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diff --git a/21742.txt b/21742.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..89dd8cd --- /dev/null +++ b/21742.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3696 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jarwin and Cuffy, by R.M. Ballantyne + +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: Jarwin and Cuffy + +Author: R.M. Ballantyne + +Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JARWIN AND CUFFY *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +JARWIN AND CUFFY, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +ADRIFT ON THE OCEAN. + +On a certain morning, not very long ago, the sun, according to his +ancient and admirable custom, rose at a very early hour, and casting his +bright beams far and wide over the Pacific, lighted up the yellow sands +and the verdant hills of one of the loveliest of the islands of that +mighty sea. + +It was early morning, as we have said, and there was plenty of life-- +animal as well as vegetable--to be seen on land and sea, and in the +warm, hazy atmosphere. But there were no indications of man's presence +in that beautiful scene. The air was perfectly calm, yet the gentle +swell of the ocean terminated in great waves, which came rolling in like +walls of glass, and fell on the coral-reef like rushing snow-wreaths +with a roar as loud as thunder. + +Thousands of sea-birds screamed and circled in the sky. Fish leaped +high out of their native element into the air, as if they wished to +catch the gulls, while the gulls, seemingly smitten with a similar +desire, dived into the water as if they wished to catch the fish. It +might have been observed, however, that while the fish never succeeded +in catching the gulls, the latter very frequently caught the fish, and, +without taking the trouble to kill them, bolted them down alive. + +Cocoanut-palms cast the shadows of their long stems and graceful tops +upon the beach, while, farther inland, a dense forest of tropical +plants--bread-fruit trees, bananas, etcetera--rose up the +mountain-sides. Here and there open patches might be seen, that looked +like fields and lawns, but there were no cottages or villas. Droves of +pigs rambled about the valleys and on the hill-sides, but they were wild +pigs. No man tended them. The bread-fruits, the cocoanuts, the +bananas, the plantains, the plums, all were beautiful and fit for food, +but no man owned them or used them, for, like many other spots in that +sea of coral isles and savage men, the island was uninhabited. + +In all the wide expanse of ocean that surrounded that island, there was +nothing visible save one small, solitary speck on the far-off horizon. +It might have been mistaken for a seagull, but it was in reality a +raft--a mass of spars and planks rudely bound together with ropes. A +boat's mast rose from the centre of it, on which hung a rag of sail, and +a small red flag drooped motionless from its summit. There were a few +casks on the highest part of the raft, but no living soul was visible. +Nevertheless, it was not without tenants. In a hollow between two of +the spars, under the shadow of one of the casks, lay the form of a man. +The canvas trousers, cotton shirt, blue jacket, and open necktie, +bespoke him a sailor, but it seemed as though there were nothing left +save the dead body of the unfortunate tar, so pale and thin and ghastly +were his features. A terrier dog lay beside him, so shrunken that it +looked like a mere scrap of door-matting. Both man and dog were +apparently dead, but they were not so in reality, for, after lying about +an hour quite motionless, the man slowly opened his eyes. + +Ah, reader, it would have touched your heart to have seen those eyes! +They were so deep set, as if in dark caverns, and so unnaturally large. +They gazed round in a vacant way for a few moments, until they fell on +the dog. Then a gleam of fire shot through them, and their owner raised +his large, gaunt, wasted frame on one elbow, while he gazed with a look +of eagerness, which was perfectly awful, at his dumb companion. + +"Not dead _yet_!" he said, drawing a long sigh. + +There was a strange, incongruous mixture of satisfaction and discontent +in the remark, which was muttered in a faint whisper. + +Another gleam shot through the large eyes. It was not a pleasant look. +Slowly, and as if with difficulty, the man drew a clasp-knife from his +pocket, and opened it. As he did so, his brows lowered and his teeth +became clenched. It was quite plain what he meant to do. As he held +the open knife over the dog's head, he muttered, "Am I to die for the +sake of a _dog_!" + +Either the terrier's slumbers had come to an end naturally, at a +fortunate moment, or the master's voice had awakened it, for it opened +its eyes, raised its head, and looked up in the sailor's face. The hand +with the knife drooped a little. The dog rose and licked it. Hunger +had done its work on the poor creature, for it could hardly stand, yet +it managed to look in its master's face with that grave, simple gaze of +self-forgetting love, which appears to be peculiar to the canine race. +The savage glare of the seaman's eyes vanished. He dropped the knife. + +"Thanks, Cuffy; thanks for stoppin' me. It would have been _murder_! +No, no, my doggie, you and I shall die together." + +His voice sank into a murmur, partly from weakness and partly from the +ideas suggested by his concluding words. + +"Die together!" he repeated, "surely it ain't come to that _yet_. Wot, +John Jarwin, you're not goin' to give in like that, are you? to haul +down your colours on a fine day with a clear sky like this overhead? +Come, cheer up, lad; you're young and can hold out a good while yet. +Hey, old dog, wot say _you_?" + +The dog made a motion that would, in ordinary circumstances, have +resulted in the wagging of its tail, but the tail was powerless to +respond. + +At that moment a gull flew towards the raft; Jarwin watched it eagerly +as it approached. "Ah," he muttered, clasping his bony hand as tightly +over his heart as his strength would allow and addressing the gull, "if +I only had hold of _you_, I'd tear you limb from limb, and drink your +blood!" + +He watched the bird intently as it flew straight over him. Leaning +back, he continued slowly to follow its flight, until his head rested on +the block of wood which had served him for a pillow. The support felt +agreeable, he forgot the gull, closed his eyes, and sank with a deep +sigh into a slumber that strongly resembled death. + +Presently he awoke with a start, and, once more raising himself, gazed +round upon the sea. No ship was to be seen. How often he had gazed +round the watery circle with the same anxious look only to meet with +disappointment! The hills of the coral island were visible like a blue +cloud on the horizon, but Jarwin's eyes were too dim and worn out to +observe them. + +"Come," he exclaimed, suddenly, scrambling to his feet, "rouse up, +Cuffy; you an' I ain't a-goin' to die without a good fight for life. +Come along, my hearty; we'll have another glass of grog--Adam's grog it +is, but it has been good grog to you an' me, doggie--an' then we shall +have another inspection o' the locker; mayhap there's the half of a +crumb left." + +The comparatively cheery tone in which the sailor said this seemed to +invigorate the dog, for it rose and actually succeeded in wriggling its +tail as it staggered after its master--indubitable sign of hope and love +not yet subdued! + +Jarwin went to a cask which still contained a small quantity of fresh +water. Three weeks before the point at which we take up his story, a +storm had left him and his dog the sole survivors on the raft of the +crew of a barque which had sprung a leak, and gone to the bottom. His +provision at the time was a very small quantity of biscuit and a cask of +fresh water. Several days before this the last biscuit had been +consumed but the water had not yet failed. Hitherto John Jarwin had +husbanded his provisions, but now, feeling desperate, he drank deeply of +the few remaining drops of that liquid which, at the time, was almost as +vital to him as his life-blood. He gave a full draught also to the +little dog. + +"Share and share alike, doggie," he said, patting its head, as it +eagerly lapped up the water; "but there's no wittles, Cuffy, an' ye +don't care for baccy, or ye should be heartily welcome to a quid." + +So saying, the sailor supplied his own cheek with a small piece of his +favourite weed, and stood up on the highest part of the raft to survey +the surrounding prospect. He did so without much hope, for "hope +deferred" had at last made his heart sick. Suddenly his wandering gaze +became fixed and intense. He shaded his eyes with one hand, and +steadied himself against the mast with the other. There could be no +doubt of it! "Land ho!" he shouted, with a degree of strength that +surprised himself, and even drew from Cuffy the ghost of a bark. On the +strength of the discovery Jarwin and his dumb friend immediately treated +themselves to another glass of Adam's grog. + +But poor Jarwin had his patience further tried. Hours passed away, and +still the island seemed as far off as ever. Night drew on, and it +gradually faded from his view. But he had unquestionably seen land; so, +with this to comfort him, the starving tar lay down beside his dog to +spend another night--as he had already spent many days and nights--a +castaway on the wide ocean. + +Morning dawned, and the sailor rose with difficulty. He had forgotten, +for a moment, the discovery of land on the previous night, but it was +brought suddenly to his remembrance by the roar of breakers near at +hand. Turning in the direction whence the sound came, he beheld an +island quite close to him, with heavy "rollers" breaking furiously on +the encircling ring of the coral-reef. The still water between the reef +and the shore, which was about a quarter of a mile wide, reflected every +tree and crag of the island, as if in a mirror. It was a grand, a +glorious sight, and caused Jarwin's heart to swell with emotions that he +had never felt before; but his attention was quickly turned to a danger +which was imminent, and which seemed to threaten the total destruction +of his raft, and the loss of his life. + +A very slight breeze--a mere zephyr--which had carried him during the +night towards the island, was now bearing him straight, though slowly, +down on the reef, where, if he had once got involved in the breakers, +the raft must certainly have been dashed to pieces; and he knew full +well, that in his weak condition, he was utterly incapable of contending +with such a surf. + +Being a man of promptitude, his first act, on making this discovery, was +to lower the sail. This was, fortunately, done in time; had he kept it +up a few minutes longer, he must inevitably have passed the only opening +in the reef that existed on that side of the island. This opening was +not more than fifty yards wide. To the right and left of it the +breakers on the reef extended, in lines of seething foam. Already the +raft was rolling in the commotion caused by these breakers, as it +drifted towards the opening. + +Jarwin was by no means devoid of courage. Many a time, in days gone by, +when his good ship was tossing on the stormy sea, or scudding under bare +poles, had he stood on the deck with unshaken confidence and a calm +heart, but now he was face to face with the seaman's most dreaded +enemy--"breakers ahead!"--nay, worse, breakers around him everywhere, +save at that one narrow passage, which appeared so small, and so +involved in the general turmoil, as to afford scarcely an element of +hope. For the first time in his life Jarwin's heart sank within him--at +least so he said in after years while talking of the event--but we +suspect that John was underrating himself. At all events, he showed no +symptoms of fear as he sat there calmly awaiting his fate. + +As the raft approached the reef, each successive roller lifted it up and +dropped it behind more violently, until at last the top of one of the +glittering green walls broke just as it passed under the end of the raft +nearest the shore. Jarwin now knew that the next billow would seal his +fate. + +There was a wide space between each of those mighty waves. He looked +out to sea, and beheld the swell rising and taking form, and increasing +in speed as it came on. Calmly divesting himself of his coat and boots, +he sat down beside his dog, and awaited the event. At that moment he +observed, with intense gratitude to the Almighty, that the raft was +drifting so straight towards the middle of the channel in the reef, that +there seemed every probability of being carried through it; but the hope +thus raised was somewhat chilled by the feeling of weakness which +pervaded his frame. + +"Now, Cuffy," said he, patting the terrier gently, "rouse up, my doggie; +we must make a brave struggle for life. It's neck or nothing this time. +If we touch that reef in passing, Cuff, you an' I shall be food for the +sharks to-night, an' it's my opinion that the shark as gits us won't +have much occasion to boast of his supper." + +The sailor ceased speaking abruptly. As he looked back at the +approaching roller he felt solemnised and somewhat alarmed, for it +appeared so perpendicular and so high from his low position, that it +seemed as if it would fall on and overwhelm the raft. There was, +indeed, some danger of this. Glancing along its length, Jarwin saw that +here and there the edge was lipping over, while in one place, not far +off, the thunder of its fall had already begun. Another moment, and it +appeared to hang over his head; the raft was violently lifted at the +stern, caught up, and whirled onward at railway speed, like a cork in +the midst of a boiling cauldron of foam. The roar was deafening. The +tumultuous heaving almost overturned it several times. Jarwin held on +firmly to the mast with his right arm, and grasped the terrier with his +left hand, for the poor creature had not strength to resist such furious +motion. It all passed with bewildering speed. It seemed as if, in one +instant, the raft was hurled through the narrows, and launched into the +calm harbour within. An eddy, at the inner side of the opening, swept +it round, and fixed the end of one of the largest spars of which it was +composed on the beach. + +There were fifty yards or so of sandy coral-reef between the beach +outside, that faced the sea, and the beach inside, which faced the land; +yet how great the difference! The one beach, buffeted for ever, day and +night, by the breakers--in calm by the grand successive rollers that, as +it were, symbolised the ocean's latent power--in storm by the mad deluge +of billows which displayed that power in all its terrible grandeur. The +other beach, a smooth, sloping circlet of fair white sand, laved only by +the ripples of the lagoon, or by its tiny wavelets, when a gale chanced +to sweep over it from the land. + +Jarwin soon gained this latter beach with Cuffy in his arms, and sat +down to rest, for his strength had been so much reduced that the mere +excitement of passing through the reef had almost exhausted him. Cuffy, +however, seemed to derive new life from the touch of earth again, for it +ran about in a staggering drunken sort of way; wagged its tail at the +root,--without, however, being able to influence the point,--and made +numerous futile efforts to bark. + +In the midst of its weakly gambols the terrier chanced to discover a +dead fish on the sands. Instantly it darted forward and began to devour +it with great voracity. + +"Halo! Cuffy," shouted Jarwin, who observed him; "ho! hold on, you +rascal! share and share alike, you know. Here, fetch it here!" + +Cuffy had learned the first great principle of a good and useful life-- +whether of man or beast--namely, prompt obedience. That meek but jovial +little dog, on receiving this order, restrained its appetite, lifted the +fish in its longing jaws, and, carrying it to his master, humbly laid it +at his feet. He was rewarded with a hearty pat on the head, and a full +half of the coveted fish--for Jarwin appeared to regard the +"share-and-share-alike" principle as a point of honour between them. + +The fish was not good, neither was it large, and of course it was raw, +besides being somewhat decayed; nevertheless, both man and dog ate it, +bones and all, with quiet satisfaction. Nay, reader, do not shudder! +If you were reduced to similar straits, you would certainly enjoy, with +equal gusto, a similar meal, supposing that you had the good fortune to +get it. Small though it was, it sufficed to appease the appetite of the +two friends, and to give them a feeling of strength which they had not +experienced for many a day. + +Under the influence of this feeling, Jarwin remarked to Cuffy, that "a +man could eat a-most anything when hard put to it," and that "it wos now +high time to think about goin' ashore." + +To which Cuffy replied with a bark, which one might imagine should come +from a dog in the last stage of whooping-cough, and with a wag of his +tail--not merely at the root thereof, but a distinct wag--that extended +obviously along its entire length to the extreme point. Jarwin observed +the successful effort, laughed feebly, and said, "Brayvo, Cuffy," with +evident delight; for it reminded him of the days when that little shred +of a door-mat, in the might of its vigour, was wont to wag its tail so +violently as to convulse its whole body, insomuch that it was difficult +to decide whether the tail wagged the body, or the body the tail! + +But, although Jarwin made light of his sufferings, his gaunt, wasted +frame would have been a sad sight to any pitiful spectator, as with +weary aspect and unsteady gait he moved about on the sandy ridge in +search of more food, or gazed with longing eyes on the richly-wooded +island. + +For it must be remembered that our castaway had not landed on the island +itself, but on that narrow ring of coral-reef which almost encircled it, +and from which it was separated by the lagoon, or enclosed portion of +the sea, which was, as we have said, about a quarter of a mile wide. + +John Jarwin would have thought little of swimming over that narrow belt +of smooth water in ordinary circumstances, but now he felt that his +strength was not equal to such a feat. Moreover, he knew that there +were sharks in these waters, so he dismissed the idea of swimming, and +cast about in his mind how he should manage to get across. With Jarwin, +action soon followed thought. He resolved to form a small raft out of +portions of the large one. Fortunately his clasp-knife had been +attached, as seamen frequently have it, to his waist-belt, when he +forsook his ship. This was the only implement that he possessed, but it +was invaluable. With it he managed to cut the thick ropes that he could +not have untied, and, in the course of two hours--for he laboured with +extreme difficulty--a few broken planks and spars were lashed together. +Embarking on this frail vessel with his dog, he pushed off, and using a +piece of plank for an oar, sculled himself over the lagoon. + +It was touching, even to himself, to observe the slowness of his +progress. All the strength that remained in him was barely sufficient +to move the raft. But the lagoon was as still as a mill-pond. Looking +down into its clear depths, he could see the rich gardens of coral and +sea-weed, among which fish, of varied and brilliant colours, sported +many fathoms below. The air, too, was perfectly calm. + +Very slowly he left the reef astern; the middle of the lagoon was +gained; then, gradually, he neared the island-shore, but oh! it was a +long, weary pull, although the space was so short, and, to add to the +poor man's misery, the fish which he had eaten caused him intolerable +thirst. But he reached the shore at last. + +The first thing that greeted his eye as he landed was the sparkle of a +clear spring at the foot of some cocoanut-trees. He staggered eagerly +towards it, and fell down beside a hollow in the rock, like a large cup +or bowl, which had been scooped out by it. + +Who shall presume to describe the feelings of that shipwrecked sailor as +he and his dog drank from the same cup at that sparkling crystal +fountain? Delicious odours of lime and citron trees, and well-nigh +forgotten herbage, filled his nostrils, and the twitter of birds +thrilled his ears, seeming to bid him welcome to the land, as he sank +down on the soft grass, and raised his eyes in thanksgiving to heaven. +An irresistible tendency to sleep then seized him. + +"If there's a heaven upon earth, I'm in it now," he murmured, as he laid +down his head and closed his eyes. + +Cuffy, nestling into his breast, placed his chin on his neck, and heaved +a deep, contented sigh. This was the last sound the sailor recognised, +as he sank into profound repose. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +ISLAND LIFE. + +There are few of the minor sweets of life more agreeable than to awake +refreshed, and to become gradually impressed with the conviction that +you are a perfectly free agent,--that you may rise when you choose, or +lie still if you please, or do what you like, without let or hindrance. + +So thought our hero, John Jarwin, when he awoke, on the same spot where +he had thrown himself down, after several hours of life-giving slumber. +He was still weak, but his weakness did not now oppress him. The slight +meal, the long draught, and the deep sleep, had restored enough of +vigour to his naturally robust frame to enable him, while lying on his +back, to enjoy his existence once more. He was, on first awaking, in +that happy condition of mind and body in which the former does not care +to think and the latter does not wish to move--yet both are pleased to +be largely conscious of their own identity. + +That he had not moved an inch since he lay down, became somewhat +apparent to Jarwin from the fact that Cuffy's chin still rested +immovable on his neck, but his mind was too indolent to pursue the +thought. He had not the most remote idea as to where he was, but he +cared nothing for that. He was in absolute ignorance of the time of +day, but he cared, if possible, still less for that. Food, he knew, was +necessary to his existence, but the thought gave him no anxiety. In +short, John and his dog were in a state of quiescent felicity, and would +probably have remained so for some hours to come, had not the setting +sun shone forth at that moment with a farewell gleam so intense, that it +appeared to set the world of clouds overhead on fire, converting them +into hills and dales, and towering domes and walls and battlements of +molten glass and gold. Even to the wearied seaman's sleepy vision the +splendour of the scene became so fascinating, that he shook off his +lethargy, and raised himself on one elbow. + +"Why, Cuffy!" he exclaimed, to the yawning dog, "seems to me that the +heavens is a-fire! Hope it won't come on dirty weather before you an' I +get up somethin' in the shape o' a hut. That minds me, doggie," he +added, glancing slowly round him, "that we must look after prokoorin' of +our supper. I do believe we've bin an' slep away a whole day! Well, +well, it don't much matter, seein' that we hain't got no dooty for to +do--no trick at the wheel, no greasin' the masts--wust of all, no +splicin' the main brace, and no grub." + +This latter remark appeared to reach the understanding of the dog, for +it uttered a melancholy howl as it gazed into its master's eyes. + +"Ah, Cuffy!" continued the sailor with a sigh, "you've good reason to +yowl, for the half of a rotten fish ain't enough for a dog o' your +appetite. Come, let's see if we can't find somethin' more to our +tastes." + +Saying this the man rose, stretched himself, yawned, looked helplessly +round for a few seconds, and then, with a cheery "Hallo! Cuff, come +along, my hearty," went down to the beach in quest of food. + +In this search he was not unsuccessful, for the beach abounded with +shell-fish of various kinds; but Jarwin ate sparingly of these, having +been impressed, in former years, by some stories which he had heard of +shipwrecked sailors having been poisoned by shell-fish. For the same +reason he administered a moderate supply to Cuffy, telling him that "it +warn't safe wittles, an' that if they was to be pisoned, it was as well +to be pisoned in moderation." The dog, however, did not appear to agree +with its master on this point, for it went picking up little tit-bits +here and there, and selfishly ignoring the "share-and-share-alike" +compact, until it became stuffed alarmingly, and could scarcely follow +its master back to the fountain. + +Arrived there, the two slaked their thirst together, and then Jarwin sat +down to enjoy a pipe, and Cuffy lay down to suffer the well-merited +reward of gluttony. + +We have said that Jarwin sat down to enjoy a pipe, but he did _not_ +enjoy it that night, for he discovered that the much-loved little +implement, which he had cherished tenderly while on the raft, was broken +to atoms in his coat-pocket! In his eagerness to drink on first +landing, he had thrown himself down on it, and now smoking was an +impossibility, at least for that night. He reflected, however, that it +would not be difficult to make a wooden pipe, and that cigarettes might +perhaps be made by means of leaves, or bark, while his tobacco lasted; +so he consoled himself in the meantime with hopeful anticipations, and a +quid. Being still weak and weary, he lay down again beside the +fountain, and almost immediately fell into a sleep, which was not at all +disturbed by the starts and groans and frequent yelps of Cuffy, whose +sufferings could scarcely have been more severe if he had supped on +turtle-soup and venison, washed down with port and claret. + +Thus did those castaways spend the first night on their island. + +It must not be supposed, however, that we are going to trace thus +minutely every step and sensation in the career of our unfortunate +friends. We have too much to tell that is important to devote our +"valuable space" to everyday incidents. Nevertheless, as it is +important that our readers should understand our hero thoroughly, and +the circumstances in which we find him, it is necessary that we should +draw attention to some incidents--trifling in themselves, but important +in their effects--which occurred to John Jarwin soon after his landing +on the island. + +The first of these incidents was, that John one day slipped his foot on +a tangle-covered rock, and fell into the sea. A small matter this, you +will say, to a man who could swim, and in a climate so warm that a dip, +with or without clothes, was a positive luxury. Most true; and had the +wetting been all, Jarwin would have had nothing to annoy him; for at the +time the accident occurred he had been a week on the island, had managed +to pull and crack many cocoa-nuts, and had found various excellent +wild-fruits, so that his strength, as well as Cuffy's, had been much +restored. In fact, when Jarwin's head emerged from the brine, after his +tumble, he gave vent to a shout of laughter, and continued to indulge in +hilarious demonstrations all the time he was wringing the water out of +his garments, while the terrier barked wildly round him. + +But suddenly, in the very midst of a laugh, he became grave and pale,-- +so pale, that a more obtuse creature than Cuffy might have deemed him +ill. While his mouth and eyes slowly opened wider and wider, his hands +slapped his pockets, first his trousers, then his vest, then his coat, +after which they fell like pistol-shots on his thighs, and he exclaimed, +in a voice of horror--"Gone!" + +Ay, there could be no doubt about it; every particle of his tobacco was +gone! It had never been much, only three or four plugs; but it was +strong, and he had calculated that, what with careful husbanding, and +mixing it with other herbs, it would last him for a considerable length +of time. + +In a state bordering on frenzy, the sailor rushed back to the rock from +which he had fallen. The "baccy" was not there. He glanced right and +left--no sign of it floating on the sea. In he went, head foremost, +like a determined suicide; down, down to the bottom, for he was an +expert diver, and rioted among the coral groves, and horrified the fish, +until he well-nigh burst, and rose to the surface with a groan and +splutter that might have roused envy in a porpoise. Then down he went +again, while Cuffy stood on the shore regarding him with mute amazement. + +Never did pearl-diver grope for the treasures of the deep with more +eager intensity than did John Jarwin search for that lost tobacco. He +remained under water until he became purple in the face, and, coming to +the surface after each dive, stayed only long enough to recharge his +lungs with air. How deeply he regretted at that time the fact that +man's life depended on so frequent and regular a supply of atmospheric +air! How enviously he glanced at the fish which, with open eyes and +mouths, appeared to regard him with inexpressible astonishment--as well +they might! At last Jarwin's powers of endurance began to give way, and +he was compelled to return to the shore, to the great relief of Cuffy, +which miserable dog, if it had possessed the smallest amount of +reasoning power, must have deemed its master hopelessly insane. + +"But why so much ado about a piece of tobacco?" we hear some lady-reader +or non-smoker exclaim. + +Just because our hero was, and had been since his childhood, an +inveterate smoker. Of course we cannot prove our opinion to be correct, +but we are inclined to believe that if all the smoke that had issued +from Jarwin's lips, from the period of his commencing down to that +terrible day when he lost his last plug, could have been collected in +one vast cloud, it would have been sufficient to have kept a factory +chimney going for a month or six weeks. The poor man knew his weakness. +He had several times tried to get rid of the habit which had enslaved +him, and, by failing, had come to know the tyrannical power of his +master. He had once been compelled by circumstances to forego his +favourite indulgence for three entire days, and retained so vivid a +recollection of his sufferings that he made up his mind never more to +strive for freedom, but to enjoy his pipe as long as he lived--to swim +with the current, in fact, and take it easy. It was of no use that +several men, who objected to smoking from principle, and had themselves +gone through the struggle and come off victorious, pointed out that if +he went on at his present rate, it would cut short his life. Jarwin +didn't believe _that_. He _felt_ well and hearty, and said that he "was +too tough, by a long way, to be floored by baccy; besides, if his life +was to be short, he saw no reason why it should not be a pleasant one." +It was vain for these disagreeable men of principle to urge that when +his health began to give way he would not find life very pleasant, and +then "baccy" would fail to relieve him. Stuff and nonsense? Did not +Jarwin know that hundreds of thousands of _old_ men enjoyed their pipes +to the very last. He also knew that a great many men had filled early +graves owing to the use of tobacco, but he chose to shut his eyes to +this fact--moreover, although a great truth, it was a difficult truth to +prove. + +It was of still less use that those tiresome men of principle +demonstrated that the money spent in tobacco would, if accumulated, form +a snug little fortune to retire upon in his old age. John only laughed +at this. "Wot did he want with a fortin in his old age," he would say; +"he would rather work to the last for his three B's--his bread and beer +and baccy--an' die in harness. A man couldn't get on like a man without +them three B's, and he wosn't goin' for to deprive hisself of none of +'em, not he; besides, his opponents were bad argifiers," he was wont to +say, with a chuckle, "for if, as they said, baccy would be the means of +cuttin' his life short, why then, he wouldn't never come to old age to +use his fortin, even if he _should_ manage to save it off his baccy." + +This last argument always brought Jarwin off with flying colours--no +wonder, for it was unanswerable; and thus he came to love his beer and +baccy so much that he became thoroughly enslaved to both. + +His brief residence on the south-sea island had taught him, by painful +experience, that he _was_ capable of existing without at least two of +his three B's--bread and beer. He had suffered somewhat from the change +of diet; and now that his third B was thus suddenly, unexpectedly, and +hopelessly wrenched from him, he sat himself down on the beach beside +Cuffy, and gazed out to sea in absolute despair. + +We must guard the reader at this point from supposing that John Jarwin +had ever been what is called an intemperate man. He was one of those +honest, straightforward tars who do their duty like men, and who, +although extremely fond of their pipe and their glass of grog, never +lower themselves below the level of the brutes by getting drunk. At the +same time, we feel constrained to add that Jarwin acted entirely from +impulse and kindly feeling. He had little to do with principle, and did +not draw towards those who professed to be thus guided. He was wont to +say that they "was troublesome fellers, always shovin' in their oars +when they weren't wanted to, an' settin' themselves up for better than +everybody else." Had one of those troublesome fellows presented John +Jarwin with a pound of tobacco in his forlorn circumstances, at that +time he would probably have slapped him on the shoulder, and called him +one of the best fellows under the sun! + +"Cuffy, my friend," exclaimed Jarwin at last, with an explosive sigh, +"all the baccy's gone, so we'll have to smoke sea-weed for the futur'." +The terrier said "Bow-wow" to this, cocked its ears, and looked earnest, +as if waiting for more. + +"Come along," exclaimed the man, overturning his dog as he leaped up, +"we'll go home and have summat to eat." + +Jarwin had erected a rude hut, composed of boughs and turf, near the +fountain where he had first landed. It was the home to which he +referred. At first he had devoted himself entirely to the erection of +this shelter, and to collecting various roots and fruits and shell-fish +for food, intending to delay the examination of the island until his +strength should be sufficiently restored to enable him to scale the +heights without more than ordinary fatigue. He had been so far +recruited as to have fixed for his expedition the day following that on +which he sustained his irreparable loss. + +Entering his hut he proceeded to kindle a fire by means of a small +burning-glass, with which, in happier times, he had been wont to light +his pipe. Very soon he had several roots, resembling small potatoes, +baking in the hot ashes. With these, a handful of plums, a dozen of +oyster-like fish, of which there were plenty on the shore, and a draught +of clear cold water, he made a hearty repast, Cuffy coming in for a +large share of it, as a matter of course. Then he turned all his +pockets inside out, and examined them as carefully as if diamonds lurked +in the seams. No, not a speck of tobacco was to be found! He smelt +them. The odour was undoubtedly strong--very strong. On the strength +of it he shut his eyes, and endeavoured to think that he was smoking; +but it was a weak substitute for the pipe, and not at all satisfying. +Thereafter he sallied forth and wandered about the sea-shore in a +miserable condition, and went to bed that night--as he remarked to his +dog--in the blues. + +Reader, it is not possible to give you an adequate conception of the +sensations and sufferings of John Jarwin on that first night of his +bereaved condition. He dreamed continuously of tobacco. Now he was +pacing the deck of his old ship with a splendid pipe of cut Cavendish +between his lips. Anon he was smoking a meerschaum the size of a +hogshead, with a stem equal to the length and thickness of the +main-topmast of a seventy-four; but somehow the meerschaum wouldn't +draw, whereupon John, in a passion, pronounced it worthy of its name, +and hove it overboard, when it was instantly transformed into a shark +with a cutty pipe in its mouth. To console himself our hero endeavoured +to thrust into his mouth a quid of negro-head, which, however, suddenly +grew as big as the cabin-skylight, and became as tough as gutta-percha, +so that it was utterly impossible to bite off a piece; and, stranger +still, when the poor sailor had by struggling got it in, it dwindled +down into a point so small that he could not feel it in his mouth at +all. On reaching this, the vanishing-point, Jarwin awoke to a +consciousness of the dread reality of his destitute condition. Turning +on his other side with a deep groan, he fell asleep again, to dream of +tobacco in some new and tantalising form until sunrise, when he awoke +unrefreshed. Leaping up, he cast off his clothes, rushed down the +beach, and plunged into sea, by way of relieving his feelings. + +During the day John Jarwin brooded much over his dreams, for his mind +was of a reflective turn, and Cuffy looked often inquiringly into his +face. That sympathetic doggie would evidently have besought him to pour +his sorrows into his cocked ears if he could have spoken; but--alas! for +people who are cast away on desert islands--the gift of speech has been +denied to dogs. + +Besides being moody, Jarwin was uncommonly taciturn that day. He did +not tell Cuffy the result of his cogitations, so that we cannot say +anything further about them. All that we are certainly sure of is, that +he was profoundly miserable that day--that he postponed his intended +expedition to the top of the neighbouring hill--that he walked about the +beach slowly, with his chin on his breast and his hands in his pockets-- +that he made various unsuccessful attempts to smoke dried leaves, and +bark, and wild-flowers, mixing with those substances shreds of his +trousers' pockets, in order that they might have at least the flavour of +tobacco--that he became more and more restive as the day wore on, became +more submissive in the evening, paid a few apologetic attentions to +Cuffy at supper-time, and, finally, went to bed in a better frame of +mind, though still craving painfully for the weed which had enslaved +him. That night his dreams were still of tobacco! No lover was ever +assailed more violently with dreams of his absent mistress than was John +Jarwin with longings for his adorable pipe. But there was no hope for +him--the beloved one was effectually and permanently gone; so, like a +sensible man, he awoke next morning with a stern resolve to submit to +his fate with a good grace. + +In pursuance of this resolution he began the day with a cold bath, in +which Cuffy joined him. Then he breakfasted on chestnuts, plums, +citrons, oysters, and shrimps, the former of which abounded in the +woods, the latter on the shore. Jarwin caught the shrimps in a net, +extemporised out of his pocket-handkerchief. While engaged with his +morning meal, he was earnestly watched by several green paroquets with +blue heads and crimson breasts; and during pauses in the meal he +observed flocks of brightly-coloured doves and wood-pigeons, besides +many other kinds of birds, the names of which he did not know, as well +as water-hens, plover, and wild ducks. + +"Lost your appetite this morning, Cuff?" said Jarwin, offering his +companion a citron, which he decidedly refused. "Ah!" he continued, +patting the dog's sides, "I see how it is; you've had breakfast already +this morning; bin at it when I was a-sleepin'. For shame, Cuffy!--you +should have waited for me; an' you've bin an' over-ate yourself again, +you greedy dog!" + +This was evidently the case. The guilty creature, forgetful of its past +experiences, had again gorged itself with dead fish, which it had found +on the beach, and looked miserable. + +"Well, never mind, doggie," said Jarwin, finishing his meal, and rising. +"I'll give you a little exercise to-day for the good of your health. +We shan't go sulking as we did yesterday; so, come along." + +The sailor left his bower as he spoke, and set off at a round pace with +his hands in his pockets, and a thick stick under his arm, whistling as +he went, while Cuffy followed lovingly at his heels. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +COMMUNINGS OF MAN AND BEAST. + +It would appear to be almost an essential element in life that man +should indulge in speech. Of course we cannot prove this, seeing that +we have never been cast alone on a desert island (although we _have_ +been next thing to it), and cannot positively conclude what would have +been the consequences to our castaway if he had rigidly refrained from +speech. All that we can ground an opinion on is the fact that John +Jarwin talked as much and as earnestly to his dog as if he knew that +that sagacious creature understood every word he uttered. Indeed, he +got into such a habit of doing this, that it is very probable he might +have come to believe that Cuffy really did understand, though he was not +gifted with the power to reply. If it be true that Jarwin came to this +state of credulity, certain it is that Cuffy was deeply to blame in the +matter, because the way in which that ridiculous hypocrite sat before +his master, and looked up in his face with his lustrous, intelligent +eyes, and cocked his ears, and wagged his tail, and smiled, might have +deceived a much less superstitious man than a British tar. + +We have said that Cuffy smiled, advisedly. Some people might object to +the word, and say that he only "snickered," or made faces. That, we +hold, is a controvertible question. Cuffy's facial contortions looked +like smiling. They came very often inappropriately, and during parts of +Jarwin's discourse when no smile should have been called forth; but if +that be sufficient to prove that Cuffy was not smiling, then, on the +same ground, we hold that a large proportion of those ebullitions which +convulse the human countenance are not smiles but unmeaning grins. Be +this as it may, Cuffy smiled, snickered, or grinned amazingly, during +the long discourses that were delivered to him by his master, and indeed +looked so wonderfully human in his knowingness, that it only required a +speaking tongue and a shaved face to constitute him an unanswerable +proof of the truth of the Darwinian theory of the origin of the human +species. + +"Cuffy," said Jarwin, panting, as he reached the summit of his island, +and sat down on its pinnacle rock, "that's a splendid view, ain't it?" + +To any one save a cynic or a misanthrope, Cuffy replied with eye and +tail, "It is magnificent." + +"But you're not looking at it," objected Jarwin, "you're looking +straight up in my face; so how can you tell what it's like, doggie?" + +"I see it all," replied Cuffy with a grin; "all reflected in the depths +of your two loving eyes." + +Of course Jarwin lost this pretty speech in consequence of its being a +mute reply, but he appeared to have some intuitive perception of it, for +he stooped down and patted the dog's head affectionately. + +After this there was a prolonged silence, during which the sailor gazed +wistfully round the horizon. The scene was indeed one of surpassing +beauty and grandeur. The island on which he had been cast was one of +those small coral gems which deck the breast of the Pacific. It could +not have been more than nine or ten miles in circumference, yet within +this area there lay a miniature world. The mountain-top on which the +seaman sat was probably eight or nine hundred feet above the level of +the sea, and commanded a view of the whole island. On one side lay +three lesser hills, covered to their summits with indescribably rich +verdure, amongst which rose conspicuous the tall stems and graceful +foliage of many cocoanut-palms. Fruit-trees of various kinds glistened +in the sunshine, and flowering shrubs in abundance lent additional +splendour to the scene. On the other side of the mountain a small lake +glittered like a jewel among the trees; and there numerous flocks of +wild-fowl disported themselves in peaceful security. From the farther +extremity of the lake flowed a rivulet, which, from the mountain-top, +resembled a silver thread winding its way through miniature valleys, +until lost in the light yellow sand of the sea-shore. On this beach +there was not even a ripple, because of the deep calm which prevailed +but on the ring or coral-reef, which completely encircled the island, +those great "rollers"--which appear never to go down even in calm--fell +from time to time with a long, solemn roar, and left an outer ring of +milk-white foam. The blue lagoon between the reef and the island varied +from a few yards to a quarter of a mile in breadth, and its quiet waters +were like a sheet of glass, save where they were ruffled now and then by +the diving of a sea-gull or the fin of a shark. Birds of many kinds +filled the grove with sweet sounds, and tended largely to dispel that +feeling of intense loneliness which had been creeping that day over our +seaman's spirit. + +"Come, my doggie," said Jarwin, patting his dumb companion's head, "if +you and I are to dwell here for long, we've got a most splendid estate +to look after. I only hope we won't find South Sea niggers in +possession before us, for they're not hospitable, Cuffy, they ain't +hospitable, bein' given, so I'm told, to prefer human flesh to most +other kinds o' wittles." + +He looked anxiously round in all directions at this point, as if the +ideas suggested by his words were not particularly agreeable. + +"No," he resumed, after a short survey, "it don't seem as if there was +any of 'em here. Anyhow I can't see none, and most parts of the island +are visible from this here mast-head." + +Again the seaman became silent as he repeated his survey of the island; +his hands, meanwhile, searching slowly, as if by instinct, round his +pockets, and into their most minute recesses, if haply they might find +an atom of tobacco. Both hands and eyes, however, failed in their +search; so, turning once more towards his dog, Jarwin sat down and +addressed it thus:-- + +"Cuff, my doggie, don't wink in that idiotical way, you hanimated bundle +of oakum! and don't wag yer tail so hard, else you'll shake it off some +fine day! Well, Cuff, here you an' I are fixed--`it may be for years, +an' it may be for ever'--as the old song says; so it behoves you and me +to hold a consultation as to wot's the best to be done for to make the +most of our sukumstances. Ah, doggie!" he continued in a low tone, +looking pensively towards the horizon, "it's little that my dear wife +(your missus and mine, Cuff) knows that her John has fallen heir to +sitch an estate; become, so to speak, `monarch of all he surveys.' O +Molly, Molly, if you was only here, wot a paradise it would be! Eden +over again; Adam an' Eve, without a'most no difference, barrin' the +clo'se, by the way, for if I ain't mistaken, Adam didn't wear a straw +hat and a blue jacket, with pumps and canvas ducks. Leastwise, I've +never heard that he did; an' I'm quite sure that Eve didn't go to church +on Sundays in a gown wi' sleeves like two legs o' mutton, an' a bonnet +like a coal-scuttle. By the way, I don't think they owned a doggie +neither." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +At this point the terrier, who had gradually quieted down during the +above soliloquy, gave a responsive wag of its tail, and looked up with a +smile--a plain, obvious, unquestionable smile, which its master believed +in most thoroughly. + +"Ah, you needn't grin like that, Cuff," replied Jarwin, "it's quite +certain that Adam and Eve had no doggie. No doubt they had plenty of +wild 'uns--them as they giv'd names to--but they hadn't a good little +tame 'un like you, Cuff; no, nor nobody else, for you're the best dog in +the world--if you'd only keep yer spanker-boom quiet; but you'll shake +it off, you will, if you go on like that. There, lie down, an' let's +get on with our consultation. Well, as I was sayin' when you +interrupted me, wot a happy life we could live here if we'd only got the +old girl with us! I'd be king, you know, Cuff, and she'd be queen, and +we'd make you prime minister--you're prime favourite already, you know. +There now, if you don't clap a stopper on that ere spanker-boom, I'll +have to lash it down. Well, to proceed: we'd build a hut--or a palace-- +of turf an' sticks, with a bunk alongside for you; an w'en our clo'se +began for to wear out, we'd make pants and jackets and petticoats of +cocoanut-fibre; for you must know I've often see'd mats made o' that +stuff, an' splendid wear there's in it too, though it would be rather +rough for the skin at first; but we'd get used to that in coorse o' +time. Only fancy Mrs Jarwin in a cocoanut-fibre petticoat with a +palm-leaf hat, or somethink o' that sort! An', after all, it wouldn't +be half so rediklous as some o' the canvas she's used to spread on +Sundays." + +Jarwin evidently thought his ideas somewhat ridiculous, for he paused at +this point and chuckled, while Cuffy sprang up and barked responsively. + +While they were thus engaged, a gleam of white appeared on the horizon. + +"Sail ho!" shouted the sailor in the loud, full tones with which he was +wont to announce such an appearance from the mast-head in days gone by. + +Oh, how earnestly he strained his eyes in the direction of that little +speck! It might have been a sail; just as likely it was the wing of a +sea-gull or an albatross. Whatever it was, it grew gradually less until +it sank out of view on the distant horizon. With it sank poor Jarwin's +newly-raised hopes. Still he continued to gaze intently, in the hope +that it might reappear; but it did not. With a heavy sigh the sailor +rose at length, wakened Cuffy, who had gone to sleep, and descended the +mountain. + +This look-out on the summit of the island now became the regular place +of resort for Jarwin and his dumb, but invaluable companion. And so +absorbed did the castaway become, in his contemplation of the horizon, +and in his expectation of the heaving in sight of another sail, that he +soon came to spend most of his time there. He barely gave himself time +to cook and eat his breakfast before setting out for the spot, and +frequently he remained there the livelong day, having carried up enough +of provision to satisfy his hunger. + +At first, while there, he employed himself in the erection of a rude +flag-staff, and thus kept himself busy and reasonably cheerful. He cut +the pole with some difficulty, his clasp-knife being but a poor +substitute for an axe; then he bored a hole at the top to reave the +halliards through. These latter he easily made by plaiting together +threads of cocoanut-fibre, which were both tough and long. When ready, +he set up and fixed the staff, and hoisted thereon several huge leaves +of the palm-tree, which, in their natural size and shape, formed +excellent flags. + +When, however, all this was done, he was reduced to a state of idleness, +and his mind began to dwell morbidly on the idea of being left to spend +the rest of his days on the island. His converse with Cuffy became so +sad that the spirits of that sagacious and sympathetic dog were visibly +affected. He did, indeed, continue to lick his master's hand lovingly, +and to creep close to his side on all occasions; but he ceased to wag +his expressive tail with the violence that used to characterise that +appendage in other days, and became less demonstrative in his conduct. +All this, coupled with constant exposure in all sorts of weather-- +although Jarwin was not easily affected by a breeze or a wet jacket-- +began at last to undermine the health of the stout seaman. He became +somewhat gaunt and hollow-cheeked, and his beard and moustache, which of +course he could not shave, and which, for a long time, presented the +appearance of stubble, added to the lugubriosity of his aspect. + +As a climax to his distress, he one day lost his dog! When it went off, +or where it went to, he could not tell, but, on rousing up one morning +and putting out his hand almost mechanically to give it the accustomed +pat of salutation, he found that it was gone. + +A thrill of alarm passed through his frame on making this discovery, +and, leaping up, he began to shout its name. But no answering bark was +heard. Again and again he shouted, but in vain. Without taking time to +put on his coat, he ran to the top of the nearest eminence, and again +shouted loud and long. Still no answer. + +A feeling of desperate anxiety now took possession of the man. The bare +idea of being left in utter loneliness drove him almost distracted. For +some time he ran hither and thither, calling passionately to his dog, +until he became quite exhausted; then he sat down on a rock, and +endeavoured to calm his spirit and consider what he should do. +Indulging in his tendency to think aloud, he said-- + +"Come now, John, don't go for to make a downright fool of yerself. +Cuffy has only taken a longer walk than usual. He'll be home to +breakfast; but you may as well look a bit longer, there's no sayin' wot +may have happened. He may have felled over a precepiece or sprain'd his +leg. Don't you give way to despair anyhow, John Jarwin, but nail yer +colours to the mast, and never say die." + +Somewhat calmed by these encouraging exhortations, the sailor rose up +and resumed his search in a more methodical way. Going down to the sea, +he walked thence up to the edge of the bush, gazing with the utmost +intensity at the ground all the way, in the hope of discovering Cuffy's +fresh footsteps; but none were to be seen. + +"Come," said he, "it's clear that you haven't gone to the s'uth'ard o' +yer home; now, we'll have a look to the nor'ard." + +Here he was more successful. The prints of Cuffy's small paws were +discovered on the wet sand bearing northward along shore. Jarwin +followed them up eagerly, but, coming to a place where the sand was hard +and dry, and covered with thin grass, he lost them. Turning back to +where they were distinct, he recommenced the search. No red Indian, in +pursuit of friend or foe, ever followed up a trail with more intense +eagerness than poor Jarwin followed the track of his lost companion. He +even began to develop, in quite a surprising way, some of the deep +sagacity of the savage; for he came, before that day was over, not only +to distinguish the prints of Cuffy's paws on pretty hard sand, where the +impressions were very faint, but even on rough ground, where there were +no distinct marks at all--only such indications as were afforded by the +pressure of a dead leaf into soft ground, or the breaking of a fallen +twig! + +Nevertheless, despite his care, anxiety, and diligence, Jarwin failed to +find his dog. He roamed all that day until his limbs were weary, and +shouted till his voice was hoarse, but only echoes answered him. At +last he sat down, overcome with fatigue and grief. + +It had rained heavily during the latter part of the day and soaked him +to the skin, but he heeded it not. Towards evening the weather cleared +up little, but the sun descended to the horizon in a mass of black +clouds, which were gilded with [a] strange lurid light that presaged a +storm; while sea-birds flew overhead and shrieked in wild excitement, as +if they were alarmed at the prospect before them. But Jarwin observed +and cared for none of these things. He buried his face in his hands, +and sat for some time perfectly motionless. + +While seated thus, a cold shiver passed through his frame once or twice, +and he felt unusually faint. + +"Humph!" said he, the second time this occurred, "strange sort o' +feelin'. Never felt it before. No doubt it's in consikince o' goin' +without wittles all day. Well, well," he added, with a deep long-drawn +sigh, "who'd have thought I'd lose 'ee, Cuff, in this fashion. It's +foolish, no doubt, to take on like this, but I can't help it somehow. I +don't believe I could feel much worse if I had lost my old 'ooman. It's +kurious, but I feels awful lonesome without 'ee, my doggie." + +He was interrupted by the shivering again, and was about to rise, when a +long low wail struck on his ear. He listened intently. No statue ever +sat more motionless on its pedestal than did Jarwin during the next +three minutes. + +Again the wail rose, faint and low at first, then swelling out into a +prolonged loud cry, which, strange to say, seemed to be both distant and +near. + +John Jarwin was not altogether free from superstition. His heart beat +hard under the influence of a mingled feeling of hope and fear; but when +he heard the cry the third time, he dismissed his fears, and, leaping +up, hurried forward in the direction whence the sound appeared to come. +The bushes were thick and difficult to penetrate, but he persevered on +hearing a repetition of the wail, and was thus led into a part of the +island which he had not formerly visited. + +Presently he came to something that appeared not unlike an old track; +but, although the sun had not quite set, the place was so shut in by +tangled bushes and trees that he could see nothing distinctly. Suddenly +he put his right foot on a mass of twigs, which gave way under his +weight, and he made a frantic effort to recover himself. Next moment, +he fell headlong into a deep hole or pit at the bottom of which he lay +stunned for some time. Recovering, he found that no bones were broken, +and after considerable difficulty, succeeded in scrambling out of the +hole. Just as he did so, the wail was again raised; but it sounded so +strange, and so unlike any sound that Cuffy could produce, that he was +tempted to give up the search--all the more that his recent fall had so +shaken his exhausted frame that he could scarcely walk. + +While he stood irresolute, the wail was repeated, and, this time, there +was a melancholy sort of "bow-wow" mingled with it, that sent the blood +careering through his veins like wildfire. Fatigue and hunger were +forgotten. Shouting the name of his dog, he bounded forward, and would +infallibly have plunged head-foremost into another pit, at the bottom of +which Cuffy lay, had not that wise creature uttered a sudden bark of +joy, which checked his master on the very brink. + +"Hallo! _Cuff_, is that you, my doggie?" + +"Bow, wow, _wow_!" exclaimed Cuffy in tones which there could be no +mistaking, although the broken twigs and herbage which covered the mouth +of the pit muffled them a good deal, and accounted for the strangeness +of the creature's howls when heard at a distance. + +"Why, where ever have 'ee got yourself into?" said Jarwin, going down on +his knees and groping carefully about the opening of the pit. "I do +believe you've bin an' got into a trap o' some sort. The savages must +have been here before us, doggie, and made more than one of 'em, for +I've just comed out o' one myself. Hallo! _there_, I'm into another!" +he exclaimed as the treacherous bank gave way, and he slipped in +headlong, with a dire crash, almost smothering Cuffy in his fall. + +Fortunately, no damage, beyond a few scratches, resulted either to dog +or man, and in a few minutes more both stood upon firm ground. + +It would be vain, reader to attempt to give you in detail all that John +Jarwin said and did on that great occasion, as he sat there on the +ground caressing his dog as if it had been his own child. We leave it +to your imagination! + +When he had expended the first burst of feeling, he got up, and was +about to retrace his steps, when he observed some bones lying near him. +On examination, these proved to be the skeleton of a man. At first +Jarwin thought it must be that of a native; but he was startled to find +among the dust on which the skeleton lay several brass buttons with +anchors on them. That he stood beside the remains of a brother seaman, +who had probably been cast on that island, as he himself had been, +seemed very evident, and the thought filled him with strange depressing +emotions. As it was by that time too dark to make further +investigations, he left the place, intending to return next day; and, +going as cautiously as possible out of the wood, returned to his abode, +where he kindled a fire, gave Cuffy some food, and prepared some for +himself; but before he had tasted that food another of the shivering +fits seized him. A strange feeling of being very ill, and a peculiar +wandering of his mind, induced him to throw himself on his couch. The +prolonged strain to which body and mind had been subjected had proved +too much for him, and before morning he was stricken with a raging +fever. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +HOPES AND FEARS AND STERN RESOLVES LEAD TO VIGOROUS ACTION. + +For several days the sailor lay tossing in helpless misery in his bower, +without food or fire. Indeed he could not have eaten even if food had +been offered him, and as to fire, there was heat enough in his veins, +poor fellow! to more than counterbalance the want of that. + +During part of the time he became delirious, and raved about home and +sea-life and old companions in a way that evidently quite alarmed Cuffy, +for that sagacious terrier approached his master with caution, with his +tail between his legs, and a pitiful, earnest gaze, that was quite +touching. This was partly owing to the fact that Jarwin had several +times patted him with such painful violence as to astonish and render +him doubtful of the affection displayed by such caresses. Jarwin also +recurred at these times to his tobacco and beer, and apparently suffered +a good deal from dreams about those luxuries. In his ravings he often +told Cuffy to fill a pipe for him, and advised him to look sharp about +it, and he frequently reproached some of his old comrades for not +passing the beer. Fortunately the fountain was close at hand, and he +often slaked his burning thirst at it. He also thought frequently of +the skeleton in the thicket, and sometimes raved with an expression of +horror about being left to die alone on a desert island. + +By degrees the fever reached its climax, and then left him almost dead. +For a whole day and night he lay so absolutely helpless that it cost him +an effort to open his eyes, and he looked so ill that the poor dog began +to whine piteously over him, but the day after that a sensation of +hunger induced him to make an effort to rouse up. He tried to raise his +head--it felt as if made of lead. + +"Hallo! Cuffy, somethin' wrong I suspect!" + +It was the first time for many days that Jarwin had spoken in his +natural tones. The effect on the dog was instantaneous and powerful. +It sprang up, and wagged its expressive tail with something of the +energy of former times; licked the sick man's face and hands; whined and +barked intelligently; ran away in little bursts, as if it had resolved +to undertake a journey off-hand, but came back in a few seconds, and in +many other ways indicated its intense delight at finding that Jarwin was +"himself again." + +But alas! Jarwin was not quite himself yet, and Cuffy, after his first +ebullition, sat looking in surprise at the invalid, as he strove to turn +on his side, and reach out his heavy hand and skinny arm towards a few +scraps of the last meal he had cooked before being struck down. Cuffy, +after eating the portion of that meal that suited his taste, had left +the remnants there as being unworthy of notice, and catered for himself +among the dead fish cast up on the beach. Although lying within a yard +of his couch, Jarwin had the greatest difficulty in reaching the food; +and when he did at length succeed in grasping it, he fell back on his +couch, and lay for a long time as if dead. Soon, however, he recovered, +and, with a feeling of gratitude such as he had never before +experienced, began to gnaw the hard morsels. + +"I'm in a bad way, Cuff," he said, after satisfying the first cravings +of hunger. + +Cuffy gave a responsive wag with his tail, and cocked his ears for more. + +"Hows'ever, seems to me that I've got the turn; let's be thankful for +_that_, my doggie. Wonder how long I've bin ill. Months mayhap. Don't +think I could have come to be sitch a skeleton in a short time. Ha! +that minds me o' the skeleton in the wood. Have 'ee seed it, Cuff, +since I found 'ee there? Well, I must eat and drink too, if I would +keep the skin on _my_ skeleton. Wish you had hands, doggie, for I'm +greatly in need o' help just now. But you're a comfort, anyhow, even +though you hain't got no hands. I should have died without you, my +doggie--you cheer me up, d'ee see, and when it's nigh low water with a +man, it don't take much to make him slip his cable. The want of a kind +look at this here time, Cuffy, would have sent me adrift, I do believe." + +It must not be supposed that all this was spoken fluently. It came +slowly, by fits and starts, with a long pause at the end of each +sentence, and with many a sigh between, expressive of extreme weakness. + +"I wish I had a drink, Cuffy," said the invalid after a long pause, +turning a longing look towards the spring, which welled up pleasantly +close to the opening of the hut. "Ay, that's all very well in its way, +but bow-wowin' an' waggin' yer tail won't fetch me a can o' water. +Hows'ever, it's o' no manner o' use wishin'. `Never say die.' Here +goes." + +So saying, he began slowly and painfully, but with unyielding +perseverance, to push, and draw, and hitch himself, while lying at full +length, towards the spring, which he reached at last so exhausted, that +he had barely put his lips to it and swallowed a mouthful, when his head +dropped, and he almost fainted. He was within an ace of being drowned, +but with a violent effort he drew his face out of the spring, and lay +there in a half unconscious condition for some time, with the clear cool +water playing about his temples. Reviving in a little time, he took +another sip, and then crawled back to his couch. Immediately he fell +into a profound slumber, from which Cuffy strove in vain to awaken him; +therefore, like a sagacious dog, he lay down at his master's side and +joined him in repose. + +From that hour Jarwin began to mend rapidly. In a few days he was able +to walk about with the aid of a stick. In a few weeks he felt somewhat +like his former self, and soon after that, he was able to ascend to the +top of the island, and resume his watch for a passing sail. But the +first few hours of his watch beside the old flagstaff convinced him that +his hopes would, in all probability, be doomed to disappointment, and +that he would soon fall back into a state of apathy, from which he might +perhaps be unable to rouse himself, in which case his fate would +certainly be that of the poor sailor whose remains he had that day +buried in the pit near to which they had been discovered. He resolved, +therefore, to give up watching altogether, and to devote all his +energies in future to devising some plan of escape from the island, but +when he bent his mind to this task he felt a deep sinking of the heart, +for he had no implements wherewith to construct a boat or canoe. + +Suddenly it occurred to him, for the first time in his life, that he +ought, in this extremity, to pray to God for help. He was, as we have +said, a straightforward man, prompt to act as well as ready to conceive. +He fell on his knees at once, humbly confessed his sin in depending so +entirely on himself in time past, and earnestly asked help and guidance +for the future. His prayer was not long--neither was the publican's-- +but it was effectual. He arose with feelings of strong resolution and +confidence, which appeared to himself quite unaccountable, for he had +not, as yet, conceived any new idea or method as to escaping from the +island. Instead of setting his mind to work, as he had intended, he +could not help dwelling on the fact that he had never before +deliberately asked help from his Maker, and this raised a train of +self-condemnatory thoughts which occupied him the remainder of that day. +At night he prayed again before laying down to rest. + +Next morning he rose like a giant refreshed, and, after a plunge in the +sea and a hearty breakfast, set out with Cuffy for a meditative walk. + +Great were the thoughts that swelled the seaman's broad chest during +that walk, and numerous, as well as wild and quaint, were the plans of +escape which he conceived and found it necessary to abandon. + +"It's harder work to think it out than I had expected, Cuffy," he said, +sitting down on a cliff that overlooked the sea, and thinking aloud. +"If you and I could only swim twenty miles or so at a stretch, I'd risk +it; but, as nothin' short o' that would be likely to be of sarvice, we +must give it up. Then, if I could only cut down trees with my shoe, and +saw planks with my jacket, we might make a boat; but I can't do that, +and we haven't no nails--except our toe-nails, which ain't the right +shape or strong enough; so we must give that up too. It's true that we +might burn a canoe out of a solid tree, but who's to cut down the solid +tree for us, doggie? I'm sure if the waggin' of a tail could do it you +wouldn't be long about it! Why on earth can't 'ee keep it still for a +bit? Well, then, as we can't swim or fly, and haven't a boat or canoe, +or the means o' makin' em, what's the next thing to be done?" + +Apparently neither man nor dog could return an answer to that question, +for they both sat for a very long time in profound silence, staring at +the sea. + +After some time Jarwin suddenly exclaimed, "I'll do it!" + +Cuffy, startled by the energy with which it was said, jumped up and +said, "That's right!"--or something very like it--with his eyes. + +"Yes, Cuffy, I'll make a raft, and you and I shall get on it, some day, +with a fair wind, and make for the island that we think we've seen so +often on the horizon." + +He alluded here to a faint blue line which, on unusually fine and clear +days, he had distinguished on the horizon to the southward, and which, +from its always appearing on the same spot, he believed to be land of +some sort, although it looked nothing more than a low-lying cloud. + +"So that's settled," continued Jarwin, getting up and walking smartly +back to his hut with the air of a man who has a purpose in view. "We +shall make use of the old raft, as far as it'll go. Luckily the sail is +left, as you and I know, Cuff, for it has been our blanket for many a +day, and when all's ready we shall go huntin', you and I, till we've got +together a stock of provisions, and then--up anchor and away! We can +only be drownded once, you know, and it's better that than stopping here +to die o' the blues. What think 'ee o' that, my doggie?" + +Whatever the doggie thought of the idea, there can be no question what +he thought of the cheery vigorous tones of his master's voice, for he +gambolled wildly round, barked with vociferous delight, and wagged his +"spanker boom" to such an extent that Jarwin warned him to have a care +lest it should be carried away, an' go slap overboard. + +In pursuance of the designs thus expressed, the sailor began the +construction of a raft without delay, and worked at it diligently the +remainder of that day. He found, on examination, that a considerable +portion of the old raft yet remained stranded on the beach, though all +the smaller spars of which it had been composed had been used for +firewood. With great difficulty he rolled these logs one by one into +the sea, and, getting astride of each, pushed them by means of a pole +towards a point of rocks, or natural jetty, alongside of which the water +was deep. Here he fastened them together by means of a piece of rope-- +one of the old fastenings which remained to him, the others having been +used in the construction of the hut. The raft thus formed was, however, +much too small to weather a gale or float in a rough sea. In whatever +way he placed the spars the structure was too narrow for safety. +Seeing, therefore, that it was absolutely necessary to obtain more logs, +he set brain and hands to work without delay. + +Many years before, he had seen an ancient stone hatchet in a museum, the +head of which was fastened to the haft by means of a powerful thong of +untanned hide. He resolved to make a hatchet of this sort. Long did he +search the beach for a suitable stone, but in vain. At last he found +one pretty nearly the proper shape, which he chipped and ground into the +rude form of an axe. It had no eye for the handle. To have made a hole +in it would have weakened the stone too much. He therefore cut a groove +in the side of the handle, placed the head of the stone into it, and +completed the fastening by tying it firmly with the tough fibrous roots +of a tree. It was strongly and neatly made, though clumsy in +appearance, but, do what he would, he could not put a sufficiently fine +edge on it, and although it chipped pretty well when applied to the +outside of a tree, it made very slow progress indeed as the cut +deepened, and the work became so toilsome at last that he almost gave it +up in despair. Suddenly it occurred to him that fire might be made use +of to facilitate the work. Selecting a tall cocoanut-tree, he piled dry +wood all round the foot of it. Before setting it on fire he dipped a +quantity of cocoanut fibre in the sea and tied a thick belt of this +round the tree just above the pile, so as to protect the upper parts of +the spar from the flames as much and as long as possible. This done, he +kindled the pile. A steady breeze fanned the flame into an intense +fire, which ere long dried up the belt of fibre and finally consumed it. +The fire was pretty well burnt out by that time, however, so that the +upper part of the stem had been effectually preserved. Removing the +ashes, he was rejoiced to find that the foot of the tree had been so +deeply burned that several inches of it were reduced to charcoal, which +his stone hatchet readily cut away, and the operation was so successful +that it only required a second fire to enable him to fell the tree. + +This done, he measured it off in lengths. Under each point of +measurement he piled up dry wood--which consisted merely of broken +branches--with belts of wet fibre on each side of these piles. Then, +applying a light to the fires he reduced the parts to charcoal as +before, and completed the work with the hatchet. Thus, in the course of +a single day, he felled a tall tree and cut it up into six lengths, +which he rolled down to the sea and floated off to the end of the jetty. + +Next day Jarwin rose with the sun, and began to make twine of twisted +cocoanut fibre--of which there was great abundance to be had everywhere. +When a sufficient quantity had been made he plaited the twine into +cords, and the cords into stout ropes, which, although not so neat as +regular ropes, were, nevertheless, sufficiently pliable and very strong. +Several days were spent over this somewhat tedious process; and we may +mention here, that in all these operations the busy seaman was greatly +assisted by his dog, who stuck close to him all the time, encouraging +him with looks and wags of approbation. + +After the ropes were made, the raft was put together and firmly lashed. +There was a mast and yard in the centre of it, and also a hollow, formed +by the omission of a log, which was just large enough to permit of the +man and his dog lying down. This hollow, slight though it was, +afterwards proved of the utmost service. + +It is needless to recount all the details of the building and +provisioning of this raft. Suffice it to say that, about three weeks +after the idea of it had been conceived, it was completed and ready for +sea. + +During his residence on the island, although it had only extended over a +few months, Jarwin had become very expert in the use of a sharp-pointed +pole, or javelin, with which he had become quite an adept in spearing +fish. He had also become such a dead-shot with a stone that when he +managed to get within thirty yards of a bird, he was almost certain to +hit it. Thus he was enabled to procure fish and fowl as much as he +required and as the woods abounded with cocoa-nuts, plums, and other +wild fruits, besides many edible roots, he had no lack of good fare. +Now that he was about to "go to sea," he bethought him of drying some of +the fruits as well as curing some fish and birds. This he did by +degrees, while engaged on the raft, so that when all was ready he had a +store of provisions sufficient to last him several weeks. In order to +stow all this he removed another log from the middle of the raft, and, +having deposited the food in the hollow--carefully wrapped in cocoanut +leaves and made into compact bundles--he covered it over by laying a +layer of large leaves above it and lashing a small spar on the top of +them to keep them down. The cask with which he had landed from the +original raft, and which he had preserved with great care, not knowing +how soon he might be in circumstances to require it, served to hold +fresh water. + +On a fine morning about sunrise, Jarwin embarked with his little dog and +bade farewell to the coral island, and although he had not dwelt very +long there, he felt, to his own surprise, much regret at quitting it. + +A fresh breeze was blowing in the direction of the island--or the +supposed island--he wished to reach. This was important, because, in +such a craft, it was impossible to sail in any way except before the +wind. Still, by means of a rude oar or paddle, he could modify its +direction so as to steer clear of the passage through the reef and get +out to sea. + +Once outside, he squared the sail and ran right before the breeze. Of +course such a weighty craft went very slowly through the water, but the +wind was pretty strong, and to Jarwin, who had been for a comparatively +long time unaccustomed to moving on the water, the speed seemed fast +enough. As the island went astern, and the raft lifted and fell gently +on the long swell of the ocean, the seaman's heart beat with a peculiar +joy to which it had long been a stranger, and he thanked God fervently +for having so soon answered his prayer. + +For a long time he sat reclining in the hollow of the raft, resting his +hand lightly on the steering oar and gazing in silence at the gradually +fading woods of his late home. The dog, as if it were aware that a +great change was being effected in their destiny, lay also perfectly +still--and apparently contemplative--at his master's feet; resting his +chin on a log and gazing at the receding land. It was evident, however, +that _his_ thoughts were not absent or wandering, for, on the slightest +motion made by his master, his dark eyes turned towards him, his ears +slightly rose, and his tail gave the faintest possible indication of an +intention to wag. + +"Well, Cuffy," said Jarwin at last, rousing himself with a sigh, "wot +are 'ee thinking of?" + +The dog instantly rose, made affectionate demonstrations, and whined. + +"Ah, you may well say that, Cuff," replied the man; "I know you ain't +easy in yer mind, and there's some reason in that, too, for we're off on +a raither uncertain viage, in a somewhat unseaworthy craft. Howsever, +cheer up, doggie. Whoever turns up, you and I shall sink or swim +together." + +Just then the sail flapped. + +"Hallo! Cuff," exclaimed Jarwin, with a look of anxiety, "the wind's +going to shift." + +This was true. The wind did shift, and in a few minutes had veered so +much round that the raft was carried away from the blue line on the +horizon, which Jarwin had so fondly hoped would turn out to be an +inhabited island. It blew lightly, however, and when the sun went down, +had completely died away. In these circumstances Jarwin and his dog +supped together, and then lay down to rest, full of sanguine hope. + +They were awakened during the night by a violent squall, which, however, +did no further damage than wash a little spray over them, for Jarwin had +taken the precaution to lower and make fast the sail. He now turned his +attention to preparing the raft for rough weather. This consisted in +simply drawing over the hollow--in which he, his dog, and his provisions +lay--a piece of canvas that he had cut off the sail, which was +unnecessarily large. It served as a tarpaulin, and effectually shielded +them from ordinary sprays, but when the breeze freshened to a gale, and +green seas swept over the _raft_, it leaked so badly, that Jarwin's +cabin became a salt-water bath, and his provisions by degrees were +soaked. + +At first he did not mind this much, for the air and water were +sufficiently warm, but after being wet for several hours he began feel +chilled. As for poor Cuffy, his trembling body bore testimony to the +state of his feelings; nevertheless he did not complain, being a dog of +high spirit and endurance. In these circumstances the seaman hailed the +rising sun with great joy, even although it rose in the midst of lurid +murky clouds, and very soon hid its face altogether behind them, as if +it had made up its mind that the state of things below was so bad as to +be not worth shining upon. + +All that day and night the gale continued, and they were driven before +it. The waves rushed so continuously and furiously over the raft, that +it was with the utmost difficulty Jarwin could retain his position on +it. Indeed it would have been impossible for him to have done so, if he +had not taken the precaution of making the hollow in the centre, into +which he could crouch, and thus avoid the full force of the seas. Next +day the wind abated a little, but the sea still rolled "mountains high." +In order to break their force a little, he ventured to show a little +corner of the sail. Small though it was, it almost carried away the +slender mast, and drove the raft along at a wonderfully rapid rate. + +At last the gale went down, and, finally, it became a dead calm, leaving +the raft like a cork heaving on the mighty swell of the Pacific Ocean. +Weary and worn--almost dead with watching and exposure--John Jarwin lay +down and slept, but his slumber was uneasy and unrefreshing. Sunrise +awoke him, and he sat up with a feeling of deep thankfulness, as he +basked once more in its warm rays and observed that the sky above him +was bright blue. But other feelings mingled with these when he gazed +round on the wide waste of water, which still heaved its swelling though +now unruffled breast, as if panting after its recent burst of fury. + +"Ho! Cuffy--what's that? Not a sail, eh?" exclaimed Jarwin, suddenly +starting up, while his languid eyes kindled with excitement. + +He was right. After a long, earnest, anxious gaze, he came to the +conclusion that it _was_ a sail which shone, white and conspicuous, like +a speck or a snow-flake on the horizon. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +JARWIN AND CUFFY FALL INTO BAD COMPANY. + +Immediately on discovering the sail, Jarwin hoisted a small canvas flag, +which he had prepared for the purpose, to the mast-head, and then sat +down to watch with indescribable earnestness the motions of the vessel. +There was great cause for anxiety he well knew, because his raft was a +mere speck on the great waste of waters which might easily be overlooked +even by a vessel passing at a comparatively short distance, and if the +vessel's course should happen to lie across that of the raft, there was +every probability she would only be visible for a short time and then +pass away like a ray of hope dying out. + +After gazing in perfect silence for half-an-hour, Jarwin heaved a deep +sigh and said-- + +"She steers this way, Cuffy." + +Cuffy acknowledged the remark with a little whine and a very slight wag +of his tail. It was evident that his spirits had sunk to a low ebb, and +that he was not prepared to derive comfort from every trifling +circumstance. + +"Come, we'll have a bit of summat to eat, my doggie," said the sailor, +reaching forward his hand to the provision bundle. + +Thoroughly understanding and appreciating this remark, Cuffy roused +himself and looked on with profound interest, while his master cut up a +dried fish. Having received a large share of it, he forgot everything +else, and devoted all his powers, physical and mental, to the business +in hand. Although Jarwin also applied himself to the food with the +devotion of a man whose appetite is sharp, and whose strength needs +recruiting, he was very far indeed from forgetting other things. He +kept his eyes the whole time on the approaching sail, and once or twice +became so absorbed and so anxious lest the vessel should change her +course, that he remained with his mouth half open, and with the +unconsumed morsel reposing therein for a minute or more at a time. + +But the vessel did not change her course. On she came; a fine large +schooner with raking masts, and so trim and neat in her rig that she +resembled a pleasure-yacht. As she drew near, Jarwin rose, and holding +on to the mast, waved a piece of canvas, while Cuffy, who felt that +there was now really good ground for rejoicing, wagged his tail and +barked in an imbecile fashion, as if he didn't exactly know whether to +laugh or cry. + +"We're all safe now, doggie," exclaimed Jarwin, as the schooner came +cutting through the water before a light breeze, leaving a slight track +of foam in her wake. + +When within about two or three hundred yards of the raft, the castaway +could see that a figure leant on the vessel's side and brought a +telescope to bear on him. With a feeling of irrepressible gladness he +laughed and waved his hand. + +"Ay, ay, take a good squint," he shouted, "an' then lower a boat--eh!--" + +He stopped abruptly, for at that moment the figure turned towards the +steersman; the schooner's head fell away, presenting her stern to the +raft, and began to leave her behind. + +The truth flashed upon Jarwin like a thunderbolt. It was clear that the +commander of the strange vessel had no intention of relieving him. In +the first burst of mingled despair and indignation, the seaman uttered a +bass roar of defiance that might have done credit to the lungs of a +small carronade, and at the same time shook his fist at the retiring +schooner. + +The effect of this was as sudden as it was unexpected. To his surprise +he observed that the schooner's head was immediately thrown up into the +wind, and all her sails shook for a few moments, then, filling out +again, the vessel bent gracefully over on the other tack. With +returning joy the castaway saw her run straight towards him. In a few +minutes she was alongside, and her topsails were backed. + +"Look out! catch hold!" cried a gruff voice, as a sailor sent a coil of +rope whirling over the raft. Jarwin caught it, took a turn round the +mast, and held on. + +In a minute the raft was alongside. Weak though he was, Jarwin retained +enough of his sailor-like activity to enable him to seize a rope and +swing himself on board with Cuffy in his arms. + +He found himself on the pure white deck of a craft which was so well +appointed and so well kept, that his first impressions were revived-- +namely, that she was a pleasure-yacht. He knew that she was not a +vessel of war, because, besides the absence of many little things that +mark such a vessel, the few men on deck were not clothed like +man-of-war's-men, and there was no sign of guns, with the exception of +one little brass carronade, which was probably used as a signal-gun. + +A tall stout man, in plain costume, which was neither quite that of a +seaman nor a landsman, stood with his arms crossed on his broad chest +near the man at the wheel. To him, judging him to be the captain or +owner of the vessel, Jarwin went up, and, pulling his forelock by way of +salutation, said-- + +"Why, sir, I thought 'ee was a-goin' to leave me!" + +"So I was," answered the captain, drily. "Hold on to the raft," he +added, turning to the man who had thrown the rope to Jarwin. + +"Well, sir," said the latter in some surprise, "in course I don't know +why you wos a-goin' to leave a feller-creetur to his fate, but I'm glad +you didn't go for to do it, 'cos it wouldn't have bin Christian-like. +But I'm bound for to thank 'ee, sir, all the same for havin' saved me-- +and Cuffy." + +"Don't be too free with your thanks, my good man," returned the captain, +"for you're not saved, as you call it, yet." + +"Not saved yet?" repeated Jarwin. + +"No. Whether I save you or not depends on your keeping a civil tongue +in your head, and on your answers to my questions." + +The captain interlarded his speech with many oaths, which, of course, we +omit. This, coupled with his rude manners, induced Jarwin to suspect +that the vessel was not a pleasure-yacht after all, so he wisely held +his peace. + +"Where do you belong to?" demanded the captain. + +"To Yarmouth, sir." + +"What ship did you sail in, what has come of her, and how came you to be +cast adrift?" + +"I sailed in the _Nancy_, sir, from Plymouth, with a miscellaneous cargo +for China. She sprung a leak in a gale, and we was 'bliged to make a +raft, the boats bein' all stove in or washed away. It was barely ready +when the ship went down starn foremost. Durin' the gale all my mates +were washed off the raft or died of exposure; only me and my dog left." + +"How long ago was that?" asked the captain. + +"Couldn't rightly say, sir, I've lost count o' time, but it's more than +a year gone by anyhow." + +"That's a lie," said the captain, with an oath. + +"No, 'taint, sir," replied Jarwin, reddening, "it's a truth. I was nigh +starved on that raft, but was cast on an island where I've bin till a +few days ago ever since, when I put to sea on the raft that now lays +a-starn there." + +For a few seconds the captain made no rejoinder, but a glance at the +raft seemed to satisfy him of the truth of what was said. At length he +said abruptly-- + +"What's your name?" + +"John Jarwin, sir." + +"Well, John Jarwin, I'll save you on one condition, which is, that you +become one of my crew, and agree to do my bidding and ask no questions. +What say you?" + +Jarwin hesitated. + +"Haul up the raft and let this man get aboard of it," said the captain, +coolly but sternly, to the seaman who held the rope. + +"You've no occasion to be so sharp, sir," said John, remonstratively. +"If you wos to tell me to cut my own throat, you know, I could scarce be +expected for to do it without puttin' a few questions as to the reason +why. You're a trader, I suppose?" + +"Yes, I'm a trader," replied the captain, "but I don't choose to be +questioned by you. All you've got to do is to agree to my proposal or +to walk over the side. To tell you the truth, when I saw you first +through the glass, you looked such a starved wretch that I thought you'd +be of no use to me, and if it hadn't been for the yell you gave, that +showed there was something in you still, I'd have left you to sink or +swim. So you see what sort of man you've got to deal with. I'm +short-handed, but not so short as to engage an unwilling man, or a man +who wouldn't be ready for any sort of dirty work. You may take your +choice." + +"Well, sir," replied Jarwin, "I've no objection to take service with +'ee. As the sayin' goes, `beggars mustn't be choosers.' I ain't above +doin' dirty work, if required." + +John Jarwin, in the simplicity of his heart, imagined that the captain +was in need of a man who could and would turn his hand to any sort of +work, whether nautical or otherwise, on board ship or ashore, which was +his idea of "dirty work;" but the captain appeared to understand him in +a different sense, for he smiled in a grim fashion, nodded his head, +and, turning to the seaman before mentioned, bade him cut the raft +adrift. The man obeyed, and in a few minutes it was out of sight +astern. + +"Now, Jarwin, go below," said the captain; "Isaacs will introduce you to +your messmates." + +Isaacs, who had just cut away the raft, was a short, thick-set man, with +a dark, expressionless face. He went forward without saying a word, and +introduced Jarwin to the men as a "new 'and." + +"And a green un, I s'pose; give us your flipper, lad," said one of the +crew, holding out his hand. + +Jarwin shook it, took off his cap and sat down, while his new friends +began, as they expressed it, to pump him. Having no objection to be +pumped, he had soon related the whole of his recent history. In the +course of the narrative he discovered that his new associates were an +unusually rough set. Their language was interspersed with frightful +oaths, and their references to the captain showed that his power over +them was certainly not founded on goodwill or affection. Jarwin also +discovered that the freeness of his communication was not reciprocated +by his new mates, for when he made inquiries as to the nature of the +trade in which they were engaged, some of the men merely replied with +uproarious laughter, chaff, or curses, while others made jocular +allusions to sandal-wood trading, slaving, etcetera. + +"I shouldn't wonder now," said one, "if you was to think we was +pirates." + +Jarwin smiled as he replied, "Well, I don't exactly think _that_, but +I'm bound for to say the schooner _has_ got such a rakish look that it +wouldn't seem unnatural like if you _were_ to hoist a black flag at the +peak. An' you'll excuse me, shipmets, if I say that yer lingo ain't +just so polished as it might be." + +"And pray who are _you_, that comes here to lecture us about our lingo?" +cried one of the men fiercely, starting up and confronting Jarwin with +clenched fists. + +"Why, mate," replied Jarwin, quietly folding back the cuffs of his coat, +and putting himself in an attitude of defence, "I ain't nobody in +partikler, not the Lord Chancellor o' England, anyhow still less the +Archbishop of Canterbury. I'm only plain Jack Jarwin, seaman, but if +you or any other man thinks--" + +"Come, come," cried one of the men in a tone of authority, starting +forward and thrusting Jarwin's assailant violently aside, "none o' that +sort o' thing here. Keep your fists for the niggers, Bill, we're all +brothers here, you know; an affectionate family, so to speak!" + +There was a general laugh at this. Bill retired sulkily, and Jarwin sat +down to a plate of hot "lob-scouse," which proved to be very good, and +of which he stood much in need. + +For several days our hero was left very much to himself. The schooner +sped on her voyage with a fair wind, and the men were employed in light +work, or idled about the deck. No one interfered with Jarwin, but at +the same time no one became communicative. The captain was a very +silent man, and it was evident that the crew stood much in awe of him. +Of course Jarwin's suspicions as to the nature of the craft were +increased by all this, and from some remarks which he overheard two or +three days after his coming on board, he felt convinced that he had +fallen into bad company. Before a week had passed, this became so +evident that he made up his mind to leave the vessel at the very first +opportunity. + +One day he went boldly to the captain and demanded to know the nature of +the trade in which the schooner was employed and their present +destination. He was told that that was no business of his, that he had +better go forward and mind his duty without more ado, else he should be +pitched overboard. The captain used such forcible language when he said +this, and seemed so thoroughly in earnest, that Jarwin felt no longer +any doubt as to his true character. + +"I'll tell you what it is, my lad," said the captain, "my schooner is a +trader or a man-of-war according to circumstances, and I'm a free man, +going where I choose and doing what I please. I treat my men well when +they do their duty; when they don't I make 'em walk the plank. No doubt +you know what that means. If you don't we shall soon teach you. Take +to-night to think over it. To-morrow morning I'll have a question or +two to ask you. There--go!" + +Jarwin bowed submissively and retired. + +That night the moon shone full and clear on the wide ocean's breast, and +Jarwin stood at the bow of the schooner, looking sadly over the side, +and patting his little dog gently on the head. + +"Cuffy, you and me's in a fix, I suspect," he murmured in a low tone; +"but cheer up, doggie, a way to escape will turn up no doubt." + +He had scarcely uttered the words when his eye fell on the distant +outline of land on the lee bow. He started, and gazed with fixed +intensity for some minutes, under the impression that it might perhaps +be a fog-bank lighted by the moon, but in a short time it became so +distinct that there could be no doubt it was land. He pointed it out to +the watch on deck, one of whom said carelessly that he had seen it for +some time, and that there were plenty more islands of the same sort in +these seas. + +Jarwin walked aft and stood near the lee gangway contemplating the +island in silence for some time. A small oar lay at his feet. Suddenly +he conceived the daring idea of seizing this, plunging overboard and +attempting to swim to land. He was a splendid swimmer, and although the +island appeared to be more than two miles distant, he did not fear +failure. A moment's reflection, however, convinced him that the men on +deck would certainly hear the plunge, heave the ship to, and lower a +boat, in which case he should be immediately overtaken. Still, being +resolved to escape at all hazards, he determined to make the venture. +Fastening a rope to a belaying pin, he tied the oar to it and lowered it +over the side until it trailed in the water, he then lifted Cuffy, who +was almost always near him, on to the side of the vessel, with a whisper +to keep still. The watch paced the weather side of the deck conversing +in low tones. The steersman could, from his position, see both +gangways, and although the light was not strong enough to reveal what +Jarwin was about, it was too strong to admit of his going bodily over +the side without being observed. He, therefore, walked slowly to the +head of the vessel, where he threw over the end of a small rope. By +means of this, when the watch were well aft, he slid noiselessly into +the sea, hanging on by one hand and supporting Cuffy with the other. +Once fairly in the water he let go, the side of the vessel rubbed +swiftly past him, and he all but missed grasping the oar which trailed +at the gangway. By this he held on for a few seconds to untie the rope. +He had just succeeded and was about to let go, when, unfortunately, the +handle of the oar chanced to hit the end of Cuffy's nose a severe blow. +The poor dog, therefore, gave vent to a loud yell of pain. Instantly +Jarwin allowed himself to sink and held his breath as long as he +possibly could, while Cuffy whined and swam on the surface. + +Meanwhile the men on deck ran to the side. "Hallo!" cried one, "it's +Jarwin's little dog gone overboard." + +"Let it go," cried another with a laugh; "it's a useless brute and eats +a power o' grub." + +"I say, wot a splashin' it do kick up," he added as the little dog was +left astern making vain efforts to clamber on the oar. "Why, lads, +there's somethin' else floatin' beside it, uncommon like a seal. Are +'ee sure, Bill, that Jarwin hasn't gone overboard along with his dog?" + +"Why no," replied Bill; "I seed him go forward a little ago; besides it +ain't likely he'd go over without givin' a shout." + +"I dun know that," said the other; "he might have hit his head again' +somethin' in tumblin' over." + +By this time the objects in question were almost out of sight astern. +In a few minutes more a dark cloud covered the moon and effectually shut +them out from view. + +Just then the Captain came on deck, and asked what was wrong. + +"Fools!" he exclaimed, in a voice of thunder, on being told, "lower the +gig. Look sharp! Don't you see the land, you idiots? The man's away +as well as the dog." + +In a few seconds the topsails were backed and the boat lowered, manned, +and pushed off. + +But Jarwin heard and saw nothing of all this. He was now far astern, +for the vessel had been going rapidly through the water. + +On coming to the surface after his dive he caught hold of Cuffy, and, +with a cheering word or two, placed him on his back, telling him to hold +on by his paws the best way he could. Then grasping the end of the oar, +and pointing the blade land-wards, he struck out vigorously with his +legs. + +It was a long and weary swim, but as his life depended on it, the seaman +persevered. When he felt his strength giving way, he raised not only +his heart but his voice in prayer to God, and felt restored each time +that he did so. Just as he neared the shore, the sound of oars broke on +his ears, and presently he heard the well-known voice of the Captain +ordering the men to pull hard. Fortunately it was by this time very +dark. He landed without being discerned. The surf was heavy, but he +was expert in rough water, went in on the top of a billow, and was +safely launched on a soft sandy beach, almost at the same moment with +the boat. The latter was, however, at a considerable distance from him. +He crept cautiously up the shore until he gained a thicket, and then, +rising, he plunged into the woods and ran straight before him until he +was exhausted, carrying the little dog in his arms. Many a fall and +bruise did the poor fellow receive in his progress, but the fear of +being retaken by the pirates--for such he felt convinced they were--lent +him wings. The Captain and his men made a long search, but finally gave +it up, and, returning to the boat, pushed off. Jarwin never saw them +again. + +He and Cuffy lay where they had fallen, and slept, wet though they were, +till the sun was high. They were still sleeping when a native chief of +the island, happening to pass along the beach, discerned Jarwin's +footsteps and traced him out. This chief was an immensely large +powerful man, armed with a heavy club. He awoke the sailor with a kick, +and spoke in a language which he did not understand. His gestures, +however, said plainly enough, "Get up and come along with me," so Jarwin +thought it best to obey. Of course whatever Jarwin thought, Cuffy was +of precisely the same opinion. They therefore quietly got up and +followed the big chief to his village, where they were received by a +large concourse of savages with much excitement and curiosity. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +OUR HERO BECOMES A FAVOURITE, AND ENTERTAINS HOPES OF ESCAPE. + +The sufferings which Jarwin with his little dog had hitherto undergone +were as nothing compared to those which he endured for some months after +being taken prisoner by the savages. At first he gave himself up for +lost, feeling assured that ere long he would be sacrificed in the temple +of one of their idols, and then baked in an oven and consumed as food, +according to the horrible practice of the South-Sea Islanders. Indeed +he began to be much astonished that, as day after day passed, there was +no sign of any intention to treat him in this way, although several +times the natives took him out of the hut in which he was imprisoned, +and, placing him in the centre of a circle, held excited and sometimes +angry discussions over him. + +It was not till months afterwards, when he had acquired a slight +knowledge of their language, that he came to understand why he was +spared at this time. It appeared that four shipwrecked sailors, who had +been cast on a neighbouring island, had been killed, baked, and eaten, +according to usage, by the chief and his friends. Immediately +afterwards, those who had partaken of this dreadful food had been seized +with severe illness, and one or two had died. This fact had been known +for some time to Jarwin's captors, and the discussions above referred to +had been engaged in with reference to the question whether it was likely +that the flesh of the white man who had been thrown on their island +would be likely to disagree with their stomachs! It was agreed that +this was highly probable, and thus the seaman's life was spared; but he +was sometimes tempted to wish that it had not been spared, for his +master, the Big Chief, was a very hard man; he put him to the most +toilsome labour, and treated him with every sort of indignity. +Moreover, he was compelled to be a witness of practices so revolting and +cruel, that he often put the question to himself whether it was possible +for devils to display greater wickedness and depravity than these +people. + +Jarwin was frequently tempted to resent the treatment he received, but, +fortunately, he was prudent enough to bear it submissively, for it is +certain that if he had rebelled he would have been slain on the spot. +Moreover, he set himself to carry out his favourite maxim--namely, that +it was wise in all circumstances to make the best of everything. He +laboured, therefore, with such goodwill, that he softened the breast of +the Big Chief, who gradually became more amiable, and even indulgent to +him. Thus he came to know experimentally the wisdom of that Scripture, +"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." + +John Jarwin possessed a remarkably fine sonorous bass voice, which, in +former days, had been a source of great delight to his messmates. +Although strong and deep, it was very sweet and tender in its tones, and +eminently suited for pathetic and sentimental songs. Indeed Jarwin's +nature was so earnest, that although he had a great deal of quiet humour +about him, and could enjoy comic songs very much, he never himself sang +anything humorous. Now, it chanced that the Big Chief had a good ear +for music, and soon became so fond of the songs which his slave was wont +to hum when at work, that he used to make him sit down beside him +frequently and sing for hours at a time! Fortunately, Jarwin's lungs +were powerful, and his voice being full-toned and loud, he was able to +sing as much as his master desired without much exertion. He gave him +his whole budget which was pretty extensive--including melodies of the +"Black-eyed Susan" and "Ben Bolt" stamp. When these had been sung over +and over again, he took to the Psalms and Paraphrases--many of which he +knew by heart, and, finally, he had recourse to extempore composition, +which he found much easier than he had expected--the tones flowing +naturally and the words being gibberish! Thus he became a sort of David +to this remarkable Saul. By degrees, as he learnt the native tongue, he +held long conversations with the Big Chief, and told him about his own +land and countrymen and religion. In regard to the last the Chief was +very inquisitive, and informed his slave that white men had been for +some time in that region, trying to teach their religion to the men of +an island which, though invisible from his island, was not very far +distant. Jarwin said little about this, but from that time he began to +hope that, through the missionaries, he might be able to make his escape +ere long. + +During all this time poor Cuffy experienced a variety of vicissitudes, +and made several narrow escapes. At first he had been caught and was on +the point of being killed and roasted, when he wriggled out of his +captor's grasp and made off to the mountains, terrorstruck! Here he +dwelt for some weeks in profound melancholy. Being unable to stand +separation from his master any longer, he ventured to return to the +village, but was immediately hunted out of it, and once again fled in +horror to the hills. Jarwin was not allowed to quit the village alone, +he therefore never saw his little dog, and at length came to the +conclusion that it had been killed. When, however, he had ingratiated +himself with his master, he was allowed more freedom, and one day, +having wandered a considerable distance into the mountains, he came +suddenly and unexpectedly upon Cuffy. Having experienced nothing from +man of late but the most violent and cruel treatment, Cuffy no sooner +beheld, as he supposed, one of his enemies, than, without giving him a +second glance, he sprang up, put his ears back, his tail between his +legs, and, uttering a terrible yell, fled "on the wings of terror!" But +Jarwin put two fingers in his mouth and gave a peculiarly shrill +whistle, which brought the dog to a sudden stop. He looked back with +ears cocked. Again Jarwin whistled. Instantly Cuffy turned and ran at +him with a series of mingled yells, whines, and barks, that gave but a +faint idea of his tumultuous feelings. It would scarcely be too much to +say that he almost ate his master up. He became like an india-rubber +ball gone mad! He bounded round him to such an extent that Jarwin found +it very difficult to get hold of or pat him. It is impossible to do +justice to such a meeting. We draw a veil over it, only remarking that +the sailor took his old favourite back to the village, and, after much +entreaty and a good deal of persuasive song, was permitted to keep him. + +About ten months after this event, war broke out between the Big Chief +and a neighbouring tribe of natives, who were a very quarrelsome and +vindictive set. The tribe with whom Jarwin dwelt would gladly have +lived at peace, but the other tribe was stronger in numbers and thirsted +for conquest--a consequence of strength which is by no means confined to +savages! + +When war was formally declared, the Big Chief told Jarwin to prepare +himself for battle. At first our hero had some qualms of conscience +about it, but on reflecting that on the part of the tribe to which he +belonged it was a war of self-defence, his conscience was pacified. + +The Big Chief ordered him to throw away his now ragged garments, smear +his whole body over with oil and red earth, paint black spots on his +cheeks, and a white streak down his nose, and put on warrior's costume. +In vain Jarwin begged and protested and sang. The Big Chief's blood was +up, and his commands must be obeyed, therefore Jarwin did as he was bid; +went out to battle in this remarkable costume--if we may so style it-- +and proved himself such a prodigy of valour that his prowess went far to +turn the tide of victory wherever he appeared during the fight. But we +pass over all this. Suffice it to say, that the pugnacious tribe was +severely chastised and reduced to a state of quiet--for the time at +least. + +One day, not long after the cessation of the war, a canoe arrived with +several natives, all of whom wore clothing of a much more civilised +description than is usually seen among South-Sea savages. They had a +long, earnest talk with the natives, but Jarwin was not allowed to hear +it, or to show himself. Next day they went away. For some time after +that Big Chief was very thoughtful, but silent, and Jarwin could not +induce him to become confidential until he had sung all his melodies and +all his psalms several times over, and had indulged in extempore melody +and gibberish until his brain and throat were alike exhausted. The Big +Chief gave way at last, however, and told him that his late visitors +were Christians, who, with two native teachers, had been sent from a +distant island by a white chief named Williams, to try and persuade him +and his people to burn their idols. + +"And are 'ee goin' to do it?" asked Jarwin. + +"No," replied the Chief, "but I am going to Raratonga to see Cookee +Williams." + +Of course they conversed in the native tongue, but as this would be +unintelligible to the reader, we translate. It may also be remarked +here that "Cookee" signified a white man, and is a word derived from the +visit of that great navigator Captain Cook to these islands, by the +natives of which he was ultimately murdered. + +Jarwin had heard, while in England, of the missionary Williams. On +learning that he was among the islands, his heart beat high, and he +begged earnestly that he might be allowed to go with the chief and his +party to Raratonga, but his wily master would not consent "You will run +away!" he said. + +"No, I won't," said Jarwin, earnestly. Big Chief shook his head. "They +will take you from me," he said, "when they find out who you are." + +"I'll not let 'em," replied Jarwin, with pathetic sincerity, and then +began to sing in such a touching strain, that his master lay back on his +couch and rolled his large eyes in rapture. + +"You shall go, Jowin," (that was the best he could make of the name), +"if you will make me a promise." + +"Name it, old boy," said Jarwin. + +"That you will go dressed like one of my young men, and never open your +lips to speak a word, no more than if you were dumb, whether the Cookees +speak to you or not." + +Jarwin hesitated, but reflecting that there was no chance of his seeing +the missionary at all if he did not give this promise, he consented. + +A week after that all the preparations were made, and four large canoes, +full of well-armed men, set out for Raratonga. + +At the time we write of, the island of Raratonga had been recently +discovered by the missionary Williams. The success of the labours of +that devoted man and his native teachers, is one of the most marvellous +chapters in the history of the isles of the Pacific. At Raratonga, God +seemed to have prepared the way for the introduction of the Gospel in a +wonderful manner, for although the native teachers who first went ashore +there were roughly handled, they were enabled, nevertheless, to +persevere, and in not much more than a single year, the Gospel wrought a +change in the feelings and habits of the people, which was little short +of miraculous. Within that brief period they had given up and burnt all +their idols, had ceased to practise their bloody and horrible rites, and +had embraced Christianity--giving full proof of their sincerity by +submitting to a code of laws founded on Scripture, by agreeing to +abandon polygamy, by building a large place of worship, and by leading +comparatively virtuous and peaceful lives. And all this was begun and +carried on for a considerable time, not by the European missionaries but +by two of the devoted native teachers, who had previously embraced +Christianity. + +The extent of the change thus wrought in the Raratongans in so short a +time by the Gospel, may be estimated by a glance at the difficulties +with which the missionaries had to contend. In writing of the ancient +usages of the people, Mr Williams, [See Williams' most interesting +work, entitled "A Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South-Sea +Islands"], tells us that one of their customs was an unnatural practice +called _Kukumi anga_. As soon as a son reached manhood, he would fight +and wrestle with his father for the mastery, and if he obtained it, +would take forcible possession of the farm belonging to his parent, whom +he drove in a state of destitution from his home. Another custom was +equally unnatural and inhuman. When a woman lost her husband, the +relatives of the latter, instead of paying visits of kindness to the +fatherless and widow in their affliction, would seize every article of +value belonging to the deceased, turn the disconsolate mother and her +children away, and possess themselves of the house, food, and land. But +they had another custom which caused still greater difficulties to the +missionaries. It was called "land-eating"--in other words, the getting +possession of each other's lands unjustly, and these, once obtained, +were held with the greatest possible tenacity, for land was exceedingly +valuable at Raratonga, and on no subject were the contentions of the +people more frequent or fierce. + +From this it will be seen that the Raratongans were apparently a most +unpromising soil in which to plant the "good seed," for there is +scarcely another race of people on earth so depraved and unnatural as +they seem to have been. Nevertheless, God's blessed Word overcame these +deep-rooted prejudices, and put an end to these and many other horrible +practices in little more than a year. + +After this glorious work had been accomplished, the energetic +missionary--who ultimately laid down his life in one of these islands +[_The Island of Erramanga_] for the sake of Jesus Christ--resolved to go +himself in search of other islands in which to plant the Gospel, and to +send out native teachers with the same end in view. The record of their +labours reads more like a romance than a reality, but we cannot afford +to diverge longer from the course of our narrative. It was one of these +searching parties of native teachers that had visited the Big Chief's +island as already described, and it was their glowing words and +representations that had induced him to undertake this voyage to +Raratonga. + +Big Chief of course occupied the largest of the four canoes, and our +friend Jarwin sat on a seat in front of him--painted and decorated like +a native warrior, and wielding a paddle like the rest. Of course Cuffy +had been left behind. + +Poor Jarwin had, during his captivity, undergone the process of being +tatooed from head to foot. It had taken several months to accomplish +and had cost him inexpressible torture, owing to the innumerable +punctures made by the comb-like instrument with which it was done on the +inflamed muscles of his body. By dint of earnest entreaty and much +song, he had prevailed on Big Chief to leave his face and hands +untouched. It is doubtful if he would have succeeded in this, despite +the witching power of his melodious voice, had he not at the same time +offered to paint his own face in imitation of tatooing, and accomplished +the feat to such perfection that his delighted master insisted on having +his own painted forthwith in the same style. + +During a pause in their progress, while the paddlers were resting, Big +Chief made his captive sit near him. + +"You tell me that Cookee-men" (by which he meant white men) "never lie, +never deceive." + +"I shud lie an' deceive myself, if I said so," replied Jarwin, bluntly. + +"What did you tell me, then?" asked the Chief, with a frown. + +"I told you that _Christian_ men don't lie or deceive--leastwise they +don't do it with a will." + +"Are _you_ a Christian man, Jowin?" + +"I am," replied the sailor promptly. Then with a somewhat perplexed +air, "Anyhow I _hope_ I am, an' I try to act as sitch." + +"Good, I will soon prove it. You will be near the Cookee-men of +Raratonga to-morrow. You will have chance to go with them and leave me; +but if you do, or if you speak one word of Cookee-tongue--you are _not_ +Christian. Moreover, I will batter your skull with my club, till it is +like the soft pulp of the bread-fruit." + +"You're a cute fellar, as the Yankees say," remarked Jarwin, with a +slight smile. This being said in English, the Chief took no notice of +it, but glanced at his slave suspiciously. + +"Big Chief," said Jarwin, after a short silence, "even before I was a +Christian, I had been taught by my mother to be ashamed of telling a +lie, so you've no occasion for to doubt me. But it's a hard thing to +stand by a countryman, specially in my pecooliar circumstances, an' not +let him know that you can speak to him. May I not be allowed to palaver +a bit with 'em? I wont ask 'em to take me from you." + +"No," said the Chief sternly. "You came with me promising that you +would not even speak to the Cookee-men." + +"Well, Big Chief," replied Jarwin, energetically, "you shall see that a +British seaman can stick to his promise. I'll be true to you. Honour +bright. I'll not give 'em a word of the English lingo if they was to +try to tear it out o' me wi' red hot pincers. I'll content myself wi' +lookin' at 'em and listenin' to 'em. It'll be a comfort to hear my +mother-tongue, anyhow." + +"Good," replied the Chief, "I trust you." + +The interval of rest coming to an end at this point, the conversation +ceased and the paddles were resumed. + +It was a magnificent day. The great Pacific was in that condition of +perfect repose which its name suggests. Not a breath of air ruffled the +wide sheet of water, which lay spread out like a vast circular +looking-glass to reflect the sky, and it did reflect the sky with such +perfect fidelity, that the clouds and cloudlets in the deep were exact +counterparts of those that floated in the air, while the four canoes, +resting on their own reflections, seemed to be suspended in the centre +of a crystal world, which was dazzlingly lit up by two resplendent suns. + +This condition of calm lasted the whole of that day and night, and the +heat was very great; nevertheless the warriors--of whom there were from +forty to fifty in each canoe--did not cease to paddle for an instant, +save when the short spells of rest came round, and when, twice during +the day, they stopped to eat a hasty meal. + +When the sun set they still continued to paddle onwards, the only +difference being that instead of passing over a sea of crystal, they +appeared to traverse an ocean of amber and burnished gold. All night +they continued their labours. About daybreak the Chief permitted them +to enjoy a somewhat longer period of rest, during which most of them, +without lying down, indulged in a short but refreshing nap. Resuming +the paddles, they proceeded until sunrise, when their hearts were +gladdened by the sight of the blue hills of Raratonga on the bright +horizon. + +"Now we shall soon be at the end of our voyage," said the Chief, as he +pointed to the distant hills, and glanced at Jarwin as he might at a +prize which he was much afraid of losing. "Remember the promise, you +Christian. Don't be a deceiver, you `Breetish tar!'" (He quoted Jarwin +here.) + +"Honour bright!" replied our hero. + +The savage gazed earnestly into the sailor's bright eyes, and appeared +to think that if his honour was as bright as they were, there was not +much cause to fear. At all events he looked pleased, nodded his head, +and said "Good," with considerable emphasis. + +By this time the hills of Raratonga were beginning to look less like +blue clouds and more like real mountains; gradually as the canoes drew +nearer, the markings on them became more and more defined, until at last +everything was distinctly visible--rocky eminences and luxuriant +valleys, through which flowed streams and rivulets that glittered +brightly in the light of the ascending sun, and almost constrained +Jarwin to shout with delight, for he gazed upon a scene more lovely by +far than anything that he had yet beheld in the Southern Seas. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +OUR HERO IS EXPOSED TO STIRRING INFLUENCES AND TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES. + +When the four canoes drew near to the island, immense numbers of natives +were seen to assemble on the beach, so that Big Chief deemed it +advisable to advance with caution. Presently a solitary figure, either +dressed or painted black, advanced in front of the others and waved a +white flag. This seemed to increase the Chief's anxiety, for he ordered +the men to cease paddling. + +Jarwin, whose heart had leaped with delight when he saw the dark figure +and the white flag, immediately turned round and said-- + +"You needn't be afraid, old boy; that's the missionary, I'll be bound, +in his black toggery, an' a white flag means `peace' among Cookee men." + +On hearing this, the Chief gave the order to advance, and Jarwin, +seizing a piece of native cloth that lay near him, waved it round his +head. + +"Stop that, you Breetish tar!" growled Big Chief, seizing a huge club, +which bristled with shark's teeth, and shaking it at the seaman, while +his own teeth were displayed in a threatening grin. + +"All right, old codger," replied the British tar, with a submissive +look; "honour bright, honour bright," he added several times, in a low +tone, as if to keep himself in mind of his promise. + +We have already said that our hero and his master talked in the native +tongue, which the former had acquired with wonderful facility, but such +familiar expressions as "old boy," "old codger," etcetera, were +necessarily uttered in English. Fortunately for Jarwin, who was by +nature free-and-easy, the savage chief imagined these to be terms of +respect, and was, consequently, rather pleased to hear them. Similarly, +Big Chief said "Breetish tar" and "Christian" in English, as he had +learned them from his captive. When master and slave began to grow fond +of each other--as we have seen that they soon did, their manly natures +being congenial--they used these expressions more frequently: Jarwin +meaning to express facetious goodwill, but his master desiring to +express kindly regard, except when he was roused to anger, in which case +he did not, however, use them contemptuously, but as expressive of +earnest solemnity. + +On landing, Big Chief and his warriors were received by the Reverend Mr +Williams and his native teachers--of whom there were two men and two +women--with every demonstration of kindness, and were informed that the +island of Raratonga had cast away and burned its idols, and now +worshipped the true God, who had sent His Son Jesus Christ to save the +world from sin. + +"I know that," replied Big Chief to the teacher who interpreted; +"converts, like yourself, came to my island not long ago, and told me +all about it. Now I have come to see and hear. A wise man will know +and understand before he acts." + +Big Chief was then conducted to the presence of the king of that part of +the island, who stood, surrounded by his chief men, under a grove of +Temanu trees. The king, whose name was Makea, was a handsome man, in +the prime of life, about six feet high, and very massive and muscular. +He had a noble appearance and commanding aspect, and, though not so tall +as Big Chief, was, obviously, a man of superior power in every way. His +complexion was light, and his body most beautifully tatooed and slightly +coloured with a preparation of tumeric and ginger, which gave it a light +orange tinge, and, in the estimation of the Raratongans, added much to +the beauty of his appearance. + +The two chiefs advanced frankly to each other, and amiably rubbed noses +together--the South Sea method of salutation! Then a long palaver +ensued, in which Big Chief explained the object of his visit, namely, to +hear about the new religion, and to witness its effects with his own +eyes. The missionary gladly gave him a full account of all he desired +to know, and earnestly urged him to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, +and to throw away his idols. + +Big Chief and his men listened with earnest attention and intense +gravity, and, after the palaver was over, retired to consult together in +private. + +During all this time poor Jarwin's heart had been greatly stirred. +Being tatooed, and nearly naked, as well as painted like the rest of his +comrades, of course no one took particular notice of him, which +depressed him greatly, for he felt an intense desire to seize the +missionary by the hand, and claim him as a countryman. Indeed this +feeling was so strong upon him on first hearing Mr Williams's English +tone of voice--although the missionary spoke only in the native tongue-- +that he could scarcely restrain himself, and had to mutter "honour +bright" several times, in order, as it were, to hold himself in check. +"Honour bright" became his moral rein, or curb, on that trying occasion. +But when, in the course of the palaver, Mrs Williams, who had +accompanied her husband on this dangerous expedition, came forward and +addressed a few words to the missionary in English, he involuntarily +sprang forward with an exclamation of delight at hearing once more the +old familiar tongue. He glanced, however, at Big Chief, and checked +himself. There was a stern expression on the brow of the savage, but +his eyes remained fixed on the ground, and his form and face were +immovable, as though he heard and saw nothing. + +"Honour bright," whispered Jarwin, as he turned about and retired among +his comrades. + +Fortunately his sudden action had only attracted the attention of a few +of those who were nearest to him, and no notice was taken of it. + +When Big Chief retired with his men for consultation, he called Jarwin +aside. + +"Jarwin," he said, with unusual gravity, "you must not hear our +palaver." + +"Why not, old feller?" + +"It is your business to obey, not to question," replied Big Chief, +sternly. "Go--when I want you I will find you. You may go and _look_ +at the Cookee missionary, but, remember, I have your promise." + +"Honour bright," replied Jarwin with a sigh. + +"The promise of a Breetish tar?" + +"Surely," replied Jarwin. + +"Of a _Christian_?" said Big Chief, with emphasis. + +"Aye, that's the idee; but it's a hard case, old boy, to advise a poor +feller to go into the very jaws o' temptation. I would rather 'ee had +ordered me to keep away from 'em. Howsever, here goes!" + +Muttering these words to himself, he left his savage friends to hold +their palaver, and went straight into the "jaws of temptation," by +walking towards the cottage of the missionary. It was a neat wooden +erection, built and plastered by the natives. Jarwin hung about the +door; sometimes he even ventured to peep in at the windows, in his +intense desire to see and hear the long-lost forms and tones of his +native land; and, as the natives generally were much addicted to such +indications of curiosity, his doing so attracted no unusual attention. + +While he was standing near the door, Mrs Williams unexpectedly came +out. Jarwin, feeling ashamed to appear in so _very_ light a costume +before a lady, turned smartly round and walked away. Then, reflecting +that he was quite as decently clothed as the other natives about, he +turned again and slowly retraced his steps, pretending to be interested +in picking stones and plants from the ground. + +The missionary's wife looked at him for a moment with no greater +interest than she would have bestowed on any other native, and then +gazed towards the sea-shore, as if she expected some one. Presently Mr +Williams approached. + +"Well, have you been successful?" she asked. + +"Yes, it has been all arranged satisfactorily, so I shall begin at +once," replied Mr Williams. "The only thing that gives me anxiety is +the bellows." + +Poor Jarwin drew nearer and nearer. His heart was again stirred in a +way that it had not been for many a day, and he had to pull the rein +pretty tightly; in fact, it required all his Christianity and +British-tar-hood to prevent him from revealing himself, and claiming +protection at that moment. + +As he raised himself, and gazed with intense interest at the speakers, +the missionary's attention became fixed on him, and he beckoned him to +approach. + +"I think you are one of the strangers who have just arrived, are you +not?" + +This was spoken in the language of Raratonga, which was so similar to +that which he had already acquired, that he opened his mouth to reply, +"Yes, your honour," or "Your reverence," in English. But it suddenly +occurred to him that he must translate this into the native tongue if +his secret was to be preserved. While he was turning over in his mind +the best words to use for this purpose he reflected that the +imperfection of his knowledge, even the mere tone of his voice, would +probably betray him; he therefore remained dumb, with his mouth open. + +The missionary smiled slightly, and repeated his question. + +Jarwin, in great perplexity, still remained dumb. Suddenly an idea +flashed across his mind. He pointed to his mouth, wagged his tongue, +and shook his head. + +"Ah! you are dumb, my poor man," said the missionary, with a look of +pity. + +"Or tabooed," suggested the lady; "his tongue may have been tabooed." + +There was some reason and probability in this, for the extraordinary +custom of tabooing, by which various things are supposed to be rendered +sacred, and therefore not to be used or touched, is extended by the +South Sea Islanders to various parts of their bodies, as for instance, +the hands; in which case the person so tabooed must, for a time, be fed +by others, as he dare not use his hands. + +Jarwin, being aware of the custom, was so tickled by the idea of his +tongue being tabooed, that he burst into an uncontrollable fit of +laughter, to the intense amazement of his questioners. While in the +midst of this laugh, he became horrified by the thought that _that_ of +itself would be sufficient to betray him, so he cleverly remedied the +evil, and gave vent to his feelings by tapering the laugh off into a +hideous yell, and rushed frantically from the spot. + +"Strange," observed the missionary, gazing after the fugitive mariner, +"how like that was to an English laugh!" + +"More like the cry of a South Sea maniac, I think," said Mrs Williams, +re-entering the house, followed by her husband. + +The matter which the missionary said had been arranged so +satisfactorily, and was to be begun at once, was neither more nor less +than the building of a ship, in which to traverse the great +island-studded breast of the Pacific. + +In case some one, accustomed to think of the ponderous vessels which are +built constantly in this land with such speed and facility, should be +inclined to regard the building of a ship a small matter, we shall point +out a few of the difficulties with which the missionary had to contend +in this projected work. + +In the first place, he was on what is sometimes styled a "savage +island"--an island that lay far out of the usual track of ships, that +had only been discovered a little more than a year at that time, and was +inhabited by a blood-thirsty, savage, cruel, and ignorant race of human +beings, who had renounced idolatry and embraced Christianity only a few +months before. They knew no more of ship-building than the celebrated +man in the moon, and their methods of building canoes were quite +inapplicable to vessels of large capacity. Besides this, Mr Williams +was the only white man on the island, and he had no suitable implements +for shipbuilding, except axes and augurs, and a few of the smaller of +the carpenter's tools. In the building of a vessel, timbers and planks +are indispensable, but he had no pit-saw wherewith to cut these. It is +necessary to fasten planks and timbers together, but he had no nails to +do this. Heavy iron forgings were required for some parts of the +structure, but, although he possessed iron, he had no smith's anvil, or +hammer, or tongs, or bellows, wherewith to forge it. In these +circumstances he commenced one of the greatest pieces of work ever +undertaken by man--greatest, not only because of the mechanical +difficulties overcome, but because of the influence for good that the +ship, when completed, had upon the natives of the Southern Seas, as well +as its reflex influence in exciting admiration, emulation, and +enthusiasm in other lands. + +The first difficulty was the bellows. Nothing could be done without +these and the forge. There were four goats on the island. Three of +these were sacrificed; their skins were cut up, and, along with two +boards, converted into a pair of smith's bellows in four days. + +No one can imagine the intense interest with which John Jarwin looked on +while the persevering but inexperienced missionary laboured at this +work, and tremendous was the struggle which he had to keep his hands +idle and his tongue quiet; for he was a mechanical genius, and could +have given the missionary many a useful hint, but did not dare to do so +lest his knowledge, or voice, or aptitude for such work, or all these +put together, should betray him. He was, therefore, fain to content +himself with looking on, or performing a few trifling acts in the way of +lifting, carrying, and hewing with the axe. + +His friends frequently came to look on, as the work progressed, and he +could not help fancying that they regarded him with looks of peculiar +interest. This perplexed him, but, supposing that it must result from +suspicion of his integrity, he took no notice of it, save that he became +more resolute than ever in reference to "honour bright!" Big Chief also +came to look on and wonder, but, although he kept a sharp eye on his +slave, he did not seem to desire intercourse with him. + +When the bellows were finished, it was found that they did not work +properly. The upper box did not fill well, and, when tried, they were +not satisfied with blowing wind out, but insisted on drawing fire in! +They were, in short, a failure! Deep were the ponderings of the +missionary as to how this was to be remedied, and small was the light +thrown on the subject by the various encyclopaedias and other books +which he possessed; but the question was somewhat abruptly settled for +him by the rats. These creatures devoured all the leather of the +bellows in a single night, and left nothing but the bare boards! + +Rats were an absolute plague at that time at Raratonga. Mr Williams +tells us, in his interesting "Narrative," that he and his family never +sat down to a meal without having two or more persons stationed to keep +them off the table. When kneeling at family prayer, they would run over +them in all directions, and it was found difficult to keep them out of +the beds. On one occasion, when the servant was making one of the beds, +she uttered a scream, and, on rushing into the room, Mr Williams found +that four rats had crept under the pillow and made themselves snug +there. They paid for their impudence, however, with their lives. On +another occasion, a pair of English shoes, which had not been put in the +usual place of safety, were totally devoured in a night, and the same +fate befell the covering of a hair-trunk. No wonder, then, that they +did not spare the bellows! + +Poor Jarwin sorrowed over this loss fully as much as did the missionary, +but he was forced to conceal his grief. + +Still bent on discovering some method of "raising the wind," Mr +Williams appealed to his inventive powers. He considered that if a pump +threw water, there was no reason why it should not throw wind. +Impressed with this belief, he set to work and made a box about eighteen +or twenty inches square and four feet high, with a valve in the bottom +to let air in, a hole in the front to let it out, and a sort of piston +to force it through the hole. By means of a long lever the piston could +be raised, and by heavy weights it was pushed down. Of course +considerable power was required to raise the piston and its weights, but +there was a superabundance of power, for thousands of wondering natives +were ready and eager to do whatever they were bid. They could have +pumped the bellows had they been the size of a house! They worked +admirably in some respects, but had the same fault as the first pair, +namely, a tendency to suck in the fire! This, however, was corrected by +means of a valve at the back of the pipe which communicated with the +fire. Another fault lay in the length of interval between the blasts. +This was remedied by making another box of the same kind, and working +the two alternately, so that when one was blowing the fire, the other +was, as it were, taking breath. Thus a continuous blast was obtained, +while eight or ten grinning and delighted natives worked the levers. + +The great difficulty being thus overcome, the work progressed rapidly. +A large hard stone served for an anvil, and a small stone, perforated, +with a handle affixed to it, did duty for a hammer. A pair of +carpenter's pincers served for tongs, and charcoal, made from the +cocoanut and other trees, did duty for coals. In order to obtain +planks, the missionary split trees in half with wedges and then the +natives thinned them down with adzes extemporised by fitting crooked +handles to ordinary hatchets. When a bent or twisted plank was +required, having no apparatus for steaming it, he bent a piece of bamboo +to the required shape, and sent natives to scour the woods in search of +a suitable crooked tree. Thus planks suited to his purpose were +obtained. Instead of fastening the planks to the timbers of the ship +with iron nails, large wooden pins, or "trenails," were used, and driven +into augur holes, and thus the fabric was held together. Instead of +oakum, cocoanut husk was used, and native cloth and dried banana stumps +to caulk the seams, and make them watertight. The bark of a certain +tree was spun into twine and rope by a rope-machine made for the +purpose, and a still more complex machine, namely, a turning-lathe, was +constructed for the purpose of turning the block sheaves; while sails +were made out of native mats, quilted to give them sufficient strength +to resist the wind. + +By these means was completed, in about three months, a decked vessel of +from seventy to eighty tons burden--about sixty feet long by eighteen +broad. She was finally launched and named _The Messenger of Peace_. +And, truly, a messenger of peace and glad tidings did she afterwards +prove to be on many occasions among the islands of the Southern Seas. + +But our hero, John Jarwin, was not allowed to remain to see this happy +consummation. He only looked on and assisted at the commencement of the +work. + +Many and many a time did he, during that trying period, argue with +himself as to the propriety of his conduct in thus refusing the means of +escape when it was thrown in his way, and there was not wanting, now and +then, a suggestion from somewhere--he knew not where, but certainly it +was not from outside of him--that perhaps the opportunity had been +_providentially_ thrown in his way. But Jarwin resisted these +suggestions. He looked _up_, and reflected that he was there under a +solemn promise; that, but for his promise, he should not have been there +at all, and that, therefore, it was his peculiar duty at that particular +time to whisper to himself continually--"honour bright!" + +One morning Big Chief roused Jarwin with his toe, and said-- + +"Get up. We go home now." + +"What say 'ee, old man?" + +"Get ready. We go to-day. I have seen and heard enough." + +Big Chief was very stern, so that Jarwin thought it wise to hold his +tongue and obey. + +There was a long animated palaver between the chief, the missionary, and +the king, but Jarwin had been carefully prevented from hearing it by his +master, who ordered him to keep by the canoes, which were launched and +ready. Once again he was assailed by an intense desire to escape, and +this sudden approach of the time that was perchance to fix his fate for +life rendered him almost desperate--but he still looked up, and "honour +bright" carried the day. He remained dumb to the last, and did not even +allow himself the small comfort of waving a piece of native cloth to the +missionary, as he and his captors paddled from the Raratonga shore. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +DESPAIR IS FOLLOWED BY SURPRISES AND DELIVERANCE. + +At first John Jarwin could not quite realise his true position after +leaving Raratonga. The excitement consequent on the whole affair +remained for some time on his mind, causing him to feel as if it were a +dream, and it was not until he had fairly landed again on Big Chief's +island, and returned to his own little hut there, and had met with +Cuffy--whose demonstrations of intense delight cannot by any possibility +be described--that he came fully to understand the value of the +opportunity which he had let slip through his fingers. + +Poor Jarwin! words fail to convey a correct idea of the depth of his +despair, for now he saw clearly, as he thought, that perpetual slavery +was his doom. Under the influence of the feelings that overwhelmed him +he became savage. + +"Cuff," said he, on the afternoon of the day of his return, "it's all up +with you and me, old chap." + +The tone in which this was uttered was so stern that the terrier drooped +its ears, lowered its tail, and looked up with an expression that was +equivalent to "Don't kick me, _please_ don't!" + +Jarwin smiled a grim yet a pitiful smile as he looked at the dog. + +"Yes, it's all up with us," he continued; "we shall live and die in +slavery; wot a fool I was not to cut and run when I had the chance!" + +The remembrance of "honour bright" flashed upon him here, but he was +still savage, and therefore doggedly shut his eyes to it. + +At this point a message was brought to him from Big Chief requesting his +attendance in the royal hut. Jarwin turned angrily on the messenger and +bid him begone in a voice of thunder, at the same time intimating, by a +motion of his foot, that if he did not obey smartly, he would quicken +his motions for him. The messenger vanished, and Jarwin sat down beside +Cuffy--who looked excessively humble--and vented his feelings thus-- + +"I can't stand it no longer Cuff. I _won't_ stand it! I'm goin' to +bust up, I am; so look out for squalls." + +A feeling of uncertainty as to the best method of "busting up" induced +him to clutch his hair with both hands, and snort. It must not be +supposed that our hero gave way to such rebellious feelings with +impunity. On the contrary, his conscience pricked him to such an extent +that it felt like an internal pin-cushion or hedgehog. While he was +still holding fast to his locks in meditative uncertainty, three natives +appeared at the entrance of his hut, and announced that they had been +sent by Big Chief to take him to the royal hut by force, in case he +should refuse to go peaceably. + +Uttering a shout of defiance, the exasperated man sprang up and rushed +at the natives, who, much too wise to await the onset, fled in three +different directions. Instead of pursuing any of them, Jarwin went +straight to his master's hut, where he found him seated on a couch of +native cloth. Striding up to him he clenched his fist, and holding it +up in a threatening manner, exclaimed-- + +"Now look 'ee here, Big Chief--which it would be big thief if 'ee had +yer right name--I ain't goin' to stand this sort o' thing no longer. I +kep' my word to you all the time we wos at Raratonga, but now I'll keep +it no longer. I'll do my best to cut the cable and make sail the wery +first chance I gits--so I give 'ee fair warnin'." + +Big Chief made no reply for some moments, but opened his eyes with such +an intense expression of unaffected amazement, that Jarwin's wrath +abated, in spite of his careful nursing of it to keep it warm. + +"Jowin," he exclaimed at length, "you Christian Breetish tar, have your +dibbil got into you?" + +This question effectually routed Jarwin's anger. He knew that the +savage, to whom he had spoken at various times on the subject of satanic +influence, was perfectly sincere in his inquiry, as well as in his +astonishment. Moreover, he himself felt surprised that Big Chief, who +was noted for his readiness to resent insult, should have submitted to +his angry tones and looks and threatening manner without the slightest +evidence of indignation. The two men therefore stood looking at each +other in silent surprise for a few moments. + +"Big Chief," said Jarwin at last, bringing his right fist down heavily +into his left palm, by way of emphasis, "there's no dibbil, as you call +him, got possession o' me. My own spirit is dibbil enough, I find, to +account for all that I've said and done--an' a great deal more. But it +_has_ bin hard on me to see the door open, as it were, an' not take +adwantage of it. Howsever, it's all over now, an' I ax yer parding. +I'll not mutiny again. You've been a kind feller to me, old chap-- +though you _are_ a savage--an' I ain't on-grateful; as long as I'm your +slave I'll do my duty--`honour bright;' at the same time I think it fair +an' above board to let you know that I'll make my escape from you when I +git the chance. I'm bound for to sarve you while I eat your wittles, +but I am free to go if I can manage it. There--you may roast me alive +an' eat me, if you like, but you can't say, after this, that I'm sailin' +under false colours." + +During this speech a variety of expressions affected the countenance of +Big Chief, but that of melancholy predominated. + +"Jowin," he said, slowly, "I like you." + +"You're a good-hearted old buffer," said Jarwin, grasping the Chief's +hand, and squeezing it; "to say the truth, I'm wery fond o' yourself, +but it's nat'ral that I should like my freedom better." + +Big Chief pondered this for some time, and shook his head slowly, as if +the result of his meditation was not satisfactory. + +"Jowin," he resumed, after a pause, "sing me a song." + +"Well, you _are_ a queer codger," said Jarwin, laughing in spite of +himself; "if ever there was a man as didn't feel up to singin', that's +me at this moment. Howsomedever, I 'spose it must be done. Wot'll you +'ave? `Ben Bolt,' `Black-eyed Susan,' `The Jolly Young Waterman,' `Jim +Crow,' `There is a Happy Land,' or the `Old Hundred,' eh? Only say the +word, an' I'll turn on the steam." + +Big Chief made no reply. As he appeared to be lost in meditation, +Jarwin sat down, and in a species of desperation, began to bellow with +all the strength of his lungs one of those nautical ditties with which +seamen are wont to enliven the movements of the windlass or the capstan. +He changed the tune several times, and at length slid gradually into a +more gentle and melodious vein of song, while Big Chief listened with +evident pleasure. Still there was perceptible to Jarwin a dash of +sadness in his master's countenance which he had never seen before. +Wondering at this, and changing his tunes to suit his own varying moods, +he gradually came to plaintive songs, and then to psalms and hymns. + +At last Big Chief seemed satisfied, and bade his slave good-night. + +"He's a wonderful c'racter," remarked Jarwin to Cuffy, as he lay down to +rest that night, "a most onaccountable sort o' man. There's sumthin' +workin' in 'is 'ead; tho' wot it may be is more nor I can tell. P'raps +he's agoin' to spiflicate me, in consikence o' my impidence. If so, +Cuff, whatever will became o' you, my poor little doggie!" + +Cuffy nestled very close to his master's side at this point, and whined +in a pitiful tone, as if he really understood the purport of his +remarks. In five minutes more he was giving vent to occasional mild +little whines and half barks, indicating that he was in the land of +dreams, and Jarwin's nose was creating sounds which told that its owner +had reached that blessed asylum of the weary--oblivion. + +Next day our sailor awakened to the consciousness of the fact that the +sun was shining brightly, that paroquets were chattering gaily, that +Cuffy was still sleeping soundly, and that the subjects of Big Chief +were making an unusual uproar outside. + +Starting up, and pulling on a pair of remarkably ancient canvas +trousers, which his master had graciously permitted him to retain and +wear, Jarwin looked out at the door of his hut and became aware of the +fact that the whole tribe was assembled in the spot where national +"palavers" were wont to be held. The "House" appeared to be engaged at +the time in the discussion of some exceedingly knotty question--a sort +of national education bill, or church endowment scheme--for there was +great excitement, much gesticulation, and very loud talk, accompanied +with not a little angry demonstration on the part of the disputants. + +"Hallo! wot's up?" inquired Jarwin of a stout savage who stood at his +door armed with a club, on the head of which human teeth formed a +conspicuous ornament. + +"Palaver," replied the savage. + +"It's easy to hear and see that," replied Jarwin, "but wot is it all +about?" + +The savage vouchsafed no farther reply, but continued to march up and +down in front of the hut. + +Jarwin, therefore, essayed to quit his abode, but was stopped by the +taciturn savage, who said that he must consider himself a prisoner until +the palaver had come to an end. He was therefore fain to content +himself with standing at his door and watching the gesticulations of the +members of council. + +Big Chief was there of course, and appeared to take a prominent part in +the proceedings. But there were other chiefs of the tribe whose +opinions had much weight, though they were inferior to him in position. +At last they appeared to agree, and finally, with a loud shout, the +whole band rushed off in the direction of the temple where their idols +were kept. + +Jarwin's guard had manifested intense excitement during the closing +scene, and when this last act took place he threw down his club, forsook +his post, and followed his comrades. Of course Jarwin availed himself +of the opportunity, and went to see what was being done. + +To his great surprise he found that the temple was being dismantled, +while the idols were carried down to the palaver-ground, if we may so +call it, and thrown into a heap there with marks of indignity and +contempt. + +Knowing, as he did, the superstitious reverence with which the natives +regarded their idols, Jarwin beheld this state of things with intense +amazement, and he looked on with increasing interest, hoping, ere long, +to discover some clue to the mystery, but his hopes were disappointed, +for Big Chief caught sight of him and sternly ordered him back to his +hut, where another guard was placed over him. This guard was more +strict than the previous one had been. He would not allow his prisoner +even to look on at what was taking place. + +Under the circumstances, there was therefore nothing for it but to fall +back on philosophic meditation and converse with Cuffy. These were +rather poor resources, however, to a man who was surrounded by a tribe +of excited savages. Despite his natural courage and coolness, Jarwin +felt, as he said himself, "raither oncomfortable." + +Towards the afternoon things became a little more quiet, still no notice +was taken of our hero save that his meals were sent to him from the +Chief's hut. He wondered at this greatly, for nothing of the kind had +ever happened before, and he began to entertain vague suspicions that +such treatment might possibly be the prelude to evil of some kind +befalling him. He questioned his guard several times, but that +functionary told him that Big Chief had bidden him refuse to hold +converse with him on any subject whatever. + +Being, as the reader knows, a practical, matter-of-fact sort of man, our +hero at last resigned himself to his fate, whatever that might be, and +beguiled the time by making many shrewd remarks and observations to +Cuffy. When the afternoon meal was brought to him, he heaved a deep +sigh, and apparently, with that effort flung off all his anxieties. + +"Come along, Cuff," he said in a hearty voice, sitting down to dinner, +"let's grub together an' be thankful for small mercies, anyhow. Wotever +turns up, you and I shall go halves and stick by one another to the +last. Not that I have any doubts of Big Chief, Cuffy; you mustn't +suppose that; but then, you see, he ain't the only chief in the island, +and if all the rest was to go agin him, _he_ couldn't do much to save +us." + +The dog of course replied in its usual facetious manner with eyes and +tail, and sat down with its ears cocked and its head turned expectantly +on one side, while the sailor removed the palm-leaf covering of the +basket which contained the provisions sent to him. + +"Wot have we here, Cuffy?" he said soliloquising and looking earnestly +in; "let me see; bit of baked pig--good, Cuff, good; that's the stuff to +make us fat. Wot next? Roast fish--that's not bad, Cuff--not bad, +though hardly equal to the pig. Here we have a leaf full of plantains +and another of yams,--excellent grub that, my doggie, nothing could be +better. What's this? Cocoanut full of its own milk--the best o' drink; +`it cheers'--as the old song, or the old poet says--`but it don't +inebriate;' that wos said in regard to tea, you know, but it holds good +in respect of cocoanut milk, and it's far better than grog, Cuffy; far +better, though you can't know nothin' about that, but you may take my +word for it; happy is the man as drinks nothin' stronger than cocoanut +milk or tea. Hallo! wot's this--plums? Why, doggie, they're oncommon +good to us to-day. I wonder wot's up. I say--" Jarwin paused as he +drew the last dish out of the prolific basket, and looked earnestly at +his dog while he laid it down, "I say, what if they should have taken it +into their heads to fatten us up before killin' us? That's not a wery +agreeable notion, is it, eh?" + +Apparently Cuffy was of the same opinion, for he did not wag even the +point of his tail, and there was something dubious in the glance of his +eye as he waited for more. + +"Well, well, it ain't no use surmisin'," observed the seaman, with +another sigh, "wot we've got for to do just now is to eat our wittles +an' hope for the best. Here you are, Cuff--catch!" + +Throwing a lump of baked pig to his dog, the worthy man fell to with a +keen appetite, and gave himself no further anxiety as to the probable or +possible events of the future. + +Dinner concluded, he would fain have gone out for a ramble on the +shore--as he had been wont to do in time past--but his gaoler forbade +him to quit the hut. He was therefore about to console himself with a +siesta, when an unexpected order came from Big Chief, requiring his +immediate attendance in the royal hut. Jarwin at once obeyed the +mandate, and in a few minutes stood before his master, who was seated on +a raised couch, enjoying a cup of cocoanut milk. + +"I have send for you," began Big Chief with solemnity, "to have a +palaver. Sit down, you Breetish tar." + +"All right, old chap," replied Jarwin, seating himself on a stool +opposite to his master. "Wot is it to be about?" + +"Jowin," rejoined Big Chief, with deepening gravity, "you's bin well +treated here." + +Big Chief spoke in broken English now, having picked it up with amazing +facility from his white slave. + +"Well, y-e-es, I'm free to confess that I _has_ bin well treated-- +barrin' the fact that my liberty's bin took away; besides which, some of +your black rascals ain't quite so civil as they might be, but on the +whole, I've been well treated; anyhow I never received nothin' but +kindness from _you_, old codger." + +He extended his hand frankly, and Big Chief, who had been taught the +meaning of our English method of salutation, grasped it warmly and shook +it with such vigour that he would certainly have discomposed Jarwin had +that "Breetish tar" been a less powerful man. He performed this +ceremony with the utmost sadness, however, and continued to shake his +head in such a melancholy way that his white slave began to feel quite +anxious about him. + +"Hallo! old feller, you ain't bin took bad, have 'ee?" + +Big Chief made no reply, but continued to shake his head slowly; then, +as if a sudden idea had occurred to him, he rose, and, grasping Jarwin +by his whiskers with both hands, rubbed noses with him, after which he +resumed his seat on the couch. + +"Just so," observed our hero with a smile, "you shake hands with me +English fashion--I rub noses with you South-Sea fashion. Give an' take; +all right, old codger--`may our friendship last for ever,' as the old +song puts it. But wot about this here palaver you spoke of? It warn't +merely to rub our beaks together that you sent for me, I fancy. Is it a +song you wants, or a hymn? Only say the word, and I'm your man." + +"I s'pose," said Big Chief, using, of course, Jarwin's sea phraseology, +only still farther broken, "you'd up ankar an' make sail most quick if +you could, eh?" + +"Well, although I _has_ a likin' for you, old man," replied the sailor, +"I can't but feel a sort o' preference, d'ee see, for my own wife an' +child'n. There_fore_ I _would_ cut my cable, if I had the chance." + +"Kite right, kite right," replied Big Chief, with a deep sigh, "you say +it am nat'ral. Good, good, so 'tis. Now, Jowin," continued the savage +chief, with intense earnestness, "you's free to go when you pleases." + +"Oh, gammon!" replied Jarwin, with an unbelieving grin. + +"Wot _is_ gammon?" demanded Big Chief, with a somewhat disappointed +look. + +"Well, it don't matter what it means--it's nothin' or nonsense, if you +like--but wot do _you_ mean, old man, `that's the rub,' as Hamblet, or +some such c'racter, said to his father-in-law; you ain't in airnest, are +you?" + +"Jowin," answered the Chief, with immovable gravity, "I not onderstan' +you. Wot you mean by airnest?" He did not wait for a reply, however, +but seizing Jarwin by the wrist, and looking into his eyes with an +expression of child-like earnestness that effectually solemnised his +white slave, continued, "Lissen, onderstan' me. I is a Christian. My +broder chiefs an' I have watch you many days. You have always do wot is +right, no matter wot trouble follers to you. You do this for love of +your God, your Saviour, so you tells me. Good, I do not need much +palaver. Wen de sun shines it am hot; wen not shine am cold. Wot more? +Cookee missionary have _say_ the truth. My slave have _prove_ the +truth. I love you, Jowin. I love your God. I keep you if possible, +but Christian must not have slave. Go--you is free." + +"You don't mean _that_, old man?" cried Jarwin, starting up with +flashing eyes and seizing his master's hand. + +"You is free!" repeated Big Chief. + +We need not relate all that honest John Jarwin said and did after that. +Let it suffice to record his closing remarks that night to Cuffy. + +"Cuff," said he, patting the shaggy head of his humble friend, "many a +strange thing crops up in this here koorious world, but it never did +occur to my mind before, that while a larned man like a missionary might +_state_ the truth, the likes o' me should have the chance an' the power +to _prove_ it. That's a wery koorious fact, so you an' I shall go to +sleep on it, my doggie--good-night." + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +THE LAST. + +That Jarwin's deliverance from slavery was not a dream, but a blessed +reality, was proved to him next day beyond all doubt by the singular +proceedings of Big Chief and his tribe. Such of the native idols as had +not been burned on the previous day were brought out, collected into a +heap, and publicly burned, after which the whole tribe assembled on the +palavering ground, and Big Chief made a long, earnest, and animated +speech, in which he related all that he had seen of his white slave's +conduct at the island of Raratonga, and stated how that conduct had +proved to him, more conclusively than anything else he had heard or +seen, that the religion of the white missionaries was true. + +While this was being spoken, many sage reflections were passing through +Jarwin's mind, and a feeling of solemn thankfulness filled him when he +remembered how narrowly he had escaped doing inconceivable damage by +giving way to temptation and breaking his word. He could not avoid +perceiving that, if he had not been preserved in a course of rectitude +all through his terrible trial, at a time when he thought that no one +was thinking about him, not only would Big Chief and his nation have +probably remained in heathen superstition, and continued to practise all +the horrid and bloody rites which that superstition involved, but his +own condition of slavery would, in all probability, have been continued +and rendered permanent; for Big Chief and his men were numerous and +powerful enough to have held their own against the Raratongans, while, +at the same time, it was probable that he would have lost his master's +regard, as he would certainly have lost his respect. + +He could not help reflecting, also, how much the cause of Christianity +must often suffer in consequence of the conduct of many seamen, calling +themselves Christians, who visit the South-Sea Islands, and lead +dissolute, abandoned lives while there. Some of these, he knew, brought +this discredit on the name of Jesus thoughtlessly, and would, perhaps, +be solemnised and sorry if they knew the terrible results of their +conduct; while others, he also knew, cared nothing for Christianity, or +for anything in the world except the gratification of their own selfish +desires. + +While he was yet pondering these things, Big Chief advanced towards him, +and, taking him by the hand, led him into the centre of the concourse. +To his great surprise and confusion the tall chief said-- + +"Now, Jowin will palaver to you. He is one Breetish tar--one Christian. +He can tell us what we shall do." + +Saying this, Big Chief sat down, and left Jarwin standing in the midst +scratching his head, and looking with extreme perplexity at the vast sea +of black faces and glittering eyes which were directed towards him. + +"W'y, you know, old man, it ain't fair of you, this ain't," he said, +addressing himself to Big Chief; "you've took me all aback, like a white +squall. How d'ee s'pose that _I_ can tell 'ee wot to do? I ain't a +parson--no, not even a clerk, or a parish beadle!" + +To this Big Chief vouchsafed no further reply than--"Palaver, you +Breetish tar!" + +"Wery good," exclaimed Jarwin, turning round, and looking full at his +audience, while a bright smile lit up his sunburnt countenance, as if a +sudden idea had occurred to him, "I'll do my best to palaver. Here +goes, then, for a yarn." + +Jarwin spoke, of course, in the native tongue, which we translate into +his own language. + +"Big Chief, small chiefs, and niggers in general," he began, with a wave +of his right hand, "you've called on me for a speech. Good. I'm your +man, I'm a `Breetish tar,' as your great chief says truly--that's a +fact; an' I'm a Christian--I _hope_. God knows, I've sometimes my own +doubts as to that same; but the doubts ain't with reference to the +Almighty; they're chiefly as regards myself. Howsever, to come to the +point, you've gone and burnt your idols--" + +"Ho!" exclaimed the whole assembly, with a degree of energy that made a +deep impression on the sailor--just as one might be impressed when he +has been permitted to become the happy medium of achieving some great +end which he had never dreamed of being privileged to accomplish. + +"Well, then," continued Jarwin, "_that_ is a good thing, anyhow; for +it's a disgrace to human natur', not to speak o' common-sense an' other +things, to worship stocks an' stones, w'en the Bible _distinctly_ tolls +'ee not to do it. You've done right in that matter; an' glad am I to +hear from Big Chief that you intend, after this, to foller _the truth_. +Old man, an' niggers," cried Jarwin, warming up, "to my mind, the +highest thing that a man can dewot his-self to is, the follerin' out an' +fallin' in with _the truth_. Just s'pose that chemists, an' ingineers, +an' doctors was to foller lies! W'y, wot would come of it? Confoosion +wus confounded. In coorse, therefore, they carefully _tries_ to foller +wots _true_--though I'm bound for to say they _do_ git off the track now +an' then. Well, if it's so with such like, it's much more so with +religion. Wot then? W'y, stand by your colours, through thick an' +thin. Hold on to the Bible! That's the watchword. That's your +sheet-anchor--though you haven't seed one yet. It's good holdin' ground +is the Bible--it's the _only_ holdin' ground. `How does I know that?' +says you. Well, it ain't easy for me to give you an off-hand answer to +that, any more than it is to give you an off-hand answer to a +complicated question in the rule o' three. A parson could do it, no +doubt, but the likes o' me can only show a sort o' reflected light like +the moon; nevertheless, we may show a true light--though reflected. +Chiefs an' niggers, there's asses in every generation (young asses +chiefly) as thinks they've found out somethin' noo in regard to the +Bible, an' then runs it down. An' them fellers grow old, an' sticks to +their opinions; an' they think themselves wise, an' other people thinks +'em wise 'cause they're old, as if oldness made 'em wise! W'y are they +asses? W'y, because they formed their opinions _early_ in life, in +opposition to men wot has studied these matters all through their lives. +Havin' hoisted their colours, they nails 'em to the mast; an' there +they are! They never goes at the investigation o' the subject as a man +investigates mathematics, or navigation, or logarithms; so they're like +a ship at sea without a chart. Niggers, no man can claim to be wise +unless he can `render a reason.' He _may_ be, p'raps, but he can't +_claim_ to be. _I_ believe the Bible's true because o' two facts. Fust +of all, men of the highest intellec' have found it true, an tried it, +an' practised its teachin's, an' rested their souls on it. In the +second place, as the parsons say, _I_ have tried it, an' found it true +as fur as I've gone. I've sailed accordin to the chart, an' have struck +on no rocks or shoals as yet. I've bin wery near it; but, thank God, I +wasn't allowed to take the wrong course altogether, though I've got to +confess that I wanted to, many a time. Now, wot does all this here come +to?" demanded Jarwin, gazing round on his audience, who were intensely +interested, though they did not understand much of what he said, "wot +_does_ it come to? W'y that, havin' wisely given up yer idols, an' +taken to the true God, the next best thing you can do is to go off at +once to Raratonga, an' git the best adwice you can from those wot are +trained for to give it. I can't say no fairer than that, for, as to +askin' adwice on religious matters from the likes o' me, w'y the thing's +parfitly ridiklous!" + +Jarwin sat down amid a murmur of applause. In a few minutes an old +chief rose to reply. His words were to the effect that, although there +was much in their white brother's speech beyond their understanding-- +which was not to be wondered at, considering that he was so learned, and +they so ignorant--there was one part of it which he thoroughly agreed +with, namely, that a party should be sent to Raratonga to inform the +Cookee missionaries as to what had taken place, to ask advice, and to +beg one of the Cookees to come and live permanently on their island, and +teach them the Christian religion. Another chief followed with words +and sentiments to much the same effect. Then Big Chief gave orders that +the canoes for the deputation should be got ready without delay, and the +meeting broke up with loud shouts and other pleasant demonstrations. + +Matters having been thus satisfactorily arranged, Jarwin returned to his +hut with a grateful heart, to meditate on the happy turn that had taken +place in his prospects. Finding the hut not quite congenial to his +frame of mind, and observing that the day was unusually fine, he +resolved to ramble in the cool shades of a neighbouring wood. + +"Come, Cuff, my doggie, you an' I shall go for a walk this fine day; +we've much to think about an' talk over, d'ee see, which is best done in +solitary places." + +Need we say that Cuffy responded with intense enthusiasm to this +invitation, and that his "spanker boom" became violently demonstrative +as he followed his master into the wood. + +Jarwin still wore, as we have said, his old canvas trousers, which had +been patched and re-patched to such an extent with native cloth, that +very little of the original fabric was visible. The same may be said of +his old flannel shirt, to which he clung with affectionate regard long +after it had ceased to be capable of clinging to him without patchwork +strengthening. The remnants of his straw hat, also, had been carefully +kept together, so that, with the exception of the paint on his face, +which Big Chief insisted on his wearing, and the huge South-Sea club +which he carried habitually for protection, he was still a fair specimen +of a British tar. + +Paroquets were chattering happily; rills were trickling down the +hillsides; fruit and flower trees perfumed the air, and everything +looked bright and beautiful--in pleasant accordance with the state of +Jarwin's feelings--while the two friends wandered away through the woods +in dreamy enjoyment of the past and present, and with hopeful +anticipations in regard to the future. Jarwin said something to this +effect to Cuffy, and put it to him seriously to admit the truth of what +he said, which that wise dog did at once--if there be any truth in the +old saying that "silence is consent." + +After wandering for several hours, they came out of the wood at a part +of the coast which lay several miles distant from Big Chief's village. +Here, to his surprise and alarm, he discovered two war-canoes in the act +of running on the beach. He drew back at once, and endeavoured to +conceal himself, for he knew too well that this was a party from a +distant island, the principal chief of which had threatened more than +once to make an attack on Big Chief and his tribe. But Jarwin had been +observed, and was immediately pursued and his retreat cut off by +hundreds of yelling savages. Seeing this, he ran down to the beach, +and, taking up a position on a narrow spit of sand, flourished his +ponderous club and stood at bay. Cuffy placed himself close behind his +master, and, glaring between his legs at the approaching savages, +displayed all his teeth and snarled fiercely. One, who appeared to be a +chief, ran straight at our hero, brandishing a club similar to his own. +Jarwin had become by that time well practised in the use of his weapon; +he evaded the blow dealt at him, and fetched the savage such a whack on +the small of his back as he passed him, that he fell flat on the sand +and lay there. Cuffy rushed at him and seized him by the throat, an act +which induced another savage to launch a javelin at the dog. It grazed +his back, cut it partly open, and sent him yelling into the woods. +Meanwhile, Jarwin was surrounded, and, although he felled three or four +of his assailants, was quickly overpowered by numbers, gagged, lashed +tight to a pole, so that he could not move, and laid in the bottom of +one of the war-canoes. + +Even when in this sad plight the sturdy seaman did not lose heart, for +he knew well that Cuffy being wounded and driven from his master's side, +would run straight home to his master's hut, and that Big Chief would at +once suspect, from the nature of the wound and the circumstance of the +dog being alone, that it was necessary for him and his men-of-war to +take the field; Jarwin, therefore, felt very hopeful that he should be +speedily rescued. But such hopes were quickly dispelled when, after a +noisy dispute on the beach, the savages, who owned the canoe in which he +lay, suddenly re-embarked and pushed off to sea, leaving the other canoe +and its crew on the beach. + +Hour after hour passed, but the canoe-men did did not relax their +efforts. Straight out to sea they went, and when the sun set, Big +Chief's island had already sunk beneath the horizon. + +Now, indeed, a species of wild despair filled the breast of the poor +captive. To be thus seized, and doomed in all probability to perpetual +bondage, when the cup of regained liberty had only just touched his +lips, was very hard to bear. When he first fully realised his +situation, he struggled fiercely to burst his bonds, but the men who had +tied him knew how to do their work. He struggled vainly until he was +exhausted. Then, looking up into the starry sky, his mind became +gradually composed, and he had recourse to prayer. Slumber ere long +sealed his eyes, setting him free in imagination, and he did not again +waken until daylight was beginning to appear. + +All that day he lay in the same position, without water or food, cramped +by the cords that bound him, and almost driven mad by the heat of an +unclouded sun. Still, onward went the canoe--propelled by men who +appeared to require no rest. Night came again, and Jarwin--by that time +nearly exhausted--fell into a troubled slumber. From this he was +suddenly aroused by loud wild cries and shouts, as of men engaged in +deadly conflict, and he became aware of the fact that the canoe in which +he lay was attacked, for the warriors had thrown down their paddles and +seized their clubs, and their feet trod now on his chest, now on his +face, as they staggered to and fro. In a few minutes several dead and +wounded men fell on him; then he became unconscious. + +When John Jarwin's powers of observation returned, he found himself +lying on his back in a neat little bed, with white cotton curtains, in a +small, comfortably-furnished room, that reminded him powerfully of home! +Cuffy lay on the counterpane, sound asleep, with his chin on his +master's breast. At the bedside, with her back to him, sat a female, +dressed in European clothes, and busy sewing. + +"Surely it ain't bin all a long dream!" whispered Jarwin to himself. + +Cuffy cocked his ears and head, and turned a furtive glance on his +master's face, while his "spanker boom" rose with the evident intention +to wag, if circumstances rendered it advisable; but circumstances had of +late been rather perplexing to Cuffy. At the same time the female +turned quickly round and revealed a brown, though pleasant, face. +Simultaneously, a gigantic figure arose at his side and bent over him. + +"You's bedder?" said the gigantic figure. + +"Hallo! Big Chief! Wot's up, old feller?" exclaimed Jarwin. + +"Hold you's tongue!" said Big Chief, sternly. "Go way," he added, to +the female, who, with an acquiescent smile, left the room. + +"Well, this _is_ queer; an' I feels queer. Queery--wots the meanin' of +it?" asked Jarwin. + +"You's bin bad, Jowin," answered Big Chief, gravely, "wery bad. Dead +a-most. Now, you's goin' to be bedder. Doctor say that--" + +"Doctor!" exclaimed Jarwin in surprise, "_what_ doctor?" + +"Doctor of ship. Hims come ebbery day for to see you." + +"Ship!" cried Jarwin, springing up in his bed and glaring at Big Chief +in wonder. + +"Lie down, you Christian Breetish tar," said the Chief, sternly, at the +same time laying his large hand on the sailor's chest with a degree of +force that rendered resistance useless. "Hold you's tongue an' listen. +Doctor say you not for speak. Me tell you all about it. + +"Fust place," continued Big Chief, "you's bin bad, konsikince of de +blackguard's havin' jump on you's face an' stummick. But we give 'em +awful lickin', Jowin--oh! smash um down right and left; got you out de +canoe--dead, I think, but no, not jus' so. Bring you here--Raratonga. +De Cookee missionary an' his wife not here; away in ship you sees im +make. Native teecher here. Dat teecher's wife bin nurse you an' go +away jus' now. Ship comes here for trade, bound for England. Ams got +doctor. Doctor come see you, shake ums head; looks long time; say he +put you `all right.' Four week since dat. Now, you's hall right?" + +The last words he uttered with much anxiety depicted on his countenance, +for he had been so often deceived of late by Jarwin having occasional +lucid intervals in the midst of his delirium, that his faith in him had +been shaken. + +"All right!" exclaimed Jarwin, "aye, right as a trivet. Bound for +England, did 'ee say--the ship?" + +Big Chief nodded and looked very sad. "You go home?" he asked, softly. + +Jarwin was deeply touched, he seized the big man's hand, and, not being +strong, failed to restrain a tear or two. Big Chief, being _very_ +strong--in feelings as well as in frame--burst into tears. Cuffy, being +utterly incapable of making head or tail of it, gave vent to a +prolonged, dismal howl, which changed to a bark and whine of +satisfaction when his master laughed, patted him, and advised him not to +be so free in the use of his "spanker boom!" + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Four weeks later, and Jarwin, with Cuffy by his side, stood, "himself +again," on the quarterdeck of the _Nancy_ of Hull, while the "Yo, heave +ho!" of the sailors rang an accompaniment to the clatter of the windlass +as they weighed anchor, Big Chief held his hand and wept, and rubbed +noses with him--to such an extent that the cabin boy said it was a +perfect miracle that they had a scrap of nose left on their faces--and +would not be consoled by the assurance that he, Jarwin, would certainly +make another voyage to the South Seas, if he should be spared to do so, +and occasion offered, for the express purpose of paying him a visit. At +last he tore himself away, got into his canoe, and remained gazing in +speechless sorrow after the homeward-bound vessel as she shook out her +topsails to the breeze. + +Despite his efforts, poor Jarwin was so visibly affected at parting from +his kind old master, that the steward of the ship, a sympathetic man, +was induced to offer him a glass of grog and a pipe. He accepted both, +mechanically, still gazing with earnest looks at the fast-receding +canoe. + +Presently he raised the glass to his lips, and his nose became aware of +the long-forgotten odour! The current of his thoughts was violently +changed. He looked intently at the glass and then at the pipe. + +"Drink," said the sympathetic steward, "and take a whiff. It'll do you +good." + +"Drink! whiff!" exclaimed Jarwin, while a dark frown gathered on his +brow. "There, old Father Neptune," he cried, tossing the glass and pipe +overboard, "_you_ drink and whiff, if you choose; John Jarwin has done +wi' drinkin' an' whiffin' for ever! Thanks to _you_, all the same, an' +no offence meant," he added in a gentler tone, turning to the astonished +steward, and patting him on the shoulder, "but if you had suffered all +that I have suffered through bein' a slave to the glass and the pipe-- +when I _thought_ I was no slave, mark you, an' would have larfed any one +to scorn who'd said I wos--if you'd see'd me groanin', an yearnin', an' +dreamin' of baccy an' grog, as I _have_ done w'en I couldn't get neither +of 'em for love or money--you wouldn't wonder that I ain't goin' to be +such a born fool as to go an' sell myself over again!" + +Turning quickly towards the shore, as if regretting that he should, for +a moment, have appeared to forget his old friend, he pulled out his +handkerchief and waved it over the side. Big Chief replied +energetically with a scrap of native cloth--not having got the length of +handkerchiefs at that time. + +"Look at 'im, Cuff" exclaimed Jarwin, placing his dog on the bulwarks of +the ship, "look at him, Cuff, and wag your `spanker boom' to him, too-- +ay, that's right--for he's as kind-hearted a nigger as ever owned a +Breetish tar for a slave." + +He said no more, but continued to wave his handkerchief at intervals +until the canoe seemed a mere speck on the horizon, and, after it was +gone, he and his little dog continued to gaze sadly at the island, as it +grew fainter and fainter, until it sank at last into the great bosom of +the Pacific Ocean. + +The next land seen by Jarwin and Cuffy was--the white cliffs of Old +England! + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Jarwin and Cuffy, by R.M. 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