrating + with the tension. Stepping out of his own craft into that of + the young man, the line was placed in his hands without an inch + of it being payed out, for once one of these giant eels can get + his head down he will so quickly twine the line in and out + among the rugged coral that it is soon chafed through, if of + ordinary thickness. But the ancient knew his work well, as we + were soon to see. Taking a turn of the line well up on his + forearm and grasping it with his right a yard lower down, he + waited for a second or two, then suddenly bent his body till + his face nearly touched the water, then he sprang erect and + with lightning-like rapidity began to haul in hand + <i>under</i> + + hand + <a href="#footnote_12" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[12]</span> + </a> + + amid loud cries of approval as the wriggling body of the eel + was seen ascending clear of the coral. The moment it reached + the surface, a second native, with unerring aim sent a spear + through it and then a blow or two upon the head with a club + carried for the purpose took all further fight out of the + creature, which was then lifted out of the water and dropped + into the canoe. Here the end of its tail was quickly split open + and we saw no more of him for the time being.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 62 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page057" name="page057">[pg 57]</a> + </span> + + To capture an eel so soon was looked upon as a lucky omen, to + have lost it would have been a presage of ill-fortune for the + rest of the day, and the incident put every one in high good + humour. By this time the tide was flowing over the flatter + parts of the reef and young bonito could be seen jumping out of + the water in all directions. Immense bodies were, so I was + assured by the natives, now coming into the lagoon from the + sea, and would continue to do so till the tide turned, when + those in the passage, unable to face a six-knot current, would + be carried out again, to make another attempt later on.</p> + + <p>By this time every canoe was hauling in large rock-cod + almost as quick as the lines could be baited, and the bottom of + our own craft presented a gruesome sight—a lather of + blood and froth and kicking fish, some of which were over 20 + lbs. weight. Telling the two boys to cease fishing awhile and + stun some of the liveliest, I unthinkingly began to bale out + some of the ensanguined water, when a score of indignant voices + bade me cease. Did I want to bring all the sharks in the world + around us? I was asked; and old Viliamu, who was a sarcastic + old gentleman, made a mock apology for me—</p> + + <p>"How should he know any better? The sharks of Tokelau have + no teeth, like the people there, for they too are eaters of + <i>fala</i> + + ."</p> + + <p>This evoked a sally of laughter, in which of course I + joined. I must explain that the natives of the Tokelau +<!-- Page 63 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page058" name="page058">[pg 58]</a> + </span> + + Group, among whom I had lived, through constantly chewing the + tough drupes of the fruit of the + <i>fala</i> + + (pandanus palm) wear out their teeth prematurely, and are + sometimes termed "toothless" by other natives of the South + Pacific. However, I was to have my own little joke at Viliamu's + expense later on.</p> + + <p>Just at this time a sudden squall, accompanied by torrents + of rain, came down upon us from the eastward, and whilst + Marèko and his boys kept us head to wind—none of the + canoes were anchored—I took the opportunity of getting + ready two of my own lines, each treble-hooked, for the boys. + Their own were old and rotten, and had parted so often that + they were now too short to be of use, and, besides that, the + few remaining hooks of soft wire were too small. As soon as the + squall was over I showed Marèko what I had done. He nodded + and smiled, but said I should try and break off the + barbs—his boys did not understand them as well as + native-made hooks. This was quickly accomplished with a heavy + knife, and the youngsters began to haul up fish two and three + at a time at such a rate that the canoe soon became deep in the + water outside and very full inside.</p> + + <p>"A few more, Marèko," I said, "and then we'll go + ashore, unload, and come back again. I want to tease that old + man."</p> + + <p>We caught all we could possibly carry in another quarter of + an hour, and I was confident that our take exceeded that of any + other canoe. This was because the natives would carefully watch + their stone sinkers descend, and use every care to keep them + from being +<!-- Page 64 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page059" name="page059">[pg 59]</a> + </span> + + entangled in the coral, whilst my line, which had a 12 oz. + leaden sinker, would plump quickly to the bottom in the midst + of the hungry fish; consequently, although I lost some hooks by + fouling and now and then dragged up a bunch of coral, I was + catching more fish than any one else. And I was not going to + let my reputation suffer for the sake of a few hooks. So we + coiled up our lines on the outrigger platform, and taking up + our paddles headed shoreward, taking care to pass near + Viliamu's canoe. He hailed me and asked me for a pipe of + tobacco.</p> + + <p>"I shall give it to you when we return," I said.</p> + + <p>"When you return! Why, where are you going?" he asked.</p> + + <p>"On shore, you silly old woman! I have been showing these + boys how to fish for + <i>gatala</i> + + , and we go because the canoe is sinking. When we return these + two + <i>tamariki</i> + + (infants) shall show + <i>you</i> + + how to fish now that they have learnt from me."</p> + + <p>There was a loud laugh at this, and as the old man took the + jest very good-naturedly I brought up alongside, showed him our + take, and gave him a stick of tobacco. The astonishment of + himself and his crew of three at the quantity of fish we had + afforded me much satisfaction, though I could not help feeling + that our luck was not due to my own skill alone.</p> + + <p>Returning to the islets we were just in time to escape two + fierce squalls, which lasted half an hour and raised such a sea + that the remaining canoes began to follow us, as they were + unable to keep on the ground. During our absence the women and + children +<!-- Page 65 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page060" name="page060">[pg 60]</a> + </span> + + had been most industrious; the weather-worn, dilapidated huts + had been made habitable with freshly-plaited + <i>kapaus</i> + + —coarse mats of green coconut leaves, the floors covered + with clean white pebbles, sleeping mats in readiness, and heaps + of young drinking nuts piled up in every corner, whilst outside + smoke was arising from a score of ground ovens in which taro + and puraka were being cooked, together with bundles of + <i>atuli</i> + + wrapped in leaves.</p> + + <p>Etiquette forbade Marèko and myself counting our fish + until the rest of the party returned, although the women had + taken them out of the canoe and laid them on the beach, where + the pouring rain soon washed them clean and showed them in all + their shining beauty. Among them were two or three + parrot-fish—rich carmine, striped with bands of bright + yellow, boneless fins, and long protruding teeth in the upper + jaw showing out from the thick, fleshy lips; and one + <i>afulu</i> + + —a species of deep-water sand mullet with purple scales + and yellow fins.</p> + + <p>Whilst awaiting the rest of the canoes I drew the teacher + into our hut and pressed him to take some whisky. He was wet, + cold, and shivering, but resolutely declined to take any. "I + should like to drink a little," he said frankly, "but I must + not. I cannot drink it in secret, and yet I must not set a bad + example. Do not ask me, please. But if you like to give some to + the old men do so, but only a very little." I did do so. As + soon as the rest of the party landed I called up four of the + oldest men and gave each of them a stiff nip. They were all + nude to the waist, and like all +<!-- Page 66 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page061" name="page061">[pg 61]</a> + </span> + + Polynesians who have been exposed to a cold rain squall, were + shivering and miserable. After each man had taken his nip and + emitted a deep sigh of satisfaction I observed that hundreds of + old white men saved their lives by taking a glass of spirits + when they were wet through—they had to do so by the + doctor's orders.</p> + + <p>"That is true," said one old fellow; "when men grow old, and + the rain falls upon them it does not run off their skins as it + would from the smooth skins of young men. It gets into the + wrinkles and stays there. But when the belly is warmed with + grog a man does not feel the cold."</p> + + <p>"True," I said gravely, as I poured some whisky out for + myself; "true, quite true, my dear friends. And in these + islands it is very bad for an old man to be exposed to much + rain. That is why I am disturbed in my mind. See, there is + Marèko, your minister. He, like you, is old; he is wet and + cold. And he shivers. And he will not take a mouthful of this + <i>rom</i> + + because he fears scandal. Now if he should become ill and die I + should be a disgraced man. This + <i>rom</i> + + is now not + <i>rom</i> + + ; it is medicine. And Marèko should take some even as you + have taken it—to keep away danger."</p> + + <p>The four old fellows arose to the occasion. They talked + earnestly together for a minute, and then formed themselves + into a committee, requested me to head them as a deputation + with the whisky, and then waited upon their pastor, who was + putting on a dry shirt in another hut. I am glad to say that + under our united +<!-- Page 67 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page062" name="page062">[pg 62]</a> + </span> + + protests he at last consented to save his life, and felt much + better.</p> + + <p>Presently the women announced that the ovens were ready to + be opened. As soon as the fish were counted, and the rain + having ceased, we all gathered round the canoes and watched + each one emptied of its load. As I imagined, our party had + taken the most fish, and not only the most, but the heaviest as + well. Marèko added to my blushing honours by informing the + company that as a fisherman and a knowledgable man generally I + justified his brother minister's opinion and would prove an + acquisition to the community. We then inspected the first eel + caught, and a truly huge creature it was, quite nine feet in + length, and in girth at its thickest part, as near as I could + guess with a piece of line, thirty inches. The line with which + it was caught was made of new four-stranded coir-cinnet, as + thick as a stout lead pencil, and the hook a piece of 3/6 or + 1/2 inch iron with a 6-inch shank, once used as a fish spear, + without a barb! The natives seemed much pleased at the interest + displayed, and told me that sometimes these eels grew to + <i>elua gafa</i> + + ( + <i>i.e.</i> + + , two fathoms), but were seldom caught, and asked me if I had + tackle strong enough for such. Later on I showed them a + 27-stranded American cotton line 100 fathoms long, with a + 4-inch hook, curved in the shank, as thick as a pencil, and + "eyed" for a twisted wire snooding. They had never seen such + beautiful tackle before, and were loud in their expressions of + admiration, but thought the line too thin for a very heavy + fish. I told them that at Nanomaga I had caught + <i>palu</i> + + (a nocturnal feeding +<!-- Page 68 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page063" name="page063">[pg 63]</a> + </span> + + fish of great size) in over sixty fathoms with that same + line.</p> + + <p>"That is true," said one of them politely, "we were told + that you and Tiaki (one Jack O'Brien, an old trader) of + Funafuti have caught many + <i>palu</i> + + with your long lines; but the + <i>palu</i> + + is a weak fish even when he is a fathom long. And as he comes + up he grows weaker and weaker, and sometimes he bursts open + when he comes to the surface. Now if a big eel—an eel two + fathoms long—"</p> + + <p>"If he was three fathoms long he could not break this line," + I replied positively.</p> + + <p>They laughed and told me that when I hooked even a small + eel, one half a fathom in length, I would change my + opinion.</p> + + <p>Soon after our midday meal was over, and we were preparing + to return to our fishing-ground with an ample supply of fresh + bait, the sky to windward became black and threatening, and + through the breaks in the long line of palms on the weather + side of the island, which permitted the horizon to be viewed, + we could see that a squall of unusual violence was coming. All + the canoes were at once hauled up on the lee-side of the + islets, the huts were secured by ropes as quickly as possible, + and every one hurried under shelter. In a few minutes the wind + was blowing with astonishing fury, and the air was full of + leaves, sticks, and other + <i>débris</i> + + , whilst the coco-palms and other trees on the islets seemed + likely to be torn up by the roots. This lasted about ten + minutes. Then came a sudden lull, followed by a terrific and + deafening downpour of rain; +<!-- Page 69 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page064" name="page064">[pg 64]</a> + </span> + + then more wind, another downpour, and the sun was out + again!</p> + + <p>As soon as the squall was over, I walked round to the + weather side of the islet with some children. We found the + beach covered with some thousands of + <i>atuli</i> + + and beautiful little garfish which had been driven on shore by + the force of the wind. We were soon joined by women carrying + baskets, which they filled with fish and carried back to the + camp. On returning, we again launched the canoes and started + off again—to meet with some disappointment, for although + the + <i>gatala</i> + + still bit freely and several eels were also taken, some scores + of the small, pestilent, lagoon sharks were swimming about and + played havoc with our lines. These torments are from two to + four feet in length, and their mouths, which are quite out of + proportion to their insignificant size, are set with rows of + teeth of razor-like keenness. The moment a baited hook was seen + one of these little wretches would dart at it like lightning, + and generally bit the line through just above the hook. So + quick were they, that one could seldom even feel a tug unless + the hook got fast in their jaws. Taking off my sinker, and + bending on a big hook with a wire snood, I abandoned myself to + their destruction, and as fast as I hauled one alongside it was + stunned, cut into three or four pieces, and thrown overboard to + be devoured by its fellows. Many of the Ellice and Tokelau + islanders regard these young sharks as a delicacy, as their + flesh is very tender, and has not the usual unpleasant smell. + In one of these young sea lawyers we found no less than +<!-- Page 70 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page065" name="page065">[pg 65]</a> + </span> + + five hooks, with pieces of line attached; these were duly + restored to their owners.</p> + + <p>Another two hours passed, during which we had fairly good + sport, then the rain began to fall so heavily that we gave up + for the day. We spent the first part of the evening in the + huts, eating, smoking, and talking, and overhauling our tackle + for the next day. It had been intended that about midnight we + should all go crayfishing in the shallow waters along the shore + of the islets, but this idea had to be abandoned in consequence + of the rain having soaked the coco palms—the dead + branches of which are rolled and plaited into a cylindrical + form and used as torches. The method of catching crayfish is + very simple: a number of men, each carrying a + <i>kaulama</i> + + torch about 6 feet in length in the left hand, and a small + scoop net in the right, walk waist-high through the water; the + crayfish, dazed by the brilliant light, are whipped up into the + nets and dropped into baskets carried by the women and children + who follow. They can only be caught on dark, moonless + nights.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>When we returned to the village our spoils included besides + a great number of fish, a few turtle and some young frigate + birds. The latter were captured for the purpose of being tamed. + I made many subsequent visits to the two islets, sometimes + alone and sometimes with my native friends, and on each + occasion I left these lovely little spots with a keen feeling + of regret, for they are ideal resting-places to him who + possesses a love of nature and the soul of a fisherman.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 71 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page066" name="page066">[pg 66]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Mrs_MacLaggans_quotBillyquot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Mrs. MacLaggan's "Billy"</i> + </h2> + + <p>When Tom Denison was quite a young man he was earning a not + too dishonest sort of a living as supercargo of a leaky old + ketch owned by Mrs. Molly MacLaggan of Samoa, which in those + days was the Land of Primeval Wickedness and Original and + Imported Sin, Strong Drink, and Loose Fish generally. Captain + "Bully" Hayes also lived in Samoa; his house and garden + adjoined that of Mrs. MacLaggan, and at the back there was a + galvanised iron cottage, inhabited by a drunken French + carpenter named Leger, whose wife was a full-blooded negress, + and made kava for Denison and "Bully" every evening, and used + to beat Billy MacLaggan on the head with a pole about six times + a day, and curse him vigorously in mongrel Martinique French. + Billy MacLaggan was Mrs. Molly's male goat, and as notorious in + Samoa as Bully Hayes himself.</p> + + <p>I want to try and tell this story as clearly as possible, + but there are so many people concerned, and so many things + which really happened together, though each one seemed to come + before the other a little and try and get into the general + jumble, and +<!-- Page 72 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page067" name="page067">[pg 67]</a> + </span> + + every one was so confused, some fatuous people blaming the + goat, and some Denison, who was generally disliked by the + Germans, while Mrs. Molly said it was caused by the man with + the bucket of milk, and Captain Hayes who had bribed him to do + it, and nearly caused bloodshed, as the German officer who was + insulted by Hayes had shot a lot of people in duels, or if he + had not shot them he had stuck his sword into them in fifteen + places, more or less.</p> + + <p>Now let me explain: First of all there was Mrs. Molly, who + was the hostess; then there was Hamilton, the Apia pilot and + his wife; the manager of the big German firm at Matafale (he + wore gold spectacles, and was very fond of Mrs. Molly, who was + a widow); then there was Bully Hayes, and old Coe the American + consul, and young Denison; all these were some of the local + guests, and lived in Samoa, the rest were officers from a + German man-of-war lying in port, and the usual respectable town + loafers. Then there were Leger, the bibulous carpenter; ' + <i>Liza,</i> + + his black wife; a white policeman named Thady O'Brien, and a + loafing scoundrel of a Samoan named Mataiasi, called "Matty" + for brevity, who was the public flogger, and milked Mrs. + MacLaggan's herd of seven imported Australian cows; and lastly + the goat, and about thirty or forty of Bully Hayes's crew, and + as many Samoans, who came to look at the dancing and see what + they could steal, Leger and his wife and the policeman and the + town flogger had charge of the refreshment tables, which for + the sake of coolness had been laid out upon the wide, back + verandah, +<!-- Page 73 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page068" name="page068">[pg 68]</a> + </span> + + and handsomely decorated with pot plants and flags from the + man-of-war, and blanc-manges and jellies, and tipsy cake, and + cold roast pigeons and chickens were lying around as if they + weren't worth two cents.</p> + + <p>The big wholesale store, which formed part of Mrs. Molly's + house and establishment, made a fine ballroom. All the barrels + of whisky and Queensland rum, and the cases of lager beer and + Holland's gin, had been stowed neatly on each side, and covered + over with flags and orange blossoms by Denison and Bully Hayes + and his men, and the orange blossoms killed the smell of the + rum so much that strangers would have thought it was + sherry.</p> + + <p>Everything went on beautifully for the first two hours, and + then Mrs. Molly asked Denison to take out a very pretty young + half-caste lady and get her a drink of milk. When they reached + the side table where the milk should have been, they found it + all gone; but O'Brien the policeman said that Mataiasi had just + started off to milk another cow.</p> + + <p>Just then Hayes came out to the refreshment tables with a + lady on his arm. She was thirsty, and so "Bully" opened a large + bottle of champagne, and she and he and Denison and the young + half-caste lady drank it; then they drank another, and all went + oft together to see Mataiasi milking the cow, which was tied up + to a coconut tree just outside the fence. The cow was a yellow + cow, and was standing very quietly, and just beside her Billy + MacLaggan (who caused all this trouble) was lying down, working + his jaws to and +<!-- Page 74 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page069" name="page069">[pg 69]</a> + </span> + + fro and making curious, snorting sounds in the bright and + gorgeous moonlight. I forgot to say that Wm. MacLaggan was the + largest and ugliest goat ever known to the memory of man, and + had been taught every vice and wickedness any goat could be + taught, and it is as natural for a goat to imbibe sin as it is + for him to eat a cactus, or a hedgehog, or a tract.</p> + + <p>Hayes addressed the goat by his Christian name, and asked + him how he did, and Billy looked at Hayes for a second or two + out of his green, sharky eyes, then he rose in a dignified + manner, and came over to him to be scratched under the chin. + Then he blew himself out, snorted, and rubbed his horns against + the captain's knee: and Hayes remarked to Denison that the poor + beggar wanted a drink, and proposed to give him a "proper + one."</p> + + <p>The goat knew perfectly well what "drink" meant, and made + his vicious tail quiver; then he followed them back to the + house, and stood at the foot of the steps waiting for Hayes and + Tom to come out again.</p> + + <p>On the other side of the courtyard was Mrs. MacLaggan's + laundry. The door was wide open and the place was in darkness, + and no one took any notice when presently Tom sauntered out of + the ballroom, picked up a large plateful of tipsy-cake, and, + being kind to animals, gave a piece to William, who followed + him into the laundry for the rest; then Hayes came in with a + quart bottle of champagne, shut the door and struck a light. + Then he opened the bottle of fizz and poured it out into a + deep, enamelled starching-dish, and Billy MacLaggan drank + thereof, and then raised his head, +<!-- Page 75 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page070" name="page070">[pg 70]</a> + </span> + + with his immoral-looking beard hanging in a sodden point like a + wet deck-swab, and asked for more. That is, he asked as well as + any Christian and civilised goat could ask, by standing up on + his hind legs like a circus-horse and making strange, unearthly + noises. Then he rammed his wicked old nose into the dish again, + and pushed it all round the room, trying to sop up more liquor, + which wasn't there, and trod on Denison's canvas-slippered + foot, and knocked over the little tin kerosene oil lamp which + was standing on the floor, and when Hayes, with loud and + blasphemous remarks grabbed at the ironing-blanket of the + laundry-table to extinguish the flames, he pulled the table + down on the top of Denison and himself and the goat and + everything, for the blanket was nailed on at the four corners, + and when he was down on his hands and knees, the goat being + exceedingly alarmed and half-drunk, and smelling his own hair + burning, put his head down and charged at the universe in + general, or anything else he could hit, and he hit Hayes fair + on the temple with a noise like a ship's mainmast going by the + board; then the people outside burst in the door, and the + creature, with a bull-like bellow, charged out among them, and + landed his bony head into the stomach of Mataiasi, who was + carrying the bucket of milk, and was afraid to put it down when + he saw him coming; then in some way the handle of the iron + bucket got on Billy MacLaggan's horns, which simply made him + thirst for gore, for he thought he was being made fun of + because he was in liquor. With the bucket swinging and + clattering and banging around, +<!-- Page 76 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page071" name="page071">[pg 71]</a> + </span> + + he made a dash up on the verandah, among the pretty muslin-clad + ladies and white-duck suited men, creating havoc and + destruction, and smelling of kerosene and burnt hair and + ancient goat, and uttering horrible, blood-curdling + <i>bah-h-h-s</i> + + , till he got into the card-table corner, and mistaking the + wide glass window for an open door, he promptly jumped through + it, and fell with a shower of glass outside on to the verandah + again, where Thady O'Brien and the fat German with the + spectacles fell on him, and tried to hold him down, and the + spectacles were ground into dust and otherwise damaged, and + some of the ladies endeavouring to escape out of the hideous + <i>mélée</i> + + fell with him, and then the goat struggled to his feet with the + bucket squashed flat against his forehead, and his horns + covered with lace, and tulle, and bits of kid gloves, and + planted one of his cloven forefeet into the shirt-front of a + German officer, and smashed his watch. Then with another roar + of defiance he burst through and disappeared into the + wilderness at the back of Mrs. MacLaggan's garden, where he was + followed by Leger, the drunken carpenter, and his wife, and + nineteen Samoans, all armed with rifles. The army fired at him + for two hours, and about midnight returned and reported him + riddled with bullets, whereupon Mrs. Molly, who was a little + hysterical at the awful mess and wreckage caused by the brute, + thanked them and gave them ten dollars.</p> + + <p>Now it so happened that Billy MacLaggan was not killed at + all, for about two o'clock in the morning, as Bully Hayes and + Tom Denison were sitting on the +<!-- Page 77 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page072" name="page072">[pg 72]</a> + </span> + + verandah of the former's house at Matautu Point, drinking + brandy and soda, and dabbing arnica bandages on their various + contusions, Pilot Hamilton hailed them from the front gate. He + had just left the dance with his wife, and was quite + sober—for Samoa. He asked them to come on with him to his + place, as Billy MacLaggan, he said, was lying down in Mrs. + Hamilton's kitchen, and seemed poorly, and that he hoped Hayes + would forgive the poor thing, which was only a dumb animal. So + Hayes and Denison went and saw William, who was now sober and + looked sorry. They dressed his wounds, and Tom Denison took him + on board early in the morning, intending to take him to sea + till the memory of his misdeeds had toned down a bit, for Billy + was a great institution in Samoa, and had many friends. Hardly + a white man in the place, no matter how hard up he was, but + would stand Billy a bottle of lager or a chew of tobacco. (I + forgot to mention that Billy would drink anything and chew + anything, except cigarettes, at which he snorted with + contempt.) Now Denison's little vessel was lying quite near the + German man-of-war, and was to sail next day for the Solomons if + the captain was sober, and he (Denison) had a lot of work to do + to get the ship ready, and whilst he was poring over accounts + in the cabin about noon, a boat ran alongside and Bully Hayes + came into the cabin.</p> + + <p>"Where's Billy?" he said. "Quick, get him into my boat at + once. There's a search-party coming on board, and the widow is + going to give you the dirty kick-out, Tom Denison. There's been + the devil to +<!-- Page 78 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page073" name="page073">[pg 73]</a> + </span> + + pay over that cursed goat, but I'm going to save his life all + the same. But if she does sack you, you can come to me for a + berth."</p> + + <p>Billy, who was placidly eating bananas on the main deck, was + at once seized and hoisted over the side into Hayes's boat, + which shoved off, leaving Hayes on board to explain things to + Tom.</p> + + <p>It seemed that when the fat German manager—the man + with spectacles—I mean the man who had the spectacles + until Billy MacLaggan came in—the man who was courting + Mrs. Molly—fell on the top of the goat, some other man + trod on his face, and Leger (who was not sober enough to tell + one person from another) said that he saw Tom Denison do it. + Seven natives, male and female, swore that at the time alleged + Tom was out on the beach bathing his crushed toe in the salt + water, and using solemn British oaths; but Leger, who disliked + Denison, who had once kicked him overboard violently for being + drunk, not only stuck to the story, but said that Hayes and Tom + had set the goat on fire on purpose to break up the dance and + cause annoyance to the Germans present; also he vaguely hinted + that they, Denison and Hayes, would have driven the seven cows + into the ballroom but couldn't find them. Then Mrs. MacLaggan + promised the fat man to sack Denison on the following morning, + and at midnight, as I have said, word was brought in that Billy + had been shot. But about ten in the morning Leger heard from + some native that the goat was as well as ever, and on board + Denison's vessel, and being a mean, spiteful little hound, off + he trotted to the +<!-- Page 79 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page074" name="page074">[pg 74]</a> + </span> + + German manager, and said that Captain Hayes and Mr. Denison had + rescued the creature. At that very moment the manager was + talking to some German officers, one of whom was the man whose + watch had been smashed, and as every German in Samoa hated + Hayes most fervently, it was at once concluded that Hayes had + trained, or suborned, or bribed, or corrupted the goat to do + it. So a young lieutenant went and called upon Hayes, and + demanded satisfaction for his friend, and Hayes was exceedingly + rude to him, but said that if the man with the broken watch + liked to meet Billy MacLaggan with his own weapons, and fight + him in a goatsmanlike manner, for fifty dollars a side, he + (Hayes) would put up Billy's fifty. Then the lieutenant asked + for a written apology for his friend, and Hayes said that Billy + couldn't write, and, anyway, he was Mrs. Molly's goat. If the + man with the smashed nickel wanted an apology, why the blazes + didn't he approach Mrs. MacLaggan? he asked.</p> + + <p>Whilst Hayes was telling all this to Tom, pulling his thick + beard and laughing loudly, as they paced the little vessel's + deck, the search-party came on board to recover the goat. The + leader bore a letter from Mrs. MacLaggan to Tom, informing him + that his services as supercargo were no longer required, also + that he could come ashore at once and be paid off, as his + conduct was heartless, and the consuls said it might lead to + serious complications, as it had been done with intent to + insult the citizens of a friendly nation, one of whom, as he + was aware, had made the natives cut +<!-- Page 80 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page075" name="page075">[pg 75]</a> + </span> + + down the price of copra half a cent. Under these circumstances, + &c.</p> + + <p>Tom grinned and showed the letter to Hayes. Then he turned + to the mate.</p> + + <p>"I've got the sack, Waters. You're in charge of this rotten, + filthy old hooker now until the old man is sober."</p> + + <p>He packed up his traps, went ashore, drew his money from + Mrs. MacLaggan's cashier, and bade him goodbye.</p> + + <p>"Where's the goat, Tom?"</p> + + <p>"On board Bully Hayes' ship. His crool, crool mistress shall + see him no more! Never more shall his plaintive call to his + nannies resound o' nights among the sleeping palm-groves of the + Vaisigago Valley; never——"</p> + + <p>The cashier jumped up out of his chair and seized the + dismissed supercargo by the collar.</p> + + <p>"Stop that bosh, you rattlebrained young ass, and come and + take a farewell drink."</p> + + <p>"Never more will he butt alike the just and the unjust, the + fat and bloated German merchant nor the herring-gutted Yankee + skipper, nor the bare—ah—um—legged Samoan, + nor the gorgeous consul in the solar topee. Gone is the glory + of Samoa with Billy MacLaggan. Goodbye for the present, Wade, + old man—I am not so proud of my new dignity—I am to + be supercargo of the brig + <i>Rona</i> + + —as to refuse to drink with you, though you are but a + cashier. And give my farewell to the widow, and tell her that I + bear her no ill-will, for I leave a dirty little tub of a + cockroach- +<!-- Page 81 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page076" name="page076">[pg 76]</a> + </span> + + infested ketch for a swagger brig, where I shall wear white + suits every day and feel that peace of mind which—"</p> + + <p>"Oh, do dry up, you young beggar," said the good-natured + cashier, whose laughter proved so infectious that Tom joined + in.</p> + + <p>"Come then, Wade, just another ere we part."</p> + + <p>Now as these two were drinking in the cashier's office it + happened that Thady O'Brien, the policeman (he was chief of the + municipal police, and fond of drink) saw them, and invited + himself to join them and also to express his sorrow at + Denison's "misfortune," as he called it, for Denison was a + lovable sort of youth, and often gave him drink on board. So + they all sat down, Wade in the one chair, and Tom and the + policeman on the table, and had several more drinks, and just + then Mrs. MacLaggan came to the door, holding a note in her + hand. She bowed coldly to Tom, whose three stiff drinks of + brandy enabled him to give her a reproachful glance.</p> + + <p>"Captain Hayes wants to buy one or two of the nanny-goats, + to take away with him to Ponapé, Mr. Wade," she said. "I + shall be glad to let him have them. Please tell Leger and + Mataiasi to catch them at once."</p> + + <p>Then Mrs. MacLaggan went away, and Tom and O'Brien went down + to the jetty to wait for a boat to take them on board—Tom + to his duty, and O'Brien because he was thirsty again. + Presently Leger and Mataiasi and a large concourse of native + children came down, carrying two female goats, who, imagining + they +<!-- Page 82 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page077" name="page077">[pg 77]</a> + </span> + + were to be cast into the sea, began to cry with great violence, + and were immediately answered in a deep voice by Billy + MacLaggan from over the water, whereupon Leger started to run + off and tell Mrs. MacLaggan that Billy was alive, and on board + the + <i>Rona</i> + + , and Denison put out his foot and tripped him, and was at once + assailed by Leger's black wife, who hit him on the head with a + stick, and then herself was pushed backwards off the jetty into + the water by Mr. O'Brien, taking several children and one of + the goats with her, and in less than two minutes there was as + pretty a fight as ever was seen. Several native police ran to + help their superior officer, and a lot of dogs came with them; + the dogs bit anybody and everybody indiscriminately, but most + of them went for Leger and Denison, who were lying gasping + together on the jetty, striving to murder each other; then a + number of sailors belonging to a whaleship joined in, and tried + to massacre or otherwise injure and generally maltreat the + policemen, and by the time the boat from the + <i>Rona</i> + + came to the rescue the jetty looked like a battlefield, and one + goat was drowned, and the new supercargo was taken on board to + have his excoriations attended to, for he was in a very bad + state.</p> + + <p>That is the end of the story, which I have told in a + confused sort of away, I admit, because there are so many + things in it, though I could tell a lot more about the + adventures of Billy MacLaggan, after he went to sea with + Captain Bully Hayes.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 83 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page078" name="page078">[pg 78]</a> + </span> + + <a name='An_Island_Memory'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>An Island Memory</i> + </h2> + + <h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + + <p>From early dawn wild excitement had prevailed in the great + native village on the shores of Port Lele, and on board two + ships which were anchored on the placid waters of the + land-locked harbour. As the fleecy, cloud-like mist which, + during the night, had enveloped the forest-clad spurs and + summit of Mont Buache, was dispelled by the first airs of the + awakened trade wind and the yellow shafts of sunrise, a fleet + or canoes crowded with natives put off from the sandy beach in + front of the king's house, and paddled swiftly over towards the + ships, the captains of which only awaited their arrival to + weigh and tow out through the passage.</p> + + <p>As the mist lifted, Cayse, the master of the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + of Sagharbour, stepped briskly up on the poop, and hailed the + skipper of the other vessel, a small, yellow-painted barque of + less than two hundred tons.</p> + + <p>"Are you ready, Captain Ross?"</p> + + <p>"All ready," was the answer; "only waiting for the + military," and then followed a hoarse laugh.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 84 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page079" name="page079">[pg 79]</a> + </span> + + Cayse, a little, grizzled, and leathern-faced man of fifty, + replied by an angry snarl, then turned to his mate, who stood + beside him awaiting his orders.</p> + + <p>"Get these natives settled down as quickly as possible, Mr. + North, then start to heave-up and loose sails. I reckon we'll + tow out in an hour. The king will be here presently in his own + boat. Hoist it aboard."</p> + + <p>North nodded in silence, and was just moving on to the main + deck, when Cayse stopped him.</p> + + <p>"You don't seem too ragin' pleased this mornin', Mr. North, + over this business. Naow, as I told you yesterday, I admire + your feelin's on the subject, but I can't afford—"</p> + + <p>The mate's eyes blazed with anger.</p> + + <p>"And I tell you again that I won't have anything to do with + it. I know my duty, and mean to stick to it. I shipped for a + whaling voyage, and not to help savages to fight. Take my + advice and give it up. Money got in this way will do you no + good."</p> + + <p>Cayse shifted his feet uneasily.</p> + + <p>"I can't afford to sling away the chance of earnin' two or + three thousan' dollars so easy. An' you'll hev to do your duty + to me. Naow, look here—"</p> + + <p>North raised his hand.</p> + + <p>"That will do. I have said I will do my duty as mate, but + not a hand's turn will I take in such bloody work as you and + the skipper of that crowd of Sydney cut-throats and convicts + are going into for the sake of six thousand dollars."</p> + + <p>"Well, I reckon we can do without you. Any +<!-- Page 85 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page080" name="page080">[pg 80]</a> + </span> + + one would think we was going piratin', instead of helping the + king of this island to his rights. Naow, just tell + me—"</p> + + <p>Again the mate interrupted him.</p> + + <p>"I am going for'ard to get the anchor up, and will obey all + your orders as far as the working of the ship is + concerned—nothing more."</p> + + <p>An hour later the two vessels, their decks crowded with + three hundred savages, armed with muskets, spears, and clubs, + were towed out through the narrow, reef-bound passage, and with + the now freshening trade wind filling their sails, set a course + along the coast which before sunset would bring them to + Leassé, on the lee side of the island. But presently, in + response to a signal from the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + , the whaler lay to; a boat put off from the smaller ship, and + Captain Ross came alongside, clambered over the bulwarks and + joined Cayse and the young king of Port Lele, who were awaiting + him on the poop, to discuss with him the plan of surprise and + slaughter of the offending people of Leassé.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Nearly a week before the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + had run into Port Lele to refresh before proceeding westward + and northward to the Bonin Islands in pursuance of her cruise. + Charlik, the king, was delighted to see Cayse, for in the days + when his father was king the American captain had conveyed a + party of one hundred Strong's Islanders from Port Lele to + MacAskill's Island, landed them in his boats during the night, + and stood off and +<!-- Page 86 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page081" name="page081">[pg 81]</a> + </span> + + on till daylight, when they returned reeking from their work of + slaughter upon the sleeping people, and bringing with them some + scores of women and children as captives. For this service the + king had given Cayse half a ton of turtle-shell, and the + services of ten young men as seamen for as long a time as the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + cruised in the Pacific on that voyage. When Charlik's father + was dying, he called his head chiefs around him, and gave the + boy into their care with these words—"Here die I upon my + mat like a woman, long before my time, and to-morrow my spirit + will hear the mocking laughs of the men of Môut and + Leassé, when they say, 'Sikra is dead; Sikra was but an + empty boaster.'"</p> + + <p>Then his son spoke.</p> + + <p>"Not many days shall they laugh. They shall be destroyed + all, all, all of them."</p> + + <p>The king touched his son's hand.</p> + + <p>"Those are good words. But be not too hasty. Wait till the + American comes again. He will help with his men and guns. But + he is a greedy man. Yet spare nothing; give him all the silver + and gold money I have stored by for his return, and all the + turtle-shell that can be gathered together. And let there be + not even one little child left in Môut or + Leassé."</p> + + <p>Charlik was a lad or seventeen when his savage old father + died, and for a year after his death he harried and distressed + his people by his exactions. All day long the men toiled at + making coconut oil, and at night time they watched along the + beaches for the +<!-- Page 87 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page082" name="page082">[pg 82]</a> + </span> + + hawk-bill turtle; the oil they put into huge butts, which stood + in the king's boat-sheds, and the costly turtle-shell was taken + by the young ruler and locked up in the seamen's chests which + lined the inside wall of the great council-house. And no man + durst now fire a musket at a wild pig, for powder and ball had + been made + <i>tapu</i> + + —such things were given up to the chiefs, lest they might + be wasted, and every morning three young men climbed up the + rugged side of Mont Buache, to keep a look-out for the ship + whose captain would help their master to wreak a bloody + vengeance upon the rebellious people of Leassé.</p> + + <p>At the end of the sixteenth month of watching, a sail + appeared coming from the southward, and the watchers on the + mountain-top sped down to the king's house, and sinking upon + their knees in the courtyard of coral slabs, whispered their + news to one of the king's serving-men, who, with a musket in + his hand and a cutlass girt around his naked waist, stood + sentry before the youthful despot's sleeping-room.</p> + + <p>"Good," said the king to Kanka, his head chief; "'tis surely + the American Késa, + <a href="#footnote_13" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[13]</span> + </a> + + for this is the month in which he said he would return. Let the + women make ready a great feast, and launch my three boats, so + that if the wind fail, when the sun is high, they may help to + drag the ship into Lele."</p> + + <p>Then came the sound of beating drums, and the long, mournful + note of the conch-shells calling the wild people together to + prepare for the ship. Turtle +<!-- Page 88 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page083" name="page083">[pg 83]</a> + </span> + + were lifted from their walled-in prison holes on the reef, hogs + were strangled, and the king's wives went hither and thither + among his slave women, bidding them hasten to kindle the ovens, + whilst children went out into the great canework cage, wherein + were hundreds of the king's wild pigeons, and seizing the + birds, began to pluck them alive.</p> + + <p>An hour passed. Charlik, sitting in a European chair, was + watching the wild bustle and excitement around him in the + courtyard, when his eye fell on the three messengers, who, with + bent head and bended knees, were awaiting his further + commands.</p> + + <p>Beckoning to a young, light-skinned woman, who stood near + him, he bade her bring him three of his best pearl-shell bonito + hooks. They were brought, and taking them from her, he threw + them to the men.</p> + + <p>"Ye have watched well," he said. "There is thy reward. Now + go and eat and sleep."</p> + + <p>With eyes sparkling with pleasure, the young men each took + up his precious gift, and with crouching forms crept slowly + over to the further side of the courtyard, where they were + waited upon by women with food.</p> + + <p>Presently the fair young woman—his sister + Sè—returned to her brother's side.</p> + + <p>"The ship is near," she said, and then her voice faltered; + "but it is not the ship of Késa. It is but a small ship, + and she hath but two boats. Késa's had five."</p> + + <p>"What lies are these?" said the young savage fiercely. "Go + look again."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 89 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page084" name="page084">[pg 84]</a> + </span> + + The girl left him, to return a few minutes later with + grey-headed old Kanka, who in response to an inquiring look + from his master, bent his head and said slowly—</p> + + <p>"'Tis a strange ship—one that never before have we + seen in Lele."</p> + + <p>The youth made him no answer. He merely raised his arm and + pointed his finger at the three messengers.</p> + + <p>"Then they have lied to me. Bring them here to me."</p> + + <p>Kanka stepped over to where the fated men were sitting. They + rose at his behest, and crept over to the king; behind them, at + some invisible sign given by him, followed a man with a heavy + club of + <i>toa</i> + + wood. The clamour which had filled the courtyard ceased, and + terrified silence fell. One by one the messengers knelt upon + the coral flags—no need for them to ask for mercy from + Charlik, the savage son of a bloodstained father. The bearer of + the club held the weapon knob downward, and watched the king's + face for the signal of death. He nodded, and then, one after + another of the men were struck and fell prone upon the stones. + With scowling eyes Charlik regarded them for a moment or two in + silence, then he turned unconcernedly away, as some of his + slaves came forward and carried the bodies out of sight.</p> + + <p>Suddenly he sprang to his feet, as a loud, long cry, first + from a single throat, and then echoed and reechoed by a hundred + more, came upward from the beach.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 90 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page085" name="page085">[pg 85]</a> + </span> + + A ship! A ship! Another ship! The ship of Késa!"</p> + + <p>Bidding his sister and the old chief Kanka to come with him, + Charlik quickly left the house, and walking through a grove of + breadfruit trees, reached a spot from where he had a full view + of the open sea. There right in the passage was a small barque; + and, almost within hail, and just rounding the northern horn of + the reef was a larger vessel, one glance at which told Charlik + that it was the American whaler for which he had so long + waited. In less than an hour they were at anchor abreast of the + king's house, and the two captains were being rowed ashore. + They met on the beach. The master of the smaller vessel was a + tall, broad-shouldered man, armed with a pair of pistols and a + cutlass. Striding over the sand he held out his hand to the + American.</p> + + <p>"Good day. My name's Ross, barque + <i>Lucy May</i> + + , of Sydney, from the New Hebrides to Hong Kong with + sandalwood."</p> + + <p>"Glad to meet ye. My name is Cayse, ship + <i>Iroquois</i> + + , bound on a sperm whalin' cruise."</p> + + <p>Further speech was denied them, for suddenly the thronging + and excited natives around them drew aside right and left as + Charlik, with a face beaming with smiles, came up to Cayse with + outstretched hand, and greeted him warmly in English. Then he + turned quickly to the Englishman and shook hands with him also, + and asked him from whence he came.</p> + + <p>"From Sydney. I came here to get wood, water, and + provisions."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 91 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page086" name="page086">[pg 86]</a> + </span> + + Good. You can get all you want. Have you muskets and bullets to + sell?"</p> + + <p>"I can spare you some."</p> + + <p>"Ah, that is good. I want plenty, plenty. Now come to my + house and eat and drink; then we can talk."</p> + + <p>It was well on towards sunset before Charlik and Cayse had + finished their talk. Ross meanwhile had gone on board the + barque for some firearms which he was giving the king in + exchange for several boatloads of provisions. When he returned, + with two of his crew carrying six muskets, a keg of powder, and + a bag of bullets, Cayse met him on the threshold of the king's + house.</p> + + <p>"Come inside, mister. The king wants to talk to you on a + matter of business. I reckon you an' me together can do what he + wants done. But jest come along with me first. I want to show + you the kind of fellow he is when he gets upset."</p> + + <p>The master of the sandalwooder followed the American across + the wide courtyard to some native houses. Stopping in front of + one, from which the low murmur of women's voices, broken now + and then by a wailing cry, proceeded, he desired Ross to look + in through the doorway. A small fire of coconut shells was + burning in the centre of the room, and + <i>by</i> + + its light Ross saw several women crouched round the bodies of + three men, performing the last offices for the dead. They + looked at the white strangers with apathetic indifference, but + ceased their labours whilst Ross bent down and +<!-- Page 92 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page087" name="page087">[pg 87]</a> + </span> + + examined the still faces. His scrutiny was brief, but it was + enough.</p> + + <p>Cayse gave a sniggering laugh. "I reckon you'll feel sorter + startled, mister, when I tell you that you were the cause of + those men getting clubbed, hey?"</p> + + <p>Ross frowned angrily. "What are you driving at? What the + devil had I to do with it?"</p> + + <p>"On'y this. You see I'm the white-headed boy with this young + island cock, an' he's been expectin' to see the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + for quite a time. Your barque happened to heave in sight first, + an' these three fellows who were standin' mast-head watch up + thar on the mountain, came tearin' down an' reported that it + was my old hooker. Charlik bein' a most impatient young fellow, + had 'em clubbed on the spot; he should hev waited another five + minutes. Come on, he's ready to talk business with us now."</p> + + <p>In the centre of the big council room Charlik, attended by + his sister, was seated upon a mat. A couple of brightly burning + ship's lanterns suspended from the beams overhead, revealed the + figures of a score of armed natives, seated with their backs to + the canework walls of the room; midway between them and the + young king were two seamen's chests, beside which crouched the + half-naked, tatooed form or old Kanka.</p> + + <p>Followed by the sailors carrying the muskets, the two + captains walked over the soft, springy floor of mats, and + seated themselves facing the young man. His eye lit up at the + sight of the arms, and then he +<!-- Page 93 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page088" name="page088">[pg 88]</a> + </span> + + desired Ross to tell his men to withdraw. Then as the sound of + their footsteps died away, he looked at Cayse and said + briefly—</p> + + <p>"Go on, capèn. You talk."</p> + + <p>Cayse went into the subject at once.</p> + + <p>"Captain Ross, do you want to earn three thousand + dollars?"</p> + + <p>"Don't mind."</p> + + <p>"Neither do I. Well, just listen. The king here has three + thousand dollars in cash and three thousand dollars' worth of + coconut ile and turtle-shell. Now, if you and I will help him + to do a bit of fightin' it's ours. The money and shell is here + in this room, the ile is in the sheds near by. If you agree, + the king will hand us over the money now, and we can ship the + ile in the morning."</p> + + <p>Ross thought a moment, then he said suspiciously—</p> + + <p>"Why are you giving me a chance?"</p> + + <p>"Not from any feelin' of affection for you, mister," + answered Cayse with his peculiar snarl, "but because I ain't + able to do the whole business myself—if I could I + wouldn't ask + <i>you</i> + + to come in. Now, I noticed this mornin' that you carry a big + crew, and have six guns, and I reckon thet you hev to use 'em + sometimes in your business?"</p> + + <p>Ross laughed grimly. "All of us sandalwooding ships carry a + few nine-pounders as well as plenty of small arms. We are + allowed to do so by the Governor of New South Wales."</p> + + <p>"Just so. Well, now, listen. This island is +<!-- Page 94 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page089" name="page089">[pg 89]</a> + </span> + + governed by two chiefs; this one here, Charlik, has most + people, but the other lot, who live on the lee side of the + island, rebelled against his father more'n ten years ago. + They've had a good many fights, an' in the last one these Lele + people got badly whipped. Charlik is the proper king, but ever + since a white man named Ledyard went to live with the + Leassé people, they've refused to pay tribute. This + Ledyard is the cause of all the trouble, and he has taught his + natives how to fight European fashion. There's only about six + hundred of 'em altogether—men, women, and + children—eh, Charlik?"</p> + + <p>The young chief nodded in assent.</p> + + <p>"Now, by a bit of luck, news came up the other day by one of + Charlik's spies that Ledyard has gone away to Ponapé in a + cutter he has built. It will take him two or three weeks to go + there and back, and now is the time for Charlik to wipe out old + scores—the Leassé people won't stand much of a + chance agin' a night attack by three hundred of Charlik's + people. If Ledyard was there it would be different."</p> + + <p>Ross soon made his decision. He was a man utterly without + pity, and Cayse who, while inciting others to slaughter for the + sake of his own gain, yet had some grains of compunction in his + nature, almost shuddered when the master of the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + laughed hoarsely and said—</p> + + <p>"It's a bargain—just the thing that my crowd could + tackle and carry through themselves. Two +<!-- Page 95 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page090" name="page090">[pg 90]</a> + </span> + + voyages ago me and my beauties wiped out every living soul on + one of the Cartaret's Islands. I'll tell you the yarn some day. + But look here, king, can't we make another deal about the women + and children. Let me keep as many of them as I have room for + aboard, and I'll pay for them in muskets and powder and + bullets."</p> + + <p>"What do you want with them?"</p> + + <p>"Sell them to old Abba Dul, the king of the Pelews. I've + done business with him before."</p> + + <p>Charlik called Kanka over to him, and the two spoke in low + tones. Then the young ruler of Lele shook his head.</p> + + <p>"No. There must be but one left to live—the white + man's wife. Now we shall count this money."</p> + + <p>The boxes were carried over directly under the rays of the + lamps and opened, the bags containing the money lifted out, the + coins counted, and then evenly divided between the two + wolves.</p> + + <p>On the following morning the casks of oil were rolled down + to the beach and rafted off to the two ships, and before dawn, + on the fourth day, Ross and his fellow-ruffian sent word ashore + to the king that all was ready, and that he and his fighting + men could come on board at once and proceed on their dreadful + mission.</p> + + <hr /> + +<!-- Page 96 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page091" name="page091">[pg 91]</a> + </span> + + <a name='CHAPTER_II'> + </a> + + <h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + + <p>As the two captains and their ferocious young employer sat + on the snow-white poop of the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + and discussed the plan of attack, the ship and barque kept + closely together, so closely that North, who had not yet placed + foot on board the sandalwooder, had now an opportunity of + looking down upon her decks, and watching the actions of those + who manned her. A more ragged and desperate looking lot of + ruffians he had never seen in his life; and their wild, unkempt + appearance was in perfect accord with the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + herself, whose dirty, yellow sides were stained from stem to + stern with long streaks and broad patches of iron-rust. Aloft + she was in as equally a bad condition, and North and his + fellow-officers, used to the trimness and unceasing care of a + whaleship's sails and running gear, looked with contempt at the + disorder and neglect everywhere visible. On deck, however, some + attempt at setting things ship-shape were being made by the two + mates and boatswain, the six guns were being overhauled, and a + pile of muskets lying on the main hatch were being examined and + passed up to the poop one by one, to old Kanka, who was in + command of the contingent of Lele natives on board the barque. + Similar preparations with small arms were being made on board + the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + by her crew which, largely composed of Chilenos, Portuguese, + and Polynesians, had eagerly accepted the offer of twenty + dollars for +<!-- Page 97 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page092" name="page092">[pg 92]</a> + </span> + + each man for a few hours' fighting. North alone had spoken + against and tried to dissuade his fellow-officers from taking + any active part in the expedition, but his remonstrances fell + upon unheeding ears. The details of the scheme to surprise the + unsuspecting inhabitants of the two villages had filled him + with unutterable horror and indignation, and all sorts of wild + plans formed in his brain to prevent the accomplishment of the + cruel deed. For the consequences of such interference to + himself he cared nothing. He was alone in the world, and had no + thought beyond that of making enough money to enable him to one + day buy a ship of his own. Once, as he passed the trio on the + poop, and glanced at the smooth, olive-coloured features of the + young king, who, with anticipative zest, was fondling a rifle + which Ross had brought on board for him, he felt inclined to + whip a belaying-pin out of the rail and bring it crashing down + upon his skull. Had there been any other ship but the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + near, he would have left the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + that moment. But help was coming to his troubled mind.</p> + + <p>An hour before sunset the two vessels ran into a little + harbour, then called Port Lottin, but now known as South + Harbour by the few wandering whalers which sometimes touch at + the island. Here, ere it became dark, the natives, with + fourteen of the + <i>Lucy May's</i> + + crew under Ross, were landed. They were to march at early + morning, cross the mountain range which intervened between + South Harbour and Leassé, and then, hidden by the dense + forest, await the appearance of the ships off the +<!-- Page 98 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page093" name="page093">[pg 93]</a> + </span> + + doomed villages on the following afternoon. The six + boats—two from the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + and four from the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + —were to pull ashore as soon as the ships were off + Leassé and take up positions, three to the north and three + to the south, so as to cut off all who attempted to escape + along the beaches from the attack which would be made by Ross. + Charlik was to command one of the boat parties, Cayse the + other, and should any canoes with fugitives attempt to gain the + open sea, they were to be sunk by the + <i>Lucy May's</i> + + guns, for she was to anchor in such a position that an escaping + canoe would have to pass within fifty yards of her.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Eight bells had struck, and North, who had declined to join + the captain and his fellow-officers at supper, was sitting in + his cabin smoking and listening to the soft hum of the surf on + the barrier reef a mile away. On deck all was quiet, only the + fourth mate and three of the hands were keeping watch, the rest + of the crew who were not turned in had gone ashore to witness a + dance given by King Charlik's warriors.</p> + + <p>Suddenly he heard a footfall on the cabin deck, and then + some one said in a low voice—</p> + + <p>"May I come in, sir?"</p> + + <p>North, recognising the voice as that of a young man named + Macy, his own harpooner, at once bade him enter.</p> + + <p>Macy, a sunburnt, blue-eyed youth, closed the cabin door + behind him, and held up his finger to enjoin silence.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 99 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page094" name="page094">[pg 94]</a> + </span> + + I've only just now heard, sir, that you will not take a hand in + this work which is going on. Neither will I, sir; for those + damned savages are going to kill all the poor women and + children. I've come to ask you what I'm to do if I'm ordered + away in the boat? My God! Mr. North, must we all be turned into + a gang of murderers like those fellows on the + <i>Lucy May!</i> + + "</p> + + <p>The officer shook the young seaman's hand. "I for one will + have no hand in it, my lad; and I wish there were more of us on + board of our way of thinking. I wish we could leave the ship. I + would rather die of thirst on the open ocean ... Macy, my lad, + will you stand to me?"</p> + + <p>"Stand to you, sir! Aye, Mr. North. If you mean to take to + our boat, sir, I am with you."</p> + + <p>"No," answered North in a whisper. "That, after all, would + only save us two from being mixed up in this murderous + business—I want to prevent it altogether. Have you heard + how far it is across the island to this place Leassé?"</p> + + <p>"Seven miles, sir, over the mountains."</p> + + <p>"And twenty by the boats! Macy, I am determined to leave the + ship to-night, cut across the island, and save the poor people + from massacre. Will you come? We may pay for it with our + lives."</p> + + <p>The harpooner raised his rough hand. "We must all die some + day, sir."</p> + + <p>For some minutes they conversed in whispered tones; then + Macy slipped on deck, and North took his pistols from their + racks, filled his coat pockets +<!-- Page 100 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page095" name="page095">[pg 95]</a> + </span> + + with ammunition, and then followed him. His own boat was lying + astern.</p> + + <p>Telling the cooper, who was the only one of the afterguard + on deck, that he was going ashore to look at the dance, and + that only Macy and another hand need come with him, North + ordered the boat to be hauled alongside. A quarter of an hour + later he and Macy stepped out upon the shore under the shadow + of a high bluff, and quite out of view from Ross and his party, + although the many camp-fires cast long lines of light across + the sleeping waters of the little harbour.</p> + + <p>Informing the boat-keeper that they should return in a + couple of hours, the two men first walked along the beach in + the direction of the encampment. Then once out of sight from + the boat, they struck inland into a deep valley through which, + Macy said, a narrow track led up to the range, and then + downwards to the two villages. After a careful search the track + was found, and the bright stars shining through the canopy of + leaves overhead gave them sufficient light to pursue their way. + For two hours they toiled along through the silent forest, + hearing no sound except now and then the affrighted rush of + some startled wild boar, and, far distant, the dull cry of the + ever-restless breakers upon the coral reef. At last the summit + of the range was reached, and they sat down to rest upon the + thick carpet of fallen leaves which covered the ground. Here + North took a spirit-flask from his jacket, and Macy and he + drank in turns.</p> + + <p>"Do you know, sir," said Macy, as he returned +<!-- Page 101 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page096" name="page096">[pg 96]</a> + </span> + + the flask to the officer, "that there's a white man living at + this village?"</p> + + <p>"He's not there now, Macy. He's gone away to another island + in his cutter."</p> + + <p>"I know that, sir. I've heard all about it from one of the + chaps on the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + . The man's name is Ledyard, and this young devil's-limb of a + king hates him like poison—for two reasons. One is, that + Ledyard, who settled in Leassé a few years ago, taught the + people there how to use their muskets in a fight, when + Charlik's father tried to destroy them time and again; the + other is that his wife is a white woman—or almost a white + woman, a Bonin Island Portuguese—and Charlik means to get + her. When Ledyard comes back in his cutter he will walk into a + trap, and be killed as soon as he steps ashore."</p> + + <p>North struck his hand upon the ground. "And to think that I + have sailed with such a villain as Cayse, who—"</p> + + <p>"That's not all. Ledyard has two children. Charlik has given + orders for them to be killed, as he says he only wants the + woman! Ross, I believe, wanted him to spare 'em, but the young + cut-throat said 'No.' I heard all this from two men—the + chap from the + <i>Lucy May</i> + + and one of Charlik's fighting men, who speaks English and seems + to have a soft place in his heart for Ledyard."</p> + + <p>The mate of the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + sprang to his feet. "The cold-blooded wretches! Come on, Macy. + We + <i>must</i> + + get there in time."</p> + + <p>For another two hours they made steady progress +<!-- Page 102 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page097" name="page097">[pg 97]</a> + </span> + + through the darkened forest aisles, and then as they emerged + out upon a piece of open country, they saw far beneath them the + gleaming sea. And here, amidst a dense patch of pandanus palms, + the path they had followed came to an end. Pushing their way + through the thorny leaves, which tore the skin from their hands + and faces, Macy exclaimed excitedly—</p> + + <p>"We're all right, sir. I can see a light down there. It must + be a fire on the beach."</p> + + <p>Heedless of the unknown dangers of the deep descent, and + every now and then tripping and falling over the roots of trees + and fallen timber, they again came out into the open, and + there, two hundred feet below them, they saw the high-peaked, + saddle-backed houses of Leassé village standing clearly + out in the starlight. But at this point their further progress + was barred by a cliff, which seemed to extend for half a mile + on both sides of them. Cautiously feeling their way along its + ledge they sought in vain for a path.</p> + + <p>"We must hail them, Macy. There will be sure to be plenty of + them who can speak a little English and show us the way to get + down."</p> + + <p>Returning as quickly as possible to the spot immediately + over the village, the officer gave a long, loud hail.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Below there, you sleepers!</i> + + "</p> + + <p>The hoarse, shrieking notes of countless thousands of + roosting sea-birds, as they rose in alarm from their perches in + the forest trees, mingled with the barking of dogs from the + village, and then came a wild cry of alarm from a human + throat.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 103 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page098" name="page098">[pg 98]</a> + </span> + + Waiting for a few moments till the clamour had somewhat + subsided, the two men again hailed in unison.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Below there! Awake, you sleepers!</i> + + "</p> + + <p>Another furious outburst of yelping and + barking—through which ran the quavering of voices of the + affrighted natives—smote the stillness of the night. Then + the bright light of torches of coconut leaves flashed below, + nude figures ran swiftly to and fro among the houses, and then + came a deep-voiced answering hail in English—</p> + + <p>" + <i>Hallo there! Who hails</i> + + ?"</p> + + <p>"Two white men," was the officer's quick reply. "We cannot + get down. Bear a hand with a torch; we have lost the track." + Then as something flashed across his mind, he added, "Who are + you? Are you a white man?"</p> + + <p>"Yes. I am Tom Ledyard."</p> + + <p>"Thank God for that! Send a light quickly. You and your + people are in deadly danger."</p> + + <p>In a few minutes the waiting men saw the gleam of torches + amid the trees to their right, and presently a tall, bearded, + white man appeared, followed by half a dozen natives. All were + armed with muskets, whose barrels glinted and shone in the + firelight.</p> + + <p>Springing forward to meet him, North told his story in as + few words as possible.</p> + + <p>Ledyard's dark face paled with passion. "By heaven, they + shall get a bloody welcome! Now, come, sir; follow me. You must + need rest badly."</p> + + <p>As they passed through the village square, now lit +<!-- Page 104 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page099" name="page099">[pg 99]</a> + </span> + + up by many fires and filled with alarmed natives, Ledyard + called out in his deep tones—</p> + + <p>"Gather ye together, my friends. The son of the Slaughterer + is near. Send a man fleet of foot to Môut and bid him tell + Nena, the chief, and his head men to come to my house quickly, + else in a little while our bones will be gnawed by Charlik's + dogs."</p> + + <p>Then with North and Macy besides him, he entered his house, + the largest in the village. A woman, young, slender, and + fair-skinned, met them at the door. Behind her were some + terrified native women, one of whom carried Ledyard's youngest + child in her arms.</p> + + <p>"'Rita, my girl," said Ledyard, placing his hand on his + wife's shoulder and speaking in English, "these are friends. + They have come to warn us. That young hell-pup, Charlik, is + attacking us tomorrow. But quick, girl, get something for these + gentlemen to eat and drink."</p> + + <p>But North and the harpooner were too excited to eat, and, + seated opposite their host, they listened eagerly to him as he + told them of his plans to repel the attack; of the bitter + hatred that for ten years had existed between the people of + Leassé and the old king; and then—he set his + teeth—how that Sé, the friendly sister of the young + king, had once sent a secret messenger to him telling him to + guard his wife well, for her brother had made a boast that when + Leassé and Môut were given to the flames only Cerita + should be spared.</p> + + <p>"Then, ten days ago, Mr. North, thinking that this +<!-- Page 105 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page100" name="page100">[pg 100]</a> + </span> + + young tiger-cub Charlik knew that these people here were well + prepared to resist an attack, I left in my cutter on a trading + voyage to Ponapé. Three days out the vessel began to make + water so badly that I had to beat back. I only came ashore + yesterday."</p> + + <p>He rose and walked to and fro, muttering to himself. Then he + spoke again.</p> + + <p>"Mr. North, and you, my friend"—turning to + Macy—"have saved me and those I love from a sudden and + cruel death. What can I do to show my gratitude? You cannot now + return to your ship; will you join your fortunes with mine? I + have long thought of leaving this island and settling in + Ponapé. There is money to be made there. Join me and be my + partners. My cutter is now hauled up on the beach—if she + were fit to go to sea we could leave the island to-night. But + that cannot be done. It will take me a week to put her in + proper repair—and to-morrow we must fight for our + lives."</p> + + <p>North stretched out his hand. "Macy and I will stand by you, + Ledyard. We do not want to ever put foot again on the deck of + the + <i>Iroquois</i> + + ."</p> + + <hr /> + + <a name='CHAPTER_III'> + </a> + + <h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + + <p>The story of that day of bloodshed and horror, when Charlik + and his white allies sought to exterminate the whole community, + cannot here be told in + <i>all</i> + + its dreadful details. Seventy years have come and gone since + then, and there are but two or three men +<!-- Page 106 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page101" name="page101">[pg 101]</a> + </span> + + now living on the island who can speak of it with knowledge as + a tale of "the olden days when we were heathens." Let the rest + of the tale be told in the words of one of those natives of + Leassé, who, then a boy, fought side by side with Ledyard, + North, and Macy.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>"The sun was going westward in the sky when the two ships + rounded the point and anchored in what you white men now call + Coquille Harbour. We of Leassé, who watched from the + shore, saw six boats put off, filled with men. There pulled + inside the reef, and went to the right towards Môut; three + went to the left. Letya (Ledyard), with the two white strangers + who had come to him in the night, and two hundred of our men, + had long before gone into the mountains to await Charlik and + his fighting men, and their white friends. They—Letya and + the Leassé people—made a trap for Charlik's men in + the forest. Charlik himself was in the boats with the other + white men. He wanted to see the people of Leassé and + Môut driven into the water, so that he might shoot at them + with a new rifle which Késa or the other ship + captain—I forget which—had given to him. But he + wanted most of all to get Cerita, the wife of Letya, the white + man. Only Cerita was to live. These were Charlik's words. He + did not know that her husband had returned from the sea. Had he + known that, he would not have given all his money and all his + oil to the two white captains to +<!-- Page 107 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page102" name="page102">[pg 102]</a> + </span> + + help him to make Leassé and Môut desolate and give + our bones to his dogs to eat.</p> + + <p>"It was a great trap—the trap prepared by Letya; and + Charlik's men and the white men with them fell in it. They fell + as a stone falls in a deep well, and sinks and is no more seen + of men.</p> + + <p>"This was the manner of the trap: The path down the cliff + was between two high walls of rock; at the foot of the cliff + was a thick clump of high pandanus trees growing closely + together. In between these trees Letya built a high barrier of + logs, encompassing the outlet of the path to Leassé. This + barrier was a half circle; the two ends touched the edge of the + cliff, and the centre was hidden among the pandanus trees. On + the top of this barrier the men of Leassé waited with + loaded muskets; lower down on the ground were others, they too + had loaded muskets. On the top of the cliff where the path led + down, fifty men were hidden. They were hidden in the thick + scrub which we call + <i>oap. Oap</i> + + is a good thing in which to hide from an enemy, and then spring + from and slay him suddenly.</p> + + <p>"I, who was then a boy, saw all this. I heard Letya, our + white man, tell the head of our village that Charlik's men + would enter into the trap and perish. Then kava was made, and + Letya and the head men drank. Kava is good, but rum is better + to make men fight. We had no rum, but we had great love for + Letya and his wife, and his two children, and great hate for + Charlik. So we said, 'If this is death, it is death,' and every + man went to his post—some to the barrier at the foot of + the cliff, and some to the thicket +<!-- Page 108 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page103" name="page103">[pg 103]</a> + </span> + + of + <i>oap</i> + + on the summit. Cerita, the wife of Letya the Englishman, was + weeping. She was weeping because Nená, the chief of + Môut, was waiting in the house to kill her if her husband + should be slain. But she did not weep because of the fear of + death; it was for her children she wept. That is the way of + women. What is the life of a child to the life of a man?</p> + + <p>"Nená was my father's brother. He was a brave man, but + was too old to fight, for his eyes were dimmed by many years. + So he sat beside Cerita and her two children, with a long knife + in his hand and waited. He covered his face with a mat and + waited. It was right for him to do this, for Letya was a great + man; and his wife, although she was a foreigner, was an + honoured woman. Therefore though Nená might not look upon + her face at other times, he could kill her if Letya said she + must die. This was quite right and correct. A wife must be + guided by her husband and do what is right and correct, and + avoid scandal.</p> + + <p>"For many hours the women in the houses waited in silence. + Then suddenly they heard the thunder of two hundred guns, and + the roaring of voices, then more muskets. They ran out of the + houses and looked up to the cliff, and lo! the sky was bright + as day, for when Charlik's people and the white men walked into + the trap in the darkness, Letya and our people set alight great + heaps of dry leaves and scrub, which were placed all along the + barrier of logs. This was done so that they could see better to + shoot. There were thirty or forty of Charlik's men killed by + that volley. +<!-- Page 109 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page104" name="page104">[pg 104]</a> + </span> + + The white man who was leading them was very brave; he tried to + climb over the barrier, but fell back dead, for a man named Sru + thrust a whale-lance into his heart. All this time the other + white men and the rest of Charlik's people were firing their + muskets, but their bullets only hit the heavy logs of the + barrier, and Letya and our people killed them very easily by + putting their muskets through the spaces. When the sailors saw + their captain fall, they tried to run away, and the Lele + warriors ran with them. But when they reached the path which + led up between the cliff, it too was blocked, and many of them + became jammed together between the walls, and these were all + killed very easily—some with bullets, and some with big + stones. Then those that were left ran round and found inside + the trap, trying to get out. They were like rats in a cask, and + our people kept killing them as they ran. Some of + them—about thirty—did climb over, but all were + killed, for when they jumped down on the other side our people + were there waiting. At last four of the sailors made a big hole + by tearing out two posts, and rushed out, followed by the Lele + men. Letya was the first man to meet the sailors, and he told + them to surrender. Two of them threw down their arms, but the + other two ran at Letya, and one of them ran his cutlass into + him. It went in at the stomach, and Letya fell. We killed all + these white sailors, but some of the Lele men escaped. That was + a great pity, but then how can these things be helped?" The two + strange white men who were fighting beside Lētya, picked + him up, and they carried him +<!-- Page 110 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page105" name="page105">[pg 105]</a> + </span> + + into his house. He was not dead, but he said, 'I shall soon + die, take me to my wife.' I did not go with them to the house. + I went into the barrier with the other youths to kill the + wounded. It is a foolish thing not to kill wounded men; they + may get better and kill you. So we killed them. There were + fourteen white men slain in that fight beside their + captain.</p> + + <p>"Before it was daylight some of our men set out along the + beach to look for the boats. They did not want to kill any more + white men, but they did want to kill Charlik. They were very + fortunate, for before they had gone far on their way they saw + three of the boats coming along close in to the beach. So they + hid behind some rocks. Charlik was in the first boat; he was + standing in the bow pointing out the way. When he came very + close they all fired together, and Charlik's life was gone. He + fell dead into the sea. Then the boats all turned seaward, and + pulled hard for the ships. Then before long, we saw the other + three boats going back to the ships; in these last were four of + Charlik's men who had escaped. The boats were quickly pulled + up, and the ships sailed away, for those on board were + terrified when they heard that all the white men they had sent + to fight were dead.</p> + + <p>"Letya did not die at once—not for two days. Cerita + his wife and two white men watched beside him all this time. + Before he died he called the head men to him, and said that he + gave his small ship to the two white men, together with many + other things. All his money he gave to his wife, and told her + she must go away with the white men, who would take +<!-- Page 111 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page106" name="page106">[pg 106]</a> + </span> + + her back to her own people. To the head men he gave many + valuable things, such as tierces of tobacco and barrels of + powder. This was quite right and proper, and showed he knew + what was correct to do before he died. We buried him on the + little islet over there called Bèsi.</p> + + <p>"The two white men and Cerita and her two children went away + in the little ship. But they did not go to Cerita's country: + they remained at Ponapé, and there the tall man of the + two—the officer—married Cerita. All this we learnt + a year afterwards from the captain of a whaling ship. It was + quite right and proper for Letya's widow to marry so quickly, + and to marry the man who had been a friend to her husband."</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 112 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page107" name="page107">[pg 107]</a> + </span> + + <a name='A_Hundred_Fathoms_Deep'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>A Hundred Fathoms Deep</i> + </h2> + + <p>There is still a world or discovery open to the + ichthyologist who, in addition to scientific knowledge, is a + lover of deep-sea fishing, has some nerve, and is content to + undergo some occasional rough experiences, if he elects to + begin his researches among the many island groups of the North + and South Pacific. I possessed, to some extent, the two latter + qualifications; the former, much to my present and lasting + regret, I did not. Nearly twenty-six years ago the vessel in + which I sailed as supercargo was wrecked on Strong's Island, + the eastern outlier of the fertile Caroline Archipelago, and + for more than twelve months I devoted the greater part of my + time to traversing the mountainous island from end to end, or, + accompanied by a hardy and intelligent native, in fishing, + either in the peculiarly-formed lagoon at the south end, or two + miles or so outside the barrier reef.</p> + + <p>The master of the vessel, I may mention, was the notorious, + over maligned, and genial Captain Bully Hayes, and from him I + had learnt a little about some of the generally unknown + deep-sea fish of Polynesia and Melanesia. He had told me that + when once +<!-- Page 113 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page108" name="page108">[pg 108]</a> + </span> + + sailing between Aneityum and Tanna, in the New Hebrides, + shortly after a severe volcanic eruption on the former island + had been followed by a submarine convulsion, his brig passed + through many hundreds of dead and dying fish of great size, + some of which were of a character utterly unknown to any of his + native crew—men who came from all parts of the North and + South Pacific. More remarkable still, some of these fish had + never before been seen by the inhabitants of the islands near + which they were found. There were, he said, some five or six + kinds, but they were all of the groper family. One of three + which was brought on board was discovered floating on the + surface when the ship was five miles off Tanna. A boat was + lowered, but on getting up to it, the crew found they were + unable to lift it from the water; it was, however, towed to the + ship, hoisted on board, and cut into three parts, the whole of + which were weighed, and reached over 300 lbs. In colour it was + a dull grey, with large, closely-adhering scales about the size + of a florin; the fins, tail, and lips were blue. Another one, + weighing less, had a differently-shaped head, with a curious, + pipe-like mouth; this was a uniform dull blue. A similar + upturning from the ocean's dark depths of strange fish occurred + during a submarine earthquake near Rose Island, a barren spot + to the south-west of Samoa. The disturbance threw up vast + numbers of fish upon the reefs of Manua, the nearest island of + the group, and the natives looked upon their great size and + peculiar appearance with unbounded astonishment.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 114 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page109" name="page109">[pg 109]</a> + </span> + + Without desiring to bore the reader with unnecessary details of + my own experiences in the South Seas, but because the statement + bears on the subject of this article—a subject which has + been my delight since I was a boy of ten years of age—I + may say that, nine years after the loss of Captain Hayes's + vessel on Strong's Island, I was again shipwrecked on Peru, one + of the Gilbert, or, as we traders call them, the "Line" + Islands. Here I was so fortunate as to take up my residence + with one of the local traders, a Swiss named Frank Voliero, who + was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and whose catches were the + envy and wonder of the wild and intractable natives among whom + he lived; for he had excellent tackle, which enabled him to + fish at depths seldom tried by the natives, who have no reason + to go beyond sixty or eighty fathoms. In the long interval that + had elapsed since my fishing days in the Carolines and my + arrival at Peru Island, I had gained such experience in my + hobby in many other parts of the Pacific as falls to few men, + and the desire to fish in deep water, and get something that + astonished the natives of the various islands, had become a + passion with me. Voliero and myself went out together + frequently, and, did space permit, I should like to describe + the fortune that attended us at Peru, as well as my fishing + adventures at Strong's Island.</p> + + <p>In a former work I have endeavoured to describe that + extraordinary nocturnal-feeding fish, the + <i>palu</i> + + , and the manner of its capture by the Malayo-Polynesian + islanders of the Equatorial Pacific, and in the present +<!-- Page 115 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page110" name="page110">[pg 110]</a> + </span> + + article I shall try to convey to my readers an idea of deep-sea + fishing in the South Seas generally. When I was living on the + little island of Nanomaga (one of the Ellice Group, situated + about 600 miles to the north-west of Samoa), as the one + resident trader, I found myself in—if I may use the + term—a marine paradise, as far as fishing went. The + natives were one and all expert fishermen, extremely jealous of + their reputation of being not only the best and most skilful + men in Polynesia in the handling of their frail canoes in a + heavy surf, but also of being deep-learned in the lore of + deep-sea fishing.</p> + + <p>My arrival at the island caused no little commotion among + the young bloods, each of whose chances of gaining the girl of + his heart, and being united to her by the local Samoan + missionary teacher, depended in a great measure upon his + ability to provide sustenance for her from the sea; for + Nanomaga, like the rest of the Ellice Group, is but little more + than a richly-verdured sandbank, based upon a foundation of + coral, and yielding nothing to its people but coconuts and a + coarse species of taro, called puraka. The inhabitants, in + their low-lying atolls, possess no running streams, no fertile + soil, in which, as in the mountainous isles of Polynesia, the + breadfruit, the yam, and the sweet potato grow and flourish + side by side with such rich and luscious fruits as the orange + and banana, and pineapple—they have but the beneficent + coconut and the evergiving sea to supply their needs. And the + sea is kind to them, as Nature meant it to be to her own + children.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 116 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page111" name="page111">[pg 111]</a> + </span> + + The native missionary at Nanomaga was a Samoan. He was intended + by nature to be a warrior, a leader of men; or—and no + higher praise can I give to his dauntless courage—a + boat-header on a sperm whaler. Strong of arm and quick of eye, + he was the very man to either throw the harpoon or deal the + death-giving thrust or the lance to the monarch of the ocean + world; but fate or circumstance had made him a missionary + instead. He was a fairly good missionary, but a better + fisherman.</p> + + <p>Three miles from Nanomaga is a submerged reef, marked on the + chart as the Grand Coral Reef, but known to the natives as Tia + Kau, "the reef." It is in reality a vast mountain of coral, + whose bases lie two hundred fathoms deep, with a flattened + summit of about fifty acres in extent, rising to within five + fathoms of the surface of the sea. This spot is the resort of + incredible numbers of fish, both deep-sea haunting and surface + swimming. Some of the latter, such as the + <i>pala</i> + + (not the + <i>palu</i> + + )—a long, scaleless, beautifully-formed fish, with a head + of bony plates and teeth like a rip-saw—are of great + size, and afford splendid sport, as they are game fighters and + almost as powerful as a porpoise. They run to over 100 lbs., + and yet are by no means a coarse fish. In the shallow water on + the top of this mountain reef there are some eight or nine + varieties of rock cod, none of which were of any great size; + but far below, at a depth of from fifty to seventy fathoms, + there were some truly monstrous fish of this species, and I and + my missionary friend had the luck to catch the four largest + ever taken—221 lbs., 208 lbs., 118 lbs., and 111 lbs. I + had caught when fishing for +<!-- Page 117 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page112" name="page112">[pg 112]</a> + </span> + + schnapper, in thirty fathoms off Camden Haven, on the coast of + New South Wales, a mottled black and grey rock cod, which + weighed 83 lbs., and was assured by the Sydney Museum + authorities that such a weight for a rock cod was rare in that + part of the Pacific, but that + <i>bêche-de-mer</i> + + fishermen on the Great Barrier Reef had occasionally captured + fish of the same variety of double that size and weight.</p> + + <p>Not possessing a boat, we fished from a canoe—a light, + but strong and beautifully constructed craft, with "whalebacks" + fore and aft to keep it from being swamped by seas when facing + or running from a surf. The outrigger was formed of a very + light wood, called + <i>pua</i> + + , about fourteen inches in circumference. With the teacher and + myself there usually went with us a third man, whose duty it + was to keep the canoe head to wind, for anchoring in deep water + in such a tiny craft was out of the question, as well as + dangerous, should a heavy fish or a shark get foul of the + outrigger. Capsizes in the daytime we did not mind, but at + night numbers of grey sharks were always cruising around, and + they were then especially savage and daring.</p> + + <p>Leaving the pretty little village, which was embowered in a + palm grove on the lee side of the island, we would, if + intending to fish on the Tia Kau, make a start before dawn, + remain there till the canoe was loaded to her raised gunwale + pieces with the weight of fish, and then return. Night fishing + on the Tia Kau by a single canoe was forbidden by the + <i>kaupule</i> + + (head men) as being too dangerous on account of the sharks, and + so usually from ten to twenty canoes set out +<!-- Page 118 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page113" name="page113">[pg 113]</a> + </span> + + together. If one did come to grief through being swamped, or + capsized by having the outrigger fouled by a shark, there was + always assistance near at hand, and it rarely happened that any + of the crew were bitten. In 1872, however, a fearful tragedy + occurred on the Tia Kau, when a party of seventy + natives—men, women, and children—who were crossing + to the neighbouring Island of Nanomea, were attacked by sharks + when overtaken on the reef by a squall at night. Only two + escaped to tell the tale. + <a href="#footnote_14" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[14]</span> + </a> + </p> + + <p>If, however, we meant to try for + <i>takuo</i> + + , a huge variety of the mackerel-tribe, or + <i>lahe'u</i> + + , a magnificent bream-shaped fish, we had no need to go so far + as the dangerous Tia Kau; three or four cable-lengths from the + beach, and right in front of the village, we could lie in water + as smooth as glass, and seventy fathoms in depth. Our bait was + invariably flying-fish, freshly caught, or the tentacles of an + octopus. My lines were of white American cotton, and I + generally used two hooks, one below and one above the sinker, + both baited with a whole flying-fish, while my companions + preferred wooden or iron hooks, of their own manufacture, and + lines made from hibiscus bark or coconut fibre.</p> + + <p>I shall always remember with pleasure my first + <i>lahe'u</i> + + . I was accompanied by the native teacher alone, and we paddled + off from the village just after evening service, and brought to + about a quarter of a mile outside the reef. The rest of the + islanders had gone +<!-- Page 119 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page114" name="page114">[pg 114]</a> + </span> + + round in their canoes to the weather side of the little island + to fish for + <i>takuo</i> + + , for we were expecting a + <i>malaga</i> + + , or party of visitors from the Island of Nukufetau in a day or + two, and unusual supplies of fish had to be obtained, to + sustain, not only the island's record as the fishing centre of + the universe, but the people's reputation for hospitality. It + had been my suggestion to the teacher that he and I, who were + unable to accompany the others, should try what we could do + nearer home. The night was brilliantly starlight, and the sea + as smooth as glass—so smooth that there was not even the + faintest swell upon the reef. The trade wind was at rest, and + not the faintest breath of air moved the foliage of the coco + palms lining the white strip of beach. Now and then a splash or + a sudden commotion in the water around us would denote that + some hapless flying-fish had taken an aerial flight from a + pursuing + <i>pala</i> + + , or that a shark had seized a turtle in his cruel jaws. + Lighting our pipes, we lowered our lines together according to + island etiquette, and touched bottom at thirty fathoms; then + hauled in a fathom or two of line to avoid fouling the coral. + In a few minutes my companion hooked an + <i>utu</i> + + , a sluggish fish, somewhat like a salmon in appearance, with + shining silvery scales and a broad flat head. As he was hauling + in, and I was looking over the side of the canoe to watch it + coming up, I felt a sharp, heavy tug at my own line, and, + before I could check it, thirty or forty yards of line whizzed + through my fingers with lightning speed.</p> + + <p>" + <i>Lahe'u!</i> + + " shouted the teacher, hurriedly making +<!-- Page 120 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page115" name="page115">[pg 115]</a> + </span> + + his own line fast, and whipping up his paddle. "Don't give out + any more line or he will run under the reef, and we shall lose + him."</p> + + <p>I knew by the vibration and hum of the line as soon as I had + it well in hand that there was a heavy and powerful fish at the + end. Ioane, disregarding the + <i>utu</i> + + as being of no importance in comparison to a + <i>lahe'u</i> + + , was plunging his paddle rapidly into the water, and + endeavouring to back the canoe seaward into deeper water, but, + in spite of his efforts and my own, we were being taken quickly + inshore. For some two or three minutes the canoe was dragged + steadily landward, and I knew that once the + <i>lahe'u</i> + + succeeded in getting underneath the overhanging ledge of reef, + there would be but little chance of our taking him except by + diving, and diving on a moonless night under a reef, and + freeing a fish from jagged branches of coral, is not a pleasant + task, although an Ellice Islander does not much mind it. + Finding that I could not possibly turn the fish, I asked Ioane + what I should do. He told me to let go a few fathoms of line, + brace my knee against the thwart, and then trust to the sudden + jerk to cant the fish's head one way or the other. I did as I + was told. Out flew the line, and then came a shock that made + the canoe fairly jump, lifted the outrigger clear out of the + water, and all but capsized her. But the ruse was successful, + for, with a furious shake, + <i>lahe'u</i> + + changed his course, and started off at a tremendous rate, + parallel with the reef, and then gradually headed seaward.</p> + + <p>"Let him go," said Ioane, who was carefully +<!-- Page 121 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page116" name="page116">[pg 116]</a> + </span> + + watching the tautened-out line, and steering at the same time. + "'Tis a strong fish, but he is + <i>man tonu</i> + + (truly hooked), and will now tire. But give him no more line, + and haul up to him."</p> + + <p>For fully five minutes the canoe went flying over the water, + and I continued to haul in line fathom by fathom, until I + caught sight of, deep down in the water right ahead, a great + phosphorescent boil and bubble. Then the pace began to slacken, + as the gallant fighter began to turn from side to side, shaking + his head and making futile breaks from port to starboard. + Bidding me come amidships with the line, Ioane took in his + paddle, and picked up the harpoon which we always carried on + the outrigger platform in case of meeting a turtle. Nearer and + nearer came the great fish, till, with a splash of + phosphorescent light and spray, he came to the surface, beating + the water with his forked and bony tail, and still trying to + get a chance for another downward run. Then Ioane, waiting his + opportunity, sent the iron clean through him from side to side, + and I sat down and watched, with a thrill of satisfaction and a + sigh of relief, his final flurry. In a few minutes we hauled + him alongside, drew the harpoon, and with some difficulty + managed to get him over the side and lower him into the bottom + of the canoe amidships, where he lay fore and aft, his curved + back standing up nearly a foot and a half above the raised + gunwale. Although not above four feet in length, he was nearly + three in depth, and about sixteen inches thick at the + shoulder—a truly noble fish.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 122 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page117" name="page117">[pg 117]</a> + </span> + + We have done well," said the teacher, with a pleased laugh, as + he hauled in his own line and dropped a 6-lb. + <i>utu</i> + + into the canoe. "There will be much talk over this to-morrow, + for these people here are very conceited, and think that no one + but themselves can catch + <i>lahe'u</i> + + and + <i>pala</i> + + . They will know better now, when they see this one."</p> + + <p>We returned to the shore within two hours from the time we + left, with my + <i>lahe'u</i> + + , an + <i>utu</i> + + , and five or six salmon-like fish called + <i>tau-tau</i> + + , all nocturnal feeders, and all highly thought of by the + natives, especially the latter. The + <i>lahe'u</i> + + we hung up under the missionary's verandah, and at daylight I + had the intense satisfaction of seeing a crowd of natives + surrounding it, and of hearing their flattering allusions to + myself as a + <i>papalagi masani tonu futi íka</i> + + —a white man who really could fish like a native.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 123 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page118" name="page118">[pg 118]</a> + </span> + + <a name='On_a_Tidal_River'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>On a Tidal River</i> + </h2> + + <p>The English visitor to the Eastern Colonies of Australia who + is in search of sport with either rod or hand line can always + obtain excellent fishing in the summer months even in such + traffic-disturbed harbours as Sydney, Newcastle, and other + ports; but on the tidal rivers of the eastern and southern + seaboard he can, every day, catch more fish than he can carry + during seven months of the year. In the true winter months deep + sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence + of westerly winds, when, for days at a time, the Pacific is as + smooth as a lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, + which is a few miles over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed + River on the north of New South Wales, the stranger may fairly + revel not only in the delights of splendid fishing but in the + charms of beautiful scenery. He needs no guide, will be put to + but little expense, for the country hotel accommodation is good + and cheap; and, should he visit some of the northern rivers + where the towns, or rather small settlements, are few and far + between, he will find the settlers the embodiment of British + hospitality.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 124 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page119" name="page119">[pg 119]</a> + </span> + + Some three years ago the writer formed one of the crew of a + little steamer of fifty tons named the + <i>Jenny Lind</i> + + , which was sent out along the coast in the endeavour to revive + the coast whaling industry. Through stress of weather we had + frequently to make a dash for shelter, towing our sole + whaleboat, to one of the many tidal rivers on the coast between + Sydney and Gabo Island. Here we would remain until the weather + broke, and our crew would literally cover the deck with an + extraordinary variety of fish in the course of a few hours. + Then, at low tide, we could always fill a couple of cornsacks + with excellent oysters, and get bucketfuls of large prawns by + means of a scoop net improvised from a piece of mosquito + netting; game, too, was very plentiful on the lagoons. The + settlers were generally glad to see us, and gave us so freely + of milk, butter, pumpkins, &c., that, despite the rough + handling we always got at sea from the weather, we grew quite + fat. But as the greater part of my fishing experience was + gained on the northern rivers of the colony of N.S. Wales it is + of them I shall write.</p> + + <p>Eighteen hours' run by steamer from Sydney is the Hastings + River, on the southern bank of which, a mile from the bar, is + the old-time town of Port Macquarie, a quaint, sleepy little + place of six hundred inhabitants, who spend their days in + fishing and sleeping and waiting for better times. There are + two or three fairly good hotels, very pretty scenery along the + coast and up the river, and a stranger can pass a month without + suffering from ennui— +<!-- Page 125 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page120" name="page120">[pg 120]</a> + </span> + + that is, of course, if he be fond of fishing and shooting; if + he is not he should avoid going there, for it is the dullest + coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore, from the + steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach, + on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit + down in comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and + flathead. As soon as the tide turns, however, and is well on + the ebb or flow, further fishing is impossible, for the river + rushes out to sea with great velocity, and the incoming tide is + almost as swift. On the other side of the harbour is a long, + sandy point, called the North Shore, about a mile in length. + This, at the north end, is met by a somewhat dense scrub, which + lines the right bank of the river for a couple of miles, and + affords a splendid shade to any one fishing on the river bank. + The outer or ocean beach is but a few minutes' walk from the + river, and a magnificent beach it is, trending in one great + unbroken curve to Point Plomer, seven miles from the + township.</p> + + <p>Before ascending the river on a fishing trip one has to + provide one's self with a plentiful supply of cockles, or + "pippies," as they are called locally. These can only be + obtained on the northern ocean beach, and not the least + enjoyable part of a day's sport consists in getting them. They + are triangular in shape, with smooth shells of every imaginable + colour, though a rich purple is commonest. As the back wash + leaves the sands bare these bivalves may be seen in thick but + irregular patches protruding from the sand. Some +<!-- Page 126 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page121" name="page121">[pg 121]</a> + </span> + + times, if the tide is not low enough, one may get rolled over + by the surf if he happen to have his back turned seaward. + Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as "Condon's + Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the + smartest young sportsmen—although only twelve years + old—ever met with. Both were very small for their age, + and I was always in doubt as to which was which. They were + always delighted to come with me, and did not mind being soused + by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag. Pippies + are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in + Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch + fish bait of any sort, although, when very hungry, it will + sometimes take to octopus flesh. Bream (whether black or + silvery), flathead, trevally, jew-fish, and, indeed, all other + fish obtained in Australia, are not so dainty, for, although + they like "pippies" and prawns best, they will take raw meat, + fish, or octopus bait with readiness. Certain species of sea + and river mullet are like them in this respect, and good sport + may be had from them with a rod in the hot months, as Dick and + Fred, the twins aforesaid, well knew, for often would their + irate father wrathfully ask them why they wasted their time + catching "them worthless mullet."</p> + + <p>But let me give an idea of one of many days' fishing on the + Hastings, spent with the "Twins." Having filled a sugar bag + with "pippies" on the ocean beach, we put on our boots and make + our way through the belt of scrub to where our boat is lying, +<!-- Page 127 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page122" name="page122">[pg 122]</a> + </span> + + tied to the protruding roots of a tree. Each of us is armed + with a green stick, and we pick our way pretty carefully, for + black snakes are plentiful, and to tread on one may mean death. + The density of the foliage overhead is such that but little + sunlight can pierce through it, and the ground is soft to our + feet with the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath. No sound + but the murmuring of the sea and the hoarse notes of countless + gulls breaks the silence, for this side of the river is + uninhabited, and its solitude disturbed only by some settler + who has ridden down the coast to look for straying cattle, or + by a fishing party from the town. Our boat, which we had hauled + up and then tied to the tree, is now afloat, for the tide has + risen, and the long stretches of yellow sandbanks which line + the channel on the farther side are covered now with a foot of + water. As we drift up the river, eating our lunch, and letting + the boat take care of herself, a huge, misshapen thing comes + round a low point, emitting horrid groanings and wheezings. It + is a steam stern-wheel punt, loaded with mighty logs of + black-butt and tallow wood, from fifty feet to seventy feet in + length, cut far up the Hastings and the Maria and Wilson + Rivers, and destined for the sawmill at Port Macquarie.</p> + + <p>In another hour we are at our landing-place, a selector's + abandoned homestead, built of rough slabs, and standing about + fifty yards back from the river and the narrow line of brown, + winding beach. The roof had long since fallen in, and the + fences and outbuildings lay low, covered with vines and + creepers. The intense solitude of the place, the motionless + forest +<!-- Page 128 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page123" name="page123">[pg 123]</a> + </span> + + of lofty grey-boled swamp gums that encompassed it on all sides + but one, and the wide stretch of river before it were + calculated to inspire melancholy in any one but an ardent + fisherman. Scarcely have we hauled our boat up on the sand, and + deposited our provisions and water in the roofless house, when + we hear a commotion in the river—a swarm of fish called + "tailer" are making havoc among a "school" of small mullet, + many of which fling themselves out upon the sand. Presently all + is quiet again, and we get our lines ready.</p> + + <p>For whiting and silvery bream rather fine lines are used, + but we each have a heavy line for flathead, for these fish are + caught in the tidal rivers on a sandy bottom up to three feet + and four feet in length. They are in colour, both on back and + belly, much like a sole, of great width across the shoulders, + and then taper away to a very fine tail. The head is perfectly + flat, very thin, and armed on each side with very sharp bones + pointing tailward; a wound from one of these causes intense + inflammation. The fins are small—so small as to appear + almost rudimentary—yet the fish swims, or rather darts, + along the bottom with amazing rapidity. They love to lie along + the banks a few feet from the shore, where, concealed in the + sand, they can dart out upon and seize their prey in their + enormous "gripsack" mouths. The approach of a boat or a person + walking along the sand will cause them to at once speed like + lightning into deep water, leaving behind them a wake of sand + and mud which is washed off their backs in their flight. Still, + although not a +<!-- Page 129 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page124" name="page124">[pg 124]</a> + </span> + + pleasing fish to look at, the flathead is of a delicious and + delicate flavour. There are some variations in their shades of + colour, from a pale, delicate grey to a very dark brown, + according to their habitat, and, although most frequent in very + shallow water, they are often caught in great quantities off + the coast in from ten to fifteen fathoms of water. Gut or wire + snoodings are indispensable when fishing for flathead, else the + fish invariably severs the line with his fine needle-pointed + teeth, which are set very closely together. Nothing comes amiss + to them as food, but they have a great love for small mullet or + whiting, or a piece of octopus tentacle.</p> + + <p>Baiting our heavy lines with mullet—two hooks with + brass-wire snoods to each line—we throw out about thirty + yards, then, leaving two or three fathoms loose upon the shore, + we each thrust a stick firmly into the sand, and take a turn of + the line round it. As the largest flathead invariably dart upon + the bait, and then make a bolt with it, this plan is a good one + to follow, unless, of course, they are biting freely; in that + case the smaller lines for bream and whiting, &c., are + hauled in, for there is more real sport in landing an 8-lb. + flathead than there is in catching smaller fish, for he is very + game, and fights fiercely for his life.</p> + + <p>Having disposed our big lines, we bait the smaller ones with + "pippies," and not two minutes at the outside elapse after the + sinkers have touched bottom when we know we are to have a good + time, for each of us has hooked a fish, and three whiting are + kicking on the sand before five minutes have expired. Then +<!-- Page 130 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page125" name="page125">[pg 125]</a> + </span> + + for another hour we throw out and haul in again as quickly as + possible, landing whiting from 6 oz. to nearly 2 lbs. in + weight. One of the "Twins" has three hooks on his line, and + occasionally lands three fish together, and now and again we + get small bream and an occasional "tailer" of 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. + As the sun mounts higher the breeze dies away, the heat becomes + very great, and we have frequent recourse to our water + jar—in one case mixing it with whisky. Then the whiting + cease to bite as suddenly as they have begun, and move off into + deeper water. Just as we are debating as to whether we shall + take the boat out into mid-stream, Twin Dick gives a yell as + his stick is suddenly whipped out of the sand, and the loose + line lying beside it rushes away into the water. But Dick is an + old hand, and lets his fish have his first bolt, and then turns + him. "By Jingo! sir, he's a big fellow," he cries, as he hauls + in, the line now as taut as a telegraph wire, and then the + other twin comes to his aid, and in a few minutes the outline + of the fish is seen, coming in straight ahead as quick as they + can pull him. When he is within ten feet of the beach the boys + run up the bank and land him safely, as he turns his body into + a circle in his attempts to shake out the hook. Being called + upon to estimate his weight, I give it as 11 lbs., much to the + twins' sorrow—they think it 15 lbs.</p> + + <p>Half an hour passes, and we catch but half a dozen silvery + bream and some small baby whiting, for now the sun is beating + down upon our heads, and our naked feet begin to burn and + sting, so we adjourn to +<!-- Page 131 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page126" name="page126">[pg 126]</a> + </span> + + the old house and rest awhile, leaving our big lines securely + tied. But, though the breeze for which we wait comes along by + two o'clock, the fish do not, and so, after disinterring our + takes from the wet sand wherein we had buried them as caught to + prevent them being spoilt by the sun, we get aboard again and + pull across to the opposite bank of the river. Here, in much + deeper water, about fifteen feet right under the clayey bank, + we can see hundreds of fine bream, and now and then some small + jew-fish. Taking off our sinkers, we have as good and more + exciting sport among the bream than we had with the whiting, + catching between four and five dozen by six o'clock. Then, + after boiling the billy and eating some fearfully tough corned + meat, we get into the boat again, hoist our sail, and land at + the little township just after dark.</p> + + <p>Such was one of many similar day's sport on the Hastings, + which, with the Bellinger, the Nambucca, the Macleay, and the + Clarence, affords good fishing practically all the year round. + Then, besides these tidal rivers, there are at frequent + intervals along the coast tidal lagoons and "blind" creeks + where fish congregate in really incredible quantities. Such + places as Lake Illawarra and Lake Macquarie are fishing resorts + well known to the tourist; but along the northern coast, where + the population is scantier, and access by rail or steamer more + difficult, there is an absolutely new field open to the + sportsman—in fact, these places are seldom visited for + either fishing or shooting by people from Sydney. During +<!-- Page 132 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page127" name="page127">[pg 127]</a> + </span> + + November and December the bars of these rivers are literally + black with incredible numbers of coarse sea-salmon—a fish + much like the English sea-bass—which, making their way + over the bars, swim up the rivers and remain there for about a + week. Although these fish, which weigh from 6 lbs. to 10 lbs., + do not take a bait and are rather too coarse to eat, their roes + are very good, especially when smoked. They are captured with + the greatest of ease, either by spearing or by the hand; for + sometimes they are in such dense masses that they are unable to + manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins of coastal towns hail + their yearly advent with delight. They usually make their first + appearance about the second week in November, and are always + followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish, + which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless + ranks. Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in + January by shoals of very large sea-mullet—blue-black + backs, silvery bellies and sides, and yellow fins and tails. + These, too, will not take a bait, but are caught in nets, and, + if a steamer happens to be on the eve of leaving for Sydney, + many hundreds of baskets are sent away; but they barely pay the + cost of freight and commission, I believe. There are several + varieties of sea-mullet, one or two of which will take the hook + freely, and I have often caught them off the rocky coast of New + South Wales with a rod when the sea has been smooth. The + arrival of the big sea-mullet denotes that the season for + jew-fish is at its height; and if the stranger to Australian +<!-- Page 133 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page128" name="page128">[pg 128]</a> + </span> + + waters wants exciting sport let him try jew-fishing at night. + In deep water off the coast these great fish are occasionally + caught during daylight, but a dull, cloudy night is best, when + they may be caught from the beach or river bank in shallow + water. Very stout lines and heavy hooks are used, for a 90-lb. + or l00-lb. jew-fish is very common. Baiting with a whole mullet + or whiting, or one of the tentacles of an octopus, the most + amateurish fisherman cannot fail to hook two or three jew-fish + in a night. (Even in Sydney harbour I have seen some very large + ones caught by people fishing from ferry wharves.) They are + very powerful, and also very game, and when they rise to the + surface make a terrific splashing. At one place on the Hastings + River, called Blackman's Point, a party of four of us took + thirteen fish, the heaviest of which was 42 lbs. and the + lightest 9 lbs. Next morning, however, the Blackman's Point + ferryman, who always set a line from his punt when he turned + in, showed us one of over 70 lbs. When they grow to such a size + as this they are not eaten locally, as the flesh is very often + full of thin, thread-like worms. The young fish, however, are + very palatable.</p> + + <p>The saw-fish, to which I have before alluded as harrying the + swarms of sea-salmon, also make havoc with the jew-fish, and + very often are caught on jew-fish lines. They are terrible + customers to get foul of (I do not confound them with the + sword-fish) when fishing from a small boat. Their huge bone + bill, set on both sides with its terrible sharp spikes, their + great length, and enormous strength, render it impossible +<!-- Page 134 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page129" name="page129">[pg 129]</a> + </span> + + to even get them alongside, and there is no help for it but + either to cut the line or pull up anchor and land the creature + on the shore. Even then the task of despatching one of these + fish is no child's play on a dark night, for they lash their + long tails about with such fury that a broken leg might be the + result of coming too close. In the rivers of Northern + Queensland the saw-fish attain an enormous size, and the + Chinese fishermen about Cooktown and Townsville often have + their nets destroyed by a saw-fish enfolding himself in them. + Alligators, by the way, do the same thing there, and are + sometimes captured, perfectly helpless, in the folds of the + nets, in which they have rolled themselves over and over again, + tearing it beyond repair with their feet, but eventually + yielding to their fate.</p> + + <p>The schnapper, the best of all Australian fish, is too well + known to English visitors to describe in detail. Most town-bred + Australians generally regard it as a purely ocean-loving fish, + or at least only frequenting very deep waters in deep harbours, + such as Sydney, Jervis Bay, and Twofold Bay. This is quite a + mistake, for in many of the rivers, twenty or more miles up + from the sea, the writer and many other people have not only + caught these beautiful fish, but seen fishermen haul in their + nets filled with them. But they seldom remain long, preferring + the blue depths of ocean to the muddy bottoms of tidal rivers, + for they are rock-haunting and surf-loving.</p> + + <p>Of late years the northern bar harbours and rivers of New + South Wales have been visited by a fish that +<!-- Page 135 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page130" name="page130">[pg 130]</a> + </span> + + in my boyhood's days was unknown even to the oldest + fisherman—the bonito. Although in shape and size they + exactly resemble the ocean bonito of tropic seas, these new + arrivals are lighter in colour, with bands of marbled grey + along the sides and belly. They bite freely at a running + bait— + <i>i.e.,</i> + + when a line is towed astern, and are very good when eaten quite + fresh, but, like all of the mackerel tribe, rapidly deteriorate + in a few hours after being caught. The majority of the coast + settlers will not eat them, being under the idea that, as they + are all but scaleless, they are "poisonous." This silly + impression also prevails with regard to many other scaleless + fish on the Australian coast, some of which, such as the + trevally, are among the best and most delicate in flavour. The + black and white rock cod is also regarded with aversion by the + untutored settlers of the small coast settlements, yet these + fish are sold in Sydney, like the schnapper, at prohibitive + prices.</p> + + <p>In conclusion, let me advise any one who is contemplating a + visit to Australia, and means to devote any of his time to + either river or sea fishing, to take his rods with him; all the + rest of his tackle he can buy as cheap in the colonies as he + can in England. Rods are but little used in salt-water fishing + in Australia, and are rather expensive. Those who do use a rod + are usually satisfied with a bamboo—a very good rod it + makes, too, although inconvenient to carry when + travelling—but the generality of people use hand lines. + And the visitor must not be persuaded that he can always get + good fishing without +<!-- Page 136 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page131" name="page131">[pg 131]</a> + </span> + + going some distance from Sydney or Melbourne. That there is + some excellent sport to be obtained in Port Jackson in summer + is true, but it is lacking in a very essential thing—the + quietude that is dear to the heart of every true fisherman.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 137 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page132" name="page132">[pg 132]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Denison_Gets_Another_Ship'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Denison Gets Another Ship</i> + </h2> + + <p>Owing to reduced circumstances, and a growing hatred of the + hardships of the sea, young Tom Denison (ex-supercargo of the + South Sea Island trading schooner + <i>Palestine</i> + + ) had sailed from Sydney to undertake the management of an + alleged duck-farm in North Queensland. The ducks, and the vast + area of desolation in which they suffered a brief existence, + were the property of a Cooktown bank, the manager of which was + Denison's brother. He was a kind-hearted man, who wanted to + help Tom along in the world, and, therefore, was grieved when + at the end of three weeks the latter came into Cooktown humping + his swag, smoking a clay pipe, and looking exceedingly tired, + dirty, and disreputable generally. However, all might have gone + well even then had not Mrs. Aubrey Denison, the brother's wife, + unduly interfered and lectured Tom on his "idle and dissolute + life," as she called it, and made withering remarks about the + low tastes of sailors other than captains of mail steamers or + officers in the Navy. Tom, who intended to borrow £10 from + his brother to pay his passage back to Sydney to look for a + ship, bore it all in silence, and +<!-- Page 138 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page133" name="page133">[pg 133]</a> + </span> + + then said that he should like to give up the sea and become a + missionary in the South Seas, where he was "well acquainted + with the natives."</p> + + <p>Mrs. Aubrey (who was a very refined young lady) smiled + contemptuously, and turned down the corners of her pretty + little mouth in a manner that made the unsuccessful duck-farmer + boil with suppressed fury, as she remarked that + <i>she</i> + + had heard of some of the shocking stories he had been telling + the accountant and cashier of the + <i>characters</i> + + of the people in the South Seas, and + <i>she</i> + + quite understood + <i>why</i> + + he wished to return there and re-associate with his vulgar and + wicked companions. Now, she added, had he stuck bravely to work + with the ducks, the Bank (she uttered the word "Bank" in the + tone of reverence as one would say "The Almighty") would have + watched his career with interest, and in time his brother would + have used his influence with the General Manager to obtain a + position for him, Tom Denison, in the Bank itself! But, judging + from + <i>her</i> + + knowledge of his (Tom's) habits and disposition, she would be + doing wrong to hold out the slightest hope for him now, + and——</p> + + <p>"Look here, Maud, you're only twenty-two—two years + older than me, and you talk like an old grandmother;" and then + his wrath overpowered his judgment—"and you'll look like + one before you're twenty-five. Don't you lecture + <i>me</i> + + . I'm not your husband, + <i>thank Heaven above</i> + + ! And damn the bank and its carmine ducks." (He did not say + "carmine," but I study the proprieties, and this is not a + sanguinary story.)</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 139 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page134" name="page134">[pg 134]</a> + </span> + + From the weatherboard portals of the bank Tom strode out in + undisguised anger, and obtained employment on a collier, + discharging coals. Then, by an extraordinary piece of good + luck, he got a billet as proof-reader on the North Queensland + <i>Trumpet Call</i> + + , from which, after an exciting three weeks, he was dismissed + for "general incompetency and wilful neglect of his duties." So + with sorrow in his heart he had turned to the ever-resourceful + sea again for a living. He worked his passage down to Sydney in + an old, heart-broken, wheezing steamer named the + <i>You Yangs</i> + + , and stepped jauntily ashore with sixteen shillings in his + pocket, some little personal luggage rolled up in his blanket, + and an unlimited confidence in his own luck.</p> + + <p>Two vessels were due from the South Sea Islands in about a + month, and as the skippers were both well known to and were on + friendly terms with him, he felt pretty certain of getting a + berth as second mate or supercargo on one of them. Then he went + to look for a quiet lodging.</p> + + <p>This was soon found, and then realising the fact that + sixteen shillings would not permit him viewing the sights of + Sydney and calling upon the Governor, as is the usual procedure + with intellectual and dead-broke Englishmen who come to + Australia with letters of introduction from people who are + anxious to get rid of them, he tried to get temporary + employment by applying personally at the leading warehouses and + merchants' offices. The first day he failed; also the second. + On the third day the secretary of a milk company desired him to + call again in three days. He did, and was then +<!-- Page 140 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page135" name="page135">[pg 135]</a> + </span> + + told by the manager that he "might have something" for him in a + month or two. This annoyed Tom, as he had put on his sole clean + collar that morning to produce a good impression. He asked the + official if six months would not suit him better, as he wanted + to go away on a lengthy fishing trip with the Attorney-General. + The manager looked at him in a dignified manner, and then bade + him an abrupt good-day.</p> + + <p>A week passed. Funds were getting low. Eight shillings had + been paid in advance for his room, and he had spent five in + meals. But he was not despondent; the + <i>Susannah Booth</i> + + , dear, comfortable old wave-puncher, beloved of hard-up + supercargoes, was due in a week, and, provided he could inspire + his landlady with confidence until then, all would be well.</p> + + <p>But the day came when he had to spend his last shilling, and + after a fruitless endeavour to get a job on the wharves to + drive one of the many steam winches at work discharging cargo + from the various ships, he returned home in disgust.</p> + + <p>That night, as he sat cogitating in his bedroom over his + lucklessness, his eye fell on a vegetable monstrosity from + Queensland, presented to him by one of the hands on board the + <i>You Yangs</i> + + . It was a huge, dried bean-pod, about four feet long, and + contained about a dozen large black beans, each about the size + of a watch. He had seen these beans, after the kernels were + scooped out, mounted with silver, and used as match-boxes by + bushmen and other Australian gentry. It at once occurred to him + that he might sell it. Surely the thing ought to be worth at + least five shillings.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 141 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page136" name="page136">[pg 136]</a> + </span> + + In two minutes he was out in the street, but to his disgust + found most of the shops closed, except the very small retail + establishments.</p> + + <p>Entering a little grocery store, he approached the + proprietor, a man with a pale, gargoyle-like face, and + unpleasant-looking, raggedy teeth, and showing him the bean, + asked him to buy it.</p> + + <p>The merchant looked at it with some interest and asked Tom + what it was called.</p> + + <p>Tom said it was a + <i>Locomotor Ataxy</i> + + . (He didn't know what a + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + was; but it sounded well, and was all the Latin he knew, having + heard from his mother that a dissolute brother of hers had been + afflicted with that complaint, superinduced by spirituous + liquors.)</p> + + <p>The grocer-man turned the vegetable over and over again in + his hand, and then asked the would-be vendor if he had any + more. Tom said he hadn't. The + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + , he remarked, was a very rare bean, and very valuable. But he + would sell it cheap—for five shillings.</p> + + <p>"Don't want it," said the man rudely, pushing it away + contemptuously. "It's only a faked-up thing anyway, made of + paper-mashy."</p> + + <p>Tom tried to convince him that the thing was perfectly + genuine, and actually grew on a vine in North Queensland; but + the Notre Dame gargoyle-featured person only heard him with a + snort of contempt. It was obvious he wouldn't buy it. So, + sneeringly observing to the grocer that no doubt five shillings + was a large sum for a man in such a small way of +<!-- Page 142 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page137" name="page137">[pg 137]</a> + </span> + + business as he was, Tom went out again into the cold world.</p> + + <p>He tried several other places, but no one would even look at + the thing. After vainly tramping about for over two hours, he + turned away towards his lodging, feeling very dispirited, and + thinking about breakfast.</p> + + <p>Turning up a side street called Queen's Place, so as to make + a short cut home, he espied in a dimly-lighted little shop an + old man and a boy working at the cobbler trade. They had + honest, intelligent faces, and looked as if they wanted to buy + a + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + very badly. He tapped at the door and then entered.</p> + + <p>"Would you like to buy this?" he said to the old man. He did + not like to repeat his foolish Latin nonsense, for the old + fellow had such a worn, kindly face, and his honest, searching + eyes met his in such a way that he felt ashamed to ask him to + buy what could only be worthless rubbish to him.</p> + + <p>The cobbler looked at the monstrosity wonderingly. "'Tis a + rare big bean," he said, in the trembling quaver of old age, + and with a mumbling laugh like that of a pleased child. "I'll + give you two shillin's for it. I suppose you want money badly, + or else you wouldn't be wanderin' about at ten o'clock at night + tryin' to sell it. I hope you come by it honest, young + man?"</p> + + <p>Tom satisfied him on this score, and then the ancient gave + him the two shillings. Bidding him good-night, Tom returned + home and went to bed.</p> + + <p>(Quite two years after, when Denison returned to +<!-- Page 143 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page138" name="page138">[pg 138]</a> + </span> + + Sydney from the South Seas with more money "than was good for + his moral welfare," as his sister-in-law remarked, he sought + out the old cobbler gentleman and bought back his + <i>locomotor ataxy</i> + + bean for as many sovereigns as he had been given shillings for + it.)</p> + + <p>Next morning he was down at the wharves before six o'clock, + smoking his pipe contentedly, after breakfasting sumptuously at + a coffee-stall for sixpence. There was a little American barque + lying alongside the Circular Quay, and some of the hands were + bending on her head-sails. Tom sat down on the wharf stringer + dangling his feet and watching them intently. Presently the + mate appeared on the poop, smoking a cigar. He looked at Tom + critically for a moment or so, and then said—</p> + + <p>"Looking for a ship, young feller?"</p> + + <p>The moment Tom heard him speak, he jumped to his feet, for + he knew the voice, last heard when the possessor of it was mate + of the island trading schooner + <i>Sadie Caller</i> + + , a year before in Samoa.</p> + + <p>"Is that you, Bannister?" he cried.</p> + + <p>"Reckon 'taint no one else, young feller. Why, Tom Denison, + is it you? Step right aboard."</p> + + <p>Tom was on the poop in an instant, the mate coming to him + with outstretched hand.</p> + + <p>"What's the matter, Tom? Broke?"</p> + + <p>"Stony!"</p> + + <p>"Sit down here and tell me all about it. I heard you had + left the + <i>Palestine</i> + + . Say, sling that dirty old pipe overboard, and take one of + these cigars. The skipper will be on deck presently, and the + sight of it +<!-- Page 144 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page139" name="page139">[pg 139]</a> + </span> + + would rile him terrible. He hez his new wife aboard, and she + considers pipes ez low-down."</p> + + <p>Tom laughed as he thought of Mrs. Aubrey, and flung his clay + over the side. "What ship is this, Bannister?"</p> + + <p>"The + <i>J.W. Seaver</i> + + , of 'Frisco. We're from the Gilbert Islands with a cargo of + copra."</p> + + <p>"Who is your supercargo?"</p> + + <p>"Haven't got one. Can't get one here, either. Say, Tom, + you're the man. The captain will jump at getting you! Since he + married he considers his life too valuable to be trusted among + natives, and funks at going ashore and doing supercargo's work. + Now you come below, and I'll rake out enough money to get you a + high-class suit of store clothes and shiny boots. Then you come + back to dinner. I'll talk to him between then and now. He knows + a lot about you. I'll tell him that since you left the + <i>Palestine</i> + + you've been touring your native country to 'expand your mind.' + <i>She's</i> + + Boston, as ugly as a brown stone jug, and highly intellectual. + <i>He's</i> + + all right, and as good a sailor-man as ever trod a deck, but + <i>she's</i> + + boss, runs the ship, and looks after the crew's morals. Thet's + why we're short-handed. But she'll take to you like + lightning—when she hears that you've been 'expanding your + mind.' Buy a second-hand copy of Longfellow's, poems, and tell + her that it has been your constant companion in all your + wanderings among vicious cannibals, and she'll just decorate + your cabin like a prima-donna's boudoir, darn your socks, and + make you read some of her own poetry."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 145 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page140" name="page140">[pg 140]</a> + </span> + + That afternoon, Mr. Thomas Denison, clean-shirted and looking + eminently respectable and prosperous, and feeling once more a + man after the degrading duck episode in North Queensland, was + strolling about George Street with Bannister, and at peace with + the world and himself. For the skipper's wife had been + impressed with his intellectuality and modest demeanour, and + was already at work decorating his cabin—as Bannister had + prophesied.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 146 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page141" name="page141">[pg 141]</a> + </span> + + <a name='Jack_Sharks_Pilot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>Jack Shark's Pilot</i> + </h2> + + <p>Early one morning as we in the + <i>Palestine</i> + + , South Sea trading schooner, were sailing slowly between + Fotuna and Alofa—two islands lying to the northward of + Fiji—one of the native hands came aft and reported two + large sharks alongside. The mate at once dived below for his + shark hook, while I tried to find a suitable bit of beef in the + harness cask. Just as the mate appeared carrying the heavy hook + and chain, our skipper, who was lying on the skylight smoking + his pipe, although half asleep, inquired if there were "any + pilot fish with the brutes."</p> + + <p>"Yes, sir," said a sailor who was standing in the waist, + looking over the side, "there's quite a lot of 'em. I've never + seen so many at one time before. There's nigh on a dozen."</p> + + <p>The captain was on his feet in an instant. "Don't lower that + hook of yours just yet, Porter," he said to the mate. "I'm + going to get those pilot fish first. Tom, bring me up my small + fishing line."</p> + + <p>"They won't take a hook, will they?" I inquired.</p> + + <p>"Just you wait and see, sonny. Ever taste pilot fish?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 147 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page142" name="page142">[pg 142]</a> + </span> + + No. Are they good to eat?"</p> + + <p>"Best fish in the ocean, barring flying-fish," replied the + skipper, as, after examining his line, he cut off both hook and + leaden sinker and bent on a small-sized + <i>pa</i> + + —a native-made bonito hook cut out from a solid piece of + pearl-shell.</p> + + <p>Then jumping up into the whaleboat which hung in davits on + the starboard quarter he waited for the sharks to appear, and + the mate and I leant over the side and watched. We had not long + to wait, for in a few minutes one came swimming quickly up from + astern, and was almost immediately joined by the other, which + had been hanging about amidships. They were both, however, + pretty deep down, and at first I could not discern any pilot + fish. The captain, however, made a cast and the hook dropped in + the water, about fifty feet in the rear of the sharks; he let + it sink for less than half a minute, and then began hauling in + the line as quickly as possible, and at the same moment I saw + some of the pilot fish quite distinctly—some swimming + alongside and some just ahead of their detestable companions, + which were now right under the counter. Then something gleamed + brightly, and the shining hook appeared, for a second or two + only, for two of the "pilots" darted after it with + lightning-like rapidity, and presently one came to the surface + with a splash, beautifully hooked, and was swung up into the + boat.</p> + + <p>"Now for some fun," cried the captain, as tossing the fish + to us on deck he again lowered the hook. This time it had + barely touched the surface of the +<!-- Page 148 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page143" name="page143">[pg 143]</a> + </span> + + water when away went the line with a rush right under our + keel.</p> + + <p>"This is a big fellow," said the skipper, and up came + another dark blue and silver beauty about a foot in length, + dropping off the hook just in time as he was hoisted clear of + the gunwale. Then, in less than ten minutes—so eager were + they to rush the hook the moment it struck the water—five + more were jumping about upon the deck or in the boat. Then came + a calamity, the eighth fish dropped off when half way up and + took the hook with him, having swallowed it and bitten through + the line.</p> + + <p>The captain jumped on deck again and began rooting out his + bag for another small-sized + <i>pa</i> + + , but to his disgust could not find one ready for + use—none of them having the actual "hook" portion lashed + to the shank, and the operation of lashing one of these + cleverly-made native hooks takes some little time and patience, + for the holes which are bored through the base of the "hook" + part in order to lash it to the shank are very small, and only + very fine and strong cord, such as banana-fibre, can be used. + However, while the irate captain was fussing over his task, the + mate and I were watching the movements of the sharks and their + little friends with the greatest interest, having promised the + captain not to lower the shark hook till he had caught the rest + of the pilot fish, for he assured us that they would most + likely disappear after the sharks were captured. (I learned + from my own experience afterward that he was mistaken, for when + a shark is caught at sea his attendants will frequently +<!-- Page 149 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page144" name="page144">[pg 144]</a> + </span> + + remain with the ship for weeks, or until another shark appears, + in which case they at once attach themselves to him.)</p> + + <p>Both sharks were now swimming almost on the surface, so + close to the ship that they could have been caught in a running + bowline or harpooned with the greatest ease; and in fact our + native crew, who were very partial to shark's flesh, had both + harpoon and bowline in readiness in case the cunning brutes + would not take a bait. They were both of great size—the + largest being over twelve or thirteen feet in length. With the + smaller one were three pilot fish, one swimming directly under + the end of its nose, the others just over its eyes; the larger + had but one attendant, which kept continually changing its + position, sometimes being on one side, then on another, then + disappearing for a few moments underneath the monster's belly, + or pressing itself so closely against the creature's side that + it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had never before + seen these fish at such close quarters, and their extraordinary + activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions was + most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the + sharks would cease moving, they would take up a position within + a few inches of its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then + swim under its belly and reappear at the tail, then slowly make + their way along its back or sides to the hideous head again. + Sometimes, either singly or all together, they would dart away + on either side, but quickly returned, never being absent more + than a minute. These brief excursions showed them to be +<!-- Page 150 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page145" name="page145">[pg 145]</a> + </span> + + extremely swift, yet when they returned to their huge + companions they instantly became—at least to all + appearance—intensely sluggish and languid in their + movements, and swam in an undecided, indefinite sort of manner + as if thoroughly exhausted. But this was but in appearance, for + suddenly they would again shoot away along the surface of the + water with lightning-like rapidity, disappear from view of the + keenest eye, and, ere you could count five, again be beside the + vessel swimming as leisurely, if not as lazily, as if they were + incapable of quickening their speed.</p> + + <p>Having his line ready again, the captain now began fishing + from the stern, and succeeded in catching three of the + remaining four, the last one (which our natives said was the + fish which had swallowed the first hook) refusing even to look + at the tempting bit of iridescent pearl-shell. Then the + impatient mate lowered his bait over the stern, having first + passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four of + the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller + of the two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up + alongside amidships struggled and lashed about so furiously + that the big fellow came lumbering up to see what was the + matter, and Billy Rotumah, our native boatswain, who was + watching for him, promptly drove a harpoon socket deeply into + him between the shoulders; then, after some difficulty, a + couple of running bowlines settled them both in a comfortable + position to be stunned with an axe.</p> + + <p>The schooner was at this time within a few miles of a small + village on Alofa, named Mua, and presently +<!-- Page 151 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page146" name="page146">[pg 146]</a> + </span> + + a boat manned by natives boarded us to sell yams, taro, + pineapples, and bananas, all of which we bought from them in + exchange for the sharks' livers and some huge pieces of flesh + weighing two or three hundred pounds. These people (who + resemble the Samoans in appearance and language) were much + impressed and terrified when they saw the pilot fish which had + been caught, and told our crew that ours would be an unlucky + ship—that we had done a dangerous and foolish thing. + Their feeling on the subject was strong; for when I asked them + if they would take two or three of the fish on shore to Father + Hervé, one of the French priests living on Fotuna, who was + an old friend, they started back in mingled terror and + indignation, and absolutely declined to even touch them. Taking + one of the pilot fish up I held it by the head between my + forefinger and thumb and asked the natives if they did not + consider it good to look at.</p> + + <p>"True," replied a fine, stalwart young fellow, speaking in + Samoan, "it is good to look at," and then he added gravely, "<i>Talofa + lava ia te outou i le vaa nei, ua lata mai ne aso + malaia ma le tigā</i>" + + ("Alas for all you people on this ship, there is a day of + disaster and sorrow near you").</p> + + <p>I tried to ascertain the cause of their terror, but could + only elicit the statement that to kill a pilot fish meant + direful misfortune. No sensible man, they asserted, would do + such a senseless and + <i>saua</i> + + (cruel) thing, and to eat one was an abomination + unutterable.</p> + + <p>As soon as our visitors had left I hurried to make a closer + examination of our prizes before the cook took +<!-- Page 152 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page147" name="page147">[pg 147]</a> + </span> + + possession of them. Of the eleven, only one was over a foot in + length, the rest ranged from five to ten inches. The beautiful + dark blue of the head and along the back, so noticeable when + first caught, had now lost its brilliancy, and the four wide + vertical black stripes on the sides had also become dulled, + although the silvery belly was still as bright as a new dollar. + The eyes were rather large for such a small fish, and all the + fins were blue-black, with a narrow white line running along + the edges. Their appearance even an hour after death was very + handsome, and in shape they were much like a very plump trout. + In the stomachs of some we found small flying squid, little + shrimps, and other Crustacea.</p> + + <p>Our Manila-man cook, although not a genius, certainly knew + how to fry fish, and that morning we had for breakfast some of + Jack Shark's pilots—the most delicately-flavoured + deep-sea fish I have ever tasted—except, perhaps, that + wonderful and beautiful creature, the flying-fish.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 153 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page148" name="page148">[pg 148]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_quotPaluquot_of_the_Equatorial_Pacific'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The "Palu" of the Equatorial Pacific</i> + </h2> + + <p>During a residence of half a lifetime among the various + island-groups of the North-western and South Pacific, I devoted + much of my spare time—and I had plenty of it + occasionally—to deep-sea fishing, my tutors being the + natives of the Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert, and Ellice + Groups.</p> + + <p>The inhabitants of the last-named cluster of islands are, as + I have said, the most skilled fishermen of all the + Malayo-Polynesian peoples with whom it has been my fortune to + have come in contact. The very poverty of their island + homes—mere sandbanks covered with coconut and pandanus + palms only—drives them to the sea for their food; for the + Ellice Islanders, unlike their more fortunate prototypes who + dwell in the forest-clad, mountainous, and fertile islands of + Samoa, Tahiti, Raratonga, &c., live almost exclusively upon + coconuts, the drupes of the pandanus palm, and fish. From their + very infancy they look to the sea as the main source of their + food-supply, either in the clear waters of the lagoon, among + the breaking surf on the +<!-- Page 154 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page149" name="page149">[pg 149]</a> + </span> + + reef, or out in the blue depths of the ocean beyond. From morn + till night the frail canoes of these semi-nude, brown-skinned, + and fearless toilers of the sea may be seen by the voyager + paddling swiftly over the rolling swell of the wide Pacific in + chase of the + <i>bonito</i> + + , or lying motionless upon the water, miles and miles away from + the land, ground-fishing with lines a hundred fathoms long. + Then, as the sun dips, the flare of torches will be seen along + the sandy beaches as the night-seekers of flying-fish launch + their canoes and urge them through the rolling surf beyond the + reef, where, for perhaps three or four hours, they will paddle + slowly to and fro, just outside the white line of roaring + breakers, and return to the shore with their tiny craft + half-filled with the most beautiful and wonderful fish in the + world. The Ellice Island method of catching flying-fish would + take too long to explain here, much as I should like to do so; + my purpose is to describe a very remarkable fish called the + <i>palu</i> + + , in the capture of which these people are the most skilful. + The catching of flying-fish, however, bears somewhat on the + subject of this article, as the + <i>palu</i> + + will not take any other bait but a flying-fish, and therefore a + supply of the former is a necessary preliminary to + <i>palu</i> + + fishing.</p> + + <p>Let us imagine, then, that the bait has been secured, and + that a party of + <i>palu</i> + + -fishers are ready to set out from the little island of + Nanomaga, the smallest but most thickly populated of the Ellice + Group. The night must be windless and moonless, the latter + condition being absolutely indispensable, although, +<!-- Page 155 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page150" name="page150">[pg 150]</a> + </span> + + curiously enough, the fish will take the hook on an ordinary + starlight night. Time after time have I tried my luck with + either a growing or a waning moon, much to the amusement of the + natives, and never once did I get a + <i>palu</i> + + , although other nocturnal-feeding fish bit freely enough.</p> + + <p>The tackle used by the natives is made of coconut cinnet, + four or eight-stranded, of great strength, and capable of + holding a fifteen-foot shark should one of these prowlers seize + the bait. The hook is made of wood—in fact, the same as + is used for shark-fishing—about one inch and a half in + diameter, fourteen inches in the shank, with a natural curve; + the barb, or rather that which answers the purpose of a barb, + being supplied by a small piece lashed horizontally across the + top of the end of the curve. These peculiar wooden hooks are + <i>grown</i> + + ; the roots of a tree called + <i>ngiia</i> + + , whose wood is of great toughness, are watched when they + protrude from a bank, and trained into the desired shape; + specimens of these hooks may be seen in almost any + ethnographical museum. To sink the line, coral stones of three + or four pounds weight are used, attached by a very thin piece + of cinnet or bark, which, when the fish is struck, is always + broken by its struggles, and falls off, thus releasing the line + from an unnecessary weight. It is no light task hauling in a + thick, heavy line, hanging straight up and down for a length of + from seventy-five to a hundred fathoms or more!</p> + + <p>Each canoe is manned by four men, only two of whom usually + fish, the other two, one at the bow and +<!-- Page 156 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page151" name="page151">[pg 151]</a> + </span> + + the other at the stern, being employed in keeping the little + craft in a stationary position with their paddles. If, however, + there is not much current all four lower their lines, one man + working his paddle with one hand so as to keep from drifting. + My usual companions were the resident native teacher and two + stalwart young natives of the island—Tulu'ao and Muli'ao; + and I may here indulge in a little vanity when I say that my + success as a + <i>palu</i> + + -fisher was regarded as something phenomenal, only one other + white man in the group, a trader on the atoll of Funafuti, + having ever caught a + <i>palu</i> + + , or, in fact, tried to catch one. But then I had such + beautiful tackle that even the most skilled native fisherman + had no chance when competing with me. My lines were of + twenty-seven-strand white American cotton, as thick as a small + goose-quill, and easily handled, never tangling or twisting + like the native cinnet; and my hooks were the admiration and + envy of all who saw them. They were of the "flatted" Kirby + type, eyed, but with a curve in the shank, which was five + inches in length, and as thick as a lead-pencil. I had bought + these in Sydney, and during the voyage down had rigged them + with snoodings of the very best seizing wire, intending to use + them for shark-fishing. I had smaller ones down to three + inches, but always preferred using the largest size, as the + <i>palu</i> + + has a large mouth, and it is a difficult matter in a small + canoe on a dark night to free a hook embedded in the gullet of + a fish which is awkward to handle even when exhausted, and + weighing as much as sixty or seventy +<!-- Page 157 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page152" name="page152">[pg 152]</a> + </span> + + pounds; while I also knew that any unusual noise or commotion + would be almost sure to attract some of those most dangerous of + all night-prowlers of the Pacific, the deep-water blue + shark.</p> + + <p>Paddling out due westward from the lee side of the island, + where the one village is situated, we would bring-to in about + seventy or eighty fathoms. As I always used leaden sinkers, my + companions invariably let me lower first to test the depth, as + with a two or three-pound lead my comparatively thin line took + but little time in running out and touching bottom. A whole + flying-fish was used for one bait by the natives, it being tied + on to the inner curve of the great wooden hook, whilst I cut + one in half, fore-and-aft, and ran my hook through it + lengthwise.</p> + + <p>The utmost silence was always observed; and even when + lighting our pipes we were always careful not to let the + reflection of the flame of the match fall upon the water, on + account of the sharks, which would at once be attracted to the + canoe, and hover about until they were rewarded for their + vigilance by seizing the first + <i>palu</i> + + brought to the surface. Sometimes a hungry shark will seize the + outrigger in his jaws, or get foul of it, and upset the canoe, + and a capsize under such circumstances is a serious matter + indeed. For this reason the canoes are never far apart from + each other; if one should be attacked or disabled by a shark + the others at once render assistance, and the shark is usually + thrust through with a lance if he is too big to be captured and + killed. All haste is then made to get away from the spot, + leaving the disturber of the pro +<!-- Page 158 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page153" name="page153">[pg 153]</a> + </span> + + ceedings to be devoured by his companions, whom the scent of + blood soon brings upon the scene.</p> + + <p>With ordinary luck we would get our first + <i>palu</i> + + within an hour of lowering our lines. At such a great depth as + eighty or ninety fathoms a bite would scarcely be felt by one + of my companions on his thick, heavy, and clumsy line; but on + mine it was very different, and there was hardly an occasion on + which I did not secure the first fish. Like most + bottom-haunting fish in very deep water the + <i>palu</i> + + makes but a brief fight. If he can succeed in "getting his + head," he will at once rush into the coral forest amid which he + lives, and endeavour to save himself by jamming his body into a + cleft or chasm of rock, and let the hook be torn from his jaws, + which are soft, boneless, and glutinous. Once, however, he is + dragged clear of the coral he seems to lose all heart; and, + although he makes an occasional spurt, he grows weaker and + weaker as he is dragged toward the surface, and when lifted + into the canoe is apparently lifeless, his large eyes literally + standing out of his head, and his stomach distended like a + balloon. So enormous is the distention of the bladder that + sometimes it will protrude from the mouth, and then burst with + a noise like a pistol-shot! Perhaps some of my readers will + smile at this, but they could see the same thing occur with + other deep-sea fish besides the + <i>palu</i> + + . In the Caroline and Marshall Islands there is a species of + grey groper which is caught in a depth ranging from one hundred + to one hundred and fifty fathoms; these fish, which range up to + two hundred pounds, actually burst their +<!-- Page 159 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page154" name="page154">[pg 154]</a> + </span> + + stomachs when brought to the surface; for the air in the + cavities of the body expands on the removal of the great + pressure which at such depths keeps it compressed.</p> + + <p>Now as to the appearance of the + <i>palu</i> + + . When first caught, and seen by the light of a lantern or + torch, it is a dark, silvery grey in colour, with prickly, + inverted scales—like the feathers of a French fowl of a + certain breed. The head is somewhat cod-shaped, with eyes quite + as large as a crown-piece; the teeth are many, small, and soft, + and bend to a firm pressure; and the bones in the fin and tail + are so soft and flexible that they may be bent into any shape, + but when dried are of the appearance and consistency of + gelatine. The length of the largest + <i>palu</i> + + I have seen was five feet six inches, with a girth of about + forty inches. This one was caught in about ninety fathoms of + water; and when I opened the stomach I found it to contain five + or six undigested fish, about seven inches in length, of the + groper species, and for which the natives of the island had no + name or knowledge of beyond the appellation + <i>ika kehe</i> + + —"unknown fish"—that is, fish which are only seen + when taken from the stomach of a deep-sea fish, or are brought + to the surface or washed ashore after some submarine + disturbance.</p> + + <p>The flesh of the + <i>palu</i> + + is greatly valued by the natives of the equatorial islands of + the Pacific for its medicinal qualities as a laxative, whilst + the oil with which it is permeated is much used as a remedy for + rheumatism and similar complaints. Within half an hour of its + being taken from the water the skin +<!-- Page 160 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page155" name="page155">[pg 155]</a> + </span> + + changes to a dead black, and the flesh assumes the appearance + of whale blubber. Generally, the fish is cooked in the usual + native ground-oven as quickly as possible, care being taken to + wrap it closely up in the broad leaves of the + <i>puraka</i> + + plant—a species of gigantic taro—in order that none + of the oil may be lost. Thinking that the oil, which is + perfectly colourless and with scarcely any odour, might prove + of value, I once "tried out" two of the largest fish taken, and + obtained a gallon. This I sent to a firm of drug-merchants in + Sydney; but unfortunately the vessel was lost on the + passage.</p> + + <p>The + <i>palu</i> + + does not seem to have a wide habitat. In the Tonga Islands it + is, I believe, very rare; and in Fiji, Samoa, and other + mountainous groups throughout Polynesia the natives appear to + have no knowledge of it, although they have a fish possessing + the same peculiar characteristics, but of a somewhat different + shape. I have fished for it without success at half a dozen + places in Samoa, in New Britain, and New Ireland. But it is + generally to be found about the coasts of any of the low-lying + coral islands of the Union (or Tokelau) Group, the Ellice, + Gilbert, Marshall, and part of the Caroline archipelagoes. The + Gilbert Islanders call it + <i>te ika ne peka</i> + + —a name that cannot well be translated into bald English, + though there is a very lucid Latin equivalent.</p> + + <p>In 1882 I took passage from the Island of Nukufetau in the + Ellice Group for the Caroline Islands. The vessel was a fine + brigantine of 160 tons, and was named the + <i>Orwell</i> + + . She was, unfortunately, com +<!-- Page 161 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page156" name="page156">[pg 156]</a> + </span> + + manded by an incompetent, obstinate, self-willed man, who, + though a good seaman, had no meteorological knowledge and + succeeded in losing the ship, when lying at anchor, on Peru + Island, in the Gilbert Group, ten days after leaving Nukufetau, + simply through disregarding the local trader's advice to put to + sea. Disastrous as was the incident to me, for I lost trade + goods and personal effects to the value of over a thousand + pounds, and came ashore with what I stood in—to wit, a + pyjama suit—and a bag of Chili dollars, I had reason to + afterwards congratulate myself from a fisherman's point of + view.</p> + + <p>Living on the island was a Swiss, Frank Voliero, whom I have + before mentioned. He was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and was + on that account highly respected by the natives, who otherwise + did not care for him, as he was of an exceedingly quarrelsome + disposition. He was an expert + <i>palu</i> + + man, and he and I therefore quickly made Island + <i>bruderschaft</i> + + . During the three months I remained on Peru we had many + fishing trips, and caught not less than fifty + <i>palu</i> + + . The largest of these was evidently a patriarch, for although + he was in rather poor condition he weighed 136 lbs. and was 6 + feet 10 inches in length. Another, hooked at a depth of + eighty-five fathoms, was only 5 feet 2 inches, and weighed 129 + lbs. Its stomach contained a small octopus with curiously + stunted tentacles, almost as thick at the tips as they were at + the base, but in all other respects similar to those found in + shallow water upon the reefs and in the lagoon.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 162 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page157" name="page157">[pg 157]</a> + </span> + + Both Voliero and myself tried many kinds of bait for + <i>palu,</i> + + believing that the native theory that the fish would only take + flying-fish was wrong. We found that on Peru, any elongated + fish, such as gars, silvery mullet, or young bonito, were + acceptable, and that the tentacle of an octopus, after the + outer skin was removed, answered just as well. Yet further + southward among the Pacific Isles, flying-fish is the only bait + they will take! Evidently, therefore, the + <i>palu</i> + + , at the great depths in which it lives, is attracted by a + brightly-hued fish whose habitat is on the surface of the + ocean. Why this is so must be decided by ichthyologists, for + there are no bright, silvery-scaled fish inhabiting the ocean + at such depths as eighty or a hundred fathoms. And why is it + that the + <i>palu,</i> + + quiescent by day, and feeding only at night, so eagerly seizes + a hook baited with a flying-fish—a fish which never + descends more than a few fathoms below the surface, and which + the + <i>palu</i> + + can never possibly see except when it is lowered by human hands + to, or sinks to the bottom?</p> + + <p>Of the marvellous efficacy of the + <i>palu</i> + + -oil in a case of acute rheumatism I can speak with knowledge. + The second mate of an island-trading schooner of which I was + the supercargo, was landed at Arorai, in the Line Islands, + unable to move, and suffering great agony. After two days' + massaging with + <i>palu</i> + + -oil he recovered and returned to his duties.</p> + + <p>[Since this was written I have learned that Mr. E.R. Waite, + of the Sydney Museum, has described the + <i>palu</i> + + as the + <i>Ruvettus pretiosus</i> + + , "which hitherto +<!-- Page 163 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page158" name="page158">[pg 158]</a> + </span> + + was known only from the North Atlantic, and whose recorded + range is now enormously increased. The Escolar—to give it + its Atlantic name—has been taken at depths as great as + three and four hundred fathoms, but can only be taken at night + in September and the early part of October." I should very much + like to learn how the + <i>palu</i> + + is taken at a depth of four hundred fathoms—eight hundred + yards!]</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 164 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page159" name="page159">[pg 159]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Wily_quotGoannerquot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Wily "Goanner"</i> + </h2> + + <p>In the early part of the year 1899 a settler named Hardy, + residing at Glenowlan, in the Rylstone district of New South + Wales, about 150 miles from Sydney, lost numbers of his lambs + during the lambing season. Naturally enough, dingoes were + suspected, but none were seen. Then other sheep—men began + to lose lambs, and a close watch was set, with the result that + iguanas, which are very numerous in this part of the country, + were discovered to be the murderers of the little "baa-baa's." + The cause of this new departure in the predatory habits of the + "goanner"—which hitherto had confined his evil deeds to + nocturnal visits to the fowl-yards—is stated to be the + extermination of the opossum, which has driven the cunning + reptile to seek for another source of food. And, as before the + shooting of kangaroos, wallabies, and opossums was resorted to + as a means of livelihood by hundreds of bushmen who had no + other employment open to them, the young of these marsupials + furnished the iguana with an ample supply of food, the theory + is very probably correct. Poison will be the only method of + destroying or reducing the numbers of the iguana, +<!-- Page 165 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page160" name="page160">[pg 160]</a> + </span> + + who, robber as he is, yet has his good points, as has even the + sneaking, blood-loving native cat—for both are merciless + foes to snakes of all kinds; and 'tis better to have an + energetic and hungry native cat and a score of wily iguanas + working havoc among the tenants of your fowl-house than one + brown or an equally deadly "bandy-bandy" snake within half a + mile.</p> + + <p>In that part of New South Wales in which the writer was + born—one of the tidal rivers on the northern + coast—both snakes and iguanas were plentiful, and a + source of continual worry to the settlers.</p> + + <p>On one occasion some boyish companions and myself set to + work to build a raft for fishing purposes out of some old and + discarded blue gum rails which were lying along the bank of the + river. Boy-like, we utterly disregarded our parents' admonition + to put on our boots, and, aided by a couple of blackfellows, we + moved about the long grass on our bare feet, picking up the + heavy rails and carrying them on our shoulders, one by one, + down to the sandy beach, where we were to lash them together. + Presently we came across a very heavy rail, about eight feet + long, twelve inches in width, and two inches thick. It was no + sooner up-ended than we saw half a dozen + "bandy-bandies"—the smallest but most deadly of + Australian snakes, not even excepting the + death-adder—lying beneath! We gave a united yell of + terror and fled as the black and yellow banded + reptiles—none of which were over eighteen inches in + length nor thicker than a man's little finger—wriggled + between our feet into the long grass around +<!-- Page 166 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page161" name="page161">[pg 161]</a> + </span> + + us. For some minutes we were too frightened at our escape to + speak; but soon set to work to complete the raft. Presently one + of the blackfellows pointed to a tall honeysuckle-tree about + fifty feet away, and said with a gleeful chuckle, "Hallo, you + see him that 'pfeller goanner been catch him bandy-bandy?"</p> + + <p>Sure enough, an iguana, about three feet in length, was + scurrying up the rough, ridgy bark of the honeysuckle with a + "bandy-bandy" in his jaws. He had seized the snake by its head, + I imagine, for we could see the rest of its form twisting and + turning about and enveloping the body of its capturer. In a few + seconds we saw the iguana ascend still higher, then he + disappeared with his hateful prey among the loftier branches. + No doubt he enjoyed his meal.</p> + + <p>About a year or so later I was given another instance of the + "cuteness" of the wicked "goanner." My sister (aged twelve) and + myself (two years younger) were fishing with bamboo rods for + mullet. We were standing, one on each side, of the rocky edges + of a tiny little bay on the coast near Port Macquarie (New + South Wales). The background was a short, steep beach of soft, + snow-white sand, fringed at the high-water margin with a dense + jungle of wild apple and pandanus-trees.</p> + + <p>The mullet bit freely, and as we swung the gleaming, + bright-silvered fish out of the water on to the rocks on which + we stood, we threw them up on to the beach, and left them to + kick about and coat themselves with the clean, white + sand—which they did in such an artistic manner that one + would imagine +<!-- Page 167 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page162" name="page162">[pg 162]</a> + </span> + + they considered it egg and breadcrumb, and were preparing + themselves to fulfil their ultimate and proper use to the + <i>genus homo</i> + + .</p> + + <p>My sister had caught seven and I five, when, the sun being + amidships, we decided to boil the billy of tea and get + something to eat; young mullet, roasted on a glowing fire of + honeysuckle cobs were, we knew, very nice. So, laying down our + rods on the rocks, we walked up to the beach—just in time + to see two "goanners"—one of them with a wriggling mullet + in his mouth—scamper off into the bush.</p> + + <p>A careful search revealed the harrowing fact that nine of + the twelve fish were missing, and the multitudinous criss-cross + tracks on the sand showed the cause of their disappearance. My + sister sat down on a hollow log and wept, out of sheer vexation + of spirit, while I lit a fire to boil the billy and grill the + three remaining mullet. Then after we had eaten the fish and + drank some tea, we concocted a plan of deadly revenge. We took + four large bream-hooks, bent them on to a piece of + fishing-line, baited each hook with a good-sized piece of + octopus (our mullet bait), and suspended the line between two + saplings, about three inches above the leaf-strewn ground. + Then, feeling confident of the success of our murderous device, + we finished the billy of tea and went back to our fishing. We + caught a couple of dozen or more of fine mullet, each one + weighing not less than 1-1/2 lbs.; and then the incoming tide + with its sweeping seas drove us from the ledge of rocks to the + beach, where we changed our bamboo rods for hand-lines with + sinkers, +<!-- Page 168 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page163" name="page163">[pg 163]</a> + </span> + + and flung them, baited with chunks of mullet, out into the + breaking surf for sea-bream. By four in the afternoon we had + caught more fish than we could well carry home, five miles + away; and after stringing the mullet and bream through the + gills with a strip of supple-jack cane, we went up the beach to + our camp for the billy can and basket.</p> + + <p>And then we saw a sight that struck terror into our guilty + souls—a + <i>Danse Macabre</i> + + of three writhing black and yellow, long-tailed "goanners," + twisting, turning and lashing their sinuous and scaly tails in + agony as they sought to free their widely-opened jaws from the + cruel hooks. One had two hooks in his mouth. He was the + quietest of the lot, as he had less purchase than the other two + upon the ground, and with one hook in his lower and one in his + upper jaw, glared upwards at us in his torture and smote his + sides with his long, thin tail.</p> + + <p>"Oh, you wicked, wicked boy!" said my partner in + guilt—at once shifting the responsibility of the whole + affair upon me—"you ought to be ashamed of yourself for + doing such a thing! You know well enough that we should never + hurt a poor, harmless iguana. Oh, + <i>do</i> + + take those horrible hooks out of the poor things' mouths and + let them go, you wicked, cruel boy!"</p> + + <p>With my heart in my mouth I crept round through the scrub, + knife in hand.</p> + + <p>"Go on, you horrible, horrible, coward!" screamed my sister; + "one would think that the poor things were alligators or + sharks. Oh, my goodness, if you're so frightened, I'll come and + do it myself." With that +<!-- Page 169 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page164" name="page164">[pg 164]</a> + </span> + + she clambered up into the branches of a pandanus-tree and + looked at me excitedly, mingled with considerable contempt and + much fear.</p> + + <p>Being quite wise enough not to attempt to take the hooks out + of the "goanners'" mouths, I cut the two ends of the line to + which they hung. They instantly sought refuge on the tree + trunks around them; but as each "goanner" selected his + individual tree, and as they were still connected to each other + by the line and the hooks in their jaws, their attempts to + reach a higher plane was a failure. So they fell to upon one + another savagely.</p> + + <p>"Come away, you wicked, thoughtless boy," said my sister, + weepingly. "I shall never come out with you again; you cruel + thing."</p> + + <p>Then, overcoming my fear, I valiantly advanced, and gingerly + extending my arm, cut the tangled-up fishing line in a dozen + places; and with my bamboo fishing-rod disintegrated the + combatants. They stood for a few seconds, panting and + open-mouthed, and then, with the hooks still fast in their + jaws, scurried away into the scrub.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 170 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page165" name="page165">[pg 165]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Tanifa_of_Samoa'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Tănifa of Samoa</i> + </h2> + + <p>Many years ago, at the close of an intensely hot day, I set + out from Apia, the principal port of Samoa, to walk to a + village named Laulii, a few miles along the coast. Passing + through the semi-Europeanised town of Matautu, I emerged out + upon the open beach. I was bound on a pigeon-shooting trip to + the mountains, but intended sleeping that night at Laulii with + some native friends who were to accompany me. With me was a + young Manhiki half-caste named Allan Strickland; he was about + twenty-two years of age and one of the most perfect specimens + of athletic manhood in the South Pacific. + <a href="#footnote_15" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[15]</span> + </a> + + For six months we had been business partners and comrades in a + small cutter in which we traded between Apia and + Sava'ii—the largest island of the Samoan group; and now + after some months of toil we were taking a week's holiday + together, and enjoying ourselves greatly, although at the time + (1873) the country was in the throes of an internecine war.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 171 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page166" name="page166">[pg 166]</a> + </span> + + A walk of a mile brought us to the mouth of the Vaivasa River, + a small stream flowing into the sea from the littoral on our + right. The tide was high and we therefore hailed a picket who + were stationed in the trenches on the opposite bank and asked + them in a jocular manner not to fire at us while we were wading + across. To our surprise, for we were both well known to and on + very friendly terms with the contending parties, half a dozen + of them sprang up and excitedly bade us not to attempt to + cross.</p> + + <p>"Go further up the bank and cross to our + <i>olo</i> + + (lines) in a canoe," added a young Manono chief whose family I + knew well, "there is a + <i>tănifa</i> + + about. We saw it last night."</p> + + <p>That was quite enough for us—for the name + <i>Tănifa</i> + + sent a cold chill down our backs. We turned to the right, and + after walking a quarter of a mile came to a hut on the bank at + a spot regarded as neutral ground. Here we found some women and + children and a canoe, and in less than five minutes we were + landed on the other side, the women chorusing the dreadful fate + that would have befallen us had we attempted to cross at the + mouth of the river.</p> + + <p>" + <i>E lima gafa le umi!</i> + + " ("'Tis five fathoms long!") cried one old dame.</p> + + <p>"And a fathom wide at the shoulders," said another + bare-bosomed lady, with a shudder. "It hath come to the mouth + of the Vaivasa because it hath smelt the blood of the three men + who were killed in the river here two days ago."</p> + + <p>"We'll hear the true yarn presently," said my +<!-- Page 172 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page167" name="page167">[pg 167]</a> + </span> + + companion as we walked down the left-hand bank of the river. + "There must be a + <i>tănifa</i> + + cruising about, or else those Manono fellows wouldn't have been + so scared at us wanting to cross."</p> + + <p>As soon as we reached the young chief's quarters, we were + made very welcome, and were obliged to accept his invitation to + remain and share supper with himself and his men—all + stalwart young natives from the little island of Manono—a + lovely spot situated in the straits separating Upolo from + Savaii. Placing our guns and bags in the care of one of the + warriors, we took our seats on the matted floor, filled our + pipes anew, and, whilst a bowl of kava was being prepared, + Li'o, the young chief told us about the advent of the + <i>tănifa</i> + + .</p> + + <p>Let me first of all, however, explain that the + <i>tănifa</i> + + is a somewhat rare and greatly-dreaded member of the + old-established shark family. By many white residents in Samoa + it was believed to occasionally reach a length of from twenty + to twenty-five feet; as a matter of fact it seldom exceeds ten + feet, but its great girth, and its solitary, nocturnal habit of + haunting the mouths of shallow streams has invested it even to + the native mind with fictional powers of voracity and + destruction. Yet, despite the exaggerated accounts of the + creature, it is really a dreadful monster, rendered the more + dangerous to human life by the persistency with which it + frequents muddied and shallow water, particularly after a + freshet caused by heavy rain, when its presence cannot be + discerned.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 173 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page168" name="page168">[pg 168]</a> + </span> + + Into the port of Apia there fall two small streams—called + "rivers" by the local people—the Mulivai and the + Vaisigago, and I was fortunate to see specimens of the + <i>tănifa</i> + + on three occasions, twice at the Vaisigago, and once at the + mouth of the Mulivai, but I had never seen one caught, or even + sufficiently exposed to give me an idea of its proportions. + Many natives, however—particularly an old Rarotongan + named Hapai, who lived in Apia, and was the proud capturer of + several + <i>tănifa</i> + + —gave me a reliable description, which I afterwards + verified.</p> + + <p>A + <i>tăifa</i> + + ten feet long, they assured me, was an enormously bulky and + powerful creature with jaws and teeth much larger than an + ocean-haunting shark of double that length; the width across + the shoulders was very great, and although it generally swam + slowly, it would, when it had once sighted its prey, dart along + under the water with great rapidity without causing a ripple. + At a village in Savaii, a powerfully built woman who was + incautiously bathing at the mouth of a stream was seized by one + of these sharks almost before she could utter a cry, so swiftly + and suddenly was she attacked. Several attempts were made to + capture the brute, which continued to haunt the scene of the + tragedy for several days, but it was too cunning to take a hook + and was never caught.</p> + + <p>This particular + <i>tănifa</i> + + , which had been seen by the young Manono chief and his men on + the preceding evening had made its appearance soon after + darkness had fallen and had cruised to and fro across the mouth + of the Vaivasa till the tide began to fall, when it made +<!-- Page 174 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page169" name="page169">[pg 169]</a> + </span> + + its way seaward through a passage in the reef. It was, so Li'o + assured me, quite eight feet in length and very wide across the + head and shoulders. The water was clear and by the bright + starlight they had discerned its movements very easily; once it + came well into the river and remained stationary for some + minutes, lying under about two feet of water. Some of the + Manono men, hailing a picket of the enemy on the opposite bank + of the river, asked for a ten minutes' truce to try and shoot + it; this was granted, and standing on top of the sandy trench, + half a dozen young fellows fired a volley at the shark from + their Sniders. None of the bullets took effect and the + <i>tănifa</i> + + sailed slowly off again to cruise to and fro for another hour, + watching for any hapless person who might cross the river.</p> + + <p>Just as the kava was being handed round, some children who + were on watch cried out that the + <i>tănifa</i> + + had come. Springing to his feet, Li'o again hailed the enemy's + picket on the other side, and a truce was agreed to, so that + "the white men could have a look at the + <i>mālie</i> + + "—shark.</p> + + <p>Thirty or forty yards away was what seemed to be a huge, + irregular and waving mass of phosphorus which, as it drew + nearer, revealed the outlines of the dreaded fish. It came in + straight for the mouth of the creek, passed over the pebbly + bar, and then swam leisurely about in the brackish water, + moving from bank to bank at less than a dozen feet from the + shore. The stream of bright phosphorescent light which had + surrounded its body when it first appeared had now, owing to + there being but a minor degree of phos +<!-- Page 175 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page170" name="page170">[pg 170]</a> + </span> + + phorus in the brackish water, given place to a dulled, sickly, + greenish reflection, accentuated however by thin, vivid + streaks, caused by the exudation from the gills of a streaming, + viscid matter, common to some species of sharks, and giving it + a truly terrifying and horrible appearance. Presently a couple + of natives, taking careful aim, fired at the creature's head; + in an instant it darted off with extraordinary velocity, + rushing through the water like a submerged comet—if I may + use the illustration. Both of the men who had fired were + confident their bullets had struck and badly wounded the shark, + but were greatly disgusted when, ten minutes later, it again + appeared, swimming leisurely about, at ten fathoms from the + beach.</p> + + <p>Three days later, as we were returning to Apia, we were told + by our native friends that the shark still haunted the mouth of + the Vaivasa; and I determined to capture it. I sent Allan on + board the cutter for our one shark hook—a hook which had + done much execution among the sea prowlers. Although not of the + largest size, being only ten inches in the shank, it was made + of splendid steel, and we had frequently caught fifteen-feet + sharks with it at sea. It was a cherished possession with us + and we always kept it—and the four feet of chain to which + it was attached—bright and clean.</p> + + <p>In the evening Allan returned, accompanied by the local + pilot (a Captain Hamilton) and the fat, puffing, master of a + German barque. They wanted "to see the fun." We soon had + everything in readiness; the hook, baited with the + belly-portion of a freshly-killed pig +<!-- Page 176 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page171" name="page171">[pg 171]</a> + </span> + + (which the Manono people had commandeered from a bush village) + was buoyed to piece of light + <i>pua</i> + + wood to keep it from sinking, and then with twenty fathoms of + brand-new whale line attached, we let it drift out into the + centre of the passage. Then making our end of the line fast to + the trunk of a coconut tree, we set some children to watch, and + went into the trenches to drink some kava, smoke, and + gossip.</p> + + <p>We had not long to wait—barely half an hour—when + we heard a warning yell from the watchers. The + <i>tănifa</i> + + was in sight.</p> + + <p>Jumping up and tumbling over each other in our eagerness we + rushed out; but alas! too late for the shark; for instead of + approaching in its usual leisurely manner, it made a straight + dart at the bait, and before we could free our end of the line + it was as taut as an iron bar, and the creature, with the hook + firmly fastened in his jaw, was ploughing the water into foam, + amid yells of excitement from the natives. Then suddenly the + line fell slack, and the half-a-dozen men who were holding it + went over on their backs, heels up.</p> + + <p>In mournful silence we hauled it in, and then, oh woe! the + hook, our prized, our beautiful hook, was gone! and with it two + feet of the chain, which had parted at the centre swivel. That + particular + <i>tănifa</i> + + was seen no more.</p> + + <p>Nearly two months later, two + <i>tănifa</i> + + of a much larger size, appeared at the mouth of the Vaivasa. + Several of the white residents tried, night after night, to + hook them, but the monsters refused to look at +<!-- Page 177 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page172" name="page172">[pg 172]</a> + </span> + + the baits. Then appeared on the scene an old one-eyed Malay + named 'Reo, who asserted he could kill them easily. The way in + which he set to work was described to me by the natives who + witnessed the operations. Taking a piece of green bamboo, about + four feet in length, he split from it two strips each an inch + wide. The ends of these he then, after charring the points, + sharpened carefully; then by great pressure he coiled them up + into as small a compass as possible, keeping the whole in + position by sewing the coil up in the fresh skin of a fish + known as the + <i>isuumu moana</i> + + —a species of the "leather-jacket." Then he asked to be + provided with two dogs. A couple of curs were soon provided, + killed, and the viscera removed. The coils of bamboo were then + placed in the vacancy and the skin of the bellies stitched up + with small wooden skewers. That completed the preparation of + the baits.</p> + + <p>As soon as the two sharks made their appearance, one of the + dead dogs was thrown into the water. It was quickly swallowed. + Then the second followed, and was also seized by the other + <i>tănifa</i> + + . The creatures cruised about for some hours, then went off, as + the tide began to fall.</p> + + <p>On the following evening they did not turn up, nor on the + next; but the Malay insisted that within four or five days both + would be dead. As soon as the dogs were digested, he said, the + thin fish-skin would follow, the bamboo coil would fly apart, + and the sharpened ends penetrate not only the sharks' + intestines, but protrude through the outer skin as well.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 178 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page173" name="page173">[pg 173]</a> + </span> + + Quite a week afterwards, during which time neither of the + <i>tănifa</i> + + had been seen alive, the smaller of the two was found dead on + the beach at Vailele Plantation, about four miles from the + Vaivasa. It was examined by numbers of people, and presented an + extremely interesting sight; one end of the bamboo spring was + protruding over a foot from the belly, which was so cut and + lacerated by the agonised efforts of the monster to free itself + from the instrument of torture, that much of the intestines was + gone.</p> + + <p>That the larger of these dreaded fish had died in the same + manner there was no reason to doubt; but probably it had sunk + in the deep water outside the barrier reef.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 179 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page174" name="page174">[pg 174]</a> + </span> + + <a name='On_Board_the_quotTucopiaquot'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>On Board the "Tucopia."</i> + </h2> + + <p>The little island trading barque + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , Henry Robertson, master, lay just below Garden Island in + Sydney Harbour, ready to sail for the Friendly Islands and + Samoa as soon as the captain came on board. At nine o'clock, as + Bruce, the old, white-haired, Scotch mate, was pointing out to + Mrs. Lacy and the Reverend Wilfrid Lacy the many ships around, + and telling them from whence they came or where they were + bound, the second mate called out—</p> + + <p>"Here's the captain's boat coming, sir."</p> + + <p>Bruce touched his cap to the pale-faced, violet-eyed + clergyman's wife, and turning to the break of the poop, at once + gave orders to "heave short," leaving the field clear to Mr. + Charles Otway, the supercargo of the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , who was twenty-two years of age, had had seven years' + experience of general wickedness in the South Seas, thought he + was in love with Mrs. Lacy, and that, before the barque reached + Samoa, he would make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid + was a serious mistake, and that he, Charles Otway, was the one + man in the world whom she could love and be happy with for + ever. So, being a hot-blooded +<!-- Page 180 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page175" name="page175">[pg 175]</a> + </span> + + and irresponsible young villain, though careful and decorous to + all outward seeming, he set himself to work, took exceeding + care over his yellow, curly hair, and moustache, and abstained + from swearing in Mrs. Lacy's hearing.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>A week before, Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had called at the owner's + office and inquired about a passage to Samoa in the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , and Otway was sent for.</p> + + <p>"Otway," said the junior partner, "can you make room on the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + for two more passengers—nice people, a clergyman and his + wife."</p> + + <p>"D——all nice people, especially clergymen and + their wives," he answered promptly—for although the + youngest supercargo in the firm, he was considered, the + smartest—and took every advantage of the fact. "I'm sick + of carting these confounded missionaries about, Mr. Harry. Last + trip we took two down to Tonga—beastly hymn-grinding + pair, who wanted the hands to come aft every night to prayers, + and played-up generally with the discipline of the ship. + Robertson never interfered, and old Bruce, who is one of the + psalm-singing kidney himself, encouraged the beasts to turn the + ship into a floating Bethel."</p> + + <p>"Mr. Harry" laughed good-naturedly. "Otway, my boy, you + mustn't put on so much side—the firm can't afford it. If + you hadn't drunk so much whisky last night you would be in a + better temper this morning."</p> + + <p>"Oh, if you've got some one else to take my billet +<!-- Page 181 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page176" name="page176">[pg 176]</a> + </span> + + on the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , why don't you say so, instead of backing and filling about, + like a billy-goat in stays? + <i>I</i> + + don't care a damn if you load the schooner up to her maintop + with sky-pilots and their dowdy women-kind. I've had enough of + 'em, and I hereby tender you my resignation. I can get another + and a better ship to-morrow, if—"</p> + + <p>"Sit down, you cock-a-hoopy young ass," and "Mr. Harry" hit + the supercargo a good-humoured but stiff blow in the chest. + "These people aren't missionaries; they're a cut above the + usual breed. Man's a gentleman; woman's as sweet as a rosebud. + Now look here, Otway; we give you a pretty free hand generally, + but in this instance we want you to stretch a point—you + can give these people berths in the trade-room, can't you?"</p> + + <p>The supercargo considered a moment. "There's a lot returning + this trip. First, there's the French priest for Wallis + Island—nice old buffer, but never washes, and grinds his + teeth in his sleep—he's in the cabin next to mine; old + Miss Wiedermann for Tonga—cabin on starboard + side—fussy old cat, who is always telling me that she can + distinctly hear Robertson's bad language on deck. But her + brother is a good sort, and so I put up with her. Then there's + Captain Burr, in the skipper's cabin, two Samoan half-caste + girls in the deck-house—there's going to be trouble over + those women, old Bruce says, and I don't doubt it—and the + whole lot will have their meals in the beastly dog-kennel you + call a saloon, and I call a sweat-box."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 182 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page177" name="page177">[pg 177]</a> + </span> + + Thank you, Mr. Otway. Your elegant manner of speaking shows + clearly the refining influence of the charming people with whom + you associate. Just let me tell you this—you looked like + a gentleman a year or two ago, but become less like one every + day."</p> + + <p>"No wonder," replied Otway sullenly, "the Island trade is + not calculated to turn out Chesterfields. I'm sick enough of + it, now we are carrying passengers as well as cargo. I suppose + the firm will be asking us supercargoes to wear uniform and + brass buttons soon, like the ticket collector on a penny + ferry."</p> + + <p>"Quite likely, my sulky young friend—quite likely, if + it will pay us to do so."</p> + + <p>"Then I'll clear out, and go nigger-catching again in the + Solomons. That's a lot better than having to be civil to people + who worry the soul out of you, are always in the way at sea, + and a beastly nuisance in port. Why, do you know what old Miss + Weidermann did at Manono, in Samoa, when we were there buying + yams three months ago?"</p> + + <p>"No; what did she do?"</p> + + <p>"Got the skipper and myself into a howling mess through her + infernal interference; and if the chiefs and old Mataafa + himself had not come to our help there would have been some + shooting, and this firm could never have sent another ship to + Manono again. It makes me mad when I think of it—the + silly old bundle of propriety and feminine spite."</p> + + <p>"Tell me all about it, Otway. 'Twill do you good, I can see, + to unburden yourself of some of your +<!-- Page 183 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page178" name="page178">[pg 178]</a> + </span> + + bad temper. Shut that door, and we'll have a brandy-and-soda + together."</p> + + <p>"Well," said Otway, "this is what occurred. I was ashore in + the village, buying and weighing the yams, the skipper was + lending me a hand, and everything was going on bully, when + Mataafa and his chiefs sent an invitation to us to come up to + his house and drink kava. Of course such an invitation from the + native point of view was a great honour; and then, besides + that, it was good business to keep in with old Mataafa, who had + just given the Germans a thrashing at Vailele, and was as proud + as a dog with two tails. So, although I hate kava, I accepted + the invitation with 'many expressions of pleasure,' and felt + sure that as the old fellow knew me of old, and I knew he + wanted to buy some rifles, that I should get the bulk of a bag + of sovereigns his mongrel, low-down American secretary was + carrying around. So oft went the skipper and I, letting the + yams stand over till we returned; the barque was lying about a + mile off the beach. Mataafa was very polite to us, and during + the kava drinking I found out that he had about three hundred + sovereigns, and wanted to see the Martini-Henrys we had on + board. Of course I told him that it would be a serious business + for the ship if he gave us away—imprisonment in a + dreadful dungeon in Fiji, if not hanging at the yard-arm or a + man-of-war—and the old cock winked his eye and laughed. + Then, as time was valuable, we at once concocted a plan to get + the rifles—fifty—ashore without making too much of + a show. Well, +<!-- Page 184 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page179" name="page179">[pg 179]</a> + </span> + + among some of the women present there were two great swells, + one was the + <i>taupo</i> + + , or town maid, of Palaulae in Savaii, and the other was a + niece of Mataafa himself. These two, accompanied by a lot of + young women of Manono, were to go off on board the barque in + our boats, ostensibly to pay their respects to the white lady + on board, and invite her on shore, so as to get her out of the + way; then I was to pass the arms out of the stern ports into + some canoes which would be waiting just as it became dark. + About five o'clock they started off in one boat, leaving me and + the skipper to follow in another. I had sent a note off to the + mate telling him all about the little game, and to be mighty + polite to the two chief women, who were to be introduced to + Miss Weidermann, give the old devil some presents of mats, + fruits, and such things, and ask her to come ashore as + Mataafa's guest.</p> + + <p>"Well, something had gone wrong with the Weidermann's + temper; for when the women came on board she was sulking in her + cabin, and refused to show her vinegary face outside her + state-room door. Thinking she would get over her tantrum in a + few minutes, the mate invited the two Samoan ladies and their + attendants down into the cabin, where they awaited her + appearance, behaving themselves, of course, very decorously, it + being a visit of ceremony.</p> + + <p>"Presently Old Cat-face opened her door, and then, without + giving the native ladies time to utter a word, she launched out + at them in her bastard-mongrel Samoan-Tongan. The first thing + she said was that she knew the kind of women they were, and + what +<!-- Page 185 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page180" name="page180">[pg 180]</a> + </span> + + had brought them on board! How dared such brazen, shameless + cattle come into the cabin! Into the same cabin as a white + lady! The bold, half-naked, disgraceful hussies, etc., etc. And + then she capped the thing by calling to the steward to come and + drive them out!</p> + + <p>"Not one of the native women could answer her. They were all + simply dumbfounded at such a gross insult, and left the cabin + in silence. The mate tried to smooth things over, but one of + the women—Mataafa's niece—gave him a look that told + him to say no more. In half an hour the whole lot of them were + back on the beach, and came up to the chiefs house, where the + skipper and myself were having a final drink of kava with old + Mataafa and his + <i>faipule</i> + + . + <a href="#footnote_16" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[16]</span> + </a> + + The face of the elder of the two women was blazing with anger, + and then, pointing to the captain and myself, she gave us such + a tongue-lashing for sending her off to the ship to be shamed + and insulted, that made us blush. Old Mataafa waited until she + had finished, and then, with an ugly gleam in his eye but + speaking very quietly, asked us what it meant.</p> + + <p>"What + <i>could</i> + + we say but that it was no fault of ours; and then, by a happy + inspiration, I added that although Miss Weidermann was + generally well-conducted enough, she sometimes got blazing + drunk, and made a beast of herself. This explanation satisfied + the chiefs, if not the women, and everything went on +<!-- Page 186 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page181" name="page181">[pg 181]</a> + </span> + + smoothly. And as it was then nearly dark, and I was determined + that Mataafa should get his rifles, half a dozen of his men + took us off in their canoes, and we went on board. The skipper + and I had fixed up as to what we should do with the Weidermann + creature. She was seated at the cabin table waiting to open out + on us, but the skipper didn't give her a chance.</p> + + <p>"'Go to your cabin at once, madam,' he said solemnly, 'and I + trust you will not again leave it in your present condition. + Your conduct is simply astounding. + <i>Steward, see that you give Miss Weidermann no more grog</i> + + .'</p> + + <p>"The poor old girl thought that either he or she herself was + going mad, but he gave her no time to talk. The captain opened + her state-room door, gently pushed her in, and put a man + outside to see that she didn't come out again. Then we handed + out the rifles through the stern-ports to the natives in the + canoes, and sent them away rejoicing. And that's the end of the + yarn, and Miss Weidermann nearly went into a fit next morning + when we told her that no less than thirty respectable native + women had taken their oaths that she was mad drunk, and abused + them vilely."</p> + + <p>The junior partner laughed loudly at the story, and Otway, + with a more amiable look on his face, rose.</p> + + <p>"Well, I'll do what I can for these people. I'll make room + for them somehow. Where are they going?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 187 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page182" name="page182">[pg 182]</a> + </span> + + Samoa. They have an idea of settling down there, I think, for a + few months, and then going on to China. They have plenty of + money, apparently."</p> + + <p>"Oh, well, tell them to come on board to-morrow, and I'll + show them what can be done for them."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>So the Rev. and Mrs. Lacy did come on board, and Mr. Charles + Otway was vanquished by just one single glance from the lady's + violet eyes.</p> + + <p>"It would have been such a dreadful disappointment to us if + we could not have obtained passages in the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + ," she said, in her soft, sweet voice, as she sank back in the + deck-chair he placed before her. "My husband is so bent on + making a tour through Samoa. Now, do tell me, Mr. Otway, are + these islands so very lovely?"</p> + + <p>"Very, very lovely, Mrs. Lacy," replied Otway, leaning with + his back against the rail and regarding her with half-closed + eyes; "as sweet and fair to look upon as a lovely woman—a + woman with violet eyes and lips like a budding rose."</p> + + <p>She gave him one swift glance, seemingly in anger, yet her + eyes smiled into his; then she bent her head and regarded the + deck with intense interest. Otway thought he had scored. She + was sure + <i>she</i> + + had.</p> + + <p>Otway had just shown her and her husband his own cabin, and + had told them that they could occupy it—he would make + himself comfortable in the trade-room, he said. This was after + the first look from the violet eyes.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p> +<!-- Page 188 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page183" name="page183">[pg 183]</a> + </span> + + Robertson, the skipper, came aboard, shook hands with Mrs. Lacy + and her husband, nodded to the other passengers, dived below + for a moment or two, and then reappeared on deck, full of + energy, blasphemy, and anxiety to get under way. In less than + an hour the smart barque was outside the Heads, and heeling + over to a brisk south-westerly breeze. Two days later she was + four hundred miles on her course.</p> + + <p>The Rev. Wilfrid Lacy soon made himself very agreeable to + the rest of the passengers, who all agreed that he was a + splendid type of parson, and even Otway, who had as much + principle as a rat and began making love to his wife from the + outset, liked him. First of all, he was not the usual style of + travelling clergyman. He didn't say grace at meals, he smoked a + pipe, drank whisky and brandy with Otway and Robertson, told + rattling good stories, and displayed an immediate interest when + the skipper mentioned that the second mate was a "bit of a + bruiser," and that there were gloves on board; and the second + mate, a nuggety little Tynesider, at once consented to a + friendly mill as soon as he was off duty.</p> + + <p>"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy, "you'll shock every one. I can + see that Captain Robertson wonders what sort of a clergyman you + are."</p> + + <p>Robertson saw the merry light in her dark eyes, and then + laughed aloud as he saw Miss Weidermann's face. It expressed + the very strongest disapproval, and during the rest of the meal + the virgin lady preserved a dismal silence. The rest of the + passengers, however, "took" to the clerical gentleman at once. + With +<!-- Page 189 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page184" name="page184">[pg 184]</a> + </span> + + old Father Roget—the Marist missionary who sat opposite + him—he soon entered into an animated conversation, while + the two De Boos girls, vivacious Samoan half-castes, attached + themselves to his wife. Seated beside Otway was another + passenger, an American skipper named Burr, who was going to + Apia to take command of a vessel belonging to the same firm as + the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + . He was a silent, good-looking man of about sixty, and + possessed of much caustic humour and a remarkable fund of + smoking-room stories, which, on rare occasions, he would relate + in an inimitable, drawling manner, as if he was tired. The + chief mate was a deeply but not obtrusively religious Scotsman; + the second officer, Allen, was a young man of thirty, an + excellent seaman, but rough to the verge of brutality with the + crew. Bruce, on the other hand, was too easy-going and + patient.</p> + + <p>"I never want to raise my hand against a man," he said one + day, as a protest, when Allen gave one of the crew an + unmerciful cuff which sent him down as if he had been shot.</p> + + <p>"Neither do I," replied Allen, "I prefer raising my foot. + But it's habit, Mr. Bruce, only habit."</p> + + <p>For five days the barque ran steadily on an E.N.E. course, + then on the sixth day the wind hauled, and by sunset it was + blowing hard from the eastward with a fast-gathering sea. By + two in the morning Robertson and his officers knew that they + were in for a three-days' easterly gale; a few hours later it + was decided to heave-to, as the sea had become dangerous, and + the +<!-- Page 190 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page185" name="page185">[pg 185]</a> + </span> + + little vessel was straining badly. Just after this had been + done, the gale set in with redoubled fury, and when Mrs. Lacy + came on deck shortly before breakfast, she shuddered at the + wild spectacle. Coming to the break of the poop, she clasped + the iron rail with both hands, and gazed fearfully about + her.</p> + + <p>"You had better go below, ma'am," said the second mate, who + was standing near, talking to Otway, "there's some nasty, lumpy + seas."</p> + + <p>Then he gave a yell.</p> + + <p>"Look out there!"</p> + + <p>Springing to Mrs. Lacy's side, he clasped his left arm + around her waist, and held on tightly to the iron rail with his + right, just as a vast mountain of water took the barque + amidships, fell on her deck with terrific force, and fairly + buried her from the topgallant foc'scle to the level of the + poop. In less than half a minute the galley, for'ard + deck-house, long-boat, which was lying on the main hatch, and + the port bulwarks had vanished, together with three poor seamen + who were asleep in the deck-house. The fearful crash brought + the captain flying on deck. One glance showed him that there + was no chance of saving the men—to attempt to lower a + boat in such a sea was utterly impossible, and would be madness + itself. He sighed, and then took off his cap. Allen and Otway + followed his example.</p> + + <p>"Is there no hope for them?" Mrs. Lacy whispered to + Otway.</p> + + <p>"None," replied the supercargo in a low voice. "None." Then + he urged her to go below, as it was not safe for her to remain + on deck. She went at once, +<!-- Page 191 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page186" name="page186">[pg 186]</a> + </span> + + and met her husband just as he was leaving their cabin.</p> + + <p>"What is the matter, Nell?" he asked, as he saw that tears + were in her eyes.</p> + + <p>"Three poor men have been carried overboard, Wilfrid. They + were in the deck-house asleep ten minutes ago—now they + are gone! Oh, isn't it dreadful, dreadful!" And then she sat + down beside him and wept silently.</p> + + <p>Breakfast was a forlorn meal—Robertson and his + officers were not present, and Otway took the captain's seat. + He, too, only remained to drink a cup of coffee, then hurriedly + went on deck. Lacy rose at the same time, but at the foot of + the companion, Otway motioned him to stop.</p> + + <p>"Don't come on deck awhile, if you please," he said, "and + tell the ladies to keep to the cabin."</p> + + <p>"Anything fresh gone wrong?"</p> + + <p>"Yes," replied the supercargo, looking steadily at the + clergyman—"the ship is making water badly. Don't you hear + the pumps going? Tell the ladies not to come on deck—say + it is not safe. And if the old Weidermann girl hears the pumps, + and gets inquisitive, tell her that a lot of water got into the + hold when that big sea tumbled aboard. She's an inquisitive old + ass, and would be bound to tell the other ladies that the ship + is in danger."</p> + + <p>Lacy nodded. "All right, I'll see to her. How long has the + ship been leaking?"</p> + + <p>"For quite a long time. And there is fourteen inches in her, + and it's as much as we can do to keep it under."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 192 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page187" name="page187">[pg 187]</a> + </span> + + That is serious."</p> + + <p>Otway nodded. "Yes, it is serious in weather like this. Now + I must go. Daresay we may give you a call in the course of the + morning. Ever try a spell at old-fashioned brake pumps? Fine + exercise."</p> + + <p>"I'm ready now if you want me," was the quiet answer.</p> + + <p>The + <i>Tucopia</i> + + was indeed in a pretty bad case. Immediately after the fatal + sea had swept her decks the carpenter had sounded the well and + found fifteen inches of water, some little of which had got + below through the fore-scuttle, but the greater portion, it was + soon evident, was the result of a leak. The barque was a + comparatively new vessel, and Robertson and his officers, after + two hours' pumping, came to the conclusion that she had either + strained herself badly or a butt-end had started somewhere.</p> + + <p>For two hours the crew worked at the pumps, taking a spell + of ten minutes every half-hour, Otway, the American captain + Burr, and Mr. Lacy all lending a hand. Then the well was + sounded, and showed two inches less.</p> + + <p>Robertson ordered the men to come aft and get a glass of + grog. They trooped down into the cabin wet and exhausted, and + the steward served them each out half a tumblerful of good + French brandy. They drank it off, and then went on deck again + to have a smoke before resuming pumping. A quarter of an hour + later the pumps choked. There were a hundred tons of coal in + the lower hold, and some of the small of it had been drawn up. + By the time the carpenter had +<!-- Page 193 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page188" name="page188">[pg 188]</a> + </span> + + them cleared the water had gained seven inches, and the little + barque was labouring heavily. Again, however, the willing crew + turned to and pumped steadily for another hour, but only + succeeded in reducing the water by an inch or two. Then + Robertson called his officers together and consulted.</p> + + <p>"We can't keep on like this much longer," he said, "the + water is gaining on us too fast. And we can't run before such a + sea as this, in our condition; we should be pooped in less than + five minutes. We shall have to take to the boats in another + couple of hours, unless a change takes place. Mr. Allen, and + you, Mr. Otway, see to the two boats, and get them in + readiness."</p> + + <p>Then he went below to the passengers. They were all seated + in the main cabin, and looked anxiously at him as he + entered.</p> + + <p>"I am sorry to tell you, ladies," he said quietly, "that the + ship is leaking so badly that I fear we shall have to abandon + her. The men cannot keep on pumping much longer, now that we + are three hands short. Fortunately we have two good boats, and, + if we must take to them, shall have no trouble in reaching + land."</p> + + <p>They heard him in silence, then the old priest opened his + state-room door, and came out.</p> + + <p>"That is bad news indeed, captain," he said gently. "Still + we must bow to God's will, and trust to His guidance and + protection. And you and your officers and crew are good and + brave seamen."</p> + + <p>"Thank you, father. We'll do all right if we +<!-- Page 194 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page189" name="page189">[pg 189]</a> + </span> + + have to take to the boats. And you must try and cheer up the + ladies. Now I must leave you all for awhile. We will stick to + the pumps for another hour or two."</p> + + <p>"Captain," said Sarah de Boos, a tall, finely built young + woman of twenty, "let my sister and myself and our servant help + the men at the pump. + <i>Do</i> + + , please. We are all three very strong, and our help is surely + worth having."</p> + + <p>Robertson patted her soft cheek with his big, sunburnt hand. + "You are your father's daughter, Sarah, and I thank you. Of + course your help would be something; three fine lusty young + women"—he tried to smile—"but it's too dangerous + for you to be on deck. All the bulwarks are gone, and nasty + lumping seas come aboard every now and then."</p> + + <p>"I'm not afraid of a life-line hurting my waist," was the + prompt answer, "and neither is Sukie—are you Sukie? Go on + deck, captain, and Sukie and I and Mina" (the servant) "will + just kick off our boots and follow you."</p> + + <p>"And I too," broke in old Father Roget. "Surely I am not too + old to help."</p> + + <p>In less than five minutes the two half-caste girls, the + native woman Mina, and the old priest, were working the + starboard brake, three seamen being on the lee side. Every now + and then, as the barque took a heavy roll to windward, the + water would flood her deck up to the workers' knees; but they + stuck steadily to their task for half an hour, when they gave + place +<!-- Page 195 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page190" name="page190">[pg 190]</a> + </span> + + to Burr, the carpenter, the Rev. Wilfrid, and three native + seamen.</p> + + <p>In the cabin Mrs. Lacy sat with ashen-hued face beside Miss + Weidermann, their hands clasped together, and listening to the + wild clamour of the wind and sea. Presently the two De Boos + girls, Lacy, Father Roget, and Mina, came below to rest awhile, + the water streaming from their sodden garments. The old priest, + thoroughly exhausted, threw himself down upon the transom + locker cushions.</p> + + <p>"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy coming over to him and placing her + shaking hand on his shoulder, "cannot I do something? Oh, Miss + De Boos, I wish I were brave, like you. But I am not—I am + a coward, and I hate myself for it."</p> + + <p>The Rev. Wilfrid smiled tenderly at her as he drew her to + him for a moment. "Don't worry, little woman. You can't do + anything—yes, you can, though! Get me my pipe and fill it + for me. My hands are wet and cramped."</p> + + <p>Sukie De Boos, whose firm, rounded bosom and strong square + shoulders made a startling contrast, as they revealed their + shape under her soddened blouse, to Mrs. Lacy's fragile figure, + impulsively put her hands out, and taking Mrs. Lacy's face + between them, kissed her twice.</p> + + <p>"Dear Mrs. Lacy," she said, "don't be frightened, please. + Now get Mr. Lacy's pipe, and I'll rummage the steward's pantry + and get some food for us all to eat. Mr. Otway told me to tell + you and Miss Weidermann to eat something, as maybe we may not + get anything +<!-- Page 196 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page191" name="page191">[pg 191]</a> + </span> + + for some hours. So I'm just going to stay here and see that + every one + <i>does</i> + + eat. I'll set you a good example."</p> + + <p>In a few minutes she laid upon the table an assortment of + tinned meats, bread, and some bottled beer, and some brandy for + Father Roget and Lacy. Otway came down, followed by the + steward, and nodded approval.</p> + + <p>"That's right, Sukie. Eat as much as you can. I'll take a + drink myself. Here's luck to you, Sukie. Perhaps we won't have + to make up a boating party after all. But there's nothing like + being ready. So will you, Mr. Lacy, lend a hand here with the + steward, and pass up our provisions to the second mate? The + captain will be down in a minute, and will tell you ladies what + clothing to get ready. For my part I'll be jolly glad if we do + have to take to the boats, where we shall be nice and comfy, + instead of rolling about in this beastly way—I'll be + sea-sick in another ten minutes. Old Bruce says he felt sick an + hour ago. Come on, steward."</p> + + <p>The assumed cheerfulness of his manner produced a good + effect, and even old Miss Weidermann plucked up heart a little + as she saw him nonchalantly light a cigar as he disappeared + with the steward below into the lazzarette.</p> + + <p>On deck Robertson and the mate were talking in low tones, as + they assisted the second mate with the boats. There was now + nearly three feet of water in the hold, and every one knew that + the barque could not keep afloat much longer. Fortunately the +<!-- Page 197 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page192" name="page192">[pg 192]</a> + </span> + + violence of the wind had decreased somewhat, though there was + still a mountainous sea.</p> + + <p>Both the old mate and the captain knew that the two small + quarter boats would be dangerously overladen, and their + unspoken fears were shared by the rest of the officers and + crew. But another hour would perhaps make a great difference; + and then as the two men were speaking a savage sea smote the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + on the starboard bow, with such violence that she trembled in + every timber, and as she staggered under the shock and then + rolled heavily to windward, she dipped the starboard quarter + boat under the water; it filled, and as she rose again, boat + and davits went away together.</p> + + <p>Robertson groaned and looked at the mate.</p> + + <p>"It is God's will, sir," said the old Scotsman quietly.</p> + + <p>Robertson nodded. "Tell Allen and the others to come here," + he said.</p> + + <p>The Tynesider, followed by Captain Burr, Otway, and the + carpenter, came.</p> + + <p>"Mr. Allen," said the captain, "you are the best man in such + an emergency as this. You handle a boat better than any man I + know. There is now only one boat left, and you must take charge + of her. You will have to take a big lot of people—the + four women, the parson, the old French priest, Mr. Otway, + Captain Burr, the carpenter, and the five men."</p> + + <p>"I guess I'll stand out, and stick to the ship," said Burr + in a lazy, drawling manner, "I don't like bein' crowded up with + a lot of wimmen."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 198 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page193" name="page193">[pg 193]</a> + </span> + + Neither do I, said Otway.</p> + + <p>"Same here, captain," said the carpenter, a little grizzled + man of sixty.</p> + + <p>Robertson shook hands with each of them in turn. "I knew you + were + <i>men</i> + + ," he said simply. "Come below and let's have a drink together, + and then see to the boat."</p> + + <p>"What's all this, skipper?" said Allen, with an oath, "d'ye + think I'm going to save my carcase and let you men drown? I'll + see you all damned first!"</p> + + <p>"You'll obey orders," growled the captain, "and my orders + are that you take charge of that boat. And don't give me any + lip. You are a married man and have children. None of us who + are standing by the ship are married men. By God, my joker, if + you don't know your duty, I'll teach you. Are you going to let + these four women go adrift in a boat to perish when you can + save them?"</p> + + <p>Allen looked the captain squarely in the face and then put + out his hand.</p> + + <p>"I understand you, sir. But I don't like doing it. The ship + won't keep afloat another hour. But, as you say, I've a wife + and kids to consider."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Followed by the others, Robertson went below, and told his + passengers to get ready for the boat. The old French priest, + exhausted by his labour at the pumps, was still lying on the + transom cushions, sleeping; the Rev. Lacy was seated at the + table smoking his pipe (all the ladies were in their + state-rooms). He rose as the men entered, and looked at them + inquiringly.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 199 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page194" name="page194">[pg 194]</a> + </span> + + We're in a bit of a tight place," said the captain, as he + coolly poured out half a tumblerful of brandy, "but I'm sending + you, Mr. Lacy, and Father Roget, and the ladies away with Mr. + Allen in one of the boats. Allen is a man whom I rely upon. + He'll bring you ashore safely. He's a bit rough in his talk, + but he's one of God's own chosen in a boat, and a fine sailor + man—better than the mate, Captain Burr, or myself; isn't + that so, Mr. Bruce?"</p> + + <p>The white-haired old mate bent his head in acknowledgment. + Then he stood up stiff and stark, his rough bony hands clasped + upon his chest.</p> + + <p>"I'll no' deny but that Mr. Allen is far and awa' the best + man to have charge o' the boat. But as there is a meenister + here, surely he will now offer up a prayer to the Almighty for + those in peril on the sea, and especially implore Him to + consider a sma' boat, deep to the gunwales."</p> + + <p>He looked at the clergyman, who at first made no reply, but + stood with downcast eyes. The men looked at him expectantly; he + put one hand on the table, and then slowly raised his face.</p> + + <p>"I think, gentlemen, that ... that Father Roget is the older + man." He spoke haltingly, and a flush dyed his smooth, + clean-shaven face from brow to chin. "Will you not ask him?" + Then his eyes dropped again.</p> + + <p>Robertson, who was in a hurry, and yet had a sincere but + secret respect for old Bruce's unobtrusive religious feelings, + now backed up his mate's request.</p> + + <p>"I think, sir, that as the mate says, a bit of a short +<!-- Page 200 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page195" name="page195">[pg 195]</a> + </span> + + prayer would not be out of place just now, seeing the mess we + are in. And that poor old gentleman over there is too done up + to stand on his feet. So will you please begin, sir. Steward, + call the ladies. We can no longer disguise from them, Mr. Lacy, + that we are in a bad way—as bad a way as I have ever been + in during my thirty years at sea."</p> + + <p>In a couple of minutes the two De Boos girls, Miss + Weidermann, and the native girl Mina, came out of their cabins; + and when the steward said that Mrs. Lacy felt too ill to leave + her berth, her husband could not help giving an audible sigh of + relief. Then he braced up and spoke with firmness.</p> + + <p>"Please shut Mrs. Lacy's door, steward. Mr. Bruce, will you + lend me your church service—I do not want to go into my + cabin for my own. My wife, I fear, has given way."</p> + + <p>The mate brought the church service, and then whilst the men + stood with bowed heads, and the women knelt, the clergyman, + with strong, unfaltering voice read the second of the prayers + "To be used in Storms at Sea." He finished, and then sitting + down again, placed one hand over his eyes.</p> + + <p>" + <i>The living, the living shall praise Thee</i> + + ."</p> + + <p>It was the old mate who spoke. He alone of the men had knelt + beside the women, and when he rose his face bore such an + expression of calmness and content, that Otway, who five + minutes before had been silently cursing him for his "damned + idiotcy," looked at him with a sudden mingled respect and + wonder.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 201 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page196" name="page196">[pg 196]</a> + </span> + + Stepping across to the clergyman, Bruce respectfully placed his + hand on his shoulder, and as he spoke his clear blue eyes + smiled at the still kneeling women.</p> + + <p>"Cheer up, sir. God will protect ye and your gude wife, and + us all. You, his meenister, have made supplication to Him, and + He has heard. Dinna weep, ladies. We are in the care of One who + holds the sea in the hollow of His hand."</p> + + <p>Then he followed the captain and the others on deck, Otway + alone remaining to assist the steward.</p> + + <p>"For God's sake give me some brandy," said Lacy to him, in a + low voice.</p> + + <p>Otway looked at him in astonishment. Was the man a coward + after all?</p> + + <p>He brought the brandy, and with ill-disguised contempt + placed it before him without a word. Lacy looked up at him, and + his face flushed.</p> + + <p>"Oh, I'm not funking—not a d——d bit, I can + assure you."</p> + + <p>Otway at once poured out a nip of brandy for himself, and + clinked his glass against that of the clergyman.</p> + + <p>"Pon my soul, I couldn't make it out, and I apologise. But a + man's nerves go all at once sometimes—can't help himself, + you know. Mine did once when I was in the nigger-catching + business in the Solomon Islands. Natives opened fire on us when + our boats were aground in a creek, and some of our men got hit. + I wasn't a bit scared of a smack from a bullet, but when I got + a scratch on my hand from an arrow, I dropped in a blue funk, + and acted like a cur. +<!-- Page 202 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page197" name="page197">[pg 197]</a> + </span> + + Knew it was poisoned, felt sure I'd die of lockjaw, and began + to weep internally. Then the mate called me a rotten young cur, + shook me up, and put my Snider into my hand. But I shall always + feel funky at the sight even of a child's twopenny bow and + arrow. Now I must go."</p> + + <p>The clergyman nodded and smiled, and then rising from his + seat, he tapped at the door of his wife's state-room. She + opened it, and then Otway, who was helping the steward, heard + her sob hysterically.</p> + + <p>"Oh, Will, Will, why did you? How could you? I love you, + Will dear, I love you, and if death comes to us in another + hour, another minute, I shall die happily with your arms round + me. But, Will dear, there is a God, I'm sure there + <i>is</i> + + a God.... I feel it in my heart, I feel it. And now that death + is so near to us——"</p> + + <p>Lacy put his arms around her, and lifted her trembling + figure upon his knees.</p> + + <p>"There, rest yourself, my pet."</p> + + <p>"Rest! Rest?" she said brokenly, as Lacy drew her to him. + "How can I rest when I think of how I have sinned, and how I + shall die! Will dear, when I heard you reading that + prayer—"</p> + + <p>"I + <i>had</i> + + to do it, Nell."</p> + + <p>"Will, dear Will.... Perhaps God may forgive us both.... But + as I sat here in my dark cabin, and listened to you reading + that prayer, my husband's face came before me—the face + that I thought was so dull and stupid. And his eyes seemed so + soft and kind—"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 203 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page198" name="page198">[pg 198]</a> + </span> + + For God's sake, my dear little woman, don't think of what is + past. We have made the plunge together——"</p> + + <p>The woman uttered one last sobbing sigh. "I am not afraid to + die, Will. I am not afraid, but when I heard you begin to read + that prayer, my courage forsook me. I wanted to scream—to + rush out and stop you, for it seemed to me as if you were doing + it in sheer mockery."</p> + + <p>"I can only say again, Nell, that I could not help myself; + made me feel pretty sick, I assure you."</p> + + <p>Their voices ceased, and presently Lacy stepped out into the + main cabin, and then went on deck again.</p> + + <p>Robertson met him with a cheerful face. "Come on, Mr. Lacy. + I've some good news for you—we are making less water! The + leak must be taking up in some way." Then holding on to the + rail with one hand, he shouted to the men at the pumps.</p> + + <p>"Shake her up, boys! shake her up. Here's Mr. Lacy come to + lend a hand, and the supercargo and steward will be with you in + a minute. Now I'm going below for a minute to tell the ladies, + and mix you a bucket of grog. Shake her up, you, Tom Tarbucket, + my bully boy with a glass eye! Shake her up, and when she sucks + dry, I'll stand a sovereign all round."</p> + + <p>The willing crew answered him with a cheer, and Tom + Tarbucket, a square-built, merry faced native of Savage Island, + who was stripped to the waist, shouted out, amid the laughter + of his shipmates—</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 204 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page199" name="page199">[pg 199]</a> + </span> + + Ay, ay, capt'in, we soon make pump suck dry if two Miss de Boos + girl come."</p> + + <p>Robertson laughed in response, and then picking up a wooden + bucket from under the fife rail, clattered down the companion + way.</p> + + <p>"Where are you, Otway? Up you get on deck, and you too, + steward. The leak is taken up and 'everything is lovely and the + goose hangs high.' Up you go to the pumps, and make 'em suck. + I'll bring up some grog presently."</p> + + <p>Then as Otway and the steward sprang up on deck, the captain + stamped along the cabin in his sodden sea boots, banging at + each door.</p> + + <p>"Come out, Sarah, come out Sukie, my little + chickabiddies—there's to be no boat trip for you after + all. Miss Weidermann, I've good news, good news! Mrs. Lacy, + cheer up, dear lady. The leak has taken up, and you can go on + deck and see your husband working at the pumps like a number + one chop Trojan. Ha! Father Roget, give me your hand. You're a + white man, sir, and ought to be a bishop."</p> + + <p>As he spoke to the now awakened old priest, the two De Boos + girls, Mrs. Lacy and Miss Weidermann, all came out of their + cabins, and Robertson shook hands with them, and lifting Sukie + de Boos up between his two rough hands as if she were a little + girl, he kissed her, and then made a grab at Sarah, who dodged + behind Mrs. Lacy.</p> + + <p>"Now, father, don't you attempt to come on deck. Mrs. Lacy, + just you keep him here. Sukie, my chick, you and Sarah get a + couple of bottles of brandy, +<!-- Page 205 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page200" name="page200">[pg 200]</a> + </span> + + make this bucket full of half-and-half, and bring it on deck to + the men."</p> + + <p>As he noisily stamped out of the cabin again, the old priest + turned to the ladies, and raised his hand—</p> + + <p>"A brave, brave man—a very good English sailor. And + now let us thank God for His mercies to us."</p> + + <p>The four ladies, with Mina, knelt, and then the good old man + prayed fervently for a few minutes. Then Sukie de Boos and her + sister flung their arms around Mrs. Lacy, and kissed her, and + even Miss Weidermann, now thoroughly unstrung, began to cry + hysterically. She had at first detested Mrs. Lacy as being + altogether too scandalously young and pretty for a clergyman's + wife. Now she was ready to take her to her bosom (that is, to + her metaphorical bosom, as she had no other), for she believed + that Mr. Lacy's prayer had saved them all, he being a + Protestant clergyman, and therefore better qualified to avert + imminent death than a priest of Rome.</p> + + <p>Sukie and Sally de Boos mixed the grog, took it on deck, and + served it out to the men at the pumps.</p> + + <p>The carpenter sounded the well, and as he drew up the iron + rod, the second mate gave a shout.</p> + + <p>"Only seven inches, captain."</p> + + <p>"Right, my boy. Take a good spell now, Mr. Allen. Mr. Bruce, + we can give her a bit more lower canvas now. She'll stand it. + Mr. Lacy, and you Captain Burr, come aft and get into some dry + togs. The glass is rising steadily, and in a few hours we'll + feel a bit more comfy."</p> + + <p>He prophesied truly, for the violence of the gale +<!-- Page 206 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page201" name="page201">[pg 201]</a> + </span> + + decreased rapidly, and when at the end of an hour the pumps + sucked, the crew gave a cheer, and tired out as they were, + eagerly sprang aloft to repair damages and then spread more + sail, Sarah and Susan de Boos hauling and pulling at the + running gear from the deck below. They were both girls of + splendid physique, and, in a way, sailors, and had Robertson + allowed them to do so, would have gone aloft and handled the + canvas with the men.</p> + + <p>By four o'clock in the afternoon the little barque, with her + wave-swept, bulwarkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, + was running before a warm, good-hearted breeze, and the pumps + were only attended to twice in every watch.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Lacy, Miss Weidermann, the De Boos girls, and the + French priest were seated on the poop deck, on rugs and + blankets spread out for them by Otway and the steward. Lacy, + with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro smoking his pipe, and + laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to make his wife + smoke a cigarette. Presently old Bruce came along with the + second mate and some men to set a new gaff-topsail, and the + ladies rose to go below, so as to be out of the way.</p> + + <p>"Nae, nae, leddies, dinna go below," said the old mate + cheerfully, "ye'll no' hinder us. And the sight o' sae many + sweet, bonny faces will mak' us work a' the better. And how are + ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink roses are in your cheeks once + mair." And then he stepped quickly up to the young clergyman + and took his hand.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 207 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page202" name="page202">[pg 202]</a> + </span> + + Mr. Lacy, ye must pardon me, but I'm an auld man, and must hae + my way. Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added in a low voice, + "and ye called upon Him, and He heard us."</p> + + <p>"Thank you, Mr. Bruce," Lacy answered nervously, as he saw + his wife's eyes droop, and a vivid blush dye her fair cheeks. + Then he plucked the American captain by the sleeve and went + below, and Sukie de Boos laughed loudly when in another minute + they heard the pop of a bottle of soda water. She ran to the + skylight and bent down.</p> + + <p>"You're a pair of exceedingly rude men. You might think of + Father Roget—even if you don't think of us poor women. + Mr. Otway, come here, you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! + Go below and get a glass of port wine for Father Roget, a + bottle of champagne for Mrs. Lacy and my sister and myself, and + a cup of tea for Mrs. Weidermann, and bring some biscuits, + too."</p> + + <p>"Come and help me, then," said the supercargo, who was + indeed dirty-faced and ragged.</p> + + <p>Sukie danced towards the companion way with him. Half-way + down he put his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She + returned his kisses with interest, and laughingly smacked his + cheek.</p> + + <p>"Let me go, Charlie Otway, you horrid, bold fellow. Now, + one, two, three, or I'll call out and invoke the protection of + the clergy, above and below—those on board this ship I + mean, not those who are in heaven or elsewhere."</p> + + <hr /> + + <p> +<!-- Page 208 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page203" name="page203">[pg 203]</a> + </span> + + Ten days later the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + sailed into Apia Harbour and dropped anchor inside Matautu + Point just as the evening mists were closing their fleecy + mantle around the verdant slopes of Vailima Mountain.</p> + + <p>The two half-caste girls, with their maid and Mr. and Mrs. + Lacy, came to bid Otway and the captain a brief farewell, + before they went ashore in the pilot boat to D'Acosta's hotel + in Matafele.</p> + + <p>"Now remember, Otway, and you, Captain Robertson, and you, + Captain Burr, you are all to dine with us at the hotel the day + after to-morrow. And perhaps you, too, Father Roget will + reconsider your decision and come too." It was Lacy who + spoke.</p> + + <p>The gentle-voiced old Frenchman shook his head and + smiled—"Ah no, it was impossible," he said. The bishop + would not like him to so soon leave the Mission. But the bishop + and his brothers at the Mission would look forward to have the + good captain, and Mr. Burr, and Mr. Otway, and the ladies to + accept his hospitality.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Lacy's soft little gloved hand was in Otway's.</p> + + <p>"I thank you, Mr. Otway, very, very sincerely for your many + kindnesses to me. You have indeed been most generous to us + both. It was cruel of us to take your cabin and compel you to + sleep in the trade-room. But I shall never forget how kind you + have been."</p> + + <p>All that was good in Otway came into his vicious heart and + voiced softly through his lips.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 209 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page204" name="page204">[pg 204]</a> + </span> + + I am only too glad, Mrs. Lacy.... I am indeed. I didn't like + giving up my cabin to strangers at first, and was a bit of a + beast when Mr. Harry told me we were taking two extra + passengers. But I am glad now."</p> + + <p>He turned away, and went below with burning cheeks. Before + the storm he had tried his best, late on several nights, to + make Lacy drunk, and to keep him drunk; but Lacy could stand as + much or more grog than he could himself; and when he heard that + passionate, sobbing appeal, "Oh, Will, Will, how could you?" + his better nature was stirred, and his fierce sensual desire + for her changed into a sentimental affection and respect. He + knew her secret, and now, instead of wishing to take advantage + of it, felt he was too much of a man to abuse his + knowledge.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Supper was over, and as the skipper, Burr, and Otway paced + the quarter-deck before going ashore to play a game or two of + billiards and meet some friends, a boat came alongside, and a + man stepped on deck and inquired for the captain. As he + followed Robertson down the companion, Otway saw that he was a + well-dressed, rather gentlemanly-looking young man of about + five and twenty.</p> + + <p>"Who's that joker, I wonder?" he said to Burr; "not any one + living in Samoa, unless he's a new-comer. Hope he won't stay + long—it's eight o'clock now."</p> + + <p>Ten minutes later the steward came to him.</p> + + <p>"The captain wishes to see you, sir."</p> + + <p>Otway entered the cabin. Robertson, with frowning +<!-- Page 210 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page205" name="page205">[pg 205]</a> + </span> + + face, motioned him to a seat. The strange gentleman sat near + the captain smoking a cigar, and with some papers in his + hands.</p> + + <p>"Mr. Otway, I have sent for you. This gentleman has a + warrant for the arrest of Mr. Lacy, issued by the New Zealand + Government and initialled by the British Consul here."</p> + + <p>Otway rose to the occasion. He nodded to the stranger and + sat down quietly.</p> + + <p>"Yes, sir?" he asked inquiringly of Robertson.</p> + + <p>"You will please tell my supercargo your business, mister," + said the captain gruffly to the stranger; "he can tell you all + you wish to know—that is, if he cares to do so. I don't + see that your warrant holds any force here in Samoa. You can't + execute it. There's no government here, no police, no anything, + and the British Consul can't act on a warrant issued from New + Zealand. It is of no more use in Samoa than it would be at Cape + Horn."</p> + + <p>"Now, sir, make haste," said Otway with a mingled and + studied insolence and politeness. He already began to detest + the stranger.</p> + + <p>"I am a detective of the police force of New Zealand, and I + have come from Auckland to arrest William Barton, alias the + Rev. Wilfrid Lacy, on a charge of stealing twenty thousand, + five hundred pounds from the National Bank of Christchurch, of + which he was manager. I believe that twenty thousand pounds of + the money he has stolen is on board this vessel at this moment, + and I now demand access to his cabin."</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 211 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page206" name="page206">[pg 206]</a> + </span> + + Do you? How are you going to enforce your demand, my cocksure + friend?"</p> + + <p>Otway rose, and placing his two hands on the table, looked + insultingly at the detective. "What rot you are talking, + man!"</p> + + <p>The detective drew back, alarmed and startled.</p> + + <p>"The British Consul has endorsed my warrant to arrest this + man," he said, "and it will go hard with any one who attempts + to interfere with me in the performance of my duty."</p> + + <p>Otway shot a quick, triumphant glance at the captain.</p> + + <p>"The Consul is, and always was, a silly old ass. You have + come on a fool's errand; and are going on the wrong tack by + making threats. That idiotic warrant of yours is of no more use + to you than a sheet of fly paper—Samoa is outside British + jurisdiction. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific + would not have endorsed such a fool of a document, and I'll + report the matter to him.... Now, sit down and tell me what you + + <i>do</i> + + want, and I'll try and help you all I can. But don't try to + bluff us—it's only wasting your time. Steward, bring us + something to drink."</p> + + <p>As soon as the steward brought them "something to drink" + Otway became deeply sympathetic with the detective, and + Robertson, who knew his supercargo well, smiled inwardly at the + manner he adopted.</p> + + <p>"Now, just tell us, Mr.—O'Donovan, I think you said is + your name—what is all the trouble? I need +<!-- Page 212 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page207" name="page207">[pg 207]</a> + </span> + + hardly tell you that whilst both the captain and myself felt + annoyed at your dictatorial manner, we are both sensible men, + and will do all in our power to assist you. Our firm's + reputation has to be studied—has it not, captain? We + don't want it to be insinuated that we helped an embezzler to + escape, do we?"</p> + + <p>"Certainly not," replied Robertson, puffing slowly at his + cigar, watching Otway keenly through his half-closed eyelids, + and wondering what that astute young gentleman was driving at. + "I guess that you, Mr. Otway, will do all that is right and + cor-rect."</p> + + <p>"Thank you, sir," replied Otway humbly, and with great + seriousness, "I know my duty to my employers, and I know that + this gentleman may be led into very serious trouble through the + dense stupidity of the British Consul here."</p> + + <p>He turned to Mr. O'Donovan—"Are you aware, Mr. + O'Donikin—I beg your pardon, O'Donovan—that the + British Consul here is not, officially, the British Consul. He + is merely a commercial agent, like the United States Consul. + Neither are accredited by their Governments to act officially + on behalf of their respective countries, and even if they were, + there is no extradition treaty with the Samoan Islands, which + is a country without a recognised government. Of course, Mr. + O'Donovan, you are acting in good faith; but you have no more + legal right nor the power to arrest a man in Samoa, than you + have to arrest one in Manchuria or Patagonia. Of course, old + Johns (the British Consul) doesn't know this, or +<!-- Page 213 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page208" name="page208">[pg 208]</a> + </span> + + he would not have made such a fool of himself by endorsing a + warrant from an irresponsible judge of a New Zealand court. But + as I told you, I shall aid you in every possible way."</p> + + <p>O'Donovan was no fool. He knew that all that Otway had said + was absolutely correct, but he braced himself up.</p> + + <p>"I daresay what you say may be right, Mr. Supercargo. But + I've come from New Zealand to get this joker, and by blazes I + mean to get him, and take him back with me to New Zealand. And + I mean to have those twenty thousand sovereigns to take back as + well."</p> + + <p>"Well, then, why the devil don't you go and get your man? + He's at Joe D'Acosta's hotel with his wife."</p> + + <p>"I don't want to be bothered with him just yet. I have no + place to put him into. The Californian mail boat from San + Francisco is not due here for another ten days. But I know that + he hasn't taken his stolen money ashore yet, and you had better + hand it over to me at once. I can get + <i>him</i> + + at any time."</p> + + <p>Otway leant back in his chair and laughed.</p> + + <p>"I don't doubt that, Mr. O'Donovan. If you have enough money + to do it, you can do as you say—get this man at any time. + But you want to have some guns behind you to enforce it; and + then his capture won't affect our custody of the money. If the + Consul instigates you to make an attack on the ship, you will + do so at your peril, for we shall resist any piratical + attempt."</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 214 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page209" name="page209">[pg 209]</a> + </span> + + O'Donovan's face fell. "You said you would assist me?"</p> + + <p>"So I will," replied Otway, lying genially, "But you must + point out a way. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, + in Fiji, is the only man who could give you power to arrest the + man and convey him to New Zealand, and the moment you show me + the High or the Deputy High Commissioner's order to hand over + the money, and Lacy's other effects, I'll do so."</p> + + <p>The detective made his last stroke.</p> + + <p>"I can take the law into my own hands and chance the + consequences. The Consul will supply me with a + force—"</p> + + <p>Robertson smiled grimly, and pointed to the rack of Snider + rifles around the mizen-mast at the head of the table.</p> + + <p>"You and your force will have a bad time of it then, and be + shot down before you can put foot on my deck. I've never seen a + shark eat a policeman, but there seems a chance of it now."</p> + + <p>O'Donovan laughed uneasily, then he changed his tactics.</p> + + <p>"Now look here, gentlemen," he said confidentially, leaning + across the table, "I can see I'm in a bit of a hole, but I'm a + business man, and you are business men, and I think we + understand one another, eh? As you say, my warrant doesn't hold + good here in Samoa. But the Consul will back me up, and if I + can take this chap back to New Zealand it means a big thing for + me. Now, what's your figure?"</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 215 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page210" name="page210">[pg 210]</a> + </span> + + Two hundred each for the skipper and myself," answered Otway + promptly.</p> + + <p>"Done. You shall have it."</p> + + <p>"When?"</p> + + <p>"Give me till to-morrow afternoon. I've only a hundred and + fifty pounds with me, and I'll have to raise the rest."</p> + + <p>"Very well, it's a deal. But mind, you'll have to take care + to be here before the parson. He's coming off at eleven + o'clock."</p> + + <p>"Trust me for that, gentlemen."</p> + + <p>"I'm sorry for his wife," said Otway meditatively.</p> + + <p>O'Donovan grinned. "Ah, I haven't told you the + yarn—she's not his wife! She bolted from her husband, who + is a big swell in Auckland, a Mr.——."</p> + + <p>"How did you get on their tracks?"</p> + + <p>"Sydney police found out that two people answering their + description had sailed for the Islands in the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + , and cabled over to us. We thought they had lit out for + America. I only got here the day before yesterday in the + <i>Ryno</i> + + , from Auckland."</p> + + <p>Otway paid him some very florid compliments on his + smartness, and then after another drink or two, the detective + went on shore, highly pleased.</p> + + <p>As soon as he was gone, Otway turned to Robertson.</p> + + <p>"You won't stand in my way, Robertson, will you?" he + asked—"I want to see the poor devils get away."</p> + + <p>"You take all the responsibility, then."</p> + + <p>"I will," and then he rapidly told the skipper his +<!-- Page 216 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page211" name="page211">[pg 211]</a> + </span> + + plan, and set to work by at once asking the second mate to get + ready the boat and then come back to the cabin.</p> + + <p>"All ready," said Allen, five minutes later.</p> + + <p>"Then come with the steward and help me with this gear."</p> + + <p>He unlocked the door of Lacy's state-room, lit the swinging + candle, and quickly passed out Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining + luggage to the second mate and steward. Three small leather + trunks, marked "Books with Care," were especially heavy, and he + guessed their contents.</p> + + <p>"Stow them safely in the boat, Allen. Don't make more noise + than you can help. I'll be with you in a minute."</p> + + <p>Going into his own cabin, he took a large handbag, threw + into it his revolver and two boxes of cartridges, then carried + it into the trade-room, and added half a dozen tins of the + brand of tobacco which he knew Lacy liked, and then filled the + remaining space with pint bottles of champagne. Then he whipped + up a sheet or two of letter paper and an envelope from the + cabin-table, thrust them into his coat pocket, and, bag in + hand, stepped quickly on deck. The old mate was in his cabin, + and had not heard anything.</p> + + <p>"Give it to her, boys," he said to the crew, taking the + steer-oar in his hand, and heading the boat towards a small + fore-and-aft schooner lying half a mile away in the Matafele + horn of the reef encircling Apia Harbour.</p> + + <p>The four native seamen bent to their oars in silence, and + sped swiftly through the darkness over the calm +<!-- Page 217 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page212" name="page212">[pg 212]</a> + </span> + + waters of the harbour. The schooner showed no riding light on + her forestay, but, on the after deck under the awning, a lamp + was burning, and three men—the captain, mate, and + boatswain—were playing cards on the skylight.</p> + + <p>Otway jumped on deck, just as the men rose to meet him.</p> + + <p>"Great Ascensial Jehosophat! Why, it's you, Mr. Otway?" + cried the captain, a little clean-shaven man, as he shook hands + with the supercargo. "Well, now, I was just wondering whether + I'd go ashore and try and drop across you. Say, tell me now, + hev you any good tinned beef and a case of Winchesters you can + sell me?"</p> + + <p>"Yes, both," replied Otway, shaking hands with the three in + turn—they were all old acquaintances, especially Le Brun, + the mate. "But come below with me, Revels; I've important + business, and it has to be done right away—this very + night."</p> + + <p>Revels led the way below into the schooner's cabin, and at + once produced a bottle of Bourbon and a couple of glasses.</p> + + <p>"No time to drink, Revels.... All right, just a little, + then. Now, tell me, do you want to make—and make it + easy—five hundred pounds?"</p> + + <p>"Guess I do."</p> + + <p>"Are you ready for sea?"</p> + + <p>"I was thinking of sailing on a cruise among the Tokelau + Islands in a day or two."</p> + + <p>"Then don't think of it. If you put to sea to-night for a + longer voyage, I can guarantee you that you will +<!-- Page 218 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page213" name="page213">[pg 213]</a> + </span> + + get five hundred pounds—if you will take two passengers + on board, and put to sea as soon as they come alongside."</p> + + <p>"Where do they want to go?"</p> + + <p>"That I can't say. Manila or Hongkong, most likely. It'll + pay you."</p> + + <p>"Is the money safe?"</p> + + <p>Otway struck his hand on the table. "Safe as rain, Revels. + They have plenty. I have it here alongside, and if you don't + get five hundred sovereigns paid you when you have dropped + Samoa astern, you can come back with your passengers, and I'll + give you fifty pounds myself."</p> + + <p>"Friends of yours?"</p> + + <p>"Yes."</p> + + <p>"That's enough fur me, Otway. Now, just tell me what to + do."</p> + + <p>"Tell your mate to get your boat ready to go ashore, while I + write a note."</p> + + <p>He took a sheet of paper, and hurriedly wrote in pencil:</p> + + <p class="blkquot">"DEAR LACY,—Don't hesitate to follow + my instructions. There's a man here from New Zealand. Tried to + get access to your cabin; bluffed him. You and your wife must + follow bearer of this note to his boat, which will bring you to + a schooner. The captain's name is Revels. He expects you, and + you can trust him. Have pledged him my word that you will give + him £500 to land you at Manila or thereabouts; also that + you will hand it to him as soon as the schooner is clear of the + land. + <i>All</i> + + your luggage is on board the schooner, awaiting you. Allen + helped me. You might send him a present by Revels. Goodbye, and + all good luck. One last word— + <i>be quick, be quick</i> + + !"</p> + + <p>"Boat is ready," said Revels.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 219 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page214" name="page214">[pg 214]</a> + </span> + + Right," and Otway closed the letter and handed it to the mate. + "Here you are, Le Brun. Now, listen. Pull in to the mouth of + the creek at the French Mission, just beside the bridge. Leave + your boat there and then take this letter to D'Acosta's Hotel + and ask to see Mr. Lacy. If he and his wife have gone out for a + walk, you must follow them and give him the letter; but I feel + pretty sure you'll find them on the verandah. Bring them off on + board as quickly and as quietly as possible. No one will take + any notice of the boat in the creek. Oh! and tell Mr. Lacy to + be dead sure not to bring anything in the way of even a small + bag with him—Joe D'Acosta might wonder. I'll settle the + hotel bill later on. Are you clear?"</p> + + <p>"Clear as mud," replied Le Brun, a big, black-whiskered + Guernsey man.</p> + + <p>"Then goodbye."</p> + + <p>The schooner's boat, manned by two hands only, pushed off, + and then Revels turned to Otway.</p> + + <p>"Shall I heave short so as to be ready?"</p> + + <p>"Heave short, be d——d!" replied Otway testily. + "No, just lie nice and quiet, and as soon as you have your + passengers on board slip your cable. I'll see that your anchor + is fished up for you. And even if you lost your anchor and a + few fathoms of chain it doesn't matter against five hundred + sovereigns. The people on shore would be sure to hear the sound + of the windlass pawls, and there's a man here from + Auckland—a detective—who might make a bold stroke, + get a dozen native bullies and collar +<!-- Page 220 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page215" name="page215">[pg 215]</a> + </span> + + you. So slip, my boy, slip. There's a fine healthy breeze which + will take you clear of the reef in ten minutes."</p> + + <p>The two men shook hands, and Otway stepped into his boat, + which he steered in towards the principal jetty.</p> + + <p>Jumping out he walked along the roadway which led from + Matafele to Apia. As he passed the British Consul's house he + saw Mr. O'Donovan standing on the verandah talking to the + Consul. He waved his hand to them, and cheerfully invited the + detective to come along to "Johnnie Hall's" and play a game of + billiards.</p> + + <p>Mr. O'Donovan, little thinking that Otway had a purpose in + view, took the bait. The Consul knew Otway, and, in a measure, + dreaded him, for the supercargo's knowledge of certain + transactions in connection with the sale of arms to natives, in + which he (the Consul) had taken a leading and lucrative part. + So when he saw the supercargo of the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + beckoning to O'Donovan he smiled genially at him, and hurriedly + told the detective to go.</p> + + <p>"He's a most astute and clever young scoundrel, Mr. + O'Donovan, and in a way we are at his mercy. But you shall have + the four hundred pounds in the morning—not later than + noon. This man Barton must be brought to justice at any + cost."</p> + + <p>"Just so, sir; and you will get a hundred out of the + business, any way," replied O'Donovan, who had gauged the + Consul's morality pretty fairly.</p> + + <p>As Otway and the detective walked towards the +<!-- Page 221 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page216" name="page216">[pg 216]</a> + </span> + + hotel known as "Johnny Hall's" the former said + lazily—</p> + + <p>"Look here, Mr. O'Donovan. Are the skipper and myself to get + those four hundred sovs to-morrow or not? To tell you the exact + truth, I have a fair amount of doubt about your promise. Where + are you going to get the money?"</p> + + <p>"That's all right, Mr. Otway. You're a business man. And you + and the skipper will have your two hundred each before one + o'clock to-morrow. The Consul is doing the necessary."</p> + + <p>"Right, my boy," said Otway effusively. "Now we'll play a + game or two at Johnny's and have some fun with the girls."</p> + + <p>By eleven o'clock Mr. O'Donovan was comfortably half drunk, + and Otway led him out on to the verandah to look at the + harbour, shimmering under the starlight. They sat down on two + cane lounges, and the supercargo's keen eye saw that Revel's + schooner had gone. He breathed freely, and then brought Mr. + O'Donovan a large whisky and soda.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>In the morning Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. William Johns, the + British Consul, were in a state of frenzy on discovering that + Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had escaped during the night in the schooner + <i>Solafanua</i> + + . The Consul knew that Otway was at the bottom of the matter, + but dared not say so, but O'Donovan, who had more pluck and + nothing to lose, lost his temper and came on board the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + just as she was being hauled up on the beach to get at the + leak.</p> + + <p>" +<!-- Page 222 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page217" name="page217">[pg 217]</a> + </span> + + You're a dirty sweep," he said to Otway.</p> + + <p>The supercargo hit him between the eyes, and sent him down. + Allen picked him up, dumped him into the boat alongside, and + sent him ashore.</p> + + <p>When the + <i>Tucopia</i> + + lay high and dry on Apia beach Otway and old Bruce walked round + under her counter and looked for the leak. As the skipper had + surmised, a butt-end had started, but the gaping orifice was + now choked and filled with a large piece of seaweed.</p> + + <p>"The prayer of one of God's ain ministers has saved us," + said the Scotch mate, pointing upward.</p> + + <p>"No doubt," replied Otway, who knew that the good old man + had heard nothing of what had happened.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 223 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page218" name="page218">[pg 218]</a> + </span> + + <a name='The_Man_in_the_Buffalo_Hide'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>The Man in the Buffalo Hide</i> + </h2> + + <p>Twelve years ago in a North Queensland town I was told the + story of "The Man in the Buffalo Hide" by Ned D——. + He (D——) was then a prosperous citizen, having made + a small fortune by "striking it rich" on the Gilbert and + Etheridge Rivers goldfields. Returning from the arid wastes of + the Queensland back country to Sydney, he tired of leading an + inactive life, and hearing that gold had been discovered on one + of the Solomon Islands, he took passage thither in the Sydney + whaling barque + <i>Costa Rica</i> + + packet, and though he returned to Australia without discovering + gold in the islands, he had kept one of the most interesting + logs of a whaling cruise it has ever been my fortune to read. + The master of the whaleship was Captain J.Y. Carpenter, a man + who is well known and highly respected, not only in Sydney + (where he now resides), but throughout the East Indies and + China, where he had lived for over thirty years. And it was + from Captain Carpenter who was one of the actors in this + twice-told tragedy, that D——heard this story of + Chinese vengeance. He (D——) related it to me in + '88, and I wish I +<!-- Page 224 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page219" name="page219">[pg 219]</a> + </span> + + could write the tale as well and vividly as he told it. + However, I wrote it out for him then and there. Much to our + disgust the editor of the little journal to whom we sent the + MS., considered it a fairy tale, and cut it down to some two or + three hundred words. I mention these apparently unnecessary + details merely that the reader may not think that the tale is + fiction, for two years or so after, Captain Carpenter + corroborated my friend's story.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>It was after the Taeping rebellion had been stamped out in + blood and fire by Gordon and his "Ever Victorious Army," and + the Viceroy (Li Hung Chang) had taken up his quarters in + Canton, and was secretly torturing and beheading those + prisoners whom he had sworn to the English Government to + spare.</p> + + <p>Carpenter was in command of a Chinese Government despatch + vessel—a side-wheeler—which was immediately under + the Viceroy's orders. She was but lightly armed, but was very + fast, as fast went in those days. His ship had been lying in + the filthy river for about a week, when, one afternoon, a + mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready to + proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous + experience of his estimable and astute Chinese employers warned + him not to ask the fat-faced, almond-eyed mandarin any + questions as to the steamer's destination, or the duration of + the voyage. He simply said that he would be ready at the + appointed time.</p> + + <p>At daylight another mandarin, named Kwang— +<!-- Page 225 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page220" name="page220">[pg 220]</a> + </span> + + one of much higher rank than his visitor of the previous + day—came on board. He was attended by thirty of the most + ruffianly-looking scoundrels—even for Chinamen—that + the captain had ever seen. They were all well armed, and came + off in a large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin + intimated with a polite smile, was to be towed, if she was too + heavy to be hoisted aboard. A couple of hands were put in her, + and she was veered astern. Then the anchor was lifted, and the + steamer started on her eighty miles trip down the river to the + sea, the mandarin informing the captain that he would name the + ship's destination as soon as they were clear of the land.</p> + + <p>Most of Carpenter's officers were Europeans—Englishmen + or Americans—and one or two of them who spoke Chinese, + attempted to enter into conversation with the thirty braves, + and endeavour to learn the object of the steamer's mission. + Their inquiries were met either with a mocking jest or + downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who hitherto had + preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat on the + quarter-deck, turned to the captain with a sullen and ferocious + aspect, and bade him remind his officers that they had no + business to question the servants of the "high and excellent + Viceroy."</p> + + <p>But though neither Carpenter nor any of his officers could + learn aught about this sudden mission, one of their servants, a + Chinese who was deeply attached to his master, whispered + tremblingly to him that the mandarin and the thirty braves were + in quest of one of the Viceroy's most hated enemies—a + noted leader +<!-- Page 226 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page221" name="page221">[pg 221]</a> + </span> + + of the Taepings who had escaped the bloodied hands of Li Hung + Chang, and whose retreat had been betrayed to the cruel, + merciless Li the previous day.</p> + + <p>Once clear of the land, the mandarin, with a polite smile + and many compliments to Carpenter on the skilful and + expeditious manner in which he had navigated the steamer down + the river, requested him to proceed to a certain point on the + western side of the island of Formosa.</p> + + <p>"When you are within twenty miles of the land, captain," he + said suavely, "you will make the steamer stop, and my men and I + will leave you in the boat. You must await our return, which + may be on the following day, or the day after, or perhaps + longer still. But whether I am absent one, or two, or six days, + you must keep your ship in the position I indicate as nearly as + possible. You must avoid observation from the shore, you must + be watchful, diligent, and patient, and, when you see my boat + returning, you must make your engines work quickly, and come + towards us with all speed. High commendation and a great reward + from the serene nobleness of our great Viceroy—who has + already condescended to notice your honourable ability and + great integrity in your profession—awaits you." Then with + another smile and bow he went to his cabin.</p> + + <p>As soon as the steamer reached the place indicated by the + mandarin the engines were stopped. The boat, which was towing + astern, was hauled alongside, and the thirty truculent + "braves," with a Chinese +<!-- Page 227 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page222" name="page222">[pg 222]</a> + </span> + + pilot and the ever-smiling mandarin, got into her and pushed + off for the shore. That they were all picked men, who could + handle an oar as well as a rifle, was very evident from the + manner in which they sent the big boat along towards the blue + outline of the distant shore.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>For two days Carpenter and his officers waited and watched, + the steamer lying and rolling about upon a long swell, and + under a hot and brazen sun. Then, about seven o'clock in the + morning, as the sea haze lifted, a look-out on the foreyard + hailed the deck and said the boat was in sight. The steamer's + head was at once put towards her under a full head of steam, + and in another hour the mandarin and his braves were + alongside.</p> + + <p>The mandarin clambered up on deck, his always-smiling face + (which Carpenter and his officers had come to detest) now + darkly exultant.</p> + + <p>"You have done well, sir," he said to the captain; "the + Viceroy himself, when my own miserable worthlessness abases + itself before him, shall know how truly and cleverly you and + your officers (who shall be honoured for countless ages in the + future) have obeyed the behests which I have had the + never-to-be-extinguished honour to convey from him to you. + There is a prisoner in the boat—a prisoner who is to be + tried before those high and merciful judges whose Heaven-sent + authority your valorous commander of the Ever Victorious Army + has upheld."</p> + + <p>Carpenter, being a sailor man before all else, +<!-- Page 228 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page223" name="page223">[pg 223]</a> + </span> + + swallowed the mandarin's compliments for all they were worth, + and I can imagine him giving a grumpy nod to the smiling minion + of the Viceroy as he ordered "the prisoner" to be brought on + deck, and the boat to be veered astern for towing.</p> + + <p>The official interposed oilily. There was no need, he said, + to tow the boat to Canton if she could not be hoisted on board, + and was likely to impede the steamer's progress. Some of his + braves could remain in her, and the insignia of the Viceroy + which they wore would ensure both their and the boat's + safety—no pirates would touch them.</p> + + <p>The captain said that to tow such a heavy boat for such a + long distance would certainly delay the steamer's arrival in + Canton by at least six or eight hours. The mandarin smiled + sweetly, and said that as speed was everything the most + honourable navigator, whom he now had the privilege to address, + and who was so soon to be distinguished by his mightiness the + Viceroy, could at once let the boat which had conveyed his + worthless self into the sunshine of his (the captain's) + presence, go adrift.</p> + + <p>At a sign from Kwang, six of his cutthroats clambered down + the side into the boat, which was at once cast oft; the steamer + was sent along under a full head of steam, and the captain was + about to ascend the bridge when the mandarin stayed him, and + requested that a meal should be at once prepared in the cabin + for the prisoner, who, he said, was somewhat exhausted, for his + capture was only effected after he had killed three and wounded + half a dozen of "the +<!-- Page 229 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page224" name="page224">[pg 224]</a> + </span> + + braves." So courageous a man, he added softly, whatever his + offence might be, must not be allowed to suffer the pangs of + hunger and thirst.</p> + + <p>Carpenter gave the necessary order to the steward with a + sensation of pleasure, feeling that he had done the suave and + gentle-voiced Kwang an injustice in imagining him to be like + most Chinese officials—utterly indifferent and callous to + human suffering. Then he stepped along the deck towards the + bridge just as two of the braves lifted the prisoner to his + feet, which a third had freed from a thong of hide, bound so + tightly around them that it had literally cut into the flesh. + His hands were tied in the same manner, and round his neck was + an iron collar, with a chain about six feet in length which was + secured at the end to another band around the waist of one of + the "braves."</p> + + <p>As the prisoner stood erect, Carpenter saw that he was a man + of herculean proportions and over six feet three or four inches + in height. His arms and naked chest were cut, bleeding and + bruised, and a bamboo gag was in his mouth; but what at once + attracted the captain's attention and sympathy was the man's + face.</p> + + <p>So calm, steadfast, and serene were his clear, undaunted + eyes; so proud, lofty, and contemptuous and yet so dignified + his bearing, as he glanced at his guards when they bade him + walk, that Carpenter, drawing back a little, raised his hand in + salute.</p> + + <p>In an instant the deep, dark eyes lit up, and the tortured, + distorted mouth would have smiled had it not been for the cruel + gag. But twice he bent his +<!-- Page 230 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page225" name="page225">[pg 225]</a> + </span> + + head, and his eyes did that which was denied to his lips.</p> + + <p>Captain Carpenter was deeply moved. The man's heroic + fortitude, his noble bearing under such physical suffering, the + tender, woman-like resignation in the eyes which could yet + smile into his, affected him so strongly that he could not help + asking one of the "braves" the prisoner's name.</p> + + <p>An insolent, threatening gesture was the only answer. But + the prisoner had heard, and bent his head in acknowledgment. + When he raised it again and saw that Carpenter had now taken + off his cap, tears trickled down his cheeks. In another moment + he was hurried along the deck into the cabin, and half a dozen + "braves" stood guard at the door to prevent intrusion, whilst + the gag was removed, and the victim of the Viceroy's vengeance + was urged to eat. Whether he did so or not was never known, for + half an hour afterwards he was removed to one of the + state-rooms, where he was closely guarded by Kwang's + cutthroats. When he was next seen by Carpenter and the officers + of the steamer the gag was again in his mouth, but the calm, + resolute eyes met theirs as it trying to tell them that the + heroic soul within the tortured body knew no fear, and felt and + appreciated their sympathy.</p> + + <p>On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Formosa the + steamer ploughed her way up the muddy waters of the river, and + came to an anchor off the city at a place which was within half + a mile of the Viceroy's residence. The mandarin requested the +<!-- Page 231 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page226" name="page226">[pg 226]</a> + </span> + + captain to fire three guns, and hoist the Chinese flag at both + the fore and main peaks.</p> + + <p>This signal was, so Kwang condescended to say, to inform His + Illustriousness the Ever-Merciful Viceroy that he, Kwang, his + crawling dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, + and supreme and honoured skill as a navigator, had achieved the + object which His Illustriousness desired.</p> + + <p>The captain listened to all this "flam," bowed his + acknowledgments, and then suddenly asked the mandarin the + prisoner's name.</p> + + <p>Again the fat, complacent face darkened, and almost scowled. + "No," he replied sullenly, he himself "was not permitted" to + know the prisoner's name. His crime? He did not know. When was + he to be tried? To-morrow. Then he rose and abruptly requested + the captain to ask no more questions. But, he added, with a + smile, he could promise him that he should at least see the + captive again.</p> + + <p>In a few minutes a boat came off, and the prisoner, closely + guarded, and with his face covered with a piece of cloth, was + hurried ashore.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Four days had passed—days of heat so intense that even + the Chinese crew of the steamer lay about the decks under the + awning, stripped to their waists, and fanning themselves + languidly. During this time the captain and his officers, by + careful inquiries, ascertained that the unfortunate prisoner + was a brother of one of the Wangs, or seven "Heavenly Kings," + who had led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past +<!-- Page 232 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page227" name="page227">[pg 227]</a> + </span> + + the Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his + capture, being particularly exasperated with him, not only for + his courage in the field, and the influence he had wielded over + the unfortunate Taepings, who were wiped out by Gordon and the + Ever-Victorious Army, but also because he refused to accept Li + Hung Chang's sworn word to spare his life if he surrendered; + for well he knew that a death by torture awaited him. Gordon + himself, it was said, revolver in hand, and with tears of rage + streaming down his face, had sought to find and shoot the + Viceroy for the cruel murder of other leaders who had + surrendered to him under the solemn promise of their lives + being spared.</p> + + <p>Late in the afternoon, a messenger came on board with a note + to the captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained + but a line. "Follow the bearer, who will guide you to the + prisoner."</p> + + <p>An hour later Carpenter was conducted through a narrow door + which was set in a very high wall of great thickness. He found + himself in a garden of the greatest beauty, and magnificent + proportions. Temples and other buildings of the most elaborate + and artistic design and construction showed here and there amid + a profusion of gloriously-foliaged trees and flowering shrubs. + No sound broke the silence except the twittering of birds; and + not a single person was visible.</p> + + <p>The guide, who had not yet uttered a single word, now turned + and motioned Carpenter to follow him along a winding path, + paved with white marble slabs, +<!-- Page 233 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page228" name="page228">[pg 228]</a> + </span> + + and bordered with gaily-hued flowers. Suddenly they emerged + upon a lovely sward of the brightest green, in the centre of + which a fountain played, sending its fine feathery spray high + in air.</p> + + <p>On one side of the fountain were a number of "braves" who + stood in a close circle, and, as Carpenter approached, two of + them silently stepped out of the cordon, brought their rifles + to the salute, and the guide whispered to him to enter.</p> + + <p>Within the circle was Kwang, who was seated in his chair of + office. He rose and greeted the captain politely.</p> + + <p>"I promised you that you should again see the criminal in + whom you and your officers took such a deep and benevolent + interest. I now fulfil that promise—and leave you." And, + with a malevolent smile, he bowed and disappeared.</p> + + <p>The guide touched Carpenter's arm.</p> + + <p>"Look," he said in a whisper.</p> + + <hr /> + + <p>Within a few inches of a wavering line of spray from the + fountain, purposely diverted so as to fall upon the grass, lay + what appeared at first sight to be a round bundle tied up in a + buffalo hide. A black swarm of flies buzzed and buzzed over and + around it.</p> + + <p>"Draw near and look," said the harsh voice of the officer + who commanded the grim, silent guard, as he stepped up to the + strange-looking bundle, and waved his fan quickly to and fro + over a protuberance in the centre.</p> + + <p>A black cloud of flies arose, and revealed a sight +<!-- Page 234 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page229" name="page229">[pg 229]</a> + </span> + + that will haunt Carpenter to his dying day—the purpled, + distorted face of a living man. The eyelids had been cut off, + and only two dreadful, bloodied, glaring things of horror + appealed mutely to God. The victim's knees had been drawn up to + his chin, and only his head was visible; for the fresh buffalo + hide in which his body had been sewn, fitted tightly around his + neck.</p> + + <p>Shuddering with horror, and yet fascinated with the dreadful + spectacle, Carpenter asked the officer how long the prisoner + had been tortured.</p> + + <p>"Four days," was the reply.</p> + + <p>For the buffalo, the hide of which was to be the prisoner's + death-wrap, was in readiness the moment the steamer arrived, + and ten minutes after the signal was hoisted, the creature was + killed, the hide stripped off, and the prisoner sewn up in it, + only his head being left free.</p> + + <p>Then he was carried to a heated room, so that the hide + should contract quickly. From there he was taken to the + fountain, where his eyelids were cut off, and then he was laid + upon the ground, his mouth just within a few inches of a spray + from the fountain.</p> + + <p>And the Viceroy came, saw, approved, and smiled, and + assigned to Kwang the honoured post of watching his hated enemy + die under slow and agonising torture. To attract the flies, + honeyed water was applied to the prisoner's shaven head and + face. And the guards, now and then as his thirst increased, + offered him brine to drink.</p> + + <p>"He is still alive," the brutal-faced Tartar officer +<!-- Page 235 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page230" name="page230">[pg 230]</a> + </span> + + said genially, as he touched one of the dreadful eyeballs, and + the poor, tortured creature's lips moved slightly.</p> + + <p>Sick at heart and almost overcome with horror, Captain + Carpenter, with quickened footsteps, passed through the cordon + of guards, and followed his guide from the dreadful spot.</p> + + <p>In a few minutes he was without the wall, and a sigh of + relief broke from him as he set out towards the river.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + +<!-- Page 236 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page231" name="page231">[pg 231]</a> + </span> + + <a name='A_CRUISE_IN_THE_SOUTH_SEAS'> + </a> + + <h2>A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS</h2> + + <h3>(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS)</h3> + +<!-- Page 237 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page232" name="page232">[pg 232]</a> + </span> + + <hr /> + +<!-- Page 238 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page233" name="page233">[pg 233]</a> + </span> + + <a name='A_Cruise_in_the_South_Seas'> + </a> + + <h2> + <i>A Cruise in the South Seas</i> + </h2> + + <h3>(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS)</h3> + + <p>The traveller who makes a hurried trip in an excursion + steamer through the Cook, Society, Samoan, or Tongan Islands + has but little opportunity of seeing anything of the social + life of the natives, or getting either fishing or shooting; for + it is but rarely that the vessel remains for more than + forty-eight hours at any of the ports visited. Personally, if I + wanted to have an enjoyable cruise among the various island + groups in the South Pacific I should avoid the "excursion" + steamer as I would the plague. In the first place, one sees + next to nothing for his passage money if he fatuously takes a + ticket in either Sydney or New Zealand for "a round trip to + Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and back." Certainly, he will enjoy the + sea voyage, for in the Australasian winter months the weather + in the South Seas is never very hot, and cloudless skies and a + smooth sea may almost be relied upon from April until the end + of July. At such places as Nukualofa, the little capital of the + Tonga Islands, an excursion steamer will remain for perhaps + forty hours; at Apia, in Samoa, forty-eight hours; and at + Papeite, the +<!-- Page 239 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page234" name="page234">[pg 234]</a> + </span> + + capital of the French island of Tahiti, forty-eight hours. At + the two latter places the traveller will be charmed by the + lovely scenery, and disgusted by the squalid appearance of the + natives; for within the last ten years great changes have + occurred, and the native communities inhabiting the island + ports, such as Apia and Papeite, have degenerated into the + veriest loafers, spongers, and thieves. The appearance of a + strange European in any of the environs of Apia is the signal + for an onslaught of beggars of all ages and both sexes, who + will pester his life out for tobacco; if he says he does not + smoke, they say a sixpence will do as well. If he refuses he is + pretty sure to be insulted by some half-naked ruffian, and will + be glad to get back to the ship or to the refuge of an hotel. + And yet, away from the contaminating influences of the town the + white stranger will meet with politeness and respect wherever + he goes—particularly if he is an Englishman—and + will at once note the pleasing difference in the manners of the + natives. Yet it must now be remembered that Samoa—with + the exception of the beautiful island of Tutuila—is + German territory, and German officials are none too effusive to + Englishmen or Americans—in Samoa.</p> + + <p>But if any one wants to spend an enjoyable time in the South + Seas let him avoid the "excursion ship" and go there in a + trading steamer. There are several of these now sailing out of + Australasian ports, and there is a choice of groups to visit. + If a four months' voyage is not too long, a passage may be + obtained in a small, but fairly fast and com +<!-- Page 240 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page235" name="page235">[pg 235]</a> + </span> + + fortable boat of 600 tons sailing from Sydney, which visits + over forty islands in her cruise from Niué or Savage + Island, ten days' steam from Sydney, to Jaluit in the Marshall + Islands. But this particular cruise I would not recommend to + any one in search of a variety of beautiful scenery, for nearly + all of the islands visited are of the one type—low-lying + sandy atolls, densely verdured with coco-palms, and very + monotonous from their sameness of appearance. Their + inhabitants, however, are widely different in manners, customs, + and general mode of life. To the ethnologist such a cruise + among the Ellice, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands would no doubt + be full of interest; but to the traveller in search of either + beautiful scenery or sport (except fishing) they would be + disappointing.</p> + + <p>Let us suppose that the intending traveller desires to make + a stay of some two or three months in the Samoan Group. He can + reach there easily enough from Sydney or Auckland by steamer + once a month, either by one of the Union Steamship Company's + regular traders or by one of the San Francisco mail boats. From + Sydney the voyage occupies eight days, from Auckland five. The + outfit required for a three or four months' stay is not a large + one—light clothing can be bought almost as cheaply in + Samoa as in Sydney, a couple of guns with plenty of ammunition + (for cartridges are shockingly dear in the Islands), a large + and varied assortment of deep-sea tackle, a rod for fresh-water + or reef fishing, and a good waterproof and rugs for camping + out, as the early mornings are sometimes very chilly. And there + is one other thing +<!-- Page 241 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page236" name="page236">[pg 236]</a> + </span> + + that is worth while taking, even though it may cost from + £30 to £50 or so in Sydney—a good secondhand + boat, with two suits of sails. Thus provided the sportsman can + sail all along the coasts of Savaii and Upolu, and be + practically independent of the local storekeepers. To hire a + boat is very expensive, and to travel in native craft is + horribly uncomfortable, and risky as well. And such a boat can + always be sold again for at least its cost.</p> + + <p>A stay of two or three days, or at most a week, in Apia is + quite long enough, and the stranger will get all the + information he requires about the outlying districts from the + Consuls or any of the old white residents. Such provisions as + are needed—tea, sugar, flour, biscuits, tinned or other + meats, &c.—can be had at fairly cheap rates; but a + large stock should be taken, for, besides the keep of the + native crew of, say, four men, it must always be borne in mind + that a white visitor is expected to return the hospitality he + receives from the native chiefs by making a present, and the + Samoans are particularly susceptible to the charms of tinned + meats, sardines, salmon, and + <i>falaoa</i> + + (bread or biscuit). That such a return should be made is only + just and natural, though I am sorry to say that very often it + is not. Then, again, it is very easy to stow away in the trade + box in the boat eight or ten pieces of good print, cut off in + pieces of six fathoms (which is enough to make a woman's gown), + about 30 lbs. of twist negrohead tobacco (twenty to thirty + sticks to the pound), half a gross of lucifer matches, and such + things as cotton, scissors, combs, &c., and powder, caps, + and a +<!-- Page 242 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page237" name="page237">[pg 237]</a> + </span> + + bag of No. 3 shot for pigeon shooting. Now, this seems a lot of + articles for a man to take on a short Samoan + <i>malaga</i> + + (journey), but it is not, and for the £50 which it may + cost for such an outfit (exclusive of the boat and crew's + wages) the traveller will see more of the people and their mode + of life, be more hospitably received, and spend a pleasanter + time than if he were cruising about in a 1,000-ton yacht. The + wages or boatmen and native sailors in Samoa are usually $15.00 + per month, but many will gladly go on a + <i>malaga</i> + + (the general acceptance of the word is a pleasure trip) for + much less, for there is but little work, and much eating and + drinking. But, as sailors, the Samoans are a wretched lot, and + the local living Savage Islanders, as the natives of Niué + Island are called, are far better, especially if there is any + wind or a beat to windward in a heavy sea. These Savage Island + "boys" can always be obtained in Apia. They are good seamen and + very willing to work; but they have to be fed entirely by their + white employer, for the Samoans seldom make a present of food + to a crew of Niué boys, for whom they profess a contempt + and designate + <i>au puáa</i> + + — + <i>i.e.</i> + + , pigs.</p> + + <p>The Samoan Group consists of five islands, trending from + west by north to east by south. The two largest are Upolu and + Savaii. Tutuila, and the Manua Group of three islands are too + far to the windward to attempt in a small boat against the + south-east trades. And it would take quite three months to + visit the principal villages on the two large islands, staying + a few days at each place.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 243 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page238" name="page238">[pg 238]</a> + </span> + + The best plan is to make to windward along the coast of Upolu + after leaving Apia. A large boat cannot be taken all the way + inside the reef, owing to the many coral patches which, at low + tide, render this course impracticable. The first place of any + importance is Saluafata, fifteen miles from Apia (I must + mention that Apia is in the centre of Upolu, and on the north + side), then Falifā, an exquisitely pretty place, and then + Fāgoloa Bay and village, eight miles further on. This is + the deepest indentation in Samoa, except the famous Pāgo + Pāgo Harbour on Tutuila, and the scenery is very + beautiful. After leaving Fāgoloa, the open sea has to be + taken, for there is now no barrier reef for ten miles, where it + begins at Samusu village, to the towns of Aleipata and + Lepā, two of the best in the group, and inhabited by + cleanly and hospitable people. This is the weather point of + Upolu, and after leaving Lepā the boat has a clear run of + over sixty miles before the glorious trades to the lee end of + the island—that is, unless a stay is made at the populous + towns of Falealilli, Sāfata, Lafāga, and Falelatai, + on the southern coast. The scenery along this part of the + island is enchanting, but sudden squalls at night-time are + sometimes frequent, from December to March, and 'tis always + advisable to run into a port at sunset.</p> + + <p>Two miles off the lee end of Upolu is the low-lying island + of Manono, which is, however, enclosed in the Upolu barrier + reef. It is only about three miles in circumference, + exceedingly fertile, and is the most important place in the + group, owing to the political influence wielded by the chiefly + families who have +<!-- Page 244 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page239" name="page239">[pg 239]</a> + </span> + + always made it their home. A mile from Manono, and in the + centre of the deep strait separating Upolu from Savaii, is a + curiously picturesque spot, an island named Apolima. + <a href="#footnote_17" target="_new"> + <span class="footnote">[17]</span> + </a> + + It is an extinct crater, but has a narrow passage on the north + side, and is inhabited by about fifty people, who are delighted + to see any + <i>papalagi</i> + + (foreigner) who is venturesome enough to make a landing + there.</p> + + <p>Savaii is distant about ten miles from Upolu. Its coast is + for the most part + <i>itu papa</i> + + —i.e., iron bound—but there are five populous towns + there—Palaulae, Salealua, Asaua, Matautu, and Safune. + After making the round of Savaii, the boat has to make back to + Manono, and then can proceed inside the reef all the way to + Apia, making stoppages at the many minor villages which stud + the shore at intervals of every few miles.</p> + + <p>These + <i>malaga</i> + + by boat along the coast or from one island to another are much + in favour with many of the white residents of Samoa, who find + their life in Apia very monotonous. European ladies frequently + accompany their husbands, and sometimes quite a large party is + made up. More than five-and-twenty years ago, when the writer + was gaining his first experiences of Samoan life, it was his + good fortune to be one of such a party, and a right merry time + he had of it among the natives; for in those days, although +<!-- Page 245 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page240" name="page240">[pg 240]</a> + </span> + + there was party warfare occasionally, the group was free from + the savage hatreds and dissensions—largely fomented by + the interference and intrigues of unscrupulous traders and + incapable officials—which for the past ten or twelve + years have made it notorious.</p> + + <p>In travelling in Samoa one need not always rely upon native + hospitality. Though most of the white traders at the outlying + villages nowadays make nothing beyond a scanty living, they are + as a rule very hospitable and pleased to see and entertain + white visitors as well as their poor means will allow, and in + nine cases out of ten would feel hurt if they were ignored and + the native teacher's house visited first; for between the + average trader and the native teacher there is always a natural + and yet reasonable jealousy. And here let me say a word in + praise of the Samoan teacher—in Samoa. Away from his + native land, in charge of a mission station in another part of + Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often pompous and overbearing + alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here he is far from + the control and supervision of the white missionaries, who only + visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself + a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt + to curb any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse + over his flock or interfere with any matter not strictly + connected with his charge. So, in Samoa, the native teacher is + generally a good fellow, the soul of hospitality, and anxious + to entertain any chance white visitor; and although the Samoans + are not bigoted ranters like the Tongans or +<!-- Page 246 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page241" name="page241">[pg 241]</a> + </span> + + Fijians, and the teachers have not anything like the undue and + improper influence over the people possessed by the native + ministers in Tonga or Fiji, to needlessly offend one would be + resented by the villagers and make the visitor's stay anything + but pleasant. As for the white missionaries in Samoa, all I + need say of them is that they are gentlemen, and that the words + "Mission House" are synonymous in most cases with warm welcome + to the traveller.</p> + + <p>Travelling inland in Savaii or crossing Upolu from north to + south, or + <i>vice-versâ,</i> + + is very delightful, though one misses much of the lovely + scenery that unfolds itself in a panorama-like manner when + sailing along the coast. One journey that can easily be + accomplished in a day is that from Apia to Safata. Carriers are + easily obtainable, and some splendid pigeon shooting can be had + an hour or two after leaving Apia till within a few miles of + Safata. Pigeons are about the only game to be had in Samoa, + though the + <i>manutagi</i> + + , or ring-dove, is very plentiful, but one hardly likes to + shoot such dear little creatures. Occasionally one may get a + wild duck or two and some fearful-looking wild fowls—the + progeny of the domestic fowl. Wild pigs are not now plentiful + in Upolu though they are in Savaii, but they are exceedingly + difficult to shoot and the country they frequent is fearfully + rough. In some of the streams there are some very good fish, + running up to 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. They bite eagerly at the + <i>ula</i> + + or freshwater prawn, and are excellent eating; and yet, strange + to say, very few of the white residents in the group even know + of their existence. This applies also to +<!-- Page 247 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page242" name="page242">[pg 242]</a> + </span> + + deep-sea fishing; for although the deep water outside the reefs + and the passages leading into the harbours teem with splendid + fish, the residents of Apia are content to buy the wretched + things brought to them by women who capture them in nets in the + shallow water inside the reef. Once, during my stay on Manono, + a young Manhiki half-caste and myself went out in our boat + about a mile from the land, and in thirty fathoms of water + caught in an hour three large-scaled fish of the groper + species. These fish, though once familiar enough to the people + of the island, are now never fished for, and our appearance + with our prizes caused quite an excitement in the village, + everyone thronging around us to look. And yet there are two or + three varieties of groper—many of them weighing 50 lbs. + or 60 lbs.—which can be caught anywhere on the Samoan + coast; but the Samoan of the present day has sadly degenerated, + and, except bonito catching, deep-sea fishing is one of the + lost arts. But at almost any place in the group, except Apia, + great quantities of fish are caught inside the reefs by nets, + and one may always be sure of getting a splendid mullet of some + sort for either breakfast or supper.</p> + + <p>Let us suppose that a party of Europeans have arrived at a + village, and are the guests of the chief and people generally. + Food is at once brought to them, even before any visits of + ceremony are paid, for the news of the coming of a party of + travellers has doubtless been brought to the village the + previous day by a messenger from the last stopping-place. The + repast provided may be simple, but will be ample, +<!-- Page 248 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page243" name="page243">[pg 243]</a> + </span> + + baked pork most likely being the + <i>pièce de résistance,</i> + + with roast fowl, baked pigeons, breadfruit (if in season), and + yams or taro, with a plentiful supply of young + drinking-coconuts. (Should the host be the local teacher, some + deplorable tea and a loaf of terrible bread are sure to be + produced.) This preliminary meal finished, the formalities + begin by a visit from the chief and his + <i>tulafale,</i> + + or "talking-man," accompanied by the leading citizens. The + talking-man then makes a speech, welcoming the guests, and is + by no means sparing of "buttery" phrases which indicate the + intense delight, &c., of the inhabitants of the village at + having the honoured privilege of entertaining such noble and + distinguished visitors, &c. A suitable reply is made by the + guests (through an interpreter, if no one among them can speak + Samoan), and then follows a ceremonious brewing and drinking of + kava. This is a most important function in Samoa, and to the + stranger unaccustomed to the manner of making the beverage, the + ordeal of drinking it is an exceedingly trying one. It is + prepared as follows: The dried kava root is cut up in thin + slices and handed to a number of young women, who masticate it + and then deposit it in a large wooden + <i>tanoa</i> + + , or bowl. Water is then added in sufficient quantity till the + <i>tanoa</i> + + is half-filled with a thin yellowish-green liquid, which is + carefully strained by a thick "swab" of the beaten bark of the + <i>fau</i> + + -tree. This straining operation is performed only by a very + experienced lady, and is watched in respectful silence. Then + the drink is handed round in a polished bowl of coconut-shell. + But for a full +<!-- Page 249 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page244" name="page244">[pg 244]</a> + </span> + + description of all the details of a kava-drinking, let me + commend my readers to the best and most charming book ever + written on South Sea life, "South Sea Bubbles," by the late + Earl of Pembroke and Dr. Kingsley. Nowadays, however, many + Samoan households, out of deference to European tastes, have + the kava root grated instead of being chewed.</p> + + <p>The kava-drinking over, all stiffness and formality + disappears for the time, and the visitors are surrounded by the + villagers, eager to learn the latest news from Apia, and from + the world abroad. The discussion of political matters always + has a strong attraction for Samoans, who are anxious to learn + the state of affairs in Europe, and their knowledge and + shrewdness is surprising. Should there be any white ladies + present, the brown ones make much of them. The Samoans are a + fine, handsome race, and the faces and figures of many of the + young women are very attractive; but the practice of cutting + off their long, flowing black hair, and allowing it to grow in + a short, stiff "frizz" is all too common, and detracts very + much from an otherwise handsome and graceful appearance, + especially when the hair is coated with lime in order to change + its colour to red. Many of the men, particularly those of + chiefly rank, are of magnificent stature and proportions, and + their walk and carriage are in consonance.</p> + + <p>An announcement that the visitors intend to go pigeon + shooting is warmly applauded, and each white man is at once + provided with a guide, for, unless he has had experience of the + Samoan forest, he will return +<!-- Page 250 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page245" name="page245">[pg 245]</a> + </span> + + with an empty bag, as, however plentiful the birds may be, + their habit of hiding in the branches of the lofty + <i>tamanu</i> + + and + <i>masa'oi</i> + + -trees render them difficult of detection. The natives + themselves are very good shots, and very rarely fail to bring + down a bird, even when nothing more than a scarlet leg or a + blue-grey feather is visible. The guns they use are very + common, cheap German affairs, but are specially made for Samoa, + being very small bored and long in the barrel. The best time is + in the early morning and towards the cool of the evening, when + the birds are feeding on + <i>masa'oi</i> + + and other berries; during the heat of the day they seldom leave + their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard + everywhere. In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii + there is but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a + thick layer of leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked + beneath, and simply to breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is + delightful. At certain times of the year the birds are very + fat, and I have very often seen them literally burst when + striking the ground after being shot in high trees. Their + flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day. I + may here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same + species of pigeon is very often quite uneatable through feeding + upon Chili berries, which in that island grow in profusion. In + shooting in a Samoan forest one has nothing to fear from + venomous reptiles, for, although there are two or three kinds + of snakes, they are rarely ever seen and quite harmless. + Scorpions and centipedes—the latter often six inches in + length—there are in plenty, but these +<!-- Page 251 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page246" name="page246">[pg 246]</a> + </span> + + detestable vermin are more common in European habitations than + in the bush. At the same time, mosquitoes are a terrible + annoyance anywhere in the vicinity of water, and delight in + attacking the tender skin of the stranger. Then, again, beware + of scratching any exposed part of the skin, for, unless it is + quickly covered by plaister or otherwise attended to, an + irritating sore, which may take months to heal, will often + result.</p> + + <p>There are, during the visit of a travelling party to a + Samoan town, no fixed times for meals. You are expected to eat + much and often. During the day there will be continuous + arrivals of people bringing baskets of provisions as presents, + which are formally presented—with a speech. The speech + has to be responded to, and the bringers of the presents + treated politely, as long as they remain, and they remain until + their curiosity—and avarice—is satisfied. A return + present must be sent on the following day; for although Samoans + designate every present of food or anything else made to a + party of visitors as an "alofa"— + <i>i.e.,</i> + + a gift of love—this is but a hollow conventionalism, it + being the time-honoured custom of the country to always give a + <i>quid pro quo</i> + + for whatever has been received. Yet it must not be imagined + that they are a selfish people; if the recipients of an "alofa" + of food are too poor to respond otherwise than by a profusion + of thanks, the donors of the "alofa" are satisfied—it + would be a disgrace for their village to be spoken of as having + treated guests meanly.</p> + + <p> +<!-- Page 252 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page247" name="page247">[pg 247]</a> + </span> + + After evening service—conducted on week-days in each + house by the head of the family—another meal is served. + Then either lamps or a fire of coconut-shells is lit, and there + is a great making of + <i>sului</i> + + , or cigarettes of strong tobacco rolled in dry banana leaf, + and there is much merry jostling and shoving among the young + lads and girls for a seat on the matted floor, to hear the + white people talk. A dance is sure to be suggested, and + presently the + <i>fale po-ula,</i> + + or dance-house, is lit up in preparation, as the dancers, male + and female, hurry away to adorn themselves. Much has been said + about the impropriety of Samoa dancing by travellers who have + only witnessed the degrading and indecent exhibitions, given on + a large scale by the loafing class of natives who inhabit Apia + and its immediate vicinity. The natives are an adaptive race, + and suit their manners to their company, and there are always + numbers of sponging men and + <i>paumotu</i> + + (beach-women) ready to pander to the tastes of low whites who + are willing to witness a lewd dance. But in most villages, + situated away from the contaminating influences of the + principal port, a native + <i>siva</i> + + , or dance, is well worth witnessing, and the accompanying + singing is very melodious. It is, however, true, that on + important occasions, such as the marriage of a great chief, + &c., that the dancing, decorous enough in the earlier + stages of the evening, degenerates under the influence of + excitement into an exhibition that provokes sorrow and disgust. + And yet, curiously enough, the dancers at these times are not + low class, common people, but young men and women +<!-- Page 253 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page248" name="page248">[pg 248]</a> + </span> + + of high lineage, who, led by the + <i>taupo</i> + + , or maid of the village, cast aside all restraint and modesty. + In many of the dances the costumes are exceedingly pretty, the + men wearing aprons made of the yellow and scarlet leaves of the + + <i>ti</i> + + or dracoena plant, with head-dresses formed of pieces of + iridescent pearl-shell, intermixed with silver coins and + scarlet and amber beads, and the hair of both sexes is + profusely adorned with the scarlet flowers of the hibiscus, + while from their necks depend large strings of + <i>sea-sea, masa'oi,</i> + + and other brightly-coloured and sweet-smelling berries. Of late + years the Tahitian fashion of wearing thick wreaths of orange + or lemon blossoms has come into vogue.</p> + + <p>Before concluding these remarks upon Samoa, I must mention + that the climate is very healthy for the greater part of the + year; but in the rainy season, December to March, the heat is + intense, and sickness is often prevalent, especially in Apia. + Still fever, such as is met with in the New Hebrides and the + Solomon Group, "the grave of the white man in the South Seas," + is unknown, and one may sleep in the open air with impunity. + Before setting out from Apia the services of a competent + interpreter should be secured—a man who thoroughly + understands the Samoan + <i>customs</i> + + as well as the language. Plenty of reliable half-castes can + always be found, any one of whom would be glad to engage for a + very moderate payment. Too often the pleasures of such a trip + as I have described have been marred by the interpreter's lack + of tact and knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the in +<!-- Page 254 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page249" name="page249">[pg 249]</a> + </span> + + habitants of the various districts and villages. The mere fact + of a man being able to speak the language fairly well is not + the all in all; for the Samoans are a highly sensitive people, + and the omission by the interpreter of a chief's titles, + &c., when the guests are responding through him to an + address of welcome, would be considered "shockingly bad + form."</p> + + <p>But the reader must not imagine that the Samoan Group is the + only one in the South Pacific where an enjoyable holiday may be + spent. The French possession of the Society Islands, of which + the pretty town Papeite, in the noble island of Tahiti, is the + capital, rivals, if not exceeds, Samoa in the magnificence of + its scenery, and the natives are a highly intelligent race of + Malayo-Polynesians who, despite their being citizens of the + French Republic, never forget that they were redeemed from + savagery by Englishmen, and a + <i>taata Peretane</i> + + (Englishman) is an ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities + for visiting the different islands of the Society Group are + very good, for there is quite a fleet of native and + European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the + archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east + to its north-west point is one of the most delightful trips + imaginable. Then again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which + consist of the fertile islands of Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atui, + Aitutaki, and Mauki, are well worth visiting. The people speak + a language similar to that of Tahiti, and they are a fine, + hospitable race, albeit a little over-civilised. Both of these + groups can be reached from Auckland by sailing vessels, +<!-- Page 255 --> + <span class="pagenum"> + <a id="page250" name="page250">[pg 250]</a> + </span> + + but not direct from Sydney. As for the lonely islands of the + North Pacific, they are too far afield for any one to visit but + the trader or the traveller to whom time is nothing.</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + + <a name='FOOTNOTES'> + </a> + + <h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_1">1</a> + + : Literally, "clear crony."</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_2">2</a> + + : Port.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_3">3</a> + + : Happiness.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_4">4</a> + + : A libertine, profligate.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_5">5</a> + + : My love to you, Pâkía; are you well?</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_6">6</a> + + : White foreigners.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_7">7</a> + + : Frank.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_8">8</a> + + : Small-pox.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_9">9</a> + + : An accordion.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_10">10</a> + + : Idler, gad about—a Samoan expression.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_11">11</a> + + : German.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_12">12</a> + + : The Tokelau and Ellice Islanders are much amused at the white + man's method of hauling in a heavy fish hand + <i>over</i> + + hand. This to them is " + <i>faka fafine</i> + + "—i.e., like a woman.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_13">13</a> + + : Cayse.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_14">14</a> + + : NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER.—This incident is related by the + author in "By Reef and Palm" under the title of "The Rangers of + the Tia Kau."</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_15">15</a> + + : PUBLISHER'S NOTE.—This Alan Strickland is the "Allan" + who has so frequently figured in the author's other tales of + South Sea life, notably in the works entitled "By Reef and + Palm" and "The Ebbing of the Tide."</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_16">16</a> + + : Councillors.</p> + + <p class="footnote"> + <a name="footnote_17">17</a> + + : + <i>Apo! lima</i> + + ! "Be quick with your hand!" The passage is narrow and + dangerous, even for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches + the rolling surf, calls out + <i>Apo, lau lima</i> + + ! to his crew—an expression synonymous to our nautical, + "Pull like the devil!"</p> + + <hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, +and Other Stories, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK AND POOL *** + +***** This file should be named 12798-h.htm or 12798-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/9/12798/ + +Produced by David McLachlan and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, and Other Stories + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: July 1, 2004 [EBook #12798] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK AND POOL *** + + + + +Produced by David McLachlan and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + * * * * * + ***NOTE TO READERS*** + +This file is encoded using the ASCII character set. + +The text in this file contains a number of characters not contained in +the standard ASCII character set. To enable the display of these +characters the following alternatives have been placed in the text: + + A macron is indicated by the character | immediately after the + accented letter. For example a| is used to indicate the letter a + with a macron diacritical. + + A breve is indicated by the character ~ immediately after the + accented letter. For example a~ is used to indicate the letter a + with a breve diacritical. + +The characters | and ~ only appear in the text to indicate the +diacritical accents. + + * * * * * + +_By_ ROCK & POOL +On An Austral Shore + +_By_ LOUIS BECKE + +AUTHOR OF "PACIFIC TALES," +"BY REEF AND PALM," ETC., ETC. + +New Amsterdam Book Company +156 FIFTH AVENUE: NEW YORK CITY: MCMI + + + + +CONTENTS + +BY ROCK AND POOL + +SOLEPA + +THE FISHER FOLK OF NUKUFETAU + +MRS. MACLAGGAN'S BILLY + +AN ISLAND MEMORY + +A HUNDRED FATHOMS DEEP + +ON A TIDAL RIVER + +DENISON GETS ANOTHER SHIP + +JACK SHARK'S PILOT + +THE "PALU" OF THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC + +THE WILY "GOANNER" + +THE TA~NIFA OF SAMOA + +ON BOARD THE _TUCOPIA_ + +THE MAN IN THE BUFFALO HIDE + + * * * * * + +A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS--HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS + + + + +_By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore_ + + +The quaint, old-fashioned little town faces eastward to the blue +Pacific, whose billows, when the wind blows from any point between north +and east, come tumbling in across the shallow bar in ceaseless lines of +foaming white, to meet, when the tide is on the ebb, the swift current +of a tidal river as broad as the Thames at Westminster Bridge. On the +south side of the bar, from the sleepy town itself to the pilot station +on the Signal Hill, there rises a series of smooth grassy bluffs, whose +seaward bases touch the fringe of many small beaches, or start sheer +upward from the water when the tide is high, and the noisy swish and +swirl of the eager river current has ceased. + +As you stand on the Signal Hill, and look along the coast, you see a +long, long monotonous line of beach, trending northward ten miles from +end to end, forming a great curve from the sandspit on the north side of +the treacherous bar to the blue loom of a headland in shape like the +figure of a couchant lion. Back from the shore-line, a narrow littoral +of dense scrub, impervious to the rays of the sun, and unbroken in its +solitude except by the cries of birds, or the heavy footfall of wild +cattle upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves; and then, far to the +west, the dimmed, shadowy outline of the main coastal range. + + * * * * * + +It is a keen, frosty morning in June--the midwinter of Australia--and as +the red sun bursts through the sea-rim, a gentle land breeze creeps +softly down from the mountain forest of gums and iron-barks, and blows +away the mists that, all through a night of cloudless calm, have laid +heavily upon the surface of the sleeping ocean. One by one the doors of +the five little white-painted, weather-boarded houses which form the +quarters of the pilot-boat's crew open, and five brown, hairy-faced men, +each smoking a pipe, issue forth, and, hands in pockets, scan the +surface of the sea from north to south, for perchance a schooner, trying +to make the port, may have been carried along by the current from the +southward, and is within signalling distance to tell her whether the bar +is passable or not. For the bar of the Port is as changeable in its +moods as the heart of a giddy maid to her lovers--to-day it may invite +you to come in and take possession of its placid waters in the harbour +beyond; to-morrow it may roar and snarl with boiling surf and savage, +eddying currents, and whirlpools slapping fiercely against the grim, +black rocks of the southern shore. + +Look at the five men as they stand or saunter about on the smooth, +frosty grass. They are sailormen--one and all--as you can see by their +walk and hear by their talk; rough, ready, and sturdy, though not so +sturdy nor so square-built as your solid men of brave old Deal; but a +long way better in appearance and character than the sponging, +tip-seeking, loafing fraternity of slouching, lazy robbers who on the +parades of Brighton, Hastings, and Eastbourne, and other fashionable +seaside resorts in this country, lean against lamp-posts with "Licensed +Boatman" writ on their hat-bands, and call themselves fishermen, though +they seldom handle a herring or cod that does not come from a +fishmonger's shop. These Australians of British blood are leaner in +face, leaner in limb than the Kentish men, and drink whiskey instead of +coffee or tea at early morn. But see them at work in the face of danger +and death on that bar, when the surf is leaping high and a schooner lies +broadside on and helpless to the sweeping rollers, and you will say that +a more undaunted crew never gripped an oar to rescue a fellow-sailorman +from the hungry sea. + +One of them, a grey-haired, deeply-bronzed man of sixty, with his neck +and hands tatooed in strange markings, imprinted thereon by the hands of +the wild natives of Tucopia, in the South Seas, with whom he has lived +forty years before as one of themselves, is mine own particular friend +and crony, for his two sons have been playmates with my brothers and +myself, who were all born in this quaint old-time seaport of the first +colony in Australia; this forgotten remnant of the dread days of the +awful convict system, when the clank of horrible gyves sounded on the +now deserted and grass-grown streets, and the swish of the hateful and +ever active "cat" was heard within the walls of the huge red-brick +prison on the bluff facing the sea. Oh, the old, old memories of those +hideous times! How little they wounded or troubled our boyish minds, as +we, bent on some fishing or hunting venture along the coast, walked +along a road which had been first soddened by tears and then dried by +the panting, anguished breathings of beings fashioned in the image of +their Creator, as they toiled and died under the brutal hands of their +savage task-masters--the civilian officials of that cruel "System" +which, by the irony of fate, the far-seeing, gentle, and tender-hearted +Arthur Phillip, the founder of Australia, was first appointed to +administer. + +But away with such memories for the moment. Over the lee side with them +into the Sea of the Past, together with the clank of the fetters and the +hum of the cat and the merciless laws of the time; sink them all +together with the names of the military rum-selling traducers of the +good Phillip, and of ill-tempered, passionate sailor Bligh of the +_Bounty_--honest, brave, irascible, vindictive; destroyer of his ship's +company on that fateful adventure to Tahiti, hero of the most famous +boat-voyage the world has ever known; sea-bully and petty "hazer" of +hapless Fletcher Christian and his comrades, gallant officer in battle +and thanked by Nelson at Copenhagen; conscientious governor of a +starveling colony gasping under the hands of unscrupulous military +money-makers, William Bligh deserves to be remembered by all men of +English blood who are proud of the annals of the most glorious navy in +the world. + + * * * * * + +But ere we descend to the beach to wander by rock and pool in this +glowing Australian sun, the warm, loving rays of which are fast drying +the frost-coated grass, let us look at these square, old-time monuments +to the dead, placed on the Barrack Hill, and overlooking the sea. There +are four in all, but around them are many low, sunken headstones of +lichen-covered slabs, the inscriptions on which, like many of those on +the stones in the cemetery by the reedy creek, have long since vanished. + +There, indeed, if you care to brave the snake-haunted place you will +discover a word, or the part of a word--"Talav----," "Torre----Vedras," +"Vimiera," or "Badaj----," or "Fuentes de On----," and you know that +underneath lies the dust of men who served their country well when the +Iron Duke was rescuing Europe from the grip of the bloodstained +Corsican. On one, which for seventy years has faced the rising sun and +the salty breath of the ocean breeze, there remains but the one glorious +word, "Aboukir!" every indented letter thickly filled with grey moss and +lichen, though the name of he who fought there has disappeared, and +being but that of some humble seaman, is unrecorded and unknown in the +annals of his country. How strange it seems! but yet how fitting that +this one word alone should be preserved by loving Nature from the +decaying touch of Time. Perhaps the very hand of the convict mason who +held the chisel to the stone struck deeper as he carved the letters of +the name of the glorious victory. + +But let us away from here; for in the hot summer months amid these +neglected and decaying memorials of the dead, creeping and crawling in +and out of the crumbling masonry of the tombs, gliding among the long, +reedy grass, or lying basking in the sun upon the fallen headstones, are +deadly black and brown snakes. They have made this old, time-forgotten +cemetery their own favourite haunting place; for the waters of the creek +are near, and on its margin they find their prey. Once, so the shaky old +wharfinger will tell you, a naval lieutenant, who had been badly wounded +in the first Maori war, died in the commandant's house. He was buried +here on the bank of the creek, and one day his young wife who had come +from England to nurse him and found him dead, sat down on his grave and +went to sleep. When she awoke, a great black snake was lying on her +knees. She died that day from the shock. + +The largest of these four monuments on the bluff stands nearest to the +sea, and the inscription on the heavy flat slab of sandstone which +covers it is fairly legible:-- + + Sacred to the Memory of + JAMES VAUGHAN, + Who was a Private in Captain + Fraser Allan's Company + of the 40th Regiment, +Who died on the 24th November, 1823, + of a Gunshot Wound Received + on the 20th Day of the Month, + when in Pursuit of a + Runaway Convict. + Aged 25 years. + +The others record the names of the "infant son and daughters of Mr. G. +Smith, Commissariat Storekeeper," and of "Edward Marvin, who died 4th +July, 1821, aged 21 years." + +Many other sunken headstones denote the last resting-places of soldiers +and sailors, and civilian officials, who died between 1821 and 1830, +when the little port was a thriving place, and when, as the old gossips +will tell you, it made a "rare show, when the Governor came here, and +Major Innes--him as brought that cussed lantana plant from the +Peninsula--sent ninety mounted men to escort him to Lake Innes." + + * * * * * + +The tide is low, and the flat _congewoi_-covered ledges of reef on the +southern side of the bar lie bare and exposed to the sun. Here and there +in the crystal pools among the rocks, fish have been left by the tide, +and as you step over the _congewoi_, whose teats spurt out jets of +water to the pressure of your foot, large silvery bream and gaily-hued +parrot-fish rush off and hide themselves from view. But tear off a piece +of _congewoi,_ open it, and throw the sanguinary-coloured delicacy into +the water, and presently you will see the parrot-fish dart out eagerly, +and begin to tear it asunder with their long, irregular, and needle-like +teeth, whilst the more cautious and lordly bream, with wary eye and +gentle, undulating tail, watch from underneath a ledge for a favourable +moment to dash out and secure a morsel. + +In some of the wider and shallower ponds are countless thousands of +small mullet, each about three or four inches in length, and swimming +closely together in separated but compact battalions. Some, as the sound +of a human footstep warns them of danger, rush for safety among the +submerged clefts and crevices of their temporary retreat, only to be +mercilessly and fatally enveloped by the snaky, viscous tentacles of the +ever-lurking octopus, for every hole and pool among the rocks contains +one or more of these hideously repulsive creatures. + +Sometimes you will see one crawling over the _congewoi_, changing from +one pool to another in search of prey; its greeny-grey eyes regard you +with defiant malevolence. Strike it heavily with a stick, or thrust it +through with a spear, and in an instant its colour, which a moment +before was either a dark mottled brown or a mingled reddish-black, +changes to a ghastly, horrible, marbled grey; the horrid tentacles +writhe and cling to the weapon, or spread out and adhere to the +surrounding points of rock, a black, inky fluid is ejected from the +soft, pulpy, and slimy body; and then, after raining blow after blow +upon it, it lies unable to crawl away, but still twisting and turning, +and showing its red and white suckers--a thing of horror indeed, the +embodiment of all that is hateful, wicked, and malignant in nature. + +Some idea of the numbers of these crafty and savage denizens of the +limpid pools may be obtained by dropping a baited fishing line in one of +the deeper spots. First you will see one, and then another, thin end of +a tentacle come waveringly out from underneath a ledge of rock, and +point towards the bait, then the rest of the ugly creature follows, and +gathering itself together, darts upon the hook, for the possession of +which half a dozen more of its fellows are already advancing, either +swimming or by drawing themselves over the sandy bottom of the pool. +Deep buried in the sand itself is another, a brute which may weigh ten +or fifteen pounds, and which would take all the strength of a strong man +to overcome were its loathsome tentacles clasped round his limbs in +their horrid embrace. Only part of the head and the half-closed, +tigerish eyes are visible, and even these portions are coated over with +fine sand so as to render them almost undistinguishable from the bed in +which it lies awaiting for some careless crab or fish to come within +striking distance. How us boys delighted to destroy these big fellows +when we came across one thus hidden in the sand or _debris_ on the +bottom! A quick thrust of the spear through the tough, elongated head, +a vision of whirling, outspread, red and black snaky tentacles, and then +the thing is dragged out by main strength and dashed down upon the +rocks, to be struck with waddies or stones until the spear can be +withdrawn. Everything, it is said, has its use in this world, and the +octopus is eminently useful to the Australian line fisherman, for the +bream, trevally, flathead, jew-fish, and the noble schnapper dearly love +its tough, white flesh, especially after the creature has been held over +a flame for a few minutes, so that the mottled skin may be peeled off. + +But treacherous and murderous Thug of the Sea as he is, the octopus has +one dreaded foe before whom he flees in terror, and compresses his body +into the narrowest and most inaccessible cleft or endeavours to bury +himself in the loose, soft sand--and that foe is the orange-coloured or +sage-green rock eel. Never do you see one of these eels in the open +water; they lie deep under the stones or twine their lithe, slippery +bodies among the waving kelp or seaweed. Always hungry, savage-eyed, and +vicious, they know no fear of any living thing, and seizing an octopus +and biting off tentacle after tentacle with their closely-set, +needle-like teeth and swallowing it whole is a matter of no more moment +to them than the bolting of a tender young mullet or bream. In vain does +the Sea Thug endeavour to enwrap himself round and round the body of one +of these sinuous, scaleless sea-snakes and fasten on to it with his +terrible cupping apparatus of suckers--the eel slips in and out and +"wolfs" and worries his enemy without the slightest harm to itself. +Some of them are large--especially the orange-coloured variety--three or +four feet in length, and often one will raise his snaky head apparently +out of solid rock and regard you steadily for a moment. Then he +disappears. You advance cautiously to the spot and find a hole no larger +than the circumference of an afternoon tea cup, communicating with the +water beneath. Lower a baited hook with a strong wire snooding, and +"Yellowskin" will open wide his jaws and swallow it without your feeling +the slightest movement of the line. But you must be quick and strong of +hand then, or you will never drag him forth, for slippery as he is he +can coil his length around a projecting bit of rock and defy you for +perhaps five or ten minutes; and then when you do succeed in tearing him +away and pull him out with the hook buried deep in his loose, pendulous, +wrinkled and corduroyed throat, he instantly resolves himself into a +quivering Gordian knot, winding the line in and about his coils and +knotting it into such knots that can never be unravelled. + +Here and there you will see lying buried deep in the growing coral, or +covered with black masses of _congewoi_ such things as iron and copper +bolts, or heavy pieces of squared timber, the relics of the many wrecks +that have occurred on the bar--some recent, some in years long gone by. +Out there, lying wedged in between the weed and kelp-covered boulders, +only visible at low water, are two of the guns of the ill-fated +_Wanderer_, a ship, like her owner, famous in the history of the +colony. She was the property of a Mr. Benjamin Boyd, a man of flocks and +herds and wealth, who founded a town and a great whaling station on the +shores of Twofold Bay, where he employed some hundreds of men, bond and +free. He was of an adventurous and restless disposition, and after +making several voyages to the South Seas, was cruelly cut off and +murdered by the cannibal natives of Guadalcanar in the Solomon Islands, +in the "fifties." The captain, after beating off the savages, who, +having killed poor Boyd on shore, made a determined attempt to capture +the ship, set sail for Australia, and in endeavouring to cross in over +the bar went ashore and became a total wreck. Here is a description +written by Judge McFarland of the _Wanderer_ as she was in those days +when Boyd dreamed a dream of founding a Republic in the South Sea +Islands with his wild crew of Polynesians and a few white fellow +adventurers:-- + +"She was of 240 tons burthen; very fleet, and had a flush deck; and her +cabins were fitted up with every possible attention to convenience, and +with great elegance; and had she been intended as a war craft, she could +scarcely have been more powerfully armed, for she carried four brass +deck-guns--two six-pounders and two four-pounders--mounted on carriages +resembling dolphins, four two-pounder rail guns--two on each side--and +one brass twelve-pounder traversing gun (which had seen service at +Waterloo)--in all thirteen serviceable guns. Besides these, there were +two small, highly-ornamented guns used for firing signals, which were +said to have been obtained from the wreck of the _Royal George_ at +Spithead. There were also provided ample stores of round shot and grape +for the guns, and a due proportion of small arms, boarding pikes, +tomahawks, &c." + +Half a mile further on, and we are under the Signal Hill, and standing +on one side of a wide, flat rock, through which a boat passage has been +cut by convict hands, when first the white tents of the soldiers were +seen on the Barrack Hill. And here, at this same spot, more than a +hundred years ago, and thirty before the sound of the axe was first +heard amid the forest or tallow-woods and red gum, there once landed a +strange party of sea-worn, haggard-faced beings--six men, one woman, and +two infant children. They were the unfortunate Bryant party--whose +wonderful and daring voyage from Sydney to Timor in a wretched, +ill-equipped boat, ranks second only to that of Bligh himself. For Will +Bryant, an ex-smuggler who was leader, had heard of Bligh's voyage in +the boat belonging to the _Bounty_; and fired with the desire to escape +with his wife and children from the famine-stricken community on the +shores of Port Jackson, he and his companions in servitude stole a small +fishing-boat and boldly put to sea to face a journey of more that three +thousand miles over an unknown and dangerous ocean. A few weeks after +leaving Sydney they had sighted this little nook when seeking refuge +from a fierce north-easterly gale, and here they remained for many days, +so that the woman and children might gain strength and the seams of the +leaking boat be payed with tallow--their only substitute for oakum. +Then onward they sailed or rowed, for long, long weary weeks, landing +here and there on the coast to seek for water and shell-fish, harried +and chased by cannibal savages, suffering all the agonies that could be +suffered on such a wild venture, until they reached Timor, only by a +strange and unhappy fate to fall into the hands of the brutal and +infamous Edwards of the _Pandora_ frigate, who with his wrecked ship's +company, and the surviving and manacled mutineers of the _Bounty_, who +had surrendered to him, soon afterwards appeared at the Dutch port. +Bryant, the daring leader, was so fortunate as to die of fever, and so +escaped the fate in store for his comrades. 'Tis a strange story indeed. + + * * * * * + +At the end of the point of brown, rugged rocks which form a natural +breakwater to this tiny boat harbour, the water is deep, showing a pale +transparent green at their base, and deep inpenetrable blue ten fathoms +beyond. To-day, because it is mid-winter, and the wind blows from the +west, the sea is clearer than ever, and far down below will be discerned +lazily swimming to and fro great reddish-brown or bright blue groper, +watching the dripping sides of the rock in hope that some of the active, +gaily-hued crabs which scurry downwards as you approach may fall in--for +the blue groper is a _gourmet_, disdaining to eat of his own tribe, and +caring only for crabs or the larger and more luscious crayfish. Stand +here when the tide is high and the surf is sweeping in creamy sheets +over the lower ledges of rocks; and as the water pours off torrent-like +from the surface and leaves them bare, you may oft behold a huge +fish--aye, or two or three--lying kicking on its side with a young +crayfish in its thick, fleshy jaws, calmly waiting for the next sea to +set him afloat again. Brave fellows are these gropers--forty, fifty, up +to seventy pounds sometimes, and dangerous fish to hook in such a place +as this, where a false step may send a man headlong into the surf below +with his line tangled round his feet or arms. But on such a morning as +this one might fall overboard and come to no harm, for the sea is +smooth, and the kelp sways but gently to the soft rise and fall of the +water, and seldom in these cold days of June does Jack Shark cruise in +under the lee of the rocks. It is in November, hot, sweltering November, +when the clinking sand of the shining beach is burning to the booted +foot, and the countless myriads of terrified sea salmon come swarming in +over the bar on their way to spawn in the river beyond, that he and his +fellows and the bony-snouted saw-fish rush to and fro in the shallow +waters, driving their prey before them, and gorging as they drive, till +the clear waters of the bar are turned into a bloodied froth. At such a +time as this it might be bad to fall overboard, though some of the local +youths give but little more heed to the tigers of the sea than they do +to the accompanying drove of harmless porpoises, which join in the +onslaught on the hapless salmon. + +A mile eastward from the shore there rises stark and clear a great +dome-shaped rock, the haunt and resting-place of thousands of +snow-white gulls and brown-plumaged boobies. The breeding-place of the +former is within rifle-shot--over there on that long stretch of +banked-up sand on the north side of the bar, where, amid the shelter of +the coarse, tufted grass the delicate, graceful creatures will sit three +months hence on their fragile white and purple-splashed eggs. The +boobies are but visitors, for their breeding-places are on the bleak, +savage islands far to the south, amid the snows and storms of black +Antarctic seas. But here they dwell together, in unison with the gulls, +and were the wind not westerly you could hear their shrill cries and +hoarse croaking as they wheel and eddy and circle above the lonely rock, +on the highest pinnacle of which a great fish-eagle, with neck thrown +back upon his shoulders and eyes fixed eastward to the sun, stands +oblivious of their clamour, as creatures beneath his notice. + +Once round the southern side of the Signal Hill the noise of the bar is +lost. Between the hill and the next point--a wild, stern-looking +precipice of black-trap rock--there lies a half a mile or more of +shingly strand, just such as you would see at Pevensey Bay or Deal, but +backed up at high-water mark with piles of drift timber--great dead +trees that have floated from the far northern rivers, their mighty +branches and netted roots bleached white by the sun and wind of many +years, and smelling sweet of the salty sea air. Mingled with the lighter +bits of driftwood and heaps of seaweed are the shells of hundreds of +crayfish--some of the largest are newly cast up by the sea, and the +carapace is yellow and blue; others are burnt red by exposure to the +sun; while almost at every step you crush into the thin backs and +armoured tails of young ones about a foot in length, the flesh of which, +by some mysterious process of nature, has vanished, leaving the skin, +muscles, and beautiful fan-like tail just as fresh as if the crustaceans +were alive. Just here, out among those kelp-covered rocks, you may, on a +moonlight night, catch as many crayfish as you wish--three of them will +be as much as any one would care to carry a mile, for a large, +full-grown "lobster," as they are called locally, will weigh a good ten +pounds. + +Once round the precipice we come to a new phase of coastal scenery. From +the high land above us green scrub-covered spur after spur shoots +downward to the shore, enclosing numerous little beaches of coarse sand +and many coloured spiral shells--"Reddies" we boys called them--with +here and there a rare and beautiful cowrie of banded jet black and +pearly white. The sea-wall of rock has here but few pools, being split +up into long, deep, and narrow chasms, into which the gentle ocean swell +comes with strange gurglings and hissings, and groan-like sounds, and +tiny jets of spray spout up from hundreds of air-holes through the +hollow crust of rock. Here for the first time since the town was left, +are heard the cries of land birds; for in the wild apple and rugged +honeysuckle trees which grow on the rich, red soil of the spurs they are +there in plenty--crocketts, king parrots, leatherheads, "butcher" and +"bell" birds, and the beautiful bronze-wing pigeon--while deep within +the silent gullies you constantly hear the little black scrub wallabies +leaping through the undergrowth and fallen leaves, to hide in still +darker forest recesses above. + +There are snakes here, too. Everywhere their sinuous tracks are visible +on the sand, criss-crossing with the more defined scratchy markings of +those of iguanas. The latter we know come down to carry off any dead +fish cast ashore by the waves, or to seize any live ones which may be +imprisoned in a shallow pool; but what brings the deadly brown and black +snakes down to the edge of _salt_ water at night time? + +Point after point, tiny bay after bay, and then we come to a wider +expanse of clear, stoneless beach, at the farther end of which a huge +boulder of jagged, yellow rock, covered on the summit with a thick +mantle of a pale green, fleshly-leaved creeper, bearing a pink flower. +It stands in a deep pool about a hundred yards in circumference, and as +like as not we shall find the surface of the water covered by thousands +of green-backed, red-billed garfish and silvery mullet, whose very +numbers prevent them from escaping. Scores of them leap out upon the +sand, and lie there with panting gill and flapping tail. It is a great +place for us boys, for here at low tides in the winter we strip off, and +with naked hands catch the mullet and gars and silvery-sided trumpeters, +and throw them out on the beach, to be grilled later on over a fire of +glowing honeysuckle cobs, and eaten without salt. What boy does care +about such a thing as salt at such times, when his eye is bright and his +skin glows with the flush of health, and the soft murmuring of the sea +is mingling in his ears with the thrilling call of the birds, and the +rustling hum of the bush; and the yellow sun shines down from a glorious +sky of cloudless blue, and dries the sand upon his naked feet; and the +very joy of being alive, and away from school, is happiness enough in +itself! + +For here, by rock and pool on this lonely Austral beach, it is good and +sweet for man or boy to be, and, if but in utter idleness, to watch and +listen--and think. + + + + +_Solepa_ + + +The last strokes of the bell for evening service had scarce died away +when I heard a footstep on the pebbly path, and old Pakia, staff in hand +and pipe dangling from his pendulous ear-lobe, walked quietly up the +steps and sat down cross-legged on the verandah. All my own people had +gone to church and the house was very quiet. + +"Good evening, Pakia," I said in English, "how are you, old man?" + +A smile lit up the brown, old, wrinkled face as he heard my voice--for I +was lying down in the sitting-room, smoking my after-supper pipe--as he +answered in the island dialect that he was well, but that his house was +in darkness and he, being lonely, had come over to sit with me awhile. + +"That is well, Pakia, for I too am lonely, and who so good as thee to +talk with when the mind is heavy and the days are long, and no sail +cometh up from the sea-rim? Come, sit here within the doorway, for the +night wind is chill; and fill thy pipe." + +He came inside as I rose and turned up the lamp so that its light shone +full on his bald, bronzed head and deeply tatooed arms and shoulders. +Laying down his polished staff of _temana_ wood, he came over to me, +placed his hand on my arm, patted it gently, and then his kindly old +eyes sought mine. + +"Be not dull of heart, _taka taina_.[1] A ship will soon come--it may be +to-morrow; it must be soon; for twice have I heard the cocks crow at +midnight since I was last here, three days ago. And when the cocks crow +at night-time a ship is near." + +"May it be so, Pakia, for I am weary of waiting. Ten months have come +and gone since I first put foot on this land of Nukufetau, and a ship +was to have come here in four." + +He filled his pipe, then drawing a small mat near my lounge, he squatted +on the floor, and we smoked in silence, listening to the gentle lapping +of the lagoon waters upon the inner beach and the beating, never-ceasing +hum of the surf on the reef beyond. Overhead the branches of the palms +swayed and rustled to the night-breeze. + +Presently, as I turned to look seaward, I caught the old man's dark eyes +fixed upon my face, and in them I read a sympathy that at that time and +place was grateful to me. + +"Six months is long for one who waits, Pakia," I said. "I came here but +to stay four months and trade for copra; then the ship was to call and +take me to Ponape, in the far north-west. And Ponape is a great land to +such a man as me." + +"_Etonu! Etonu!_ I know it. Thrice have I been there when I sailed in +the whaleships. A great land truly, like the island called Juan +Fernandez, of which I have told thee, with high mountains green to the +summits with trees, and deep, dark valleys wherein the sound of the sea +is never heard but when the surf beats hard upon the reef. Ah! a fine +land--better than this poor _motu_, which is as but a ring of sand set +in the midst of the deep sea. Would that I were young to go there with +thee! Tell me, dost know the two small, high islands in the _ava_[2] +which is called Jakoits? Hast seen the graves of two white men there?" + +"I know the islands well; but I have never seen the graves of any white +men there. Who were they, and when did they die?" + +"Ah, I am a foolish old man. I forget how old I am. Perhaps, when thou +wert a child in thy mother's arms, the graves stood up out of the +greensward at the foot of the high cliff which faces to the south. Tell +me, is there not a high wall of rock a little way back from the landing +beach?... Aye!... that is the place ... and the bones of the men are +there, though now great trees may grow over the place. They were both +good men--good to look at, tall and strong; and they fought and died +there just under the cliff. I saw them die, for I was there with the +captain of my ship. We, and others with us, saw it all." + +"Who were they, Pakia, and how came they to fight?" + +"One was a trader, whose name was Preston; he lived on the mainland of +Ponape, where he had a great house and oil store and many servants. The +name of the other man was Frank. They fought because of a woman." + +"Tell me the story, Pakia. Thou hast seen many lands and many strange +things. And when ye come and sit and talk to me the dulness goeth away +from me and I no longer think of the ship; for of all the people on this +_motu_, to thee and Temana my servant alone do I talk freely. And Temana +is now at church." + +The old man chuckled. "Aye, he is at church because Malepa, his wife, is +so jealous of him that she fears to leave him alone. Better would it +please him to be sitting here with us." + +I drew the mat curtain across the sitting-room window so that we could +not be seen by prying eyes, and put two cups, a gourd of water, and some +brandy on the table. Except my own man, Temana, the rest of the natives +were intensely jealous of the poor old ex-sailor and wanderer in many +lands, and they very much resented his frequent visits to me--partly on +account of the occasional glass of grog which I gave him, and partly +because he was suspected of still being a _tagata po-uriuri, i.e._, a +heathen. This, however, he vigorously denied, and though Mareko, the +Samoan teacher, was a kind-hearted and tolerant man for a native +minister, the deacons delighted in persecuting and harassing the ancient +upon every possible opportunity, and upon one pretext or another had +succeeded in robbing him of his land and dividing it among his +relatives; so that now in his extreme old age he was dependent upon one +of his daughters, a woman who herself must have been past sixty. + +I poured some brandy into the cups; we clicked them together and said, +"May you be lucky" to each other. Then he told me of Solepa. + + * * * * * + +"There were many whaleships came to anchor in the three harbours of +Ponape in those days. They came there for wood and water and fresh +provisions, before they sailed to the cold, icy seas of the south. I was +then a boat-steerer in an English ship--a good and lucky ship with a +good captain. When we came to Ponape we found there six other +whaleships, all anchored close together under the shelter of the two +islets. All the captains were friends, and the few white men who lived +on shore were friends with them, and every night there was much singing +and dancing on board the ships, for, as was the custom, every one on +board had been given a Ponape girl for wife as long as his ship stayed +there; and sometimes a ship would be there a long time--a month perhaps. + +"The trader who lived in the big house was one of the first to come on +board our ship; for the captain and he were good friends. They talked +together on the poop deck, and I heard the trader say that he had been +away to Honolulu for nearly a year and had brought back with him a young +wife. + +"'Good,' said my captain, 'to-night I shall come ashore and drink +_manuia!_[3] to ye both.' + +"The trader was pleased, and said that some of the other captains could +come also, and that he had sent a letter to the other trader, Frank, who +lived on the other side of the island, bidding him to come and greet the +new wife. At these words the face of Stacey--that was my captain's name, +became dark, and he said-- + +"'You are foolish. Such a man as he is, is better away from thy +house--and thy wife. He is a _manaia_, an _ulavale_[4]. Take heed of my +words and have no dealings with him.' + +"But the man Preston only laughed. He was a fool in this though he was +so clever in many other things. He was a big man, broad in the shoulders +with the bright eye and the merry laugh of a boy. He had been a sailor, +but had wearied of the life, and so he bought land in Ponape and became +a trader. He was a fair-dealing man with the people there, and so in +three or four years he became rich, and bought more land and built a +schooner which he sent away to far distant islands to trade for +pearl-shell and _loli_ (beche-de-mer). Then it was that he went to +Honolulu and came back with a wife. + +"That day ere it became dark I went on shore with my captain; some of +the other captains went with us. The white man met them on the beach, +surrounded by many of his servants, male and female. Some were of +Ponape, some from Tahiti, some from Oahu, and some from the place which +you call Savage Island and we call Niue. As soon as the captains had +stepped out upon the beach and I had bidden the four sailors who were +with me to push off to return to the ship, the trader, seeing the +tatooing on my arms, gave a shout. + +"'Ho,' he cried, turning to my captain, 'whence comes that boat-steerer +of thine? By the markings on his arms and chest he should be from the +isles of the Tokelau.' + +"My captain laughed. 'He comes from near there. He is of Nukufetau.' + +"Then let him stay on shore to-night, for there are here with me a man +and a woman from Nanomaga; they can talk together. And my wife Solepa, +too, will be well pleased to see him, for her mother was a Samoan, and +this man can talk to her in her mother's tongue.' + +"'So I too went up to the house with the white men, but would not enter +with them, for I was stripped to the waist and could not go into the +presence of the lady. Presently the man and woman from Nanomaga sought +me out and embraced me and made much of me and took me into another part +of the house, where I waited till one of my shipmates returned from the +ship bringing my jumper and trousers of white duck and a new Panama hat. +Ta|pa|! I was a fine-looking man in those days, and women looked at +me from the corner of the eye. And now--look at me now! I am like a +blind fish which is swept hither and thither by the current against the +rocks and sandbanks. Give me some more grog, dear friend; when I talk of +the days of my youth my belly yearns for it, and I am not ashamed to +beg. + +"Presently, after I had dressed myself, I was taken by the Nanomea man +into the big room where Solepa, the white man's wife, was sitting with +the white men. She came to me and took my hand, and said to me in Samoan +_'Talofa, Pakia, e ma|lolo| ea oe?'_[5] and my heart was glad; for +it was long since I heard any one speak in a tongue which is akin to +mine own.... Was she beautiful? you ask. Ta|pa|! All women are +beautiful when they are young, and their eyes are full and clear and +their voices are soft and their bosoms are round and smooth! All I can +remember of her is that she was very young, with a white, fair skin, and +dressed like the _papalagi_[6] women I have seen in Peretania and +Ita|lia and in Chili and in Sydney. + +"As I stood before her, hat in hand and with my eyes looking downward, +which is proper and correct for a modest man to do when a high lady +speaks to him before many people, a white man who had been sitting at +the far end of the room came over to me and said some words of greeting +to me. This was Franka[7]--he whom my captain said was a _manaia_. He +was better clothed than any other of the white men, and was proud and +overbearing in his manner. He had brought with him more than a score of +young Ponape men, all of whom carried rifles and had cutlasses strapped +to their waists. This was done to show the people of Jakoits that he was +as great a man as Preston, whom he hated, as you will see. But Preston +had naught for him but good words, and when he saw the armed men he bade +them welcome and set aside a house for them to sleep in, and his +servants brought them many baskets of cooked food--taro and yams, and +fish, turtle, and pork. All this I saw whilst I was in the big room. + +"After I had spoken with the lady Solepa I returned to where the man +from Nanomaga and his wife were awaiting me. They pressed me to eat and +drink, and by and by sent for a young girl to make kava. Ta|pa|! +that kava of Ponape! It is not made there as it is in Samoa--where the +young men and women chew the dried root and mix it in a wooden _tanoa_ +(bowl); there the green root is crushed up in a hollowed stone and but +little water is added, so that it is strong, very strong, and one is +soon made drunk. + +"The girl who made the kava for us was named Sipi. She had eyes like the +stars when they are shining upon a deep mountain pool, and round her +smooth forehead was bound a circlet of yellow pandanus leaf worked with +beads of many colours and fringed with red parrakeet feathers; about her +waist were two fine mats, and her bosom and hands were stained with +turmeric. I sat and watched her beating the kava, and as her right arm +rose and fell her short, black wavy hair danced about her cheeks and hid +the red mouth and white teeth when she smiled at me. And she smiled at +me very often, and the man and woman beside me laughed when they saw me +regard her so intently, and asked me was it in my mind to have her for +my wife. + +"I did not answer at once, for I knew that if I ran away from the ship +for the sake of this girl I would be doing a foolish thing, for I had +money coming to me when the ship was _oti folau_ (paid off). But, as I +pondered, the girl bent forward and again her eyes smiled at me through +her hair; and then it was I saw that on her head there was a narrow +shaven strip from the crown backward. Now, in Tokelau, this fashion is +called _tu tagita_, and showeth that a girl is in her virginity. When I +saw this I was pleased, but to make sure I said to my friends, 'Her hair +is _tu tagita_. Is she a virgin?' + +"The woman of Nanomaga laughed loudly at this and pinched my hand, then +she translated my words to the girl who looked into my face and laughed +too, shaking her head as she put one hand over her eyes-- + +"'Nay, nay, O stranger,' she said, 'I am no virgin; neither am I a +harlot. I am respectable, and my father and mother have land. I do not +go to the ships.' Then she tossed her hair back from her face and began +to beat the kava again. + +"Now, this girl pleased me greatly, for there were no twists in her +tongue; so, when the kava-drinking was finished I made her sit beside +me, and the Nanomaga woman told her I would run away from the ship if +she would be my wife. She put her face to my shoulder, and then took +the circlet from her forehead and bound it round my bared arm, and I +gave her a silver ring which I wore on my little finger. Then, together +with the Nanomaga man and his wife, we made our plans.... Ah! she was a +fine girl. For nearly a year was she wife to me until she sickened and +died of the _meisake elo_[8] which was brought to Ponape by the +missionary ship from Honolulu. + +"So the girl and I made our plans, and my friends promised to hide me +when the time came for me to run away. We sat long into the night, and I +heard much of the man called Franka and of the jealousy he bore to +Preston. He was jealous of him because of two reasons; one was that he +possessed such a fine house and so much land and a schooner, and the +other was that the people of Jakoits paid him the same respect as they +paid one of their high chiefs. So that was why Franka hated him. His +heart was full of hatred, and sometimes when he was drunk in his own +house at Ro|an Kiti he would boast to the natives that he would one +day show them that he was a better man than Preston. Sometimes his +drunken boastings were brought to the ears of Preston, who only laughed +and took no heed, and always gave him the good word when they met, which +was but seldom, for Jakoits and Kiti are far apart, and there was bad +blood between the people of the two places. And then--so the girl Sipi +afterwards told me--Franka was a lover of grog and a stealer of women, +and kept a noisy house and made much trouble, and so Preston went not +near him, for he was a quiet man and no drinker, and hated dissension. +And, besides this, Franka took part in the wars of the Kiti people, and +went about with a following of armed men, and such money as he made in +trading he spent in muskets and powder and ball; for all this Preston +had no liking, and one day he said to Franka, 'Be warned, this fighting +and slaying is wrong; it is not correct for a white man to enter into +these wars; you are doing wrong, and some day you will be killed.' Now +these were good words, but of what use are good words to an evil heart? + +"So we pair sat talking and smoking, and the girl Sipi made us more +kava, and then again sat by my side and leant her face against my +shoulder, and presently we heard the sounds of music and singing from +the big house. We went outside to see and listen, and saw that Preston +was playing on a _pese laakau_[9] and Solepa and the captain of my ship +were dancing together--like as white people dance--and two of the other +captains were also dancing in the same fashion. All round the room were +seated many of the high chiefs of Ponape with their wives, dressed very +finely, and at one end of the room stood a long table covered with a +white cloth, on which was laid food of all kinds and wine and grog to +drink--just as you would see in your own country when a rich man gives a +feast. Presently as we looked, we saw Franka walk into the room from a +side door and look about. His face was flushed, and he staggered +slightly in his steps. He went over to the table and poured out some +grog, and then beckoned to Preston to come and drink with him, but +Preston smiled and shook his head. How could he go when he was making +the music? Then Franka struck his clenched fist on the table in anger, +and went over to Preston, just as the dancers had stopped. + +"'Why will ye not drink with me?' he said in a loud voice so that all +heard him. 'Art thou too great a man to drink with me again?' + +"'Nay,' answered the other jestingly and taking no heed of Franka's rude +voice and angry eyes, 'not so great that I cannot drink with all my +friends tonight, be they white or brown,' and so saying he bade every +one in the room come to the great table with him and drink _manuia_ to +him and his young wife. + +"So the nine white men--Preston, and Franka, and the seven whaleship +captains, and Nanakin, the head chief of Ponape, and many other lesser +chiefs, all gathered together around the table and filled their glasses +and drank _manuia_ to the bride, who sat on a chair in the centre of the +room surrounded by the chiefs' wives, and smiled and bowed when my +captain called her name and raised his glass towards her. Then after +this he again took up the _pese laakau_ and began to play, and my +captain and Solepa danced again. Suddenly Franka pushed his way through +the others and rudely placed his hand on her arm. + +"'Come,' he said, 'leave this fellow and dance with me.' + +"She cried out in terror, and then silence fell upon all as my captain +withdrew his right arm from her waist and struck Franka on the mouth; it +was a strong blow, and Franka staggered backwards and then fell near to +the open door. As he rose to his feet again my captain came up to him +and bade him leave quickly. 'We want no drunken bullies here,' he said, +and at that moment Franka drew a pistol and pointed it at his chest. I +leapt upon him and as we struggled together the pistol went off, but the +bullet hurt no one. + +"Then there was a great commotion, and my captain and Preston ran to my +aid and seized Franka. They dragged him out of the room, and with words +of scorn and contempt threw him out amongst his own people who were +gathered together outside the house, with their muskets in their hands. +But already Nanakin and his chiefs had summoned their fighting men; they +came running towards us from all directions, and surrounding Franka and +his men, drove them away and bade them beware of ever returning to +Jakoits. + +"When they had gone, my captain called me to him, and, turning to the +other white men, said, 'This man hath saved my life. He hath a brave +heart. I shall do much for him in the time to come.' Then he and the +others all shook my hand and praised me, and I was silent and said +nothing, for I was ashamed to think I was about to run away from such a +good captain. + +"In the morning we went back to the ship, and the boats were then sent +away to fill and bring off casks of water. Every time my boat went I +took something with me; tobacco and clothing and other things which I +had in my sea chest. Sipi and some other girls met us at the watering +place, and they took these from me and put them in a place of safety. +That afternoon as the boats were about to leave the shore for the last +time, towing the casks, I slipped into the forest which grew very +densely on both sides of the little river, and ran till I came to the +spot where Sipi was awaiting me. Then together we went inland towards +the mountains and kept on walking till nightfall. That night we slept in +the forest; we were afraid to make a fire lest it should be seen by some +of Nanakin's people and betray us, for I knew that my captain would +cause a great search to be made for me. When dawn came we again set out +and went on steadily till we came to the summit of the range of +mountains which divides the island. There was a clear space on the side +of the mountain; a great village had once stood there, so Sipi told me, +but all those who had dwelt there had long since died, and their ghosts +could be heard flitting to and fro at night time. Far below us we could +see the blue sea, and the long waving line of reef with the surf beating +upon it, and within, anchored in the green water, were the seven ships +and Preston's schooner. + +"All that day and the next the girl and I worked at building a little +house for us to live in until the ships had gone. We had no fear of any +one seeking us out in that place, for it had a bad name and none but +travelling parties from Ro|an Kiti ever passed there. Sipi had brought +with her a basket of cooked food; in the deserted plantations we found +plenty of bananas and yams, and in the stream at the foot of the valley +we caught many small fish. Four days went by, and then one morning we +saw the ships set their sails and go to sea. We watched them till they +touched the sky rim and disappeared; then we went back to Jakoits. + +"The white man and Solepa were sitting under the shade of a tree in +front of their house. I went boldly up to him and asked him to give me +work to do. At first he was angry, for he and my captain were great +friends, and said he would have naught to do with me. Why did I run away +from such a good man and such a good ship? There were too many men like +me, he said, in Ponape, who had run away so that they might do naught +but wander from village to village and eat and drink and sleep. Then +again he asked why I had run away. + +"'Because of her,' I said, pointing to the girl Sipi, who was sitting at +the gate with her face covered with the corner of her mat. 'But I am no +_tafao vale_.[10] I am a true man. Give me work on thy ship.' + +"He thought a little while, then he and Solepa talked together, and +Solepa bade Sipi come near so that she might talk to her. Presently he +said to me that I had done a foolish thing to run away for the sake of +the girl when I had money coming to me and when the captain's heart was +filled with friendship towards me for turning aside Franka's pistol. + +"I bent my head, for I was ashamed. Then I said, 'I care not for the +money I have lost, but I am eaten up with shame for running away, for my +captain was a good captain to me.' + +"This pleased him, for he smiled and said, 'I will try thee. I will make +thee boatswain of the schooner, and this girl here shall be servant to +my wife.' + +"So Sipi became servant to Solepa, and I was sent on board the schooner +to help prepare her for sea. My new captain gave us a house to live in, +and every night I came on shore. Ah, those were brave times, and Preston +made much of me when he found that I was a true man and did my work +well, and would stand no saucy words nor black looks from those of the +schooner's crew who thought that the boatswain should be a white man. + +"Ten days after the whaleships had sailed, the schooner was ready for +sea. We were to sail to the westward isles to trade for oil and +tortoiseshell, and then go to China, where Preston thought to sell his +cargo. On the eve of the day on which we were to leave, the mate, who +was an old and stupid Siamani,[11] went ashore to my master's house, and +I was left in charge of the schooner. Sipi, my wife, was with me, and we +sat together in the stern of the ship, smoking our _sului_ (cigarettes) +and talking of the time when I should return and buy a piece of land +from her father's people, on which I should build a new house. There +were six native sailors on board, and these, as the night drew on, +spread their mats on the fore deck and went to sleep. Then Sipi and I +went into the cabin, which was on deck, and we too slept. + +"How long we had slumbered I cannot tell, but suddenly we were aroused +by the sound of a great clamour on deck and the groans and cries of +dying men, and then ere we were well awakened the cabin door was opened +and Solepa was thrust inside. Then the door was quickly closed and +fastened on the outside, and I heard Franka's voice calling out orders +to hoist sails and slip the cable. + +"There was a lamp burning dimly in the cabin, and Sipi and I ran to the +aid of Solepa, who lay prone upon the floor as if dead. Her dress was +torn, and her hands and arms were scratched and bleeding, so that Sipi +wept as she leant over her and put water to her lips. In a little while +she opened her eyes, and when she saw us a great sob broke from her +bosom and she caught my hand in hers and tried to speak. + +"Now, grog is a good thing. It is good for a weak, panting woman when +her strength is gone and her soul is terrified, and it is good for an +old man who is despised by his relations because he is bitten with +poverty. There was grog in a wicker jar in the cabin. I gave her some in +a glass, and then as the dog Franka, whose soul and body are now in +hell, was getting the schooner under way, she told me that while she and +Preston were asleep the house was surrounded by a hundred or more of +men from Ro|an Kiti, led by Franka. They burst in suddenly, and Franka +and some others rushed into their sleeping-room and she was torn away +from her husband and carried down to the beach. + +"'Is thy husband dead?' I asked. + +"'I cannot tell,' she said in a weak voice. 'I heard some shots fired +and saw him struggling with Franka's men. That is all I know. If he is +dead then shall I die too. Give me a knife, so that I may die.' + +"As she spoke the schooner began to move, and again we heard Franka's +voice calling out in English to some one to go forward and con the ship +whilst he steered, for the night was dark and he, clever stealer of +women as he was, did not know the passage out through the reef, and +trusted to those with him who knew but little more. Then something came +into my mind, and I took Solepa's hand in mine. + +"'I will save thee from this pig Franka,' I said quickly, 'he shall +never take thee away. Sit ye here with Sipi, and when ye hear the +schooner strike, spring ye both into the sea and swim towards the two +islands which are near.' + +"In the centre of the deck cabin was a hatch which led into the hold. +There was no deck between, for the vessel was but small. I took my knife +from the sheath and then lifted the hatch, descended, and crawled +forward in the darkness to the fore hatch, up which I crept very +carefully, for I had much in my mind. I saw a man standing up, holding +on to the fore stay. He was calling out to Franka every now and then, +telling him how to steer. I sprang up behind him, and as I drove my +knife into his back with my left hand, I struck him with my right on his +neck and he fell overboard. He was a white man, I think for when my +knife went into his back he called out 'Oh Christ!' But then many native +men who have mixed with white people call out 'Oh, Christ,' just like +white men when they are drunk. Anyway, it does not matter now. + +"But as I struck my knife into him, I called out in English to put the +helm hard down, for I saw that the schooner was very near the reef on +the starboard hand. Franka, who was at the wheel, at once obeyed and was +fooled, for the schooner, which was now leaping and singing to the +strong night wind from the mountains smote suddenly upon the coral reef +with a noise like the felling of a great forest tree, and began to grind +and tear her timbers. + +"Almost as she struck Solepa and Sipi stood by me, and together we +sprang overboard into the white surf ... Give me some more grog, dear +friend of my heart. I am no boaster, nor am I a liar; but when I think +of that swim to the shore through the rolling seas with those two women, +my belly cleaves to my backbone and I become faint.... For the current +was against us, and neither Sipi nor Solepa were good swimmers, and many +times had we to clutch hold of the jagged coral, which tore our skins so +that our blood ran out freely, and had the sharks come to us then I +would not be here with thee to-night drinking this, thy good sweet grog +which thou givest me out of thy kind heart. Ta|pa|! When I look +into thy face and see thy kind eyes, I am young again. I love thee, not +alone because thou hast been kind to me in my poverty and paid the fines +of my granddaughter when she hath committed adultery with the young men +of the village, but because thou hast seen many lands and have upheld me +before the teacher, who is a circumcised but yet untatooed dog of a +Samoan. A man who is not tatooed is no better than a woman. He is a male +harlot and should be despised. He is only fit to associate with women, +and has no right to beget children.... + +"We three swam to the shore, and when the dawn came we saw that the +schooner stood high and dry on the reef and that Franka and his men were +trying to float her by throwing overboard the iron ballast and putting a +kedge anchor out upon the lee side of the reef. And at the same time we +saw three boats put off from the mainland. These boats were all painted +white, and when I saw them I said to Solepa, 'Be of good heart. Thy +husband is not dead, for here are three of his boats coming. He is not +dead. He is coming to seek thee.'" + +"The three boats came quickly towards the schooner, but ere they reached +her Franka and those with him got into the boats in which they had +boarded the vessel, and then we saw smoke arise from the bow and +stern.... They had set fire to the ship. They were cowards. Fire is a +great help to cowards, because in the glare and dazzling light of +burning houses or ships, when the thunder of cannons and the rattle of +rifles is heard, they can run about and kill people.... I have seen +these things done in Chili.... I have seen men who would not stand and +fight on board ship run away on shore and slay women and children in +their fury and cowardice. No, they were not Englishmen; they were +Spaniolas. But the officers were Englishmen and Germans. _They_ did not +run away, they were killed. Brave men get killed and cowards live. I am +no coward though I am still alive. It is quite proper that I should +live, for I never ran away when there was fighting to be done. I have +only been a fool because of my love for women. No one could say I was a +coward, and no one can say I am a fool, because I am too old now to be a +fool. + +"As Franka and those with him left the burning schooner and rowed +towards the islands, the three boats from the shore changed their course +and followed him. Franka and his men were the first to reach the land, +and they quickly ran up the beach and crouched behind the bushes which +grew at high-water mark. They all had guns, and Sipi and Solepa and I +saw them waiting to shoot. We were hiding amid the roots of a great +banyan tree, and could see well. As the boats drew near Solepa watched +them eagerly, and then began to weep and laugh at the same time when she +saw her husband Preston was steering the one which led. She was a good +woman. She loved her husband. I was pleased with her, and told her to be +of good cheer, for I was sure that Preston and his people would kill +Franka and those with him, for as they rowed they made no noise. No one +shouted nor challenged; they came on and on, and the white man Preston +stood up with the steer oar in his hand, and his face was as a stone in +which was set eyes of fire. When his boat was within twenty fathoms of +the beach the rowers ceased, and he held up his hand to those who +awaited his coming. + +"'Listen to me, men of Ro|an Kiti. We are as three to one of ye, and +ye are caught in a trap. Death is in my mouth if I speak the word. Tell +me, is my wife Solepa alive?' + +"No one answered, but suddenly Franka stepped out from behind the bushes +and pointed his rifle at him, and was about to pull the trigger when a +young man of his party who was of good heart seized him by the arm, and +cried out 'twas a coward's act; then two or three followed him, and +together they bore Franka down upon the sand; and one of them cried out +to Preston-- + +"'This is a wrong business. We were led astray by this man. We are no +cowards, and have no ill-will to thee. Thy wife is alive. She swam +ashore with two others when the ship struck. Are we dead men?' + +"Then, ere Preston could answer, Solepa leapt out from beneath the +banyan tree and ran through the men of Ro|an Kiti towards the beach, +and cried-- + +"'Oh, my husband, for the love of God let no blood be shed! I am well +and unharmed. Spare these people and spare even this man Franka, for he +is mad!' + +"Then Preston leapt out of the boat and put his arms around her waist +and kissed her, and then put her aside, and called to every one around +him-- + +"'These are my words,' he said. 'I am a man of peace, but this man +Franka is a robber and a dog, and hath stolen upon me in the night and +slain my people, and his hands are reddened with blood. And he hath put +foul dishonour on me by stealing Solepa my wife, and carrying her away +from my house as if she were a slave or a harlot. And there is no room +here for such a man to live unless he be a better man than I. But I am +no murderer. So stand aside all! Let him rise and rest awhile, and then +shall we two fight, man to man. Either he or I must die.' + +"Then many men of both sides came to him and said, 'Let this thing be +finished. You are a strong man. Take this robber and slay him as you +would slay a pig.' But he put them aside, and said he would fight him +man to man, as Englishmen fought. + +"So when Franka was rested two cutlasses were brought, and the two men +stood face to face on the sand. I kept close to Franka, for I meant to +stab him if I could, but Preston angrily bade me stand back. Then the +two crossed their swords together and began to fight. It was a great +fight, but it did not last long, for Preston soon ran his sword through +Franka's chest. I saw it come out through his back. But as he fell and +Preston bent over him he thrust his cutlass into Preston's stomach and +worked it to and fro. Then Preston fell on him, and they died together. + +"There was no more bloodshed. Solepa and Sipi and I dressed the dead man +in his best clothes, and the Ro|an Kiti men dressed Franka in his +best clothes, and a great funeral feast was made, and we buried them +together on the little island. And Solepa went back again to Honolulu in +a whaleship. She was young and fair, and should have soon found another +husband. I do not know. But Sipi was a fine wife to me." + + + + +_The Fisher Folk of Nukufetau_ + +Early one morning, about a week after I had settled down on Nukufetau as +a trader, I opened my chest of fishing-gear and began to overhaul it. In +a few minutes I was surrounded by an eager and interested group of +natives, who examined everything with the greatest curiosity. + +Now for the preceding twelve months I had been living on the little +island of Nanomaga, a day's sail from Nukufetau; and between Nanomaga +and Nukufetau there was a great bitterness of long standing--the +Nanomagans claimed to be the most daring canoe-men and expert fishermen +in all the eight isles of the Ellice Group, and the people of Nukufetau +resented the claim strongly. The feeling had been accentuated by my good +friend the Samoan teacher on Nanomaga, himself an ardent fisherman, +writing to his brother minister on Nukufetau and informing him that +although I was not a high-class Christian I was all right in all other +respects, and a good fisherman--"all that he did not know we have taught +him, therefore," he added slyly, "let your young men watch him so that +they may learn how to fish in deep and rough water, such as ours." +These remarks were of course duly made public, and caused much +indignation, neither the minister nor his flock liking the gibe about +the deep, rough water; also the insinuation that anything about fishing +was to be learnt from the new white man was annoying and uncalled for. + +I must here mention that the natives of De Peyster's Island (Nukufetau) +caught all the fish they wanted in the smooth and spacious waters of the +lagoon, and were not fond of venturing outside the barrier reef, except +during the bonito season, or when the sea was very calm at night, to +catch flying-fish. Then, too, the currents outside the reef were swift +and dangerous, and the canoes had either to be carried a long distance +over the coral or paddled a couple of miles across the lagoon to the +ship passage before the open sea was gained. Hudson's Island +(Nanomaga)--a tiny spot less than four miles in circumference--had no +lagoon, and all fishing was done in the deep water of the ocean. The +natives were used to launching their canoes, year in and year out, to +face the wildest surf, and were, in consequence, wonderfully expert, and +in the history of the island there is only one instance of a man having +been drowned. The De Peyster people, by reason of the advantage of their +placid lagoon, had no reason to risk their lives in the surf in this +manner, and so, naturally enough, they were not nearly as skilful in the +management of their frail canoes when they had to face a sweeping sea on +the outer or ocean reef. + +Just as I was placing some coils of heavy, deep-sea lines upon the +matted floor, Mareko the native teacher, fat, jovial, and +bubbling-voiced, entered in a great hurry, and hardly giving himself +time to shake hands with me, announced in a tone of triumph, that a body +of _atuli_ (baby bonito) had just entered the passage and were making +their way up the lagoon. + +In less than ten seconds every man, woman, and child on the island, +except the teacher and myself, were agog with excitement and bawling and +shouting as they rushed to the beach to launch and man the canoes, the +advent of the _atuli_ having been expected for some days. In nearly all +the equatorial islands of the Pacific these beautiful little fish make +their appearance every year almost to a day, with unvarying regularity. +They remain in the smooth waters of lagoons for about two weeks, +swimming about in incredible numbers, and apparently so terrified of +their many enemies in their own element, and the savage, keen-eyed +frigate birds which constantly assail them from above, that they +sometimes crowd into small pools on the inner reef, and when the tide is +low, seek to hide themselves by lying in thick masses under the +overhanging ledges of coral rock. Simultaneously--or at least within a +day or two at most--the swarming millions of _atuli_ are followed into +the lagoons by the _gatala_--a large black and grey rock-cod (much +esteemed by the natives for the delicacy of its flavour) and great +numbers of enormous eels. At other times of the year both the _gatala_ +and the eels are never or but rarely seen inside the lagoons, but are +occasionally caught outside the reef at a good depth--forty to sixty +fathoms. As soon, however, as the young bonito appear, both eels and +rock-cod change their normal habits, and entering the lagoons through +the passages thereto, they take up their quarters in the deeper +parts--places which are fringed by a labyrinthine border of coral +forest, and are at most ten fathoms deep. Here, when the _atuli_ are +covering the surface above, the eels and rock-cod actually rise to the +surface and play havoc among them, especially during moonlight nights, +and in the daytime both rock-cod and eels may be seen pursuing their +hapless prey in the very shallowest water, amidst the little pools and +runnels of the coral reef. It is at this time that the natives of +Nukufetau and some other islands have some glorious sport, for in +addition to the huge eels and rock-cod many other deep-sea fish flock +into the shallower lagoon waters--all in pursuit of the _atuli_--and all +eager to take the hook. + + * * * * * + +As soon as the natives had left the house, Mareko turned to me with a +beaming smile. "Let them go on first and net some _atuli_ for us for +bait," he said, "you and I shall follow in my own canoe and fish for +_gatala_. It will be a great thing for one of us to catch the first +_gatala_ of the season. Yesterday, when I was over there," pointing to +two tiny islets within the lagoon, "I saw some _gatala_. The natives +laugh at me and say I am mistaken--that because the _atuli_ had not come +there could be no _gatala_. Now, _I_ think that the big fish came in +some days ago, but the strong wind and current kept the _atuli_ outside +till now. Come." + +I needed no pressing. In five minutes I had my basket of lines (of white +American cotton) ready, and joined Mareko. His canoe (the best on the +island, of course) was already in the water and manned by his two sons, +boys of eight and twelve respectively. I sat for'ard, the two youngsters +amidships, the father took the post of honour as _tautai_ or steersman, +and with a chuckle of satisfaction from the boys, off we went in the +wake of about thirty other canoes. + +Oh, the delight of urging a light canoe over the glassy water of an +island lagoon, and watching the changing colours and strange, grotesque +shapes of the coral trees and plants of the garden beneath as they +vanish swiftly astern, and the quick _chip, chip_ of the flashing +paddles sends the whirling, noisy eddies to right and left, and frights +the lazy, many-hued rock-fish into the darker depths beneath! On, on, +till the half mile or more of shallow water which covers the inner reef +is passed, and then suddenly you shoot over the top of the submarine +wall, into deepest, loveliest blue, full thirty fathoms deep, and as +calm and quiet as an infant sleeping on its mother's bosom, though +perhaps not a quarter of a mile away on either hand the long rollers of +the Pacific are bellowing and thundering on the grim black shelves of +the weather coast. + +So it was on this morning, but with added delights and beauties; as +instead of striking straight across the lagoon to our rendezvous we had +to skirt the beaches of a chain of thickly wooded islets, which gave +forth a sweet smell, mingled with the odours of _nono_ blossoms; for +during the night rain had fallen after a long month of dry weather, and +Nature was breathing with joy. High overhead there floated some +snow-white tropic birds--those gentle, ethereal creatures which, to the +toil-spent seaman who watches their mysterious poise in illimitable +space, seem to denote the greater Mystery and Rest that lieth beyond all +things; and lower down, and sweeping swiftly to and fro with steady, +outspread wing and long, forked tail, the fierce-eyed, savage frigate +birds scanned the surface of the water in search of prey, and then +finding it not, rose without apparent motion to the cloudless canopy of +blue and became as but tiny black specks--and then, _swish_! and the +tiny black specks which but a minute ago were high in heaven are +flashing by your cheeks with a weird, whistling sound like winged +spectres. You look for them. They are gone. Already they are a thousand +feet overhead. Five of them. And all five are as motionless as if they, +with their wide, outspread wings, had never moved from their present +position for a thousand years. + +"Chip, chip," and "chunk, chunk," go our paddles as we now head eastward +towards the rising sun in whose resplendent rays the tufted palms of the +two islets stand clearly out, silhouetted against the sea rim beyond. +Now and again we hear, as from a long, long distance, the echoes of the +voices of the people in the canoes ahead; a soft white mist began to +gather over and then ascend from the water, and as we drew near the +islets the occasional thunder of the serf on Motuluga Reef we heard +awhile ago changed into a monotonous droning hum. + +"_Aue_!" said Mareko the _tautai_, with a laugh, as he ceased paddling +and laid his paddle athwartships, "'tis like to be a hot day and calm. +So much the better for our fishing, for the water will be very clear. +Boy, give me a coconut to drink." + +"Take some whisky with it, Mareko," I said, taking a flask out of my +basket. + +"_Isa_! Shame upon you! How can you say such a thing to me, a minister!" +And then he added, with a reproachful look, "and my children here, too." +He would have winked, but he dared not do so, for one of his boys had +turned his face aft and was facing him. I, however, made him a hurried +gesture which he quite understood. Good old Mareko! He was an honest, +generous-hearted, broad-minded fellow, but terribly afraid of his +tyrannical deacons, who objected to him smoking even in the seclusion of +his own curatage, and otherwise bullied and worried him into behaving +exactly as they thought he should. + +By the time we reached the islets the _atuli_ catching had begun, and +more than a hundred natives were encircling a considerable area of water +with finely-meshed nets and driving the fish shoreward upon a small +sandy beach, where they were scooped up in gleaming masses of shining +blue and silver by a number of women and children, who tumbled over and +pushed each other aside amidst much laughter and merriment. + +On the larger of the two islets were a few thatched huts with open +sides. One of these was reserved for the missionary and the white man, +and hauling our canoe up on the beach at the invitation of the people, +we sat down under a shed whilst the women grilled us some of the +freshly-caught fish. This took barely over ten minutes, as fires had +already been lighted by the children. The absence of bread was made up +for by the flesh of half-grown coconuts and cooked _puraka_--gigantic +species of taro which thrives well in the sandy soil of the Equatorial +islands of the Pacific. Just as we had finished eating and were +preparing our lines we heard loud cries from the natives who were still +engaged among the _atuli_, and three or four of them seizing spears +began chasing what were evidently some large fish. Presently one of them +darted his weapon, and then gave a loud cry of triumph, as he leapt into +the water and dragged out a large salmon-like fish called "utu", which +was at once brought ashore for my inspection. The man who had struck +it--an active, wiry old fellow named Viliamu (William) was panting with +excitement. Some large _gatala_, he said, had just made their appearance +with the _utu_ and were pursuing the small fish; therefore would we +please hurry forward with our preparations. Then the leader of the +entire party stood up and bellowed out in bull-like tones his +instructions. The canoes were all to start together, and when the ground +was reached all lines were to be lowered simultaneously; there was to be +no crowding. The white man and missionary, however, if they wished, +could start first and make a choice of position. + +"No, no," I said, "let us all start fair." + +This was greeted with a chorus of approval, and then leaving the women +and children to attend to the camp, we hurried back to the canoes. Just +as we were leaving the hut I had a look at the _utu_--a fish I had never +before seen. It was about three feet in length, and only for its head +(which was coarse and clumsy) much like a heavy salmon. The back was +covered with light green scales, the sides and belly a pure silver, and +the fins and tail tipped with yellow. It weighed about 20 lbs., and +presented a very handsome appearance. + +The fishing-ground to which we were now paddling was not half a mile +from the islets, and lay between them and the outer reef which formed +its northern boundary. It consisted of a series of deep channels or +connected pools running or situated amidst a network of minor reefs, the +surfaces of which were, for the most part, bare at low water. Generally +the depth was from eight to ten fathoms; in places, however, it was much +deeper, and I subsequently found that there were spots whereon I could +stand (on the coral ledge) and drop my line into chasms of thirty-two or +thirty-three fathoms. Here the water was almost as blue to the eye as +the ocean, and here the very largest fish resorted--such as the _pura_, +a species of rock-cod, and a blue-scaled groper, the native name of +which I cannot now recall. + +It must have been nearly ten o'clock when the canoes were all in +position, and the word was given to let go lines. The particular spot in +which we were congregated was about three acres in extent and about +seven fathoms in depth, with water as clear as crystal; and even the +dullest eye could discern the smallest pebble or piece of broken coral +lying upon the bottom, which was generally composed of patches of coarse +sand surrounded by an interlacing fringe of growing coral, or white, +blue, or yellow boulders. A glance over the side showed us that the +_gatala_ had arrived; we could see numbers of them swimming lazily to +and fro beneath, awaiting the flowing tide which would soon cover the +lagoon from one shore to the other with swarms of young bonito, as they +swam about in search of such places as that in which we were now about +to begin fishing. + +Each man had baited his hook with the third of an _atuli_--at this stage +of their life about four inches long and exactly the colour and shape of +a young mackerel--and within five minutes after "_Tu'u tau kafa_!" +("Let go lines!") had been called out several of the canoes around our +own began to pull up fish--four to six pounders. I was fishing with a +white cotton line, with two hooks, and Mareko with the usual native +gear--a hand-made line of hibiscus bark with a barbless hook made from a +long wire nail, with its point ground fine and well-curved inwards. We +both struck fish at the same moment, and I knew by the zigzag pull that +I had two. Up they came together--three spotted beauties about eighteen +inches in length and weighing over 5 lbs. each. Then I found the +advantage of the native style of hook; Mareko simply put his left thumb +and forefinger into the fish's eye, had his hook free in a moment, had +baited, lowered again and was pulling up another before I had succeeded +in freeing even my first hook which was firmly fixed in the fish's +gullet, out of sight. I soon put myself on a more even footing by +cutting off the small one and a half inch hooks I had been using and +bending on two thick and long-shanked four inchers. These answered +beautifully, as although the barbs caused me some trouble, their stout +shanks afforded a good grip and leverage when extracting them from the +hard and keen-toothed jaws of the struggling fish. Then, too, I had +another advantage over my companions; I was wearing a pair of seaboots +which effectually protected my feet from either the terrible fins or the +teeth of the fish in the bottom of the canoe. + +I had caught my eighth fish, when an outcry came from a canoe near us, +as a young man who was seated on the for'ard thwart rose to his feet and +began hauling in his line, which was standing straight up and down, taut +as an iron bar, the canoe meanwhile spinning round and round although +the steersman used all his efforts to keep her steady. + +"What is it, Tuluia?" called out fifty voices at once. "A shark?" + +"My mother's bones!" said old Viliamu with a laugh of contempt. "'Tis an +eel, and Tuluia, who was asleep, has let it twist its tail around a +piece of coral. May he lose it for his stupidity." + +We all ceased fishing to watch, and half a dozen men began jeering at +the lad, who was too excited to heed them. Old Viliamu, who was in the +next canoe, looked down, and then cried out that he could see the eel, +which had taken several turns of its body around a thick branch of +growing coral. + +"His head is up," he called out to the youth, "but you cannot move him, +he has too many turns in and out among the coral." Then paddling up +alongside he again looked at the struggling creature, then felt the line +which was vibrating with the tension. Stepping out of his own craft into +that of the young man, the line was placed in his hands without an inch +of it being payed out, for once one of these giant eels can get his head +down he will so quickly twine the line in and out among the rugged coral +that it is soon chafed through, if of ordinary thickness. But the +ancient knew his work well, as we were soon to see. Taking a turn of the +line well up on his forearm and grasping it with his right a yard lower +down, he waited for a second or two, then suddenly bent his body till +his face nearly touched the water, then he sprang erect and with +lightning-like rapidity began to haul in hand _under_ hand [12] amid +loud cries of approval as the wriggling body of the eel was seen +ascending clear of the coral. The moment it reached the surface, a +second native, with unerring aim sent a spear through it and then a blow +or two upon the head with a club carried for the purpose took all +further fight out of the creature, which was then lifted out of the +water and dropped into the canoe. Here the end of its tail was quickly +split open and we saw no more of him for the time being. + +To capture an eel so soon was looked upon as a lucky omen, to have lost +it would have been a presage of ill-fortune for the rest of the day, and +the incident put every one in high good humour. By this time the tide +was flowing over the flatter parts of the reef and young bonito could be +seen jumping out of the water in all directions. Immense bodies were, so +I was assured by the natives, now coming into the lagoon from the sea, +and would continue to do so till the tide turned, when those in the +passage, unable to face a six-knot current, would be carried out again, +to make another attempt later on. + +By this time every canoe was hauling in large rock-cod almost as quick +as the lines could be baited, and the bottom of our own craft presented +a gruesome sight--a lather of blood and froth and kicking fish, some of +which were over 20 lbs. weight. Telling the two boys to cease fishing +awhile and stun some of the liveliest, I unthinkingly began to bale out +some of the ensanguined water, when a score of indignant voices bade me +cease. Did I want to bring all the sharks in the world around us? I was +asked; and old Viliamu, who was a sarcastic old gentleman, made a mock +apology for me-- + +"How should he know any better? The sharks of Tokelau have no teeth, +like the people there, for they too are eaters of _fala_." + +This evoked a sally of laughter, in which of course I joined. I must +explain that the natives of the Tokelau Group, among whom I had lived, +through constantly chewing the tough drupes of the fruit of the _fala_ +(pandanus palm) wear out their teeth prematurely, and are sometimes +termed "toothless" by other natives of the South Pacific. However, I was +to have my own little joke at Viliamu's expense later on. + +Just at this time a sudden squall, accompanied by torrents of rain, came +down upon us from the eastward, and whilst Mareko and his boys kept us +head to wind--none of the canoes were anchored--I took the opportunity +of getting ready two of my own lines, each treble-hooked, for the boys. +Their own were old and rotten, and had parted so often that they were +now too short to be of use, and, besides that, the few remaining hooks +of soft wire were too small. As soon as the squall was over I showed +Mareko what I had done. He nodded and smiled, but said I should try and +break off the barbs--his boys did not understand them as well as +native-made hooks. This was quickly accomplished with a heavy knife, and +the youngsters began to haul up fish two and three at a time at such a +rate that the canoe soon became deep in the water outside and very full +inside. + +"A few more, Mareko," I said, "and then we'll go ashore, unload, and +come back again. I want to tease that old man." + +We caught all we could possibly carry in another quarter of an hour, and +I was confident that our take exceeded that of any other canoe. This was +because the natives would carefully watch their stone sinkers descend, +and use every care to keep them from being entangled in the coral, +whilst my line, which had a 12 oz. leaden sinker, would plump quickly to +the bottom in the midst of the hungry fish; consequently, although I +lost some hooks by fouling and now and then dragged up a bunch of coral, +I was catching more fish than any one else. And I was not going to let +my reputation suffer for the sake of a few hooks. So we coiled up our +lines on the outrigger platform, and taking up our paddles headed +shoreward, taking care to pass near Viliamu's canoe. He hailed me and +asked me for a pipe of tobacco. + +"I shall give it to you when we return," I said. + +"When you return! Why, where are you going?" he asked. + +"On shore, you silly old woman! I have been showing these boys how to +fish for _gatala_, and we go because the canoe is sinking. When we +return these two _tamariki_ (infants) shall show _you_ how to fish now +that they have learnt from me." + +There was a loud laugh at this, and as the old man took the jest very +good-naturedly I brought up alongside, showed him our take, and gave him +a stick of tobacco. The astonishment of himself and his crew of three at +the quantity of fish we had afforded me much satisfaction, though I +could not help feeling that our luck was not due to my own skill alone. + +Returning to the islets we were just in time to escape two fierce +squalls, which lasted half an hour and raised such a sea that the +remaining canoes began to follow us, as they were unable to keep on the +ground. During our absence the women and children had been most +industrious; the weather-worn, dilapidated huts had been made habitable +with freshly-plaited _kapaus_--coarse mats of green coconut leaves, the +floors covered with clean white pebbles, sleeping mats in readiness, and +heaps of young drinking nuts piled up in every corner, whilst outside +smoke was arising from a score of ground ovens in which taro and puraka +were being cooked, together with bundles of _atuli_ wrapped in leaves. + +Etiquette forbade Mareko and myself counting our fish until the rest of +the party returned, although the women had taken them out of the canoe +and laid them on the beach, where the pouring rain soon washed them +clean and showed them in all their shining beauty. Among them were two +or three parrot-fish--rich carmine, striped with bands of bright yellow, +boneless fins, and long protruding teeth in the upper jaw showing out +from the thick, fleshy lips; and one _afulu_--a species of deep-water +sand mullet with purple scales and yellow fins. + +Whilst awaiting the rest of the canoes I drew the teacher into our hut +and pressed him to take some whisky. He was wet, cold, and shivering, +but resolutely declined to take any. "I should like to drink a little," +he said frankly, "but I must not. I cannot drink it in secret, and yet I +must not set a bad example. Do not ask me, please. But if you like to +give some to the old men do so, but only a very little." I did do so. As +soon as the rest of the party landed I called up four of the oldest men +and gave each of them a stiff nip. They were all nude to the waist, and +like all Polynesians who have been exposed to a cold rain squall, were +shivering and miserable. After each man had taken his nip and emitted a +deep sigh of satisfaction I observed that hundreds of old white men +saved their lives by taking a glass of spirits when they were wet +through--they had to do so by the doctor's orders. + +"That is true," said one old fellow; "when men grow old, and the rain +falls upon them it does not run off their skins as it would from the +smooth skins of young men. It gets into the wrinkles and stays there. +But when the belly is warmed with grog a man does not feel the cold." + +"True," I said gravely, as I poured some whisky out for myself; "true, +quite true, my dear friends. And in these islands it is very bad for an +old man to be exposed to much rain. That is why I am disturbed in my +mind. See, there is Mareko, your minister. He, like you, is old; he is +wet and cold. And he shivers. And he will not take a mouthful of this +_rom_ because he fears scandal. Now if he should become ill and die I +should be a disgraced man. This _rom_ is now not _rom_; it is medicine. +And Mareko should take some even as you have taken it--to keep away +danger." + +The four old fellows arose to the occasion. They talked earnestly +together for a minute, and then formed themselves into a committee, +requested me to head them as a deputation with the whisky, and then +waited upon their pastor, who was putting on a dry shirt in another hut. +I am glad to say that under our united protests he at last consented to +save his life, and felt much better. + +Presently the women announced that the ovens were ready to be opened. As +soon as the fish were counted, and the rain having ceased, we all +gathered round the canoes and watched each one emptied of its load. As I +imagined, our party had taken the most fish, and not only the most, but +the heaviest as well. Mareko added to my blushing honours by informing +the company that as a fisherman and a knowledgable man generally I +justified his brother minister's opinion and would prove an acquisition +to the community. We then inspected the first eel caught, and a truly +huge creature it was, quite nine feet in length, and in girth at its +thickest part, as near as I could guess with a piece of line, thirty +inches. The line with which it was caught was made of new four-stranded +coir-cinnet, as thick as a stout lead pencil, and the hook a piece of +3/6 or 1/2 inch iron with a 6-inch shank, once used as a fish spear, +without a barb! The natives seemed much pleased at the interest +displayed, and told me that sometimes these eels grew to _elua gafa_ +(_i.e._, two fathoms), but were seldom caught, and asked me if I had +tackle strong enough for such. Later on I showed them a 27-stranded +American cotton line 100 fathoms long, with a 4-inch hook, curved in the +shank, as thick as a pencil, and "eyed" for a twisted wire snooding. +They had never seen such beautiful tackle before, and were loud in their +expressions of admiration, but thought the line too thin for a very +heavy fish. I told them that at Nanomaga I had caught _palu_ (a +nocturnal feeding fish of great size) in over sixty fathoms with that +same line. + +"That is true," said one of them politely, "we were told that you and +Tiaki (one Jack O'Brien, an old trader) of Funafuti have caught many +_palu_ with your long lines; but the _palu_ is a weak fish even when he +is a fathom long. And as he comes up he grows weaker and weaker, and +sometimes he bursts open when he comes to the surface. Now if a big +eel--an eel two fathoms long--" + +"If he was three fathoms long he could not break this line," I replied +positively. + +They laughed and told me that when I hooked even a small eel, one half a +fathom in length, I would change my opinion. + +Soon after our midday meal was over, and we were preparing to return to +our fishing-ground with an ample supply of fresh bait, the sky to +windward became black and threatening, and through the breaks in the +long line of palms on the weather side of the island, which permitted +the horizon to be viewed, we could see that a squall of unusual violence +was coming. All the canoes were at once hauled up on the lee-side of the +islets, the huts were secured by ropes as quickly as possible, and every +one hurried under shelter. In a few minutes the wind was blowing with +astonishing fury, and the air was full of leaves, sticks, and other +_debris_, whilst the coco-palms and other trees on the islets seemed +likely to be torn up by the roots. This lasted about ten minutes. Then +came a sudden lull, followed by a terrific and deafening downpour of +rain; then more wind, another downpour, and the sun was out again! + +As soon as the squall was over, I walked round to the weather side of +the islet with some children. We found the beach covered with some +thousands of _atuli_ and beautiful little garfish which had been driven +on shore by the force of the wind. We were soon joined by women carrying +baskets, which they filled with fish and carried back to the camp. On +returning, we again launched the canoes and started off again--to meet +with some disappointment, for although the _gatala_ still bit freely and +several eels were also taken, some scores of the small, pestilent, +lagoon sharks were swimming about and played havoc with our lines. These +torments are from two to four feet in length, and their mouths, which +are quite out of proportion to their insignificant size, are set with +rows of teeth of razor-like keenness. The moment a baited hook was seen +one of these little wretches would dart at it like lightning, and +generally bit the line through just above the hook. So quick were they, +that one could seldom even feel a tug unless the hook got fast in their +jaws. Taking off my sinker, and bending on a big hook with a wire snood, +I abandoned myself to their destruction, and as fast as I hauled one +alongside it was stunned, cut into three or four pieces, and thrown +overboard to be devoured by its fellows. Many of the Ellice and Tokelau +islanders regard these young sharks as a delicacy, as their flesh is +very tender, and has not the usual unpleasant smell. In one of these +young sea lawyers we found no less than five hooks, with pieces of line +attached; these were duly restored to their owners. + +Another two hours passed, during which we had fairly good sport, then +the rain began to fall so heavily that we gave up for the day. We spent +the first part of the evening in the huts, eating, smoking, and talking, +and overhauling our tackle for the next day. It had been intended that +about midnight we should all go crayfishing in the shallow waters along +the shore of the islets, but this idea had to be abandoned in +consequence of the rain having soaked the coco palms--the dead branches +of which are rolled and plaited into a cylindrical form and used as +torches. The method of catching crayfish is very simple: a number of +men, each carrying a _kaulama_ torch about 6 feet in length in the left +hand, and a small scoop net in the right, walk waist-high through the +water; the crayfish, dazed by the brilliant light, are whipped up into +the nets and dropped into baskets carried by the women and children who +follow. They can only be caught on dark, moonless nights. + + * * * * * + +When we returned to the village our spoils included besides a great +number of fish, a few turtle and some young frigate birds. The latter +were captured for the purpose of being tamed. I made many subsequent +visits to the two islets, sometimes alone and sometimes with my native +friends, and on each occasion I left these lovely little spots with a +keen feeling of regret, for they are ideal resting-places to him who +possesses a love of nature and the soul of a fisherman. + + + + +_Mrs. MacLaggan's "Billy"_ + + +When Tom Denison was quite a young man he was earning a not too +dishonest sort of a living as supercargo of a leaky old ketch owned by +Mrs. Molly MacLaggan of Samoa, which in those days was the Land of +Primeval Wickedness and Original and Imported Sin, Strong Drink, and +Loose Fish generally. Captain "Bully" Hayes also lived in Samoa; his +house and garden adjoined that of Mrs. MacLaggan, and at the back there +was a galvanised iron cottage, inhabited by a drunken French carpenter +named Leger, whose wife was a full-blooded negress, and made kava for +Denison and "Bully" every evening, and used to beat Billy MacLaggan on +the head with a pole about six times a day, and curse him vigorously in +mongrel Martinique French. Billy MacLaggan was Mrs. Molly's male goat, +and as notorious in Samoa as Bully Hayes himself. + +I want to try and tell this story as clearly as possible, but there are +so many people concerned, and so many things which really happened +together, though each one seemed to come before the other a little and +try and get into the general jumble, and every one was so confused, +some fatuous people blaming the goat, and some Denison, who was +generally disliked by the Germans, while Mrs. Molly said it was caused +by the man with the bucket of milk, and Captain Hayes who had bribed him +to do it, and nearly caused bloodshed, as the German officer who was +insulted by Hayes had shot a lot of people in duels, or if he had not +shot them he had stuck his sword into them in fifteen places, more or +less. + +Now let me explain: First of all there was Mrs. Molly, who was the +hostess; then there was Hamilton, the Apia pilot and his wife; the +manager of the big German firm at Matafale (he wore gold spectacles, and +was very fond of Mrs. Molly, who was a widow); then there was Bully +Hayes, and old Coe the American consul, and young Denison; all these +were some of the local guests, and lived in Samoa, the rest were +officers from a German man-of-war lying in port, and the usual +respectable town loafers. Then there were Leger, the bibulous carpenter; +'_Liza,_ his black wife; a white policeman named Thady O'Brien, and a +loafing scoundrel of a Samoan named Mataiasi, called "Matty" for +brevity, who was the public flogger, and milked Mrs. MacLaggan's herd of +seven imported Australian cows; and lastly the goat, and about thirty or +forty of Bully Hayes's crew, and as many Samoans, who came to look at +the dancing and see what they could steal, Leger and his wife and the +policeman and the town flogger had charge of the refreshment tables, +which for the sake of coolness had been laid out upon the wide, back +verandah, and handsomely decorated with pot plants and flags from the +man-of-war, and blanc-manges and jellies, and tipsy cake, and cold roast +pigeons and chickens were lying around as if they weren't worth two +cents. + +The big wholesale store, which formed part of Mrs. Molly's house and +establishment, made a fine ballroom. All the barrels of whisky and +Queensland rum, and the cases of lager beer and Holland's gin, had been +stowed neatly on each side, and covered over with flags and orange +blossoms by Denison and Bully Hayes and his men, and the orange blossoms +killed the smell of the rum so much that strangers would have thought it +was sherry. + +Everything went on beautifully for the first two hours, and then Mrs. +Molly asked Denison to take out a very pretty young half-caste lady and +get her a drink of milk. When they reached the side table where the milk +should have been, they found it all gone; but O'Brien the policeman said +that Mataiasi had just started off to milk another cow. + +Just then Hayes came out to the refreshment tables with a lady on his +arm. She was thirsty, and so "Bully" opened a large bottle of champagne, +and she and he and Denison and the young half-caste lady drank it; then +they drank another, and all went oft together to see Mataiasi milking +the cow, which was tied up to a coconut tree just outside the fence. The +cow was a yellow cow, and was standing very quietly, and just beside her +Billy MacLaggan (who caused all this trouble) was lying down, working +his jaws to and fro and making curious, snorting sounds in the bright +and gorgeous moonlight. I forgot to say that Wm. MacLaggan was the +largest and ugliest goat ever known to the memory of man, and had been +taught every vice and wickedness any goat could be taught, and it is as +natural for a goat to imbibe sin as it is for him to eat a cactus, or a +hedgehog, or a tract. + +Hayes addressed the goat by his Christian name, and asked him how he +did, and Billy looked at Hayes for a second or two out of his green, +sharky eyes, then he rose in a dignified manner, and came over to him to +be scratched under the chin. Then he blew himself out, snorted, and +rubbed his horns against the captain's knee: and Hayes remarked to +Denison that the poor beggar wanted a drink, and proposed to give him a +"proper one." + +The goat knew perfectly well what "drink" meant, and made his vicious +tail quiver; then he followed them back to the house, and stood at the +foot of the steps waiting for Hayes and Tom to come out again. + +On the other side of the courtyard was Mrs. MacLaggan's laundry. The +door was wide open and the place was in darkness, and no one took any +notice when presently Tom sauntered out of the ballroom, picked up a +large plateful of tipsy-cake, and, being kind to animals, gave a piece +to William, who followed him into the laundry for the rest; then Hayes +came in with a quart bottle of champagne, shut the door and struck a +light. Then he opened the bottle of fizz and poured it out into a deep, +enamelled starching-dish, and Billy MacLaggan drank thereof, and then +raised his head, with his immoral-looking beard hanging in a sodden +point like a wet deck-swab, and asked for more. That is, he asked as +well as any Christian and civilised goat could ask, by standing up on +his hind legs like a circus-horse and making strange, unearthly noises. +Then he rammed his wicked old nose into the dish again, and pushed it +all round the room, trying to sop up more liquor, which wasn't there, +and trod on Denison's canvas-slippered foot, and knocked over the little +tin kerosene oil lamp which was standing on the floor, and when Hayes, +with loud and blasphemous remarks grabbed at the ironing-blanket of the +laundry-table to extinguish the flames, he pulled the table down on the +top of Denison and himself and the goat and everything, for the blanket +was nailed on at the four corners, and when he was down on his hands and +knees, the goat being exceedingly alarmed and half-drunk, and smelling +his own hair burning, put his head down and charged at the universe in +general, or anything else he could hit, and he hit Hayes fair on the +temple with a noise like a ship's mainmast going by the board; then the +people outside burst in the door, and the creature, with a bull-like +bellow, charged out among them, and landed his bony head into the +stomach of Mataiasi, who was carrying the bucket of milk, and was afraid +to put it down when he saw him coming; then in some way the handle of +the iron bucket got on Billy MacLaggan's horns, which simply made him +thirst for gore, for he thought he was being made fun of because he was +in liquor. With the bucket swinging and clattering and banging around, +he made a dash up on the verandah, among the pretty muslin-clad ladies +and white-duck suited men, creating havoc and destruction, and smelling +of kerosene and burnt hair and ancient goat, and uttering horrible, +blood-curdling _bah-h-h-s_, till he got into the card-table corner, and +mistaking the wide glass window for an open door, he promptly jumped +through it, and fell with a shower of glass outside on to the verandah +again, where Thady O'Brien and the fat German with the spectacles fell +on him, and tried to hold him down, and the spectacles were ground into +dust and otherwise damaged, and some of the ladies endeavouring to +escape out of the hideous _melee_ fell with him, and then the goat +struggled to his feet with the bucket squashed flat against his +forehead, and his horns covered with lace, and tulle, and bits of kid +gloves, and planted one of his cloven forefeet into the shirt-front of a +German officer, and smashed his watch. Then with another roar of +defiance he burst through and disappeared into the wilderness at the +back of Mrs. MacLaggan's garden, where he was followed by Leger, the +drunken carpenter, and his wife, and nineteen Samoans, all armed with +rifles. The army fired at him for two hours, and about midnight returned +and reported him riddled with bullets, whereupon Mrs. Molly, who was a +little hysterical at the awful mess and wreckage caused by the brute, +thanked them and gave them ten dollars. + +Now it so happened that Billy MacLaggan was not killed at all, for about +two o'clock in the morning, as Bully Hayes and Tom Denison were sitting +on the verandah of the former's house at Matautu Point, drinking brandy +and soda, and dabbing arnica bandages on their various contusions, Pilot +Hamilton hailed them from the front gate. He had just left the dance +with his wife, and was quite sober--for Samoa. He asked them to come on +with him to his place, as Billy MacLaggan, he said, was lying down in +Mrs. Hamilton's kitchen, and seemed poorly, and that he hoped Hayes +would forgive the poor thing, which was only a dumb animal. So Hayes and +Denison went and saw William, who was now sober and looked sorry. They +dressed his wounds, and Tom Denison took him on board early in the +morning, intending to take him to sea till the memory of his misdeeds +had toned down a bit, for Billy was a great institution in Samoa, and +had many friends. Hardly a white man in the place, no matter how hard up +he was, but would stand Billy a bottle of lager or a chew of tobacco. (I +forgot to mention that Billy would drink anything and chew anything, +except cigarettes, at which he snorted with contempt.) Now Denison's +little vessel was lying quite near the German man-of-war, and was to +sail next day for the Solomons if the captain was sober, and he +(Denison) had a lot of work to do to get the ship ready, and whilst he +was poring over accounts in the cabin about noon, a boat ran alongside +and Bully Hayes came into the cabin. + +"Where's Billy?" he said. "Quick, get him into my boat at once. There's +a search-party coming on board, and the widow is going to give you the +dirty kick-out, Tom Denison. There's been the devil to pay over that +cursed goat, but I'm going to save his life all the same. But if she +does sack you, you can come to me for a berth." + +Billy, who was placidly eating bananas on the main deck, was at once +seized and hoisted over the side into Hayes's boat, which shoved off, +leaving Hayes on board to explain things to Tom. + +It seemed that when the fat German manager--the man with spectacles--I +mean the man who had the spectacles until Billy MacLaggan came in--the +man who was courting Mrs. Molly--fell on the top of the goat, some other +man trod on his face, and Leger (who was not sober enough to tell one +person from another) said that he saw Tom Denison do it. Seven natives, +male and female, swore that at the time alleged Tom was out on the beach +bathing his crushed toe in the salt water, and using solemn British +oaths; but Leger, who disliked Denison, who had once kicked him +overboard violently for being drunk, not only stuck to the story, but +said that Hayes and Tom had set the goat on fire on purpose to break up +the dance and cause annoyance to the Germans present; also he vaguely +hinted that they, Denison and Hayes, would have driven the seven cows +into the ballroom but couldn't find them. Then Mrs. MacLaggan promised +the fat man to sack Denison on the following morning, and at midnight, +as I have said, word was brought in that Billy had been shot. But about +ten in the morning Leger heard from some native that the goat was as +well as ever, and on board Denison's vessel, and being a mean, spiteful +little hound, off he trotted to the German manager, and said that +Captain Hayes and Mr. Denison had rescued the creature. At that very +moment the manager was talking to some German officers, one of whom was +the man whose watch had been smashed, and as every German in Samoa hated +Hayes most fervently, it was at once concluded that Hayes had trained, +or suborned, or bribed, or corrupted the goat to do it. So a young +lieutenant went and called upon Hayes, and demanded satisfaction for his +friend, and Hayes was exceedingly rude to him, but said that if the man +with the broken watch liked to meet Billy MacLaggan with his own +weapons, and fight him in a goatsmanlike manner, for fifty dollars a +side, he (Hayes) would put up Billy's fifty. Then the lieutenant asked +for a written apology for his friend, and Hayes said that Billy couldn't +write, and, anyway, he was Mrs. Molly's goat. If the man with the +smashed nickel wanted an apology, why the blazes didn't he approach Mrs. +MacLaggan? he asked. + +Whilst Hayes was telling all this to Tom, pulling his thick beard and +laughing loudly, as they paced the little vessel's deck, the +search-party came on board to recover the goat. The leader bore a letter +from Mrs. MacLaggan to Tom, informing him that his services as +supercargo were no longer required, also that he could come ashore at +once and be paid off, as his conduct was heartless, and the consuls said +it might lead to serious complications, as it had been done with intent +to insult the citizens of a friendly nation, one of whom, as he was +aware, had made the natives cut down the price of copra half a cent. +Under these circumstances, &c. + +Tom grinned and showed the letter to Hayes. Then he turned to the mate. + +"I've got the sack, Waters. You're in charge of this rotten, filthy old +hooker now until the old man is sober." + +He packed up his traps, went ashore, drew his money from Mrs. +MacLaggan's cashier, and bade him goodbye. + +"Where's the goat, Tom?" + +"On board Bully Hayes' ship. His crool, crool mistress shall see him no +more! Never more shall his plaintive call to his nannies resound o' +nights among the sleeping palm-groves of the Vaisigago Valley; +never----" + +The cashier jumped up out of his chair and seized the dismissed +supercargo by the collar. + +"Stop that bosh, you rattlebrained young ass, and come and take a +farewell drink." + +"Never more will he butt alike the just and the unjust, the fat and +bloated German merchant nor the herring-gutted Yankee skipper, nor the +bare--ah--um--legged Samoan, nor the gorgeous consul in the solar topee. +Gone is the glory of Samoa with Billy MacLaggan. Goodbye for the +present, Wade, old man--I am not so proud of my new dignity--I am to be +supercargo of the brig _Rona_--as to refuse to drink with you, though +you are but a cashier. And give my farewell to the widow, and tell her +that I bear her no ill-will, for I leave a dirty little tub of a +cockroach-infested ketch for a swagger brig, where I shall wear white +suits every day and feel that peace of mind which--" + +"Oh, do dry up, you young beggar," said the good-natured cashier, whose +laughter proved so infectious that Tom joined in. + +"Come then, Wade, just another ere we part." + +Now as these two were drinking in the cashier's office it happened that +Thady O'Brien, the policeman (he was chief of the municipal police, and +fond of drink) saw them, and invited himself to join them and also to +express his sorrow at Denison's "misfortune," as he called it, for +Denison was a lovable sort of youth, and often gave him drink on board. +So they all sat down, Wade in the one chair, and Tom and the policeman +on the table, and had several more drinks, and just then Mrs. MacLaggan +came to the door, holding a note in her hand. She bowed coldly to Tom, +whose three stiff drinks of brandy enabled him to give her a reproachful +glance. + +"Captain Hayes wants to buy one or two of the nanny-goats, to take away +with him to Ponape, Mr. Wade," she said. "I shall be glad to let him +have them. Please tell Leger and Mataiasi to catch them at once." + +Then Mrs. MacLaggan went away, and Tom and O'Brien went down to the +jetty to wait for a boat to take them on board--Tom to his duty, and +O'Brien because he was thirsty again. Presently Leger and Mataiasi and a +large concourse of native children came down, carrying two female goats, +who, imagining they were to be cast into the sea, began to cry with +great violence, and were immediately answered in a deep voice by Billy +MacLaggan from over the water, whereupon Leger started to run off and +tell Mrs. MacLaggan that Billy was alive, and on board the _Rona_, and +Denison put out his foot and tripped him, and was at once assailed by +Leger's black wife, who hit him on the head with a stick, and then +herself was pushed backwards off the jetty into the water by Mr. +O'Brien, taking several children and one of the goats with her, and in +less than two minutes there was as pretty a fight as ever was seen. +Several native police ran to help their superior officer, and a lot of +dogs came with them; the dogs bit anybody and everybody +indiscriminately, but most of them went for Leger and Denison, who were +lying gasping together on the jetty, striving to murder each other; then +a number of sailors belonging to a whaleship joined in, and tried to +massacre or otherwise injure and generally maltreat the policemen, and +by the time the boat from the _Rona_ came to the rescue the jetty looked +like a battlefield, and one goat was drowned, and the new supercargo was +taken on board to have his excoriations attended to, for he was in a +very bad state. + +That is the end of the story, which I have told in a confused sort of +away, I admit, because there are so many things in it, though I could +tell a lot more about the adventures of Billy MacLaggan, after he went +to sea with Captain Bully Hayes. + + + + +_An Island Memory_ + +CHAPTER I + + +From early dawn wild excitement had prevailed in the great native +village on the shores of Port Lele, and on board two ships which were +anchored on the placid waters of the land-locked harbour. As the fleecy, +cloud-like mist which, during the night, had enveloped the forest-clad +spurs and summit of Mont Buache, was dispelled by the first airs of the +awakened trade wind and the yellow shafts of sunrise, a fleet or canoes +crowded with natives put off from the sandy beach in front of the king's +house, and paddled swiftly over towards the ships, the captains of which +only awaited their arrival to weigh and tow out through the passage. + +As the mist lifted, Cayse, the master of the _Iroquois_ of Sagharbour, +stepped briskly up on the poop, and hailed the skipper of the other +vessel, a small, yellow-painted barque of less than two hundred tons. + +"Are you ready, Captain Ross?" + +"All ready," was the answer; "only waiting for the military," and then +followed a hoarse laugh. + +Cayse, a little, grizzled, and leathern-faced man of fifty, replied by +an angry snarl, then turned to his mate, who stood beside him awaiting +his orders. + +"Get these natives settled down as quickly as possible, Mr. North, then +start to heave-up and loose sails. I reckon we'll tow out in an hour. +The king will be here presently in his own boat. Hoist it aboard." + +North nodded in silence, and was just moving on to the main deck, when +Cayse stopped him. + +"You don't seem too ragin' pleased this mornin', Mr. North, over this +business. Naow, as I told you yesterday, I admire your feelin's on the +subject, but I can't afford--" + +The mate's eyes blazed with anger. + +"And I tell you again that I won't have anything to do with it. I know +my duty, and mean to stick to it. I shipped for a whaling voyage, and +not to help savages to fight. Take my advice and give it up. Money got +in this way will do you no good." + +Cayse shifted his feet uneasily. + +"I can't afford to sling away the chance of earnin' two or three +thousan' dollars so easy. An' you'll hev to do your duty to me. Naow, +look here--" + +North raised his hand. + +"That will do. I have said I will do my duty as mate, but not a hand's +turn will I take in such bloody work as you and the skipper of that +crowd of Sydney cut-throats and convicts are going into for the sake of +six thousand dollars." + +"Well, I reckon we can do without you. Any one would think we was going +piratin', instead of helping the king of this island to his rights. +Naow, just tell me--" + +Again the mate interrupted him. + +"I am going for'ard to get the anchor up, and will obey all your orders +as far as the working of the ship is concerned--nothing more." + +An hour later the two vessels, their decks crowded with three hundred +savages, armed with muskets, spears, and clubs, were towed out through +the narrow, reef-bound passage, and with the now freshening trade wind +filling their sails, set a course along the coast which before sunset +would bring them to Leasse, on the lee side of the island. But +presently, in response to a signal from the _Lucy May_, the whaler lay +to; a boat put off from the smaller ship, and Captain Ross came +alongside, clambered over the bulwarks and joined Cayse and the young +king of Port Lele, who were awaiting him on the poop, to discuss with +him the plan of surprise and slaughter of the offending people of +Leasse. + + * * * * * + +Nearly a week before the _Iroquois_ had run into Port Lele to refresh +before proceeding westward and northward to the Bonin Islands in +pursuance of her cruise. Charlik, the king, was delighted to see Cayse, +for in the days when his father was king the American captain had +conveyed a party of one hundred Strong's Islanders from Port Lele to +MacAskill's Island, landed them in his boats during the night, and stood +off and on till daylight, when they returned reeking from their work of +slaughter upon the sleeping people, and bringing with them some scores +of women and children as captives. For this service the king had given +Cayse half a ton of turtle-shell, and the services of ten young men as +seamen for as long a time as the _Iroquois_ cruised in the Pacific on +that voyage. When Charlik's father was dying, he called his head chiefs +around him, and gave the boy into their care with these words--"Here die +I upon my mat like a woman, long before my time, and to-morrow my spirit +will hear the mocking laughs of the men of Mout and Leasse, when they +say, 'Sikra is dead; Sikra was but an empty boaster.'" + +Then his son spoke. + +"Not many days shall they laugh. They shall be destroyed all, all, all +of them." + +The king touched his son's hand. + +"Those are good words. But be not too hasty. Wait till the American +comes again. He will help with his men and guns. But he is a greedy man. +Yet spare nothing; give him all the silver and gold money I have stored +by for his return, and all the turtle-shell that can be gathered +together. And let there be not even one little child left in Mout or +Leasse." + +Charlik was a lad or seventeen when his savage old father died, and for +a year after his death he harried and distressed his people by his +exactions. All day long the men toiled at making coconut oil, and at +night time they watched along the beaches for the hawk-bill turtle; the +oil they put into huge butts, which stood in the king's boat-sheds, and +the costly turtle-shell was taken by the young ruler and locked up in +the seamen's chests which lined the inside wall of the great +council-house. And no man durst now fire a musket at a wild pig, for +powder and ball had been made _tapu_--such things were given up to the +chiefs, lest they might be wasted, and every morning three young men +climbed up the rugged side of Mont Buache, to keep a look-out for the +ship whose captain would help their master to wreak a bloody vengeance +upon the rebellious people of Leasse. + +At the end of the sixteenth month of watching, a sail appeared coming +from the southward, and the watchers on the mountain-top sped down to +the king's house, and sinking upon their knees in the courtyard of coral +slabs, whispered their news to one of the king's serving-men, who, with +a musket in his hand and a cutlass girt around his naked waist, stood +sentry before the youthful despot's sleeping-room. + +"Good," said the king to Kanka, his head chief; "'tis surely the +American Kesa,[13] for this is the month in which he said he would +return. Let the women make ready a great feast, and launch my three +boats, so that if the wind fail, when the sun is high, they may help to +drag the ship into Lele." + +Then came the sound of beating drums, and the long, mournful note of the +conch-shells calling the wild people together to prepare for the ship. +Turtle were lifted from their walled-in prison holes on the reef, hogs +were strangled, and the king's wives went hither and thither among his +slave women, bidding them hasten to kindle the ovens, whilst children +went out into the great canework cage, wherein were hundreds of the +king's wild pigeons, and seizing the birds, began to pluck them alive. + +An hour passed. Charlik, sitting in a European chair, was watching the +wild bustle and excitement around him in the courtyard, when his eye +fell on the three messengers, who, with bent head and bended knees, were +awaiting his further commands. + +Beckoning to a young, light-skinned woman, who stood near him, he bade +her bring him three of his best pearl-shell bonito hooks. They were +brought, and taking them from her, he threw them to the men. + +"Ye have watched well," he said. "There is thy reward. Now go and eat +and sleep." + +With eyes sparkling with pleasure, the young men each took up his +precious gift, and with crouching forms crept slowly over to the further +side of the courtyard, where they were waited upon by women with food. + +Presently the fair young woman--his sister Se--returned to her brother's +side. + +"The ship is near," she said, and then her voice faltered; "but it is +not the ship of Kesa. It is but a small ship, and she hath but two +boats. Kesa's had five." + +"What lies are these?" said the young savage fiercely. "Go look again." + +The girl left him, to return a few minutes later with grey-headed old +Kanka, who in response to an inquiring look from his master, bent his +head and said slowly-- + +"'Tis a strange ship--one that never before have we seen in Lele." + +The youth made him no answer. He merely raised his arm and pointed his +finger at the three messengers. + +"Then they have lied to me. Bring them here to me." + +Kanka stepped over to where the fated men were sitting. They rose at his +behest, and crept over to the king; behind them, at some invisible sign +given by him, followed a man with a heavy club of _toa_ wood. The +clamour which had filled the courtyard ceased, and terrified silence +fell. One by one the messengers knelt upon the coral flags--no need for +them to ask for mercy from Charlik, the savage son of a bloodstained +father. The bearer of the club held the weapon knob downward, and +watched the king's face for the signal of death. He nodded, and then, +one after another of the men were struck and fell prone upon the stones. +With scowling eyes Charlik regarded them for a moment or two in silence, +then he turned unconcernedly away, as some of his slaves came forward +and carried the bodies out of sight. + +Suddenly he sprang to his feet, as a loud, long cry, first from a single +throat, and then echoed and reechoed by a hundred more, came upward from +the beach. + +"A ship! A ship! Another ship! The ship of Kesa!" + +Bidding his sister and the old chief Kanka to come with him, Charlik +quickly left the house, and walking through a grove of breadfruit trees, +reached a spot from where he had a full view of the open sea. There +right in the passage was a small barque; and, almost within hail, and +just rounding the northern horn of the reef was a larger vessel, one +glance at which told Charlik that it was the American whaler for which +he had so long waited. In less than an hour they were at anchor abreast +of the king's house, and the two captains were being rowed ashore. They +met on the beach. The master of the smaller vessel was a tall, +broad-shouldered man, armed with a pair of pistols and a cutlass. +Striding over the sand he held out his hand to the American. + +"Good day. My name's Ross, barque _Lucy May_, of Sydney, from the New +Hebrides to Hong Kong with sandalwood." + +"Glad to meet ye. My name is Cayse, ship _Iroquois_, bound on a sperm +whalin' cruise." + +Further speech was denied them, for suddenly the thronging and excited +natives around them drew aside right and left as Charlik, with a face +beaming with smiles, came up to Cayse with outstretched hand, and +greeted him warmly in English. Then he turned quickly to the Englishman +and shook hands with him also, and asked him from whence he came. + +"From Sydney. I came here to get wood, water, and provisions." + +"Good. You can get all you want. Have you muskets and bullets to sell?" + +"I can spare you some." + +"Ah, that is good. I want plenty, plenty. Now come to my house and eat +and drink; then we can talk." + +It was well on towards sunset before Charlik and Cayse had finished +their talk. Ross meanwhile had gone on board the barque for some +firearms which he was giving the king in exchange for several boatloads +of provisions. When he returned, with two of his crew carrying six +muskets, a keg of powder, and a bag of bullets, Cayse met him on the +threshold of the king's house. + +"Come inside, mister. The king wants to talk to you on a matter of +business. I reckon you an' me together can do what he wants done. But +jest come along with me first. I want to show you the kind of fellow he +is when he gets upset." + +The master of the sandalwooder followed the American across the wide +courtyard to some native houses. Stopping in front of one, from which +the low murmur of women's voices, broken now and then by a wailing cry, +proceeded, he desired Ross to look in through the doorway. A small fire +of coconut shells was burning in the centre of the room, and _by_ its +light Ross saw several women crouched round the bodies of three men, +performing the last offices for the dead. They looked at the white +strangers with apathetic indifference, but ceased their labours whilst +Ross bent down and examined the still faces. His scrutiny was brief, +but it was enough. + +Cayse gave a sniggering laugh. "I reckon you'll feel sorter startled, +mister, when I tell you that you were the cause of those men getting +clubbed, hey?" + +Ross frowned angrily. "What are you driving at? What the devil had I to +do with it?" + +"On'y this. You see I'm the white-headed boy with this young island +cock, an' he's been expectin' to see the _Iroquois_ for quite a time. +Your barque happened to heave in sight first, an' these three fellows +who were standin' mast-head watch up thar on the mountain, came tearin' +down an' reported that it was my old hooker. Charlik bein' a most +impatient young fellow, had 'em clubbed on the spot; he should hev +waited another five minutes. Come on, he's ready to talk business with +us now." + +In the centre of the big council room Charlik, attended by his sister, +was seated upon a mat. A couple of brightly burning ship's lanterns +suspended from the beams overhead, revealed the figures of a score of +armed natives, seated with their backs to the canework walls of the +room; midway between them and the young king were two seamen's chests, +beside which crouched the half-naked, tatooed form or old Kanka. + +Followed by the sailors carrying the muskets, the two captains walked +over the soft, springy floor of mats, and seated themselves facing the +young man. His eye lit up at the sight of the arms, and then he desired +Ross to tell his men to withdraw. Then as the sound of their footsteps +died away, he looked at Cayse and said briefly-- + +"Go on, capen. You talk." + +Cayse went into the subject at once. + +"Captain Ross, do you want to earn three thousand dollars?" + +"Don't mind." + +"Neither do I. Well, just listen. The king here has three thousand +dollars in cash and three thousand dollars' worth of coconut ile and +turtle-shell. Now, if you and I will help him to do a bit of fightin' +it's ours. The money and shell is here in this room, the ile is in the +sheds near by. If you agree, the king will hand us over the money now, +and we can ship the ile in the morning." + +Ross thought a moment, then he said suspiciously-- + +"Why are you giving me a chance?" + +"Not from any feelin' of affection for you, mister," answered Cayse with +his peculiar snarl, "but because I ain't able to do the whole business +myself--if I could I wouldn't ask _you_ to come in. Now, I noticed this +mornin' that you carry a big crew, and have six guns, and I reckon thet +you hev to use 'em sometimes in your business?" + +Ross laughed grimly. "All of us sandalwooding ships carry a few +nine-pounders as well as plenty of small arms. We are allowed to do so +by the Governor of New South Wales." + +"Just so. Well, now, listen. This island is governed by two chiefs; +this one here, Charlik, has most people, but the other lot, who live on +the lee side of the island, rebelled against his father more'n ten years +ago. They've had a good many fights, an' in the last one these Lele +people got badly whipped. Charlik is the proper king, but ever since a +white man named Ledyard went to live with the Leasse people, they've +refused to pay tribute. This Ledyard is the cause of all the trouble, +and he has taught his natives how to fight European fashion. There's +only about six hundred of 'em altogether--men, women, and +children--eh, Charlik?" + +The young chief nodded in assent. + +"Now, by a bit of luck, news came up the other day by one of Charlik's +spies that Ledyard has gone away to Ponape in a cutter he has built. It +will take him two or three weeks to go there and back, and now is the +time for Charlik to wipe out old scores--the Leasse people won't stand +much of a chance agin' a night attack by three hundred of Charlik's +people. If Ledyard was there it would be different." + +Ross soon made his decision. He was a man utterly without pity, and +Cayse who, while inciting others to slaughter for the sake of his own +gain, yet had some grains of compunction in his nature, almost shuddered +when the master of the _Lucy May_ laughed hoarsely and said-- + +"It's a bargain--just the thing that my crowd could tackle and carry +through themselves. Two voyages ago me and my beauties wiped out every +living soul on one of the Cartaret's Islands. I'll tell you the yarn +some day. But look here, king, can't we make another deal about the +women and children. Let me keep as many of them as I have room for +aboard, and I'll pay for them in muskets and powder and bullets." + +"What do you want with them?" + +"Sell them to old Abba Dul, the king of the Pelews. I've done business +with him before." + +Charlik called Kanka over to him, and the two spoke in low tones. Then +the young ruler of Lele shook his head. + +"No. There must be but one left to live--the white man's wife. Now we +shall count this money." + +The boxes were carried over directly under the rays of the lamps and +opened, the bags containing the money lifted out, the coins counted, and +then evenly divided between the two wolves. + +On the following morning the casks of oil were rolled down to the beach +and rafted off to the two ships, and before dawn, on the fourth day, +Ross and his fellow-ruffian sent word ashore to the king that all was +ready, and that he and his fighting men could come on board at once and +proceed on their dreadful mission. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +As the two captains and their ferocious young employer sat on the +snow-white poop of the _Iroquois_ and discussed the plan of attack, the +ship and barque kept closely together, so closely that North, who had +not yet placed foot on board the sandalwooder, had now an opportunity of +looking down upon her decks, and watching the actions of those who +manned her. A more ragged and desperate looking lot of ruffians he had +never seen in his life; and their wild, unkempt appearance was in +perfect accord with the _Lucy May_ herself, whose dirty, yellow sides +were stained from stem to stern with long streaks and broad patches of +iron-rust. Aloft she was in as equally a bad condition, and North and +his fellow-officers, used to the trimness and unceasing care of a +whaleship's sails and running gear, looked with contempt at the disorder +and neglect everywhere visible. On deck, however, some attempt at +setting things ship-shape were being made by the two mates and +boatswain, the six guns were being overhauled, and a pile of muskets +lying on the main hatch were being examined and passed up to the poop +one by one, to old Kanka, who was in command of the contingent of Lele +natives on board the barque. Similar preparations with small arms were +being made on board the _Iroquois_ by her crew which, largely composed +of Chilenos, Portuguese, and Polynesians, had eagerly accepted the offer +of twenty dollars for each man for a few hours' fighting. North alone +had spoken against and tried to dissuade his fellow-officers from taking +any active part in the expedition, but his remonstrances fell upon +unheeding ears. The details of the scheme to surprise the unsuspecting +inhabitants of the two villages had filled him with unutterable horror +and indignation, and all sorts of wild plans formed in his brain to +prevent the accomplishment of the cruel deed. For the consequences of +such interference to himself he cared nothing. He was alone in the +world, and had no thought beyond that of making enough money to enable +him to one day buy a ship of his own. Once, as he passed the trio on the +poop, and glanced at the smooth, olive-coloured features of the young +king, who, with anticipative zest, was fondling a rifle which Ross had +brought on board for him, he felt inclined to whip a belaying-pin out of +the rail and bring it crashing down upon his skull. Had there been any +other ship but the _Lucy May_ near, he would have left the _Iroquois_ +that moment. But help was coming to his troubled mind. + +An hour before sunset the two vessels ran into a little harbour, then +called Port Lottin, but now known as South Harbour by the few wandering +whalers which sometimes touch at the island. Here, ere it became dark, +the natives, with fourteen of the _Lucy May's_ crew under Ross, were +landed. They were to march at early morning, cross the mountain range +which intervened between South Harbour and Leasse, and then, hidden by +the dense forest, await the appearance of the ships off the doomed +villages on the following afternoon. The six boats--two from the _Lucy +May_ and four from the _Iroquois_--were to pull ashore as soon as the +ships were off Leasse and take up positions, three to the north and +three to the south, so as to cut off all who attempted to escape along +the beaches from the attack which would be made by Ross. Charlik was to +command one of the boat parties, Cayse the other, and should any canoes +with fugitives attempt to gain the open sea, they were to be sunk by the +_Lucy May's_ guns, for she was to anchor in such a position that an +escaping canoe would have to pass within fifty yards of her. + + * * * * * + +Eight bells had struck, and North, who had declined to join the captain +and his fellow-officers at supper, was sitting in his cabin smoking and +listening to the soft hum of the surf on the barrier reef a mile away. +On deck all was quiet, only the fourth mate and three of the hands were +keeping watch, the rest of the crew who were not turned in had gone +ashore to witness a dance given by King Charlik's warriors. + +Suddenly he heard a footfall on the cabin deck, and then some one said +in a low voice-- + +"May I come in, sir?" + +North, recognising the voice as that of a young man named Macy, his own +harpooner, at once bade him enter. + +Macy, a sunburnt, blue-eyed youth, closed the cabin door behind him, and +held up his finger to enjoin silence. + +"I've only just now heard, sir, that you will not take a hand in this +work which is going on. Neither will I, sir; for those damned savages +are going to kill all the poor women and children. I've come to ask you +what I'm to do if I'm ordered away in the boat? My God! Mr. North, must +we all be turned into a gang of murderers like those fellows on the +_Lucy May!_" + +The officer shook the young seaman's hand. "I for one will have no hand +in it, my lad; and I wish there were more of us on board of our way of +thinking. I wish we could leave the ship. I would rather die of thirst +on the open ocean ... Macy, my lad, will you stand to me?" + +"Stand to you, sir! Aye, Mr. North. If you mean to take to our boat, +sir, I am with you." + +"No," answered North in a whisper. "That, after all, would only save us +two from being mixed up in this murderous business--I want to prevent it +altogether. Have you heard how far it is across the island to this place +Leasse?" + +"Seven miles, sir, over the mountains." + +"And twenty by the boats! Macy, I am determined to leave the ship +to-night, cut across the island, and save the poor people from massacre. +Will you come? We may pay for it with our lives." + +The harpooner raised his rough hand. "We must all die some day, sir." + +For some minutes they conversed in whispered tones; then Macy slipped on +deck, and North took his pistols from their racks, filled his coat +pockets with ammunition, and then followed him. His own boat was lying +astern. + +Telling the cooper, who was the only one of the afterguard on deck, that +he was going ashore to look at the dance, and that only Macy and another +hand need come with him, North ordered the boat to be hauled alongside. +A quarter of an hour later he and Macy stepped out upon the shore under +the shadow of a high bluff, and quite out of view from Ross and his +party, although the many camp-fires cast long lines of light across the +sleeping waters of the little harbour. + +Informing the boat-keeper that they should return in a couple of hours, +the two men first walked along the beach in the direction of the +encampment. Then once out of sight from the boat, they struck inland +into a deep valley through which, Macy said, a narrow track led up to +the range, and then downwards to the two villages. After a careful +search the track was found, and the bright stars shining through the +canopy of leaves overhead gave them sufficient light to pursue their +way. For two hours they toiled along through the silent forest, hearing +no sound except now and then the affrighted rush of some startled wild +boar, and, far distant, the dull cry of the ever-restless breakers upon +the coral reef. At last the summit of the range was reached, and they +sat down to rest upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves which covered +the ground. Here North took a spirit-flask from his jacket, and Macy and +he drank in turns. + +"Do you know, sir," said Macy, as he returned the flask to the officer, +"that there's a white man living at this village?" + +"He's not there now, Macy. He's gone away to another island in his +cutter." + +"I know that, sir. I've heard all about it from one of the chaps on the +_Lucy May_. The man's name is Ledyard, and this young devil's-limb of a +king hates him like poison--for two reasons. One is, that Ledyard, who +settled in Leasse a few years ago, taught the people there how to use +their muskets in a fight, when Charlik's father tried to destroy them +time and again; the other is that his wife is a white woman--or almost a +white woman, a Bonin Island Portuguese--and Charlik means to get her. +When Ledyard comes back in his cutter he will walk into a trap, and be +killed as soon as he steps ashore." + +North struck his hand upon the ground. "And to think that I have sailed +with such a villain as Cayse, who--" + +"That's not all. Ledyard has two children. Charlik has given orders for +them to be killed, as he says he only wants the woman! Ross, I believe, +wanted him to spare 'em, but the young cut-throat said 'No.' I heard all +this from two men--the chap from the _Lucy May_ and one of Charlik's +fighting men, who speaks English and seems to have a soft place in his +heart for Ledyard." + +The mate of the _Iroquois_ sprang to his feet. "The cold-blooded +wretches! Come on, Macy. We _must_ get there in time." + +For another two hours they made steady progress through the darkened +forest aisles, and then as they emerged out upon a piece of open +country, they saw far beneath them the gleaming sea. And here, amidst a +dense patch of pandanus palms, the path they had followed came to an +end. Pushing their way through the thorny leaves, which tore the skin +from their hands and faces, Macy exclaimed excitedly-- + +"We're all right, sir. I can see a light down there. It must be a fire +on the beach." + +Heedless of the unknown dangers of the deep descent, and every now and +then tripping and falling over the roots of trees and fallen timber, +they again came out into the open, and there, two hundred feet below +them, they saw the high-peaked, saddle-backed houses of Leasse village +standing clearly out in the starlight. But at this point their further +progress was barred by a cliff, which seemed to extend for half a mile +on both sides of them. Cautiously feeling their way along its ledge they +sought in vain for a path. + +"We must hail them, Macy. There will be sure to be plenty of them who +can speak a little English and show us the way to get down." + +Returning as quickly as possible to the spot immediately over the +village, the officer gave a long, loud hail. + +"_Below there, you sleepers!_" + +The hoarse, shrieking notes of countless thousands of roosting +sea-birds, as they rose in alarm from their perches in the forest trees, +mingled with the barking of dogs from the village, and then came a wild +cry of alarm from a human throat. + +Waiting for a few moments till the clamour had somewhat subsided, the +two men again hailed in unison. + +"_Below there! Awake, you sleepers!_" + +Another furious outburst of yelping and barking--through which ran the +quavering of voices of the affrighted natives--smote the stillness of +the night. Then the bright light of torches of coconut leaves flashed +below, nude figures ran swiftly to and fro among the houses, and then +came a deep-voiced answering hail in English-- + +"_Hallo there! Who hails_?" + +"Two white men," was the officer's quick reply. "We cannot get down. +Bear a hand with a torch; we have lost the track." Then as something +flashed across his mind, he added, "Who are you? Are you a white man?" + +"Yes. I am Tom Ledyard." + +"Thank God for that! Send a light quickly. You and your people are in +deadly danger." + +In a few minutes the waiting men saw the gleam of torches amid the trees +to their right, and presently a tall, bearded, white man appeared, +followed by half a dozen natives. All were armed with muskets, whose +barrels glinted and shone in the firelight. + +Springing forward to meet him, North told his story in as few words as +possible. + +Ledyard's dark face paled with passion. "By heaven, they shall get a +bloody welcome! Now, come, sir; follow me. You must need rest badly." + +As they passed through the village square, now lit up by many fires and +filled with alarmed natives, Ledyard called out in his deep tones-- + +"Gather ye together, my friends. The son of the Slaughterer is near. +Send a man fleet of foot to Mout and bid him tell Nena, the chief, and +his head men to come to my house quickly, else in a little while our +bones will be gnawed by Charlik's dogs." + +Then with North and Macy besides him, he entered his house, the largest +in the village. A woman, young, slender, and fair-skinned, met them at +the door. Behind her were some terrified native women, one of whom +carried Ledyard's youngest child in her arms. + +"'Rita, my girl," said Ledyard, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder +and speaking in English, "these are friends. They have come to warn us. +That young hell-pup, Charlik, is attacking us tomorrow. But quick, girl, +get something for these gentlemen to eat and drink." + +But North and the harpooner were too excited to eat, and, seated +opposite their host, they listened eagerly to him as he told them of his +plans to repel the attack; of the bitter hatred that for ten years had +existed between the people of Leasse and the old king; and then--he set +his teeth--how that Se, the friendly sister of the young king, had once +sent a secret messenger to him telling him to guard his wife well, for +her brother had made a boast that when Leasse and Mout were given to the +flames only Cerita should be spared. + +"Then, ten days ago, Mr. North, thinking that this young tiger-cub +Charlik knew that these people here were well prepared to resist an +attack, I left in my cutter on a trading voyage to Ponape. Three days +out the vessel began to make water so badly that I had to beat back. I +only came ashore yesterday." + +He rose and walked to and fro, muttering to himself. Then he spoke +again. + +"Mr. North, and you, my friend"--turning to Macy--"have saved me and +those I love from a sudden and cruel death. What can I do to show my +gratitude? You cannot now return to your ship; will you join your +fortunes with mine? I have long thought of leaving this island and +settling in Ponape. There is money to be made there. Join me and be my +partners. My cutter is now hauled up on the beach--if she were fit to go +to sea we could leave the island to-night. But that cannot be done. It +will take me a week to put her in proper repair--and to-morrow we must +fight for our lives." + +North stretched out his hand. "Macy and I will stand by you, Ledyard. We +do not want to ever put foot again on the deck of the _Iroquois_." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +The story of that day of bloodshed and horror, when Charlik and his +white allies sought to exterminate the whole community, cannot here be +told in _all_ its dreadful details. Seventy years have come and gone +since then, and there are but two or three men now living on the island +who can speak of it with knowledge as a tale of "the olden days when we +were heathens." Let the rest of the tale be told in the words of one of +those natives of Leasse, who, then a boy, fought side by side with +Ledyard, North, and Macy. + + * * * * * + +"The sun was going westward in the sky when the two ships rounded the +point and anchored in what you white men now call Coquille Harbour. We +of Leasse, who watched from the shore, saw six boats put off, filled +with men. There pulled inside the reef, and went to the right towards +Mout; three went to the left. Letya (Ledyard), with the two white +strangers who had come to him in the night, and two hundred of our men, +had long before gone into the mountains to await Charlik and his +fighting men, and their white friends. They--Letya and the Leasse +people--made a trap for Charlik's men in the forest. Charlik himself was +in the boats with the other white men. He wanted to see the people of +Leasse and Mout driven into the water, so that he might shoot at them +with a new rifle which Kesa or the other ship captain--I forget +which--had given to him. But he wanted most of all to get Cerita, the +wife of Letya, the white man. Only Cerita was to live. These were +Charlik's words. He did not know that her husband had returned from the +sea. Had he known that, he would not have given all his money and all +his oil to the two white captains to help him to make Leasse and Mout +desolate and give our bones to his dogs to eat. + +"It was a great trap--the trap prepared by Letya; and Charlik's men and +the white men with them fell in it. They fell as a stone falls in a deep +well, and sinks and is no more seen of men. + +"This was the manner of the trap: The path down the cliff was between +two high walls of rock; at the foot of the cliff was a thick clump of +high pandanus trees growing closely together. In between these trees +Letya built a high barrier of logs, encompassing the outlet of the path +to Leasse. This barrier was a half circle; the two ends touched the edge +of the cliff, and the centre was hidden among the pandanus trees. On the +top of this barrier the men of Leasse waited with loaded muskets; lower +down on the ground were others, they too had loaded muskets. On the top +of the cliff where the path led down, fifty men were hidden. They were +hidden in the thick scrub which we call _oap. Oap_ is a good thing in +which to hide from an enemy, and then spring from and slay him suddenly. + +"I, who was then a boy, saw all this. I heard Letya, our white man, tell +the head of our village that Charlik's men would enter into the trap and +perish. Then kava was made, and Letya and the head men drank. Kava is +good, but rum is better to make men fight. We had no rum, but we had +great love for Letya and his wife, and his two children, and great hate +for Charlik. So we said, 'If this is death, it is death,' and every man +went to his post--some to the barrier at the foot of the cliff, and some +to the thicket of _oap_ on the summit. Cerita, the wife of Letya the +Englishman, was weeping. She was weeping because Nena, the chief of +Mout, was waiting in the house to kill her if her husband should be +slain. But she did not weep because of the fear of death; it was for her +children she wept. That is the way of women. What is the life of a child +to the life of a man? + +"Nena was my father's brother. He was a brave man, but was too old to +fight, for his eyes were dimmed by many years. So he sat beside Cerita +and her two children, with a long knife in his hand and waited. He +covered his face with a mat and waited. It was right for him to do this, +for Letya was a great man; and his wife, although she was a foreigner, +was an honoured woman. Therefore though Nena might not look upon her +face at other times, he could kill her if Letya said she must die. This +was quite right and correct. A wife must be guided by her husband and do +what is right and correct, and avoid scandal. + +"For many hours the women in the houses waited in silence. Then suddenly +they heard the thunder of two hundred guns, and the roaring of voices, +then more muskets. They ran out of the houses and looked up to the +cliff, and lo! the sky was bright as day, for when Charlik's people and +the white men walked into the trap in the darkness, Letya and our people +set alight great heaps of dry leaves and scrub, which were placed all +along the barrier of logs. This was done so that they could see better +to shoot. There were thirty or forty of Charlik's men killed by that +volley. The white man who was leading them was very brave; he tried to +climb over the barrier, but fell back dead, for a man named Sru thrust a +whale-lance into his heart. All this time the other white men and the +rest of Charlik's people were firing their muskets, but their bullets +only hit the heavy logs of the barrier, and Letya and our people killed +them very easily by putting their muskets through the spaces. When the +sailors saw their captain fall, they tried to run away, and the Lele +warriors ran with them. But when they reached the path which led up +between the cliff, it too was blocked, and many of them became jammed +together between the walls, and these were all killed very easily--some +with bullets, and some with big stones. Then those that were left ran +round and found inside the trap, trying to get out. They were like rats +in a cask, and our people kept killing them as they ran. Some of +them--about thirty--did climb over, but all were killed, for when they +jumped down on the other side our people were there waiting. At last +four of the sailors made a big hole by tearing out two posts, and rushed +out, followed by the Lele men. Letya was the first man to meet the +sailors, and he told them to surrender. Two of them threw down their +arms, but the other two ran at Letya, and one of them ran his cutlass +into him. It went in at the stomach, and Letya fell. We killed all these +white sailors, but some of the Lele men escaped. That was a great pity, +but then how can these things be helped?" The two strange white men who +were fighting beside Le|tya, picked him up, and they carried him into +his house. He was not dead, but he said, 'I shall soon die, take me to +my wife.' I did not go with them to the house. I went into the barrier +with the other youths to kill the wounded. It is a foolish thing not to +kill wounded men; they may get better and kill you. So we killed them. +There were fourteen white men slain in that fight beside their captain. + +"Before it was daylight some of our men set out along the beach to look +for the boats. They did not want to kill any more white men, but they +did want to kill Charlik. They were very fortunate, for before they had +gone far on their way they saw three of the boats coming along close in +to the beach. So they hid behind some rocks. Charlik was in the first +boat; he was standing in the bow pointing out the way. When he came very +close they all fired together, and Charlik's life was gone. He fell dead +into the sea. Then the boats all turned seaward, and pulled hard for the +ships. Then before long, we saw the other three boats going back to the +ships; in these last were four of Charlik's men who had escaped. The +boats were quickly pulled up, and the ships sailed away, for those on +board were terrified when they heard that all the white men they had +sent to fight were dead. + +"Letya did not die at once--not for two days. Cerita his wife and two +white men watched beside him all this time. Before he died he called the +head men to him, and said that he gave his small ship to the two white +men, together with many other things. All his money he gave to his wife, +and told her she must go away with the white men, who would take her +back to her own people. To the head men he gave many valuable things, +such as tierces of tobacco and barrels of powder. This was quite right +and proper, and showed he knew what was correct to do before he died. We +buried him on the little islet over there called Besi. + +"The two white men and Cerita and her two children went away in the +little ship. But they did not go to Cerita's country: they remained at +Ponape, and there the tall man of the two--the officer--married Cerita. +All this we learnt a year afterwards from the captain of a whaling ship. +It was quite right and proper for Letya's widow to marry so quickly, and +to marry the man who had been a friend to her husband." + + + + +_A Hundred Fathoms Deep_ + + +There is still a world or discovery open to the ichthyologist who, in +addition to scientific knowledge, is a lover of deep-sea fishing, has +some nerve, and is content to undergo some occasional rough experiences, +if he elects to begin his researches among the many island groups of the +North and South Pacific. I possessed, to some extent, the two latter +qualifications; the former, much to my present and lasting regret, I did +not. Nearly twenty-six years ago the vessel in which I sailed as +supercargo was wrecked on Strong's Island, the eastern outlier of the +fertile Caroline Archipelago, and for more than twelve months I devoted +the greater part of my time to traversing the mountainous island from +end to end, or, accompanied by a hardy and intelligent native, in +fishing, either in the peculiarly-formed lagoon at the south end, or two +miles or so outside the barrier reef. + +The master of the vessel, I may mention, was the notorious, over +maligned, and genial Captain Bully Hayes, and from him I had learnt a +little about some of the generally unknown deep-sea fish of Polynesia +and Melanesia. He had told me that when once sailing between Aneityum +and Tanna, in the New Hebrides, shortly after a severe volcanic eruption +on the former island had been followed by a submarine convulsion, his +brig passed through many hundreds of dead and dying fish of great size, +some of which were of a character utterly unknown to any of his native +crew--men who came from all parts of the North and South Pacific. More +remarkable still, some of these fish had never before been seen by the +inhabitants of the islands near which they were found. There were, he +said, some five or six kinds, but they were all of the groper family. +One of three which was brought on board was discovered floating on the +surface when the ship was five miles off Tanna. A boat was lowered, but +on getting up to it, the crew found they were unable to lift it from the +water; it was, however, towed to the ship, hoisted on board, and cut +into three parts, the whole of which were weighed, and reached over 300 +lbs. In colour it was a dull grey, with large, closely-adhering scales +about the size of a florin; the fins, tail, and lips were blue. Another +one, weighing less, had a differently-shaped head, with a curious, +pipe-like mouth; this was a uniform dull blue. A similar upturning from +the ocean's dark depths of strange fish occurred during a submarine +earthquake near Rose Island, a barren spot to the south-west of Samoa. +The disturbance threw up vast numbers of fish upon the reefs of Manua, +the nearest island of the group, and the natives looked upon their great +size and peculiar appearance with unbounded astonishment. + +Without desiring to bore the reader with unnecessary details of my own +experiences in the South Seas, but because the statement bears on the +subject of this article--a subject which has been my delight since I was +a boy of ten years of age--I may say that, nine years after the loss of +Captain Hayes's vessel on Strong's Island, I was again shipwrecked on +Peru, one of the Gilbert, or, as we traders call them, the "Line" +Islands. Here I was so fortunate as to take up my residence with one of +the local traders, a Swiss named Frank Voliero, who was an ardent +deep-sea fisherman, and whose catches were the envy and wonder of the +wild and intractable natives among whom he lived; for he had excellent +tackle, which enabled him to fish at depths seldom tried by the natives, +who have no reason to go beyond sixty or eighty fathoms. In the long +interval that had elapsed since my fishing days in the Carolines and my +arrival at Peru Island, I had gained such experience in my hobby in many +other parts of the Pacific as falls to few men, and the desire to fish +in deep water, and get something that astonished the natives of the +various islands, had become a passion with me. Voliero and myself went +out together frequently, and, did space permit, I should like to +describe the fortune that attended us at Peru, as well as my fishing +adventures at Strong's Island. + +In a former work I have endeavoured to describe that extraordinary +nocturnal-feeding fish, the _palu_, and the manner of its capture by +the Malayo-Polynesian islanders of the Equatorial Pacific, and in the +present article I shall try to convey to my readers an idea of deep-sea +fishing in the South Seas generally. When I was living on the little +island of Nanomaga (one of the Ellice Group, situated about 600 miles to +the north-west of Samoa), as the one resident trader, I found myself +in--if I may use the term--a marine paradise, as far as fishing went. +The natives were one and all expert fishermen, extremely jealous of +their reputation of being not only the best and most skilful men in +Polynesia in the handling of their frail canoes in a heavy surf, but +also of being deep-learned in the lore of deep-sea fishing. + +My arrival at the island caused no little commotion among the young +bloods, each of whose chances of gaining the girl of his heart, and +being united to her by the local Samoan missionary teacher, depended in +a great measure upon his ability to provide sustenance for her from the +sea; for Nanomaga, like the rest of the Ellice Group, is but little more +than a richly-verdured sandbank, based upon a foundation of coral, and +yielding nothing to its people but coconuts and a coarse species of +taro, called puraka. The inhabitants, in their low-lying atolls, possess +no running streams, no fertile soil, in which, as in the mountainous +isles of Polynesia, the breadfruit, the yam, and the sweet potato grow +and flourish side by side with such rich and luscious fruits as the +orange and banana, and pineapple--they have but the beneficent coconut +and the evergiving sea to supply their needs. And the sea is kind to +them, as Nature meant it to be to her own children. + +The native missionary at Nanomaga was a Samoan. He was intended by +nature to be a warrior, a leader of men; or--and no higher praise can I +give to his dauntless courage--a boat-header on a sperm whaler. Strong +of arm and quick of eye, he was the very man to either throw the harpoon +or deal the death-giving thrust or the lance to the monarch of the ocean +world; but fate or circumstance had made him a missionary instead. He +was a fairly good missionary, but a better fisherman. + +Three miles from Nanomaga is a submerged reef, marked on the chart as +the Grand Coral Reef, but known to the natives as Tia Kau, "the reef." +It is in reality a vast mountain of coral, whose bases lie two hundred +fathoms deep, with a flattened summit of about fifty acres in extent, +rising to within five fathoms of the surface of the sea. This spot is +the resort of incredible numbers of fish, both deep-sea haunting and +surface swimming. Some of the latter, such as the _pala_ (not the +_palu_)--a long, scaleless, beautifully-formed fish, with a head of bony +plates and teeth like a rip-saw--are of great size, and afford splendid +sport, as they are game fighters and almost as powerful as a porpoise. +They run to over 100 lbs., and yet are by no means a coarse fish. In the +shallow water on the top of this mountain reef there are some eight or +nine varieties of rock cod, none of which were of any great size; but +far below, at a depth of from fifty to seventy fathoms, there were some +truly monstrous fish of this species, and I and my missionary friend had +the luck to catch the four largest ever taken--221 lbs., 208 lbs., 118 +lbs., and 111 lbs. I had caught when fishing for schnapper, in thirty +fathoms off Camden Haven, on the coast of New South Wales, a mottled +black and grey rock cod, which weighed 83 lbs., and was assured by the +Sydney Museum authorities that such a weight for a rock cod was rare in +that part of the Pacific, but that _beche-de-mer_ fishermen on the Great +Barrier Reef had occasionally captured fish of the same variety of +double that size and weight. + +Not possessing a boat, we fished from a canoe--a light, but strong and +beautifully constructed craft, with "whalebacks" fore and aft to keep it +from being swamped by seas when facing or running from a surf. The +outrigger was formed of a very light wood, called _pua_, about fourteen +inches in circumference. With the teacher and myself there usually went +with us a third man, whose duty it was to keep the canoe head to wind, +for anchoring in deep water in such a tiny craft was out of the +question, as well as dangerous, should a heavy fish or a shark get foul +of the outrigger. Capsizes in the daytime we did not mind, but at night +numbers of grey sharks were always cruising around, and they were then +especially savage and daring. + +Leaving the pretty little village, which was embowered in a palm grove +on the lee side of the island, we would, if intending to fish on the Tia +Kau, make a start before dawn, remain there till the canoe was loaded to +her raised gunwale pieces with the weight of fish, and then return. +Night fishing on the Tia Kau by a single canoe was forbidden by the +_kaupule_ (head men) as being too dangerous on account of the sharks, +and so usually from ten to twenty canoes set out together. If one did +come to grief through being swamped, or capsized by having the outrigger +fouled by a shark, there was always assistance near at hand, and it +rarely happened that any of the crew were bitten. In 1872, however, a +fearful tragedy occurred on the Tia Kau, when a party of seventy +natives--men, women, and children--who were crossing to the neighbouring +Island of Nanomea, were attacked by sharks when overtaken on the reef by +a squall at night. Only two escaped to tell the tale.[14] + +If, however, we meant to try for _takuo_, a huge variety of the +mackerel-tribe, or _lahe'u_, a magnificent bream-shaped fish, we had no +need to go so far as the dangerous Tia Kau; three or four cable-lengths +from the beach, and right in front of the village, we could lie in water +as smooth as glass, and seventy fathoms in depth. Our bait was +invariably flying-fish, freshly caught, or the tentacles of an octopus. +My lines were of white American cotton, and I generally used two hooks, +one below and one above the sinker, both baited with a whole +flying-fish, while my companions preferred wooden or iron hooks, of +their own manufacture, and lines made from hibiscus bark or coconut +fibre. + +I shall always remember with pleasure my first _lahe'u_. I was +accompanied by the native teacher alone, and we paddled off from the +village just after evening service, and brought to about a quarter of a +mile outside the reef. The rest of the islanders had gone round in +their canoes to the weather side of the little island to fish for +_takuo_, for we were expecting a _malaga_, or party of visitors from the +Island of Nukufetau in a day or two, and unusual supplies of fish had to +be obtained, to sustain, not only the island's record as the fishing +centre of the universe, but the people's reputation for hospitality. It +had been my suggestion to the teacher that he and I, who were unable to +accompany the others, should try what we could do nearer home. The night +was brilliantly starlight, and the sea as smooth as glass--so smooth +that there was not even the faintest swell upon the reef. The trade wind +was at rest, and not the faintest breath of air moved the foliage of the +coco palms lining the white strip of beach. Now and then a splash or a +sudden commotion in the water around us would denote that some hapless +flying-fish had taken an aerial flight from a pursuing _pala_, or that a +shark had seized a turtle in his cruel jaws. Lighting our pipes, we +lowered our lines together according to island etiquette, and touched +bottom at thirty fathoms; then hauled in a fathom or two of line to +avoid fouling the coral. In a few minutes my companion hooked an _utu_, +a sluggish fish, somewhat like a salmon in appearance, with shining +silvery scales and a broad flat head. As he was hauling in, and I was +looking over the side of the canoe to watch it coming up, I felt a +sharp, heavy tug at my own line, and, before I could check it, thirty or +forty yards of line whizzed through my fingers with lightning speed. + +"_Lahe'u!_" shouted the teacher, hurriedly making his own line fast, +and whipping up his paddle. "Don't give out any more line or he will run +under the reef, and we shall lose him." + +I knew by the vibration and hum of the line as soon as I had it well in +hand that there was a heavy and powerful fish at the end. Ioane, +disregarding the _utu_ as being of no importance in comparison to a +_lahe'u_, was plunging his paddle rapidly into the water, and +endeavouring to back the canoe seaward into deeper water, but, in spite +of his efforts and my own, we were being taken quickly inshore. For some +two or three minutes the canoe was dragged steadily landward, and I knew +that once the _lahe'u_ succeeded in getting underneath the overhanging +ledge of reef, there would be but little chance of our taking him except +by diving, and diving on a moonless night under a reef, and freeing a +fish from jagged branches of coral, is not a pleasant task, although an +Ellice Islander does not much mind it. Finding that I could not possibly +turn the fish, I asked Ioane what I should do. He told me to let go a +few fathoms of line, brace my knee against the thwart, and then trust to +the sudden jerk to cant the fish's head one way or the other. I did as I +was told. Out flew the line, and then came a shock that made the canoe +fairly jump, lifted the outrigger clear out of the water, and all but +capsized her. But the ruse was successful, for, with a furious shake, +_lahe'u_ changed his course, and started off at a tremendous rate, +parallel with the reef, and then gradually headed seaward. + +"Let him go," said Ioane, who was carefully watching the tautened-out +line, and steering at the same time. "'Tis a strong fish, but he is _man +tonu_ (truly hooked), and will now tire. But give him no more line, and +haul up to him." + +For fully five minutes the canoe went flying over the water, and I +continued to haul in line fathom by fathom, until I caught sight of, +deep down in the water right ahead, a great phosphorescent boil and +bubble. Then the pace began to slacken, as the gallant fighter began to +turn from side to side, shaking his head and making futile breaks from +port to starboard. Bidding me come amidships with the line, Ioane took +in his paddle, and picked up the harpoon which we always carried on the +outrigger platform in case of meeting a turtle. Nearer and nearer came +the great fish, till, with a splash of phosphorescent light and spray, +he came to the surface, beating the water with his forked and bony tail, +and still trying to get a chance for another downward run. Then Ioane, +waiting his opportunity, sent the iron clean through him from side to +side, and I sat down and watched, with a thrill of satisfaction and a +sigh of relief, his final flurry. In a few minutes we hauled him +alongside, drew the harpoon, and with some difficulty managed to get him +over the side and lower him into the bottom of the canoe amidships, +where he lay fore and aft, his curved back standing up nearly a foot and +a half above the raised gunwale. Although not above four feet in length, +he was nearly three in depth, and about sixteen inches thick at the +shoulder--a truly noble fish. + +"We have done well," said the teacher, with a pleased laugh, as he +hauled in his own line and dropped a 6-lb. _utu_ into the canoe. "There +will be much talk over this to-morrow, for these people here are very +conceited, and think that no one but themselves can catch _lahe'u_ and +_pala_. They will know better now, when they see this one." + +We returned to the shore within two hours from the time we left, with my +_lahe'u_, an _utu_, and five or six salmon-like fish called _tau-tau_, +all nocturnal feeders, and all highly thought of by the natives, +especially the latter. The _lahe'u_ we hung up under the missionary's +verandah, and at daylight I had the intense satisfaction of seeing a +crowd of natives surrounding it, and of hearing their flattering +allusions to myself as a _papalagi masani tonu futi ika_--a white man +who really could fish like a native. + + + + +_On a Tidal River_ + + +The English visitor to the Eastern Colonies of Australia who is in +search of sport with either rod or hand line can always obtain excellent +fishing in the summer months even in such traffic-disturbed harbours as +Sydney, Newcastle, and other ports; but on the tidal rivers of the +eastern and southern seaboard he can, every day, catch more fish than he +can carry during seven months of the year. In the true winter months +deep sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence of +westerly winds, when, for days at a time, the Pacific is as smooth as a +lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, which is a few miles +over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed River on the north of New +South Wales, the stranger may fairly revel not only in the delights of +splendid fishing but in the charms of beautiful scenery. He needs no +guide, will be put to but little expense, for the country hotel +accommodation is good and cheap; and, should he visit some of the +northern rivers where the towns, or rather small settlements, are few +and far between, he will find the settlers the embodiment of British +hospitality. + +Some three years ago the writer formed one of the crew of a little +steamer of fifty tons named the _Jenny Lind_, which was sent out along +the coast in the endeavour to revive the coast whaling industry. Through +stress of weather we had frequently to make a dash for shelter, towing +our sole whaleboat, to one of the many tidal rivers on the coast between +Sydney and Gabo Island. Here we would remain until the weather broke, +and our crew would literally cover the deck with an extraordinary +variety of fish in the course of a few hours. Then, at low tide, we +could always fill a couple of cornsacks with excellent oysters, and get +bucketfuls of large prawns by means of a scoop net improvised from a +piece of mosquito netting; game, too, was very plentiful on the lagoons. +The settlers were generally glad to see us, and gave us so freely of +milk, butter, pumpkins, &c., that, despite the rough handling we always +got at sea from the weather, we grew quite fat. But as the greater part +of my fishing experience was gained on the northern rivers of the colony +of N.S. Wales it is of them I shall write. + +Eighteen hours' run by steamer from Sydney is the Hastings River, on the +southern bank of which, a mile from the bar, is the old-time town of +Port Macquarie, a quaint, sleepy little place of six hundred +inhabitants, who spend their days in fishing and sleeping and waiting +for better times. There are two or three fairly good hotels, very pretty +scenery along the coast and up the river, and a stranger can pass a +month without suffering from ennui--that is, of course, if he be fond +of fishing and shooting; if he is not he should avoid going there, for +it is the dullest coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore, +from the steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach, +on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit down in +comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and flathead. As soon +as the tide turns, however, and is well on the ebb or flow, further +fishing is impossible, for the river rushes out to sea with great +velocity, and the incoming tide is almost as swift. On the other side of +the harbour is a long, sandy point, called the North Shore, about a mile +in length. This, at the north end, is met by a somewhat dense scrub, +which lines the right bank of the river for a couple of miles, and +affords a splendid shade to any one fishing on the river bank. The outer +or ocean beach is but a few minutes' walk from the river, and a +magnificent beach it is, trending in one great unbroken curve to Point +Plomer, seven miles from the township. + +Before ascending the river on a fishing trip one has to provide one's +self with a plentiful supply of cockles, or "pippies," as they are +called locally. These can only be obtained on the northern ocean beach, +and not the least enjoyable part of a day's sport consists in getting +them. They are triangular in shape, with smooth shells of every +imaginable colour, though a rich purple is commonest. As the back wash +leaves the sands bare these bivalves may be seen in thick but irregular +patches protruding from the sand. Sometimes, if the tide is not low +enough, one may get rolled over by the surf if he happen to have his +back turned seaward. Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as +"Condon's Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the +smartest young sportsmen--although only twelve years old--ever met with. +Both were very small for their age, and I was always in doubt as to +which was which. They were always delighted to come with me, and did not +mind being soused by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag. +Pippies are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in +Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch fish bait +of any sort, although, when very hungry, it will sometimes take to +octopus flesh. Bream (whether black or silvery), flathead, trevally, +jew-fish, and, indeed, all other fish obtained in Australia, are not so +dainty, for, although they like "pippies" and prawns best, they will +take raw meat, fish, or octopus bait with readiness. Certain species of +sea and river mullet are like them in this respect, and good sport may +be had from them with a rod in the hot months, as Dick and Fred, the +twins aforesaid, well knew, for often would their irate father +wrathfully ask them why they wasted their time catching "them worthless +mullet." + +But let me give an idea of one of many days' fishing on the Hastings, +spent with the "Twins." Having filled a sugar bag with "pippies" on the +ocean beach, we put on our boots and make our way through the belt of +scrub to where our boat is lying, tied to the protruding roots of a +tree. Each of us is armed with a green stick, and we pick our way pretty +carefully, for black snakes are plentiful, and to tread on one may mean +death. The density of the foliage overhead is such that but little +sunlight can pierce through it, and the ground is soft to our feet with +the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath. No sound but the murmuring of +the sea and the hoarse notes of countless gulls breaks the silence, for +this side of the river is uninhabited, and its solitude disturbed only +by some settler who has ridden down the coast to look for straying +cattle, or by a fishing party from the town. Our boat, which we had +hauled up and then tied to the tree, is now afloat, for the tide has +risen, and the long stretches of yellow sandbanks which line the channel +on the farther side are covered now with a foot of water. As we drift up +the river, eating our lunch, and letting the boat take care of herself, +a huge, misshapen thing comes round a low point, emitting horrid +groanings and wheezings. It is a steam stern-wheel punt, loaded with +mighty logs of black-butt and tallow wood, from fifty feet to seventy +feet in length, cut far up the Hastings and the Maria and Wilson Rivers, +and destined for the sawmill at Port Macquarie. + +In another hour we are at our landing-place, a selector's abandoned +homestead, built of rough slabs, and standing about fifty yards back +from the river and the narrow line of brown, winding beach. The roof had +long since fallen in, and the fences and outbuildings lay low, covered +with vines and creepers. The intense solitude of the place, the +motionless forest of lofty grey-boled swamp gums that encompassed it on +all sides but one, and the wide stretch of river before it were +calculated to inspire melancholy in any one but an ardent fisherman. +Scarcely have we hauled our boat up on the sand, and deposited our +provisions and water in the roofless house, when we hear a commotion in +the river--a swarm of fish called "tailer" are making havoc among a +"school" of small mullet, many of which fling themselves out upon the +sand. Presently all is quiet again, and we get our lines ready. + +For whiting and silvery bream rather fine lines are used, but we each +have a heavy line for flathead, for these fish are caught in the tidal +rivers on a sandy bottom up to three feet and four feet in length. They +are in colour, both on back and belly, much like a sole, of great width +across the shoulders, and then taper away to a very fine tail. The head +is perfectly flat, very thin, and armed on each side with very sharp +bones pointing tailward; a wound from one of these causes intense +inflammation. The fins are small--so small as to appear almost +rudimentary--yet the fish swims, or rather darts, along the bottom with +amazing rapidity. They love to lie along the banks a few feet from the +shore, where, concealed in the sand, they can dart out upon and seize +their prey in their enormous "gripsack" mouths. The approach of a boat +or a person walking along the sand will cause them to at once speed like +lightning into deep water, leaving behind them a wake of sand and mud +which is washed off their backs in their flight. Still, although not a +pleasing fish to look at, the flathead is of a delicious and delicate +flavour. There are some variations in their shades of colour, from a +pale, delicate grey to a very dark brown, according to their habitat, +and, although most frequent in very shallow water, they are often caught +in great quantities off the coast in from ten to fifteen fathoms of +water. Gut or wire snoodings are indispensable when fishing for +flathead, else the fish invariably severs the line with his fine +needle-pointed teeth, which are set very closely together. Nothing comes +amiss to them as food, but they have a great love for small mullet or +whiting, or a piece of octopus tentacle. + +Baiting our heavy lines with mullet--two hooks with brass-wire snoods to +each line--we throw out about thirty yards, then, leaving two or three +fathoms loose upon the shore, we each thrust a stick firmly into the +sand, and take a turn of the line round it. As the largest flathead +invariably dart upon the bait, and then make a bolt with it, this plan +is a good one to follow, unless, of course, they are biting freely; in +that case the smaller lines for bream and whiting, &c., are hauled in, +for there is more real sport in landing an 8-lb. flathead than there is +in catching smaller fish, for he is very game, and fights fiercely for +his life. + +Having disposed our big lines, we bait the smaller ones with "pippies," +and not two minutes at the outside elapse after the sinkers have touched +bottom when we know we are to have a good time, for each of us has +hooked a fish, and three whiting are kicking on the sand before five +minutes have expired. Then for another hour we throw out and haul in +again as quickly as possible, landing whiting from 6 oz. to nearly 2 +lbs. in weight. One of the "Twins" has three hooks on his line, and +occasionally lands three fish together, and now and again we get small +bream and an occasional "tailer" of 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. As the sun mounts +higher the breeze dies away, the heat becomes very great, and we have +frequent recourse to our water jar--in one case mixing it with whisky. +Then the whiting cease to bite as suddenly as they have begun, and move +off into deeper water. Just as we are debating as to whether we shall +take the boat out into mid-stream, Twin Dick gives a yell as his stick +is suddenly whipped out of the sand, and the loose line lying beside it +rushes away into the water. But Dick is an old hand, and lets his fish +have his first bolt, and then turns him. "By Jingo! sir, he's a big +fellow," he cries, as he hauls in, the line now as taut as a telegraph +wire, and then the other twin comes to his aid, and in a few minutes the +outline of the fish is seen, coming in straight ahead as quick as they +can pull him. When he is within ten feet of the beach the boys run up +the bank and land him safely, as he turns his body into a circle in his +attempts to shake out the hook. Being called upon to estimate his +weight, I give it as 11 lbs., much to the twins' sorrow--they think it +15 lbs. + +Half an hour passes, and we catch but half a dozen silvery bream and +some small baby whiting, for now the sun is beating down upon our heads, +and our naked feet begin to burn and sting, so we adjourn to the old +house and rest awhile, leaving our big lines securely tied. But, though +the breeze for which we wait comes along by two o'clock, the fish do +not, and so, after disinterring our takes from the wet sand wherein we +had buried them as caught to prevent them being spoilt by the sun, we +get aboard again and pull across to the opposite bank of the river. +Here, in much deeper water, about fifteen feet right under the clayey +bank, we can see hundreds of fine bream, and now and then some small +jew-fish. Taking off our sinkers, we have as good and more exciting +sport among the bream than we had with the whiting, catching between +four and five dozen by six o'clock. Then, after boiling the billy and +eating some fearfully tough corned meat, we get into the boat again, +hoist our sail, and land at the little township just after dark. + +Such was one of many similar day's sport on the Hastings, which, with +the Bellinger, the Nambucca, the Macleay, and the Clarence, affords good +fishing practically all the year round. Then, besides these tidal +rivers, there are at frequent intervals along the coast tidal lagoons +and "blind" creeks where fish congregate in really incredible +quantities. Such places as Lake Illawarra and Lake Macquarie are fishing +resorts well known to the tourist; but along the northern coast, where +the population is scantier, and access by rail or steamer more +difficult, there is an absolutely new field open to the sportsman--in +fact, these places are seldom visited for either fishing or shooting by +people from Sydney. During November and December the bars of these +rivers are literally black with incredible numbers of coarse +sea-salmon--a fish much like the English sea-bass--which, making their +way over the bars, swim up the rivers and remain there for about a week. +Although these fish, which weigh from 6 lbs. to 10 lbs., do not take a +bait and are rather too coarse to eat, their roes are very good, +especially when smoked. They are captured with the greatest of ease, +either by spearing or by the hand; for sometimes they are in such dense +masses that they are unable to manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins +of coastal towns hail their yearly advent with delight. They usually +make their first appearance about the second week in November, and are +always followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish, +which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless ranks. +Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in January by +shoals of very large sea-mullet--blue-black backs, silvery bellies and +sides, and yellow fins and tails. These, too, will not take a bait, but +are caught in nets, and, if a steamer happens to be on the eve of +leaving for Sydney, many hundreds of baskets are sent away; but they +barely pay the cost of freight and commission, I believe. There are +several varieties of sea-mullet, one or two of which will take the hook +freely, and I have often caught them off the rocky coast of New South +Wales with a rod when the sea has been smooth. The arrival of the big +sea-mullet denotes that the season for jew-fish is at its height; and if +the stranger to Australian waters wants exciting sport let him try +jew-fishing at night. In deep water off the coast these great fish are +occasionally caught during daylight, but a dull, cloudy night is best, +when they may be caught from the beach or river bank in shallow water. +Very stout lines and heavy hooks are used, for a 90-lb. or l00-lb. +jew-fish is very common. Baiting with a whole mullet or whiting, or one +of the tentacles of an octopus, the most amateurish fisherman cannot +fail to hook two or three jew-fish in a night. (Even in Sydney harbour I +have seen some very large ones caught by people fishing from ferry +wharves.) They are very powerful, and also very game, and when they rise +to the surface make a terrific splashing. At one place on the Hastings +River, called Blackman's Point, a party of four of us took thirteen +fish, the heaviest of which was 42 lbs. and the lightest 9 lbs. Next +morning, however, the Blackman's Point ferryman, who always set a line +from his punt when he turned in, showed us one of over 70 lbs. When they +grow to such a size as this they are not eaten locally, as the flesh is +very often full of thin, thread-like worms. The young fish, however, are +very palatable. + +The saw-fish, to which I have before alluded as harrying the swarms of +sea-salmon, also make havoc with the jew-fish, and very often are caught +on jew-fish lines. They are terrible customers to get foul of (I do not +confound them with the sword-fish) when fishing from a small boat. Their +huge bone bill, set on both sides with its terrible sharp spikes, their +great length, and enormous strength, render it impossible to even get +them alongside, and there is no help for it but either to cut the line +or pull up anchor and land the creature on the shore. Even then the task +of despatching one of these fish is no child's play on a dark night, for +they lash their long tails about with such fury that a broken leg might +be the result of coming too close. In the rivers of Northern Queensland +the saw-fish attain an enormous size, and the Chinese fishermen about +Cooktown and Townsville often have their nets destroyed by a saw-fish +enfolding himself in them. Alligators, by the way, do the same thing +there, and are sometimes captured, perfectly helpless, in the folds of +the nets, in which they have rolled themselves over and over again, +tearing it beyond repair with their feet, but eventually yielding to +their fate. + +The schnapper, the best of all Australian fish, is too well known to +English visitors to describe in detail. Most town-bred Australians +generally regard it as a purely ocean-loving fish, or at least only +frequenting very deep waters in deep harbours, such as Sydney, Jervis +Bay, and Twofold Bay. This is quite a mistake, for in many of the +rivers, twenty or more miles up from the sea, the writer and many other +people have not only caught these beautiful fish, but seen fishermen +haul in their nets filled with them. But they seldom remain long, +preferring the blue depths of ocean to the muddy bottoms of tidal +rivers, for they are rock-haunting and surf-loving. + +Of late years the northern bar harbours and rivers of New South Wales +have been visited by a fish that in my boyhood's days was unknown even +to the oldest fisherman--the bonito. Although in shape and size they +exactly resemble the ocean bonito of tropic seas, these new arrivals are +lighter in colour, with bands of marbled grey along the sides and belly. +They bite freely at a running bait--_i.e.,_ when a line is towed astern, +and are very good when eaten quite fresh, but, like all of the mackerel +tribe, rapidly deteriorate in a few hours after being caught. The +majority of the coast settlers will not eat them, being under the idea +that, as they are all but scaleless, they are "poisonous." This silly +impression also prevails with regard to many other scaleless fish on the +Australian coast, some of which, such as the trevally, are among the +best and most delicate in flavour. The black and white rock cod is also +regarded with aversion by the untutored settlers of the small coast +settlements, yet these fish are sold in Sydney, like the schnapper, at +prohibitive prices. + +In conclusion, let me advise any one who is contemplating a visit to +Australia, and means to devote any of his time to either river or sea +fishing, to take his rods with him; all the rest of his tackle he can +buy as cheap in the colonies as he can in England. Rods are but little +used in salt-water fishing in Australia, and are rather expensive. Those +who do use a rod are usually satisfied with a bamboo--a very good rod +it makes, too, although inconvenient to carry when travelling--but the +generality of people use hand lines. And the visitor must not be +persuaded that he can always get good fishing without going some +distance from Sydney or Melbourne. That there is some excellent sport to +be obtained in Port Jackson in summer is true, but it is lacking in a +very essential thing--the quietude that is dear to the heart of every +true fisherman. + + + + +_Denison Gets Another Ship_ + + +Owing to reduced circumstances, and a growing hatred of the hardships of +the sea, young Tom Denison (ex-supercargo of the South Sea Island +trading schooner _Palestine_) had sailed from Sydney to undertake the +management of an alleged duck-farm in North Queensland. The ducks, and +the vast area of desolation in which they suffered a brief existence, +were the property of a Cooktown bank, the manager of which was Denison's +brother. He was a kind-hearted man, who wanted to help Tom along in the +world, and, therefore, was grieved when at the end of three weeks the +latter came into Cooktown humping his swag, smoking a clay pipe, and +looking exceedingly tired, dirty, and disreputable generally. However, +all might have gone well even then had not Mrs. Aubrey Denison, the +brother's wife, unduly interfered and lectured Tom on his "idle and +dissolute life," as she called it, and made withering remarks about the +low tastes of sailors other than captains of mail steamers or officers +in the Navy. Tom, who intended to borrow L10 from his brother to pay his +passage back to Sydney to look for a ship, bore it all in silence, and +then said that he should like to give up the sea and become a +missionary in the South Seas, where he was "well acquainted with the +natives." + +Mrs. Aubrey (who was a very refined young lady) smiled contemptuously, +and turned down the corners of her pretty little mouth in a manner that +made the unsuccessful duck-farmer boil with suppressed fury, as she +remarked that _she_ had heard of some of the shocking stories he had +been telling the accountant and cashier of the _characters_ of the +people in the South Seas, and _she_ quite understood _why_ he wished to +return there and re-associate with his vulgar and wicked companions. +Now, she added, had he stuck bravely to work with the ducks, the Bank +(she uttered the word "Bank" in the tone of reverence as one would say +"The Almighty") would have watched his career with interest, and in time +his brother would have used his influence with the General Manager to +obtain a position for him, Tom Denison, in the Bank itself! But, judging +from _her_ knowledge of his (Tom's) habits and disposition, she would be +doing wrong to hold out the slightest hope for him now, and------ + +"Look here, Maud, you're only twenty-two--two years older than me, and +you talk like an old grandmother;" and then his wrath overpowered his +judgment--"and you'll look like one before you're twenty-five. Don't you +lecture _me_. I'm not your husband, _thank Heaven above_! And damn the +bank and its carmine ducks." (He did not say "carmine," but I study the +proprieties, and this is not a sanguinary story.) + +From the weatherboard portals of the bank Tom strode out in undisguised +anger, and obtained employment on a collier, discharging coals. Then, by +an extraordinary piece of good luck, he got a billet as proof-reader on +the North Queensland _Trumpet Call_, from which, after an exciting three +weeks, he was dismissed for "general incompetency and wilful neglect of +his duties." So with sorrow in his heart he had turned to the +ever-resourceful sea again for a living. He worked his passage down to +Sydney in an old, heart-broken, wheezing steamer named the _You Yangs_, +and stepped jauntily ashore with sixteen shillings in his pocket, some +little personal luggage rolled up in his blanket, and an unlimited +confidence in his own luck. + +Two vessels were due from the South Sea Islands in about a month, and as +the skippers were both well known to and were on friendly terms with +him, he felt pretty certain of getting a berth as second mate or +supercargo on one of them. Then he went to look for a quiet lodging. + +This was soon found, and then realising the fact that sixteen shillings +would not permit him viewing the sights of Sydney and calling upon the +Governor, as is the usual procedure with intellectual and dead-broke +Englishmen who come to Australia with letters of introduction from +people who are anxious to get rid of them, he tried to get temporary +employment by applying personally at the leading warehouses and +merchants' offices. The first day he failed; also the second. On the +third day the secretary of a milk company desired him to call again in +three days. He did, and was then told by the manager that he "might +have something" for him in a month or two. This annoyed Tom, as he had +put on his sole clean collar that morning to produce a good impression. +He asked the official if six months would not suit him better, as he +wanted to go away on a lengthy fishing trip with the Attorney-General. +The manager looked at him in a dignified manner, and then bade him an +abrupt good-day. + +A week passed. Funds were getting low. Eight shillings had been paid in +advance for his room, and he had spent five in meals. But he was not +despondent; the _Susannah Booth_, dear, comfortable old wave-puncher, +beloved of hard-up supercargoes, was due in a week, and, provided he +could inspire his landlady with confidence until then, all would be +well. + +But the day came when he had to spend his last shilling, and after a +fruitless endeavour to get a job on the wharves to drive one of the many +steam winches at work discharging cargo from the various ships, he +returned home in disgust. + +That night, as he sat cogitating in his bedroom over his lucklessness, +his eye fell on a vegetable monstrosity from Queensland, presented to +him by one of the hands on board the _You Yangs_. It was a huge, dried +bean-pod, about four feet long, and contained about a dozen large black +beans, each about the size of a watch. He had seen these beans, after +the kernels were scooped out, mounted with silver, and used as +match-boxes by bushmen and other Australian gentry. It at once occurred +to him that he might sell it. Surely the thing ought to be worth at +least five shillings. + +In two minutes he was out in the street, but to his disgust found most +of the shops closed, except the very small retail establishments. + +Entering a little grocery store, he approached the proprietor, a man +with a pale, gargoyle-like face, and unpleasant-looking, raggedy teeth, +and showing him the bean, asked him to buy it. + +The merchant looked at it with some interest and asked Tom what it was +called. + +Tom said it was a _Locomotor Ataxy_. (He didn't know what a _locomotor +ataxy_ was; but it sounded well, and was all the Latin he knew, having +heard from his mother that a dissolute brother of hers had been +afflicted with that complaint, superinduced by spirituous liquors.) + +The grocer-man turned the vegetable over and over again in his hand, and +then asked the would-be vendor if he had any more. Tom said he hadn't. +The _locomotor ataxy_, he remarked, was a very rare bean, and very +valuable. But he would sell it cheap--for five shillings. + +"Don't want it," said the man rudely, pushing it away contemptuously. +"It's only a faked-up thing anyway, made of paper-mashy." + +Tom tried to convince him that the thing was perfectly genuine, and +actually grew on a vine in North Queensland; but the Notre Dame +gargoyle-featured person only heard him with a snort of contempt. It was +obvious he wouldn't buy it. So, sneeringly observing to the grocer that +no doubt five shillings was a large sum for a man in such a small way of +business as he was, Tom went out again into the cold world. + +He tried several other places, but no one would even look at the thing. +After vainly tramping about for over two hours, he turned away towards +his lodging, feeling very dispirited, and thinking about breakfast. + +Turning up a side street called Queen's Place, so as to make a short cut +home, he espied in a dimly-lighted little shop an old man and a boy +working at the cobbler trade. They had honest, intelligent faces, and +looked as if they wanted to buy a _locomotor ataxy_ very badly. He +tapped at the door and then entered. + +"Would you like to buy this?" he said to the old man. He did not like to +repeat his foolish Latin nonsense, for the old fellow had such a worn, +kindly face, and his honest, searching eyes met his in such a way that +he felt ashamed to ask him to buy what could only be worthless rubbish +to him. + +The cobbler looked at the monstrosity wonderingly. "'Tis a rare big +bean," he said, in the trembling quaver of old age, and with a mumbling +laugh like that of a pleased child. "I'll give you two shillin's for it. +I suppose you want money badly, or else you wouldn't be wanderin' about +at ten o'clock at night tryin' to sell it. I hope you come by it honest, +young man?" + +Tom satisfied him on this score, and then the ancient gave him the two +shillings. Bidding him good-night, Tom returned home and went to bed. + +(Quite two years after, when Denison returned to Sydney from the South +Seas with more money "than was good for his moral welfare," as his +sister-in-law remarked, he sought out the old cobbler gentleman and +bought back his _locomotor ataxy_ bean for as many sovereigns as he had +been given shillings for it.) + +Next morning he was down at the wharves before six o'clock, smoking his +pipe contentedly, after breakfasting sumptuously at a coffee-stall for +sixpence. There was a little American barque lying alongside the +Circular Quay, and some of the hands were bending on her head-sails. Tom +sat down on the wharf stringer dangling his feet and watching them +intently. Presently the mate appeared on the poop, smoking a cigar. He +looked at Tom critically for a moment or so, and then said-- + +"Looking for a ship, young feller?" + +The moment Tom heard him speak, he jumped to his feet, for he knew the +voice, last heard when the possessor of it was mate of the island +trading schooner _Sadie Caller_, a year before in Samoa. + +"Is that you, Bannister?" he cried. + +"Reckon 'taint no one else, young feller. Why, Tom Denison, is it you? +Step right aboard." + +Tom was on the poop in an instant, the mate coming to him with +outstretched hand. + +"What's the matter, Tom? Broke?" + +"Stony!" + +"Sit down here and tell me all about it. I heard you had left the +_Palestine_. Say, sling that dirty old pipe overboard, and take one of +these cigars. The skipper will be on deck presently, and the sight of it +would rile him terrible. He hez his new wife aboard, and she considers +pipes ez low-down." + +Tom laughed as he thought of Mrs. Aubrey, and flung his clay over the +side. "What ship is this, Bannister?" + +"The _J.W. Seaver_, of 'Frisco. We're from the Gilbert Islands with a +cargo of copra." + +"Who is your supercargo?" + +"Haven't got one. Can't get one here, either. Say, Tom, you're the man. +The captain will jump at getting you! Since he married he considers his +life too valuable to be trusted among natives, and funks at going ashore +and doing supercargo's work. Now you come below, and I'll rake out +enough money to get you a high-class suit of store clothes and shiny +boots. Then you come back to dinner. I'll talk to him between then and +now. He knows a lot about you. I'll tell him that since you left the +_Palestine_ you've been touring your native country to 'expand your +mind.' _She's_ Boston, as ugly as a brown stone jug, and highly +intellectual. _He's_ all right, and as good a sailor-man as ever trod a +deck, but _she's_ boss, runs the ship, and looks after the crew's +morals. Thet's why we're short-handed. But she'll take to you like +lightning--when she hears that you've been 'expanding your mind.' Buy a +second-hand copy of Longfellow's, poems, and tell her that it has been +your constant companion in all your wanderings among vicious cannibals, +and she'll just decorate your cabin like a prima-donna's boudoir, darn +your socks, and make you read some of her own poetry." + +That afternoon, Mr. Thomas Denison, clean-shirted and looking eminently +respectable and prosperous, and feeling once more a man after the +degrading duck episode in North Queensland, was strolling about George +Street with Bannister, and at peace with the world and himself. For the +skipper's wife had been impressed with his intellectuality and modest +demeanour, and was already at work decorating his cabin--as Bannister +had prophesied. + + + + +_Jack Shark's Pilot_ + + +Early one morning as we in the _Palestine_, South Sea trading schooner, +were sailing slowly between Fotuna and Alofa--two islands lying to the +northward of Fiji--one of the native hands came aft and reported two +large sharks alongside. The mate at once dived below for his shark hook, +while I tried to find a suitable bit of beef in the harness cask. Just +as the mate appeared carrying the heavy hook and chain, our skipper, who +was lying on the skylight smoking his pipe, although half asleep, +inquired if there were "any pilot fish with the brutes." + +"Yes, sir," said a sailor who was standing in the waist, looking over +the side, "there's quite a lot of 'em. I've never seen so many at one +time before. There's nigh on a dozen." + +The captain was on his feet in an instant. "Don't lower that hook of +yours just yet, Porter," he said to the mate. "I'm going to get those +pilot fish first. Tom, bring me up my small fishing line." + +"They won't take a hook, will they?" I inquired. + +"Just you wait and see, sonny. Ever taste pilot fish?" + +"No. Are they good to eat?" + +"Best fish in the ocean, barring flying-fish," replied the skipper, as, +after examining his line, he cut off both hook and leaden sinker and +bent on a small-sized _pa_--a native-made bonito hook cut out from a +solid piece of pearl-shell. + +Then jumping up into the whaleboat which hung in davits on the starboard +quarter he waited for the sharks to appear, and the mate and I leant +over the side and watched. We had not long to wait, for in a few minutes +one came swimming quickly up from astern, and was almost immediately +joined by the other, which had been hanging about amidships. They were +both, however, pretty deep down, and at first I could not discern any +pilot fish. The captain, however, made a cast and the hook dropped in +the water, about fifty feet in the rear of the sharks; he let it sink +for less than half a minute, and then began hauling in the line as +quickly as possible, and at the same moment I saw some of the pilot fish +quite distinctly--some swimming alongside and some just ahead of their +detestable companions, which were now right under the counter. Then +something gleamed brightly, and the shining hook appeared, for a second +or two only, for two of the "pilots" darted after it with lightning-like +rapidity, and presently one came to the surface with a splash, +beautifully hooked, and was swung up into the boat. + +"Now for some fun," cried the captain, as tossing the fish to us on deck +he again lowered the hook. This time it had barely touched the surface +of the water when away went the line with a rush right under our keel. + +"This is a big fellow," said the skipper, and up came another dark blue +and silver beauty about a foot in length, dropping off the hook just in +time as he was hoisted clear of the gunwale. Then, in less than ten +minutes--so eager were they to rush the hook the moment it struck the +water--five more were jumping about upon the deck or in the boat. Then +came a calamity, the eighth fish dropped off when half way up and took +the hook with him, having swallowed it and bitten through the line. + +The captain jumped on deck again and began rooting out his bag for +another small-sized _pa_, but to his disgust could not find one ready +for use--none of them having the actual "hook" portion lashed to the +shank, and the operation of lashing one of these cleverly-made native +hooks takes some little time and patience, for the holes which are bored +through the base of the "hook" part in order to lash it to the shank are +very small, and only very fine and strong cord, such as banana-fibre, +can be used. However, while the irate captain was fussing over his task, +the mate and I were watching the movements of the sharks and their +little friends with the greatest interest, having promised the captain +not to lower the shark hook till he had caught the rest of the pilot +fish, for he assured us that they would most likely disappear after the +sharks were captured. (I learned from my own experience afterward that +he was mistaken, for when a shark is caught at sea his attendants will +frequently remain with the ship for weeks, or until another shark +appears, in which case they at once attach themselves to him.) + +Both sharks were now swimming almost on the surface, so close to the +ship that they could have been caught in a running bowline or harpooned +with the greatest ease; and in fact our native crew, who were very +partial to shark's flesh, had both harpoon and bowline in readiness in +case the cunning brutes would not take a bait. They were both of great +size--the largest being over twelve or thirteen feet in length. With the +smaller one were three pilot fish, one swimming directly under the end +of its nose, the others just over its eyes; the larger had but one +attendant, which kept continually changing its position, sometimes being +on one side, then on another, then disappearing for a few moments +underneath the monster's belly, or pressing itself so closely against +the creature's side that it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had +never before seen these fish at such close quarters, and their +extraordinary activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions +was most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the sharks +would cease moving, they would take up a position within a few inches of +its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then swim under its belly and +reappear at the tail, then slowly make their way along its back or sides +to the hideous head again. Sometimes, either singly or all together, +they would dart away on either side, but quickly returned, never being +absent more than a minute. These brief excursions showed them to be +extremely swift, yet when they returned to their huge companions they +instantly became--at least to all appearance--intensely sluggish and +languid in their movements, and swam in an undecided, indefinite sort of +manner as if thoroughly exhausted. But this was but in appearance, for +suddenly they would again shoot away along the surface of the water with +lightning-like rapidity, disappear from view of the keenest eye, and, +ere you could count five, again be beside the vessel swimming as +leisurely, if not as lazily, as if they were incapable of quickening +their speed. + +Having his line ready again, the captain now began fishing from the +stern, and succeeded in catching three of the remaining four, the last +one (which our natives said was the fish which had swallowed the first +hook) refusing even to look at the tempting bit of iridescent +pearl-shell. Then the impatient mate lowered his bait over the stern, +having first passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four +of the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller of the +two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up alongside amidships +struggled and lashed about so furiously that the big fellow came +lumbering up to see what was the matter, and Billy Rotumah, our native +boatswain, who was watching for him, promptly drove a harpoon socket +deeply into him between the shoulders; then, after some difficulty, a +couple of running bowlines settled them both in a comfortable position +to be stunned with an axe. + +The schooner was at this time within a few miles of a small village on +Alofa, named Mua, and presently a boat manned by natives boarded us to +sell yams, taro, pineapples, and bananas, all of which we bought from +them in exchange for the sharks' livers and some huge pieces of flesh +weighing two or three hundred pounds. These people (who resemble the +Samoans in appearance and language) were much impressed and terrified +when they saw the pilot fish which had been caught, and told our crew +that ours would be an unlucky ship--that we had done a dangerous and +foolish thing. Their feeling on the subject was strong; for when I asked +them if they would take two or three of the fish on shore to Father +Herve, one of the French priests living on Fotuna, who was an old +friend, they started back in mingled terror and indignation, and +absolutely declined to even touch them. Taking one of the pilot fish up +I held it by the head between my forefinger and thumb and asked the +natives if they did not consider it good to look at. + +"True," replied a fine, stalwart young fellow, speaking in Samoan, "it +is good to look at," and then he added gravely, "_Talofa lava ia te +outou i le vaa nei, ua lata mai ne aso malaia ma le tiga|_" ("Alas for +all you people on this ship, there is a day of disaster and sorrow near +you"). + +I tried to ascertain the cause of their terror, but could only elicit +the statement that to kill a pilot fish meant direful misfortune. No +sensible man, they asserted, would do such a senseless and _saua_ +(cruel) thing, and to eat one was an abomination unutterable. + +As soon as our visitors had left I hurried to make a closer examination +of our prizes before the cook took possession of them. Of the eleven, +only one was over a foot in length, the rest ranged from five to ten +inches. The beautiful dark blue of the head and along the back, so +noticeable when first caught, had now lost its brilliancy, and the four +wide vertical black stripes on the sides had also become dulled, +although the silvery belly was still as bright as a new dollar. The eyes +were rather large for such a small fish, and all the fins were +blue-black, with a narrow white line running along the edges. Their +appearance even an hour after death was very handsome, and in shape they +were much like a very plump trout. In the stomachs of some we found +small flying squid, little shrimps, and other Crustacea. + +Our Manila-man cook, although not a genius, certainly knew how to fry +fish, and that morning we had for breakfast some of Jack Shark's +pilots--the most delicately-flavoured deep-sea fish I have ever +tasted--except, perhaps, that wonderful and beautiful creature, the +flying-fish. + + + + +_The "Palu" of the Equatorial Pacific_ + + +During a residence of half a lifetime among the various island-groups of +the North-western and South Pacific, I devoted much of my spare +time--and I had plenty of it occasionally--to deep-sea fishing, my +tutors being the natives of the Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert, and Ellice +Groups. + +The inhabitants of the last-named cluster of islands are, as I have +said, the most skilled fishermen of all the Malayo-Polynesian peoples +with whom it has been my fortune to have come in contact. The very +poverty of their island homes--mere sandbanks covered with coconut and +pandanus palms only--drives them to the sea for their food; for the +Ellice Islanders, unlike their more fortunate prototypes who dwell in +the forest-clad, mountainous, and fertile islands of Samoa, Tahiti, +Raratonga, &c., live almost exclusively upon coconuts, the drupes of the +pandanus palm, and fish. From their very infancy they look to the sea as +the main source of their food-supply, either in the clear waters of the +lagoon, among the breaking surf on the reef, or out in the blue depths +of the ocean beyond. From morn till night the frail canoes of these +semi-nude, brown-skinned, and fearless toilers of the sea may be seen by +the voyager paddling swiftly over the rolling swell of the wide Pacific +in chase of the _bonito_, or lying motionless upon the water, miles and +miles away from the land, ground-fishing with lines a hundred fathoms +long. Then, as the sun dips, the flare of torches will be seen along the +sandy beaches as the night-seekers of flying-fish launch their canoes +and urge them through the rolling surf beyond the reef, where, for +perhaps three or four hours, they will paddle slowly to and fro, just +outside the white line of roaring breakers, and return to the shore with +their tiny craft half-filled with the most beautiful and wonderful fish +in the world. The Ellice Island method of catching flying-fish would +take too long to explain here, much as I should like to do so; my +purpose is to describe a very remarkable fish called the _palu_, in the +capture of which these people are the most skilful. The catching of +flying-fish, however, bears somewhat on the subject of this article, as +the _palu_ will not take any other bait but a flying-fish, and therefore +a supply of the former is a necessary preliminary to _palu_ fishing. + +Let us imagine, then, that the bait has been secured, and that a party +of _palu_-fishers are ready to set out from the little island of +Nanomaga, the smallest but most thickly populated of the Ellice Group. +The night must be windless and moonless, the latter condition being +absolutely indispensable, although, curiously enough, the fish will +take the hook on an ordinary starlight night. Time after time have I +tried my luck with either a growing or a waning moon, much to the +amusement of the natives, and never once did I get a _palu_, although +other nocturnal-feeding fish bit freely enough. + +The tackle used by the natives is made of coconut cinnet, four or +eight-stranded, of great strength, and capable of holding a fifteen-foot +shark should one of these prowlers seize the bait. The hook is made of +wood--in fact, the same as is used for shark-fishing--about one inch and +a half in diameter, fourteen inches in the shank, with a natural curve; +the barb, or rather that which answers the purpose of a barb, being +supplied by a small piece lashed horizontally across the top of the end +of the curve. These peculiar wooden hooks are _grown_; the roots of a +tree called _ngiia_, whose wood is of great toughness, are watched when +they protrude from a bank, and trained into the desired shape; specimens +of these hooks may be seen in almost any ethnographical museum. To sink +the line, coral stones of three or four pounds weight are used, attached +by a very thin piece of cinnet or bark, which, when the fish is struck, +is always broken by its struggles, and falls off, thus releasing the +line from an unnecessary weight. It is no light task hauling in a thick, +heavy line, hanging straight up and down for a length of from +seventy-five to a hundred fathoms or more! + +Each canoe is manned by four men, only two of whom usually fish, the +other two, one at the bow and the other at the stern, being employed in +keeping the little craft in a stationary position with their paddles. +If, however, there is not much current all four lower their lines, one +man working his paddle with one hand so as to keep from drifting. My +usual companions were the resident native teacher and two stalwart young +natives of the island--Tulu'ao and Muli'ao; and I may here indulge in a +little vanity when I say that my success as a _palu_-fisher was regarded +as something phenomenal, only one other white man in the group, a trader +on the atoll of Funafuti, having ever caught a _palu_, or, in fact, +tried to catch one. But then I had such beautiful tackle that even the +most skilled native fisherman had no chance when competing with me. My +lines were of twenty-seven-strand white American cotton, as thick as a +small goose-quill, and easily handled, never tangling or twisting like +the native cinnet; and my hooks were the admiration and envy of all who +saw them. They were of the "flatted" Kirby type, eyed, but with a curve +in the shank, which was five inches in length, and as thick as a +lead-pencil. I had bought these in Sydney, and during the voyage down +had rigged them with snoodings of the very best seizing wire, intending +to use them for shark-fishing. I had smaller ones down to three inches, +but always preferred using the largest size, as the _palu_ has a large +mouth, and it is a difficult matter in a small canoe on a dark night to +free a hook embedded in the gullet of a fish which is awkward to handle +even when exhausted, and weighing as much as sixty or seventy pounds; +while I also knew that any unusual noise or commotion would be almost +sure to attract some of those most dangerous of all night-prowlers of +the Pacific, the deep-water blue shark. + +Paddling out due westward from the lee side of the island, where the one +village is situated, we would bring-to in about seventy or eighty +fathoms. As I always used leaden sinkers, my companions invariably let +me lower first to test the depth, as with a two or three-pound lead my +comparatively thin line took but little time in running out and touching +bottom. A whole flying-fish was used for one bait by the natives, it +being tied on to the inner curve of the great wooden hook, whilst I cut +one in half, fore-and-aft, and ran my hook through it lengthwise. + +The utmost silence was always observed; and even when lighting our pipes +we were always careful not to let the reflection of the flame of the +match fall upon the water, on account of the sharks, which would at once +be attracted to the canoe, and hover about until they were rewarded for +their vigilance by seizing the first _palu_ brought to the surface. +Sometimes a hungry shark will seize the outrigger in his jaws, or get +foul of it, and upset the canoe, and a capsize under such circumstances +is a serious matter indeed. For this reason the canoes are never far +apart from each other; if one should be attacked or disabled by a shark +the others at once render assistance, and the shark is usually thrust +through with a lance if he is too big to be captured and killed. All +haste is then made to get away from the spot, leaving the disturber of +the proceedings to be devoured by his companions, whom the scent of +blood soon brings upon the scene. + +With ordinary luck we would get our first _palu_ within an hour of +lowering our lines. At such a great depth as eighty or ninety fathoms a +bite would scarcely be felt by one of my companions on his thick, heavy, +and clumsy line; but on mine it was very different, and there was hardly +an occasion on which I did not secure the first fish. Like most +bottom-haunting fish in very deep water the _palu_ makes but a brief +fight. If he can succeed in "getting his head," he will at once rush +into the coral forest amid which he lives, and endeavour to save himself +by jamming his body into a cleft or chasm of rock, and let the hook be +torn from his jaws, which are soft, boneless, and glutinous. Once, +however, he is dragged clear of the coral he seems to lose all heart; +and, although he makes an occasional spurt, he grows weaker and weaker +as he is dragged toward the surface, and when lifted into the canoe is +apparently lifeless, his large eyes literally standing out of his head, +and his stomach distended like a balloon. So enormous is the distention +of the bladder that sometimes it will protrude from the mouth, and then +burst with a noise like a pistol-shot! Perhaps some of my readers will +smile at this, but they could see the same thing occur with other +deep-sea fish besides the _palu_. In the Caroline and Marshall Islands +there is a species of grey groper which is caught in a depth ranging +from one hundred to one hundred and fifty fathoms; these fish, which +range up to two hundred pounds, actually burst their stomachs when +brought to the surface; for the air in the cavities of the body expands +on the removal of the great pressure which at such depths keeps it +compressed. + +Now as to the appearance of the _palu_. When first caught, and seen by +the light of a lantern or torch, it is a dark, silvery grey in colour, +with prickly, inverted scales--like the feathers of a French fowl of a +certain breed. The head is somewhat cod-shaped, with eyes quite as large +as a crown-piece; the teeth are many, small, and soft, and bend to a +firm pressure; and the bones in the fin and tail are so soft and +flexible that they may be bent into any shape, but when dried are of the +appearance and consistency of gelatine. The length of the largest _palu_ +I have seen was five feet six inches, with a girth of about forty +inches. This one was caught in about ninety fathoms of water; and when I +opened the stomach I found it to contain five or six undigested fish, +about seven inches in length, of the groper species, and for which the +natives of the island had no name or knowledge of beyond the appellation +_ika kehe_--"unknown fish"--that is, fish which are only seen when taken +from the stomach of a deep-sea fish, or are brought to the surface or +washed ashore after some submarine disturbance. + +The flesh of the _palu_ is greatly valued by the natives of the +equatorial islands of the Pacific for its medicinal qualities as a +laxative, whilst the oil with which it is permeated is much used as a +remedy for rheumatism and similar complaints. Within half an hour of its +being taken from the water the skin changes to a dead black, and the +flesh assumes the appearance of whale blubber. Generally, the fish is +cooked in the usual native ground-oven as quickly as possible, care +being taken to wrap it closely up in the broad leaves of the _puraka_ +plant--a species of gigantic taro--in order that none of the oil may be +lost. Thinking that the oil, which is perfectly colourless and with +scarcely any odour, might prove of value, I once "tried out" two of the +largest fish taken, and obtained a gallon. This I sent to a firm of +drug-merchants in Sydney; but unfortunately the vessel was lost on the +passage. + +The _palu_ does not seem to have a wide habitat. In the Tonga Islands it +is, I believe, very rare; and in Fiji, Samoa, and other mountainous +groups throughout Polynesia the natives appear to have no knowledge of +it, although they have a fish possessing the same peculiar +characteristics, but of a somewhat different shape. I have fished for it +without success at half a dozen places in Samoa, in New Britain, and New +Ireland. But it is generally to be found about the coasts of any of the +low-lying coral islands of the Union (or Tokelau) Group, the Ellice, +Gilbert, Marshall, and part of the Caroline archipelagoes. The Gilbert +Islanders call it _te ika ne peka_--a name that cannot well be +translated into bald English, though there is a very lucid Latin +equivalent. + +In 1882 I took passage from the Island of Nukufetau in the Ellice Group +for the Caroline Islands. The vessel was a fine brigantine of 160 tons, +and was named the _Orwell_. She was, unfortunately, commanded by an +incompetent, obstinate, self-willed man, who, though a good seaman, had +no meteorological knowledge and succeeded in losing the ship, when lying +at anchor, on Peru Island, in the Gilbert Group, ten days after leaving +Nukufetau, simply through disregarding the local trader's advice to put +to sea. Disastrous as was the incident to me, for I lost trade goods and +personal effects to the value of over a thousand pounds, and came ashore +with what I stood in--to wit, a pyjama suit--and a bag of Chili dollars, +I had reason to afterwards congratulate myself from a fisherman's point +of view. + +Living on the island was a Swiss, Frank Voliero, whom I have before +mentioned. He was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and was on that account +highly respected by the natives, who otherwise did not care for him, as +he was of an exceedingly quarrelsome disposition. He was an expert +_palu_ man, and he and I therefore quickly made Island _bruderschaft_. +During the three months I remained on Peru we had many fishing trips, +and caught not less than fifty _palu_. The largest of these was +evidently a patriarch, for although he was in rather poor condition he +weighed 136 lbs. and was 6 feet 10 inches in length. Another, hooked at +a depth of eighty-five fathoms, was only 5 feet 2 inches, and weighed +129 lbs. Its stomach contained a small octopus with curiously stunted +tentacles, almost as thick at the tips as they were at the base, but in +all other respects similar to those found in shallow water upon the +reefs and in the lagoon. + +Both Voliero and myself tried many kinds of bait for _palu,_ believing +that the native theory that the fish would only take flying-fish was +wrong. We found that on Peru, any elongated fish, such as gars, silvery +mullet, or young bonito, were acceptable, and that the tentacle of an +octopus, after the outer skin was removed, answered just as well. Yet +further southward among the Pacific Isles, flying-fish is the only bait +they will take! Evidently, therefore, the _palu_, at the great depths in +which it lives, is attracted by a brightly-hued fish whose habitat is on +the surface of the ocean. Why this is so must be decided by +ichthyologists, for there are no bright, silvery-scaled fish inhabiting +the ocean at such depths as eighty or a hundred fathoms. And why is it +that the _palu,_ quiescent by day, and feeding only at night, so eagerly +seizes a hook baited with a flying-fish--a fish which never descends +more than a few fathoms below the surface, and which the _palu_ can +never possibly see except when it is lowered by human hands to, or sinks +to the bottom? + +Of the marvellous efficacy of the _palu_-oil in a case of acute +rheumatism I can speak with knowledge. The second mate of an +island-trading schooner of which I was the supercargo, was landed at +Arorai, in the Line Islands, unable to move, and suffering great agony. +After two days' massaging with _palu_-oil he recovered and returned to +his duties. + +[Since this was written I have learned that Mr. E.R. Waite, of the +Sydney Museum, has described the _palu_ as the _Ruvettus pretiosus_, +"which hitherto was known only from the North Atlantic, and whose +recorded range is now enormously increased. The Escolar--to give it its +Atlantic name--has been taken at depths as great as three and four +hundred fathoms, but can only be taken at night in September and the +early part of October." I should very much like to learn how the _palu_ +is taken at a depth of four hundred fathoms--eight hundred yards!] + + + + +_The Wily "Goanner"_ + + +In the early part of the year 1899 a settler named Hardy, residing at +Glenowlan, in the Rylstone district of New South Wales, about 150 miles +from Sydney, lost numbers of his lambs during the lambing season. +Naturally enough, dingoes were suspected, but none were seen. Then other +sheep--men began to lose lambs, and a close watch was set, with the +result that iguanas, which are very numerous in this part of the +country, were discovered to be the murderers of the little "baa-baa's." +The cause of this new departure in the predatory habits of the +"goanner"--which hitherto had confined his evil deeds to nocturnal +visits to the fowl-yards--is stated to be the extermination of the +opossum, which has driven the cunning reptile to seek for another source +of food. And, as before the shooting of kangaroos, wallabies, and +opossums was resorted to as a means of livelihood by hundreds of bushmen +who had no other employment open to them, the young of these marsupials +furnished the iguana with an ample supply of food, the theory is very +probably correct. Poison will be the only method of destroying or +reducing the numbers of the iguana, who, robber as he is, yet has his +good points, as has even the sneaking, blood-loving native cat--for both +are merciless foes to snakes of all kinds; and 'tis better to have an +energetic and hungry native cat and a score of wily iguanas working +havoc among the tenants of your fowl-house than one brown or an equally +deadly "bandy-bandy" snake within half a mile. + +In that part of New South Wales in which the writer was born--one of the +tidal rivers on the northern coast--both snakes and iguanas were +plentiful, and a source of continual worry to the settlers. + +On one occasion some boyish companions and myself set to work to build a +raft for fishing purposes out of some old and discarded blue gum rails +which were lying along the bank of the river. Boy-like, we utterly +disregarded our parents' admonition to put on our boots, and, aided by a +couple of blackfellows, we moved about the long grass on our bare feet, +picking up the heavy rails and carrying them on our shoulders, one by +one, down to the sandy beach, where we were to lash them together. +Presently we came across a very heavy rail, about eight feet long, +twelve inches in width, and two inches thick. It was no sooner up-ended +than we saw half a dozen "bandy-bandies"--the smallest but most deadly +of Australian snakes, not even excepting the death-adder--lying beneath! +We gave a united yell of terror and fled as the black and yellow banded +reptiles--none of which were over eighteen inches in length nor thicker +than a man's little finger--wriggled between our feet into the long +grass around us. For some minutes we were too frightened at our escape +to speak; but soon set to work to complete the raft. Presently one of +the blackfellows pointed to a tall honeysuckle-tree about fifty feet +away, and said with a gleeful chuckle, "Hallo, you see him that 'pfeller +goanner been catch him bandy-bandy?" + +Sure enough, an iguana, about three feet in length, was scurrying up the +rough, ridgy bark of the honeysuckle with a "bandy-bandy" in his jaws. +He had seized the snake by its head, I imagine, for we could see the +rest of its form twisting and turning about and enveloping the body of +its capturer. In a few seconds we saw the iguana ascend still higher, +then he disappeared with his hateful prey among the loftier branches. No +doubt he enjoyed his meal. + +About a year or so later I was given another instance of the "cuteness" +of the wicked "goanner." My sister (aged twelve) and myself (two years +younger) were fishing with bamboo rods for mullet. We were standing, one +on each side, of the rocky edges of a tiny little bay on the coast near +Port Macquarie (New South Wales). The background was a short, steep +beach of soft, snow-white sand, fringed at the high-water margin with a +dense jungle of wild apple and pandanus-trees. + +The mullet bit freely, and as we swung the gleaming, bright-silvered +fish out of the water on to the rocks on which we stood, we threw them +up on to the beach, and left them to kick about and coat themselves with +the clean, white sand--which they did in such an artistic manner that +one would imagine they considered it egg and breadcrumb, and were +preparing themselves to fulfil their ultimate and proper use to the +_genus homo_. + +My sister had caught seven and I five, when, the sun being amidships, we +decided to boil the billy of tea and get something to eat; young mullet, +roasted on a glowing fire of honeysuckle cobs were, we knew, very nice. +So, laying down our rods on the rocks, we walked up to the beach--just +in time to see two "goanners"--one of them with a wriggling mullet in +his mouth--scamper off into the bush. + +A careful search revealed the harrowing fact that nine of the twelve +fish were missing, and the multitudinous criss-cross tracks on the sand +showed the cause of their disappearance. My sister sat down on a hollow +log and wept, out of sheer vexation of spirit, while I lit a fire to +boil the billy and grill the three remaining mullet. Then after we had +eaten the fish and drank some tea, we concocted a plan of deadly +revenge. We took four large bream-hooks, bent them on to a piece of +fishing-line, baited each hook with a good-sized piece of octopus (our +mullet bait), and suspended the line between two saplings, about three +inches above the leaf-strewn ground. Then, feeling confident of the +success of our murderous device, we finished the billy of tea and went +back to our fishing. We caught a couple of dozen or more of fine mullet, +each one weighing not less than 1-1/2 lbs.; and then the incoming tide +with its sweeping seas drove us from the ledge of rocks to the beach, +where we changed our bamboo rods for hand-lines with sinkers, and flung +them, baited with chunks of mullet, out into the breaking surf for +sea-bream. By four in the afternoon we had caught more fish than we +could well carry home, five miles away; and after stringing the mullet +and bream through the gills with a strip of supple-jack cane, we went up +the beach to our camp for the billy can and basket. + +And then we saw a sight that struck terror into our guilty souls--a +_Danse Macabre_ of three writhing black and yellow, long-tailed +"goanners," twisting, turning and lashing their sinuous and scaly tails +in agony as they sought to free their widely-opened jaws from the cruel +hooks. One had two hooks in his mouth. He was the quietest of the lot, +as he had less purchase than the other two upon the ground, and with one +hook in his lower and one in his upper jaw, glared upwards at us in his +torture and smote his sides with his long, thin tail. + +"Oh, you wicked, wicked boy!" said my partner in guilt--at once shifting +the responsibility of the whole affair upon me--"you ought to be ashamed +of yourself for doing such a thing! You know well enough that we should +never hurt a poor, harmless iguana. Oh, _do_ take those horrible hooks +out of the poor things' mouths and let them go, you wicked, cruel boy!" + +With my heart in my mouth I crept round through the scrub, knife in +hand. + +"Go on, you horrible, horrible, coward!" screamed my sister; "one would +think that the poor things were alligators or sharks. Oh, my goodness, +if you're so frightened, I'll come and do it myself." With that she +clambered up into the branches of a pandanus-tree and looked at me +excitedly, mingled with considerable contempt and much fear. + +Being quite wise enough not to attempt to take the hooks out of the +"goanners'" mouths, I cut the two ends of the line to which they hung. +They instantly sought refuge on the tree trunks around them; but as each +"goanner" selected his individual tree, and as they were still connected +to each other by the line and the hooks in their jaws, their attempts to +reach a higher plane was a failure. So they fell to upon one another +savagely. + +"Come away, you wicked, thoughtless boy," said my sister, weepingly. "I +shall never come out with you again; you cruel thing." + +Then, overcoming my fear, I valiantly advanced, and gingerly extending +my arm, cut the tangled-up fishing line in a dozen places; and with my +bamboo fishing-rod disintegrated the combatants. They stood for a few +seconds, panting and open-mouthed, and then, with the hooks still fast +in their jaws, scurried away into the scrub. + + + + +_The Ta~nifa of Samoa_ + + +Many years ago, at the close of an intensely hot day, I set out from +Apia, the principal port of Samoa, to walk to a village named Laulii, a +few miles along the coast. Passing through the semi-Europeanised town of +Matautu, I emerged out upon the open beach. I was bound on a +pigeon-shooting trip to the mountains, but intended sleeping that night +at Laulii with some native friends who were to accompany me. With me was +a young Manhiki half-caste named Allan Strickland; he was about +twenty-two years of age and one of the most perfect specimens of +athletic manhood in the South Pacific.[15] For six months we had been +business partners and comrades in a small cutter in which we traded +between Apia and Sava'ii--the largest island of the Samoan group; and +now after some months of toil we were taking a week's holiday together, +and enjoying ourselves greatly, although at the time (1873) the country +was in the throes of an internecine war. + +A walk of a mile brought us to the mouth of the Vaivasa River, a small +stream flowing into the sea from the littoral on our right. The tide was +high and we therefore hailed a picket who were stationed in the trenches +on the opposite bank and asked them in a jocular manner not to fire at +us while we were wading across. To our surprise, for we were both well +known to and on very friendly terms with the contending parties, half a +dozen of them sprang up and excitedly bade us not to attempt to cross. + +"Go further up the bank and cross to our _olo_ (lines) in a canoe," +added a young Manono chief whose family I knew well, "there is a +_ta~nifa_ about. We saw it last night." + +That was quite enough for us--for the name _Ta~nifa_ sent a cold chill +down our backs. We turned to the right, and after walking a quarter of a +mile came to a hut on the bank at a spot regarded as neutral ground. +Here we found some women and children and a canoe, and in less than five +minutes we were landed on the other side, the women chorusing the +dreadful fate that would have befallen us had we attempted to cross at +the mouth of the river. + +"_E lima gafa le umi!_" ("'Tis five fathoms long!") cried one old dame. + +"And a fathom wide at the shoulders," said another bare-bosomed lady, +with a shudder. "It hath come to the mouth of the Vaivasa because it +hath smelt the blood of the three men who were killed in the river here +two days ago." + +"We'll hear the true yarn presently," said my companion as we walked +down the left-hand bank of the river. "There must be a _ta~nifa_ +cruising about, or else those Manono fellows wouldn't have been so +scared at us wanting to cross." + +As soon as we reached the young chief's quarters, we were made very +welcome, and were obliged to accept his invitation to remain and share +supper with himself and his men--all stalwart young natives from the +little island of Manono--a lovely spot situated in the straits +separating Upolo from Savaii. Placing our guns and bags in the care of +one of the warriors, we took our seats on the matted floor, filled our +pipes anew, and, whilst a bowl of kava was being prepared, Li'o, the +young chief told us about the advent of the _ta~nifa_. + +Let me first of all, however, explain that the _ta~nifa_ is a somewhat +rare and greatly-dreaded member of the old-established shark family. By +many white residents in Samoa it was believed to occasionally reach a +length of from twenty to twenty-five feet; as a matter of fact it seldom +exceeds ten feet, but its great girth, and its solitary, nocturnal habit +of haunting the mouths of shallow streams has invested it even to the +native mind with fictional powers of voracity and destruction. Yet, +despite the exaggerated accounts of the creature, it is really a +dreadful monster, rendered the more dangerous to human life by the +persistency with which it frequents muddied and shallow water, +particularly after a freshet caused by heavy rain, when its presence +cannot be discerned. + +Into the port of Apia there fall two small streams--called "rivers" by +the local people--the Mulivai and the Vaisigago, and I was fortunate to +see specimens of the _ta~nifa_ on three occasions, twice at the +Vaisigago, and once at the mouth of the Mulivai, but I had never seen +one caught, or even sufficiently exposed to give me an idea of its +proportions. Many natives, however--particularly an old Rarotongan named +Hapai, who lived in Apia, and was the proud capturer of several +_ta~nifa_--gave me a reliable description, which I afterwards +verified. + +A _ta~nifa_ ten feet long, they assured me, was an enormously bulky and +powerful creature with jaws and teeth much larger than an ocean-haunting +shark of double that length; the width across the shoulders was very +great, and although it generally swam slowly, it would, when it had once +sighted its prey, dart along under the water with great rapidity without +causing a ripple. At a village in Savaii, a powerfully built woman who +was incautiously bathing at the mouth of a stream was seized by one of +these sharks almost before she could utter a cry, so swiftly and +suddenly was she attacked. Several attempts were made to capture the +brute, which continued to haunt the scene of the tragedy for several +days, but it was too cunning to take a hook and was never caught. + +This particular _ta~nifa_, which had been seen by the young Manono +chief and his men on the preceding evening had made its appearance soon +after darkness had fallen and had cruised to and fro across the mouth of +the Vaivasa till the tide began to fall, when it made its way seaward +through a passage in the reef. It was, so Li'o assured me, quite eight +feet in length and very wide across the head and shoulders. The water +was clear and by the bright starlight they had discerned its movements +very easily; once it came well into the river and remained stationary +for some minutes, lying under about two feet of water. Some of the +Manono men, hailing a picket of the enemy on the opposite bank of the +river, asked for a ten minutes' truce to try and shoot it; this was +granted, and standing on top of the sandy trench, half a dozen young +fellows fired a volley at the shark from their Sniders. None of the +bullets took effect and the _ta~nifa_ sailed slowly off again to +cruise to and fro for another hour, watching for any hapless person who +might cross the river. + +Just as the kava was being handed round, some children who were on watch +cried out that the _ta~nifa_ had come. Springing to his feet, Li'o +again hailed the enemy's picket on the other side, and a truce was +agreed to, so that "the white men could have a look at the +_ma|lie_"--shark. + +Thirty or forty yards away was what seemed to be a huge, irregular and +waving mass of phosphorus which, as it drew nearer, revealed the +outlines of the dreaded fish. It came in straight for the mouth of the +creek, passed over the pebbly bar, and then swam leisurely about in the +brackish water, moving from bank to bank at less than a dozen feet from +the shore. The stream of bright phosphorescent light which had +surrounded its body when it first appeared had now, owing to there being +but a minor degree of phosphorus in the brackish water, given place to +a dulled, sickly, greenish reflection, accentuated however by thin, +vivid streaks, caused by the exudation from the gills of a streaming, +viscid matter, common to some species of sharks, and giving it a truly +terrifying and horrible appearance. Presently a couple of natives, +taking careful aim, fired at the creature's head; in an instant it +darted off with extraordinary velocity, rushing through the water like a +submerged comet--if I may use the illustration. Both of the men who had +fired were confident their bullets had struck and badly wounded the +shark, but were greatly disgusted when, ten minutes later, it again +appeared, swimming leisurely about, at ten fathoms from the beach. + +Three days later, as we were returning to Apia, we were told by our +native friends that the shark still haunted the mouth of the Vaivasa; +and I determined to capture it. I sent Allan on board the cutter for our +one shark hook--a hook which had done much execution among the sea +prowlers. Although not of the largest size, being only ten inches in the +shank, it was made of splendid steel, and we had frequently caught +fifteen-feet sharks with it at sea. It was a cherished possession with +us and we always kept it--and the four feet of chain to which it was +attached--bright and clean. + +In the evening Allan returned, accompanied by the local pilot (a Captain +Hamilton) and the fat, puffing, master of a German barque. They wanted +"to see the fun." We soon had everything in readiness; the hook, baited +with the belly-portion of a freshly-killed pig (which the Manono people +had commandeered from a bush village) was buoyed to piece of light _pua_ +wood to keep it from sinking, and then with twenty fathoms of brand-new +whale line attached, we let it drift out into the centre of the passage. +Then making our end of the line fast to the trunk of a coconut tree, we +set some children to watch, and went into the trenches to drink some +kava, smoke, and gossip. + +We had not long to wait--barely half an hour--when we heard a warning +yell from the watchers. The _ta~nifa_ was in sight. + +Jumping up and tumbling over each other in our eagerness we rushed out; +but alas! too late for the shark; for instead of approaching in its +usual leisurely manner, it made a straight dart at the bait, and before +we could free our end of the line it was as taut as an iron bar, and the +creature, with the hook firmly fastened in his jaw, was ploughing the +water into foam, amid yells of excitement from the natives. Then +suddenly the line fell slack, and the half-a-dozen men who were holding +it went over on their backs, heels up. + +In mournful silence we hauled it in, and then, oh woe! the hook, our +prized, our beautiful hook, was gone! and with it two feet of the chain, +which had parted at the centre swivel. That particular _ta~nifa_ was +seen no more. + +Nearly two months later, two _ta~nifa_ of a much larger size, appeared +at the mouth of the Vaivasa. Several of the white residents tried, night +after night, to hook them, but the monsters refused to look at the +baits. Then appeared on the scene an old one-eyed Malay named 'Reo, who +asserted he could kill them easily. The way in which he set to work was +described to me by the natives who witnessed the operations. Taking a +piece of green bamboo, about four feet in length, he split from it two +strips each an inch wide. The ends of these he then, after charring the +points, sharpened carefully; then by great pressure he coiled them up +into as small a compass as possible, keeping the whole in position by +sewing the coil up in the fresh skin of a fish known as the _isuumu +moana_--a species of the "leather-jacket." Then he asked to be provided +with two dogs. A couple of curs were soon provided, killed, and the +viscera removed. The coils of bamboo were then placed in the vacancy and +the skin of the bellies stitched up with small wooden skewers. That +completed the preparation of the baits. + +As soon as the two sharks made their appearance, one of the dead dogs +was thrown into the water. It was quickly swallowed. Then the second +followed, and was also seized by the other _ta~nifa_. The creatures +cruised about for some hours, then went off, as the tide began to fall. + +On the following evening they did not turn up, nor on the next; but the +Malay insisted that within four or five days both would be dead. As soon +as the dogs were digested, he said, the thin fish-skin would follow, the +bamboo coil would fly apart, and the sharpened ends penetrate not only +the sharks' intestines, but protrude through the outer skin as well. + +Quite a week afterwards, during which time neither of the _ta~nifa_ +had been seen alive, the smaller of the two was found dead on the beach +at Vailele Plantation, about four miles from the Vaivasa. It was +examined by numbers of people, and presented an extremely interesting +sight; one end of the bamboo spring was protruding over a foot from the +belly, which was so cut and lacerated by the agonised efforts of the +monster to free itself from the instrument of torture, that much of the +intestines was gone. + +That the larger of these dreaded fish had died in the same manner there +was no reason to doubt; but probably it had sunk in the deep water +outside the barrier reef. + + + + +_On Board the "_Tucopia_." + + +The little island trading barque _Tucopia_, Henry Robertson, master, lay +just below Garden Island in Sydney Harbour, ready to sail for the +Friendly Islands and Samoa as soon as the captain came on board. At nine +o'clock, as Bruce, the old, white-haired, Scotch mate, was pointing out +to Mrs. Lacy and the Reverend Wilfrid Lacy the many ships around, and +telling them from whence they came or where they were bound, the second +mate called out-- + +"Here's the captain's boat coming, sir." + +Bruce touched his cap to the pale-faced, violet-eyed clergyman's wife, +and turning to the break of the poop, at once gave orders to "heave +short," leaving the field clear to Mr. Charles Otway, the supercargo of +the _Tucopia_, who was twenty-two years of age, had had seven years' +experience of general wickedness in the South Seas, thought he was in +love with Mrs. Lacy, and that, before the barque reached Samoa, he would +make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid was a serious mistake, and +that he, Charles Otway, was the one man in the world whom she could love +and be happy with for ever. So, being a hot-blooded and irresponsible +young villain, though careful and decorous to all outward seeming, he +set himself to work, took exceeding care over his yellow, curly hair, +and moustache, and abstained from swearing in Mrs. Lacy's hearing. + + * * * * * + +A week before, Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had called at the owner's office and +inquired about a passage to Samoa in the _Tucopia_, and Otway was sent +for. + +"Otway," said the junior partner, "can you make room on the _Tucopia_ +for two more passengers--nice people, a clergyman and his wife." + +"D----all nice people, especially clergymen and their wives," he +answered promptly--for although the youngest supercargo in the firm, he +was considered, the smartest--and took every advantage of the fact. "I'm +sick of carting these confounded missionaries about, Mr. Harry. Last +trip we took two down to Tonga--beastly hymn-grinding pair, who wanted +the hands to come aft every night to prayers, and played-up generally +with the discipline of the ship. Robertson never interfered, and old +Bruce, who is one of the psalm-singing kidney himself, encouraged the +beasts to turn the ship into a floating Bethel." + +"Mr. Harry" laughed good-naturedly. "Otway, my boy, you mustn't put on +so much side--the firm can't afford it. If you hadn't drunk so much +whisky last night you would be in a better temper this morning." + +"Oh, if you've got some one else to take my billet on the _Tucopia_, +why don't you say so, instead of backing and filling about, like a +billy-goat in stays? _I_ don't care a damn if you load the schooner up +to her maintop with sky-pilots and their dowdy women-kind. I've had +enough of 'em, and I hereby tender you my resignation. I can get another +and a better ship to-morrow, if--" + +"Sit down, you cock-a-hoopy young ass," and "Mr. Harry" hit the +supercargo a good-humoured but stiff blow in the chest. "These people +aren't missionaries; they're a cut above the usual breed. Man's a +gentleman; woman's as sweet as a rosebud. Now look here, Otway; we give +you a pretty free hand generally, but in this instance we want you to +stretch a point--you can give these people berths in the trade-room, +can't you?" + +The supercargo considered a moment. "There's a lot returning this trip. +First, there's the French priest for Wallis Island--nice old buffer, but +never washes, and grinds his teeth in his sleep--he's in the cabin next +to mine; old Miss Wiedermann for Tonga--cabin on starboard side--fussy +old cat, who is always telling me that she can distinctly hear +Robertson's bad language on deck. But her brother is a good sort, and so +I put up with her. Then there's Captain Burr, in the skipper's cabin, +two Samoan half-caste girls in the deck-house--there's going to be +trouble over those women, old Bruce says, and I don't doubt it--and the +whole lot will have their meals in the beastly dog-kennel you call a +saloon, and I call a sweat-box." + +"Thank you, Mr. Otway. Your elegant manner of speaking shows clearly +the refining influence of the charming people with whom you associate. +Just let me tell you this--you looked like a gentleman a year or two +ago, but become less like one every day." + +"No wonder," replied Otway sullenly, "the Island trade is not calculated +to turn out Chesterfields. I'm sick enough of it, now we are carrying +passengers as well as cargo. I suppose the firm will be asking us +supercargoes to wear uniform and brass buttons soon, like the ticket +collector on a penny ferry." + +"Quite likely, my sulky young friend--quite likely, if it will pay us to +do so." + +"Then I'll clear out, and go nigger-catching again in the Solomons. +That's a lot better than having to be civil to people who worry the soul +out of you, are always in the way at sea, and a beastly nuisance in +port. Why, do you know what old Miss Weidermann did at Manono, in Samoa, +when we were there buying yams three months ago?" + +"No; what did she do?" + +"Got the skipper and myself into a howling mess through her infernal +interference; and if the chiefs and old Mataafa himself had not come to +our help there would have been some shooting, and this firm could never +have sent another ship to Manono again. It makes me mad when I think of +it--the silly old bundle of propriety and feminine spite." + +"Tell me all about it, Otway. 'Twill do you good, I can see, to unburden +yourself of some of your bad temper. Shut that door, and we'll have a +brandy-and-soda together." + +"Well," said Otway, "this is what occurred. I was ashore in the village, +buying and weighing the yams, the skipper was lending me a hand, and +everything was going on bully, when Mataafa and his chiefs sent an +invitation to us to come up to his house and drink kava. Of course such +an invitation from the native point of view was a great honour; and +then, besides that, it was good business to keep in with old Mataafa, +who had just given the Germans a thrashing at Vailele, and was as proud +as a dog with two tails. So, although I hate kava, I accepted the +invitation with 'many expressions of pleasure,' and felt sure that as +the old fellow knew me of old, and I knew he wanted to buy some rifles, +that I should get the bulk of a bag of sovereigns his mongrel, low-down +American secretary was carrying around. So oft went the skipper and I, +letting the yams stand over till we returned; the barque was lying about +a mile off the beach. Mataafa was very polite to us, and during the kava +drinking I found out that he had about three hundred sovereigns, and +wanted to see the Martini-Henrys we had on board. Of course I told him +that it would be a serious business for the ship if he gave us +away--imprisonment in a dreadful dungeon in Fiji, if not hanging at the +yard-arm or a man-of-war--and the old cock winked his eye and laughed. +Then, as time was valuable, we at once concocted a plan to get the +rifles--fifty--ashore without making too much of a show. Well, among +some of the women present there were two great swells, one was the +_taupo_, or town maid, of Palaulae in Savaii, and the other was a niece +of Mataafa himself. These two, accompanied by a lot of young women of +Manono, were to go off on board the barque in our boats, ostensibly to +pay their respects to the white lady on board, and invite her on shore, +so as to get her out of the way; then I was to pass the arms out of the +stern ports into some canoes which would be waiting just as it became +dark. About five o'clock they started off in one boat, leaving me and +the skipper to follow in another. I had sent a note off to the mate +telling him all about the little game, and to be mighty polite to the +two chief women, who were to be introduced to Miss Weidermann, give the +old devil some presents of mats, fruits, and such things, and ask her to +come ashore as Mataafa's guest. + +"Well, something had gone wrong with the Weidermann's temper; for when +the women came on board she was sulking in her cabin, and refused to +show her vinegary face outside her state-room door. Thinking she would +get over her tantrum in a few minutes, the mate invited the two Samoan +ladies and their attendants down into the cabin, where they awaited her +appearance, behaving themselves, of course, very decorously, it being a +visit of ceremony. + +"Presently Old Cat-face opened her door, and then, without giving the +native ladies time to utter a word, she launched out at them in her +bastard-mongrel Samoan-Tongan. The first thing she said was that she +knew the kind of women they were, and what had brought them on board! +How dared such brazen, shameless cattle come into the cabin! Into the +same cabin as a white lady! The bold, half-naked, disgraceful hussies, +etc., etc. And then she capped the thing by calling to the steward to +come and drive them out! + +"Not one of the native women could answer her. They were all simply +dumbfounded at such a gross insult, and left the cabin in silence. The +mate tried to smooth things over, but one of the women--Mataafa's +niece--gave him a look that told him to say no more. In half an hour the +whole lot of them were back on the beach, and came up to the chiefs +house, where the skipper and myself were having a final drink of kava +with old Mataafa and his _faipule_.[16] The face of the elder of the two +women was blazing with anger, and then, pointing to the captain and +myself, she gave us such a tongue-lashing for sending her off to the +ship to be shamed and insulted, that made us blush. Old Mataafa waited +until she had finished, and then, with an ugly gleam in his eye but +speaking very quietly, asked us what it meant. + +"What _could_ we say but that it was no fault of ours; and then, by a +happy inspiration, I added that although Miss Weidermann was generally +well-conducted enough, she sometimes got blazing drunk, and made a beast +of herself. This explanation satisfied the chiefs, if not the women, and +everything went on smoothly. And as it was then nearly dark, and I was +determined that Mataafa should get his rifles, half a dozen of his men +took us off in their canoes, and we went on board. The skipper and I had +fixed up as to what we should do with the Weidermann creature. She was +seated at the cabin table waiting to open out on us, but the skipper +didn't give her a chance. + +"'Go to your cabin at once, madam,' he said solemnly, 'and I trust you +will not again leave it in your present condition. Your conduct is +simply astounding. _Steward, see that you give Miss Weidermann no more +grog_.' + +"The poor old girl thought that either he or she herself was going mad, +but he gave her no time to talk. The captain opened her state-room door, +gently pushed her in, and put a man outside to see that she didn't come +out again. Then we handed out the rifles through the stern-ports to the +natives in the canoes, and sent them away rejoicing. And that's the end +of the yarn, and Miss Weidermann nearly went into a fit next morning +when we told her that no less than thirty respectable native women had +taken their oaths that she was mad drunk, and abused them vilely." + +The junior partner laughed loudly at the story, and Otway, with a more +amiable look on his face, rose. + +"Well, I'll do what I can for these people. I'll make room for them +somehow. Where are they going?" + +"Samoa. They have an idea of settling down there, I think, for a few +months, and then going on to China. They have plenty of money, +apparently." + +"Oh, well, tell them to come on board to-morrow, and I'll show them what +can be done for them." + + * * * * * + +So the Rev. and Mrs. Lacy did come on board, and Mr. Charles Otway was +vanquished by just one single glance from the lady's violet eyes. + +"It would have been such a dreadful disappointment to us if we could not +have obtained passages in the _Tucopia_," she said, in her soft, sweet +voice, as she sank back in the deck-chair he placed before her. "My +husband is so bent on making a tour through Samoa. Now, do tell me, Mr. +Otway, are these islands so very lovely?" + +"Very, very lovely, Mrs. Lacy," replied Otway, leaning with his back +against the rail and regarding her with half-closed eyes; "as sweet and +fair to look upon as a lovely woman--a woman with violet eyes and lips +like a budding rose." + +She gave him one swift glance, seemingly in anger, yet her eyes smiled +into his; then she bent her head and regarded the deck with intense +interest. Otway thought he had scored. She was sure _she_ had. + +Otway had just shown her and her husband his own cabin, and had told +them that they could occupy it--he would make himself comfortable in the +trade-room, he said. This was after the first look from the violet eyes. + + * * * * * + +Robertson, the skipper, came aboard, shook hands with Mrs. Lacy and her +husband, nodded to the other passengers, dived below for a moment or +two, and then reappeared on deck, full of energy, blasphemy, and anxiety +to get under way. In less than an hour the smart barque was outside the +Heads, and heeling over to a brisk south-westerly breeze. Two days later +she was four hundred miles on her course. + +The Rev. Wilfrid Lacy soon made himself very agreeable to the rest of +the passengers, who all agreed that he was a splendid type of parson, +and even Otway, who had as much principle as a rat and began making love +to his wife from the outset, liked him. First of all, he was not the +usual style of travelling clergyman. He didn't say grace at meals, he +smoked a pipe, drank whisky and brandy with Otway and Robertson, told +rattling good stories, and displayed an immediate interest when the +skipper mentioned that the second mate was a "bit of a bruiser," and +that there were gloves on board; and the second mate, a nuggety little +Tynesider, at once consented to a friendly mill as soon as he was off +duty. + +"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy, "you'll shock every one. I can see that +Captain Robertson wonders what sort of a clergyman you are." + +Robertson saw the merry light in her dark eyes, and then laughed aloud +as he saw Miss Weidermann's face. It expressed the very strongest +disapproval, and during the rest of the meal the virgin lady preserved a +dismal silence. The rest of the passengers, however, "took" to the +clerical gentleman at once. With old Father Roget--the Marist +missionary who sat opposite him--he soon entered into an animated +conversation, while the two De Boos girls, vivacious Samoan half-castes, +attached themselves to his wife. Seated beside Otway was another +passenger, an American skipper named Burr, who was going to Apia to take +command of a vessel belonging to the same firm as the _Tucopia_. He was +a silent, good-looking man of about sixty, and possessed of much caustic +humour and a remarkable fund of smoking-room stories, which, on rare +occasions, he would relate in an inimitable, drawling manner, as if he +was tired. The chief mate was a deeply but not obtrusively religious +Scotsman; the second officer, Allen, was a young man of thirty, an +excellent seaman, but rough to the verge of brutality with the crew. +Bruce, on the other hand, was too easy-going and patient. + +"I never want to raise my hand against a man," he said one day, as a +protest, when Allen gave one of the crew an unmerciful cuff which sent +him down as if he had been shot. + +"Neither do I," replied Allen, "I prefer raising my foot. But it's +habit, Mr. Bruce, only habit." + +For five days the barque ran steadily on an E.N.E. course, then on the +sixth day the wind hauled, and by sunset it was blowing hard from the +eastward with a fast-gathering sea. By two in the morning Robertson and +his officers knew that they were in for a three-days' easterly gale; a +few hours later it was decided to heave-to, as the sea had become +dangerous, and the little vessel was straining badly. Just after this +had been done, the gale set in with redoubled fury, and when Mrs. Lacy +came on deck shortly before breakfast, she shuddered at the wild +spectacle. Coming to the break of the poop, she clasped the iron rail +with both hands, and gazed fearfully about her. + +"You had better go below, ma'am," said the second mate, who was standing +near, talking to Otway, "there's some nasty, lumpy seas." + +Then he gave a yell. + +"Look out there!" + +Springing to Mrs. Lacy's side, he clasped his left arm around her waist, +and held on tightly to the iron rail with his right, just as a vast +mountain of water took the barque amidships, fell on her deck with +terrific force, and fairly buried her from the topgallant foc'scle to +the level of the poop. In less than half a minute the galley, for'ard +deck-house, long-boat, which was lying on the main hatch, and the port +bulwarks had vanished, together with three poor seamen who were asleep +in the deck-house. The fearful crash brought the captain flying on deck. +One glance showed him that there was no chance of saving the men--to +attempt to lower a boat in such a sea was utterly impossible, and would +be madness itself. He sighed, and then took off his cap. Allen and Otway +followed his example. + +"Is there no hope for them?" Mrs. Lacy whispered to Otway. + +"None," replied the supercargo in a low voice. "None." Then he urged her +to go below, as it was not safe for her to remain on deck. She went at +once, and met her husband just as he was leaving their cabin. + +"What is the matter, Nell?" he asked, as he saw that tears were in her +eyes. + +"Three poor men have been carried overboard, Wilfrid. They were in the +deck-house asleep ten minutes ago--now they are gone! Oh, isn't it +dreadful, dreadful!" And then she sat down beside him and wept silently. + +Breakfast was a forlorn meal--Robertson and his officers were not +present, and Otway took the captain's seat. He, too, only remained to +drink a cup of coffee, then hurriedly went on deck. Lacy rose at the +same time, but at the foot of the companion, Otway motioned him to stop. + +"Don't come on deck awhile, if you please," he said, "and tell the +ladies to keep to the cabin." + +"Anything fresh gone wrong?" + +"Yes," replied the supercargo, looking steadily at the clergyman--"the +ship is making water badly. Don't you hear the pumps going? Tell the +ladies not to come on deck--say it is not safe. And if the old +Weidermann girl hears the pumps, and gets inquisitive, tell her that a +lot of water got into the hold when that big sea tumbled aboard. She's +an inquisitive old ass, and would be bound to tell the other ladies that +the ship is in danger." + +Lacy nodded. "All right, I'll see to her. How long has the ship been +leaking?" + +"For quite a long time. And there is fourteen inches in her, and it's as +much as we can do to keep it under." + +"That is serious." + +Otway nodded. "Yes, it is serious in weather like this. Now I must go. +Daresay we may give you a call in the course of the morning. Ever try a +spell at old-fashioned brake pumps? Fine exercise." + +"I'm ready now if you want me," was the quiet answer. + +The _Tucopia_ was indeed in a pretty bad case. Immediately after the +fatal sea had swept her decks the carpenter had sounded the well and +found fifteen inches of water, some little of which had got below +through the fore-scuttle, but the greater portion, it was soon evident, +was the result of a leak. The barque was a comparatively new vessel, and +Robertson and his officers, after two hours' pumping, came to the +conclusion that she had either strained herself badly or a butt-end had +started somewhere. + +For two hours the crew worked at the pumps, taking a spell of ten +minutes every half-hour, Otway, the American captain Burr, and Mr. Lacy +all lending a hand. Then the well was sounded, and showed two inches +less. + +Robertson ordered the men to come aft and get a glass of grog. They +trooped down into the cabin wet and exhausted, and the steward served +them each out half a tumblerful of good French brandy. They drank it +off, and then went on deck again to have a smoke before resuming +pumping. A quarter of an hour later the pumps choked. There were a +hundred tons of coal in the lower hold, and some of the small of it had +been drawn up. By the time the carpenter had them cleared the water had +gained seven inches, and the little barque was labouring heavily. Again, +however, the willing crew turned to and pumped steadily for another +hour, but only succeeded in reducing the water by an inch or two. Then +Robertson called his officers together and consulted. + +"We can't keep on like this much longer," he said, "the water is gaining +on us too fast. And we can't run before such a sea as this, in our +condition; we should be pooped in less than five minutes. We shall have +to take to the boats in another couple of hours, unless a change takes +place. Mr. Allen, and you, Mr. Otway, see to the two boats, and get them +in readiness." + +Then he went below to the passengers. They were all seated in the main +cabin, and looked anxiously at him as he entered. + +"I am sorry to tell you, ladies," he said quietly, "that the ship is +leaking so badly that I fear we shall have to abandon her. The men +cannot keep on pumping much longer, now that we are three hands short. +Fortunately we have two good boats, and, if we must take to them, shall +have no trouble in reaching land." + +They heard him in silence, then the old priest opened his state-room +door, and came out. + +"That is bad news indeed, captain," he said gently. "Still we must bow +to God's will, and trust to His guidance and protection. And you and +your officers and crew are good and brave seamen." + +"Thank you, father. We'll do all right if we have to take to the boats. +And you must try and cheer up the ladies. Now I must leave you all for +awhile. We will stick to the pumps for another hour or two." + +"Captain," said Sarah de Boos, a tall, finely built young woman of +twenty, "let my sister and myself and our servant help the men at the +pump. _Do_, please. We are all three very strong, and our help is surely +worth having." + +Robertson patted her soft cheek with his big, sunburnt hand. "You are +your father's daughter, Sarah, and I thank you. Of course your help +would be something; three fine lusty young women"--he tried to +smile--"but it's too dangerous for you to be on deck. All the bulwarks +are gone, and nasty lumping seas come aboard every now and then." + +"I'm not afraid of a life-line hurting my waist," was the prompt answer, +"and neither is Sukie--are you Sukie? Go on deck, captain, and Sukie and +I and Mina" (the servant) "will just kick off our boots and follow you." + +"And I too," broke in old Father Roget. "Surely I am not too old to +help." + +In less than five minutes the two half-caste girls, the native woman +Mina, and the old priest, were working the starboard brake, three seamen +being on the lee side. Every now and then, as the barque took a heavy +roll to windward, the water would flood her deck up to the workers' +knees; but they stuck steadily to their task for half an hour, when they +gave place to Burr, the carpenter, the Rev. Wilfrid, and three native +seamen. + +In the cabin Mrs. Lacy sat with ashen-hued face beside Miss Weidermann, +their hands clasped together, and listening to the wild clamour of the +wind and sea. Presently the two De Boos girls, Lacy, Father Roget, and +Mina, came below to rest awhile, the water streaming from their sodden +garments. The old priest, thoroughly exhausted, threw himself down upon +the transom locker cushions. + +"Wilfrid," said Mrs. Lacy coming over to him and placing her shaking +hand on his shoulder, "cannot I do something? Oh, Miss De Boos, I wish I +were brave, like you. But I am not--I am a coward, and I hate myself for +it." + +The Rev. Wilfrid smiled tenderly at her as he drew her to him for a +moment. "Don't worry, little woman. You can't do anything--yes, you can, +though! Get me my pipe and fill it for me. My hands are wet and +cramped." + +Sukie De Boos, whose firm, rounded bosom and strong square shoulders +made a startling contrast, as they revealed their shape under her +soddened blouse, to Mrs. Lacy's fragile figure, impulsively put her +hands out, and taking Mrs. Lacy's face between them, kissed her twice. + +"Dear Mrs. Lacy," she said, "don't be frightened, please. Now get Mr. +Lacy's pipe, and I'll rummage the steward's pantry and get some food for +us all to eat. Mr. Otway told me to tell you and Miss Weidermann to eat +something, as maybe we may not get anything for some hours. So I'm just +going to stay here and see that every one _does_ eat. I'll set you a +good example." + +In a few minutes she laid upon the table an assortment of tinned meats, +bread, and some bottled beer, and some brandy for Father Roget and Lacy. +Otway came down, followed by the steward, and nodded approval. + +"That's right, Sukie. Eat as much as you can. I'll take a drink myself. +Here's luck to you, Sukie. Perhaps we won't have to make up a boating +party after all. But there's nothing like being ready. So will you, Mr. +Lacy, lend a hand here with the steward, and pass up our provisions to +the second mate? The captain will be down in a minute, and will tell you +ladies what clothing to get ready. For my part I'll be jolly glad if we +do have to take to the boats, where we shall be nice and comfy, instead +of rolling about in this beastly way--I'll be sea-sick in another ten +minutes. Old Bruce says he felt sick an hour ago. Come on, steward." + +The assumed cheerfulness of his manner produced a good effect, and even +old Miss Weidermann plucked up heart a little as she saw him +nonchalantly light a cigar as he disappeared with the steward below into +the lazzarette. + +On deck Robertson and the mate were talking in low tones, as they +assisted the second mate with the boats. There was now nearly three feet +of water in the hold, and every one knew that the barque could not keep +afloat much longer. Fortunately the violence of the wind had decreased +somewhat, though there was still a mountainous sea. + +Both the old mate and the captain knew that the two small quarter boats +would be dangerously overladen, and their unspoken fears were shared by +the rest of the officers and crew. But another hour would perhaps make a +great difference; and then as the two men were speaking a savage sea +smote the _Tucopia_ on the starboard bow, with such violence that she +trembled in every timber, and as she staggered under the shock and then +rolled heavily to windward, she dipped the starboard quarter boat under +the water; it filled, and as she rose again, boat and davits went away +together. + +Robertson groaned and looked at the mate. + +"It is God's will, sir," said the old Scotsman quietly. + +Robertson nodded. "Tell Allen and the others to come here," he said. + +The Tynesider, followed by Captain Burr, Otway, and the carpenter, came. + +"Mr. Allen," said the captain, "you are the best man in such an +emergency as this. You handle a boat better than any man I know. There +is now only one boat left, and you must take charge of her. You will +have to take a big lot of people--the four women, the parson, the old +French priest, Mr. Otway, Captain Burr, the carpenter, and the five +men." + +"I guess I'll stand out, and stick to the ship," said Burr in a lazy, +drawling manner, "I don't like bein' crowded up with a lot of wimmen." + +"Neither do I, said Otway. + +"Same here, captain," said the carpenter, a little grizzled man of +sixty. + +Robertson shook hands with each of them in turn. "I knew you were +_men_," he said simply. "Come below and let's have a drink together, and +then see to the boat." + +"What's all this, skipper?" said Allen, with an oath, "d'ye think I'm +going to save my carcase and let you men drown? I'll see you all damned +first!" + +"You'll obey orders," growled the captain, "and my orders are that you +take charge of that boat. And don't give me any lip. You are a married +man and have children. None of us who are standing by the ship are +married men. By God, my joker, if you don't know your duty, I'll teach +you. Are you going to let these four women go adrift in a boat to perish +when you can save them?" + +Allen looked the captain squarely in the face and then put out his hand. + +"I understand you, sir. But I don't like doing it. The ship won't keep +afloat another hour. But, as you say, I've a wife and kids to consider." + + * * * * * + +Followed by the others, Robertson went below, and told his passengers to +get ready for the boat. The old French priest, exhausted by his labour +at the pumps, was still lying on the transom cushions, sleeping; the +Rev. Lacy was seated at the table smoking his pipe (all the ladies were +in their state-rooms). He rose as the men entered, and looked at them +inquiringly. + +"We're in a bit of a tight place," said the captain, as he coolly +poured out half a tumblerful of brandy, "but I'm sending you, Mr. Lacy, +and Father Roget, and the ladies away with Mr. Allen in one of the +boats. Allen is a man whom I rely upon. He'll bring you ashore safely. +He's a bit rough in his talk, but he's one of God's own chosen in a +boat, and a fine sailor man--better than the mate, Captain Burr, or +myself; isn't that so, Mr. Bruce?" + +The white-haired old mate bent his head in acknowledgment. Then he stood +up stiff and stark, his rough bony hands clasped upon his chest. + +"I'll no' deny but that Mr. Allen is far and awa' the best man to have +charge o' the boat. But as there is a meenister here, surely he will now +offer up a prayer to the Almighty for those in peril on the sea, and +especially implore Him to consider a sma' boat, deep to the gunwales." + +He looked at the clergyman, who at first made no reply, but stood with +downcast eyes. The men looked at him expectantly; he put one hand on the +table, and then slowly raised his face. + +"I think, gentlemen, that ... that Father Roget is the older man." He +spoke haltingly, and a flush dyed his smooth, clean-shaven face from +brow to chin. "Will you not ask him?" Then his eyes dropped again. + +Robertson, who was in a hurry, and yet had a sincere but secret respect +for old Bruce's unobtrusive religious feelings, now backed up his mate's +request. + +"I think, sir, that as the mate says, a bit of a short prayer would not +be out of place just now, seeing the mess we are in. And that poor old +gentleman over there is too done up to stand on his feet. So will you +please begin, sir. Steward, call the ladies. We can no longer disguise +from them, Mr. Lacy, that we are in a bad way--as bad a way as I have +ever been in during my thirty years at sea." + +In a couple of minutes the two De Boos girls, Miss Weidermann, and the +native girl Mina, came out of their cabins; and when the steward said +that Mrs. Lacy felt too ill to leave her berth, her husband could not +help giving an audible sigh of relief. Then he braced up and spoke with +firmness. + +"Please shut Mrs. Lacy's door, steward. Mr. Bruce, will you lend me your +church service--I do not want to go into my cabin for my own. My wife, I +fear, has given way." + +The mate brought the church service, and then whilst the men stood with +bowed heads, and the women knelt, the clergyman, with strong, +unfaltering voice read the second of the prayers "To be used in Storms +at Sea." He finished, and then sitting down again, placed one hand over +his eyes. + +"_The living, the living shall praise Thee_." + +It was the old mate who spoke. He alone of the men had knelt beside the +women, and when he rose his face bore such an expression of calmness and +content, that Otway, who five minutes before had been silently cursing +him for his "damned idiotcy," looked at him with a sudden mingled +respect and wonder. + +Stepping across to the clergyman, Bruce respectfully placed his hand on +his shoulder, and as he spoke his clear blue eyes smiled at the still +kneeling women. + +"Cheer up, sir. God will protect ye and your gude wife, and us all. You, +his meenister, have made supplication to Him, and He has heard. Dinna +weep, ladies. We are in the care of One who holds the sea in the hollow +of His hand." + +Then he followed the captain and the others on deck, Otway alone +remaining to assist the steward. + +"For God's sake give me some brandy," said Lacy to him, in a low voice. + +Otway looked at him in astonishment. Was the man a coward after all? + +He brought the brandy, and with ill-disguised contempt placed it before +him without a word. Lacy looked up at him, and his face flushed. + +"Oh, I'm not funking--not a d----d bit, I can assure you." + +Otway at once poured out a nip of brandy for himself, and clinked his +glass against that of the clergyman. + +"Pon my soul, I couldn't make it out, and I apologise. But a man's +nerves go all at once sometimes--can't help himself, you know. Mine did +once when I was in the nigger-catching business in the Solomon Islands. +Natives opened fire on us when our boats were aground in a creek, and +some of our men got hit. I wasn't a bit scared of a smack from a bullet, +but when I got a scratch on my hand from an arrow, I dropped in a blue +funk, and acted like a cur. Knew it was poisoned, felt sure I'd die of +lockjaw, and began to weep internally. Then the mate called me a rotten +young cur, shook me up, and put my Snider into my hand. But I shall +always feel funky at the sight even of a child's twopenny bow and arrow. +Now I must go." + +The clergyman nodded and smiled, and then rising from his seat, he +tapped at the door of his wife's state-room. She opened it, and then +Otway, who was helping the steward, heard her sob hysterically. + +"Oh, Will, Will, why did you? How could you? I love you, Will dear, I +love you, and if death comes to us in another hour, another minute, I +shall die happily with your arms round me. But, Will dear, there is a +God, I'm sure there _is_ a God.... I feel it in my heart, I feel it. And +now that death is so near to us----" + +Lacy put his arms around her, and lifted her trembling figure upon his +knees. + +"There, rest yourself, my pet." + +"Rest! Rest?" she said brokenly, as Lacy drew her to him. "How can I +rest when I think of how I have sinned, and how I shall die! Will dear, +when I heard you reading that prayer--" + +"I _had_ to do it, Nell." + +"Will, dear Will.... Perhaps God may forgive us both.... But as I sat +here in my dark cabin, and listened to you reading that prayer, my +husband's face came before me--the face that I thought was so dull and +stupid. And his eyes seemed so soft and kind--" + +"For God's sake, my dear little woman, don't think of what is past. We +have made the plunge together----" + +The woman uttered one last sobbing sigh. "I am not afraid to die, Will. +I am not afraid, but when I heard you begin to read that prayer, my +courage forsook me. I wanted to scream--to rush out and stop you, for it +seemed to me as if you were doing it in sheer mockery." + +"I can only say again, Nell, that I could not help myself; made me feel +pretty sick, I assure you." + +Their voices ceased, and presently Lacy stepped out into the main cabin, +and then went on deck again. + +Robertson met him with a cheerful face. "Come on, Mr. Lacy. I've some +good news for you--we are making less water! The leak must be taking up +in some way." Then holding on to the rail with one hand, he shouted to +the men at the pumps. + +"Shake her up, boys! shake her up. Here's Mr. Lacy come to lend a hand, +and the supercargo and steward will be with you in a minute. Now I'm +going below for a minute to tell the ladies, and mix you a bucket of +grog. Shake her up, you, Tom Tarbucket, my bully boy with a glass eye! +Shake her up, and when she sucks dry, I'll stand a sovereign all round." + +The willing crew answered him with a cheer, and Tom Tarbucket, a +square-built, merry faced native of Savage Island, who was stripped to +the waist, shouted out, amid the laughter of his shipmates-- + +"Ay, ay, capt'in, we soon make pump suck dry if two Miss de Boos girl +come." + +Robertson laughed in response, and then picking up a wooden bucket from +under the fife rail, clattered down the companion way. + +"Where are you, Otway? Up you get on deck, and you too, steward. The +leak is taken up and 'everything is lovely and the goose hangs high.' Up +you go to the pumps, and make 'em suck. I'll bring up some grog +presently." + +Then as Otway and the steward sprang up on deck, the captain stamped +along the cabin in his sodden sea boots, banging at each door. + +"Come out, Sarah, come out Sukie, my little chickabiddies--there's to be +no boat trip for you after all. Miss Weidermann, I've good news, good +news! Mrs. Lacy, cheer up, dear lady. The leak has taken up, and you can +go on deck and see your husband working at the pumps like a number one +chop Trojan. Ha! Father Roget, give me your hand. You're a white man, +sir, and ought to be a bishop." + +As he spoke to the now awakened old priest, the two De Boos girls, Mrs. +Lacy and Miss Weidermann, all came out of their cabins, and Robertson +shook hands with them, and lifting Sukie de Boos up between his two +rough hands as if she were a little girl, he kissed her, and then made a +grab at Sarah, who dodged behind Mrs. Lacy. + +"Now, father, don't you attempt to come on deck. Mrs. Lacy, just you +keep him here. Sukie, my chick, you and Sarah get a couple of bottles of +brandy, make this bucket full of half-and-half, and bring it on deck to +the men." + +As he noisily stamped out of the cabin again, the old priest turned to +the ladies, and raised his hand-- + +"A brave, brave man--a very good English sailor. And now let us thank +God for His mercies to us." + +The four ladies, with Mina, knelt, and then the good old man prayed +fervently for a few minutes. Then Sukie de Boos and her sister flung +their arms around Mrs. Lacy, and kissed her, and even Miss Weidermann, +now thoroughly unstrung, began to cry hysterically. She had at first +detested Mrs. Lacy as being altogether too scandalously young and pretty +for a clergyman's wife. Now she was ready to take her to her bosom (that +is, to her metaphorical bosom, as she had no other), for she believed +that Mr. Lacy's prayer had saved them all, he being a Protestant +clergyman, and therefore better qualified to avert imminent death than a +priest of Rome. + +Sukie and Sally de Boos mixed the grog, took it on deck, and served it +out to the men at the pumps. + +The carpenter sounded the well, and as he drew up the iron rod, the +second mate gave a shout. + +"Only seven inches, captain." + +"Right, my boy. Take a good spell now, Mr. Allen. Mr. Bruce, we can give +her a bit more lower canvas now. She'll stand it. Mr. Lacy, and you +Captain Burr, come aft and get into some dry togs. The glass is rising +steadily, and in a few hours we'll feel a bit more comfy." + +He prophesied truly, for the violence of the gale decreased rapidly, +and when at the end of an hour the pumps sucked, the crew gave a cheer, +and tired out as they were, eagerly sprang aloft to repair damages and +then spread more sail, Sarah and Susan de Boos hauling and pulling at +the running gear from the deck below. They were both girls of splendid +physique, and, in a way, sailors, and had Robertson allowed them to do +so, would have gone aloft and handled the canvas with the men. + +By four o'clock in the afternoon the little barque, with her wave-swept, +bulwarkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, was running before a +warm, good-hearted breeze, and the pumps were only attended to twice in +every watch. + +Mrs. Lacy, Miss Weidermann, the De Boos girls, and the French priest +were seated on the poop deck, on rugs and blankets spread out for them +by Otway and the steward. Lacy, with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro +smoking his pipe, and laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to +make his wife smoke a cigarette. Presently old Bruce came along with the +second mate and some men to set a new gaff-topsail, and the ladies rose +to go below, so as to be out of the way. + +"Nae, nae, leddies, dinna go below," said the old mate cheerfully, +"ye'll no' hinder us. And the sight o' sae many sweet, bonny faces will +mak' us work a' the better. And how are ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink +roses are in your cheeks once mair." And then he stepped quickly up to +the young clergyman and took his hand. + +"Mr. Lacy, ye must pardon me, but I'm an auld man, and must hae my way. +Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added in a low voice, "and ye called +upon Him, and He heard us." + +"Thank you, Mr. Bruce," Lacy answered nervously, as he saw his wife's +eyes droop, and a vivid blush dye her fair cheeks. Then he plucked the +American captain by the sleeve and went below, and Sukie de Boos laughed +loudly when in another minute they heard the pop of a bottle of soda +water. She ran to the skylight and bent down. + +"You're a pair of exceedingly rude men. You might think of Father +Roget--even if you don't think of us poor women. Mr. Otway, come here, +you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! Go below and get a glass of +port wine for Father Roget, a bottle of champagne for Mrs. Lacy and my +sister and myself, and a cup of tea for Mrs. Weidermann, and bring some +biscuits, too." + +"Come and help me, then," said the supercargo, who was indeed +dirty-faced and ragged. + +Sukie danced towards the companion way with him. Half-way down he put +his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She returned his kisses +with interest, and laughingly smacked his cheek. + +"Let me go, Charlie Otway, you horrid, bold fellow. Now, one, two, +three, or I'll call out and invoke the protection of the clergy, above +and below--those on board this ship I mean, not those who are in heaven +or elsewhere." + + * * * * * + +Ten days later the _Tucopia_ sailed into Apia Harbour and dropped +anchor inside Matautu Point just as the evening mists were closing their +fleecy mantle around the verdant slopes of Vailima Mountain. + +The two half-caste girls, with their maid and Mr. and Mrs. Lacy, came to +bid Otway and the captain a brief farewell, before they went ashore in +the pilot boat to D'Acosta's hotel in Matafele. + +"Now remember, Otway, and you, Captain Robertson, and you, Captain Burr, +you are all to dine with us at the hotel the day after to-morrow. And +perhaps you, too, Father Roget will reconsider your decision and come +too." It was Lacy who spoke. + +The gentle-voiced old Frenchman shook his head and smiled--"Ah no, it +was impossible," he said. The bishop would not like him to so soon leave +the Mission. But the bishop and his brothers at the Mission would look +forward to have the good captain, and Mr. Burr, and Mr. Otway, and the +ladies to accept his hospitality. + +Mrs. Lacy's soft little gloved hand was in Otway's. + +"I thank you, Mr. Otway, very, very sincerely for your many kindnesses +to me. You have indeed been most generous to us both. It was cruel of us +to take your cabin and compel you to sleep in the trade-room. But I +shall never forget how kind you have been." + +All that was good in Otway came into his vicious heart and voiced softly +through his lips. + +"I am only too glad, Mrs. Lacy.... I am indeed. I didn't like giving up +my cabin to strangers at first, and was a bit of a beast when Mr. Harry +told me we were taking two extra passengers. But I am glad now." + +He turned away, and went below with burning cheeks. Before the storm he +had tried his best, late on several nights, to make Lacy drunk, and to +keep him drunk; but Lacy could stand as much or more grog than he could +himself; and when he heard that passionate, sobbing appeal, "Oh, Will, +Will, how could you?" his better nature was stirred, and his fierce +sensual desire for her changed into a sentimental affection and respect. +He knew her secret, and now, instead of wishing to take advantage of it, +felt he was too much of a man to abuse his knowledge. + + * * * * * + +Supper was over, and as the skipper, Burr, and Otway paced the +quarter-deck before going ashore to play a game or two of billiards and +meet some friends, a boat came alongside, and a man stepped on deck and +inquired for the captain. As he followed Robertson down the companion, +Otway saw that he was a well-dressed, rather gentlemanly-looking young +man of about five and twenty. + +"Who's that joker, I wonder?" he said to Burr; "not any one living in +Samoa, unless he's a new-comer. Hope he won't stay long--it's eight +o'clock now." + +Ten minutes later the steward came to him. + +"The captain wishes to see you, sir." + +Otway entered the cabin. Robertson, with frowning face, motioned him to +a seat. The strange gentleman sat near the captain smoking a cigar, and +with some papers in his hands. + +"Mr. Otway, I have sent for you. This gentleman has a warrant for the +arrest of Mr. Lacy, issued by the New Zealand Government and initialled +by the British Consul here." + +Otway rose to the occasion. He nodded to the stranger and sat down +quietly. + +"Yes, sir?" he asked inquiringly of Robertson. + +"You will please tell my supercargo your business, mister," said the +captain gruffly to the stranger; "he can tell you all you wish to +know--that is, if he cares to do so. I don't see that your warrant holds +any force here in Samoa. You can't execute it. There's no government +here, no police, no anything, and the British Consul can't act on a +warrant issued from New Zealand. It is of no more use in Samoa than it +would be at Cape Horn." + +"Now, sir, make haste," said Otway with a mingled and studied insolence +and politeness. He already began to detest the stranger. + +"I am a detective of the police force of New Zealand, and I have come +from Auckland to arrest William Barton, alias the Rev. Wilfrid Lacy, on +a charge of stealing twenty thousand, five hundred pounds from the +National Bank of Christchurch, of which he was manager. I believe that +twenty thousand pounds of the money he has stolen is on board this +vessel at this moment, and I now demand access to his cabin." + +"Do you? How are you going to enforce your demand, my cocksure friend?" + +Otway rose, and placing his two hands on the table, looked insultingly +at the detective. "What rot you are talking, man!" + +The detective drew back, alarmed and startled. + +"The British Consul has endorsed my warrant to arrest this man," he +said, "and it will go hard with any one who attempts to interfere with +me in the performance of my duty." + +Otway shot a quick, triumphant glance at the captain. + +"The Consul is, and always was, a silly old ass. You have come on a +fool's errand; and are going on the wrong tack by making threats. That +idiotic warrant of yours is of no more use to you than a sheet of fly +paper--Samoa is outside British jurisdiction. The High Commissioner for +the Western Pacific would not have endorsed such a fool of a document, +and I'll report the matter to him.... Now, sit down and tell me what you +_do_ want, and I'll try and help you all I can. But don't try to bluff +us--it's only wasting your time. Steward, bring us something to drink." + +As soon as the steward brought them "something to drink" Otway became +deeply sympathetic with the detective, and Robertson, who knew his +supercargo well, smiled inwardly at the manner he adopted. + +"Now, just tell us, Mr.--O'Donovan, I think you said is your name--what +is all the trouble? I need hardly tell you that whilst both the captain +and myself felt annoyed at your dictatorial manner, we are both sensible +men, and will do all in our power to assist you. Our firm's reputation +has to be studied--has it not, captain? We don't want it to be +insinuated that we helped an embezzler to escape, do we?" + +"Certainly not," replied Robertson, puffing slowly at his cigar, +watching Otway keenly through his half-closed eyelids, and wondering +what that astute young gentleman was driving at. "I guess that you, Mr. +Otway, will do all that is right and cor-rect." + +"Thank you, sir," replied Otway humbly, and with great seriousness, "I +know my duty to my employers, and I know that this gentleman may be led +into very serious trouble through the dense stupidity of the British +Consul here." + +He turned to Mr. O'Donovan--"Are you aware, Mr. O'Donikin--I beg your +pardon, O'Donovan--that the British Consul here is not, officially, the +British Consul. He is merely a commercial agent, like the United States +Consul. Neither are accredited by their Governments to act officially on +behalf of their respective countries, and even if they were, there is no +extradition treaty with the Samoan Islands, which is a country without a +recognised government. Of course, Mr. O'Donovan, you are acting in good +faith; but you have no more legal right nor the power to arrest a man in +Samoa, than you have to arrest one in Manchuria or Patagonia. Of course, +old Johns (the British Consul) doesn't know this, or he would not have +made such a fool of himself by endorsing a warrant from an irresponsible +judge of a New Zealand court. But as I told you, I shall aid you in +every possible way." + +O'Donovan was no fool. He knew that all that Otway had said was +absolutely correct, but he braced himself up. + +"I daresay what you say may be right, Mr. Supercargo. But I've come from +New Zealand to get this joker, and by blazes I mean to get him, and take +him back with me to New Zealand. And I mean to have those twenty +thousand sovereigns to take back as well." + +"Well, then, why the devil don't you go and get your man? He's at Joe +D'Acosta's hotel with his wife." + +"I don't want to be bothered with him just yet. I have no place to put +him into. The Californian mail boat from San Francisco is not due here +for another ten days. But I know that he hasn't taken his stolen money +ashore yet, and you had better hand it over to me at once. I can get +_him_ at any time." + +Otway leant back in his chair and laughed. + +"I don't doubt that, Mr. O'Donovan. If you have enough money to do it, +you can do as you say--get this man at any time. But you want to have +some guns behind you to enforce it; and then his capture won't affect +our custody of the money. If the Consul instigates you to make an attack +on the ship, you will do so at your peril, for we shall resist any +piratical attempt." + +O'Donovan's face fell. "You said you would assist me?" + +"So I will," replied Otway, lying genially, "But you must point out a +way. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, in Fiji, is the only +man who could give you power to arrest the man and convey him to New +Zealand, and the moment you show me the High or the Deputy High +Commissioner's order to hand over the money, and Lacy's other effects, +I'll do so." + +The detective made his last stroke. + +"I can take the law into my own hands and chance the consequences. The +Consul will supply me with a force--" + +Robertson smiled grimly, and pointed to the rack of Snider rifles around +the mizen-mast at the head of the table. + +"You and your force will have a bad time of it then, and be shot down +before you can put foot on my deck. I've never seen a shark eat a +policeman, but there seems a chance of it now." + +O'Donovan laughed uneasily, then he changed his tactics. + +"Now look here, gentlemen," he said confidentially, leaning across the +table, "I can see I'm in a bit of a hole, but I'm a business man, and +you are business men, and I think we understand one another, eh? As you +say, my warrant doesn't hold good here in Samoa. But the Consul will +back me up, and if I can take this chap back to New Zealand it means a +big thing for me. Now, what's your figure?" + +"Two hundred each for the skipper and myself," answered Otway promptly. + +"Done. You shall have it." + +"When?" + +"Give me till to-morrow afternoon. I've only a hundred and fifty pounds +with me, and I'll have to raise the rest." + +"Very well, it's a deal. But mind, you'll have to take care to be here +before the parson. He's coming off at eleven o'clock." + +"Trust me for that, gentlemen." + +"I'm sorry for his wife," said Otway meditatively. + +O'Donovan grinned. "Ah, I haven't told you the yarn--she's not his wife! +She bolted from her husband, who is a big swell in Auckland, a Mr.----." + +"How did you get on their tracks?" + +"Sydney police found out that two people answering their description had +sailed for the Islands in the _Tucopia_, and cabled over to us. We +thought they had lit out for America. I only got here the day before +yesterday in the _Ryno_, from Auckland." + +Otway paid him some very florid compliments on his smartness, and then +after another drink or two, the detective went on shore, highly pleased. + +As soon as he was gone, Otway turned to Robertson. + +"You won't stand in my way, Robertson, will you?" he asked--"I want to +see the poor devils get away." + +"You take all the responsibility, then." + +"I will," and then he rapidly told the skipper his plan, and set to +work by at once asking the second mate to get ready the boat and then +come back to the cabin. + +"All ready," said Allen, five minutes later. + +"Then come with the steward and help me with this gear." + +He unlocked the door of Lacy's state-room, lit the swinging candle, and +quickly passed out Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining luggage to the second +mate and steward. Three small leather trunks, marked "Books with Care," +were especially heavy, and he guessed their contents. + +"Stow them safely in the boat, Allen. Don't make more noise than you can +help. I'll be with you in a minute." + +Going into his own cabin, he took a large handbag, threw into it his +revolver and two boxes of cartridges, then carried it into the +trade-room, and added half a dozen tins of the brand of tobacco which he +knew Lacy liked, and then filled the remaining space with pint bottles +of champagne. Then he whipped up a sheet or two of letter paper and an +envelope from the cabin-table, thrust them into his coat pocket, and, +bag in hand, stepped quickly on deck. The old mate was in his cabin, and +had not heard anything. + +"Give it to her, boys," he said to the crew, taking the steer-oar in his +hand, and heading the boat towards a small fore-and-aft schooner lying +half a mile away in the Matafele horn of the reef encircling Apia +Harbour. + +The four native seamen bent to their oars in silence, and sped swiftly +through the darkness over the calm waters of the harbour. The schooner +showed no riding light on her forestay, but, on the after deck under the +awning, a lamp was burning, and three men--the captain, mate, and +boatswain--were playing cards on the skylight. + +Otway jumped on deck, just as the men rose to meet him. + +"Great Ascensial Jehosophat! Why, it's you, Mr. Otway?" cried the +captain, a little clean-shaven man, as he shook hands with the +supercargo. "Well, now, I was just wondering whether I'd go ashore and +try and drop across you. Say, tell me now, hev you any good tinned beef +and a case of Winchesters you can sell me?" + +"Yes, both," replied Otway, shaking hands with the three in turn--they +were all old acquaintances, especially Le Brun, the mate. "But come +below with me, Revels; I've important business, and it has to be done +right away--this very night." + +Revels led the way below into the schooner's cabin, and at once produced +a bottle of Bourbon and a couple of glasses. + +"No time to drink, Revels.... All right, just a little, then. Now, tell +me, do you want to make--and make it easy--five hundred pounds?" + +"Guess I do." + +"Are you ready for sea?" + +"I was thinking of sailing on a cruise among the Tokelau Islands in a +day or two." + +"Then don't think of it. If you put to sea to-night for a longer voyage, +I can guarantee you that you will get five hundred pounds--if you will +take two passengers on board, and put to sea as soon as they come +alongside." + +"Where do they want to go?" + +"That I can't say. Manila or Hongkong, most likely. It'll pay you." + +"Is the money safe?" + +Otway struck his hand on the table. "Safe as rain, Revels. They have +plenty. I have it here alongside, and if you don't get five hundred +sovereigns paid you when you have dropped Samoa astern, you can come +back with your passengers, and I'll give you fifty pounds myself." + +"Friends of yours?" + +"Yes." + +"That's enough fur me, Otway. Now, just tell me what to do." + +"Tell your mate to get your boat ready to go ashore, while I write a +note." + +He took a sheet of paper, and hurriedly wrote in pencil: + + "DEAR LACY,--Don't hesitate to follow my instructions. There's a man + here from New Zealand. Tried to get access to your cabin; bluffed + him. You and your wife must follow bearer of this note to his boat, + which will bring you to a schooner. The captain's name is Revels. He + expects you, and you can trust him. Have pledged him my word that + you will give him L500 to land you at Manila or thereabouts; also + that you will hand it to him as soon as the schooner is clear of the + land. _All_ your luggage is on board the schooner, awaiting you. + Allen helped me. You might send him a present by Revels. Goodbye, + and all good luck. One last word--_be quick, be quick_!" + +"Boat is ready," said Revels. + +"Right," and Otway closed the letter and handed it to the mate. "Here +you are, Le Brun. Now, listen. Pull in to the mouth of the creek at the +French Mission, just beside the bridge. Leave your boat there and then +take this letter to D'Acosta's Hotel and ask to see Mr. Lacy. If he and +his wife have gone out for a walk, you must follow them and give him the +letter; but I feel pretty sure you'll find them on the verandah. Bring +them off on board as quickly and as quietly as possible. No one will +take any notice of the boat in the creek. Oh! and tell Mr. Lacy to be +dead sure not to bring anything in the way of even a small bag with +him--Joe D'Acosta might wonder. I'll settle the hotel bill later on. Are +you clear?" + +"Clear as mud," replied Le Brun, a big, black-whiskered Guernsey man. + +"Then goodbye." + +The schooner's boat, manned by two hands only, pushed off, and then +Revels turned to Otway. + +"Shall I heave short so as to be ready?" + +"Heave short, be d----d!" replied Otway testily. "No, just lie nice and +quiet, and as soon as you have your passengers on board slip your cable. +I'll see that your anchor is fished up for you. And even if you lost +your anchor and a few fathoms of chain it doesn't matter against five +hundred sovereigns. The people on shore would be sure to hear the sound +of the windlass pawls, and there's a man here from Auckland--a +detective--who might make a bold stroke, get a dozen native bullies and +collar you. So slip, my boy, slip. There's a fine healthy breeze which +will take you clear of the reef in ten minutes." + +The two men shook hands, and Otway stepped into his boat, which he +steered in towards the principal jetty. + +Jumping out he walked along the roadway which led from Matafele to Apia. +As he passed the British Consul's house he saw Mr. O'Donovan standing on +the verandah talking to the Consul. He waved his hand to them, and +cheerfully invited the detective to come along to "Johnnie Hall's" and +play a game of billiards. + +Mr. O'Donovan, little thinking that Otway had a purpose in view, took +the bait. The Consul knew Otway, and, in a measure, dreaded him, for the +supercargo's knowledge of certain transactions in connection with the +sale of arms to natives, in which he (the Consul) had taken a leading +and lucrative part. So when he saw the supercargo of the _Tucopia_ +beckoning to O'Donovan he smiled genially at him, and hurriedly told the +detective to go. + +"He's a most astute and clever young scoundrel, Mr. O'Donovan, and in a +way we are at his mercy. But you shall have the four hundred pounds in +the morning--not later than noon. This man Barton must be brought to +justice at any cost." + +"Just so, sir; and you will get a hundred out of the business, any way," +replied O'Donovan, who had gauged the Consul's morality pretty fairly. + +As Otway and the detective walked towards the hotel known as "Johnny +Hall's" the former said lazily-- + +"Look here, Mr. O'Donovan. Are the skipper and myself to get those four +hundred sovs to-morrow or not? To tell you the exact truth, I have a +fair amount of doubt about your promise. Where are you going to get the +money?" + +"That's all right, Mr. Otway. You're a business man. And you and the +skipper will have your two hundred each before one o'clock to-morrow. +The Consul is doing the necessary." + +"Right, my boy," said Otway effusively. "Now we'll play a game or two at +Johnny's and have some fun with the girls." + +By eleven o'clock Mr. O'Donovan was comfortably half drunk, and Otway +led him out on to the verandah to look at the harbour, shimmering under +the starlight. They sat down on two cane lounges, and the supercargo's +keen eye saw that Revel's schooner had gone. He breathed freely, and +then brought Mr. O'Donovan a large whisky and soda. + + * * * * * + +In the morning Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. William Johns, the British Consul, +were in a state of frenzy on discovering that Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had +escaped during the night in the schooner _Solafanua_. The Consul knew +that Otway was at the bottom of the matter, but dared not say so, but +O'Donovan, who had more pluck and nothing to lose, lost his temper and +came on board the _Tucopia_ just as she was being hauled up on the beach +to get at the leak. + +"You're a dirty sweep," he said to Otway. + +The supercargo hit him between the eyes, and sent him down. Allen picked +him up, dumped him into the boat alongside, and sent him ashore. + +When the _Tucopia_ lay high and dry on Apia beach Otway and old Bruce +walked round under her counter and looked for the leak. As the skipper +had surmised, a butt-end had started, but the gaping orifice was now +choked and filled with a large piece of seaweed. + +"The prayer of one of God's ain ministers has saved us," said the Scotch +mate, pointing upward. + +"No doubt," replied Otway, who knew that the good old man had heard +nothing of what had happened. + + + + +_The Man in the Buffalo Hide_ + + +Twelve years ago in a North Queensland town I was told the story of "The +Man in the Buffalo Hide" by Ned D----. He (D----) was then a prosperous +citizen, having made a small fortune by "striking it rich" on the +Gilbert and Etheridge Rivers goldfields. Returning from the arid wastes +of the Queensland back country to Sydney, he tired of leading an +inactive life, and hearing that gold had been discovered on one of the +Solomon Islands, he took passage thither in the Sydney whaling barque +_Costa Rica_ packet, and though he returned to Australia without +discovering gold in the islands, he had kept one of the most interesting +logs of a whaling cruise it has ever been my fortune to read. The master +of the whaleship was Captain J.Y. Carpenter, a man who is well known +and highly respected, not only in Sydney (where he now resides), but +throughout the East Indies and China, where he had lived for over thirty +years. And it was from Captain Carpenter who was one of the actors in +this twice-told tragedy, that D----heard this story of Chinese +vengeance. He (D----) related it to me in '88, and I wish I could write +the tale as well and vividly as he told it. However, I wrote it out for +him then and there. Much to our disgust the editor of the little journal +to whom we sent the MS., considered it a fairy tale, and cut it down to +some two or three hundred words. I mention these apparently unnecessary +details merely that the reader may not think that the tale is fiction, +for two years or so after, Captain Carpenter corroborated my friend's +story. + + * * * * * + +It was after the Taeping rebellion had been stamped out in blood and +fire by Gordon and his "Ever Victorious Army," and the Viceroy (Li Hung +Chang) had taken up his quarters in Canton, and was secretly torturing +and beheading those prisoners whom he had sworn to the English +Government to spare. + +Carpenter was in command of a Chinese Government despatch vessel--a +side-wheeler--which was immediately under the Viceroy's orders. She was +but lightly armed, but was very fast, as fast went in those days. His +ship had been lying in the filthy river for about a week, when, one +afternoon, a mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready +to proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous +experience of his estimable and astute Chinese employers warned him not +to ask the fat-faced, almond-eyed mandarin any questions as to the +steamer's destination, or the duration of the voyage. He simply said +that he would be ready at the appointed time. + +At daylight another mandarin, named Kwang--one of much higher rank than +his visitor of the previous day--came on board. He was attended by +thirty of the most ruffianly-looking scoundrels--even for Chinamen--that +the captain had ever seen. They were all well armed, and came off in a +large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin intimated with a polite +smile, was to be towed, if she was too heavy to be hoisted aboard. A +couple of hands were put in her, and she was veered astern. Then the +anchor was lifted, and the steamer started on her eighty miles trip down +the river to the sea, the mandarin informing the captain that he would +name the ship's destination as soon as they were clear of the land. + +Most of Carpenter's officers were Europeans--Englishmen or +Americans--and one or two of them who spoke Chinese, attempted to enter +into conversation with the thirty braves, and endeavour to learn the +object of the steamer's mission. Their inquiries were met either with a +mocking jest or downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who +hitherto had preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat on the +quarter-deck, turned to the captain with a sullen and ferocious aspect, +and bade him remind his officers that they had no business to question +the servants of the "high and excellent Viceroy." + +But though neither Carpenter nor any of his officers could learn aught +about this sudden mission, one of their servants, a Chinese who was +deeply attached to his master, whispered tremblingly to him that the +mandarin and the thirty braves were in quest of one of the Viceroy's +most hated enemies--a noted leader of the Taepings who had escaped the +bloodied hands of Li Hung Chang, and whose retreat had been betrayed to +the cruel, merciless Li the previous day. + +Once clear of the land, the mandarin, with a polite smile and many +compliments to Carpenter on the skilful and expeditious manner in which +he had navigated the steamer down the river, requested him to proceed to +a certain point on the western side of the island of Formosa. + +"When you are within twenty miles of the land, captain," he said +suavely, "you will make the steamer stop, and my men and I will leave +you in the boat. You must await our return, which may be on the +following day, or the day after, or perhaps longer still. But whether I +am absent one, or two, or six days, you must keep your ship in the +position I indicate as nearly as possible. You must avoid observation +from the shore, you must be watchful, diligent, and patient, and, when +you see my boat returning, you must make your engines work quickly, and +come towards us with all speed. High commendation and a great reward +from the serene nobleness of our great Viceroy--who has already +condescended to notice your honourable ability and great integrity in +your profession--awaits you." Then with another smile and bow he went to +his cabin. + +As soon as the steamer reached the place indicated by the mandarin the +engines were stopped. The boat, which was towing astern, was hauled +alongside, and the thirty truculent "braves," with a Chinese pilot and +the ever-smiling mandarin, got into her and pushed off for the shore. +That they were all picked men, who could handle an oar as well as a +rifle, was very evident from the manner in which they sent the big boat +along towards the blue outline of the distant shore. + + * * * * * + +For two days Carpenter and his officers waited and watched, the steamer +lying and rolling about upon a long swell, and under a hot and brazen +sun. Then, about seven o'clock in the morning, as the sea haze lifted, a +look-out on the foreyard hailed the deck and said the boat was in sight. +The steamer's head was at once put towards her under a full head of +steam, and in another hour the mandarin and his braves were alongside. + +The mandarin clambered up on deck, his always-smiling face (which +Carpenter and his officers had come to detest) now darkly exultant. + +"You have done well, sir," he said to the captain; "the Viceroy himself, +when my own miserable worthlessness abases itself before him, shall know +how truly and cleverly you and your officers (who shall be honoured for +countless ages in the future) have obeyed the behests which I have had +the never-to-be-extinguished honour to convey from him to you. There is +a prisoner in the boat--a prisoner who is to be tried before those high +and merciful judges whose Heaven-sent authority your valorous commander +of the Ever Victorious Army has upheld." + +Carpenter, being a sailor man before all else, swallowed the mandarin's +compliments for all they were worth, and I can imagine him giving a +grumpy nod to the smiling minion of the Viceroy as he ordered "the +prisoner" to be brought on deck, and the boat to be veered astern for +towing. + +The official interposed oilily. There was no need, he said, to tow the +boat to Canton if she could not be hoisted on board, and was likely to +impede the steamer's progress. Some of his braves could remain in her, +and the insignia of the Viceroy which they wore would ensure both their +and the boat's safety--no pirates would touch them. + +The captain said that to tow such a heavy boat for such a long distance +would certainly delay the steamer's arrival in Canton by at least six or +eight hours. The mandarin smiled sweetly, and said that as speed was +everything the most honourable navigator, whom he now had the privilege +to address, and who was so soon to be distinguished by his mightiness +the Viceroy, could at once let the boat which had conveyed his worthless +self into the sunshine of his (the captain's) presence, go adrift. + +At a sign from Kwang, six of his cutthroats clambered down the side into +the boat, which was at once cast oft; the steamer was sent along under a +full head of steam, and the captain was about to ascend the bridge when +the mandarin stayed him, and requested that a meal should be at once +prepared in the cabin for the prisoner, who, he said, was somewhat +exhausted, for his capture was only effected after he had killed three +and wounded half a dozen of "the braves." So courageous a man, he added +softly, whatever his offence might be, must not be allowed to suffer the +pangs of hunger and thirst. + +Carpenter gave the necessary order to the steward with a sensation of +pleasure, feeling that he had done the suave and gentle-voiced Kwang an +injustice in imagining him to be like most Chinese officials--utterly +indifferent and callous to human suffering. Then he stepped along the +deck towards the bridge just as two of the braves lifted the prisoner to +his feet, which a third had freed from a thong of hide, bound so tightly +around them that it had literally cut into the flesh. His hands were +tied in the same manner, and round his neck was an iron collar, with a +chain about six feet in length which was secured at the end to another +band around the waist of one of the "braves." + +As the prisoner stood erect, Carpenter saw that he was a man of +herculean proportions and over six feet three or four inches in height. +His arms and naked chest were cut, bleeding and bruised, and a bamboo +gag was in his mouth; but what at once attracted the captain's attention +and sympathy was the man's face. + +So calm, steadfast, and serene were his clear, undaunted eyes; so proud, +lofty, and contemptuous and yet so dignified his bearing, as he glanced +at his guards when they bade him walk, that Carpenter, drawing back a +little, raised his hand in salute. + +In an instant the deep, dark eyes lit up, and the tortured, distorted +mouth would have smiled had it not been for the cruel gag. But twice he +bent his head, and his eyes did that which was denied to his lips. + +Captain Carpenter was deeply moved. The man's heroic fortitude, his +noble bearing under such physical suffering, the tender, woman-like +resignation in the eyes which could yet smile into his, affected him so +strongly that he could not help asking one of the "braves" the +prisoner's name. + +An insolent, threatening gesture was the only answer. But the prisoner +had heard, and bent his head in acknowledgment. When he raised it again +and saw that Carpenter had now taken off his cap, tears trickled down +his cheeks. In another moment he was hurried along the deck into the +cabin, and half a dozen "braves" stood guard at the door to prevent +intrusion, whilst the gag was removed, and the victim of the Viceroy's +vengeance was urged to eat. Whether he did so or not was never known, +for half an hour afterwards he was removed to one of the state-rooms, +where he was closely guarded by Kwang's cutthroats. When he was next +seen by Carpenter and the officers of the steamer the gag was again in +his mouth, but the calm, resolute eyes met theirs as it trying to tell +them that the heroic soul within the tortured body knew no fear, and +felt and appreciated their sympathy. + +On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Formosa the steamer +ploughed her way up the muddy waters of the river, and came to an anchor +off the city at a place which was within half a mile of the Viceroy's +residence. The mandarin requested the captain to fire three guns, and +hoist the Chinese flag at both the fore and main peaks. + +This signal was, so Kwang condescended to say, to inform His +Illustriousness the Ever-Merciful Viceroy that he, Kwang, his crawling +dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, and supreme and +honoured skill as a navigator, had achieved the object which His +Illustriousness desired. + +The captain listened to all this "flam," bowed his acknowledgments, and +then suddenly asked the mandarin the prisoner's name. + +Again the fat, complacent face darkened, and almost scowled. "No," he +replied sullenly, he himself "was not permitted" to know the prisoner's +name. His crime? He did not know. When was he to be tried? To-morrow. +Then he rose and abruptly requested the captain to ask no more +questions. But, he added, with a smile, he could promise him that he +should at least see the captive again. + +In a few minutes a boat came off, and the prisoner, closely guarded, and +with his face covered with a piece of cloth, was hurried ashore. + + * * * * * + +Four days had passed--days of heat so intense that even the Chinese crew +of the steamer lay about the decks under the awning, stripped to their +waists, and fanning themselves languidly. During this time the captain +and his officers, by careful inquiries, ascertained that the unfortunate +prisoner was a brother of one of the Wangs, or seven "Heavenly Kings," +who had led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past the +Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his capture, being +particularly exasperated with him, not only for his courage in the +field, and the influence he had wielded over the unfortunate Taepings, +who were wiped out by Gordon and the Ever-Victorious Army, but also +because he refused to accept Li Hung Chang's sworn word to spare his +life if he surrendered; for well he knew that a death by torture awaited +him. Gordon himself, it was said, revolver in hand, and with tears of +rage streaming down his face, had sought to find and shoot the Viceroy +for the cruel murder of other leaders who had surrendered to him under +the solemn promise of their lives being spared. + +Late in the afternoon, a messenger came on board with a note to the +captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained but a line. +"Follow the bearer, who will guide you to the prisoner." + +An hour later Carpenter was conducted through a narrow door which was +set in a very high wall of great thickness. He found himself in a garden +of the greatest beauty, and magnificent proportions. Temples and other +buildings of the most elaborate and artistic design and construction +showed here and there amid a profusion of gloriously-foliaged trees and +flowering shrubs. No sound broke the silence except the twittering of +birds; and not a single person was visible. + +The guide, who had not yet uttered a single word, now turned and +motioned Carpenter to follow him along a winding path, paved with white +marble slabs, and bordered with gaily-hued flowers. Suddenly they +emerged upon a lovely sward of the brightest green, in the centre of +which a fountain played, sending its fine feathery spray high in air. + +On one side of the fountain were a number of "braves" who stood in a +close circle, and, as Carpenter approached, two of them silently stepped +out of the cordon, brought their rifles to the salute, and the guide +whispered to him to enter. + +Within the circle was Kwang, who was seated in his chair of office. He +rose and greeted the captain politely. + +"I promised you that you should again see the criminal in whom you and +your officers took such a deep and benevolent interest. I now fulfil +that promise--and leave you." And, with a malevolent smile, he bowed and +disappeared. + +The guide touched Carpenter's arm. + +"Look," he said in a whisper. + + * * * * * + +Within a few inches of a wavering line of spray from the fountain, +purposely diverted so as to fall upon the grass, lay what appeared at +first sight to be a round bundle tied up in a buffalo hide. A black +swarm of flies buzzed and buzzed over and around it. + +"Draw near and look," said the harsh voice of the officer who commanded +the grim, silent guard, as he stepped up to the strange-looking bundle, +and waved his fan quickly to and fro over a protuberance in the centre. + +A black cloud of flies arose, and revealed a sight that will haunt +Carpenter to his dying day--the purpled, distorted face of a living man. +The eyelids had been cut off, and only two dreadful, bloodied, glaring +things of horror appealed mutely to God. The victim's knees had been +drawn up to his chin, and only his head was visible; for the fresh +buffalo hide in which his body had been sewn, fitted tightly around his +neck. + +Shuddering with horror, and yet fascinated with the dreadful spectacle, +Carpenter asked the officer how long the prisoner had been tortured. + +"Four days," was the reply. + +For the buffalo, the hide of which was to be the prisoner's death-wrap, +was in readiness the moment the steamer arrived, and ten minutes after +the signal was hoisted, the creature was killed, the hide stripped off, +and the prisoner sewn up in it, only his head being left free. + +Then he was carried to a heated room, so that the hide should contract +quickly. From there he was taken to the fountain, where his eyelids were +cut off, and then he was laid upon the ground, his mouth just within a +few inches of a spray from the fountain. + +And the Viceroy came, saw, approved, and smiled, and assigned to Kwang +the honoured post of watching his hated enemy die under slow and +agonising torture. To attract the flies, honeyed water was applied to +the prisoner's shaven head and face. And the guards, now and then as his +thirst increased, offered him brine to drink. + +"He is still alive," the brutal-faced Tartar officer said genially, as +he touched one of the dreadful eyeballs, and the poor, tortured +creature's lips moved slightly. + +Sick at heart and almost overcome with horror, Captain Carpenter, with +quickened footsteps, passed through the cordon of guards, and followed +his guide from the dreadful spot. + +In a few minutes he was without the wall, and a sigh of relief broke +from him as he set out towards the river. + + + + +A CRUISE IN THE SOUTH SEAS + +(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS) + + + + + +_A Cruise in the South Seas_ + +(HINTS TO INTENDING TRAVELLERS) + + +The traveller who makes a hurried trip in an excursion steamer through +the Cook, Society, Samoan, or Tongan Islands has but little opportunity +of seeing anything of the social life of the natives, or getting either +fishing or shooting; for it is but rarely that the vessel remains for +more than forty-eight hours at any of the ports visited. Personally, if +I wanted to have an enjoyable cruise among the various island groups in +the South Pacific I should avoid the "excursion" steamer as I would the +plague. In the first place, one sees next to nothing for his passage +money if he fatuously takes a ticket in either Sydney or New Zealand for +"a round trip to Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and back." Certainly, he will +enjoy the sea voyage, for in the Australasian winter months the weather +in the South Seas is never very hot, and cloudless skies and a smooth +sea may almost be relied upon from April until the end of July. At such +places as Nukualofa, the little capital of the Tonga Islands, an +excursion steamer will remain for perhaps forty hours; at Apia, in +Samoa, forty-eight hours; and at Papeite, the capital of the French +island of Tahiti, forty-eight hours. At the two latter places the +traveller will be charmed by the lovely scenery, and disgusted by the +squalid appearance of the natives; for within the last ten years great +changes have occurred, and the native communities inhabiting the island +ports, such as Apia and Papeite, have degenerated into the veriest +loafers, spongers, and thieves. The appearance of a strange European in +any of the environs of Apia is the signal for an onslaught of beggars of +all ages and both sexes, who will pester his life out for tobacco; if he +says he does not smoke, they say a sixpence will do as well. If he +refuses he is pretty sure to be insulted by some half-naked ruffian, and +will be glad to get back to the ship or to the refuge of an hotel. And +yet, away from the contaminating influences of the town the white +stranger will meet with politeness and respect wherever he +goes--particularly if he is an Englishman--and will at once note the +pleasing difference in the manners of the natives. Yet it must now be +remembered that Samoa--with the exception of the beautiful island of +Tutuila--is German territory, and German officials are none too effusive +to Englishmen or Americans--in Samoa. + +But if any one wants to spend an enjoyable time in the South Seas let +him avoid the "excursion ship" and go there in a trading steamer. There +are several of these now sailing out of Australasian ports, and there is +a choice of groups to visit. If a four months' voyage is not too long, a +passage may be obtained in a small, but fairly fast and comfortable +boat of 600 tons sailing from Sydney, which visits over forty islands in +her cruise from Niue or Savage Island, ten days' steam from Sydney, to +Jaluit in the Marshall Islands. But this particular cruise I would not +recommend to any one in search of a variety of beautiful scenery, for +nearly all of the islands visited are of the one type--low-lying sandy +atolls, densely verdured with coco-palms, and very monotonous from their +sameness of appearance. Their inhabitants, however, are widely different +in manners, customs, and general mode of life. To the ethnologist such a +cruise among the Ellice, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands would no doubt be +full of interest; but to the traveller in search of either beautiful +scenery or sport (except fishing) they would be disappointing. + +Let us suppose that the intending traveller desires to make a stay of +some two or three months in the Samoan Group. He can reach there easily +enough from Sydney or Auckland by steamer once a month, either by one of +the Union Steamship Company's regular traders or by one of the San +Francisco mail boats. From Sydney the voyage occupies eight days, from +Auckland five. The outfit required for a three or four months' stay is +not a large one--light clothing can be bought almost as cheaply in Samoa +as in Sydney, a couple of guns with plenty of ammunition (for cartridges +are shockingly dear in the Islands), a large and varied assortment of +deep-sea tackle, a rod for fresh-water or reef fishing, and a good +waterproof and rugs for camping out, as the early mornings are sometimes +very chilly. And there is one other thing that is worth while taking, +even though it may cost from L30 to L50 or so in Sydney--a good +secondhand boat, with two suits of sails. Thus provided the sportsman +can sail all along the coasts of Savaii and Upolu, and be practically +independent of the local storekeepers. To hire a boat is very expensive, +and to travel in native craft is horribly uncomfortable, and risky as +well. And such a boat can always be sold again for at least its cost. + +A stay of two or three days, or at most a week, in Apia is quite long +enough, and the stranger will get all the information he requires about +the outlying districts from the Consuls or any of the old white +residents. Such provisions as are needed--tea, sugar, flour, biscuits, +tinned or other meats, &c.--can be had at fairly cheap rates; but a +large stock should be taken, for, besides the keep of the native crew +of, say, four men, it must always be borne in mind that a white visitor +is expected to return the hospitality he receives from the native chiefs +by making a present, and the Samoans are particularly susceptible to the +charms of tinned meats, sardines, salmon, and _falaoa_ (bread or +biscuit). That such a return should be made is only just and natural, +though I am sorry to say that very often it is not. Then, again, it is +very easy to stow away in the trade box in the boat eight or ten pieces +of good print, cut off in pieces of six fathoms (which is enough to make +a woman's gown), about 30 lbs. of twist negrohead tobacco (twenty to +thirty sticks to the pound), half a gross of lucifer matches, and such +things as cotton, scissors, combs, &c., and powder, caps, and a bag of +No. 3 shot for pigeon shooting. Now, this seems a lot of articles for a +man to take on a short Samoan _malaga_ (journey), but it is not, and for +the L50 which it may cost for such an outfit (exclusive of the boat and +crew's wages) the traveller will see more of the people and their mode +of life, be more hospitably received, and spend a pleasanter time than +if he were cruising about in a 1,000-ton yacht. The wages or boatmen and +native sailors in Samoa are usually $15.00 per month, but many will +gladly go on a _malaga_ (the general acceptance of the word is a +pleasure trip) for much less, for there is but little work, and much +eating and drinking. But, as sailors, the Samoans are a wretched lot, +and the local living Savage Islanders, as the natives of Niue Island are +called, are far better, especially if there is any wind or a beat to +windward in a heavy sea. These Savage Island "boys" can always be +obtained in Apia. They are good seamen and very willing to work; but +they have to be fed entirely by their white employer, for the Samoans +seldom make a present of food to a crew of Niue boys, for whom they +profess a contempt and designate _au puaa_--_i.e._, pigs. + +The Samoan Group consists of five islands, trending from west by north +to east by south. The two largest are Upolu and Savaii. Tutuila, and the +Manua Group of three islands are too far to the windward to attempt in a +small boat against the south-east trades. And it would take quite three +months to visit the principal villages on the two large islands, staying +a few days at each place. + +The best plan is to make to windward along the coast of Upolu after +leaving Apia. A large boat cannot be taken all the way inside the reef, +owing to the many coral patches which, at low tide, render this course +impracticable. The first place of any importance is Saluafata, fifteen +miles from Apia (I must mention that Apia is in the centre of Upolu, and +on the north side), then Falifa|, an exquisitely pretty place, and +then Fa|goloa Bay and village, eight miles further on. This is the +deepest indentation in Samoa, except the famous Pa|go Pa|go Harbour +on Tutuila, and the scenery is very beautiful. After leaving Fa|goloa, +the open sea has to be taken, for there is now no barrier reef for ten +miles, where it begins at Samusu village, to the towns of Aleipata and +Lepa|, two of the best in the group, and inhabited by cleanly and +hospitable people. This is the weather point of Upolu, and after leaving +Lepa| the boat has a clear run of over sixty miles before the glorious +trades to the lee end of the island--that is, unless a stay is made at +the populous towns of Falealilli, Sa|fata, Lafa|ga, and Falelatai, +on the southern coast. The scenery along this part of the island is +enchanting, but sudden squalls at night-time are sometimes frequent, +from December to March, and 'tis always advisable to run into a port at +sunset. + +Two miles off the lee end of Upolu is the low-lying island of Manono, +which is, however, enclosed in the Upolu barrier reef. It is only about +three miles in circumference, exceedingly fertile, and is the most +important place in the group, owing to the political influence wielded +by the chiefly families who have always made it their home. A mile from +Manono, and in the centre of the deep strait separating Upolu from +Savaii, is a curiously picturesque spot, an island named Apolima.[17] It +is an extinct crater, but has a narrow passage on the north side, and is +inhabited by about fifty people, who are delighted to see any _papalagi_ +(foreigner) who is venturesome enough to make a landing there. + +Savaii is distant about ten miles from Upolu. Its coast is for the most +part _itu papa_--i.e., iron bound--but there are five populous towns +there--Palaulae, Salealua, Asaua, Matautu, and Safune. After making the +round of Savaii, the boat has to make back to Manono, and then can +proceed inside the reef all the way to Apia, making stoppages at the +many minor villages which stud the shore at intervals of every few +miles. + +These _malaga_ by boat along the coast or from one island to another are +much in favour with many of the white residents of Samoa, who find their +life in Apia very monotonous. European ladies frequently accompany their +husbands, and sometimes quite a large party is made up. More than +five-and-twenty years ago, when the writer was gaining his first +experiences of Samoan life, it was his good fortune to be one of such a +party, and a right merry time he had of it among the natives; for in +those days, although there was party warfare occasionally, the group +was free from the savage hatreds and dissensions--largely fomented by +the interference and intrigues of unscrupulous traders and incapable +officials--which for the past ten or twelve years have made it +notorious. + +In travelling in Samoa one need not always rely upon native hospitality. +Though most of the white traders at the outlying villages nowadays make +nothing beyond a scanty living, they are as a rule very hospitable and +pleased to see and entertain white visitors as well as their poor means +will allow, and in nine cases out of ten would feel hurt if they were +ignored and the native teacher's house visited first; for between the +average trader and the native teacher there is always a natural and yet +reasonable jealousy. And here let me say a word in praise of the Samoan +teacher--in Samoa. Away from his native land, in charge of a mission +station in another part of Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often +pompous and overbearing alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here +he is far from the control and supervision of the white missionaries, +who only visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself +a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt to curb +any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse over his flock or +interfere with any matter not strictly connected with his charge. So, in +Samoa, the native teacher is generally a good fellow, the soul of +hospitality, and anxious to entertain any chance white visitor; and +although the Samoans are not bigoted ranters like the Tongans or +Fijians, and the teachers have not anything like the undue and improper +influence over the people possessed by the native ministers in Tonga or +Fiji, to needlessly offend one would be resented by the villagers and +make the visitor's stay anything but pleasant. As for the white +missionaries in Samoa, all I need say of them is that they are +gentlemen, and that the words "Mission House" are synonymous in most +cases with warm welcome to the traveller. + +Travelling inland in Savaii or crossing Upolu from north to south, or +_vice-versa,_ is very delightful, though one misses much of the lovely +scenery that unfolds itself in a panorama-like manner when sailing along +the coast. One journey that can easily be accomplished in a day is that +from Apia to Safata. Carriers are easily obtainable, and some splendid +pigeon shooting can be had an hour or two after leaving Apia till within +a few miles of Safata. Pigeons are about the only game to be had in +Samoa, though the _manutagi_, or ring-dove, is very plentiful, but one +hardly likes to shoot such dear little creatures. Occasionally one may +get a wild duck or two and some fearful-looking wild fowls--the progeny +of the domestic fowl. Wild pigs are not now plentiful in Upolu though +they are in Savaii, but they are exceedingly difficult to shoot and the +country they frequent is fearfully rough. In some of the streams there +are some very good fish, running up to 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. They bite +eagerly at the _ula_ or freshwater prawn, and are excellent eating; and +yet, strange to say, very few of the white residents in the group even +know of their existence. This applies also to deep-sea fishing; for +although the deep water outside the reefs and the passages leading into +the harbours teem with splendid fish, the residents of Apia are content +to buy the wretched things brought to them by women who capture them in +nets in the shallow water inside the reef. Once, during my stay on +Manono, a young Manhiki half-caste and myself went out in our boat about +a mile from the land, and in thirty fathoms of water caught in an hour +three large-scaled fish of the groper species. These fish, though once +familiar enough to the people of the island, are now never fished for, +and our appearance with our prizes caused quite an excitement in the +village, everyone thronging around us to look. And yet there are two or +three varieties of groper--many of them weighing 50 lbs. or 60 +lbs.--which can be caught anywhere on the Samoan coast; but the Samoan +of the present day has sadly degenerated, and, except bonito catching, +deep-sea fishing is one of the lost arts. But at almost any place in the +group, except Apia, great quantities of fish are caught inside the reefs +by nets, and one may always be sure of getting a splendid mullet of some +sort for either breakfast or supper. + +Let us suppose that a party of Europeans have arrived at a village, and +are the guests of the chief and people generally. Food is at once +brought to them, even before any visits of ceremony are paid, for the +news of the coming of a party of travellers has doubtless been brought +to the village the previous day by a messenger from the last +stopping-place. The repast provided may be simple, but will be ample, +baked pork most likely being the _piece de resistance,_ with roast +fowl, baked pigeons, breadfruit (if in season), and yams or taro, with a +plentiful supply of young drinking-coconuts. (Should the host be the +local teacher, some deplorable tea and a loaf of terrible bread are sure +to be produced.) This preliminary meal finished, the formalities begin +by a visit from the chief and his _tulafale,_ or "talking-man," +accompanied by the leading citizens. The talking-man then makes a +speech, welcoming the guests, and is by no means sparing of "buttery" +phrases which indicate the intense delight, &c., of the inhabitants of +the village at having the honoured privilege of entertaining such noble +and distinguished visitors, &c. A suitable reply is made by the guests +(through an interpreter, if no one among them can speak Samoan), and +then follows a ceremonious brewing and drinking of kava. This is a most +important function in Samoa, and to the stranger unaccustomed to the +manner of making the beverage, the ordeal of drinking it is an +exceedingly trying one. It is prepared as follows: The dried kava root +is cut up in thin slices and handed to a number of young women, who +masticate it and then deposit it in a large wooden _tanoa_, or bowl. +Water is then added in sufficient quantity till the _tanoa_ is +half-filled with a thin yellowish-green liquid, which is carefully +strained by a thick "swab" of the beaten bark of the _fau_-tree. This +straining operation is performed only by a very experienced lady, and is +watched in respectful silence. Then the drink is handed round in a +polished bowl of coconut-shell. But for a full description of all the +details of a kava-drinking, let me commend my readers to the best and +most charming book ever written on South Sea life, "South Sea Bubbles," +by the late Earl of Pembroke and Dr. Kingsley. Nowadays, however, many +Samoan households, out of deference to European tastes, have the kava +root grated instead of being chewed. + +The kava-drinking over, all stiffness and formality disappears for the +time, and the visitors are surrounded by the villagers, eager to learn +the latest news from Apia, and from the world abroad. The discussion of +political matters always has a strong attraction for Samoans, who are +anxious to learn the state of affairs in Europe, and their knowledge and +shrewdness is surprising. Should there be any white ladies present, the +brown ones make much of them. The Samoans are a fine, handsome race, and +the faces and figures of many of the young women are very attractive; +but the practice of cutting off their long, flowing black hair, and +allowing it to grow in a short, stiff "frizz" is all too common, and +detracts very much from an otherwise handsome and graceful appearance, +especially when the hair is coated with lime in order to change its +colour to red. Many of the men, particularly those of chiefly rank, are +of magnificent stature and proportions, and their walk and carriage are +in consonance. + +An announcement that the visitors intend to go pigeon shooting is warmly +applauded, and each white man is at once provided with a guide, for, +unless he has had experience of the Samoan forest, he will return with +an empty bag, as, however plentiful the birds may be, their habit of +hiding in the branches of the lofty _tamanu_ and _masa'oi_-trees render +them difficult of detection. The natives themselves are very good shots, +and very rarely fail to bring down a bird, even when nothing more than a +scarlet leg or a blue-grey feather is visible. The guns they use are +very common, cheap German affairs, but are specially made for Samoa, +being very small bored and long in the barrel. The best time is in the +early morning and towards the cool of the evening, when the birds are +feeding on _masa'oi_ and other berries; during the heat of the day they +seldom leave their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard +everywhere. In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii there is +but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a thick layer of +leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked beneath, and simply to +breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is delightful. At certain times of +the year the birds are very fat, and I have very often seen them +literally burst when striking the ground after being shot in high trees. +Their flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day. I may +here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same species of pigeon +is very often quite uneatable through feeding upon Chili berries, which +in that island grow in profusion. In shooting in a Samoan forest one has +nothing to fear from venomous reptiles, for, although there are two or +three kinds of snakes, they are rarely ever seen and quite harmless. +Scorpions and centipedes--the latter often six inches in length--there +are in plenty, but these detestable vermin are more common in European +habitations than in the bush. At the same time, mosquitoes are a +terrible annoyance anywhere in the vicinity of water, and delight in +attacking the tender skin of the stranger. Then, again, beware of +scratching any exposed part of the skin, for, unless it is quickly +covered by plaister or otherwise attended to, an irritating sore, which +may take months to heal, will often result. + +There are, during the visit of a travelling party to a Samoan town, no +fixed times for meals. You are expected to eat much and often. During +the day there will be continuous arrivals of people bringing baskets of +provisions as presents, which are formally presented--with a speech. The +speech has to be responded to, and the bringers of the presents treated +politely, as long as they remain, and they remain until their +curiosity--and avarice--is satisfied. A return present must be sent on +the following day; for although Samoans designate every present of food +or anything else made to a party of visitors as an "alofa"--_i.e.,_ a +gift of love--this is but a hollow conventionalism, it being the +time-honoured custom of the country to always give a _quid pro quo_ for +whatever has been received. Yet it must not be imagined that they are a +selfish people; if the recipients of an "alofa" of food are too poor to +respond otherwise than by a profusion of thanks, the donors of the +"alofa" are satisfied--it would be a disgrace for their village to be +spoken of as having treated guests meanly. + +After evening service--conducted on week-days in each house by the head +of the family--another meal is served. Then either lamps or a fire of +coconut-shells is lit, and there is a great making of _sului_, or +cigarettes of strong tobacco rolled in dry banana leaf, and there is +much merry jostling and shoving among the young lads and girls for a +seat on the matted floor, to hear the white people talk. A dance is sure +to be suggested, and presently the _fale po-ula,_ or dance-house, is lit +up in preparation, as the dancers, male and female, hurry away to adorn +themselves. Much has been said about the impropriety of Samoa dancing by +travellers who have only witnessed the degrading and indecent +exhibitions, given on a large scale by the loafing class of natives who +inhabit Apia and its immediate vicinity. The natives are an adaptive +race, and suit their manners to their company, and there are always +numbers of sponging men and _paumotu_ (beach-women) ready to pander to +the tastes of low whites who are willing to witness a lewd dance. But in +most villages, situated away from the contaminating influences of the +principal port, a native _siva_, or dance, is well worth witnessing, and +the accompanying singing is very melodious. It is, however, true, that +on important occasions, such as the marriage of a great chief, &c., that +the dancing, decorous enough in the earlier stages of the evening, +degenerates under the influence of excitement into an exhibition that +provokes sorrow and disgust. And yet, curiously enough, the dancers at +these times are not low class, common people, but young men and women +of high lineage, who, led by the _taupo_, or maid of the village, cast +aside all restraint and modesty. In many of the dances the costumes are +exceedingly pretty, the men wearing aprons made of the yellow and +scarlet leaves of the _ti_ or dracoena plant, with head-dresses formed +of pieces of iridescent pearl-shell, intermixed with silver coins and +scarlet and amber beads, and the hair of both sexes is profusely adorned +with the scarlet flowers of the hibiscus, while from their necks depend +large strings of _sea-sea, masa'oi,_ and other brightly-coloured and +sweet-smelling berries. Of late years the Tahitian fashion of wearing +thick wreaths of orange or lemon blossoms has come into vogue. + +Before concluding these remarks upon Samoa, I must mention that the +climate is very healthy for the greater part of the year; but in the +rainy season, December to March, the heat is intense, and sickness is +often prevalent, especially in Apia. Still fever, such as is met with in +the New Hebrides and the Solomon Group, "the grave of the white man in +the South Seas," is unknown, and one may sleep in the open air with +impunity. Before setting out from Apia the services of a competent +interpreter should be secured--a man who thoroughly understands the +Samoan _customs_ as well as the language. Plenty of reliable half-castes +can always be found, any one of whom would be glad to engage for a very +moderate payment. Too often the pleasures of such a trip as I have +described have been marred by the interpreter's lack of tact and +knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the inhabitants of the various +districts and villages. The mere fact of a man being able to speak the +language fairly well is not the all in all; for the Samoans are a highly +sensitive people, and the omission by the interpreter of a chief's +titles, &c., when the guests are responding through him to an address of +welcome, would be considered "shockingly bad form." + +But the reader must not imagine that the Samoan Group is the only one in +the South Pacific where an enjoyable holiday may be spent. The French +possession of the Society Islands, of which the pretty town Papeite, in +the noble island of Tahiti, is the capital, rivals, if not exceeds, +Samoa in the magnificence of its scenery, and the natives are a highly +intelligent race of Malayo-Polynesians who, despite their being citizens +of the French Republic, never forget that they were redeemed from +savagery by Englishmen, and a _taata Peretane_ (Englishman) is an +ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities for visiting the different +islands of the Society Group are very good, for there is quite a fleet +of native and European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the +archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east to its +north-west point is one of the most delightful trips imaginable. Then +again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which consist of the fertile islands +of Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atui, Aitutaki, and Mauki, are well worth +visiting. The people speak a language similar to that of Tahiti, and +they are a fine, hospitable race, albeit a little over-civilised. Both +of these groups can be reached from Auckland by sailing vessels, but +not direct from Sydney. As for the lonely islands of the North Pacific, +they are too far afield for any one to visit but the trader or the +traveller to whom time is nothing. + + * * * * * + + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +1: Literally, "clear crony." + +2: Port. + +3: Happiness. + +4: A libertine, profligate. + +5: My love to you, Pakia; are you well? + +6: White foreigners. + +7: Frank. + +8: Small-pox. + +9: An accordion. + +10: Idler, gad about--a Samoan expression. + +11: German. + +12: The Tokelau and Ellice Islanders are much amused at the white man's + method of hauling in a heavy fish hand _over_ hand. This to them is + "_faka fafine_"--i.e., like a woman. + +13: Cayse. + +14: NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER.--This incident is related by the author in + "By Reef and Palm" under the title of "The Rangers of the Tia Kau." + +15: PUBLISHER'S NOTE.--This Alan Strickland is the "Allan" who has so + frequently figured in the author's other tales of South Sea life, + notably in the works entitled "By Reef and Palm" and "The Ebbing of + the Tide." + +16: Councillors. + +17: _Apo! lima_! "Be quick with your hand!" The passage is narrow and + dangerous, even for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches the + rolling surf, calls out _Apo, lau lima_! to his crew--an expression + synonymous to our nautical, "Pull like the devil!" + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, +and Other Stories, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK AND POOL *** + +***** This file should be named 12798.txt or 12798.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/9/12798/ + +Produced by David McLachlan and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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