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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/23821-0.txt b/23821-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..45ec663 --- /dev/null +++ b/23821-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2384 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Yorke The Adventurer + 1901 + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: January 28, 2008 [EBook #23821] +Last Updated: March 8, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +YORKE THE ADVENTURER + +By Louis Becke + +T. Fisher Unwin, 1901 + + + + +Chapter I + +In that delightful and exciting book, written by Captain Joshua Slocum, +and entitled, “Sailing Alone Round the World,” there is a part wherein +the adventurous American seaman relates how he protected himself from +night attacks by the savages by a simple, but efficient precaution. It +was his custom, when he anchored for the night off the snow-clad and +inhospitable shores of Tierra del Fuego, to profusely sprinkle his +cutter's deck with sharp tacks, and then calmly turn in and sleep the +sleep of the just; for even the horny soles of the Fuegian foot is +susceptible to the business end of a tack; and, as I read Slocum's +story, I smiled, and thought of dear old Yorke and the _Francesco_. + +***** + +I first met Yorke early in the “seventies.” Our vessel had run in under +the lee of the South Cape of New Britain to wood and water, and effect +some repairs, for in working northward through the Solomon Group, on a +special mission to a certain island off the coast of New Guinea, we +had met with heavy weather, and had lost our foretopmast. In those days +there was not a single white man living on the whole of the south coast +of New Britain, from St. George's Channel on the east, to Dampier's +Straits on the west--a stretch of more than three hundred miles, +and little was known of the natives beyond the fact of their being +treacherous cannibals. In Blanche Bay only, on the northern shore, was +there a settlement of a few adventurous English traders--the employees +of a rich German company--and these were only acquainted with the +natives in their own vicinity. Even the masters of trading vessels +avoided the south coast of the great island, not only on account of the +dangerous character of its inhabitants, but also because there was not, +they thought, anything to tempt them to risk their and their crews' +lives--for the shore nearly everywhere presented a line of dense +unbroken forest, with but scanty groves of coco-palms at long intervals, +and even had there been many such groves, no communication could be had +with the people. In the wild days of the “seventies” the practice of +cutting up and drying the coconut into what is known as “copra” had +scarcely made any headway in those parts of New Britain, New Ireland, +and the Solomon and New Hebrides Groups which were visited by trading +vessels--the nuts were turned into oil by a crude and wasteful process +known as “rotting.” + +The captain of our little vessel was one of the oldest and most +experienced trading skippers in the Western Pacific, grim, resolute, and +daring, but yet cautious of his men's lives, if not of his own; so when +he decided to anchor under the lee of the South Cape, he chose a part +of the coast which seemed to be but scantily inhabited. The dense forest +which came down to the water's edge concealed from view any village that +might have been near us; but the presence of smoke arising from various +spots denoted that there were some natives living in the vicinity, +though we could not see any canoes. + +We brought to about half a mile from the shore. Two boats were at once +lowered, manned, and armed, and under the captain's guidance, set out to +search for water, which we knew we should have but little difficulty in +finding, even on the south coast of New Britain, which is not nearly so +well watered as the northern shore of the island. In the captain's boat +were six men besides himself; I was in charge of the covering boat, +manned by six native seamen and carrying three water-casks--all we could +stow. + +Pulling in together, close to the shore, the captain then went ahead, +my boat following at the regulation distance of fifty yards, only four +hands rowing in each, leaving four men to keep a look-out for natives. + +Presently the skipper turned to me, and pointed shoreward. + +“That's the place for us, Drake--between those two spurs--just round +this point. There's bound to be water there.” + +The place which he indicated was about two miles distant to the +eastward, and the crews gave way with good will, for the prospect of +having a drink of pure water after the brackish and ill-smelling stuff +we had been drinking for a fortnight, was very pleasing. Although but a +little past nine o'clock in the morning the day was intensely hot, and +windless as well, and the perspiration was streaming down the naked +chests and backs of our sturdy native sailors. The only sounds that +broke the silence were the cries of birds--cockatoos and large green and +scarlet parrots, which screamed angrily at us as the boats passed close +in to the dense, steamy jungle of the littoral. + +Just as the captain's boat rounded the point, we heard a cry of +astonishment from his crew, a cry that was echoed by ourselves half a +minute later; for there in the centre of a small landlocked bay, was +a cutter lying at anchor! She appeared to be of about thirty or forty +tons, had an awning spread aft, and presented a very weather-worn +appearance; her rudder was gone, and the upper part of her stern badly +damaged. There was no one visible on deck, but presently, in answer to +the captain's hail, the face of an old, white-haired man, appeared above +the companion. + +“Come on board,” he called out in clear, vigorous tones, and we saw him +take up a broom, which was lying on the skylight, and begin to sweep the +after-deck vigorously with one hand, the other being in a sling. + +“Guess he's a lunatic,” said Captain Guest, turning to me with a laugh. +But we had no time to indulge in surmises, for in a few minutes we were +drawing up alongside; the stranger was standing at the stern, broom in +hand, watching us. + +“Step on board here, over the stern, please,” he said, and then he added +quickly, “but are you all wearing boots?” + +“No,” answered the captain, now quite sure the old man was wrong in his +head, “some of my men have no boots.” + +“Then they had better not come aboard,” he said with a quiet, amused +smile, as he saw our puzzled faces. + +The moment Captain Guest and myself stepped over the rail and shook +hands with the stranger, we saw the reason for the broom--the entire +deck, except the small space aft which had just been swept, was covered +with broken glass! + +“Glad to see you, gentlemen. My name is Yorke, and this cutter is the +_Francesco_.” + +“And my name is Guest. I am master of the brigantine _Fray Sentos_, +of Sydney, lying just round the point, and this is Mr. Drake, my +supercargo.” + +“Sit down here on the skylight, gentlemen, out of the way of the +glass--my cabin is very small.” + +“Guess it would have to be a pretty big one if you had another two men +like yourself to share it,” said Guest with a laugh, as he surveyed our +new friend's proportions. And indeed he was right, for Yorke was over +six feet in height, rather stout, and with a chest like a working +bullock. His face and neck were deeply bronzed to a dark tan, and +presented a striking and startling yet pleasing contrast to his +snowy-white hair, moustache, and eyebrows; his clear, steely blue eyes +were in consonance with the broad, square jaw, and the man's character +revealed itself in his features--strong, courageous, dominant, and +self-reliant. + +The moment Captain Guest mentioned that our men were thirsty and would +like a drink of water, Yorke became the soul of hospitality, and told +them to come on board and help themselves, while for Guest and myself he +produced a couple of bottles of excellent Tennant, and took a glass of +it himself. + +“Now, do you know, gentlemen,” he said as he sat down on the cutter's +rail, facing us, “this morning I had a dream? I thought I heard some one +call out, 'All ready there, for'ard?' and I heard the rattle of a cable +through the hawse-pipes. Then I woke and looked at the clock--it was +just half-past seven.” + +“And at half-past seven we let go anchor, a good four miles from here. +Surely you could not have heard us at such a distance.” + +“No, that's a fact. So, when I did hear you hail just now I knew my +dream was verified. As a rule, dreams aren't worth a bag of shakings.” + +“Where are your crew, captain?” I asked. + +“Ah, now I've a yarn to tell you. I'm the only man on board--my mate and +every man of my crew were massacred about six weeks ago off the north +end of New Ireland, and I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. And now +you can guess the meaning of all this glass on the deck. There's plenty +of niggers all around us here, and that broken glass is a splendid +protection for me at night time. Since I lost my men they have made two +attempts to cut me off at night time, once at a place just the other +side of Cape St. George and once near here. But,” and he laughed softly, +“they didn't stay on deck more than five seconds, I can assure you. I'll +tell you the whole yarn presently. But say, captain--can you help me +to a new rudder? I lost mine a week ago, and having a bad hand have not +been able to do anything towards making one myself.” + +“Certainly I will. I'll send my carpenter to you as soon as we get back +to the ship; or, better still, we'll tow you down to the Fray Bentos. +But we are in want of water and firewood, and I should like to take some +of both back with me.” + +He thanked Guest warmly, and added that, although the cutter had no +rudder, she would steer very well with a sweep; and then he informed us +there was good running water within a couple of cables' length of the +cutter, also plenty of wood, and offered to take us to the place. We +need not, he said, apprehend any attack by the natives, as our party was +too large, and the spot where we could fill the casks was in fairly open +country, and by stationing a sentry or two on each side of the creek, we +could both wood and water with safety. + +“There is a village about six miles along the coast from here, and no +doubt it was the people from there who boarded me the other night, for +I saw a lot of canoes on a little beach there. I think it must be the +largest village for many miles hereabout. Now, do you see all those +columns of smoke? Some, you will notice, are very thin and bluish, while +others are almost black; the thin ones are only from native ovens, the +others are signals to the various smaller villages to the eastward--by +this time every nigger within fifty miles of us knows that your ship is +at anchor. I hope you left plenty of men on board?” “Plenty, and ours is +a well-armed crew.” Just as he was stepping into the captain's boat, I +asked him what was the matter with his hand. He replied carelessly that +he had “managed to get a bit of a knock,” and would be glad if I would +look at it when we returned to the cutter, as it was rather painful at +times. + +The boats were soon under way for the shore, and in a quarter of an hour +we entered a narrow but deep creek, not wide enough to permit us using +our oars; but this was of no consequence, for each boat carried half +a dozen canoe paddles. Within a hundred yards up from the entrance we +found the water to be quite fresh, and while some of the men started to +fill the casks, the rest, except the sentries, made for a clump of +about a dozen coconut-trees growing close beside a magnificent grove of +areca-palms. Every nut that was young enough to drink was quickly thrown +down, and carried to the boats. Then we set to work to collect firewood, +and two or three dry, solid logs were dragged down into the creek, +lashed together, and then, with them and the filled water casks in tow, +we returned merrily to the _Franceses_ hoisted up our water casks, swept +up all the glass, shovelled it into a hogshead standing on the +deck, hoisted her mainsail, and hove up her anchor, glad of having +accomplished our task so easily and so quickly. A light air had sprung +up, and the vessel, aided by the boats, made good progress towards our +brigantine, despite the logs towing astern. + +Our new friend asked me if I would mind coming below with him, as it was +past three o'clock, and quite time we had something to eat and drink. + +The cabin certainly was small, but was spotlessly clean, and exceedingly +well furnished. It contained three bunks, two of which were hidden from +view by neat cretonne curtains. + +“That was my poor young mate's bunk,” he said sadly, “and the other was +the boatswain's. Now, will you please pass these up on deck?” + +From a locker he took out a dozen or more of ale, two bottles of +spirits, and a number of tins of beef, sardines, etc., together with +an ample supply of biscuit. These I passed up to Guest, who, at Yorke's +request, ordered the boats alongside, so that the crews could get some +dinner, and a stiff glass of grog all round. Then we ourselves ate a +most hearty meal, rendered the more enjoyable by the deliciously cool +beer--a liquor which, until that day, we had not tasted for quite +four or five months. As soon as we had finished, I asked him to let me +examine his hand. + +“Can you do a bit of cutting?” he asked, as I began to remove the +bandages. + +“Rather,” answered Guest for me, “Drake loves to dig out a bullet, +especially--doesn't he, Napoleon?” + +Napoleon was one of our native crew--a short, nuggety little Tongan, +who, in an attack made on our boats nearly a year before, had received a +bullet in the calf of the leg. I had succeeded in extracting it without +unduly mutilating the patient, for I had once acted as amateur assistant +to a medical missionary in Samoa, and had seen a good many bullets +extracted during a very lively six months' native war. + +When I saw the condition of Yorke's hand, I was startled. It was +enormously swollen from the tips of the fingers to the wrist, and badly +lacerated and bruised all over the back, and presented a very dangerous +appearance. The pain he had endured, and was enduring at the moment, +must have been something atrocious, and I felt a sudden respect and +admiration for a man who could attend to _our_ wants before thinking of +himself. + +“Good heavens!” said Guest sympathisingly, “how did it happen?” + +He told us that ten days previously the cutter had struck on a reef in +the night. She bumped heavily three or four times, but would have worked +across the reef without serious damage, as there was a good breeze, had +not a sea taken her on the bows, thrown her aback, and driven her stern +first against the one exposed portion of the reef, tearing away her +rudder, and smashing all the upper part of her stern. Yorke, who was +half-stunned by the boom swinging over, and striking him on the head as +he was rising to his feet after being hurled along the deck, felt that +he had received an injury to his hand, which was bleeding profusely. +But just then he gave no thought to it, for the next two or three seas +fortunately carried the cutter over the reef into deep water and safety. +When he came to examine his hand, he found it had been crushed, probably +by a piece of the heavy hardwood rail, and several splinters were +protruding from the back and wrist. These he had succeeded in +extracting, but the pain continued to increase day by day, and the palm +of the hand began to swell and gather. + +“Perhaps there's a bit of timber in there yet,” he remarked to us. + +I thought so also, and so did Guest, and after torturing the poor fellow +a few minutes, I located the exact spot--just below the ball of the +thumb. + +“Captain Yorke,” I said, “I can cut it out, I am sure. But, frankly, +the thumb is a dangerous thing for an amateur surgeon to meddle with, +and----” + +“I know,” he interrupted quietly, “but I'd rather run the risk of +lockjaw than the certainty of blood poisoning, and I know that that +is what it will turn to. Last night I made up my mind to cut into the +damned thing this morning if that last poultice I put on had no effect. +Now go ahead. There's a bottle of carbolic acid below, which will be +useful, and my pocket-knife has a razor-edge.” + +In less than five minutes I set to work, and in a few more, to my +intense satisfaction--for I felt nervous--the thing was done, and I had +extracted a piece of wood half an inch long, and as thick as a small +quill. Then Guest and I carefully washed the wound over and over again +in a solution of carbolic acid, and in half an hour the hand was bound +up _pro tem_. Poor Yorke bore the pain without the twitching of an +eyelid, and I felt a sincere thankfulness when, two hours later, we saw +the change that relief from intense physical suffering had effected in +his features. + +When we reached the brigantine, I was able to bandage the injured hand +in a more shipshape and proper manner, as we had an ample supply of +lint and other requirements; and within ten days he could use his hand +freely, though it took a much longer time for a thorough recovery. That +he was deeply grateful to us he showed us in many quiet ways; and before +he had been with us a week, both the captain and myself, and, indeed, +every one else on board the _Fray Bentos_ had grown to like the man +immensely, though at times he would become unaccountably moody and +silent, and keep to himself, only speaking in answer to a direct +question. But, even then, he never attempted to directly avoid us, and +was always civil, even to any of our native crew who might speak to him. + +“Guess he thinks a lot about those poor men of his,” said Guest to me +one day. + +That first evening we had a very pleasant supper. Yorke was with us, and +during the meal he gave us a detailed account of his voyage, and of the +massacre of his little vessel's company. + + + + +Chapter II + +He had, he told us, bought the _Francesco_ at Sourabaya about three +years before, and after making several trading voyages between Manila +and the Ladrone Islands--voyages which did not pay as well as he had +anticipated--he fell in with the master of a Hobart Town whaler, +who strongly advised him to go farther eastwards and southwards, +particularly about the Admiralty Group and their vicinity, where a +few colonial vessels were doing very well, trading for coconut oil, +beche-de-mer, sandalwood, tortoise-shell and pearl-shell. Yorke took his +advice and made a very successful voyage to the Admiralties, taking a +cargo of pearl-shell to Singapore. This he sold very profitably, and +was soon at sea again. On reaching the Admiralty Group, however, he was +prevented from trading by the hostility of the natives, though on his +previous visit they had been very friendly; and so, fearing that they +might cut off the vessel, he decided to leave. He had with him a native +of Yap, one of the Caroline Islands--a man who had wandered about the +North and South Pacific from his boyhood. His name was Rul, and he was +not only a good seaman and an expert diver, but spoke fluently nearly a +score of Melanesian and Micronesian dialects. + +On the evening of the day that the cutter left Callie Harbour, on +Admiralty Island, Yorke called his six men together, and told them that +he was very undecided what to do. (I found out afterwards that he had a +way of taking his crew into his confidence--“It pleases them,” he said, +“and has proved very useful on a number of occasions when their goodwill +meant much to me “). + +After telling them that he did not like to risk their lives by trying to +return to Callie Harbour, he asked if they were willing to sail with him +to the southwestern coast of New Guinea, where, he had heard, there was +a great deal of pearl-shell to be bought from the natives. At the same +time he pointed out to them that it would be a risky undertaking; he +had no chart of that part of the Western Pacific, and, if they lost the +ship, they would stand but little chance of escaping from the cannibal +natives. + +“Then,” he went on, “this fellow Rul said that although he and the other +natives on board were quite willing to go anywhere with me, _he_ knew +of a place only two days' sail away to the eastward where there was +not only plenty of black-edge pearl-shell, but hawkbill turtle-shell as +well. He had, he said, been cast away there in a whaleship, and remained +on the island three months, could speak a little of the language, and +gave me the names of several villages and harbours, but did not know the +name of the island as a whole. + +“I brought up my chart, and in a few seconds I discovered the names +he had mentioned. The island was New Hanover, and, with the northerly +breeze then blowing, I knew we should be there in twenty-four hours. So +I made up my mind to try the place; for Rul was a thoroughly trustworthy +fellow, and I knew I could depend on him. + +“My mate was a young American named Ted Merriman, a native of New +London, Connecticut, a fine sailorman, and a good navigator. My +boatswain, too, was one of the right sort; and, as for the rest, +although they were all natives, they were good seamen, and I had never +had a sulky look from any one of them since they first shipped with me. + +“We anchored just off a village which Rul knew, and in a few minutes +the people came off to us in crowds and filled the deck. Many of them +recognised Rul, and they all showed great friendliness and eagerness to +trade; and I, like a cocksure fool, was thrown off my guard.” + +He ceased speaking, sighed, then lit his pipe and smoked in silence +for awhile, and it was evident to us all that, although he was not an +emotional man, he was strongly affected by the memory of the tragedy, +and reproached himself keenly. + +“Everything went well for the two following days,” he resumed; “the +natives had over ten tons of good black-edge shell, all of which I +bought from them, paying for it principally in tobacco. It was worth to +me in Singapore about £65 a ton, and only cost me about £3 a ton, so +you may imagine that I felt very well satisfied. Then, besides the +pearl-shell I bought nearly five hundredweight of splendid hawkbill +turtle-shell, giving but two or three sticks of tobacco for an entire +carapace of thirteen plates weighing between two and three pounds, and, +as you know, hawkbill shell is worth eight dollars a pound in Hongkong, +and much more in London or Hamburg.” + +“Captain Yorke,” said Guest, with a laugh, “you should not have told us +this. Drake here is a very good fellow, but in business matters--as a +supercargo--he'd cut the throat of his best friend.” + +“Don't believe that, Captain Yorke,” I said, “but at the same time I +wish you had not told us of this place. You certainly have the prior +right of discovery, and ought to have the benefit, so I promise you I +will not repeat to our owners anything you now tell us.” + +Yorke's face changed, and his bright blue eyes looked into ours with +such a kindly expression that the fascination he already possessed over +me deepened quickly. + +“You and Captain Guest are welcome to my knowledge, but I trust you will +use it for your own benefit, and not consider your owners. Tell me now, +gentlemen, would they consider _you_? Would they give you a handsome +bonus for putting, say, five, or six thousand pounds into their +pockets?” + +“I daresay they would give us each a cheque for fifty pounds,” said +Guest meditatively. + +“Then keep the thing dark,” said the big man energetically, “keep it +dark. Why should you, Captain Guest, and you, Mr. Drake, enrich your +owners by imparting to them this information? I tell you, gentlemen, +that all shipowners are alike, at least I never ran across any that +showed much consideration for any one else's welfare. Nine out of every +ten will work the soul out of their ship-masters and officers, who, when +they grow too old to go to sea, are chucked out into the gutter to die +of poverty, unless they have laid by a nest-egg for their old age.” + +“That is true enough,” assented Guest, “and our esteemed employers are +no better than the general run. So we will look on what you have just +told us as private; by and by we will all talk over the matter, and see +if we cannot go into the thing together.” + +Yorke nodded. “I'm with you. I've always played a lone hand hitherto, +but I think that I can pull very well with men like you.” + +Then he resumed his story. + +“On the morning of the third day I went ashore with my gun to have a few +hours' shooting on a large swamp, situated about three miles inland +from the village. One of the natives had told Rul that there were great +numbers of wild duck and plover there, and offered to guide me to the +place; so, telling Merriman that I would be back in time for dinner, +I started with the guide. The gun I had with me was a double-barrelled +pin-fire Lefaucheux breech-loader, and just before I left the cutter, I +put in a couple of cartridges, intending to have a shot at some cranes +which I saw walking about on the beach. Most fortunately for me, they +flew away before I could get near enough. Besides the gun, I brought +with me a Sharp's rifle, as the guide said that we should most likely +see a wild pig or two about the swamp. The rifle I gave to him to carry, +but the ten cartridges for it I put in my coat pocket, together with +about twenty cartridges for the gun. + +“On landing at the village, I was met by the head man, who wanted to +know if I would buy a couple of pigs from him. I told him to take them +on board to the mate, who would pay him; then, the guide leading, we +struck out into the forest. After going about a mile or so, the nigger +was joined by half a dozen young bucks, all armed with spears and clubs. +I asked the guide, who spoke a little English, what they wanted; he +replied that they wished to see me shoot. + +“'Very well,' I said, 'go ahead then, all of you.' + +“The bucks grinned, but instead of going ahead stepped back to let me +pass, and fell in, in single file at the rear, the guide still leading. +Now, I didn't like that at all, and I turned round to tell them to go +in front of me; I was just in time to save myself from getting a spear +through my back--as it was, it whizzed through the side of my coat, and +in another second the nigger who threw it had a charge of shot through +his brains. Then, slewing round, I was just able to drop the guide, who +was running off with the rifle. I hit him in the back, and saw him fall, +then took cover behind a big tree to load again; but every other nigger +had vanished, and then I heard a sound that filled me with dread for +those on board the cutter--the loud, hoarse bellowing of conch shells. + +“I ran over to the guide, who was lying where he had fallen. I don't +think he was mortally wounded, for he was quite thirty yards off when +I fired. However, I made certain of him by cracking his skull with a +long-handled club he carried. Then I loaded the Sharp's rifle, slung +it over my shoulder by its sling; and started back for the village at a +run, holding my shot gun ready cocked. + +“When I reached the village, I could not see a soul--every house was +deserted, but from the sea front I could hear diabolical yells and +cries. I had to run another hundred yards or more before I came in sight +of the cutter, and the moment I did so, I saw that it was all over +with poor Merriman and the others--the vessel was simply swarming with +niggers, and surrounded by canoes, into which they were already throwing +the plunder! + +“I rested a minute or so to get my breath and steady my hand, and then +opened fire. The cutter was not two hundred yards away from where I +stood, and the very first shot plumped right into the black, surging +crowd on deck, and one nigger gave his last jump. I fired three more +shots into them before they had time to get into their canoes, or spring +overboard to swim ashore. Most of the canoes made off to the south, +around a point, but three or four of them came right in towards me, +heading for the village. I don't think any of them saw me, for I was +lying down among the roots and _débris_ of a fallen tree, just above +high water mark. They came in, paddling like mad, but not uttering a +sound. I waited till the first canoe was within ten yards of me, and +then fired both barrels of my gun in quick succession right into them, +nearly blowing the chest out of the old chief, who was seated amidships, +and wounding all the others. Then I got to work with my rifle again +on the other canoes; and, although the moment they saw me, the niggers +jumped overboard and dived, I got one for every shot of the last six +cartridges--whenever one got into shallow water and stood up to run, +down he went. + +“Then, taking both shot gun and rifle by the barrels, I smashed them on +a rock, tore off my clothes and boots, and started to swim off to the +vessel, looking behind me every now and then to see if the niggers were +following. But they had had enough of me, and their empty canoes were +drifting about the bay. + +“I got alongside, clambered up over the waist, and saw a sight I +shall never forget--every one of my poor shipmates had been ruthlessly +slaughtered, and their mutilated bodies, stripped of every bit of +clothing, were lying about the deck. A very brief examination showed me +that every one of them was dead--in fact their heads had been beaten to +pulp, and each body was pierced through and through with spear wounds +and hacked and chopped about with tomahawks; while the deck was just a +puddle of blood, mixed with sticks of tobacco, pieces of print, knives, +and all sorts of trade goods. + +“The first thing I did was to try and hoist the mainsail so as to get +under way, but the black devils had cut away a lot of the running gear, +and the halliards had been severed and lay on the deck, ready to be +taken on shore with the other loot littered about, though the sail +itself had not been damaged. The jib and staysail, also, I could not +hoist: they were lying in a heap on the windlass with a dead nigger on +top, and, further aft, were another two of the gentry, one dead and +one with a smashed thigh bone. I slung the wounded man overboard to the +sharks, and then began to consider what was best to do. The niggers, I +felt certain, would not tackle the cutter again, when they knew I was +safe on board, but I determined to make certain. + +“You noticed those two brass three-pounders I carry? Well, the first +thing I did was to load them with heavy charges of round bullets, and +some nuts and bolts. Then I got up a dozen or so of rifles, and plenty +of ammunition, and laid them in readiness on the skylight; for, although +the niggers had turned my cabin upside down when looting the ship, there +were any amount of small arms and various stores in the little hatch +under the cabin table; besides these, I had some more in my own berth in +a locker. + +“Just as I was taking a long drink at the scuttle butt, I saw some of +the niggers creeping back to the village through the trees, and watching +what I was doing. I soon let them know. + +“The cutter had swung round, and was broadside on to the houses, so +taking the gun on the port side over to the starboard, I secured it +well, and then trained it with the other on the biggest house in the +village--a sort of meeting-house or temple, or some such darned thing. +I can tell you, gentlemen, I felt as if I could laugh when I saw quite +a score of the black swine go into this house, one after another. I had +friction tubes in both guns, and waited for another five minutes; then I +fired them one after another. Whether many or any niggers were killed, I +do not know; but there was a fearful howling, which did me good to hear, +and the front of the house went into splinters under the heavy charges +of the guns, and in five seconds the village was deserted again. + +“Before I did anything more for my own safety, I got some sailcloth and +rugs, and covered the bodies of my shipmates--the dreadful appearance +they presented just unnerved me, and I felt like sitting down and +crying. But I had to hustle. I wanted to get under way as quickly as +possible before darkness came on, and it was now noon. + +“First of all I rove the mainsail halliards, and then bent on the jib, +stopping only now and then to fire a rifle at the village, just to +let the natives know I was keeping my eyes skinned. Then I hoisted the +mainsail and hove up my anchor without any trouble, for the wind was +very light, and got a good cant off shore as soon as I ran up the jib. + +“As soon as I was well away from the land, I stood north--about so as so +clear Cape Queen Charlotte, the westerly point of New Hanover, and ran +on for three or four hours, the vessel steering herself while I sewed up +poor Merriman's and the boatswain's bodies as well as I could under the +circumstances. I should have done the same for the natives had I had the +time, especially for Rul, but I had not. About dusk I brought to, just +off the Cape, and dropped them over the side one after another--only +just realising, ten minutes previously, that I was still stark naked! + +***** + +“After rounding the north point of New Hanover, I stood away down the +coast of New Ireland till I made Gerrit Denys Island, where I anchored +for a couple of days, the natives being very friendly, and giving me all +the fresh provisions I wanted for a little tobacco and some hoop-iron. +There was an old white beachcomber named Billy living with them; he +seemed to do pretty well as he liked, and had a deal of influence +with them, not allowing any one of them to hang about the vessel after +sunset, and each night he slept on board with me. I gave him a case of +Hollands for lending me a hand to set up my rigging, which so pleased +him that he turned to and got drunk in ten minutes. + +“After leaving Gerrit Denys I had a hard struggle to make Cape St. +George, on the south end of New Ireland. For eight or ten days I had +rainy weather, with heavy squalls from the eastward, and did not feel +very well into the bargain, for I had a touch of fever and ague.” + +I asked him how he managed at night-time as regarded sleep. + +He laughed quietly, and assured us that he never lost a night's rest +during the whole of the time he was at sea. He would simply “scandalise” + his mainsail without reefing it, haul the staysail sheet to windward, +and let the cutter head reach till daylight. The _Francesco_ he +said--and I afterwards found out that he was not over-rating her +qualities--was a marvellous little vessel for taking care of herself. + +“Well, I jogged along till one Sunday morning, when I made the land +between Cape Bougainville and Cape St. George. It had been raining in +torrents for two days, and I was feeling a bit done up; so, picking out +a quiet little bay with thick forest growing right down to the water's +edge, and not a sign of a native or native house, I ran in and let go +in fifteen fathoms, but within a stone throw of the shore. And I'll be +hanged, gentlemen, if I did not see, ten minutes afterwards, the +smoke of half a dozen signal fires rising over the trees from as many +different places, and all within three miles of the cutter. However, I +was too weak to heave up again, even had I felt inclined. I wanted to +cosset myself up, and get a good sweating between thick blankets to +drive some of the fever out of me; and, niggers or no niggers, I meant +to do so that day. Then I thought of a dodge--I mean the broken-glass +trick. + +“In the hold were half a dozen barrels of empty gin, beer, and +whisky bottles. We had put them aside to give to the Admiralty Island +people--especially the women and children--who attached some value to +them as water holders. I brought up sixty or seventy dozen, and smashed +them up in a clean hogshead. Then I turned the whole lot out in a heap +on the main hatch, got a shovel, and covered the entire deck fore and +aft, first getting all loose ropes, &c, out of the way, as I did not +want to get any glass in my own hands when I next handled the running +gear. After that I went below, lit a spirit lamp, and made myself a big +bowl of hot soup--real hot soup--a small tin of soup and bouilli, and a +half bottle of Worcester sauce with a spoonful of cayenne pepper and a +stiff glass of brandy thrown in. + +“It touched me up, I can tell you, but I knew it would do me good as I +lay down in my bunk, rolled myself in a heavy blanket, and piled over me +every other rug and blanket I could find. In half an hour I was sweating +profusely, for not only was the soup remedy working, but the little +cabin, having every opening closed, was stiflingly hot. However, I stuck +it out for a good two hours, till I felt I could stand it no longer; so +I got up, unfastened my cabin door to get some air, and began rubbing +myself down with a coarse towel. Heavens! it felt delightful; for +although my bones still ached, and I was very shaky on my legs, my head +was better, and my spirits began to rise. I put on my pyjamas, went on +deck, and had a look round. It was nearly dark, the rain had cleared +off, a young moon was just lifting over the trees, and the little bay +was as quiet as the grave--except for the cries of a colony of flying +foxes which lived in a big _vi_ tree just a cable's length away from the +cutter. + +“I knew that the New Britain and New Ireland natives don't like going +out after dark, and that if these people meant mischief to me, they +would wait till just before daylight, when they would expect to find +everyone on board asleep; so, feeling much better and stronger, I turned +in at eight o'clock, and slept till past midnight. I made some coffee, +drank it, and laid down again, dozing off every now and then till just +before dawn. Then I heard a sudden rush on deck, followed by the most +diabolical howls and yells as twenty or thirty niggers jumped overboard +with bleeding feet, many of them leaving their clubs lying on the deck. +I put my head out of the cabin, and gave them half a dozen revolver +shots, but I'm afraid I didn't hit any of the beggars. + +“I got away on the same morning, and made a fine run right across St. +George's Channel, and along the New Britain coast till I made Cape +Roebuck. Once the cutter did a steady nine knots for thirty hours. After +running on that reef, I did not drop anchor again till I brought up off +a rocky beach a few miles from here; and there the niggers made another +try to get me, but the broken glass again proved effectual.” + +“It's a mighty smart dodge, Captain Yorke,” said Guest, as we rose and +shook hands with him, for he was going to sleep on board his own vessel. + + + + +Chapter III + +We lay under the lee of the South Cape or New Britain for nearly a +fortnight, during which time we effected all the necessary repairs to +our own vessel, and fitted Yorke's cutter with a new rudder. So far he +had not told us anything further of his intentions as regarded either +the further prosecution of his trading voyage, or its abandonment. +At breakfast one morning, Guest told him that he (Yorke) could have a +couple of our native hands to help him work the cutter to Manila, or any +other port in the China Seas, if he so desired. + +He stroked his big, square jaw meditatively. + +“That is very kind of you, Captain Guest,” he said; “but to tell you the +exact truth, I don't know my own mind at this moment. I've a hazy sort +of an idea that I'd like to keep the Fray Bentos company for a bit +longer. I can outsail you in light winds--and I really don't care what I +do now. And if you can spare me a couple of hands, I could jog along in +company with you indefinitely. But, please understand me--I don't want +to thrust myself and the _Francesco_ into your company if _you_ don't +want_ me_. As a matter of fact, I don't care a straw where I go--but I +certainly would like to keep in company with you, if you don't object. +Perhaps you would not mind telling me where you are bound?” + +Guest looked at me interrogatively. + +“Well, Captain Yorke,” I said, “one confidence begets another; your +confidence in us is worth a heap of money to Guest and myself, and, to +be perfectly frank and straightforward with you, the captain and myself +intended to lay a proposition before you whereby we three might possibly +go into this New Hanover venture on our own hook. But Guest and myself +are bound to our present employers for another seven months.” + +Yorke nodded. “That will be all right. I'm ready to go in with you, +either at the end of seven months or at any other time which may suit +you. You can count on me. I'm not a rich man, nor yet am I a poor +man; in fact, there's a thousand pounds' worth of stuff under the +_Francesco's_ hatches now.” + +“Well then, Captain Yorke,” I said, “as Guest here leaves me to do all +the talking, I'll tell you _why_ we are so far up to the northward, +out of our usual beat. We heard in Samoa that a big ship, named the +_Sarawak_ had run ashore and been abandoned at Rook Island, in Dampier +Straits, between the west end of New Britain and the east coast of New +Guinea, and both Guest and myself know her to be one of the largest +ships out of Liverpool; she left Sydney for Hongkong about six months +ago with a general cargo. And 'there be pickings,' for she is almost a +new vessel, and her gear and fittings alone, independent of her cargo, +ought to be worth a thousand pounds. All we could learn at Samoa was +that she had run up on a ledge of reef on Rook Island, and that the +skipper, with three boats' crews, had started off for Thursday Island, +in Torres Straits. Now, it is quite likely that, if she has not broken +up, there may be a lot of money hanging to it.” + +“For your owners!” said Yorke, with his slow, amused smile. + +“Just so, Captain Yorke. 'For our owners,' as you say. But even our +owners, who are rather 'sharp' people, are not a bad lot--they'll give +Guest and myself a bonus of some sort if we do them good over this +wrecked ship.” + +“And if you don't 'do them good'?” he asked, with the same +half-humorous, half-sarcastic smile. + +“If we don't, the senior partner in our highly-esteemed, sailor-sweating +firm, will tell Guest and myself that we 'made a most reprehensible +mistake,' and have put the firm to a considerable loss by doing too much +on our own responsibility.” + +He nodded as I went on--“We heard of this wreck from the officers of a +French cruiser which called at Samoa while we were there. They sighted +her lying high and dry on the reef, sent a boat ashore, and found her +abandoned. She was bilged, but not badly, as far as they could see. On +the cabin table was nailed a letter, written by the captain, saying +that being unable to float the ship again, and fearing that he and his +unarmed crew would be attacked by the savages, he was starting off in +his boats for Thursday Island, the nearest port. Now, that is a big +undertaking, and the chances are that the poor fellows never reached +there. However, Guest and I thought so much of the matter that we +hustled through our business in Samoa, and sailed the next day direct +for Rook Island, instead of doing our usual cruise to the eastward. But +we met with fearful weather coming up through the Solomon Group, lost +our foretopmast, and strained badly. And here we are now, tied up by the +nose off the South Cape of New Britain instead of being at Rook Island +at work on that wreck.” + +Yorke thought a moment. “Well, gentlemen, let me come in with you--just +for the fun of the thing. I don't want to get any money out of it, I +assure you, and I'll lend you a hand with the wrecking work.” + +“Agreed,” said Guest, extending his hand, “but only on this +condition--whatever our owners give Drake and myself, we three divide +equally.” + +“As you please, as you please,” he said. “Now come aboard my little +hooker, and have a look at what is in the hold.” + +We went on board the Francesco with him, and made an examination of +her small but valuable cargo, and Guest and I agreed that he had +underestimated its worth by quite four hundred or five hundred +pounds--in fact, the whole cargo would sell in Sydney or San Francisco +for about sixteen hundred pounds. + +We sailed together that afternoon, the cutter getting under weigh first. +We had given Yorke three of our men--Napoleon the Tongan, and two other +natives--and before ten minutes had passed, Guest and everyone else on +board the _Fray Bentos_ could see that the _Francesco_ could sail rings +round our old brigantine, even in a stiff breeze, for the cutter drew +as much water as we did, and had a big spread of canvas. By nightfall we +were running before a lusty south-east breeze, the cutter keeping about +half a mile to windward of us, and taking in her gaff topsail, when it +became dark, otherwise she would have run ahead of, and lost us before +morning. At daylight, when I went on deck, she was within a cable's +length, Yorke was steering--smoking as usual--and no one else was +visible on deck. + +I hailed him: “Good morning, Captain; where are your men?” “Taking it +out in 'bunk, oh,'” he answered with a laugh. “I came on deck about two +hours ago, and told them to turn in until four bells.” + +“You'll ruin them for the _Fray Bentos_, sir,” cried our mate with +grumbling good-humour. “Why don't you start one of 'em at the galley +fire for your coffee!” + +“Because I'm coming aboard you for it,” was the reply. He hauled in the +main-sheet, lashed the tiller, went quietly forward without awakening +his native seamen, and put the staysail to windward. Then he came +amidships again to the main hatch, picked up the little dingy which was +lying there, and, despite his bad hand, slid her over the cutter's rail +into the water as if she were a toy, got in, and sculled over to the +brigantine, leaving the cutter to take care of herself! + +Charley King, the mate of the _Fray Bentos_ turned to me in +astonishment. He was himself one of the finest built and most powerful +men I had ever met, not thirty years of age, and had achieved a great +reputation as a long-distance swimmer and good all-round athlete. + +“Why, Mr. Drake, that dingy must weigh three hundred pounds, if she +weighs an ounce, for she's heavy oak built! And yet with one gammy hand +he can put her over the side as if she was made of brown paper.” + +Yorke sculled alongside, made fast to the main chains, clambered over +the bulwarks, and stepped aboard in his usual quiet way, as if nothing +out of the common had occurred, and asked the mate what he thought of +the _Francesca_ as a sailer. King looked at him admiringly for a moment. + +“She's a daisy, Captain Yorke.... but you oughtn't to have put your boat +over the side by yourself, sir, with that bad hand of yours.” + +The big man laughed so genuinely, and with such an infectious ring in +his voice, that even our Kanaka steward, who was bringing us our coffee, +laughed too. The dingy, he said, was very light, and there was no need +for him to call one of the men to help him. As we drank our coffee he +chatted very freely with us, and drew our attention to the lovely +effect caused by the rising sun upon a cluster of three or four small +thickly-wooded islets, which lay between the two vessels and the +mainland of New Britain, whereupon King, who had no romance in his +composition, remarked that for his part he could not see much difference +between one sunrise or sunset and another. “One means a lot of wind, and +another none at all; one means decent weather and another means rotten +weather, or middlin' weather.” + +“Ah, Mr. King, you look at everything from a sailor's point of view,” he +said good-naturedly. “Now, there's nothing gives me more pleasure than +to watch a sunset and sunrise anywhere in the tropics--particularly if +there's land in the foreground or background--I never miss a sunrise in +the South Seas if I can help it.” + +Presently we began to talk of the voyage, and I asked him a +question--which only at that moment occurred to me--concerning himself +before we met. + +“I wonder, Captain Yorke, when your crew were cut off, that it did not +occur to you to run down the west coast of New Ireland, between it and +New Britain, to Blanche Bay, where there is a German station, and where +you could have obtained assistance. It would have been much easier for +you instead of that long buffeting about on the east coast.” + +He made no answer at first, and I saw that his face had changed colour. +Then he answered slowly: + +“Just so. I knew all about the Germans at Blanche Bay, but I did not +want to go there--for very good reasons. Will you come aboard and have +some breakfast with me? I'll send you back again any time you like; +the sea is so smooth, as far as that goes, that I could run the cutter +alongside, and let you step off on to your own deck.” + +Just as we were pushing off from the brigantine, Guest came on deck, +glass in hand, to have a look at the cluster of islands, at the same +time calling out to Yorke and myself to wait a little. After scanning +the islands from the deck, he went aloft for a better view, then +descended and came aft again to the rail. + +“Good morning, Captain Yorke. I've just been taking a look at those +islands over there, and an idea has just come to me. But, first of +all, are they marked on your chart? They are on mine, but not even +named--just dots.” + +“Neither are they on my big sheet chart--and I have no other of this +part of the Western Pacific.” + +“Well then, here's my idea. I see from aloft that there is a good-sized +blue water lagoon there, and as likely as not there may be pearl-shell +in it. Anyway, it's worth seeing into, and so if Drake and yourself like +to take our boat and half a dozen men, you might have a look in there. +I can't see any houses, but at the same time, be careful. You can run +in with the cutter pretty close, and then go ashore in the boat. You are +bound to find a passage into the lagoon somewhere or other. I'll send +Tim Rotumah and George” (two of our native crew who were good divers) +“with you in the boat; they'll soon let you know if there is any shell +in the lagoon. If there is, light a fire, and make a smoke, and I'll +anchor the brigantine and come after you.” + +I was delighted with this, and at once returned on board, while Yorke +went off to the cutter to give his crew their instructions. In ten or +fifteen minutes the whaleboat was over the side awaiting me, manned by +six of our native crew, all of whom were armed with Snider carbines and +revolvers. Pushing off from the _Fray Bentos_, we went alongside the +_Francesco_ to pick up Yorke, who was waiting for the boat. As the wind +had now fallen very light, he suggested to me to make a start at once, +leaving the cutter in charge of Napoleon, with orders to anchor if it +fell calm, and he was on easy soundings. + +The morning was deliciously bright, clear, and, for those latitudes at +that season of the year, very cool. As the boat skimmed over the placid +surface of the ocean, “schools” of bright silvery gar-fish and countless +thousands of small flying squid sprang into the air and fell with a +simultaneous splash into the water on each side and ahead of us. Then +“George,” a merry-faced, broad-chested native of Anaa, in the Paumotu +Islands, after an inquiring glance at me, broke out into a bastard +Samoan-Tokelauan canoe song, with a swinging chorus, altering and +improvising as he sang, showing his white teeth, as every now and then +he smiled at Yorke and myself when making some humorous play upon +the words of the original song, praising the former for his skill and +bravery, and his killing of the man-eating savages of New Hanover, his +great strength and stature, and his kindly heart--“a heart which groweth +from his loins upwards to his throat.” + +Long, long years have passed since that day, but I shall always remember +how Yorke turned to me with a smile when at something George had sung, +the rest of our crew burst into approving laughter. + +“What is he saying about me?--of course I can recognise that 'Ioka' +means 'Yorke,'” he said. + +“It's extremely personal, but highly complimentary to you. Now, wait a +bit, till they come to the chorus, and I'll try and translate it. There, +he's starting:” + + “Miti Ioka, malie toa, toa malohi + Kapeni Iota, arii vaka! + Tule Ioka, fana tonu! + Mate puaka uri, kai tino. + Maumau lava, nofo noa! + Maumau lava, nofo noa t + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!! + “E aue l le tiga ina + Ma kalâga, ma kalâga + O fafine lalolagi + E kau iloay i nofa noa + Kapeni Ioka + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!!” + +“which goes,” I said, “as far as I can understand, something like +this--'Mr. Yorke, warrior brave and fighter strong, Captain Yorke, +the sailor captain, leader Yorke who fired so truly, slew the black, +man-eating pigs of savages! Oh, the pity he is single, oh, the pity he +is single! _Pull, men, pull!_ The next verse says that did the world of +women know that such a fine man as yourself was a bachelor, they would +consume themselves with grief.” + +“I wonder why they should take it for granted that I am a single man,” + he laughed, as he began to fill his pipe; then he added quietly--“I may +be a widower for all I know. I was married in Copenhagen thirty years +ago, and have never seen my wife since, and trust I never may.” Then in +a moment he changed the subject, and I took good care not to mention the +matter again. + +An hour after leaving the brigantine, we found a passage--narrow but +safe--leading into the lagoon, which was a mile or mile and a half in +width, and but for the one opening in the reef, completely land locked +by four small islands, all low and densely wooded with banyan and other +trees, and connected with each other at low tide. Here and there, at +intervals, were groves of coco-palms, and a few _vi_ trees--the wild +mango of the Western Pacific, growing close down to the beach, which on +the inner side of the lagoon was of bright yellow sand, and presented a +very pleasing appearance. + + + + +Chapter IV + +A very brief trial of the lagoon, at various depths, soon convinced us +that it contained no pearl-shell, both George and the Rotumah man coming +up empty-handed after each dive, and pronouncing the bottom to be _ogé_, +_i.e._, poverty-stricken as regarded shell. But we made one rather +pleasing discovery, which was that the lagoon contained a vast number +of green turtle. We could see the creatures, some of them being of great +size, swimming about beneath the boat in all directions. It at once +occurred to me that I should let Guest know, for we were getting short +of provisions on board the _Fray Bentos_, and had been using native +food--pork, yams, and taro, to eke out our scanty store. Here, now, was +an opportunity of getting a supply of fresh meat which would last us for +a couple of months or more; as we could easily stow eighty or a hundred +turtle on board, and kill one or two every day as required. We always +carried with us a heavy turtle-net, made of coir fibre, which I had +bought two years before in the Tokelau Group. But, first of all, I +consulted with our native crew as to whether we could dispense with the +net by remaining on the island all night and watching for the turtle to +come ashore. + +They all assured me that we should get none, or at best but few, as it +was not the laying season. + +“Very well,” I said, “go off to the ship, and tell the captain that +there is no pearl-shell here, but plenty of turtle. Ask him if he will +let you have the turtle-net, so that we can set it across the mouth of +the passage as soon as it becomes dark; and tell him we shall come +off again by midnight if he does not care about our staying till the +morning; but that as we are pretty sure to get a lot of turtle, he had +better send the longboat as well.” + +Yorke, at first, intended to go off again to the _Francesca_, but I told +him I was so sure that Guest would come to an anchor when he heard about +the turtle, that he (Guest) would be sure to tell Napoleon and the other +men on board the cutter to do the same. “In fact,” I added, “a supply +of turtle will be a God-send to us, and the skipper will not mind, I am +sure, if we stay here for a couple of days, under the circumstances.” + +We pulled ashore to a little sandy beach, and Yorke and myself, taking +our rifles, ammunition, and a few biscuits each, got out, the native +crew at once starting off again for the ship, pulling as hard as they +could, for they were eager to return with the turtle-net and enjoy +themselves as only South Sea Islanders and other of Nature's children do +when fishing. + +About an hour after the boat had gone, we set to work to get some +coconuts to drink, both for ourselves and the boat's crew when +they returned. Yorke ascended a very tall palm--about sixty feet in +height--like a native, and began throwing down the young nuts. I took +a shorter tree near by, and was leisurely twisting off the heavy nuts, +when he, who had a good view of the sea, called out to me that it had +fallen calm. + +“And what I don't like, Drake, is this,” he added--“there's a dull, +greasy look on the water over to the eastward there, and I'd like to +be on board the Francesca instead of being here. I don't like it, I can +tell you, and I'm sorry we did not go off in the boat.” + +I, in my fatuous, youthful conceit, laughed at his forebodings. + +“It's only a New Britain squall--a lot of wind for ten minutes, then a +power of rain for another twenty, and then it'll be over.” + +Yorke, however, was too old and experienced a seaman to disregard +the signs of coming danger. He quickly descended from his tree, and I +followed suit. + +“There's something more than a squall coming, my lad. Let us cut through +the bush across to the weather side of the island, and try and stop the +boat. We can do it if we are quick.” + +The island was less than a mile in width, even at its broadest portion, +which was where we had landed; so, after a hurried drink, we picked +up our rifles and started off to try to intercept the boat as she was +pulling down the outer and eastern shore. But before we had made two +hundred yards, we came to a dead stop, our progress being barred by a +dense thicket of thorny and stunted undergrowth. We turned aside and +skirted the thicket for a quarter of a mile, then tried again, with the +same result--it was absolutely impossible to force our way through the +obstacle. + +By this time the air had become stiflingly hot and oppressive, and the +rapidly darkening sky presaged the coming storm. From every pore in our +bodies the perspiration was streaming profusely, and our hands and faces +were scratched and bleeding. + +“We must go back,” said Yorke, “we cannot possibly get to the other side +of the island through this damnable scrub. The only thing we can do is +to run along the inner beach of the island till we come to its end, wade +across the reef, and try to stop the boat before she has gone too far. +This is no common squall, I'm afraid--it's going to be a hurricane. Come +on.” + +We started off at a run, along the hard sand, but before we had done the +first quarter of a mile, I felt that I could go no further, for I +was pumped out, could scarcely breathe, and felt a strange, unnatural +faintness overcoming me--a not uncommon sensation experienced by many +people just before a hurricane or an earthquake. + +“You must go on alone,” I said, pantingly, to Yorke; “leave me here. +I'll be all right, even if I have to stop here a month of Sundays. I +can't starve in such a place as this.” + +Pitching his own and my rifle up on the bank above high water mark, he +seized me and lifted me up on his back, telling me to hold on, as he +meant to make a big try for the boat. It was no use my protesting--he +set off again at a steady run, my weight apparently impeding his +progress no more than if he had been carrying a doll instead of ten +stone. + +At last we gained the end of the island, where there was a break in the +verdure, and from which we had a brief view of the sea before it was +blotted out by the black wall of the coming hurricane. + +“We're done as far as getting on board is concerned,” he said, as I +slid down his back on to the sand; “but, thank God, the boat is safe. In +another ten minutes she would have been too late to have reached either +the cutter or brigantine, and have been smothered. Look, Captain Guest +is all ready, and so is the cutter!” + +I got up on my feet, just in time to see the boat go alongside the +brigantine, which was under a close reefed lower topsail and a bit of +her mainsail only--for Guest knew what was coming, and had prepared to +meet it; the cutter, too, was reefed down, and had taken her dingy on +deck. At that moment, however, both vessels were becalmed; but scarcely +had the whale boat been hoisted up to the starboard davits of the _Fray +Bentos_ and secured, when the hurricane struck both vessels. I thought +at first that our poor old brigantine was going to turn turtle, for she +was all but thrown on her beam ends; but righting herself gallantly, she +plunged away into the growing darkness, followed by the cutter, and in +five minutes both were hidden from view, and Yorke and myself had to +throw ourselves flat on our faces to avoid being blown down the beach +into the lagoon. + +I had once, years before when a boy in Fiji, seen a bad hurricane, and +was rather proud of my experience, but I never saw, and never wish to +see again, such a truly terrifying and appalling sight as my companion +and I now witnessed--for within an hour all Nature seemed to have gone +stark, raving mad, and I never expected to see the next morning's sun. I +do not think it was the fearful force of the wind which so terrified me +into a state of helplessness as the diabolical clamour--the clashing +and tearing and rending asunder of the trees, accompanied by a prolonged +howling mingled with a deep droning hum like one sometimes hears when a +volcano is in eruption--and, in a minor key, the dulled roaring of the +surf as the mighty seas swept over the outer reef, and broke over the +weather shore with such tremendous force that the island seemed to +tremble to its very foundations. + +Unable to make himself heard in the pandemonium roaring around us, Yorke +turned to me, and gripping me by one hand, and shielding his eyes with +the other from the hurtling showers of sand and pebbles which threatened +to cut our faces to pieces, he managed to drag me along the beach to a +low ledge of coral rocks, under the shelter of which we were protected +from the fury of the wind, and, in a measure, safe from flying branches, +though all along the beach coco-palms were being torn up by the roots, +or their lofty crowns cut off as if they were no stronger than a dahlia +or some such weakly plant. + +As we crouched on the sand under the ledge of rock, a terrific but +welcome downpour of rain fell, and we were able to satisfy our thirst +by pressing our mouths to crevices in the rock overhead. But we were +not long allowed to remain undisturbed in our shelter, for, although the +tide was on the ebb, the enormous influx of water, driven over the +reef by the violence of the wind, so swelled the lagoon that we had to +abandon our refuge and crawl on our hands and knees up over the bank, +and thence into the thorny scrub, where we were at least safe from +falling trees, there being none near us. + +“I must try and get our rifles before it is too late,” shouted Yorke +in my ear. “I know the place, but if I don't get there pretty quick, +I shall never be able to recognise it. Stay where you are until I get +back, then we'll try and find a better camping place before night comes +on--if this little tin-pot island isn't blown out of the water over on +to New Guinea in the meantime.” + +By this time I was beginning to get some courage, and to feel ashamed of +myself; so, as soon as Yorke had crept out of the scrub, I braced +myself up, and taking out my sheath knife, began to cut away the thorny +branches, and pull up by the roots some of the scrub around me, so as +to make more room. The soil consisted of decomposed shell and vegetable +matter, very soft and porous, underneath which were loose coral slabs, +and I soon had a space cleared large enough for us both to lie down +upon. Then I started to enclose it on three sides by a low wall of the +flat coral stones, across which I laid a thick and nearly rain-proof +covering of branches and leaves, and when Yorke returned an hour later, +I was almost finished, and had begun to make a fire of dead roots and +branches. + +“That's grand,” he said, as he laid down the rifles. “I was wondering +if your matches were dry. Mine are spoilt, as I had them loose in my +pocket. How is your tobacco?” + +“Quite dry, too. Here you are, fill your pipe.” + +The man's thoughtfulness showed at once. “No, thank you--not just yet. +I'll improve this newly-erected mansion of ours by getting coconut +branches up from the beach. We might as well make our roof as watertight +as we can before dark. Then I want something to eat, and there are +plenty of coconuts lying about everywhere.” + +“We won't starve,” I said; “there are any amount of robber crabs in +this scrub, and to-night we can get as many as we want, if we can make a +bright fire.” + +By dark we had succeeded in carrying up thirty or forty coconut +branches, and covering our sleeping place over in a more satisfactory +manner, though we were every now and then chilled to the bone by the +stinging rain. Our rifles, matches, tobacco, and a few biscuits, we +placed in a dry spot, and then built up a small but hot fire of roots +under the shelter, and, after eating a meal of coconut and biscuit, we +filled our pipes, piled on more roots, and sat by the fire drying +our clothes, and listening to the wild uproar of wind and sea, +congratulating ourselves upon being in a spot where we were at least +safe from the wind, for our camp was at least eight or ten feet below +the general level of the island, both on its windward and leeward sides. + +All that night the wind blew with terrific violence, and the noise of +the surf thrashing upon the coral barriers of the island was something +indescribable. At about midnight, just after a lull succeeded by a +heavy fall of rain, the wind hauled round two or three points to the +southward, and, if possible, blew with still greater violence. The +crashing of trees mingling with the demoniacal shriek of the hurricane, +was enough to disturb the mind of the bravest; but my companion lay +quietly beside the fire, smoking his pipe and talking to me as he would +had we been seated at the supper table on board the _Fray Bentos_. +Yet that he was deeply anxious about our ship-mates I well knew, when, +bidding me good-night, he laid his great frame upon the sand and went to +sleep. + + + + +Chapter V + +By dawn on the following morning, the hurricane had lost its strength +and settled down into a hard gale from the north-east. When we crawled +out from our shelter, a fearful scene of desolation met our eyes; not +more than a hundred coco-palms were left standing on the weather side +of the island, and enormous boulders of coral rock, torn off the reef +by the violence of the sea, were piled up in wild confusion along the +shore, while, at the north end, the surf had made a clean breach over +the land, with devastating effect. On the inner beach of the lagoon, the +destructive results of the wind and sea had not been so great, although +vast numbers of fish were lying dead on the sand, or among the soaked +and flattened undergrowth above high water mark. We at once collected a +few, lit a fire, roasted them over the coals, and made a good breakfast, +finishing up with some young drinking coconuts, hundreds of which were +lying about us. + +We knew that, until the weather moderated, there was little likelihood +of our seeing the brigantine and cutter--if we ever saw either again. +The ocean for many hundreds of miles around us was full of dangers, for +it was unsurveyed, and risky even to a ship in good weather. Many of +the islands, shoals and reefs marked on the charts had no existence, +but still more were placed in wrong positions, and we both felt that it +would be something marvellous if the two vessels escaped disaster. All +we could do was to hope for the best, and wait patiently. + +As the rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly, although the +gale was still blowing fiercely, we decided to cross to one of the +other islands and make an examination of our surroundings. First of +all, however, we examined our stock of ammunition, and found we had +thirty-five cartridges between us; the rest of our effects consisted of +about a quarter of a pound of plug tobacco, a sheath knife and a pocket +knife, a small box of vestas, and the clothes we had on. + +With some difficulty we managed to wade through the shallow passage +dividing the island on which we had slept from the next, and found the +latter to be much better wooded, wider, and three or four feet higher; +and I had just observed to Yorke that it would suit us better to live on +than the other, when I came to a dead stop--right in front of us was a +banyan tree, from a low branch of which was suspended a huge cane-work +fishing basket! + +In a moment we hid ourselves, and remained quiet for a few minutes, +scanning the surrounding bush carefully to see if there were any further +signs of human occupancy, or the humans themselves. From the appearance +of the basket, however, I judged that it had not been used for many +weeks at least, and had been hung up to prevent its becoming rotten from +lying on the moist, steamy soil. + +After satisfying ourselves that there were no natives--in our immediate +vicinity at least--we set out again, proceeding very cautiously, and a +short distance further on struck a dearly-defined native path; this we +followed, and presently came in sight of half a dozen small thatched +huts, under the shelter of two very large trees, from the branches of +which were hanging fish baskets similar to that we had just seen. Most +of the huts, though damaged by the storm, were substantially built, and +evidently had not long been vacated, for in a sort of cleared plot in +front were a number of gaily-coloured crotons, which showed signs of +having been recently tended--the grass had been pulled up around their +roots, &c. In one of the huts we found some smaller fish traps, a number +of fish spears, and two large wooden bowls. + +“It's a fishing village, belonging to the niggers on the mainland, I +think,” I said to Yorke. “It is quite a common thing for them, both in +New Ireland and New Britain, to have plantations or fishing stations on +many of these small islands off the coast, and they come over three or +four times a year to plant or fish. Let us go on further.” + +My surmise was correct, for, quite near the huts, was a large taro +plantation, on which great labour and care had been expended. A brief +examination of some of the tubers showed us that they were full grown. +This was not a pleasant discovery, for we knew that the owners might be +expected to put in an appearance at any moment after the gale ceased, in +order to dig them up. + +“Well, let us get on, and see what else we can discover,” said Yorke, +shouldering his rifle. “The beggars can't get across from the mainland +in such weather as this, so we need not be under any immediate alarm.” + +By two in the afternoon we had thoroughly examined the whole of the four +islands, but found no more houses, though on all of them we came across +the inevitable fish-traps, and also a good-sized bamboo fishing raft, +lying far up on the beach. This we at once carried off, and were about +to hide in a thicket--little thinking it would prove such a dangerous +acquisition--when Yorke suggested a better course. It would be a +mistake, he said, to leave the raft so far from our sleeping place, +instead of taking it away, when not only should we have it near us in +case of a sudden attack by the natives, but we could utilise it for +fishing, and that by removing it to the southernmost islet, which was +farthest away from the fishing village on the largest island, we could +easily conceal it from view. + +The natives, he argued, would be bound to search for it on the islet +where they had left the thing, and would conclude that it had been +washed away in the hurricane, and therefore were hardly likely to come +down to the southern islet, the inner beach of which could be seen from +nearly every point on the lagoon. + +“So,” he went on, “you see that if the black gentry do think that their +raft might have been carried down to the inner beach of the south islet, +they will only need to use their eyes to show them it isn't there. But +it will be snug enough on the outer side of the island, where they won't +dream of looking for it, and where we can use it whenever we like--for +we'll shift our camp down there to-day.... God knows how long we may +have to live here if anything has happened to the _Fray Bentos_ and the +_Francesca_ and so we must run no needless risks.” + +“Right,” I assented, “and see, the wind is falling steadily, and there's +not much of a swell inside the lagoon now. Why not let us try and +take the raft away with us at once, instead of coming for her in the +morning?” + +We cut down a couple of young saplings for poles, carried the raft to +the water, and launched it. It was big enough to support five or six +people, but floated like a feather, and, to our delight, we found that +we could pole it along in shallow water with the greatest of ease. By +four o'clock we reached the island, and carried our craft up from the +inner beach into a clump of trees. This spot, we thought, would make a +good camp, as from it we commanded not only a good view of the lagoon, +but of the sea to the south and west, and we felt certain that if Guest +turned up all right, he would look for us at this end of the atoll--even +if he made it from the northward, and had to run the coast down. + +By supper time we had fixed ourselves up comfortably for the night. The +rain now only fell at long intervals, the wind had fallen to a strong, +steady breeze, and we made up a fire, and cooked some more fish, of +which there were still numbers to be had on the beach merely for the +trouble of picking them up. Then we ate our supper, smoked a pipeful of +our precious tobacco between us, and discussed our plans for the morrow, +Yorke listening to my suggestions as if they were put forward by a man +of his own age and experience, instead of by one who was as yet but a +young seaman, and a poor navigator. + +“I am quite sure,” he said in his slow, quiet way, as he passed me +the pipe, “that you and I will get along here all right for weeks, +months--years even, if it has pleased the Almighty to take our +shipmates, and we have to live here till we are taken off by some ship, +or can build a boat. Your knowledge of ways and means of getting food, +and living in such a place as this, is of more value than my seamanship +and knowledge of navigation. Come, let us get out to the beach and take +a look at the weather.” + +He placed his hand on my shoulder in such a kindly manner, as his bright +blue eyes looked into mine, that, with the impulsiveness of youth, +together with my intense admiration for the character of the man +himself, I could not help saying: + +“Captain Yorke! Please don't think I was boasting of what I could do in +the way of getting food for us--and all that. You see, I have been in +the South Seas ever since I was a kid--and by nature I'm half a Kanaka. +I've lived among natives so long, and----” + +He held up his hand, smiling the while: “I'm glad to have such a good +comrade as you, Drake. You have the makings of a good sailorman in +you, but you're too quick and excitable, and want an old wooden-headed, +stolid buffer like me to steady you. Now let us start.” + +We walked across the narrow strip of land to the weather side, and sat +down upon a creeper-covered boulder of coral rock. Before us the +ocean still heaved tumultuously, and the long, white-crested breakers +thundered heavily on the short, fringing reef; but overhead was a +wondrous sky of myriad stars, set in a vault of cloudless blue. + +“The gale is blowing itself out,” said my companion. “We shall see a +fine day in the morning. And, Drake, we shall see the brigantine back in +three days.” + +“I hope so,” I said, laughingly, “but I'm afraid we won't. Both the +brigantine and cutter must have had to heave to, or else run, and if +they have run, they may be two hundred miles away from here by now. And +I think that Guest _would_ run to the westward for open water, instead +of heaving-to among such an infernal lot of reefs and shoals.” + +“Whatever he may have done, he, and my cutter, too, are safe, and we +shall see them back in three days,” he reiterated, with such quiet +emphasis, and with such a strangely confident, contented look in his +eyes, that I also felt convinced the vessels would, as he said, turn up +safely. + +We sat silent for some minutes, watching the sea, and noting how quickly +the wind was falling, when presently my comrade turned to me. + +“You asked me why I did not try to make the German head station in +Blanche Bay, after my crew were killed,” he said. “Well, I'll tell you. +I am frightened of no man living, but I happened to hear the name of the +manager there--a-Captain Sternberg, an ex-captain of the German navy. +He and I served together in the same ship--and I am a deserter from the +German service.” + +I was astonished. “You!” I exclaimed; “surely you are not a German?” + +“Indeed, I am,” he replied, “and if I fell into the hands or the German +naval authorities, or any German Consul, or other official anywhere, I +should have but a short time in this world.” + +“Why, what could they do?” + +“Send me home to be tried--and shot.” + +“Surely they cannot shoot a man for desertion in the German navy.” + +“There is something beyond desertion in my case-- I killed an officer. +Sternberg knows the whole story, and though as a man and a gentleman he +would feel for me, he would have no hesitation in arresting me and +sending me home in irons, if he could get me. And he could not fail to +recognise me, although eight and twenty years have passed since he last +saw me.” + +“But he is not an Imperial officer now,” I remarked. + +“Yes, he is. He is Vice-Consul for Germany in the Western Pacific, +and, as such, would have authority to apprehend me, and apprehend me he +certainly would, though, as I have said, he knows my story, and when we +served together, was always a kind and good friend to me, despite the +fact that he was an officer and I was not; for I came from as good a +family as his own--and that goes a long way in both the German army and +navy.” + +I made some sympathetic remark, and then Yorke resumed: + +“What I am telling you now--and I'll tell you the whole story--is no +secret, for thousands of people have read of the Brandt extradition case +in the United States. Twenty years ago I was arrested in San Francisco +at the instance of the German Consul there, but managed to escape after +being in custody for six weeks. + +“My real name is Brandt. My father was a German, my mother a Danish +lady--a native of Klampenborg, a small sea-coast town not far from +Copenhagen. My father was an officer in the army, and was well-known as +an Asiatic traveller and linguist, and I was the only child. At fifteen +years ot age, much to my delight, I went into the navy, served one +commission in the Baltic, and two on the west coast of South America. +Then when I was about twenty-one years of age, I was given, through +my father's influence, a minor position on the staff of a scientific +expedition sent out by the German Geographical Society to Arabia. I came +home at the end of a year, and was given three months' leave, at the end +of which I was to join a new ship. + +“Being pretty liberally supplied with money by my father--who was a man +of means--I determined to spend my leave in London, and there I met the +woman who was to prove the ruin of my future. She was the daughter of +the woman in whose house I lodged in Chelsea, and was a very handsome, +fascinating girl about nineteen. I fell madly in love with her, and she +professed to return my feelings, and I, poor young fool, believed +in her. Her mother, who was a cunning old harridan, and greedy and +avaricious to a degree, gave us every opportunity of being together. As +I spent my money most lavishly on the girl, and they both knew my father +was well-off, and I was the only son, they had merely to spread their +net for me to fall into it. + +“Well, I married the girl, both she and her mother promising to keep the +matter secret from my parents until after I returned from my next voyage +and got a commission. I knew well that I should get into very serious +trouble with my superiors if the fact of my marriage became known, but +was so infatuated with the girl that I allowed no considerations to +influence me. + +“A month before my leave expired, I sent my wife over to Bremerhaven, +where I had some friends on whose secrecy I could rely. My ship--a small +gunboat--was being fitted out at that port, and my wife seemed delighted +that she would see me pretty frequently before I sailed. I was cautious +enough not to travel with her from London, for that would have meant +almost certain detection, and, as an additional precaution, she went to +my friends in Bremerhaven under her maiden name. I was to follow her in +a week, by the next steamer. + +“That evening, as I was being driven home to my wife's mother's house in +Chelsea, the horse bolted. I was thrown out of the cab, and half-an-hour +later, I was in a hospital with a broken arm and severe internal +injuries. It was six weeks before I was able to leave England to join +my ship; but my father had written to the navy office, telling of my +accident, and my leave had been extended. During all this time my wife +wrote to me weekly, telling me she was very miserable at my not allowing +her to return to England to nurse me, but would obey me; for I had +written to her and told her not to return, as I did not think it +advisable--the doctors and nurses at the hospital knew I was in the +German navy, and I was then becoming somewhat fearful of the news of my +marriage getting to the knowledge of the naval authorities. + +“When I reached Bremerhaven, I had still three days of my extended +leave to expire, so had no need to report myself; but at once went to my +friends' house, where I met my wife, who was overjoyed to see me again. +My friends, too, welcomed me warmly, though I somehow fancied there +seemed to be some underlying restraint upon them. They were quite a +young couple: the husband was a clerk in the customhouse, and he and I +had been friends from boyhood. + +“In the morning I went to look at my new ship, and was greatly pleased +to find that my old officer, Lieutenant Sternberg, had been appointed +to her. He saw me at once, came along the deck, and spoke very kindly to +me. Whilst he was talking to me, an officer from the port guardship came +on board. He was a very handsome man, about thirty, with a deep +scar across his forehead, and I noticed that he looked at me very +keenly--almost rudely--and I fancied I saw something like a sneer on his +face as he turned away to speak to Sternberg. + +“My young friend, the custom house clerk, whose name was Muller, +returned every day from his office at six o'clock, when we had supper, +and on this occasion I began to tell him of my new ship, and then said +casually: + +“By the way, who is that conceited-looking fellow from the guardship--a +man with an ugly scar across his forehead?” + +“No one answered, and then to my surprise I saw that Muller was looking +inquiringly at my wife, whose face suddenly became scarlet, while Mrs. +Muller bent her face over her plate. Then Muller looked at me and said +quietly: + +“'That was Captain Decker. I believe that he has the honour of the +friendship of Frau Brandt.' + +“There was something so stern in his tones that I could not understand; +but another look at my wife's face filled me with the blackest +misgivings. She had turned a deathly pale, and, faltering something +inaudible, rose from the table and went to her room. Then I asked Muller +what it meant. + +“'Ask your wife,' he said sadly; 'you are my dear friend, and she is my +guest--but her conduct has not been satisfactory.' + +“I now insisted upon him telling me more, and soon learnt the whole +miserable story. My wife had been in the habit of meeting Captain Decker +clandestinely ever since she had been in Bremerhaven, although she had +denied it when Mrs. Muller had indignantly threatened to write and tell +me if she did not at once cease the intimacy. This she had sworn to do, +but, Muller said, she had, he feared, violated her promise frequently, +though he could not absolutely prove it. + +“I went direct to my wife. Instead of a shrinking, trembling woman, +I found a defiant devil--a shameless creature who coolly admitted her +guilt, told me that she had never cared for me, and that she had only +married me to escape from the monotony of her London life with her +mother--if she was her mother, she added with a mocking laugh. + +“Thank God, I didn't hurt her! The revelation was a heavy one, but I +braced myself up, and the rage and contempt that filled me were mingled +with some sort of pity. I did not even reproach her. I had in my pockets +about thirty pounds in English gold. I put down twenty on the table. + +“'There are twenty pounds,' I said--'take it and go. I will send +you another two hundred pounds as soon as I can communicate with my +father--on one condition.' + +“'What is it?' she said sullenly. + +“'That you'll never try to see me, or harass me again. If you do, by +God! I'll kill you.' + +“I promise you that much,” she replied. In half an hour she had left the +house, and I never saw or heard of her again. + +“That evening I made special preparations. First of all I wrote to +my poor father, and told him everything, and bade Muller and his wife +goodbye, telling them I was going on board my ship. They, pitying me +deeply, bade me farewell with tears. + +“But I had no such intention. I wanted to settle scores with the man +who had wronged me. At a marine store dealer's that night I bought two +common cutlasses, and waited for my chance. I had learnt that Decker +went to the service club on certain evenings, and stayed very late. + +“My time came the following night. I saw my man come out of the club, +and followed him closely till he entered a quiet street. Then I called +him by name. He turned and faced me and asked me angrily what I wanted. + +“'I am Theodor Brandt,' I said, and handed him one of the two cutlasses +I was carrying under my overcoat. + +“The man was no coward, and fought well, but in less than a minute I ran +him clean through the body. He fell in the muddy street, and by the time +I had dragged him away into the shadow of a high wooden fence +enclosing a timber yard, was dead. Half an hour later I was on board a +fishing-smack, bound for Wangeroog, one of the Frisian Islands, off the +coast. At that place I remained in safety for a month, then got away to +Amsterdam, and from there to Java. Then for the next eight-and-twenty +years, down to this very moment, I have been a wanderer on the face +of the earth. Six years after I escaped I joined an American +man-of-war--the _Iroquois_--at Canton, and when we were paid off in the +States I took out my naturalisation papers. This served me well, when, +two years afterwards, I was recognised at San Francisco by some German +bluejackets as 'Brandt, the murderer of Captain Decker,' and arrested. +Fortunately, I had money, and while the German Consul was trying hard to +get me handed over to the German naval authorities on the Pacific +Coast, my lawyers managed to get me out on bail. I got away down to +the Hawaiian Islands in a lumber ship, and--well, since then I've been +knocking around anywhere and everywhere.... Come, let us turn in.” + + + + +Chapter VI + +At dawn the wind had died away to a light breeze, and the sun rose to +shine upon an ocean of unspecked blue. To the eastward, the slopes of +New Britain were hidden from our view by a thick mist, only the tops of +some high mountain peaks far inland showing above, and there seemed +to be every appearance of the fine weather lasting. This gave us much +satisfaction, and after a bathe in a rocky pool on the reef, we ate our +breakfast of fish and coconut with good spirits, then filling our pipes, +went down to the inner beach to bask in the glorious sunshine. + +“If this sort ot weather keeps up,” I remarked to Yorke, “I'm afraid +your prediction about our seeing Guest and the cutter in another two +days won't be verified--it'll fall calm before noon to-day, and may keep +so for a week. I've known a calm to last for a solid ten days on the +north side of New Britain.” + +“Perhaps so,” he replied; “but then the current about here sets strongly +to the eastward, and somehow I feel certain that, wind or no wind, we'll +see the ships.” + +“Well, if we do, you ought to give up sailoring, Captain Yorke, and go +into business as a prophet. I for one would always come to you for a +tip. But, joking apart, let us imagine that Guest or the cutter did not +run far to the eastward, but hove-to, and as soon as the hurricane had +blown itself out, headed back for us; in such a case, both vessels may +be within half a day's sail of us at this very moment.” + +“That is quite possible--it is also possible they may be within twenty +miles of us, becalmed. It would not surprise me if Guest actually drifts +in sight of these islands, and comes to look for us in his boat.” + +“Now that brings me to the kernel of my imagination. I think it very +likely he may have no boat to send, and----” + +He gave me a mighty thump on the back. + +“Good boy! I know what you're thinking of--the raft?” + +“Exactly, Captain. So don't you think it would be as well for us to turn +to at once, and make a couple of good paddles? though in an emergency +the butt ends of dry coconut branches do very well for paddles.” + +Then I went on to say that it was quite likely that Guest had lost both +his boats, and the cutter her dingy, before there was time to have them +properly secured; and that the brigantine had lost the whaler, which had +brought us ashore, I was sure of, for she had, as I have mentioned, been +nearly thrown over on her beam ends when struck by the first blast, and +the boat must certainly either have been hopelessly stove when she was +forced below, or torn away from the davits by the weight of water in her +when the ship righted herself. + +We set to at once with a good will--Yorke overhauling the cane +fastenings with which the great bamboos were lashed together, whilst I +went along the beach in search of some young _futu_ trees, the wood of +which is soft when green, but dries hard, and could be easily worked, +even by such a tool as a sheath knife. + +A quarter of a mile from our camp I found just what I wanted--three or +four young _futu_ saplings lying on the ground, torn up by the roots. +Taking two ot the best, I stripped off the branches, and returned to +my companion, who was still at work on the raft, relashing its timbers +wherever needed. + +In a couple of hours I had made quite a decent pair of paddles, each +about four feet in length, and with four inches of blade in the widest +part. Then Yorke, having finished with the raft, went with me along the +beach, and collected some old coconuts for food, and some young ones to +drink, for, as my comrade observed, one never knew what might happen, +and it would be as well to have some provisions all ready to hand in +case of emergency. There were still thousands of dead fish to be +seen everywhere lying on the sand, cast up among the _débris_ above +high-water mark, but these were now turning putrid, and of no use. + +We had noticed a huge banyan tree not far distant from our sleeping +place, which was the roosting and breeding place of a vast number of +whale birds, so Yorke proposed that we should go there and see if we +could kill some by hurling sticks at them. We had often seen this done +by the natives ot the western Caroline Islands, for the birds are very +stupid, and allow themselves, when not on the wing, to be approached +quite closely. We cut ourselves each a half-dozen of short, heavy +throwing-sticks of green wood, and set out for the rookery, and within +an hour had killed thirty or forty of the poor birds, some of which we +at once picked, cleaned, and roasted. We had no lack of salt, for every +rock and shrub above high-water mark on the weather side of the +island was covered with a thin incrustation of it, caused by the rapid +evaporation of the spray under a torrid sun. The remainder of the birds +we cooked later in the day, intending them as a stand-by. + +In the afternoon we again bathed, this time in the lagoon, and Yorke, +who was one of the strongest and swiftest swimmers, for an European, +that I had ever seen, succeeded in capturing a turtle which was lying +asleep on the surface of the water, and brought it ashore; but it proved +to be so old and poor that we let it go again in disgust. + +Towards the close of the day we again crossed the islet to have a better +look at the New Britain shore, the heavy mist which had hung over it +most of the day having now vanished. That the native owners of the +plantations would put in an appearance before many days had passed I was +certain, for they would be anxious to see what damage had been done by +the hurricane, and no doubt dig up some of the taro, which, as I have +said, was fully grown. + +The moment we emerged from the scrub out upon the eastern shore, we +obtained a splendid view of the opposite coast of the great island, +though the actual shore was not visible on account of the extreme +lowness of the belt of littoral, which was many miles in width; but by +climbing a tree we could just discern the long, dark line of palms, and +here and there a narrow strip of white, denoting either surf or a sandy +beach. + +“Why,” I said to Yorke, “that land cannot be more than five miles +distant to its nearest point, and if there are niggers living there we +should see their fires to-night, and----” + +The next moment I uttered a loud hurrah! and nearly fell off the tree +in my excitement, for away on the northern horizon was a sail, shining +snowy-white in the rays of the sinking sun! + +Yorke echoed my cheer. “A day sooner than I prophesied, Drake! Wish we +had a glass, so that we could make out which it is. I am rather inclined +to think it is the _Fray Bentos_ it looks too big for the cutter. +Anyway, whichever it is, she's becalmed; but even if there is not a +breath of wind during the night, she'll be closer in in the morning, as +the current is bound to set her along this way.” + +We descended from the tree jubilantly, and I suggested that we should +make a big blaze on the eastern shore, so as to let the ship know we saw +her, but the more cautious Yorke said it would be rather risky. Natives, +he said, might be quite near at that moment, a party of canoes could +have easily crossed over during the day, and we should be none the wiser +unless we happened to see the reflections of their fires, after they had +arrived, on the lagoon waters. So, after waiting another ten minutes, +when the sun set, we returned to camp. + +“Let us kill the fatted calf and divide it between us,” said my +companion, taking our plug of tobacco and cutting it in halves; “I'm +going to smoke all night, or at any rate until I fall asleep. Did +you see how the sun set? Well, that thick, yellow haze means a calm +to-morrow, to a dead certainty, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if we +see Guest pulling into the lagoon at daylight, that is, if he has a boat +left.” + +I do not think either of us slept for more than a quarter of an hour +that night. That Yorke could have done so, I do not doubt, but I would +persist in talking, getting up, walking about, and smoking, and he, +good-naturedly, kept awake on my account. The night was wondrously calm +and beautiful, so calm and quiet that there was not the slightest surf +on the outer reef, and the only sound that broke the silence would be +the croak of some night-fishing bird, as it rose, prey in bill, from the +slumbering lagoon. + +As soon as ever we could see our way through to the other side of +the island, we were afoot, unheeding the drenching we got from the +dew-soaked trees whenever we touched a branch. Within five minutes after +we had emerged out into the open the sun rose, and a cheer broke from us +when we saw both the cutter and the brigantine lying becalmed about +four miles away, between the islet and the mainland of New Britain, and +almost abreast of where we stood. + +“They have both lost all the boats, I am almost sure,” said Yorke, +“or we should see one coming ashore; unless, indeed, a boat is already +pulling down the lagoon on the other side. Let us wait an hour. That +will decide us what to do; if we see no boat between now and then, we +can be assured that Guest has none to send, and that he is waiting for +a breeze, so that he can run in close to the reef, and try to get within +hail of us. I daresay that he has a raft of some sort already made, and +is trying to get closer to the land to send it ashore for us. So we'll +give him a pleasant surprise.” + +We waited impatiently till the hour had passed, but could see no sign +of a boat putting off from, or on the way from the brigantine, and were +then certain that she had none to send, as if it had left the vessel, +even at daylight, it would have entered the lagoon and been with us by +that time. + +Whilst we were waiting we had piled together on the shore a great heap +of dried coconut branches, on top of which we threw masses of a thick, +green, saline creeper. This heap we lit as a signal, and a pillar of +dense smoke rose high in the windless atmosphere. It was answered by +Guest in a few minutes--not by a gun, as we expected, but by a similar +signal of smoke, caused by a mass of cotton waste being soaked in coal +tar and ignited. + +“He's answering us,” exclaimed Yorke. “Now, let's get the raft launched +and make a start.” + +We tore back through the scrub to our camp, I panting with excitement, +Yorke as cool as ever. Carrying the raft down to the water we quickly +put on board the bundles of young coconuts, not deeming it worth while +to bother with the old ones and the cooked birds, as we quite expected +to be alongside the _Fray Bentos_ within three hours at least, the sea +being as calm as a mill-pond, and the raft very light. + +“Go easy, my lad, go easy,” said Yorke with a smile, as he saw the state +of flurry I was in. “We've got two or three hours paddling to do, so +don't knock yourself up needlessly. Now, what about our rifles?” + +I had actually forgotten them, but at once ran back for them (the +cartridges we always kept in our pockets), and picking one up in each +hand, tore down the bank again, caught my left foot in a vine, and +pitched upon my nose on the top of the broken coral and pebbles covering +the beach with such violence that had it not been for the muzzle of the +rifle I was carrying in my right hand plunging into the loose stones, +and bringing me up sharply, I might have broken my jaw against a big +boulder, which just caught me on the chin. + +Pretending I was not hurt, though my chin was skinned, and my shoulder +was strained, I picked myself up, handed the rifles to Yorke, and said I +was ready. + +“Take a drink first,” he said in his authoritative, yet sympathetic +way, as he opened a young coconut. “Then fill your pipe and rest awhile. +We're in no hurry for ten minutes. Poor chap, you did do a flyer. Talk +about the Gadarene swine! Why you could give them points in running down +steep places!” + +I certainly had given myself a tremendous shaking, for I felt quite +dizzy, but after a few draws at my pipe, said I was fit to paddle the +raft to Cape Horn. + +We pushed off, then poled along shore till we came to the passage, which +was as smooth as glass. Here, on account of the deep water, we had to +take to our paddles, and were soon out in the open sea, heading for +the vessels. The sun was intensely hot, but we took no heed of it, and +congratulated ourselves upon having such a calm sea, instead of +having to paddle against a swell, which would have greatly impeded our +progress. + +For the first mile or so we went along in great style--then, to our +consternation, we suddenly ran right into a heavy tide rip, and away we +went at the rate of three or four knots an hour to the south-east, and +towards the New Britain shore. The belt or tide-rip seemed to be about a +mile in width, and although we paddled furiously in the endeavour to +get out of the whirling, seething stream, it was in vain--the raft spun +round and round with such rapidity that we lost control over, and had +to let her go; for not only were we unable to make any headway, but the +manner in which we were spinning round would not allow us to keep our +feet, and began to make us sea-sick. After half an hour or more of this, +we at last saw a chance of getting out of the rip into a side eddy; and, +putting forth all our strength, we just succeeded in doing so, only to +be menaced by a fresh and more alarming danger. + +Yorke, dashing the pouring perspiration from his brow with his hand, +had just stood up to get a look at the brigantine and cutter, when he +uttered an oath. + +“By God, we're in for it now! Look, here's four canoes, filled with +niggers, heading dead on for us. The beggars see us, too!” + +I stood up beside him, and saw, about a quarter of a mile away, four +canoes, each of which was carrying six or eight natives, coming towards +us at a furious rate. They were, like all New Britain canoes, very low +down in the water, which, together with our own troubles when we were in +the tide rip, had prevented our seeing them long before. + +“Lucky we have not wasted any of our cartridges” said Yorke grimly; +“we'll give them all the fight they want. But let them get closer, while +we head back for the ships. We _must_ get out of this current--we can +lick the niggers easy enough; but if we get into that tide-rip again, +we'll be carried out of sight of the brigantine by midday.” + +Plunging our paddles into the water, we sent our bamboo craft along till +we were in absolute safety as far as the tide-rip was concerned. Then +Yorke laid down his paddle. + +“We're all right now, Drake; and now we'll give these man-chawing +beggars a bit of a surprise. They mean to knock us on the head in +another ten minutes, and take our carcasses ashore for to-night's +dinner. You are the younger man, and can shoot better than I, so I'll be +polite and give you first show. Sight for five hundred yards for a trial +shot, at the leading canoe. But wait a minute--don't stand up.” + +He quickly piled up the young coconuts in a firm heap, and then stood +over me, his own rifle in hand, whilst I knelt on the bamboos and placed +my rifle on the top of the heap of coconuts. + +I am now, at this time of life, ashamed of the savage instinct that +in those days filled me with a certain joy in destroying human life, +unthinkingly, and without compunction. But I had been brought up in a +rough school, among men who thought it not only justifiable, but correct +and proper to shoot a man--black, or white, or brown, or yellow--who +had done them any wrong. It had been my lot, in the Solomon Islands, to +witness one of the most hideous and appalling massacres of a ship's +crew that was ever perpetrated by natives--a massacre that had filled +my youthful mind with the most intense and unreasoning hatred of all +“niggers,” as we called the natives of Melanesia. The memory of that +awful scene had burned itself upon my brain, for the captain and mate +of the vessel were dear friends of mine, and they and their men had +been cruelly slaughtered, not for any wrong they had done--for they were +good, straight men--but simply because their blind confidence in the +savage natives invited their destruction. + +***** + +I steadied my rifle upon the top of the heap of coconuts, and waited +a second or two till every man in the first canoe was in line. Then I +pulled the trigger, and was thrown back bleeding and unconscious, for +the rifle burst just in front of the breech block, which blew out and +struck me on the top of my head, nearly fracturing my skull. + +When I came to again Yorke's face was bending over me. + +“We're all right, Drake. The brigantine is within a mile of us, coming +up with a light air, and we'll be aboard in half an hour. How do you +feel, my son?” + +“Rockotty. Did the rifle burst?” + +“Burst? It burst like a cannon, all but killed you, and a splinter hurt +me in the eye. Drake, my boy, the next time you do the Gadarene swine +trick with a cheap German Snider in your hand, see that the barrel is +clear before you fire it. When you fell that time, your rifle barrel +must have been pretty badly choked with sand and coral pebbles... Now +lie still, and don't worry like an old maid who has lost her cat. You +can do nothing, and will only be a damned nuisance if you _do_ try to +do anything. The brigantine will be here presently, and you'll get your +head attended to, and have 'pretty-pretty' plasters stuck on your nose +and other parts of your facial beauties.” + +“Where are the niggers?” I asked. + +“Gone, gone, my dear boy. Vanished, but not vanished in time enough for +five or six of them. I have used every one of our cartridges on the four +canoes, and have had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that I have not +used them in vain. Now stop talking, and let me attend to the ship--the +bamboo ship... There, put your head on my coat; and don't talk.” + +***** + +When the _Fray Bentos_ sailed up alongside the raft I was lifted on +board, and placed in my berth, and long days passed ere I saw Yorke +again. + +When I did see him the brigantine was lying at anchor at Rook Island, +and Guest was in my cabin telling me the story of the hurricane--of how +he had lost the two boats within an hour--one being carried away +when the brigantine was all but thrown over on her beam ends, and the +other--the longboat--swept away with everything else on deck--guns, +deck-houses, bulwarks and all. + +“How we escaped smashing into some reef or another I don't know,” said +Guest; “but the strangest thing about it all is that Yorke's cutter, +manned by native seamen, managed to stick so close to the _Fray Bentos_; +for when I, running before the hurricane, with my decks swept with +tremendous seas, suddenly ran into smooth water, brought to in fifteen +fathoms, and dropped anchor, there was the _Francesca_ cheek by jowl, +alongside of me.” + +“Kanaka sailors' eyesight,” I said. “Napoleon never lost sight of the +brigantine for a moment! And, talking about eyesight, how is Yorke's +eye?” + +“Bad, bad, my boy. It is destroyed entirely, and he is now on board +here, in my cabin. He has been asking for you. Do you feel strong enough +to get up and see him?” + +I rose at once, and went into Guest's cabin. Yorke was lying in the +skipper's bunk, and as I entered he extended both hands to me, and +smiled cheerfully, though his left eye was covered with a bandage, and +his brave, square-set face was white and drawn. + +“How are you, Drake, my boy? We had a narrow squeak, didn't we, from the +niggers? And here is Captain Guest worrying and tormenting himself that +he could not fire a gun to scare them off.” + +I held his big, right hand between my own, and pressed it gently, for +there was something in his one remaining eye that told me the end of all +was near. + +“Goodbye, dear lad.... Goodbye, Captain Guest. _I_ know what is the +matter with me--erysipelas--and erysipelas to a big, fat man like me +means death... and if you would put a bullet through my head now you +would do me a good turn... But here, Guest, and you, Drake... your +hands. I'll be dead by to-morrow morning, and want to say goodbye, and +wish good luck to you both, before I begin babbling silly twaddle about +things that are of no account now... of no account now... not worth +speaking about now. But the South Seas are a rotten sort of a place, +anyway.” + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + +***** This file should be named 23821-0.txt or 23821-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/2/23821/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/23821-0.zip b/23821-0.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6dadd96 --- /dev/null +++ b/23821-0.zip diff --git a/23821-8.txt b/23821-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b44c5a --- /dev/null +++ b/23821-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2383 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Yorke The Adventurer + 1901 + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: January 28, 2008 [EBook #23821] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +YORKE THE ADVENTURER + +By Louis Becke + +T. Fisher Unwin, 1901 + + + + +Chapter I + +In that delightful and exciting book, written by Captain Joshua Slocum, +and entitled, "Sailing Alone Round the World," there is a part wherein +the adventurous American seaman relates how he protected himself from +night attacks by the savages by a simple, but efficient precaution. It +was his custom, when he anchored for the night off the snow-clad and +inhospitable shores of Tierra del Fuego, to profusely sprinkle his +cutter's deck with sharp tacks, and then calmly turn in and sleep the +sleep of the just; for even the horny soles of the Fuegian foot is +susceptible to the business end of a tack; and, as I read Slocum's +story, I smiled, and thought of dear old Yorke and the _Francesco_. + +***** + +I first met Yorke early in the "seventies." Our vessel had run in under +the lee of the South Cape of New Britain to wood and water, and effect +some repairs, for in working northward through the Solomon Group, on a +special mission to a certain island off the coast of New Guinea, we +had met with heavy weather, and had lost our foretopmast. In those days +there was not a single white man living on the whole of the south coast +of New Britain, from St. George's Channel on the east, to Dampier's +Straits on the west--a stretch of more than three hundred miles, +and little was known of the natives beyond the fact of their being +treacherous cannibals. In Blanche Bay only, on the northern shore, was +there a settlement of a few adventurous English traders--the employees +of a rich German company--and these were only acquainted with the +natives in their own vicinity. Even the masters of trading vessels +avoided the south coast of the great island, not only on account of the +dangerous character of its inhabitants, but also because there was not, +they thought, anything to tempt them to risk their and their crews' +lives--for the shore nearly everywhere presented a line of dense +unbroken forest, with but scanty groves of coco-palms at long intervals, +and even had there been many such groves, no communication could be had +with the people. In the wild days of the "seventies" the practice of +cutting up and drying the coconut into what is known as "copra" had +scarcely made any headway in those parts of New Britain, New Ireland, +and the Solomon and New Hebrides Groups which were visited by trading +vessels--the nuts were turned into oil by a crude and wasteful process +known as "rotting." + +The captain of our little vessel was one of the oldest and most +experienced trading skippers in the Western Pacific, grim, resolute, and +daring, but yet cautious of his men's lives, if not of his own; so when +he decided to anchor under the lee of the South Cape, he chose a part +of the coast which seemed to be but scantily inhabited. The dense forest +which came down to the water's edge concealed from view any village that +might have been near us; but the presence of smoke arising from various +spots denoted that there were some natives living in the vicinity, +though we could not see any canoes. + +We brought to about half a mile from the shore. Two boats were at once +lowered, manned, and armed, and under the captain's guidance, set out to +search for water, which we knew we should have but little difficulty in +finding, even on the south coast of New Britain, which is not nearly so +well watered as the northern shore of the island. In the captain's boat +were six men besides himself; I was in charge of the covering boat, +manned by six native seamen and carrying three water-casks--all we could +stow. + +Pulling in together, close to the shore, the captain then went ahead, +my boat following at the regulation distance of fifty yards, only four +hands rowing in each, leaving four men to keep a look-out for natives. + +Presently the skipper turned to me, and pointed shoreward. + +"That's the place for us, Drake--between those two spurs--just round +this point. There's bound to be water there." + +The place which he indicated was about two miles distant to the +eastward, and the crews gave way with good will, for the prospect of +having a drink of pure water after the brackish and ill-smelling stuff +we had been drinking for a fortnight, was very pleasing. Although but a +little past nine o'clock in the morning the day was intensely hot, and +windless as well, and the perspiration was streaming down the naked +chests and backs of our sturdy native sailors. The only sounds that +broke the silence were the cries of birds--cockatoos and large green and +scarlet parrots, which screamed angrily at us as the boats passed close +in to the dense, steamy jungle of the littoral. + +Just as the captain's boat rounded the point, we heard a cry of +astonishment from his crew, a cry that was echoed by ourselves half a +minute later; for there in the centre of a small landlocked bay, was +a cutter lying at anchor! She appeared to be of about thirty or forty +tons, had an awning spread aft, and presented a very weather-worn +appearance; her rudder was gone, and the upper part of her stern badly +damaged. There was no one visible on deck, but presently, in answer to +the captain's hail, the face of an old, white-haired man, appeared above +the companion. + +"Come on board," he called out in clear, vigorous tones, and we saw him +take up a broom, which was lying on the skylight, and begin to sweep the +after-deck vigorously with one hand, the other being in a sling. + +"Guess he's a lunatic," said Captain Guest, turning to me with a laugh. +But we had no time to indulge in surmises, for in a few minutes we were +drawing up alongside; the stranger was standing at the stern, broom in +hand, watching us. + +"Step on board here, over the stern, please," he said, and then he added +quickly, "but are you all wearing boots?" + +"No," answered the captain, now quite sure the old man was wrong in his +head, "some of my men have no boots." + +"Then they had better not come aboard," he said with a quiet, amused +smile, as he saw our puzzled faces. + +The moment Captain Guest and myself stepped over the rail and shook +hands with the stranger, we saw the reason for the broom--the entire +deck, except the small space aft which had just been swept, was covered +with broken glass! + +"Glad to see you, gentlemen. My name is Yorke, and this cutter is the +_Francesco_." + +"And my name is Guest. I am master of the brigantine _Fray Sentos_, +of Sydney, lying just round the point, and this is Mr. Drake, my +supercargo." + +"Sit down here on the skylight, gentlemen, out of the way of the +glass--my cabin is very small." + +"Guess it would have to be a pretty big one if you had another two men +like yourself to share it," said Guest with a laugh, as he surveyed our +new friend's proportions. And indeed he was right, for Yorke was over +six feet in height, rather stout, and with a chest like a working +bullock. His face and neck were deeply bronzed to a dark tan, and +presented a striking and startling yet pleasing contrast to his +snowy-white hair, moustache, and eyebrows; his clear, steely blue eyes +were in consonance with the broad, square jaw, and the man's character +revealed itself in his features--strong, courageous, dominant, and +self-reliant. + +The moment Captain Guest mentioned that our men were thirsty and would +like a drink of water, Yorke became the soul of hospitality, and told +them to come on board and help themselves, while for Guest and myself he +produced a couple of bottles of excellent Tennant, and took a glass of +it himself. + +"Now, do you know, gentlemen," he said as he sat down on the cutter's +rail, facing us, "this morning I had a dream? I thought I heard some one +call out, 'All ready there, for'ard?' and I heard the rattle of a cable +through the hawse-pipes. Then I woke and looked at the clock--it was +just half-past seven." + +"And at half-past seven we let go anchor, a good four miles from here. +Surely you could not have heard us at such a distance." + +"No, that's a fact. So, when I did hear you hail just now I knew my +dream was verified. As a rule, dreams aren't worth a bag of shakings." + +"Where are your crew, captain?" I asked. + +"Ah, now I've a yarn to tell you. I'm the only man on board--my mate and +every man of my crew were massacred about six weeks ago off the north +end of New Ireland, and I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. And now +you can guess the meaning of all this glass on the deck. There's plenty +of niggers all around us here, and that broken glass is a splendid +protection for me at night time. Since I lost my men they have made two +attempts to cut me off at night time, once at a place just the other +side of Cape St. George and once near here. But," and he laughed softly, +"they didn't stay on deck more than five seconds, I can assure you. I'll +tell you the whole yarn presently. But say, captain--can you help me +to a new rudder? I lost mine a week ago, and having a bad hand have not +been able to do anything towards making one myself." + +"Certainly I will. I'll send my carpenter to you as soon as we get back +to the ship; or, better still, we'll tow you down to the Fray Bentos. +But we are in want of water and firewood, and I should like to take some +of both back with me." + +He thanked Guest warmly, and added that, although the cutter had no +rudder, she would steer very well with a sweep; and then he informed us +there was good running water within a couple of cables' length of the +cutter, also plenty of wood, and offered to take us to the place. We +need not, he said, apprehend any attack by the natives, as our party was +too large, and the spot where we could fill the casks was in fairly open +country, and by stationing a sentry or two on each side of the creek, we +could both wood and water with safety. + +"There is a village about six miles along the coast from here, and no +doubt it was the people from there who boarded me the other night, for +I saw a lot of canoes on a little beach there. I think it must be the +largest village for many miles hereabout. Now, do you see all those +columns of smoke? Some, you will notice, are very thin and bluish, while +others are almost black; the thin ones are only from native ovens, the +others are signals to the various smaller villages to the eastward--by +this time every nigger within fifty miles of us knows that your ship is +at anchor. I hope you left plenty of men on board?" "Plenty, and ours is +a well-armed crew." Just as he was stepping into the captain's boat, I +asked him what was the matter with his hand. He replied carelessly that +he had "managed to get a bit of a knock," and would be glad if I would +look at it when we returned to the cutter, as it was rather painful at +times. + +The boats were soon under way for the shore, and in a quarter of an hour +we entered a narrow but deep creek, not wide enough to permit us using +our oars; but this was of no consequence, for each boat carried half +a dozen canoe paddles. Within a hundred yards up from the entrance we +found the water to be quite fresh, and while some of the men started to +fill the casks, the rest, except the sentries, made for a clump of +about a dozen coconut-trees growing close beside a magnificent grove of +areca-palms. Every nut that was young enough to drink was quickly thrown +down, and carried to the boats. Then we set to work to collect firewood, +and two or three dry, solid logs were dragged down into the creek, +lashed together, and then, with them and the filled water casks in tow, +we returned merrily to the _Franceses_ hoisted up our water casks, swept +up all the glass, shovelled it into a hogshead standing on the +deck, hoisted her mainsail, and hove up her anchor, glad of having +accomplished our task so easily and so quickly. A light air had sprung +up, and the vessel, aided by the boats, made good progress towards our +brigantine, despite the logs towing astern. + +Our new friend asked me if I would mind coming below with him, as it was +past three o'clock, and quite time we had something to eat and drink. + +The cabin certainly was small, but was spotlessly clean, and exceedingly +well furnished. It contained three bunks, two of which were hidden from +view by neat cretonne curtains. + +"That was my poor young mate's bunk," he said sadly, "and the other was +the boatswain's. Now, will you please pass these up on deck?" + +From a locker he took out a dozen or more of ale, two bottles of +spirits, and a number of tins of beef, sardines, etc., together with +an ample supply of biscuit. These I passed up to Guest, who, at Yorke's +request, ordered the boats alongside, so that the crews could get some +dinner, and a stiff glass of grog all round. Then we ourselves ate a +most hearty meal, rendered the more enjoyable by the deliciously cool +beer--a liquor which, until that day, we had not tasted for quite +four or five months. As soon as we had finished, I asked him to let me +examine his hand. + +"Can you do a bit of cutting?" he asked, as I began to remove the +bandages. + +"Rather," answered Guest for me, "Drake loves to dig out a bullet, +especially--doesn't he, Napoleon?" + +Napoleon was one of our native crew--a short, nuggety little Tongan, +who, in an attack made on our boats nearly a year before, had received a +bullet in the calf of the leg. I had succeeded in extracting it without +unduly mutilating the patient, for I had once acted as amateur assistant +to a medical missionary in Samoa, and had seen a good many bullets +extracted during a very lively six months' native war. + +When I saw the condition of Yorke's hand, I was startled. It was +enormously swollen from the tips of the fingers to the wrist, and badly +lacerated and bruised all over the back, and presented a very dangerous +appearance. The pain he had endured, and was enduring at the moment, +must have been something atrocious, and I felt a sudden respect and +admiration for a man who could attend to _our_ wants before thinking of +himself. + +"Good heavens!" said Guest sympathisingly, "how did it happen?" + +He told us that ten days previously the cutter had struck on a reef in +the night. She bumped heavily three or four times, but would have worked +across the reef without serious damage, as there was a good breeze, had +not a sea taken her on the bows, thrown her aback, and driven her stern +first against the one exposed portion of the reef, tearing away her +rudder, and smashing all the upper part of her stern. Yorke, who was +half-stunned by the boom swinging over, and striking him on the head as +he was rising to his feet after being hurled along the deck, felt that +he had received an injury to his hand, which was bleeding profusely. +But just then he gave no thought to it, for the next two or three seas +fortunately carried the cutter over the reef into deep water and safety. +When he came to examine his hand, he found it had been crushed, probably +by a piece of the heavy hardwood rail, and several splinters were +protruding from the back and wrist. These he had succeeded in +extracting, but the pain continued to increase day by day, and the palm +of the hand began to swell and gather. + +"Perhaps there's a bit of timber in there yet," he remarked to us. + +I thought so also, and so did Guest, and after torturing the poor fellow +a few minutes, I located the exact spot--just below the ball of the +thumb. + +"Captain Yorke," I said, "I can cut it out, I am sure. But, frankly, +the thumb is a dangerous thing for an amateur surgeon to meddle with, +and----" + +"I know," he interrupted quietly, "but I'd rather run the risk of +lockjaw than the certainty of blood poisoning, and I know that that +is what it will turn to. Last night I made up my mind to cut into the +damned thing this morning if that last poultice I put on had no effect. +Now go ahead. There's a bottle of carbolic acid below, which will be +useful, and my pocket-knife has a razor-edge." + +In less than five minutes I set to work, and in a few more, to my +intense satisfaction--for I felt nervous--the thing was done, and I had +extracted a piece of wood half an inch long, and as thick as a small +quill. Then Guest and I carefully washed the wound over and over again +in a solution of carbolic acid, and in half an hour the hand was bound +up _pro tem_. Poor Yorke bore the pain without the twitching of an +eyelid, and I felt a sincere thankfulness when, two hours later, we saw +the change that relief from intense physical suffering had effected in +his features. + +When we reached the brigantine, I was able to bandage the injured hand +in a more shipshape and proper manner, as we had an ample supply of +lint and other requirements; and within ten days he could use his hand +freely, though it took a much longer time for a thorough recovery. That +he was deeply grateful to us he showed us in many quiet ways; and before +he had been with us a week, both the captain and myself, and, indeed, +every one else on board the _Fray Bentos_ had grown to like the man +immensely, though at times he would become unaccountably moody and +silent, and keep to himself, only speaking in answer to a direct +question. But, even then, he never attempted to directly avoid us, and +was always civil, even to any of our native crew who might speak to him. + +"Guess he thinks a lot about those poor men of his," said Guest to me +one day. + +That first evening we had a very pleasant supper. Yorke was with us, and +during the meal he gave us a detailed account of his voyage, and of the +massacre of his little vessel's company. + + + + +Chapter II + +He had, he told us, bought the _Francesco_ at Sourabaya about three +years before, and after making several trading voyages between Manila +and the Ladrone Islands--voyages which did not pay as well as he had +anticipated--he fell in with the master of a Hobart Town whaler, +who strongly advised him to go farther eastwards and southwards, +particularly about the Admiralty Group and their vicinity, where a +few colonial vessels were doing very well, trading for coconut oil, +beche-de-mer, sandalwood, tortoise-shell and pearl-shell. Yorke took his +advice and made a very successful voyage to the Admiralties, taking a +cargo of pearl-shell to Singapore. This he sold very profitably, and +was soon at sea again. On reaching the Admiralty Group, however, he was +prevented from trading by the hostility of the natives, though on his +previous visit they had been very friendly; and so, fearing that they +might cut off the vessel, he decided to leave. He had with him a native +of Yap, one of the Caroline Islands--a man who had wandered about the +North and South Pacific from his boyhood. His name was Rul, and he was +not only a good seaman and an expert diver, but spoke fluently nearly a +score of Melanesian and Micronesian dialects. + +On the evening of the day that the cutter left Callie Harbour, on +Admiralty Island, Yorke called his six men together, and told them that +he was very undecided what to do. (I found out afterwards that he had a +way of taking his crew into his confidence--"It pleases them," he said, +"and has proved very useful on a number of occasions when their goodwill +meant much to me "). + +After telling them that he did not like to risk their lives by trying to +return to Callie Harbour, he asked if they were willing to sail with him +to the southwestern coast of New Guinea, where, he had heard, there was +a great deal of pearl-shell to be bought from the natives. At the same +time he pointed out to them that it would be a risky undertaking; he +had no chart of that part of the Western Pacific, and, if they lost the +ship, they would stand but little chance of escaping from the cannibal +natives. + +"Then," he went on, "this fellow Rul said that although he and the other +natives on board were quite willing to go anywhere with me, _he_ knew +of a place only two days' sail away to the eastward where there was +not only plenty of black-edge pearl-shell, but hawkbill turtle-shell as +well. He had, he said, been cast away there in a whaleship, and remained +on the island three months, could speak a little of the language, and +gave me the names of several villages and harbours, but did not know the +name of the island as a whole. + +"I brought up my chart, and in a few seconds I discovered the names +he had mentioned. The island was New Hanover, and, with the northerly +breeze then blowing, I knew we should be there in twenty-four hours. So +I made up my mind to try the place; for Rul was a thoroughly trustworthy +fellow, and I knew I could depend on him. + +"My mate was a young American named Ted Merriman, a native of New +London, Connecticut, a fine sailorman, and a good navigator. My +boatswain, too, was one of the right sort; and, as for the rest, +although they were all natives, they were good seamen, and I had never +had a sulky look from any one of them since they first shipped with me. + +"We anchored just off a village which Rul knew, and in a few minutes +the people came off to us in crowds and filled the deck. Many of them +recognised Rul, and they all showed great friendliness and eagerness to +trade; and I, like a cocksure fool, was thrown off my guard." + +He ceased speaking, sighed, then lit his pipe and smoked in silence +for awhile, and it was evident to us all that, although he was not an +emotional man, he was strongly affected by the memory of the tragedy, +and reproached himself keenly. + +"Everything went well for the two following days," he resumed; "the +natives had over ten tons of good black-edge shell, all of which I +bought from them, paying for it principally in tobacco. It was worth to +me in Singapore about 65 a ton, and only cost me about 3 a ton, so +you may imagine that I felt very well satisfied. Then, besides the +pearl-shell I bought nearly five hundredweight of splendid hawkbill +turtle-shell, giving but two or three sticks of tobacco for an entire +carapace of thirteen plates weighing between two and three pounds, and, +as you know, hawkbill shell is worth eight dollars a pound in Hongkong, +and much more in London or Hamburg." + +"Captain Yorke," said Guest, with a laugh, "you should not have told us +this. Drake here is a very good fellow, but in business matters--as a +supercargo--he'd cut the throat of his best friend." + +"Don't believe that, Captain Yorke," I said, "but at the same time I +wish you had not told us of this place. You certainly have the prior +right of discovery, and ought to have the benefit, so I promise you I +will not repeat to our owners anything you now tell us." + +Yorke's face changed, and his bright blue eyes looked into ours with +such a kindly expression that the fascination he already possessed over +me deepened quickly. + +"You and Captain Guest are welcome to my knowledge, but I trust you will +use it for your own benefit, and not consider your owners. Tell me now, +gentlemen, would they consider _you_? Would they give you a handsome +bonus for putting, say, five, or six thousand pounds into their +pockets?" + +"I daresay they would give us each a cheque for fifty pounds," said +Guest meditatively. + +"Then keep the thing dark," said the big man energetically, "keep it +dark. Why should you, Captain Guest, and you, Mr. Drake, enrich your +owners by imparting to them this information? I tell you, gentlemen, +that all shipowners are alike, at least I never ran across any that +showed much consideration for any one else's welfare. Nine out of every +ten will work the soul out of their ship-masters and officers, who, when +they grow too old to go to sea, are chucked out into the gutter to die +of poverty, unless they have laid by a nest-egg for their old age." + +"That is true enough," assented Guest, "and our esteemed employers are +no better than the general run. So we will look on what you have just +told us as private; by and by we will all talk over the matter, and see +if we cannot go into the thing together." + +Yorke nodded. "I'm with you. I've always played a lone hand hitherto, +but I think that I can pull very well with men like you." + +Then he resumed his story. + +"On the morning of the third day I went ashore with my gun to have a few +hours' shooting on a large swamp, situated about three miles inland +from the village. One of the natives had told Rul that there were great +numbers of wild duck and plover there, and offered to guide me to the +place; so, telling Merriman that I would be back in time for dinner, +I started with the guide. The gun I had with me was a double-barrelled +pin-fire Lefaucheux breech-loader, and just before I left the cutter, I +put in a couple of cartridges, intending to have a shot at some cranes +which I saw walking about on the beach. Most fortunately for me, they +flew away before I could get near enough. Besides the gun, I brought +with me a Sharp's rifle, as the guide said that we should most likely +see a wild pig or two about the swamp. The rifle I gave to him to carry, +but the ten cartridges for it I put in my coat pocket, together with +about twenty cartridges for the gun. + +"On landing at the village, I was met by the head man, who wanted to +know if I would buy a couple of pigs from him. I told him to take them +on board to the mate, who would pay him; then, the guide leading, we +struck out into the forest. After going about a mile or so, the nigger +was joined by half a dozen young bucks, all armed with spears and clubs. +I asked the guide, who spoke a little English, what they wanted; he +replied that they wished to see me shoot. + +"'Very well,' I said, 'go ahead then, all of you.' + +"The bucks grinned, but instead of going ahead stepped back to let me +pass, and fell in, in single file at the rear, the guide still leading. +Now, I didn't like that at all, and I turned round to tell them to go +in front of me; I was just in time to save myself from getting a spear +through my back--as it was, it whizzed through the side of my coat, and +in another second the nigger who threw it had a charge of shot through +his brains. Then, slewing round, I was just able to drop the guide, who +was running off with the rifle. I hit him in the back, and saw him fall, +then took cover behind a big tree to load again; but every other nigger +had vanished, and then I heard a sound that filled me with dread for +those on board the cutter--the loud, hoarse bellowing of conch shells. + +"I ran over to the guide, who was lying where he had fallen. I don't +think he was mortally wounded, for he was quite thirty yards off when +I fired. However, I made certain of him by cracking his skull with a +long-handled club he carried. Then I loaded the Sharp's rifle, slung +it over my shoulder by its sling; and started back for the village at a +run, holding my shot gun ready cocked. + +"When I reached the village, I could not see a soul--every house was +deserted, but from the sea front I could hear diabolical yells and +cries. I had to run another hundred yards or more before I came in sight +of the cutter, and the moment I did so, I saw that it was all over +with poor Merriman and the others--the vessel was simply swarming with +niggers, and surrounded by canoes, into which they were already throwing +the plunder! + +"I rested a minute or so to get my breath and steady my hand, and then +opened fire. The cutter was not two hundred yards away from where I +stood, and the very first shot plumped right into the black, surging +crowd on deck, and one nigger gave his last jump. I fired three more +shots into them before they had time to get into their canoes, or spring +overboard to swim ashore. Most of the canoes made off to the south, +around a point, but three or four of them came right in towards me, +heading for the village. I don't think any of them saw me, for I was +lying down among the roots and _dbris_ of a fallen tree, just above +high water mark. They came in, paddling like mad, but not uttering a +sound. I waited till the first canoe was within ten yards of me, and +then fired both barrels of my gun in quick succession right into them, +nearly blowing the chest out of the old chief, who was seated amidships, +and wounding all the others. Then I got to work with my rifle again +on the other canoes; and, although the moment they saw me, the niggers +jumped overboard and dived, I got one for every shot of the last six +cartridges--whenever one got into shallow water and stood up to run, +down he went. + +"Then, taking both shot gun and rifle by the barrels, I smashed them on +a rock, tore off my clothes and boots, and started to swim off to the +vessel, looking behind me every now and then to see if the niggers were +following. But they had had enough of me, and their empty canoes were +drifting about the bay. + +"I got alongside, clambered up over the waist, and saw a sight I +shall never forget--every one of my poor shipmates had been ruthlessly +slaughtered, and their mutilated bodies, stripped of every bit of +clothing, were lying about the deck. A very brief examination showed me +that every one of them was dead--in fact their heads had been beaten to +pulp, and each body was pierced through and through with spear wounds +and hacked and chopped about with tomahawks; while the deck was just a +puddle of blood, mixed with sticks of tobacco, pieces of print, knives, +and all sorts of trade goods. + +"The first thing I did was to try and hoist the mainsail so as to get +under way, but the black devils had cut away a lot of the running gear, +and the halliards had been severed and lay on the deck, ready to be +taken on shore with the other loot littered about, though the sail +itself had not been damaged. The jib and staysail, also, I could not +hoist: they were lying in a heap on the windlass with a dead nigger on +top, and, further aft, were another two of the gentry, one dead and +one with a smashed thigh bone. I slung the wounded man overboard to the +sharks, and then began to consider what was best to do. The niggers, I +felt certain, would not tackle the cutter again, when they knew I was +safe on board, but I determined to make certain. + +"You noticed those two brass three-pounders I carry? Well, the first +thing I did was to load them with heavy charges of round bullets, and +some nuts and bolts. Then I got up a dozen or so of rifles, and plenty +of ammunition, and laid them in readiness on the skylight; for, although +the niggers had turned my cabin upside down when looting the ship, there +were any amount of small arms and various stores in the little hatch +under the cabin table; besides these, I had some more in my own berth in +a locker. + +"Just as I was taking a long drink at the scuttle butt, I saw some of +the niggers creeping back to the village through the trees, and watching +what I was doing. I soon let them know. + +"The cutter had swung round, and was broadside on to the houses, so +taking the gun on the port side over to the starboard, I secured it +well, and then trained it with the other on the biggest house in the +village--a sort of meeting-house or temple, or some such darned thing. +I can tell you, gentlemen, I felt as if I could laugh when I saw quite +a score of the black swine go into this house, one after another. I had +friction tubes in both guns, and waited for another five minutes; then I +fired them one after another. Whether many or any niggers were killed, I +do not know; but there was a fearful howling, which did me good to hear, +and the front of the house went into splinters under the heavy charges +of the guns, and in five seconds the village was deserted again. + +"Before I did anything more for my own safety, I got some sailcloth and +rugs, and covered the bodies of my shipmates--the dreadful appearance +they presented just unnerved me, and I felt like sitting down and +crying. But I had to hustle. I wanted to get under way as quickly as +possible before darkness came on, and it was now noon. + +"First of all I rove the mainsail halliards, and then bent on the jib, +stopping only now and then to fire a rifle at the village, just to +let the natives know I was keeping my eyes skinned. Then I hoisted the +mainsail and hove up my anchor without any trouble, for the wind was +very light, and got a good cant off shore as soon as I ran up the jib. + +"As soon as I was well away from the land, I stood north--about so as so +clear Cape Queen Charlotte, the westerly point of New Hanover, and ran +on for three or four hours, the vessel steering herself while I sewed up +poor Merriman's and the boatswain's bodies as well as I could under the +circumstances. I should have done the same for the natives had I had the +time, especially for Rul, but I had not. About dusk I brought to, just +off the Cape, and dropped them over the side one after another--only +just realising, ten minutes previously, that I was still stark naked! + +***** + +"After rounding the north point of New Hanover, I stood away down the +coast of New Ireland till I made Gerrit Denys Island, where I anchored +for a couple of days, the natives being very friendly, and giving me all +the fresh provisions I wanted for a little tobacco and some hoop-iron. +There was an old white beachcomber named Billy living with them; he +seemed to do pretty well as he liked, and had a deal of influence +with them, not allowing any one of them to hang about the vessel after +sunset, and each night he slept on board with me. I gave him a case of +Hollands for lending me a hand to set up my rigging, which so pleased +him that he turned to and got drunk in ten minutes. + +"After leaving Gerrit Denys I had a hard struggle to make Cape St. +George, on the south end of New Ireland. For eight or ten days I had +rainy weather, with heavy squalls from the eastward, and did not feel +very well into the bargain, for I had a touch of fever and ague." + +I asked him how he managed at night-time as regarded sleep. + +He laughed quietly, and assured us that he never lost a night's rest +during the whole of the time he was at sea. He would simply "scandalise" +his mainsail without reefing it, haul the staysail sheet to windward, +and let the cutter head reach till daylight. The _Francesco_ he +said--and I afterwards found out that he was not over-rating her +qualities--was a marvellous little vessel for taking care of herself. + +"Well, I jogged along till one Sunday morning, when I made the land +between Cape Bougainville and Cape St. George. It had been raining in +torrents for two days, and I was feeling a bit done up; so, picking out +a quiet little bay with thick forest growing right down to the water's +edge, and not a sign of a native or native house, I ran in and let go +in fifteen fathoms, but within a stone throw of the shore. And I'll be +hanged, gentlemen, if I did not see, ten minutes afterwards, the +smoke of half a dozen signal fires rising over the trees from as many +different places, and all within three miles of the cutter. However, I +was too weak to heave up again, even had I felt inclined. I wanted to +cosset myself up, and get a good sweating between thick blankets to +drive some of the fever out of me; and, niggers or no niggers, I meant +to do so that day. Then I thought of a dodge--I mean the broken-glass +trick. + +"In the hold were half a dozen barrels of empty gin, beer, and +whisky bottles. We had put them aside to give to the Admiralty Island +people--especially the women and children--who attached some value to +them as water holders. I brought up sixty or seventy dozen, and smashed +them up in a clean hogshead. Then I turned the whole lot out in a heap +on the main hatch, got a shovel, and covered the entire deck fore and +aft, first getting all loose ropes, &c, out of the way, as I did not +want to get any glass in my own hands when I next handled the running +gear. After that I went below, lit a spirit lamp, and made myself a big +bowl of hot soup--real hot soup--a small tin of soup and bouilli, and a +half bottle of Worcester sauce with a spoonful of cayenne pepper and a +stiff glass of brandy thrown in. + +"It touched me up, I can tell you, but I knew it would do me good as I +lay down in my bunk, rolled myself in a heavy blanket, and piled over me +every other rug and blanket I could find. In half an hour I was sweating +profusely, for not only was the soup remedy working, but the little +cabin, having every opening closed, was stiflingly hot. However, I stuck +it out for a good two hours, till I felt I could stand it no longer; so +I got up, unfastened my cabin door to get some air, and began rubbing +myself down with a coarse towel. Heavens! it felt delightful; for +although my bones still ached, and I was very shaky on my legs, my head +was better, and my spirits began to rise. I put on my pyjamas, went on +deck, and had a look round. It was nearly dark, the rain had cleared +off, a young moon was just lifting over the trees, and the little bay +was as quiet as the grave--except for the cries of a colony of flying +foxes which lived in a big _vi_ tree just a cable's length away from the +cutter. + +"I knew that the New Britain and New Ireland natives don't like going +out after dark, and that if these people meant mischief to me, they +would wait till just before daylight, when they would expect to find +everyone on board asleep; so, feeling much better and stronger, I turned +in at eight o'clock, and slept till past midnight. I made some coffee, +drank it, and laid down again, dozing off every now and then till just +before dawn. Then I heard a sudden rush on deck, followed by the most +diabolical howls and yells as twenty or thirty niggers jumped overboard +with bleeding feet, many of them leaving their clubs lying on the deck. +I put my head out of the cabin, and gave them half a dozen revolver +shots, but I'm afraid I didn't hit any of the beggars. + +"I got away on the same morning, and made a fine run right across St. +George's Channel, and along the New Britain coast till I made Cape +Roebuck. Once the cutter did a steady nine knots for thirty hours. After +running on that reef, I did not drop anchor again till I brought up off +a rocky beach a few miles from here; and there the niggers made another +try to get me, but the broken glass again proved effectual." + +"It's a mighty smart dodge, Captain Yorke," said Guest, as we rose and +shook hands with him, for he was going to sleep on board his own vessel. + + + + +Chapter III + +We lay under the lee of the South Cape or New Britain for nearly a +fortnight, during which time we effected all the necessary repairs to +our own vessel, and fitted Yorke's cutter with a new rudder. So far he +had not told us anything further of his intentions as regarded either +the further prosecution of his trading voyage, or its abandonment. +At breakfast one morning, Guest told him that he (Yorke) could have a +couple of our native hands to help him work the cutter to Manila, or any +other port in the China Seas, if he so desired. + +He stroked his big, square jaw meditatively. + +"That is very kind of you, Captain Guest," he said; "but to tell you the +exact truth, I don't know my own mind at this moment. I've a hazy sort +of an idea that I'd like to keep the Fray Bentos company for a bit +longer. I can outsail you in light winds--and I really don't care what I +do now. And if you can spare me a couple of hands, I could jog along in +company with you indefinitely. But, please understand me--I don't want +to thrust myself and the _Francesco_ into your company if _you_ don't +want_ me_. As a matter of fact, I don't care a straw where I go--but I +certainly would like to keep in company with you, if you don't object. +Perhaps you would not mind telling me where you are bound?" + +Guest looked at me interrogatively. + +"Well, Captain Yorke," I said, "one confidence begets another; your +confidence in us is worth a heap of money to Guest and myself, and, to +be perfectly frank and straightforward with you, the captain and myself +intended to lay a proposition before you whereby we three might possibly +go into this New Hanover venture on our own hook. But Guest and myself +are bound to our present employers for another seven months." + +Yorke nodded. "That will be all right. I'm ready to go in with you, +either at the end of seven months or at any other time which may suit +you. You can count on me. I'm not a rich man, nor yet am I a poor +man; in fact, there's a thousand pounds' worth of stuff under the +_Francesco's_ hatches now." + +"Well then, Captain Yorke," I said, "as Guest here leaves me to do all +the talking, I'll tell you _why_ we are so far up to the northward, +out of our usual beat. We heard in Samoa that a big ship, named the +_Sarawak_ had run ashore and been abandoned at Rook Island, in Dampier +Straits, between the west end of New Britain and the east coast of New +Guinea, and both Guest and myself know her to be one of the largest +ships out of Liverpool; she left Sydney for Hongkong about six months +ago with a general cargo. And 'there be pickings,' for she is almost a +new vessel, and her gear and fittings alone, independent of her cargo, +ought to be worth a thousand pounds. All we could learn at Samoa was +that she had run up on a ledge of reef on Rook Island, and that the +skipper, with three boats' crews, had started off for Thursday Island, +in Torres Straits. Now, it is quite likely that, if she has not broken +up, there may be a lot of money hanging to it." + +"For your owners!" said Yorke, with his slow, amused smile. + +"Just so, Captain Yorke. 'For our owners,' as you say. But even our +owners, who are rather 'sharp' people, are not a bad lot--they'll give +Guest and myself a bonus of some sort if we do them good over this +wrecked ship." + +"And if you don't 'do them good'?" he asked, with the same +half-humorous, half-sarcastic smile. + +"If we don't, the senior partner in our highly-esteemed, sailor-sweating +firm, will tell Guest and myself that we 'made a most reprehensible +mistake,' and have put the firm to a considerable loss by doing too much +on our own responsibility." + +He nodded as I went on--"We heard of this wreck from the officers of a +French cruiser which called at Samoa while we were there. They sighted +her lying high and dry on the reef, sent a boat ashore, and found her +abandoned. She was bilged, but not badly, as far as they could see. On +the cabin table was nailed a letter, written by the captain, saying +that being unable to float the ship again, and fearing that he and his +unarmed crew would be attacked by the savages, he was starting off in +his boats for Thursday Island, the nearest port. Now, that is a big +undertaking, and the chances are that the poor fellows never reached +there. However, Guest and I thought so much of the matter that we +hustled through our business in Samoa, and sailed the next day direct +for Rook Island, instead of doing our usual cruise to the eastward. But +we met with fearful weather coming up through the Solomon Group, lost +our foretopmast, and strained badly. And here we are now, tied up by the +nose off the South Cape of New Britain instead of being at Rook Island +at work on that wreck." + +Yorke thought a moment. "Well, gentlemen, let me come in with you--just +for the fun of the thing. I don't want to get any money out of it, I +assure you, and I'll lend you a hand with the wrecking work." + +"Agreed," said Guest, extending his hand, "but only on this +condition--whatever our owners give Drake and myself, we three divide +equally." + +"As you please, as you please," he said. "Now come aboard my little +hooker, and have a look at what is in the hold." + +We went on board the Francesco with him, and made an examination of +her small but valuable cargo, and Guest and I agreed that he had +underestimated its worth by quite four hundred or five hundred +pounds--in fact, the whole cargo would sell in Sydney or San Francisco +for about sixteen hundred pounds. + +We sailed together that afternoon, the cutter getting under weigh first. +We had given Yorke three of our men--Napoleon the Tongan, and two other +natives--and before ten minutes had passed, Guest and everyone else on +board the _Fray Bentos_ could see that the _Francesco_ could sail rings +round our old brigantine, even in a stiff breeze, for the cutter drew +as much water as we did, and had a big spread of canvas. By nightfall we +were running before a lusty south-east breeze, the cutter keeping about +half a mile to windward of us, and taking in her gaff topsail, when it +became dark, otherwise she would have run ahead of, and lost us before +morning. At daylight, when I went on deck, she was within a cable's +length, Yorke was steering--smoking as usual--and no one else was +visible on deck. + +I hailed him: "Good morning, Captain; where are your men?" "Taking it +out in 'bunk, oh,'" he answered with a laugh. "I came on deck about two +hours ago, and told them to turn in until four bells." + +"You'll ruin them for the _Fray Bentos_, sir," cried our mate with +grumbling good-humour. "Why don't you start one of 'em at the galley +fire for your coffee!" + +"Because I'm coming aboard you for it," was the reply. He hauled in the +main-sheet, lashed the tiller, went quietly forward without awakening +his native seamen, and put the staysail to windward. Then he came +amidships again to the main hatch, picked up the little dingy which was +lying there, and, despite his bad hand, slid her over the cutter's rail +into the water as if she were a toy, got in, and sculled over to the +brigantine, leaving the cutter to take care of herself! + +Charley King, the mate of the _Fray Bentos_ turned to me in +astonishment. He was himself one of the finest built and most powerful +men I had ever met, not thirty years of age, and had achieved a great +reputation as a long-distance swimmer and good all-round athlete. + +"Why, Mr. Drake, that dingy must weigh three hundred pounds, if she +weighs an ounce, for she's heavy oak built! And yet with one gammy hand +he can put her over the side as if she was made of brown paper." + +Yorke sculled alongside, made fast to the main chains, clambered over +the bulwarks, and stepped aboard in his usual quiet way, as if nothing +out of the common had occurred, and asked the mate what he thought of +the _Francesca_ as a sailer. King looked at him admiringly for a moment. + +"She's a daisy, Captain Yorke.... but you oughtn't to have put your boat +over the side by yourself, sir, with that bad hand of yours." + +The big man laughed so genuinely, and with such an infectious ring in +his voice, that even our Kanaka steward, who was bringing us our coffee, +laughed too. The dingy, he said, was very light, and there was no need +for him to call one of the men to help him. As we drank our coffee he +chatted very freely with us, and drew our attention to the lovely +effect caused by the rising sun upon a cluster of three or four small +thickly-wooded islets, which lay between the two vessels and the +mainland of New Britain, whereupon King, who had no romance in his +composition, remarked that for his part he could not see much difference +between one sunrise or sunset and another. "One means a lot of wind, and +another none at all; one means decent weather and another means rotten +weather, or middlin' weather." + +"Ah, Mr. King, you look at everything from a sailor's point of view," he +said good-naturedly. "Now, there's nothing gives me more pleasure than +to watch a sunset and sunrise anywhere in the tropics--particularly if +there's land in the foreground or background--I never miss a sunrise in +the South Seas if I can help it." + +Presently we began to talk of the voyage, and I asked him a +question--which only at that moment occurred to me--concerning himself +before we met. + +"I wonder, Captain Yorke, when your crew were cut off, that it did not +occur to you to run down the west coast of New Ireland, between it and +New Britain, to Blanche Bay, where there is a German station, and where +you could have obtained assistance. It would have been much easier for +you instead of that long buffeting about on the east coast." + +He made no answer at first, and I saw that his face had changed colour. +Then he answered slowly: + +"Just so. I knew all about the Germans at Blanche Bay, but I did not +want to go there--for very good reasons. Will you come aboard and have +some breakfast with me? I'll send you back again any time you like; +the sea is so smooth, as far as that goes, that I could run the cutter +alongside, and let you step off on to your own deck." + +Just as we were pushing off from the brigantine, Guest came on deck, +glass in hand, to have a look at the cluster of islands, at the same +time calling out to Yorke and myself to wait a little. After scanning +the islands from the deck, he went aloft for a better view, then +descended and came aft again to the rail. + +"Good morning, Captain Yorke. I've just been taking a look at those +islands over there, and an idea has just come to me. But, first of +all, are they marked on your chart? They are on mine, but not even +named--just dots." + +"Neither are they on my big sheet chart--and I have no other of this +part of the Western Pacific." + +"Well then, here's my idea. I see from aloft that there is a good-sized +blue water lagoon there, and as likely as not there may be pearl-shell +in it. Anyway, it's worth seeing into, and so if Drake and yourself like +to take our boat and half a dozen men, you might have a look in there. +I can't see any houses, but at the same time, be careful. You can run +in with the cutter pretty close, and then go ashore in the boat. You are +bound to find a passage into the lagoon somewhere or other. I'll send +Tim Rotumah and George" (two of our native crew who were good divers) +"with you in the boat; they'll soon let you know if there is any shell +in the lagoon. If there is, light a fire, and make a smoke, and I'll +anchor the brigantine and come after you." + +I was delighted with this, and at once returned on board, while Yorke +went off to the cutter to give his crew their instructions. In ten or +fifteen minutes the whaleboat was over the side awaiting me, manned by +six of our native crew, all of whom were armed with Snider carbines and +revolvers. Pushing off from the _Fray Bentos_, we went alongside the +_Francesco_ to pick up Yorke, who was waiting for the boat. As the wind +had now fallen very light, he suggested to me to make a start at once, +leaving the cutter in charge of Napoleon, with orders to anchor if it +fell calm, and he was on easy soundings. + +The morning was deliciously bright, clear, and, for those latitudes at +that season of the year, very cool. As the boat skimmed over the placid +surface of the ocean, "schools" of bright silvery gar-fish and countless +thousands of small flying squid sprang into the air and fell with a +simultaneous splash into the water on each side and ahead of us. Then +"George," a merry-faced, broad-chested native of Anaa, in the Paumotu +Islands, after an inquiring glance at me, broke out into a bastard +Samoan-Tokelauan canoe song, with a swinging chorus, altering and +improvising as he sang, showing his white teeth, as every now and then +he smiled at Yorke and myself when making some humorous play upon +the words of the original song, praising the former for his skill and +bravery, and his killing of the man-eating savages of New Hanover, his +great strength and stature, and his kindly heart--"a heart which groweth +from his loins upwards to his throat." + +Long, long years have passed since that day, but I shall always remember +how Yorke turned to me with a smile when at something George had sung, +the rest of our crew burst into approving laughter. + +"What is he saying about me?--of course I can recognise that 'Ioka' +means 'Yorke,'" he said. + +"It's extremely personal, but highly complimentary to you. Now, wait a +bit, till they come to the chorus, and I'll try and translate it. There, +he's starting:" + + "Miti Ioka, malie toa, toa malohi + Kapeni Iota, arii vaka! + Tule Ioka, fana tonu! + Mate puaka uri, kai tino. + Maumau lava, nofo noa! + Maumau lava, nofo noa t + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!! + "E aue l le tiga ina + Ma kalga, ma kalga + O fafine lalolagi + E kau iloay i nofa noa + Kapeni Ioka + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!!" + +"which goes," I said, "as far as I can understand, something like +this--'Mr. Yorke, warrior brave and fighter strong, Captain Yorke, +the sailor captain, leader Yorke who fired so truly, slew the black, +man-eating pigs of savages! Oh, the pity he is single, oh, the pity he +is single! _Pull, men, pull!_ The next verse says that did the world of +women know that such a fine man as yourself was a bachelor, they would +consume themselves with grief." + +"I wonder why they should take it for granted that I am a single man," +he laughed, as he began to fill his pipe; then he added quietly--"I may +be a widower for all I know. I was married in Copenhagen thirty years +ago, and have never seen my wife since, and trust I never may." Then in +a moment he changed the subject, and I took good care not to mention the +matter again. + +An hour after leaving the brigantine, we found a passage--narrow but +safe--leading into the lagoon, which was a mile or mile and a half in +width, and but for the one opening in the reef, completely land locked +by four small islands, all low and densely wooded with banyan and other +trees, and connected with each other at low tide. Here and there, at +intervals, were groves of coco-palms, and a few _vi_ trees--the wild +mango of the Western Pacific, growing close down to the beach, which on +the inner side of the lagoon was of bright yellow sand, and presented a +very pleasing appearance. + + + + +Chapter IV + +A very brief trial of the lagoon, at various depths, soon convinced us +that it contained no pearl-shell, both George and the Rotumah man coming +up empty-handed after each dive, and pronouncing the bottom to be _og_, +_i.e._, poverty-stricken as regarded shell. But we made one rather +pleasing discovery, which was that the lagoon contained a vast number +of green turtle. We could see the creatures, some of them being of great +size, swimming about beneath the boat in all directions. It at once +occurred to me that I should let Guest know, for we were getting short +of provisions on board the _Fray Bentos_, and had been using native +food--pork, yams, and taro, to eke out our scanty store. Here, now, was +an opportunity of getting a supply of fresh meat which would last us for +a couple of months or more; as we could easily stow eighty or a hundred +turtle on board, and kill one or two every day as required. We always +carried with us a heavy turtle-net, made of coir fibre, which I had +bought two years before in the Tokelau Group. But, first of all, I +consulted with our native crew as to whether we could dispense with the +net by remaining on the island all night and watching for the turtle to +come ashore. + +They all assured me that we should get none, or at best but few, as it +was not the laying season. + +"Very well," I said, "go off to the ship, and tell the captain that +there is no pearl-shell here, but plenty of turtle. Ask him if he will +let you have the turtle-net, so that we can set it across the mouth of +the passage as soon as it becomes dark; and tell him we shall come +off again by midnight if he does not care about our staying till the +morning; but that as we are pretty sure to get a lot of turtle, he had +better send the longboat as well." + +Yorke, at first, intended to go off again to the _Francesca_, but I told +him I was so sure that Guest would come to an anchor when he heard about +the turtle, that he (Guest) would be sure to tell Napoleon and the other +men on board the cutter to do the same. "In fact," I added, "a supply +of turtle will be a God-send to us, and the skipper will not mind, I am +sure, if we stay here for a couple of days, under the circumstances." + +We pulled ashore to a little sandy beach, and Yorke and myself, taking +our rifles, ammunition, and a few biscuits each, got out, the native +crew at once starting off again for the ship, pulling as hard as they +could, for they were eager to return with the turtle-net and enjoy +themselves as only South Sea Islanders and other of Nature's children do +when fishing. + +About an hour after the boat had gone, we set to work to get some +coconuts to drink, both for ourselves and the boat's crew when +they returned. Yorke ascended a very tall palm--about sixty feet in +height--like a native, and began throwing down the young nuts. I took +a shorter tree near by, and was leisurely twisting off the heavy nuts, +when he, who had a good view of the sea, called out to me that it had +fallen calm. + +"And what I don't like, Drake, is this," he added--"there's a dull, +greasy look on the water over to the eastward there, and I'd like to +be on board the Francesca instead of being here. I don't like it, I can +tell you, and I'm sorry we did not go off in the boat." + +I, in my fatuous, youthful conceit, laughed at his forebodings. + +"It's only a New Britain squall--a lot of wind for ten minutes, then a +power of rain for another twenty, and then it'll be over." + +Yorke, however, was too old and experienced a seaman to disregard +the signs of coming danger. He quickly descended from his tree, and I +followed suit. + +"There's something more than a squall coming, my lad. Let us cut through +the bush across to the weather side of the island, and try and stop the +boat. We can do it if we are quick." + +The island was less than a mile in width, even at its broadest portion, +which was where we had landed; so, after a hurried drink, we picked +up our rifles and started off to try to intercept the boat as she was +pulling down the outer and eastern shore. But before we had made two +hundred yards, we came to a dead stop, our progress being barred by a +dense thicket of thorny and stunted undergrowth. We turned aside and +skirted the thicket for a quarter of a mile, then tried again, with the +same result--it was absolutely impossible to force our way through the +obstacle. + +By this time the air had become stiflingly hot and oppressive, and the +rapidly darkening sky presaged the coming storm. From every pore in our +bodies the perspiration was streaming profusely, and our hands and faces +were scratched and bleeding. + +"We must go back," said Yorke, "we cannot possibly get to the other side +of the island through this damnable scrub. The only thing we can do is +to run along the inner beach of the island till we come to its end, wade +across the reef, and try to stop the boat before she has gone too far. +This is no common squall, I'm afraid--it's going to be a hurricane. Come +on." + +We started off at a run, along the hard sand, but before we had done the +first quarter of a mile, I felt that I could go no further, for I +was pumped out, could scarcely breathe, and felt a strange, unnatural +faintness overcoming me--a not uncommon sensation experienced by many +people just before a hurricane or an earthquake. + +"You must go on alone," I said, pantingly, to Yorke; "leave me here. +I'll be all right, even if I have to stop here a month of Sundays. I +can't starve in such a place as this." + +Pitching his own and my rifle up on the bank above high water mark, he +seized me and lifted me up on his back, telling me to hold on, as he +meant to make a big try for the boat. It was no use my protesting--he +set off again at a steady run, my weight apparently impeding his +progress no more than if he had been carrying a doll instead of ten +stone. + +At last we gained the end of the island, where there was a break in the +verdure, and from which we had a brief view of the sea before it was +blotted out by the black wall of the coming hurricane. + +"We're done as far as getting on board is concerned," he said, as I +slid down his back on to the sand; "but, thank God, the boat is safe. In +another ten minutes she would have been too late to have reached either +the cutter or brigantine, and have been smothered. Look, Captain Guest +is all ready, and so is the cutter!" + +I got up on my feet, just in time to see the boat go alongside the +brigantine, which was under a close reefed lower topsail and a bit of +her mainsail only--for Guest knew what was coming, and had prepared to +meet it; the cutter, too, was reefed down, and had taken her dingy on +deck. At that moment, however, both vessels were becalmed; but scarcely +had the whale boat been hoisted up to the starboard davits of the _Fray +Bentos_ and secured, when the hurricane struck both vessels. I thought +at first that our poor old brigantine was going to turn turtle, for she +was all but thrown on her beam ends; but righting herself gallantly, she +plunged away into the growing darkness, followed by the cutter, and in +five minutes both were hidden from view, and Yorke and myself had to +throw ourselves flat on our faces to avoid being blown down the beach +into the lagoon. + +I had once, years before when a boy in Fiji, seen a bad hurricane, and +was rather proud of my experience, but I never saw, and never wish to +see again, such a truly terrifying and appalling sight as my companion +and I now witnessed--for within an hour all Nature seemed to have gone +stark, raving mad, and I never expected to see the next morning's sun. I +do not think it was the fearful force of the wind which so terrified me +into a state of helplessness as the diabolical clamour--the clashing +and tearing and rending asunder of the trees, accompanied by a prolonged +howling mingled with a deep droning hum like one sometimes hears when a +volcano is in eruption--and, in a minor key, the dulled roaring of the +surf as the mighty seas swept over the outer reef, and broke over the +weather shore with such tremendous force that the island seemed to +tremble to its very foundations. + +Unable to make himself heard in the pandemonium roaring around us, Yorke +turned to me, and gripping me by one hand, and shielding his eyes with +the other from the hurtling showers of sand and pebbles which threatened +to cut our faces to pieces, he managed to drag me along the beach to a +low ledge of coral rocks, under the shelter of which we were protected +from the fury of the wind, and, in a measure, safe from flying branches, +though all along the beach coco-palms were being torn up by the roots, +or their lofty crowns cut off as if they were no stronger than a dahlia +or some such weakly plant. + +As we crouched on the sand under the ledge of rock, a terrific but +welcome downpour of rain fell, and we were able to satisfy our thirst +by pressing our mouths to crevices in the rock overhead. But we were +not long allowed to remain undisturbed in our shelter, for, although the +tide was on the ebb, the enormous influx of water, driven over the +reef by the violence of the wind, so swelled the lagoon that we had to +abandon our refuge and crawl on our hands and knees up over the bank, +and thence into the thorny scrub, where we were at least safe from +falling trees, there being none near us. + +"I must try and get our rifles before it is too late," shouted Yorke +in my ear. "I know the place, but if I don't get there pretty quick, +I shall never be able to recognise it. Stay where you are until I get +back, then we'll try and find a better camping place before night comes +on--if this little tin-pot island isn't blown out of the water over on +to New Guinea in the meantime." + +By this time I was beginning to get some courage, and to feel ashamed of +myself; so, as soon as Yorke had crept out of the scrub, I braced +myself up, and taking out my sheath knife, began to cut away the thorny +branches, and pull up by the roots some of the scrub around me, so as +to make more room. The soil consisted of decomposed shell and vegetable +matter, very soft and porous, underneath which were loose coral slabs, +and I soon had a space cleared large enough for us both to lie down +upon. Then I started to enclose it on three sides by a low wall of the +flat coral stones, across which I laid a thick and nearly rain-proof +covering of branches and leaves, and when Yorke returned an hour later, +I was almost finished, and had begun to make a fire of dead roots and +branches. + +"That's grand," he said, as he laid down the rifles. "I was wondering +if your matches were dry. Mine are spoilt, as I had them loose in my +pocket. How is your tobacco?" + +"Quite dry, too. Here you are, fill your pipe." + +The man's thoughtfulness showed at once. "No, thank you--not just yet. +I'll improve this newly-erected mansion of ours by getting coconut +branches up from the beach. We might as well make our roof as watertight +as we can before dark. Then I want something to eat, and there are +plenty of coconuts lying about everywhere." + +"We won't starve," I said; "there are any amount of robber crabs in +this scrub, and to-night we can get as many as we want, if we can make a +bright fire." + +By dark we had succeeded in carrying up thirty or forty coconut +branches, and covering our sleeping place over in a more satisfactory +manner, though we were every now and then chilled to the bone by the +stinging rain. Our rifles, matches, tobacco, and a few biscuits, we +placed in a dry spot, and then built up a small but hot fire of roots +under the shelter, and, after eating a meal of coconut and biscuit, we +filled our pipes, piled on more roots, and sat by the fire drying +our clothes, and listening to the wild uproar of wind and sea, +congratulating ourselves upon being in a spot where we were at least +safe from the wind, for our camp was at least eight or ten feet below +the general level of the island, both on its windward and leeward sides. + +All that night the wind blew with terrific violence, and the noise of +the surf thrashing upon the coral barriers of the island was something +indescribable. At about midnight, just after a lull succeeded by a +heavy fall of rain, the wind hauled round two or three points to the +southward, and, if possible, blew with still greater violence. The +crashing of trees mingling with the demoniacal shriek of the hurricane, +was enough to disturb the mind of the bravest; but my companion lay +quietly beside the fire, smoking his pipe and talking to me as he would +had we been seated at the supper table on board the _Fray Bentos_. +Yet that he was deeply anxious about our ship-mates I well knew, when, +bidding me good-night, he laid his great frame upon the sand and went to +sleep. + + + + +Chapter V + +By dawn on the following morning, the hurricane had lost its strength +and settled down into a hard gale from the north-east. When we crawled +out from our shelter, a fearful scene of desolation met our eyes; not +more than a hundred coco-palms were left standing on the weather side +of the island, and enormous boulders of coral rock, torn off the reef +by the violence of the sea, were piled up in wild confusion along the +shore, while, at the north end, the surf had made a clean breach over +the land, with devastating effect. On the inner beach of the lagoon, the +destructive results of the wind and sea had not been so great, although +vast numbers of fish were lying dead on the sand, or among the soaked +and flattened undergrowth above high water mark. We at once collected a +few, lit a fire, roasted them over the coals, and made a good breakfast, +finishing up with some young drinking coconuts, hundreds of which were +lying about us. + +We knew that, until the weather moderated, there was little likelihood +of our seeing the brigantine and cutter--if we ever saw either again. +The ocean for many hundreds of miles around us was full of dangers, for +it was unsurveyed, and risky even to a ship in good weather. Many of +the islands, shoals and reefs marked on the charts had no existence, +but still more were placed in wrong positions, and we both felt that it +would be something marvellous if the two vessels escaped disaster. All +we could do was to hope for the best, and wait patiently. + +As the rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly, although the +gale was still blowing fiercely, we decided to cross to one of the +other islands and make an examination of our surroundings. First of +all, however, we examined our stock of ammunition, and found we had +thirty-five cartridges between us; the rest of our effects consisted of +about a quarter of a pound of plug tobacco, a sheath knife and a pocket +knife, a small box of vestas, and the clothes we had on. + +With some difficulty we managed to wade through the shallow passage +dividing the island on which we had slept from the next, and found the +latter to be much better wooded, wider, and three or four feet higher; +and I had just observed to Yorke that it would suit us better to live on +than the other, when I came to a dead stop--right in front of us was a +banyan tree, from a low branch of which was suspended a huge cane-work +fishing basket! + +In a moment we hid ourselves, and remained quiet for a few minutes, +scanning the surrounding bush carefully to see if there were any further +signs of human occupancy, or the humans themselves. From the appearance +of the basket, however, I judged that it had not been used for many +weeks at least, and had been hung up to prevent its becoming rotten from +lying on the moist, steamy soil. + +After satisfying ourselves that there were no natives--in our immediate +vicinity at least--we set out again, proceeding very cautiously, and a +short distance further on struck a dearly-defined native path; this we +followed, and presently came in sight of half a dozen small thatched +huts, under the shelter of two very large trees, from the branches of +which were hanging fish baskets similar to that we had just seen. Most +of the huts, though damaged by the storm, were substantially built, and +evidently had not long been vacated, for in a sort of cleared plot in +front were a number of gaily-coloured crotons, which showed signs of +having been recently tended--the grass had been pulled up around their +roots, &c. In one of the huts we found some smaller fish traps, a number +of fish spears, and two large wooden bowls. + +"It's a fishing village, belonging to the niggers on the mainland, I +think," I said to Yorke. "It is quite a common thing for them, both in +New Ireland and New Britain, to have plantations or fishing stations on +many of these small islands off the coast, and they come over three or +four times a year to plant or fish. Let us go on further." + +My surmise was correct, for, quite near the huts, was a large taro +plantation, on which great labour and care had been expended. A brief +examination of some of the tubers showed us that they were full grown. +This was not a pleasant discovery, for we knew that the owners might be +expected to put in an appearance at any moment after the gale ceased, in +order to dig them up. + +"Well, let us get on, and see what else we can discover," said Yorke, +shouldering his rifle. "The beggars can't get across from the mainland +in such weather as this, so we need not be under any immediate alarm." + +By two in the afternoon we had thoroughly examined the whole of the four +islands, but found no more houses, though on all of them we came across +the inevitable fish-traps, and also a good-sized bamboo fishing raft, +lying far up on the beach. This we at once carried off, and were about +to hide in a thicket--little thinking it would prove such a dangerous +acquisition--when Yorke suggested a better course. It would be a +mistake, he said, to leave the raft so far from our sleeping place, +instead of taking it away, when not only should we have it near us in +case of a sudden attack by the natives, but we could utilise it for +fishing, and that by removing it to the southernmost islet, which was +farthest away from the fishing village on the largest island, we could +easily conceal it from view. + +The natives, he argued, would be bound to search for it on the islet +where they had left the thing, and would conclude that it had been +washed away in the hurricane, and therefore were hardly likely to come +down to the southern islet, the inner beach of which could be seen from +nearly every point on the lagoon. + +"So," he went on, "you see that if the black gentry do think that their +raft might have been carried down to the inner beach of the south islet, +they will only need to use their eyes to show them it isn't there. But +it will be snug enough on the outer side of the island, where they won't +dream of looking for it, and where we can use it whenever we like--for +we'll shift our camp down there to-day.... God knows how long we may +have to live here if anything has happened to the _Fray Bentos_ and the +_Francesca_ and so we must run no needless risks." + +"Right," I assented, "and see, the wind is falling steadily, and there's +not much of a swell inside the lagoon now. Why not let us try and +take the raft away with us at once, instead of coming for her in the +morning?" + +We cut down a couple of young saplings for poles, carried the raft to +the water, and launched it. It was big enough to support five or six +people, but floated like a feather, and, to our delight, we found that +we could pole it along in shallow water with the greatest of ease. By +four o'clock we reached the island, and carried our craft up from the +inner beach into a clump of trees. This spot, we thought, would make a +good camp, as from it we commanded not only a good view of the lagoon, +but of the sea to the south and west, and we felt certain that if Guest +turned up all right, he would look for us at this end of the atoll--even +if he made it from the northward, and had to run the coast down. + +By supper time we had fixed ourselves up comfortably for the night. The +rain now only fell at long intervals, the wind had fallen to a strong, +steady breeze, and we made up a fire, and cooked some more fish, of +which there were still numbers to be had on the beach merely for the +trouble of picking them up. Then we ate our supper, smoked a pipeful of +our precious tobacco between us, and discussed our plans for the morrow, +Yorke listening to my suggestions as if they were put forward by a man +of his own age and experience, instead of by one who was as yet but a +young seaman, and a poor navigator. + +"I am quite sure," he said in his slow, quiet way, as he passed me +the pipe, "that you and I will get along here all right for weeks, +months--years even, if it has pleased the Almighty to take our +shipmates, and we have to live here till we are taken off by some ship, +or can build a boat. Your knowledge of ways and means of getting food, +and living in such a place as this, is of more value than my seamanship +and knowledge of navigation. Come, let us get out to the beach and take +a look at the weather." + +He placed his hand on my shoulder in such a kindly manner, as his bright +blue eyes looked into mine, that, with the impulsiveness of youth, +together with my intense admiration for the character of the man +himself, I could not help saying: + +"Captain Yorke! Please don't think I was boasting of what I could do in +the way of getting food for us--and all that. You see, I have been in +the South Seas ever since I was a kid--and by nature I'm half a Kanaka. +I've lived among natives so long, and----" + +He held up his hand, smiling the while: "I'm glad to have such a good +comrade as you, Drake. You have the makings of a good sailorman in +you, but you're too quick and excitable, and want an old wooden-headed, +stolid buffer like me to steady you. Now let us start." + +We walked across the narrow strip of land to the weather side, and sat +down upon a creeper-covered boulder of coral rock. Before us the +ocean still heaved tumultuously, and the long, white-crested breakers +thundered heavily on the short, fringing reef; but overhead was a +wondrous sky of myriad stars, set in a vault of cloudless blue. + +"The gale is blowing itself out," said my companion. "We shall see a +fine day in the morning. And, Drake, we shall see the brigantine back in +three days." + +"I hope so," I said, laughingly, "but I'm afraid we won't. Both the +brigantine and cutter must have had to heave to, or else run, and if +they have run, they may be two hundred miles away from here by now. And +I think that Guest _would_ run to the westward for open water, instead +of heaving-to among such an infernal lot of reefs and shoals." + +"Whatever he may have done, he, and my cutter, too, are safe, and we +shall see them back in three days," he reiterated, with such quiet +emphasis, and with such a strangely confident, contented look in his +eyes, that I also felt convinced the vessels would, as he said, turn up +safely. + +We sat silent for some minutes, watching the sea, and noting how quickly +the wind was falling, when presently my comrade turned to me. + +"You asked me why I did not try to make the German head station in +Blanche Bay, after my crew were killed," he said. "Well, I'll tell you. +I am frightened of no man living, but I happened to hear the name of the +manager there--a-Captain Sternberg, an ex-captain of the German navy. +He and I served together in the same ship--and I am a deserter from the +German service." + +I was astonished. "You!" I exclaimed; "surely you are not a German?" + +"Indeed, I am," he replied, "and if I fell into the hands or the German +naval authorities, or any German Consul, or other official anywhere, I +should have but a short time in this world." + +"Why, what could they do?" + +"Send me home to be tried--and shot." + +"Surely they cannot shoot a man for desertion in the German navy." + +"There is something beyond desertion in my case-- I killed an officer. +Sternberg knows the whole story, and though as a man and a gentleman he +would feel for me, he would have no hesitation in arresting me and +sending me home in irons, if he could get me. And he could not fail to +recognise me, although eight and twenty years have passed since he last +saw me." + +"But he is not an Imperial officer now," I remarked. + +"Yes, he is. He is Vice-Consul for Germany in the Western Pacific, +and, as such, would have authority to apprehend me, and apprehend me he +certainly would, though, as I have said, he knows my story, and when we +served together, was always a kind and good friend to me, despite the +fact that he was an officer and I was not; for I came from as good a +family as his own--and that goes a long way in both the German army and +navy." + +I made some sympathetic remark, and then Yorke resumed: + +"What I am telling you now--and I'll tell you the whole story--is no +secret, for thousands of people have read of the Brandt extradition case +in the United States. Twenty years ago I was arrested in San Francisco +at the instance of the German Consul there, but managed to escape after +being in custody for six weeks. + +"My real name is Brandt. My father was a German, my mother a Danish +lady--a native of Klampenborg, a small sea-coast town not far from +Copenhagen. My father was an officer in the army, and was well-known as +an Asiatic traveller and linguist, and I was the only child. At fifteen +years ot age, much to my delight, I went into the navy, served one +commission in the Baltic, and two on the west coast of South America. +Then when I was about twenty-one years of age, I was given, through +my father's influence, a minor position on the staff of a scientific +expedition sent out by the German Geographical Society to Arabia. I came +home at the end of a year, and was given three months' leave, at the end +of which I was to join a new ship. + +"Being pretty liberally supplied with money by my father--who was a man +of means--I determined to spend my leave in London, and there I met the +woman who was to prove the ruin of my future. She was the daughter of +the woman in whose house I lodged in Chelsea, and was a very handsome, +fascinating girl about nineteen. I fell madly in love with her, and she +professed to return my feelings, and I, poor young fool, believed +in her. Her mother, who was a cunning old harridan, and greedy and +avaricious to a degree, gave us every opportunity of being together. As +I spent my money most lavishly on the girl, and they both knew my father +was well-off, and I was the only son, they had merely to spread their +net for me to fall into it. + +"Well, I married the girl, both she and her mother promising to keep the +matter secret from my parents until after I returned from my next voyage +and got a commission. I knew well that I should get into very serious +trouble with my superiors if the fact of my marriage became known, but +was so infatuated with the girl that I allowed no considerations to +influence me. + +"A month before my leave expired, I sent my wife over to Bremerhaven, +where I had some friends on whose secrecy I could rely. My ship--a small +gunboat--was being fitted out at that port, and my wife seemed delighted +that she would see me pretty frequently before I sailed. I was cautious +enough not to travel with her from London, for that would have meant +almost certain detection, and, as an additional precaution, she went to +my friends in Bremerhaven under her maiden name. I was to follow her in +a week, by the next steamer. + +"That evening, as I was being driven home to my wife's mother's house in +Chelsea, the horse bolted. I was thrown out of the cab, and half-an-hour +later, I was in a hospital with a broken arm and severe internal +injuries. It was six weeks before I was able to leave England to join +my ship; but my father had written to the navy office, telling of my +accident, and my leave had been extended. During all this time my wife +wrote to me weekly, telling me she was very miserable at my not allowing +her to return to England to nurse me, but would obey me; for I had +written to her and told her not to return, as I did not think it +advisable--the doctors and nurses at the hospital knew I was in the +German navy, and I was then becoming somewhat fearful of the news of my +marriage getting to the knowledge of the naval authorities. + +"When I reached Bremerhaven, I had still three days of my extended +leave to expire, so had no need to report myself; but at once went to my +friends' house, where I met my wife, who was overjoyed to see me again. +My friends, too, welcomed me warmly, though I somehow fancied there +seemed to be some underlying restraint upon them. They were quite a +young couple: the husband was a clerk in the customhouse, and he and I +had been friends from boyhood. + +"In the morning I went to look at my new ship, and was greatly pleased +to find that my old officer, Lieutenant Sternberg, had been appointed +to her. He saw me at once, came along the deck, and spoke very kindly to +me. Whilst he was talking to me, an officer from the port guardship came +on board. He was a very handsome man, about thirty, with a deep +scar across his forehead, and I noticed that he looked at me very +keenly--almost rudely--and I fancied I saw something like a sneer on his +face as he turned away to speak to Sternberg. + +"My young friend, the custom house clerk, whose name was Muller, +returned every day from his office at six o'clock, when we had supper, +and on this occasion I began to tell him of my new ship, and then said +casually: + +"By the way, who is that conceited-looking fellow from the guardship--a +man with an ugly scar across his forehead?" + +"No one answered, and then to my surprise I saw that Muller was looking +inquiringly at my wife, whose face suddenly became scarlet, while Mrs. +Muller bent her face over her plate. Then Muller looked at me and said +quietly: + +"'That was Captain Decker. I believe that he has the honour of the +friendship of Frau Brandt.' + +"There was something so stern in his tones that I could not understand; +but another look at my wife's face filled me with the blackest +misgivings. She had turned a deathly pale, and, faltering something +inaudible, rose from the table and went to her room. Then I asked Muller +what it meant. + +"'Ask your wife,' he said sadly; 'you are my dear friend, and she is my +guest--but her conduct has not been satisfactory.' + +"I now insisted upon him telling me more, and soon learnt the whole +miserable story. My wife had been in the habit of meeting Captain Decker +clandestinely ever since she had been in Bremerhaven, although she had +denied it when Mrs. Muller had indignantly threatened to write and tell +me if she did not at once cease the intimacy. This she had sworn to do, +but, Muller said, she had, he feared, violated her promise frequently, +though he could not absolutely prove it. + +"I went direct to my wife. Instead of a shrinking, trembling woman, +I found a defiant devil--a shameless creature who coolly admitted her +guilt, told me that she had never cared for me, and that she had only +married me to escape from the monotony of her London life with her +mother--if she was her mother, she added with a mocking laugh. + +"Thank God, I didn't hurt her! The revelation was a heavy one, but I +braced myself up, and the rage and contempt that filled me were mingled +with some sort of pity. I did not even reproach her. I had in my pockets +about thirty pounds in English gold. I put down twenty on the table. + +"'There are twenty pounds,' I said--'take it and go. I will send +you another two hundred pounds as soon as I can communicate with my +father--on one condition.' + +"'What is it?' she said sullenly. + +"'That you'll never try to see me, or harass me again. If you do, by +God! I'll kill you.' + +"I promise you that much," she replied. In half an hour she had left the +house, and I never saw or heard of her again. + +"That evening I made special preparations. First of all I wrote to +my poor father, and told him everything, and bade Muller and his wife +goodbye, telling them I was going on board my ship. They, pitying me +deeply, bade me farewell with tears. + +"But I had no such intention. I wanted to settle scores with the man +who had wronged me. At a marine store dealer's that night I bought two +common cutlasses, and waited for my chance. I had learnt that Decker +went to the service club on certain evenings, and stayed very late. + +"My time came the following night. I saw my man come out of the club, +and followed him closely till he entered a quiet street. Then I called +him by name. He turned and faced me and asked me angrily what I wanted. + +"'I am Theodor Brandt,' I said, and handed him one of the two cutlasses +I was carrying under my overcoat. + +"The man was no coward, and fought well, but in less than a minute I ran +him clean through the body. He fell in the muddy street, and by the time +I had dragged him away into the shadow of a high wooden fence +enclosing a timber yard, was dead. Half an hour later I was on board a +fishing-smack, bound for Wangeroog, one of the Frisian Islands, off the +coast. At that place I remained in safety for a month, then got away to +Amsterdam, and from there to Java. Then for the next eight-and-twenty +years, down to this very moment, I have been a wanderer on the face +of the earth. Six years after I escaped I joined an American +man-of-war--the _Iroquois_--at Canton, and when we were paid off in the +States I took out my naturalisation papers. This served me well, when, +two years afterwards, I was recognised at San Francisco by some German +bluejackets as 'Brandt, the murderer of Captain Decker,' and arrested. +Fortunately, I had money, and while the German Consul was trying hard to +get me handed over to the German naval authorities on the Pacific +Coast, my lawyers managed to get me out on bail. I got away down to +the Hawaiian Islands in a lumber ship, and--well, since then I've been +knocking around anywhere and everywhere.... Come, let us turn in." + + + + +Chapter VI + +At dawn the wind had died away to a light breeze, and the sun rose to +shine upon an ocean of unspecked blue. To the eastward, the slopes of +New Britain were hidden from our view by a thick mist, only the tops of +some high mountain peaks far inland showing above, and there seemed +to be every appearance of the fine weather lasting. This gave us much +satisfaction, and after a bathe in a rocky pool on the reef, we ate our +breakfast of fish and coconut with good spirits, then filling our pipes, +went down to the inner beach to bask in the glorious sunshine. + +"If this sort ot weather keeps up," I remarked to Yorke, "I'm afraid +your prediction about our seeing Guest and the cutter in another two +days won't be verified--it'll fall calm before noon to-day, and may keep +so for a week. I've known a calm to last for a solid ten days on the +north side of New Britain." + +"Perhaps so," he replied; "but then the current about here sets strongly +to the eastward, and somehow I feel certain that, wind or no wind, we'll +see the ships." + +"Well, if we do, you ought to give up sailoring, Captain Yorke, and go +into business as a prophet. I for one would always come to you for a +tip. But, joking apart, let us imagine that Guest or the cutter did not +run far to the eastward, but hove-to, and as soon as the hurricane had +blown itself out, headed back for us; in such a case, both vessels may +be within half a day's sail of us at this very moment." + +"That is quite possible--it is also possible they may be within twenty +miles of us, becalmed. It would not surprise me if Guest actually drifts +in sight of these islands, and comes to look for us in his boat." + +"Now that brings me to the kernel of my imagination. I think it very +likely he may have no boat to send, and----" + +He gave me a mighty thump on the back. + +"Good boy! I know what you're thinking of--the raft?" + +"Exactly, Captain. So don't you think it would be as well for us to turn +to at once, and make a couple of good paddles? though in an emergency +the butt ends of dry coconut branches do very well for paddles." + +Then I went on to say that it was quite likely that Guest had lost both +his boats, and the cutter her dingy, before there was time to have them +properly secured; and that the brigantine had lost the whaler, which had +brought us ashore, I was sure of, for she had, as I have mentioned, been +nearly thrown over on her beam ends when struck by the first blast, and +the boat must certainly either have been hopelessly stove when she was +forced below, or torn away from the davits by the weight of water in her +when the ship righted herself. + +We set to at once with a good will--Yorke overhauling the cane +fastenings with which the great bamboos were lashed together, whilst I +went along the beach in search of some young _futu_ trees, the wood of +which is soft when green, but dries hard, and could be easily worked, +even by such a tool as a sheath knife. + +A quarter of a mile from our camp I found just what I wanted--three or +four young _futu_ saplings lying on the ground, torn up by the roots. +Taking two ot the best, I stripped off the branches, and returned to +my companion, who was still at work on the raft, relashing its timbers +wherever needed. + +In a couple of hours I had made quite a decent pair of paddles, each +about four feet in length, and with four inches of blade in the widest +part. Then Yorke, having finished with the raft, went with me along the +beach, and collected some old coconuts for food, and some young ones to +drink, for, as my comrade observed, one never knew what might happen, +and it would be as well to have some provisions all ready to hand in +case of emergency. There were still thousands of dead fish to be +seen everywhere lying on the sand, cast up among the _dbris_ above +high-water mark, but these were now turning putrid, and of no use. + +We had noticed a huge banyan tree not far distant from our sleeping +place, which was the roosting and breeding place of a vast number of +whale birds, so Yorke proposed that we should go there and see if we +could kill some by hurling sticks at them. We had often seen this done +by the natives ot the western Caroline Islands, for the birds are very +stupid, and allow themselves, when not on the wing, to be approached +quite closely. We cut ourselves each a half-dozen of short, heavy +throwing-sticks of green wood, and set out for the rookery, and within +an hour had killed thirty or forty of the poor birds, some of which we +at once picked, cleaned, and roasted. We had no lack of salt, for every +rock and shrub above high-water mark on the weather side of the +island was covered with a thin incrustation of it, caused by the rapid +evaporation of the spray under a torrid sun. The remainder of the birds +we cooked later in the day, intending them as a stand-by. + +In the afternoon we again bathed, this time in the lagoon, and Yorke, +who was one of the strongest and swiftest swimmers, for an European, +that I had ever seen, succeeded in capturing a turtle which was lying +asleep on the surface of the water, and brought it ashore; but it proved +to be so old and poor that we let it go again in disgust. + +Towards the close of the day we again crossed the islet to have a better +look at the New Britain shore, the heavy mist which had hung over it +most of the day having now vanished. That the native owners of the +plantations would put in an appearance before many days had passed I was +certain, for they would be anxious to see what damage had been done by +the hurricane, and no doubt dig up some of the taro, which, as I have +said, was fully grown. + +The moment we emerged from the scrub out upon the eastern shore, we +obtained a splendid view of the opposite coast of the great island, +though the actual shore was not visible on account of the extreme +lowness of the belt of littoral, which was many miles in width; but by +climbing a tree we could just discern the long, dark line of palms, and +here and there a narrow strip of white, denoting either surf or a sandy +beach. + +"Why," I said to Yorke, "that land cannot be more than five miles +distant to its nearest point, and if there are niggers living there we +should see their fires to-night, and----" + +The next moment I uttered a loud hurrah! and nearly fell off the tree +in my excitement, for away on the northern horizon was a sail, shining +snowy-white in the rays of the sinking sun! + +Yorke echoed my cheer. "A day sooner than I prophesied, Drake! Wish we +had a glass, so that we could make out which it is. I am rather inclined +to think it is the _Fray Bentos_ it looks too big for the cutter. +Anyway, whichever it is, she's becalmed; but even if there is not a +breath of wind during the night, she'll be closer in in the morning, as +the current is bound to set her along this way." + +We descended from the tree jubilantly, and I suggested that we should +make a big blaze on the eastern shore, so as to let the ship know we saw +her, but the more cautious Yorke said it would be rather risky. Natives, +he said, might be quite near at that moment, a party of canoes could +have easily crossed over during the day, and we should be none the wiser +unless we happened to see the reflections of their fires, after they had +arrived, on the lagoon waters. So, after waiting another ten minutes, +when the sun set, we returned to camp. + +"Let us kill the fatted calf and divide it between us," said my +companion, taking our plug of tobacco and cutting it in halves; "I'm +going to smoke all night, or at any rate until I fall asleep. Did +you see how the sun set? Well, that thick, yellow haze means a calm +to-morrow, to a dead certainty, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if we +see Guest pulling into the lagoon at daylight, that is, if he has a boat +left." + +I do not think either of us slept for more than a quarter of an hour +that night. That Yorke could have done so, I do not doubt, but I would +persist in talking, getting up, walking about, and smoking, and he, +good-naturedly, kept awake on my account. The night was wondrously calm +and beautiful, so calm and quiet that there was not the slightest surf +on the outer reef, and the only sound that broke the silence would be +the croak of some night-fishing bird, as it rose, prey in bill, from the +slumbering lagoon. + +As soon as ever we could see our way through to the other side of +the island, we were afoot, unheeding the drenching we got from the +dew-soaked trees whenever we touched a branch. Within five minutes after +we had emerged out into the open the sun rose, and a cheer broke from us +when we saw both the cutter and the brigantine lying becalmed about +four miles away, between the islet and the mainland of New Britain, and +almost abreast of where we stood. + +"They have both lost all the boats, I am almost sure," said Yorke, +"or we should see one coming ashore; unless, indeed, a boat is already +pulling down the lagoon on the other side. Let us wait an hour. That +will decide us what to do; if we see no boat between now and then, we +can be assured that Guest has none to send, and that he is waiting for +a breeze, so that he can run in close to the reef, and try to get within +hail of us. I daresay that he has a raft of some sort already made, and +is trying to get closer to the land to send it ashore for us. So we'll +give him a pleasant surprise." + +We waited impatiently till the hour had passed, but could see no sign +of a boat putting off from, or on the way from the brigantine, and were +then certain that she had none to send, as if it had left the vessel, +even at daylight, it would have entered the lagoon and been with us by +that time. + +Whilst we were waiting we had piled together on the shore a great heap +of dried coconut branches, on top of which we threw masses of a thick, +green, saline creeper. This heap we lit as a signal, and a pillar of +dense smoke rose high in the windless atmosphere. It was answered by +Guest in a few minutes--not by a gun, as we expected, but by a similar +signal of smoke, caused by a mass of cotton waste being soaked in coal +tar and ignited. + +"He's answering us," exclaimed Yorke. "Now, let's get the raft launched +and make a start." + +We tore back through the scrub to our camp, I panting with excitement, +Yorke as cool as ever. Carrying the raft down to the water we quickly +put on board the bundles of young coconuts, not deeming it worth while +to bother with the old ones and the cooked birds, as we quite expected +to be alongside the _Fray Bentos_ within three hours at least, the sea +being as calm as a mill-pond, and the raft very light. + +"Go easy, my lad, go easy," said Yorke with a smile, as he saw the state +of flurry I was in. "We've got two or three hours paddling to do, so +don't knock yourself up needlessly. Now, what about our rifles?" + +I had actually forgotten them, but at once ran back for them (the +cartridges we always kept in our pockets), and picking one up in each +hand, tore down the bank again, caught my left foot in a vine, and +pitched upon my nose on the top of the broken coral and pebbles covering +the beach with such violence that had it not been for the muzzle of the +rifle I was carrying in my right hand plunging into the loose stones, +and bringing me up sharply, I might have broken my jaw against a big +boulder, which just caught me on the chin. + +Pretending I was not hurt, though my chin was skinned, and my shoulder +was strained, I picked myself up, handed the rifles to Yorke, and said I +was ready. + +"Take a drink first," he said in his authoritative, yet sympathetic +way, as he opened a young coconut. "Then fill your pipe and rest awhile. +We're in no hurry for ten minutes. Poor chap, you did do a flyer. Talk +about the Gadarene swine! Why you could give them points in running down +steep places!" + +I certainly had given myself a tremendous shaking, for I felt quite +dizzy, but after a few draws at my pipe, said I was fit to paddle the +raft to Cape Horn. + +We pushed off, then poled along shore till we came to the passage, which +was as smooth as glass. Here, on account of the deep water, we had to +take to our paddles, and were soon out in the open sea, heading for +the vessels. The sun was intensely hot, but we took no heed of it, and +congratulated ourselves upon having such a calm sea, instead of +having to paddle against a swell, which would have greatly impeded our +progress. + +For the first mile or so we went along in great style--then, to our +consternation, we suddenly ran right into a heavy tide rip, and away we +went at the rate of three or four knots an hour to the south-east, and +towards the New Britain shore. The belt or tide-rip seemed to be about a +mile in width, and although we paddled furiously in the endeavour to +get out of the whirling, seething stream, it was in vain--the raft spun +round and round with such rapidity that we lost control over, and had +to let her go; for not only were we unable to make any headway, but the +manner in which we were spinning round would not allow us to keep our +feet, and began to make us sea-sick. After half an hour or more of this, +we at last saw a chance of getting out of the rip into a side eddy; and, +putting forth all our strength, we just succeeded in doing so, only to +be menaced by a fresh and more alarming danger. + +Yorke, dashing the pouring perspiration from his brow with his hand, +had just stood up to get a look at the brigantine and cutter, when he +uttered an oath. + +"By God, we're in for it now! Look, here's four canoes, filled with +niggers, heading dead on for us. The beggars see us, too!" + +I stood up beside him, and saw, about a quarter of a mile away, four +canoes, each of which was carrying six or eight natives, coming towards +us at a furious rate. They were, like all New Britain canoes, very low +down in the water, which, together with our own troubles when we were in +the tide rip, had prevented our seeing them long before. + +"Lucky we have not wasted any of our cartridges" said Yorke grimly; +"we'll give them all the fight they want. But let them get closer, while +we head back for the ships. We _must_ get out of this current--we can +lick the niggers easy enough; but if we get into that tide-rip again, +we'll be carried out of sight of the brigantine by midday." + +Plunging our paddles into the water, we sent our bamboo craft along till +we were in absolute safety as far as the tide-rip was concerned. Then +Yorke laid down his paddle. + +"We're all right now, Drake; and now we'll give these man-chawing +beggars a bit of a surprise. They mean to knock us on the head in +another ten minutes, and take our carcasses ashore for to-night's +dinner. You are the younger man, and can shoot better than I, so I'll be +polite and give you first show. Sight for five hundred yards for a trial +shot, at the leading canoe. But wait a minute--don't stand up." + +He quickly piled up the young coconuts in a firm heap, and then stood +over me, his own rifle in hand, whilst I knelt on the bamboos and placed +my rifle on the top of the heap of coconuts. + +I am now, at this time of life, ashamed of the savage instinct that +in those days filled me with a certain joy in destroying human life, +unthinkingly, and without compunction. But I had been brought up in a +rough school, among men who thought it not only justifiable, but correct +and proper to shoot a man--black, or white, or brown, or yellow--who +had done them any wrong. It had been my lot, in the Solomon Islands, to +witness one of the most hideous and appalling massacres of a ship's +crew that was ever perpetrated by natives--a massacre that had filled +my youthful mind with the most intense and unreasoning hatred of all +"niggers," as we called the natives of Melanesia. The memory of that +awful scene had burned itself upon my brain, for the captain and mate +of the vessel were dear friends of mine, and they and their men had +been cruelly slaughtered, not for any wrong they had done--for they were +good, straight men--but simply because their blind confidence in the +savage natives invited their destruction. + +***** + +I steadied my rifle upon the top of the heap of coconuts, and waited +a second or two till every man in the first canoe was in line. Then I +pulled the trigger, and was thrown back bleeding and unconscious, for +the rifle burst just in front of the breech block, which blew out and +struck me on the top of my head, nearly fracturing my skull. + +When I came to again Yorke's face was bending over me. + +"We're all right, Drake. The brigantine is within a mile of us, coming +up with a light air, and we'll be aboard in half an hour. How do you +feel, my son?" + +"Rockotty. Did the rifle burst?" + +"Burst? It burst like a cannon, all but killed you, and a splinter hurt +me in the eye. Drake, my boy, the next time you do the Gadarene swine +trick with a cheap German Snider in your hand, see that the barrel is +clear before you fire it. When you fell that time, your rifle barrel +must have been pretty badly choked with sand and coral pebbles... Now +lie still, and don't worry like an old maid who has lost her cat. You +can do nothing, and will only be a damned nuisance if you _do_ try to +do anything. The brigantine will be here presently, and you'll get your +head attended to, and have 'pretty-pretty' plasters stuck on your nose +and other parts of your facial beauties." + +"Where are the niggers?" I asked. + +"Gone, gone, my dear boy. Vanished, but not vanished in time enough for +five or six of them. I have used every one of our cartridges on the four +canoes, and have had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that I have not +used them in vain. Now stop talking, and let me attend to the ship--the +bamboo ship... There, put your head on my coat; and don't talk." + +***** + +When the _Fray Bentos_ sailed up alongside the raft I was lifted on +board, and placed in my berth, and long days passed ere I saw Yorke +again. + +When I did see him the brigantine was lying at anchor at Rook Island, +and Guest was in my cabin telling me the story of the hurricane--of how +he had lost the two boats within an hour--one being carried away +when the brigantine was all but thrown over on her beam ends, and the +other--the longboat--swept away with everything else on deck--guns, +deck-houses, bulwarks and all. + +"How we escaped smashing into some reef or another I don't know," said +Guest; "but the strangest thing about it all is that Yorke's cutter, +manned by native seamen, managed to stick so close to the _Fray Bentos_; +for when I, running before the hurricane, with my decks swept with +tremendous seas, suddenly ran into smooth water, brought to in fifteen +fathoms, and dropped anchor, there was the _Francesca_ cheek by jowl, +alongside of me." + +"Kanaka sailors' eyesight," I said. "Napoleon never lost sight of the +brigantine for a moment! And, talking about eyesight, how is Yorke's +eye?" + +"Bad, bad, my boy. It is destroyed entirely, and he is now on board +here, in my cabin. He has been asking for you. Do you feel strong enough +to get up and see him?" + +I rose at once, and went into Guest's cabin. Yorke was lying in the +skipper's bunk, and as I entered he extended both hands to me, and +smiled cheerfully, though his left eye was covered with a bandage, and +his brave, square-set face was white and drawn. + +"How are you, Drake, my boy? We had a narrow squeak, didn't we, from the +niggers? And here is Captain Guest worrying and tormenting himself that +he could not fire a gun to scare them off." + +I held his big, right hand between my own, and pressed it gently, for +there was something in his one remaining eye that told me the end of all +was near. + +"Goodbye, dear lad.... Goodbye, Captain Guest. _I_ know what is the +matter with me--erysipelas--and erysipelas to a big, fat man like me +means death... and if you would put a bullet through my head now you +would do me a good turn... But here, Guest, and you, Drake... your +hands. I'll be dead by to-morrow morning, and want to say goodbye, and +wish good luck to you both, before I begin babbling silly twaddle about +things that are of no account now... of no account now... not worth +speaking about now. But the South Seas are a rotten sort of a place, +anyway." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + +***** This file should be named 23821-8.txt or 23821-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/2/23821/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Yorke The Adventurer + 1901 + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: January 28, 2008 [EBook #23821] +Last Updated: March 8, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + YORKE THE ADVENTURER + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Louis Becke + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h4> + T. Fisher Unwin, 1901 + </h4> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> Chapter I </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> Chapter II </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> Chapter III </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> Chapter IV </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> Chapter V </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> Chapter VI </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter I + </h2> + <p> + In that delightful and exciting book, written by Captain Joshua Slocum, + and entitled, “Sailing Alone Round the World,” there is a part wherein the + adventurous American seaman relates how he protected himself from night + attacks by the savages by a simple, but efficient precaution. It was his + custom, when he anchored for the night off the snow-clad and inhospitable + shores of Tierra del Fuego, to profusely sprinkle his cutter's deck with + sharp tacks, and then calmly turn in and sleep the sleep of the just; for + even the horny soles of the Fuegian foot is susceptible to the business + end of a tack; and, as I read Slocum's story, I smiled, and thought of + dear old Yorke and the <i>Francesco</i>. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + I first met Yorke early in the “seventies.” Our vessel had run in under + the lee of the South Cape of New Britain to wood and water, and effect + some repairs, for in working northward through the Solomon Group, on a + special mission to a certain island off the coast of New Guinea, we had + met with heavy weather, and had lost our foretopmast. In those days there + was not a single white man living on the whole of the south coast of New + Britain, from St. George's Channel on the east, to Dampier's Straits on + the west—a stretch of more than three hundred miles, and little was + known of the natives beyond the fact of their being treacherous cannibals. + In Blanche Bay only, on the northern shore, was there a settlement of a + few adventurous English traders—the employees of a rich German + company—and these were only acquainted with the natives in their own + vicinity. Even the masters of trading vessels avoided the south coast of + the great island, not only on account of the dangerous character of its + inhabitants, but also because there was not, they thought, anything to + tempt them to risk their and their crews' lives—for the shore nearly + everywhere presented a line of dense unbroken forest, with but scanty + groves of coco-palms at long intervals, and even had there been many such + groves, no communication could be had with the people. In the wild days of + the “seventies” the practice of cutting up and drying the coconut into + what is known as “copra” had scarcely made any headway in those parts of + New Britain, New Ireland, and the Solomon and New Hebrides Groups which + were visited by trading vessels—the nuts were turned into oil by a + crude and wasteful process known as “rotting.” + </p> + <p> + The captain of our little vessel was one of the oldest and most + experienced trading skippers in the Western Pacific, grim, resolute, and + daring, but yet cautious of his men's lives, if not of his own; so when he + decided to anchor under the lee of the South Cape, he chose a part of the + coast which seemed to be but scantily inhabited. The dense forest which + came down to the water's edge concealed from view any village that might + have been near us; but the presence of smoke arising from various spots + denoted that there were some natives living in the vicinity, though we + could not see any canoes. + </p> + <p> + We brought to about half a mile from the shore. Two boats were at once + lowered, manned, and armed, and under the captain's guidance, set out to + search for water, which we knew we should have but little difficulty in + finding, even on the south coast of New Britain, which is not nearly so + well watered as the northern shore of the island. In the captain's boat + were six men besides himself; I was in charge of the covering boat, manned + by six native seamen and carrying three water-casks—all we could + stow. + </p> + <p> + Pulling in together, close to the shore, the captain then went ahead, my + boat following at the regulation distance of fifty yards, only four hands + rowing in each, leaving four men to keep a look-out for natives. + </p> + <p> + Presently the skipper turned to me, and pointed shoreward. + </p> + <p> + “That's the place for us, Drake—between those two spurs—just + round this point. There's bound to be water there.” + </p> + <p> + The place which he indicated was about two miles distant to the eastward, + and the crews gave way with good will, for the prospect of having a drink + of pure water after the brackish and ill-smelling stuff we had been + drinking for a fortnight, was very pleasing. Although but a little past + nine o'clock in the morning the day was intensely hot, and windless as + well, and the perspiration was streaming down the naked chests and backs + of our sturdy native sailors. The only sounds that broke the silence were + the cries of birds—cockatoos and large green and scarlet parrots, + which screamed angrily at us as the boats passed close in to the dense, + steamy jungle of the littoral. + </p> + <p> + Just as the captain's boat rounded the point, we heard a cry of + astonishment from his crew, a cry that was echoed by ourselves half a + minute later; for there in the centre of a small landlocked bay, was a + cutter lying at anchor! She appeared to be of about thirty or forty tons, + had an awning spread aft, and presented a very weather-worn appearance; + her rudder was gone, and the upper part of her stern badly damaged. There + was no one visible on deck, but presently, in answer to the captain's + hail, the face of an old, white-haired man, appeared above the companion. + </p> + <p> + “Come on board,” he called out in clear, vigorous tones, and we saw him + take up a broom, which was lying on the skylight, and begin to sweep the + after-deck vigorously with one hand, the other being in a sling. + </p> + <p> + “Guess he's a lunatic,” said Captain Guest, turning to me with a laugh. + But we had no time to indulge in surmises, for in a few minutes we were + drawing up alongside; the stranger was standing at the stern, broom in + hand, watching us. + </p> + <p> + “Step on board here, over the stern, please,” he said, and then he added + quickly, “but are you all wearing boots?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” answered the captain, now quite sure the old man was wrong in his + head, “some of my men have no boots.” + </p> + <p> + “Then they had better not come aboard,” he said with a quiet, amused + smile, as he saw our puzzled faces. + </p> + <p> + The moment Captain Guest and myself stepped over the rail and shook hands + with the stranger, we saw the reason for the broom—the entire deck, + except the small space aft which had just been swept, was covered with + broken glass! + </p> + <p> + “Glad to see you, gentlemen. My name is Yorke, and this cutter is the <i>Francesco</i>.” + </p> + <p> + “And my name is Guest. I am master of the brigantine <i>Fray Sentos</i>, + of Sydney, lying just round the point, and this is Mr. Drake, my + supercargo.” + </p> + <p> + “Sit down here on the skylight, gentlemen, out of the way of the glass—my + cabin is very small.” + </p> + <p> + “Guess it would have to be a pretty big one if you had another two men + like yourself to share it,” said Guest with a laugh, as he surveyed our + new friend's proportions. And indeed he was right, for Yorke was over six + feet in height, rather stout, and with a chest like a working bullock. His + face and neck were deeply bronzed to a dark tan, and presented a striking + and startling yet pleasing contrast to his snowy-white hair, moustache, + and eyebrows; his clear, steely blue eyes were in consonance with the + broad, square jaw, and the man's character revealed itself in his features—strong, + courageous, dominant, and self-reliant. + </p> + <p> + The moment Captain Guest mentioned that our men were thirsty and would + like a drink of water, Yorke became the soul of hospitality, and told them + to come on board and help themselves, while for Guest and myself he + produced a couple of bottles of excellent Tennant, and took a glass of it + himself. + </p> + <p> + “Now, do you know, gentlemen,” he said as he sat down on the cutter's + rail, facing us, “this morning I had a dream? I thought I heard some one + call out, 'All ready there, for'ard?' and I heard the rattle of a cable + through the hawse-pipes. Then I woke and looked at the clock—it was + just half-past seven.” + </p> + <p> + “And at half-past seven we let go anchor, a good four miles from here. + Surely you could not have heard us at such a distance.” + </p> + <p> + “No, that's a fact. So, when I did hear you hail just now I knew my dream + was verified. As a rule, dreams aren't worth a bag of shakings.” + </p> + <p> + “Where are your crew, captain?” I asked. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, now I've a yarn to tell you. I'm the only man on board—my mate + and every man of my crew were massacred about six weeks ago off the north + end of New Ireland, and I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. And now + you can guess the meaning of all this glass on the deck. There's plenty of + niggers all around us here, and that broken glass is a splendid protection + for me at night time. Since I lost my men they have made two attempts to + cut me off at night time, once at a place just the other side of Cape St. + George and once near here. But,” and he laughed softly, “they didn't stay + on deck more than five seconds, I can assure you. I'll tell you the whole + yarn presently. But say, captain—can you help me to a new rudder? I + lost mine a week ago, and having a bad hand have not been able to do + anything towards making one myself.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly I will. I'll send my carpenter to you as soon as we get back to + the ship; or, better still, we'll tow you down to the Fray Bentos. But we + are in want of water and firewood, and I should like to take some of both + back with me.” + </p> + <p> + He thanked Guest warmly, and added that, although the cutter had no + rudder, she would steer very well with a sweep; and then he informed us + there was good running water within a couple of cables' length of the + cutter, also plenty of wood, and offered to take us to the place. We need + not, he said, apprehend any attack by the natives, as our party was too + large, and the spot where we could fill the casks was in fairly open + country, and by stationing a sentry or two on each side of the creek, we + could both wood and water with safety. + </p> + <p> + “There is a village about six miles along the coast from here, and no + doubt it was the people from there who boarded me the other night, for I + saw a lot of canoes on a little beach there. I think it must be the + largest village for many miles hereabout. Now, do you see all those + columns of smoke? Some, you will notice, are very thin and bluish, while + others are almost black; the thin ones are only from native ovens, the + others are signals to the various smaller villages to the eastward—by + this time every nigger within fifty miles of us knows that your ship is at + anchor. I hope you left plenty of men on board?” “Plenty, and ours is a + well-armed crew.” Just as he was stepping into the captain's boat, I asked + him what was the matter with his hand. He replied carelessly that he had + “managed to get a bit of a knock,” and would be glad if I would look at it + when we returned to the cutter, as it was rather painful at times. + </p> + <p> + The boats were soon under way for the shore, and in a quarter of an hour + we entered a narrow but deep creek, not wide enough to permit us using our + oars; but this was of no consequence, for each boat carried half a dozen + canoe paddles. Within a hundred yards up from the entrance we found the + water to be quite fresh, and while some of the men started to fill the + casks, the rest, except the sentries, made for a clump of about a dozen + coconut-trees growing close beside a magnificent grove of areca-palms. + Every nut that was young enough to drink was quickly thrown down, and + carried to the boats. Then we set to work to collect firewood, and two or + three dry, solid logs were dragged down into the creek, lashed together, + and then, with them and the filled water casks in tow, we returned merrily + to the <i>Franceses</i> hoisted up our water casks, swept up all the + glass, shovelled it into a hogshead standing on the deck, hoisted her + mainsail, and hove up her anchor, glad of having accomplished our task so + easily and so quickly. A light air had sprung up, and the vessel, aided by + the boats, made good progress towards our brigantine, despite the logs + towing astern. + </p> + <p> + Our new friend asked me if I would mind coming below with him, as it was + past three o'clock, and quite time we had something to eat and drink. + </p> + <p> + The cabin certainly was small, but was spotlessly clean, and exceedingly + well furnished. It contained three bunks, two of which were hidden from + view by neat cretonne curtains. + </p> + <p> + “That was my poor young mate's bunk,” he said sadly, “and the other was + the boatswain's. Now, will you please pass these up on deck?” + </p> + <p> + From a locker he took out a dozen or more of ale, two bottles of spirits, + and a number of tins of beef, sardines, etc., together with an ample + supply of biscuit. These I passed up to Guest, who, at Yorke's request, + ordered the boats alongside, so that the crews could get some dinner, and + a stiff glass of grog all round. Then we ourselves ate a most hearty meal, + rendered the more enjoyable by the deliciously cool beer—a liquor + which, until that day, we had not tasted for quite four or five months. As + soon as we had finished, I asked him to let me examine his hand. + </p> + <p> + “Can you do a bit of cutting?” he asked, as I began to remove the + bandages. + </p> + <p> + “Rather,” answered Guest for me, “Drake loves to dig out a bullet, + especially—doesn't he, Napoleon?” + </p> + <p> + Napoleon was one of our native crew—a short, nuggety little Tongan, + who, in an attack made on our boats nearly a year before, had received a + bullet in the calf of the leg. I had succeeded in extracting it without + unduly mutilating the patient, for I had once acted as amateur assistant + to a medical missionary in Samoa, and had seen a good many bullets + extracted during a very lively six months' native war. + </p> + <p> + When I saw the condition of Yorke's hand, I was startled. It was + enormously swollen from the tips of the fingers to the wrist, and badly + lacerated and bruised all over the back, and presented a very dangerous + appearance. The pain he had endured, and was enduring at the moment, must + have been something atrocious, and I felt a sudden respect and admiration + for a man who could attend to <i>our</i> wants before thinking of himself. + </p> + <p> + “Good heavens!” said Guest sympathisingly, “how did it happen?” + </p> + <p> + He told us that ten days previously the cutter had struck on a reef in the + night. She bumped heavily three or four times, but would have worked + across the reef without serious damage, as there was a good breeze, had + not a sea taken her on the bows, thrown her aback, and driven her stern + first against the one exposed portion of the reef, tearing away her + rudder, and smashing all the upper part of her stern. Yorke, who was + half-stunned by the boom swinging over, and striking him on the head as he + was rising to his feet after being hurled along the deck, felt that he had + received an injury to his hand, which was bleeding profusely. But just + then he gave no thought to it, for the next two or three seas fortunately + carried the cutter over the reef into deep water and safety. When he came + to examine his hand, he found it had been crushed, probably by a piece of + the heavy hardwood rail, and several splinters were protruding from the + back and wrist. These he had succeeded in extracting, but the pain + continued to increase day by day, and the palm of the hand began to swell + and gather. + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps there's a bit of timber in there yet,” he remarked to us. + </p> + <p> + I thought so also, and so did Guest, and after torturing the poor fellow a + few minutes, I located the exact spot—just below the ball of the + thumb. + </p> + <p> + “Captain Yorke,” I said, “I can cut it out, I am sure. But, frankly, the + thumb is a dangerous thing for an amateur surgeon to meddle with, and——” + </p> + <p> + “I know,” he interrupted quietly, “but I'd rather run the risk of lockjaw + than the certainty of blood poisoning, and I know that that is what it + will turn to. Last night I made up my mind to cut into the damned thing + this morning if that last poultice I put on had no effect. Now go ahead. + There's a bottle of carbolic acid below, which will be useful, and my + pocket-knife has a razor-edge.” + </p> + <p> + In less than five minutes I set to work, and in a few more, to my intense + satisfaction—for I felt nervous—the thing was done, and I had + extracted a piece of wood half an inch long, and as thick as a small + quill. Then Guest and I carefully washed the wound over and over again in + a solution of carbolic acid, and in half an hour the hand was bound up <i>pro + tem</i>. Poor Yorke bore the pain without the twitching of an eyelid, and + I felt a sincere thankfulness when, two hours later, we saw the change + that relief from intense physical suffering had effected in his features. + </p> + <p> + When we reached the brigantine, I was able to bandage the injured hand in + a more shipshape and proper manner, as we had an ample supply of lint and + other requirements; and within ten days he could use his hand freely, + though it took a much longer time for a thorough recovery. That he was + deeply grateful to us he showed us in many quiet ways; and before he had + been with us a week, both the captain and myself, and, indeed, every one + else on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i> had grown to like the man immensely, + though at times he would become unaccountably moody and silent, and keep + to himself, only speaking in answer to a direct question. But, even then, + he never attempted to directly avoid us, and was always civil, even to any + of our native crew who might speak to him. + </p> + <p> + “Guess he thinks a lot about those poor men of his,” said Guest to me one + day. + </p> + <p> + That first evening we had a very pleasant supper. Yorke was with us, and + during the meal he gave us a detailed account of his voyage, and of the + massacre of his little vessel's company. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter II + </h2> + <p> + He had, he told us, bought the <i>Francesco</i> at Sourabaya about three + years before, and after making several trading voyages between Manila and + the Ladrone Islands—voyages which did not pay as well as he had + anticipated—he fell in with the master of a Hobart Town whaler, who + strongly advised him to go farther eastwards and southwards, particularly + about the Admiralty Group and their vicinity, where a few colonial vessels + were doing very well, trading for coconut oil, beche-de-mer, sandalwood, + tortoise-shell and pearl-shell. Yorke took his advice and made a very + successful voyage to the Admiralties, taking a cargo of pearl-shell to + Singapore. This he sold very profitably, and was soon at sea again. On + reaching the Admiralty Group, however, he was prevented from trading by + the hostility of the natives, though on his previous visit they had been + very friendly; and so, fearing that they might cut off the vessel, he + decided to leave. He had with him a native of Yap, one of the Caroline + Islands—a man who had wandered about the North and South Pacific + from his boyhood. His name was Rul, and he was not only a good seaman and + an expert diver, but spoke fluently nearly a score of Melanesian and + Micronesian dialects. + </p> + <p> + On the evening of the day that the cutter left Callie Harbour, on + Admiralty Island, Yorke called his six men together, and told them that he + was very undecided what to do. (I found out afterwards that he had a way + of taking his crew into his confidence—“It pleases them,” he said, + “and has proved very useful on a number of occasions when their goodwill + meant much to me “). + </p> + <p> + After telling them that he did not like to risk their lives by trying to + return to Callie Harbour, he asked if they were willing to sail with him + to the southwestern coast of New Guinea, where, he had heard, there was a + great deal of pearl-shell to be bought from the natives. At the same time + he pointed out to them that it would be a risky undertaking; he had no + chart of that part of the Western Pacific, and, if they lost the ship, + they would stand but little chance of escaping from the cannibal natives. + </p> + <p> + “Then,” he went on, “this fellow Rul said that although he and the other + natives on board were quite willing to go anywhere with me, <i>he</i> knew + of a place only two days' sail away to the eastward where there was not + only plenty of black-edge pearl-shell, but hawkbill turtle-shell as well. + He had, he said, been cast away there in a whaleship, and remained on the + island three months, could speak a little of the language, and gave me the + names of several villages and harbours, but did not know the name of the + island as a whole. + </p> + <p> + “I brought up my chart, and in a few seconds I discovered the names he had + mentioned. The island was New Hanover, and, with the northerly breeze then + blowing, I knew we should be there in twenty-four hours. So I made up my + mind to try the place; for Rul was a thoroughly trustworthy fellow, and I + knew I could depend on him. + </p> + <p> + “My mate was a young American named Ted Merriman, a native of New London, + Connecticut, a fine sailorman, and a good navigator. My boatswain, too, + was one of the right sort; and, as for the rest, although they were all + natives, they were good seamen, and I had never had a sulky look from any + one of them since they first shipped with me. + </p> + <p> + “We anchored just off a village which Rul knew, and in a few minutes the + people came off to us in crowds and filled the deck. Many of them + recognised Rul, and they all showed great friendliness and eagerness to + trade; and I, like a cocksure fool, was thrown off my guard.” + </p> + <p> + He ceased speaking, sighed, then lit his pipe and smoked in silence for + awhile, and it was evident to us all that, although he was not an + emotional man, he was strongly affected by the memory of the tragedy, and + reproached himself keenly. + </p> + <p> + “Everything went well for the two following days,” he resumed; “the + natives had over ten tons of good black-edge shell, all of which I bought + from them, paying for it principally in tobacco. It was worth to me in + Singapore about £65 a ton, and only cost me about £3 a ton, so you may + imagine that I felt very well satisfied. Then, besides the pearl-shell I + bought nearly five hundredweight of splendid hawkbill turtle-shell, giving + but two or three sticks of tobacco for an entire carapace of thirteen + plates weighing between two and three pounds, and, as you know, hawkbill + shell is worth eight dollars a pound in Hongkong, and much more in London + or Hamburg.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Yorke,” said Guest, with a laugh, “you should not have told us + this. Drake here is a very good fellow, but in business matters—as a + supercargo—he'd cut the throat of his best friend.” + </p> + <p> + “Don't believe that, Captain Yorke,” I said, “but at the same time I wish + you had not told us of this place. You certainly have the prior right of + discovery, and ought to have the benefit, so I promise you I will not + repeat to our owners anything you now tell us.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke's face changed, and his bright blue eyes looked into ours with such + a kindly expression that the fascination he already possessed over me + deepened quickly. + </p> + <p> + “You and Captain Guest are welcome to my knowledge, but I trust you will + use it for your own benefit, and not consider your owners. Tell me now, + gentlemen, would they consider <i>you</i>? Would they give you a handsome + bonus for putting, say, five, or six thousand pounds into their pockets?” + </p> + <p> + “I daresay they would give us each a cheque for fifty pounds,” said Guest + meditatively. + </p> + <p> + “Then keep the thing dark,” said the big man energetically, “keep it dark. + Why should you, Captain Guest, and you, Mr. Drake, enrich your owners by + imparting to them this information? I tell you, gentlemen, that all + shipowners are alike, at least I never ran across any that showed much + consideration for any one else's welfare. Nine out of every ten will work + the soul out of their ship-masters and officers, who, when they grow too + old to go to sea, are chucked out into the gutter to die of poverty, + unless they have laid by a nest-egg for their old age.” + </p> + <p> + “That is true enough,” assented Guest, “and our esteemed employers are no + better than the general run. So we will look on what you have just told us + as private; by and by we will all talk over the matter, and see if we + cannot go into the thing together.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke nodded. “I'm with you. I've always played a lone hand hitherto, but + I think that I can pull very well with men like you.” + </p> + <p> + Then he resumed his story. + </p> + <p> + “On the morning of the third day I went ashore with my gun to have a few + hours' shooting on a large swamp, situated about three miles inland from + the village. One of the natives had told Rul that there were great numbers + of wild duck and plover there, and offered to guide me to the place; so, + telling Merriman that I would be back in time for dinner, I started with + the guide. The gun I had with me was a double-barrelled pin-fire + Lefaucheux breech-loader, and just before I left the cutter, I put in a + couple of cartridges, intending to have a shot at some cranes which I saw + walking about on the beach. Most fortunately for me, they flew away before + I could get near enough. Besides the gun, I brought with me a Sharp's + rifle, as the guide said that we should most likely see a wild pig or two + about the swamp. The rifle I gave to him to carry, but the ten cartridges + for it I put in my coat pocket, together with about twenty cartridges for + the gun. + </p> + <p> + “On landing at the village, I was met by the head man, who wanted to know + if I would buy a couple of pigs from him. I told him to take them on board + to the mate, who would pay him; then, the guide leading, we struck out + into the forest. After going about a mile or so, the nigger was joined by + half a dozen young bucks, all armed with spears and clubs. I asked the + guide, who spoke a little English, what they wanted; he replied that they + wished to see me shoot. + </p> + <p> + “'Very well,' I said, 'go ahead then, all of you.' + </p> + <p> + “The bucks grinned, but instead of going ahead stepped back to let me + pass, and fell in, in single file at the rear, the guide still leading. + Now, I didn't like that at all, and I turned round to tell them to go in + front of me; I was just in time to save myself from getting a spear + through my back—as it was, it whizzed through the side of my coat, + and in another second the nigger who threw it had a charge of shot through + his brains. Then, slewing round, I was just able to drop the guide, who + was running off with the rifle. I hit him in the back, and saw him fall, + then took cover behind a big tree to load again; but every other nigger + had vanished, and then I heard a sound that filled me with dread for those + on board the cutter—the loud, hoarse bellowing of conch shells. + </p> + <p> + “I ran over to the guide, who was lying where he had fallen. I don't think + he was mortally wounded, for he was quite thirty yards off when I fired. + However, I made certain of him by cracking his skull with a long-handled + club he carried. Then I loaded the Sharp's rifle, slung it over my + shoulder by its sling; and started back for the village at a run, holding + my shot gun ready cocked. + </p> + <p> + “When I reached the village, I could not see a soul—every house was + deserted, but from the sea front I could hear diabolical yells and cries. + I had to run another hundred yards or more before I came in sight of the + cutter, and the moment I did so, I saw that it was all over with poor + Merriman and the others—the vessel was simply swarming with niggers, + and surrounded by canoes, into which they were already throwing the + plunder! + </p> + <p> + “I rested a minute or so to get my breath and steady my hand, and then + opened fire. The cutter was not two hundred yards away from where I stood, + and the very first shot plumped right into the black, surging crowd on + deck, and one nigger gave his last jump. I fired three more shots into + them before they had time to get into their canoes, or spring overboard to + swim ashore. Most of the canoes made off to the south, around a point, but + three or four of them came right in towards me, heading for the village. I + don't think any of them saw me, for I was lying down among the roots and + <i>débris</i> of a fallen tree, just above high water mark. They came in, + paddling like mad, but not uttering a sound. I waited till the first canoe + was within ten yards of me, and then fired both barrels of my gun in quick + succession right into them, nearly blowing the chest out of the old chief, + who was seated amidships, and wounding all the others. Then I got to work + with my rifle again on the other canoes; and, although the moment they saw + me, the niggers jumped overboard and dived, I got one for every shot of + the last six cartridges—whenever one got into shallow water and + stood up to run, down he went. + </p> + <p> + “Then, taking both shot gun and rifle by the barrels, I smashed them on a + rock, tore off my clothes and boots, and started to swim off to the + vessel, looking behind me every now and then to see if the niggers were + following. But they had had enough of me, and their empty canoes were + drifting about the bay. + </p> + <p> + “I got alongside, clambered up over the waist, and saw a sight I shall + never forget—every one of my poor shipmates had been ruthlessly + slaughtered, and their mutilated bodies, stripped of every bit of + clothing, were lying about the deck. A very brief examination showed me + that every one of them was dead—in fact their heads had been beaten + to pulp, and each body was pierced through and through with spear wounds + and hacked and chopped about with tomahawks; while the deck was just a + puddle of blood, mixed with sticks of tobacco, pieces of print, knives, + and all sorts of trade goods. + </p> + <p> + “The first thing I did was to try and hoist the mainsail so as to get + under way, but the black devils had cut away a lot of the running gear, + and the halliards had been severed and lay on the deck, ready to be taken + on shore with the other loot littered about, though the sail itself had + not been damaged. The jib and staysail, also, I could not hoist: they were + lying in a heap on the windlass with a dead nigger on top, and, further + aft, were another two of the gentry, one dead and one with a smashed thigh + bone. I slung the wounded man overboard to the sharks, and then began to + consider what was best to do. The niggers, I felt certain, would not + tackle the cutter again, when they knew I was safe on board, but I + determined to make certain. + </p> + <p> + “You noticed those two brass three-pounders I carry? Well, the first thing + I did was to load them with heavy charges of round bullets, and some nuts + and bolts. Then I got up a dozen or so of rifles, and plenty of + ammunition, and laid them in readiness on the skylight; for, although the + niggers had turned my cabin upside down when looting the ship, there were + any amount of small arms and various stores in the little hatch under the + cabin table; besides these, I had some more in my own berth in a locker. + </p> + <p> + “Just as I was taking a long drink at the scuttle butt, I saw some of the + niggers creeping back to the village through the trees, and watching what + I was doing. I soon let them know. + </p> + <p> + “The cutter had swung round, and was broadside on to the houses, so taking + the gun on the port side over to the starboard, I secured it well, and + then trained it with the other on the biggest house in the village—a + sort of meeting-house or temple, or some such darned thing. I can tell + you, gentlemen, I felt as if I could laugh when I saw quite a score of the + black swine go into this house, one after another. I had friction tubes in + both guns, and waited for another five minutes; then I fired them one + after another. Whether many or any niggers were killed, I do not know; but + there was a fearful howling, which did me good to hear, and the front of + the house went into splinters under the heavy charges of the guns, and in + five seconds the village was deserted again. + </p> + <p> + “Before I did anything more for my own safety, I got some sailcloth and + rugs, and covered the bodies of my shipmates—the dreadful appearance + they presented just unnerved me, and I felt like sitting down and crying. + But I had to hustle. I wanted to get under way as quickly as possible + before darkness came on, and it was now noon. + </p> + <p> + “First of all I rove the mainsail halliards, and then bent on the jib, + stopping only now and then to fire a rifle at the village, just to let the + natives know I was keeping my eyes skinned. Then I hoisted the mainsail + and hove up my anchor without any trouble, for the wind was very light, + and got a good cant off shore as soon as I ran up the jib. + </p> + <p> + “As soon as I was well away from the land, I stood north—about so as + so clear Cape Queen Charlotte, the westerly point of New Hanover, and ran + on for three or four hours, the vessel steering herself while I sewed up + poor Merriman's and the boatswain's bodies as well as I could under the + circumstances. I should have done the same for the natives had I had the + time, especially for Rul, but I had not. About dusk I brought to, just off + the Cape, and dropped them over the side one after another—only just + realising, ten minutes previously, that I was still stark naked! + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + “After rounding the north point of New Hanover, I stood away down the + coast of New Ireland till I made Gerrit Denys Island, where I anchored for + a couple of days, the natives being very friendly, and giving me all the + fresh provisions I wanted for a little tobacco and some hoop-iron. There + was an old white beachcomber named Billy living with them; he seemed to do + pretty well as he liked, and had a deal of influence with them, not + allowing any one of them to hang about the vessel after sunset, and each + night he slept on board with me. I gave him a case of Hollands for lending + me a hand to set up my rigging, which so pleased him that he turned to and + got drunk in ten minutes. + </p> + <p> + “After leaving Gerrit Denys I had a hard struggle to make Cape St. George, + on the south end of New Ireland. For eight or ten days I had rainy + weather, with heavy squalls from the eastward, and did not feel very well + into the bargain, for I had a touch of fever and ague.” + </p> + <p> + I asked him how he managed at night-time as regarded sleep. + </p> + <p> + He laughed quietly, and assured us that he never lost a night's rest + during the whole of the time he was at sea. He would simply “scandalise” + his mainsail without reefing it, haul the staysail sheet to windward, and + let the cutter head reach till daylight. The <i>Francesco</i> he said—and + I afterwards found out that he was not over-rating her qualities—was + a marvellous little vessel for taking care of herself. + </p> + <p> + “Well, I jogged along till one Sunday morning, when I made the land + between Cape Bougainville and Cape St. George. It had been raining in + torrents for two days, and I was feeling a bit done up; so, picking out a + quiet little bay with thick forest growing right down to the water's edge, + and not a sign of a native or native house, I ran in and let go in fifteen + fathoms, but within a stone throw of the shore. And I'll be hanged, + gentlemen, if I did not see, ten minutes afterwards, the smoke of half a + dozen signal fires rising over the trees from as many different places, + and all within three miles of the cutter. However, I was too weak to heave + up again, even had I felt inclined. I wanted to cosset myself up, and get + a good sweating between thick blankets to drive some of the fever out of + me; and, niggers or no niggers, I meant to do so that day. Then I thought + of a dodge—I mean the broken-glass trick. + </p> + <p> + “In the hold were half a dozen barrels of empty gin, beer, and whisky + bottles. We had put them aside to give to the Admiralty Island people—especially + the women and children—who attached some value to them as water + holders. I brought up sixty or seventy dozen, and smashed them up in a + clean hogshead. Then I turned the whole lot out in a heap on the main + hatch, got a shovel, and covered the entire deck fore and aft, first + getting all loose ropes, &c, out of the way, as I did not want to get + any glass in my own hands when I next handled the running gear. After that + I went below, lit a spirit lamp, and made myself a big bowl of hot soup—real + hot soup—a small tin of soup and bouilli, and a half bottle of + Worcester sauce with a spoonful of cayenne pepper and a stiff glass of + brandy thrown in. + </p> + <p> + “It touched me up, I can tell you, but I knew it would do me good as I lay + down in my bunk, rolled myself in a heavy blanket, and piled over me every + other rug and blanket I could find. In half an hour I was sweating + profusely, for not only was the soup remedy working, but the little cabin, + having every opening closed, was stiflingly hot. However, I stuck it out + for a good two hours, till I felt I could stand it no longer; so I got up, + unfastened my cabin door to get some air, and began rubbing myself down + with a coarse towel. Heavens! it felt delightful; for although my bones + still ached, and I was very shaky on my legs, my head was better, and my + spirits began to rise. I put on my pyjamas, went on deck, and had a look + round. It was nearly dark, the rain had cleared off, a young moon was just + lifting over the trees, and the little bay was as quiet as the grave—except + for the cries of a colony of flying foxes which lived in a big <i>vi</i> + tree just a cable's length away from the cutter. + </p> + <p> + “I knew that the New Britain and New Ireland natives don't like going out + after dark, and that if these people meant mischief to me, they would wait + till just before daylight, when they would expect to find everyone on + board asleep; so, feeling much better and stronger, I turned in at eight + o'clock, and slept till past midnight. I made some coffee, drank it, and + laid down again, dozing off every now and then till just before dawn. Then + I heard a sudden rush on deck, followed by the most diabolical howls and + yells as twenty or thirty niggers jumped overboard with bleeding feet, + many of them leaving their clubs lying on the deck. I put my head out of + the cabin, and gave them half a dozen revolver shots, but I'm afraid I + didn't hit any of the beggars. + </p> + <p> + “I got away on the same morning, and made a fine run right across St. + George's Channel, and along the New Britain coast till I made Cape + Roebuck. Once the cutter did a steady nine knots for thirty hours. After + running on that reef, I did not drop anchor again till I brought up off a + rocky beach a few miles from here; and there the niggers made another try + to get me, but the broken glass again proved effectual.” + </p> + <p> + “It's a mighty smart dodge, Captain Yorke,” said Guest, as we rose and + shook hands with him, for he was going to sleep on board his own vessel. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter III + </h2> + <p> + We lay under the lee of the South Cape or New Britain for nearly a + fortnight, during which time we effected all the necessary repairs to our + own vessel, and fitted Yorke's cutter with a new rudder. So far he had not + told us anything further of his intentions as regarded either the further + prosecution of his trading voyage, or its abandonment. At breakfast one + morning, Guest told him that he (Yorke) could have a couple of our native + hands to help him work the cutter to Manila, or any other port in the + China Seas, if he so desired. + </p> + <p> + He stroked his big, square jaw meditatively. + </p> + <p> + “That is very kind of you, Captain Guest,” he said; “but to tell you the + exact truth, I don't know my own mind at this moment. I've a hazy sort of + an idea that I'd like to keep the Fray Bentos company for a bit longer. I + can outsail you in light winds—and I really don't care what I do + now. And if you can spare me a couple of hands, I could jog along in + company with you indefinitely. But, please understand me—I don't + want to thrust myself and the <i>Francesco</i> into your company if <i>you</i> + don't want<i> me</i>. As a matter of fact, I don't care a straw where I go—but + I certainly would like to keep in company with you, if you don't object. + Perhaps you would not mind telling me where you are bound?” + </p> + <p> + Guest looked at me interrogatively. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Captain Yorke,” I said, “one confidence begets another; your + confidence in us is worth a heap of money to Guest and myself, and, to be + perfectly frank and straightforward with you, the captain and myself + intended to lay a proposition before you whereby we three might possibly + go into this New Hanover venture on our own hook. But Guest and myself are + bound to our present employers for another seven months.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke nodded. “That will be all right. I'm ready to go in with you, either + at the end of seven months or at any other time which may suit you. You + can count on me. I'm not a rich man, nor yet am I a poor man; in fact, + there's a thousand pounds' worth of stuff under the <i>Francesco's</i> + hatches now.” + </p> + <p> + “Well then, Captain Yorke,” I said, “as Guest here leaves me to do all the + talking, I'll tell you <i>why</i> we are so far up to the northward, out + of our usual beat. We heard in Samoa that a big ship, named the <i>Sarawak</i> + had run ashore and been abandoned at Rook Island, in Dampier Straits, + between the west end of New Britain and the east coast of New Guinea, and + both Guest and myself know her to be one of the largest ships out of + Liverpool; she left Sydney for Hongkong about six months ago with a + general cargo. And 'there be pickings,' for she is almost a new vessel, + and her gear and fittings alone, independent of her cargo, ought to be + worth a thousand pounds. All we could learn at Samoa was that she had run + up on a ledge of reef on Rook Island, and that the skipper, with three + boats' crews, had started off for Thursday Island, in Torres Straits. Now, + it is quite likely that, if she has not broken up, there may be a lot of + money hanging to it.” + </p> + <p> + “For your owners!” said Yorke, with his slow, amused smile. + </p> + <p> + “Just so, Captain Yorke. 'For our owners,' as you say. But even our + owners, who are rather 'sharp' people, are not a bad lot—they'll + give Guest and myself a bonus of some sort if we do them good over this + wrecked ship.” + </p> + <p> + “And if you don't 'do them good'?” he asked, with the same half-humorous, + half-sarcastic smile. + </p> + <p> + “If we don't, the senior partner in our highly-esteemed, sailor-sweating + firm, will tell Guest and myself that we 'made a most reprehensible + mistake,' and have put the firm to a considerable loss by doing too much + on our own responsibility.” + </p> + <p> + He nodded as I went on—“We heard of this wreck from the officers of + a French cruiser which called at Samoa while we were there. They sighted + her lying high and dry on the reef, sent a boat ashore, and found her + abandoned. She was bilged, but not badly, as far as they could see. On the + cabin table was nailed a letter, written by the captain, saying that being + unable to float the ship again, and fearing that he and his unarmed crew + would be attacked by the savages, he was starting off in his boats for + Thursday Island, the nearest port. Now, that is a big undertaking, and the + chances are that the poor fellows never reached there. However, Guest and + I thought so much of the matter that we hustled through our business in + Samoa, and sailed the next day direct for Rook Island, instead of doing + our usual cruise to the eastward. But we met with fearful weather coming + up through the Solomon Group, lost our foretopmast, and strained badly. + And here we are now, tied up by the nose off the South Cape of New Britain + instead of being at Rook Island at work on that wreck.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke thought a moment. “Well, gentlemen, let me come in with you—just + for the fun of the thing. I don't want to get any money out of it, I + assure you, and I'll lend you a hand with the wrecking work.” + </p> + <p> + “Agreed,” said Guest, extending his hand, “but only on this condition—whatever + our owners give Drake and myself, we three divide equally.” + </p> + <p> + “As you please, as you please,” he said. “Now come aboard my little + hooker, and have a look at what is in the hold.” + </p> + <p> + We went on board the Francesco with him, and made an examination of her + small but valuable cargo, and Guest and I agreed that he had + underestimated its worth by quite four hundred or five hundred pounds—in + fact, the whole cargo would sell in Sydney or San Francisco for about + sixteen hundred pounds. + </p> + <p> + We sailed together that afternoon, the cutter getting under weigh first. + We had given Yorke three of our men—Napoleon the Tongan, and two + other natives—and before ten minutes had passed, Guest and everyone + else on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i> could see that the <i>Francesco</i> + could sail rings round our old brigantine, even in a stiff breeze, for the + cutter drew as much water as we did, and had a big spread of canvas. By + nightfall we were running before a lusty south-east breeze, the cutter + keeping about half a mile to windward of us, and taking in her gaff + topsail, when it became dark, otherwise she would have run ahead of, and + lost us before morning. At daylight, when I went on deck, she was within a + cable's length, Yorke was steering—smoking as usual—and no one + else was visible on deck. + </p> + <p> + I hailed him: “Good morning, Captain; where are your men?” “Taking it out + in 'bunk, oh,'” he answered with a laugh. “I came on deck about two hours + ago, and told them to turn in until four bells.” + </p> + <p> + “You'll ruin them for the <i>Fray Bentos</i>, sir,” cried our mate with + grumbling good-humour. “Why don't you start one of 'em at the galley fire + for your coffee!” + </p> + <p> + “Because I'm coming aboard you for it,” was the reply. He hauled in the + main-sheet, lashed the tiller, went quietly forward without awakening his + native seamen, and put the staysail to windward. Then he came amidships + again to the main hatch, picked up the little dingy which was lying there, + and, despite his bad hand, slid her over the cutter's rail into the water + as if she were a toy, got in, and sculled over to the brigantine, leaving + the cutter to take care of herself! + </p> + <p> + Charley King, the mate of the <i>Fray Bentos</i> turned to me in + astonishment. He was himself one of the finest built and most powerful men + I had ever met, not thirty years of age, and had achieved a great + reputation as a long-distance swimmer and good all-round athlete. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Mr. Drake, that dingy must weigh three hundred pounds, if she weighs + an ounce, for she's heavy oak built! And yet with one gammy hand he can + put her over the side as if she was made of brown paper.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke sculled alongside, made fast to the main chains, clambered over the + bulwarks, and stepped aboard in his usual quiet way, as if nothing out of + the common had occurred, and asked the mate what he thought of the <i>Francesca</i> + as a sailer. King looked at him admiringly for a moment. + </p> + <p> + “She's a daisy, Captain Yorke.... but you oughtn't to have put your boat + over the side by yourself, sir, with that bad hand of yours.” + </p> + <p> + The big man laughed so genuinely, and with such an infectious ring in his + voice, that even our Kanaka steward, who was bringing us our coffee, + laughed too. The dingy, he said, was very light, and there was no need for + him to call one of the men to help him. As we drank our coffee he chatted + very freely with us, and drew our attention to the lovely effect caused by + the rising sun upon a cluster of three or four small thickly-wooded + islets, which lay between the two vessels and the mainland of New Britain, + whereupon King, who had no romance in his composition, remarked that for + his part he could not see much difference between one sunrise or sunset + and another. “One means a lot of wind, and another none at all; one means + decent weather and another means rotten weather, or middlin' weather.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, Mr. King, you look at everything from a sailor's point of view,” he + said good-naturedly. “Now, there's nothing gives me more pleasure than to + watch a sunset and sunrise anywhere in the tropics—particularly if + there's land in the foreground or background—I never miss a sunrise + in the South Seas if I can help it.” + </p> + <p> + Presently we began to talk of the voyage, and I asked him a question—which + only at that moment occurred to me—concerning himself before we met. + </p> + <p> + “I wonder, Captain Yorke, when your crew were cut off, that it did not + occur to you to run down the west coast of New Ireland, between it and New + Britain, to Blanche Bay, where there is a German station, and where you + could have obtained assistance. It would have been much easier for you + instead of that long buffeting about on the east coast.” + </p> + <p> + He made no answer at first, and I saw that his face had changed colour. + Then he answered slowly: + </p> + <p> + “Just so. I knew all about the Germans at Blanche Bay, but I did not want + to go there—for very good reasons. Will you come aboard and have + some breakfast with me? I'll send you back again any time you like; the + sea is so smooth, as far as that goes, that I could run the cutter + alongside, and let you step off on to your own deck.” + </p> + <p> + Just as we were pushing off from the brigantine, Guest came on deck, glass + in hand, to have a look at the cluster of islands, at the same time + calling out to Yorke and myself to wait a little. After scanning the + islands from the deck, he went aloft for a better view, then descended and + came aft again to the rail. + </p> + <p> + “Good morning, Captain Yorke. I've just been taking a look at those + islands over there, and an idea has just come to me. But, first of all, + are they marked on your chart? They are on mine, but not even named—just + dots.” + </p> + <p> + “Neither are they on my big sheet chart—and I have no other of this + part of the Western Pacific.” + </p> + <p> + “Well then, here's my idea. I see from aloft that there is a good-sized + blue water lagoon there, and as likely as not there may be pearl-shell in + it. Anyway, it's worth seeing into, and so if Drake and yourself like to + take our boat and half a dozen men, you might have a look in there. I + can't see any houses, but at the same time, be careful. You can run in + with the cutter pretty close, and then go ashore in the boat. You are + bound to find a passage into the lagoon somewhere or other. I'll send Tim + Rotumah and George” (two of our native crew who were good divers) “with + you in the boat; they'll soon let you know if there is any shell in the + lagoon. If there is, light a fire, and make a smoke, and I'll anchor the + brigantine and come after you.” + </p> + <p> + I was delighted with this, and at once returned on board, while Yorke went + off to the cutter to give his crew their instructions. In ten or fifteen + minutes the whaleboat was over the side awaiting me, manned by six of our + native crew, all of whom were armed with Snider carbines and revolvers. + Pushing off from the <i>Fray Bentos</i>, we went alongside the <i>Francesco</i> + to pick up Yorke, who was waiting for the boat. As the wind had now fallen + very light, he suggested to me to make a start at once, leaving the cutter + in charge of Napoleon, with orders to anchor if it fell calm, and he was + on easy soundings. + </p> + <p> + The morning was deliciously bright, clear, and, for those latitudes at + that season of the year, very cool. As the boat skimmed over the placid + surface of the ocean, “schools” of bright silvery gar-fish and countless + thousands of small flying squid sprang into the air and fell with a + simultaneous splash into the water on each side and ahead of us. Then + “George,” a merry-faced, broad-chested native of Anaa, in the Paumotu + Islands, after an inquiring glance at me, broke out into a bastard + Samoan-Tokelauan canoe song, with a swinging chorus, altering and + improvising as he sang, showing his white teeth, as every now and then he + smiled at Yorke and myself when making some humorous play upon the words + of the original song, praising the former for his skill and bravery, and + his killing of the man-eating savages of New Hanover, his great strength + and stature, and his kindly heart—“a heart which groweth from his + loins upwards to his throat.” + </p> + <p> + Long, long years have passed since that day, but I shall always remember + how Yorke turned to me with a smile when at something George had sung, the + rest of our crew burst into approving laughter. + </p> + <p> + “What is he saying about me?—of course I can recognise that 'Ioka' + means 'Yorke,'” he said. + </p> + <p> + “It's extremely personal, but highly complimentary to you. Now, wait a + bit, till they come to the chorus, and I'll try and translate it. There, + he's starting:” + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “Miti Ioka, malie toa, toa malohi + Kapeni Iota, arii vaka! + Tule Ioka, fana tonu! + Mate puaka uri, kai tino. + Maumau lava, nofo noa! + Maumau lava, nofo noa t + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!! + “E aue l le tiga ina + Ma kalâga, ma kalâga + O fafine lalolagi + E kau iloay i nofa noa + Kapeni Ioka + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!!” + </pre> + <p> + “which goes,” I said, “as far as I can understand, something like this—'Mr. + Yorke, warrior brave and fighter strong, Captain Yorke, the sailor + captain, leader Yorke who fired so truly, slew the black, man-eating pigs + of savages! Oh, the pity he is single, oh, the pity he is single! <i>Pull, + men, pull!</i> The next verse says that did the world of women know that + such a fine man as yourself was a bachelor, they would consume themselves + with grief.” + </p> + <p> + “I wonder why they should take it for granted that I am a single man,” he + laughed, as he began to fill his pipe; then he added quietly—“I may + be a widower for all I know. I was married in Copenhagen thirty years ago, + and have never seen my wife since, and trust I never may.” Then in a + moment he changed the subject, and I took good care not to mention the + matter again. + </p> + <p> + An hour after leaving the brigantine, we found a passage—narrow but + safe—leading into the lagoon, which was a mile or mile and a half in + width, and but for the one opening in the reef, completely land locked by + four small islands, all low and densely wooded with banyan and other + trees, and connected with each other at low tide. Here and there, at + intervals, were groves of coco-palms, and a few <i>vi</i> trees—the + wild mango of the Western Pacific, growing close down to the beach, which + on the inner side of the lagoon was of bright yellow sand, and presented a + very pleasing appearance. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter IV + </h2> + <p> + A very brief trial of the lagoon, at various depths, soon convinced us + that it contained no pearl-shell, both George and the Rotumah man coming + up empty-handed after each dive, and pronouncing the bottom to be <i>ogé</i>, + <i>i.e.</i>, poverty-stricken as regarded shell. But we made one rather + pleasing discovery, which was that the lagoon contained a vast number of + green turtle. We could see the creatures, some of them being of great + size, swimming about beneath the boat in all directions. It at once + occurred to me that I should let Guest know, for we were getting short of + provisions on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i>, and had been using native food—pork, + yams, and taro, to eke out our scanty store. Here, now, was an opportunity + of getting a supply of fresh meat which would last us for a couple of + months or more; as we could easily stow eighty or a hundred turtle on + board, and kill one or two every day as required. We always carried with + us a heavy turtle-net, made of coir fibre, which I had bought two years + before in the Tokelau Group. But, first of all, I consulted with our + native crew as to whether we could dispense with the net by remaining on + the island all night and watching for the turtle to come ashore. + </p> + <p> + They all assured me that we should get none, or at best but few, as it was + not the laying season. + </p> + <p> + “Very well,” I said, “go off to the ship, and tell the captain that there + is no pearl-shell here, but plenty of turtle. Ask him if he will let you + have the turtle-net, so that we can set it across the mouth of the passage + as soon as it becomes dark; and tell him we shall come off again by + midnight if he does not care about our staying till the morning; but that + as we are pretty sure to get a lot of turtle, he had better send the + longboat as well.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke, at first, intended to go off again to the <i>Francesca</i>, but I + told him I was so sure that Guest would come to an anchor when he heard + about the turtle, that he (Guest) would be sure to tell Napoleon and the + other men on board the cutter to do the same. “In fact,” I added, “a + supply of turtle will be a God-send to us, and the skipper will not mind, + I am sure, if we stay here for a couple of days, under the circumstances.” + </p> + <p> + We pulled ashore to a little sandy beach, and Yorke and myself, taking our + rifles, ammunition, and a few biscuits each, got out, the native crew at + once starting off again for the ship, pulling as hard as they could, for + they were eager to return with the turtle-net and enjoy themselves as only + South Sea Islanders and other of Nature's children do when fishing. + </p> + <p> + About an hour after the boat had gone, we set to work to get some coconuts + to drink, both for ourselves and the boat's crew when they returned. Yorke + ascended a very tall palm—about sixty feet in height—like a + native, and began throwing down the young nuts. I took a shorter tree near + by, and was leisurely twisting off the heavy nuts, when he, who had a good + view of the sea, called out to me that it had fallen calm. + </p> + <p> + “And what I don't like, Drake, is this,” he added—“there's a dull, + greasy look on the water over to the eastward there, and I'd like to be on + board the Francesca instead of being here. I don't like it, I can tell + you, and I'm sorry we did not go off in the boat.” + </p> + <p> + I, in my fatuous, youthful conceit, laughed at his forebodings. + </p> + <p> + “It's only a New Britain squall—a lot of wind for ten minutes, then + a power of rain for another twenty, and then it'll be over.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke, however, was too old and experienced a seaman to disregard the + signs of coming danger. He quickly descended from his tree, and I followed + suit. + </p> + <p> + “There's something more than a squall coming, my lad. Let us cut through + the bush across to the weather side of the island, and try and stop the + boat. We can do it if we are quick.” + </p> + <p> + The island was less than a mile in width, even at its broadest portion, + which was where we had landed; so, after a hurried drink, we picked up our + rifles and started off to try to intercept the boat as she was pulling + down the outer and eastern shore. But before we had made two hundred + yards, we came to a dead stop, our progress being barred by a dense + thicket of thorny and stunted undergrowth. We turned aside and skirted the + thicket for a quarter of a mile, then tried again, with the same result—it + was absolutely impossible to force our way through the obstacle. + </p> + <p> + By this time the air had become stiflingly hot and oppressive, and the + rapidly darkening sky presaged the coming storm. From every pore in our + bodies the perspiration was streaming profusely, and our hands and faces + were scratched and bleeding. + </p> + <p> + “We must go back,” said Yorke, “we cannot possibly get to the other side + of the island through this damnable scrub. The only thing we can do is to + run along the inner beach of the island till we come to its end, wade + across the reef, and try to stop the boat before she has gone too far. + This is no common squall, I'm afraid—it's going to be a hurricane. + Come on.” + </p> + <p> + We started off at a run, along the hard sand, but before we had done the + first quarter of a mile, I felt that I could go no further, for I was + pumped out, could scarcely breathe, and felt a strange, unnatural + faintness overcoming me—a not uncommon sensation experienced by many + people just before a hurricane or an earthquake. + </p> + <p> + “You must go on alone,” I said, pantingly, to Yorke; “leave me here. I'll + be all right, even if I have to stop here a month of Sundays. I can't + starve in such a place as this.” + </p> + <p> + Pitching his own and my rifle up on the bank above high water mark, he + seized me and lifted me up on his back, telling me to hold on, as he meant + to make a big try for the boat. It was no use my protesting—he set + off again at a steady run, my weight apparently impeding his progress no + more than if he had been carrying a doll instead of ten stone. + </p> + <p> + At last we gained the end of the island, where there was a break in the + verdure, and from which we had a brief view of the sea before it was + blotted out by the black wall of the coming hurricane. + </p> + <p> + “We're done as far as getting on board is concerned,” he said, as I slid + down his back on to the sand; “but, thank God, the boat is safe. In + another ten minutes she would have been too late to have reached either + the cutter or brigantine, and have been smothered. Look, Captain Guest is + all ready, and so is the cutter!” + </p> + <p> + I got up on my feet, just in time to see the boat go alongside the + brigantine, which was under a close reefed lower topsail and a bit of her + mainsail only—for Guest knew what was coming, and had prepared to + meet it; the cutter, too, was reefed down, and had taken her dingy on + deck. At that moment, however, both vessels were becalmed; but scarcely + had the whale boat been hoisted up to the starboard davits of the <i>Fray + Bentos</i> and secured, when the hurricane struck both vessels. I thought + at first that our poor old brigantine was going to turn turtle, for she + was all but thrown on her beam ends; but righting herself gallantly, she + plunged away into the growing darkness, followed by the cutter, and in + five minutes both were hidden from view, and Yorke and myself had to throw + ourselves flat on our faces to avoid being blown down the beach into the + lagoon. + </p> + <p> + I had once, years before when a boy in Fiji, seen a bad hurricane, and was + rather proud of my experience, but I never saw, and never wish to see + again, such a truly terrifying and appalling sight as my companion and I + now witnessed—for within an hour all Nature seemed to have gone + stark, raving mad, and I never expected to see the next morning's sun. I + do not think it was the fearful force of the wind which so terrified me + into a state of helplessness as the diabolical clamour—the clashing + and tearing and rending asunder of the trees, accompanied by a prolonged + howling mingled with a deep droning hum like one sometimes hears when a + volcano is in eruption—and, in a minor key, the dulled roaring of + the surf as the mighty seas swept over the outer reef, and broke over the + weather shore with such tremendous force that the island seemed to tremble + to its very foundations. + </p> + <p> + Unable to make himself heard in the pandemonium roaring around us, Yorke + turned to me, and gripping me by one hand, and shielding his eyes with the + other from the hurtling showers of sand and pebbles which threatened to + cut our faces to pieces, he managed to drag me along the beach to a low + ledge of coral rocks, under the shelter of which we were protected from + the fury of the wind, and, in a measure, safe from flying branches, though + all along the beach coco-palms were being torn up by the roots, or their + lofty crowns cut off as if they were no stronger than a dahlia or some + such weakly plant. + </p> + <p> + As we crouched on the sand under the ledge of rock, a terrific but welcome + downpour of rain fell, and we were able to satisfy our thirst by pressing + our mouths to crevices in the rock overhead. But we were not long allowed + to remain undisturbed in our shelter, for, although the tide was on the + ebb, the enormous influx of water, driven over the reef by the violence of + the wind, so swelled the lagoon that we had to abandon our refuge and + crawl on our hands and knees up over the bank, and thence into the thorny + scrub, where we were at least safe from falling trees, there being none + near us. + </p> + <p> + “I must try and get our rifles before it is too late,” shouted Yorke in my + ear. “I know the place, but if I don't get there pretty quick, I shall + never be able to recognise it. Stay where you are until I get back, then + we'll try and find a better camping place before night comes on—if + this little tin-pot island isn't blown out of the water over on to New + Guinea in the meantime.” + </p> + <p> + By this time I was beginning to get some courage, and to feel ashamed of + myself; so, as soon as Yorke had crept out of the scrub, I braced myself + up, and taking out my sheath knife, began to cut away the thorny branches, + and pull up by the roots some of the scrub around me, so as to make more + room. The soil consisted of decomposed shell and vegetable matter, very + soft and porous, underneath which were loose coral slabs, and I soon had a + space cleared large enough for us both to lie down upon. Then I started to + enclose it on three sides by a low wall of the flat coral stones, across + which I laid a thick and nearly rain-proof covering of branches and + leaves, and when Yorke returned an hour later, I was almost finished, and + had begun to make a fire of dead roots and branches. + </p> + <p> + “That's grand,” he said, as he laid down the rifles. “I was wondering if + your matches were dry. Mine are spoilt, as I had them loose in my pocket. + How is your tobacco?” + </p> + <p> + “Quite dry, too. Here you are, fill your pipe.” + </p> + <p> + The man's thoughtfulness showed at once. “No, thank you—not just + yet. I'll improve this newly-erected mansion of ours by getting coconut + branches up from the beach. We might as well make our roof as watertight + as we can before dark. Then I want something to eat, and there are plenty + of coconuts lying about everywhere.” + </p> + <p> + “We won't starve,” I said; “there are any amount of robber crabs in this + scrub, and to-night we can get as many as we want, if we can make a bright + fire.” + </p> + <p> + By dark we had succeeded in carrying up thirty or forty coconut branches, + and covering our sleeping place over in a more satisfactory manner, though + we were every now and then chilled to the bone by the stinging rain. Our + rifles, matches, tobacco, and a few biscuits, we placed in a dry spot, and + then built up a small but hot fire of roots under the shelter, and, after + eating a meal of coconut and biscuit, we filled our pipes, piled on more + roots, and sat by the fire drying our clothes, and listening to the wild + uproar of wind and sea, congratulating ourselves upon being in a spot + where we were at least safe from the wind, for our camp was at least eight + or ten feet below the general level of the island, both on its windward + and leeward sides. + </p> + <p> + All that night the wind blew with terrific violence, and the noise of the + surf thrashing upon the coral barriers of the island was something + indescribable. At about midnight, just after a lull succeeded by a heavy + fall of rain, the wind hauled round two or three points to the southward, + and, if possible, blew with still greater violence. The crashing of trees + mingling with the demoniacal shriek of the hurricane, was enough to + disturb the mind of the bravest; but my companion lay quietly beside the + fire, smoking his pipe and talking to me as he would had we been seated at + the supper table on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i>. Yet that he was deeply + anxious about our ship-mates I well knew, when, bidding me good-night, he + laid his great frame upon the sand and went to sleep. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter V + </h2> + <p> + By dawn on the following morning, the hurricane had lost its strength and + settled down into a hard gale from the north-east. When we crawled out + from our shelter, a fearful scene of desolation met our eyes; not more + than a hundred coco-palms were left standing on the weather side of the + island, and enormous boulders of coral rock, torn off the reef by the + violence of the sea, were piled up in wild confusion along the shore, + while, at the north end, the surf had made a clean breach over the land, + with devastating effect. On the inner beach of the lagoon, the destructive + results of the wind and sea had not been so great, although vast numbers + of fish were lying dead on the sand, or among the soaked and flattened + undergrowth above high water mark. We at once collected a few, lit a fire, + roasted them over the coals, and made a good breakfast, finishing up with + some young drinking coconuts, hundreds of which were lying about us. + </p> + <p> + We knew that, until the weather moderated, there was little likelihood of + our seeing the brigantine and cutter—if we ever saw either again. + The ocean for many hundreds of miles around us was full of dangers, for it + was unsurveyed, and risky even to a ship in good weather. Many of the + islands, shoals and reefs marked on the charts had no existence, but still + more were placed in wrong positions, and we both felt that it would be + something marvellous if the two vessels escaped disaster. All we could do + was to hope for the best, and wait patiently. + </p> + <p> + As the rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly, although the + gale was still blowing fiercely, we decided to cross to one of the other + islands and make an examination of our surroundings. First of all, + however, we examined our stock of ammunition, and found we had thirty-five + cartridges between us; the rest of our effects consisted of about a + quarter of a pound of plug tobacco, a sheath knife and a pocket knife, a + small box of vestas, and the clothes we had on. + </p> + <p> + With some difficulty we managed to wade through the shallow passage + dividing the island on which we had slept from the next, and found the + latter to be much better wooded, wider, and three or four feet higher; and + I had just observed to Yorke that it would suit us better to live on than + the other, when I came to a dead stop—right in front of us was a + banyan tree, from a low branch of which was suspended a huge cane-work + fishing basket! + </p> + <p> + In a moment we hid ourselves, and remained quiet for a few minutes, + scanning the surrounding bush carefully to see if there were any further + signs of human occupancy, or the humans themselves. From the appearance of + the basket, however, I judged that it had not been used for many weeks at + least, and had been hung up to prevent its becoming rotten from lying on + the moist, steamy soil. + </p> + <p> + After satisfying ourselves that there were no natives—in our + immediate vicinity at least—we set out again, proceeding very + cautiously, and a short distance further on struck a dearly-defined native + path; this we followed, and presently came in sight of half a dozen small + thatched huts, under the shelter of two very large trees, from the + branches of which were hanging fish baskets similar to that we had just + seen. Most of the huts, though damaged by the storm, were substantially + built, and evidently had not long been vacated, for in a sort of cleared + plot in front were a number of gaily-coloured crotons, which showed signs + of having been recently tended—the grass had been pulled up around + their roots, &c. In one of the huts we found some smaller fish traps, + a number of fish spears, and two large wooden bowls. + </p> + <p> + “It's a fishing village, belonging to the niggers on the mainland, I + think,” I said to Yorke. “It is quite a common thing for them, both in New + Ireland and New Britain, to have plantations or fishing stations on many + of these small islands off the coast, and they come over three or four + times a year to plant or fish. Let us go on further.” + </p> + <p> + My surmise was correct, for, quite near the huts, was a large taro + plantation, on which great labour and care had been expended. A brief + examination of some of the tubers showed us that they were full grown. + This was not a pleasant discovery, for we knew that the owners might be + expected to put in an appearance at any moment after the gale ceased, in + order to dig them up. + </p> + <p> + “Well, let us get on, and see what else we can discover,” said Yorke, + shouldering his rifle. “The beggars can't get across from the mainland in + such weather as this, so we need not be under any immediate alarm.” + </p> + <p> + By two in the afternoon we had thoroughly examined the whole of the four + islands, but found no more houses, though on all of them we came across + the inevitable fish-traps, and also a good-sized bamboo fishing raft, + lying far up on the beach. This we at once carried off, and were about to + hide in a thicket—little thinking it would prove such a dangerous + acquisition—when Yorke suggested a better course. It would be a + mistake, he said, to leave the raft so far from our sleeping place, + instead of taking it away, when not only should we have it near us in case + of a sudden attack by the natives, but we could utilise it for fishing, + and that by removing it to the southernmost islet, which was farthest away + from the fishing village on the largest island, we could easily conceal it + from view. + </p> + <p> + The natives, he argued, would be bound to search for it on the islet where + they had left the thing, and would conclude that it had been washed away + in the hurricane, and therefore were hardly likely to come down to the + southern islet, the inner beach of which could be seen from nearly every + point on the lagoon. + </p> + <p> + “So,” he went on, “you see that if the black gentry do think that their + raft might have been carried down to the inner beach of the south islet, + they will only need to use their eyes to show them it isn't there. But it + will be snug enough on the outer side of the island, where they won't + dream of looking for it, and where we can use it whenever we like—for + we'll shift our camp down there to-day.... God knows how long we may have + to live here if anything has happened to the <i>Fray Bentos</i> and the <i>Francesca</i> + and so we must run no needless risks.” + </p> + <p> + “Right,” I assented, “and see, the wind is falling steadily, and there's + not much of a swell inside the lagoon now. Why not let us try and take the + raft away with us at once, instead of coming for her in the morning?” + </p> + <p> + We cut down a couple of young saplings for poles, carried the raft to the + water, and launched it. It was big enough to support five or six people, + but floated like a feather, and, to our delight, we found that we could + pole it along in shallow water with the greatest of ease. By four o'clock + we reached the island, and carried our craft up from the inner beach into + a clump of trees. This spot, we thought, would make a good camp, as from + it we commanded not only a good view of the lagoon, but of the sea to the + south and west, and we felt certain that if Guest turned up all right, he + would look for us at this end of the atoll—even if he made it from + the northward, and had to run the coast down. + </p> + <p> + By supper time we had fixed ourselves up comfortably for the night. The + rain now only fell at long intervals, the wind had fallen to a strong, + steady breeze, and we made up a fire, and cooked some more fish, of which + there were still numbers to be had on the beach merely for the trouble of + picking them up. Then we ate our supper, smoked a pipeful of our precious + tobacco between us, and discussed our plans for the morrow, Yorke + listening to my suggestions as if they were put forward by a man of his + own age and experience, instead of by one who was as yet but a young + seaman, and a poor navigator. + </p> + <p> + “I am quite sure,” he said in his slow, quiet way, as he passed me the + pipe, “that you and I will get along here all right for weeks, months—years + even, if it has pleased the Almighty to take our shipmates, and we have to + live here till we are taken off by some ship, or can build a boat. Your + knowledge of ways and means of getting food, and living in such a place as + this, is of more value than my seamanship and knowledge of navigation. + Come, let us get out to the beach and take a look at the weather.” + </p> + <p> + He placed his hand on my shoulder in such a kindly manner, as his bright + blue eyes looked into mine, that, with the impulsiveness of youth, + together with my intense admiration for the character of the man himself, + I could not help saying: + </p> + <p> + “Captain Yorke! Please don't think I was boasting of what I could do in + the way of getting food for us—and all that. You see, I have been in + the South Seas ever since I was a kid—and by nature I'm half a + Kanaka. I've lived among natives so long, and——” + </p> + <p> + He held up his hand, smiling the while: “I'm glad to have such a good + comrade as you, Drake. You have the makings of a good sailorman in you, + but you're too quick and excitable, and want an old wooden-headed, stolid + buffer like me to steady you. Now let us start.” + </p> + <p> + We walked across the narrow strip of land to the weather side, and sat + down upon a creeper-covered boulder of coral rock. Before us the ocean + still heaved tumultuously, and the long, white-crested breakers thundered + heavily on the short, fringing reef; but overhead was a wondrous sky of + myriad stars, set in a vault of cloudless blue. + </p> + <p> + “The gale is blowing itself out,” said my companion. “We shall see a fine + day in the morning. And, Drake, we shall see the brigantine back in three + days.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope so,” I said, laughingly, “but I'm afraid we won't. Both the + brigantine and cutter must have had to heave to, or else run, and if they + have run, they may be two hundred miles away from here by now. And I think + that Guest <i>would</i> run to the westward for open water, instead of + heaving-to among such an infernal lot of reefs and shoals.” + </p> + <p> + “Whatever he may have done, he, and my cutter, too, are safe, and we shall + see them back in three days,” he reiterated, with such quiet emphasis, and + with such a strangely confident, contented look in his eyes, that I also + felt convinced the vessels would, as he said, turn up safely. + </p> + <p> + We sat silent for some minutes, watching the sea, and noting how quickly + the wind was falling, when presently my comrade turned to me. + </p> + <p> + “You asked me why I did not try to make the German head station in Blanche + Bay, after my crew were killed,” he said. “Well, I'll tell you. I am + frightened of no man living, but I happened to hear the name of the + manager there—a-Captain Sternberg, an ex-captain of the German navy. + He and I served together in the same ship—and I am a deserter from + the German service.” + </p> + <p> + I was astonished. “You!” I exclaimed; “surely you are not a German?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, I am,” he replied, “and if I fell into the hands or the German + naval authorities, or any German Consul, or other official anywhere, I + should have but a short time in this world.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, what could they do?” + </p> + <p> + “Send me home to be tried—and shot.” + </p> + <p> + “Surely they cannot shoot a man for desertion in the German navy.” + </p> + <p> + “There is something beyond desertion in my case— I killed an + officer. Sternberg knows the whole story, and though as a man and a + gentleman he would feel for me, he would have no hesitation in arresting + me and sending me home in irons, if he could get me. And he could not fail + to recognise me, although eight and twenty years have passed since he last + saw me.” + </p> + <p> + “But he is not an Imperial officer now,” I remarked. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, he is. He is Vice-Consul for Germany in the Western Pacific, and, as + such, would have authority to apprehend me, and apprehend me he certainly + would, though, as I have said, he knows my story, and when we served + together, was always a kind and good friend to me, despite the fact that + he was an officer and I was not; for I came from as good a family as his + own—and that goes a long way in both the German army and navy.” + </p> + <p> + I made some sympathetic remark, and then Yorke resumed: + </p> + <p> + “What I am telling you now—and I'll tell you the whole story—is + no secret, for thousands of people have read of the Brandt extradition + case in the United States. Twenty years ago I was arrested in San + Francisco at the instance of the German Consul there, but managed to + escape after being in custody for six weeks. + </p> + <p> + “My real name is Brandt. My father was a German, my mother a Danish lady—a + native of Klampenborg, a small sea-coast town not far from Copenhagen. My + father was an officer in the army, and was well-known as an Asiatic + traveller and linguist, and I was the only child. At fifteen years ot age, + much to my delight, I went into the navy, served one commission in the + Baltic, and two on the west coast of South America. Then when I was about + twenty-one years of age, I was given, through my father's influence, a + minor position on the staff of a scientific expedition sent out by the + German Geographical Society to Arabia. I came home at the end of a year, + and was given three months' leave, at the end of which I was to join a new + ship. + </p> + <p> + “Being pretty liberally supplied with money by my father—who was a + man of means—I determined to spend my leave in London, and there I + met the woman who was to prove the ruin of my future. She was the daughter + of the woman in whose house I lodged in Chelsea, and was a very handsome, + fascinating girl about nineteen. I fell madly in love with her, and she + professed to return my feelings, and I, poor young fool, believed in her. + Her mother, who was a cunning old harridan, and greedy and avaricious to a + degree, gave us every opportunity of being together. As I spent my money + most lavishly on the girl, and they both knew my father was well-off, and + I was the only son, they had merely to spread their net for me to fall + into it. + </p> + <p> + “Well, I married the girl, both she and her mother promising to keep the + matter secret from my parents until after I returned from my next voyage + and got a commission. I knew well that I should get into very serious + trouble with my superiors if the fact of my marriage became known, but was + so infatuated with the girl that I allowed no considerations to influence + me. + </p> + <p> + “A month before my leave expired, I sent my wife over to Bremerhaven, + where I had some friends on whose secrecy I could rely. My ship—a + small gunboat—was being fitted out at that port, and my wife seemed + delighted that she would see me pretty frequently before I sailed. I was + cautious enough not to travel with her from London, for that would have + meant almost certain detection, and, as an additional precaution, she went + to my friends in Bremerhaven under her maiden name. I was to follow her in + a week, by the next steamer. + </p> + <p> + “That evening, as I was being driven home to my wife's mother's house in + Chelsea, the horse bolted. I was thrown out of the cab, and half-an-hour + later, I was in a hospital with a broken arm and severe internal injuries. + It was six weeks before I was able to leave England to join my ship; but + my father had written to the navy office, telling of my accident, and my + leave had been extended. During all this time my wife wrote to me weekly, + telling me she was very miserable at my not allowing her to return to + England to nurse me, but would obey me; for I had written to her and told + her not to return, as I did not think it advisable—the doctors and + nurses at the hospital knew I was in the German navy, and I was then + becoming somewhat fearful of the news of my marriage getting to the + knowledge of the naval authorities. + </p> + <p> + “When I reached Bremerhaven, I had still three days of my extended leave + to expire, so had no need to report myself; but at once went to my + friends' house, where I met my wife, who was overjoyed to see me again. My + friends, too, welcomed me warmly, though I somehow fancied there seemed to + be some underlying restraint upon them. They were quite a young couple: + the husband was a clerk in the customhouse, and he and I had been friends + from boyhood. + </p> + <p> + “In the morning I went to look at my new ship, and was greatly pleased to + find that my old officer, Lieutenant Sternberg, had been appointed to her. + He saw me at once, came along the deck, and spoke very kindly to me. + Whilst he was talking to me, an officer from the port guardship came on + board. He was a very handsome man, about thirty, with a deep scar across + his forehead, and I noticed that he looked at me very keenly—almost + rudely—and I fancied I saw something like a sneer on his face as he + turned away to speak to Sternberg. + </p> + <p> + “My young friend, the custom house clerk, whose name was Muller, returned + every day from his office at six o'clock, when we had supper, and on this + occasion I began to tell him of my new ship, and then said casually: + </p> + <p> + “By the way, who is that conceited-looking fellow from the guardship—a + man with an ugly scar across his forehead?” + </p> + <p> + “No one answered, and then to my surprise I saw that Muller was looking + inquiringly at my wife, whose face suddenly became scarlet, while Mrs. + Muller bent her face over her plate. Then Muller looked at me and said + quietly: + </p> + <p> + “'That was Captain Decker. I believe that he has the honour of the + friendship of Frau Brandt.' + </p> + <p> + “There was something so stern in his tones that I could not understand; + but another look at my wife's face filled me with the blackest misgivings. + She had turned a deathly pale, and, faltering something inaudible, rose + from the table and went to her room. Then I asked Muller what it meant. + </p> + <p> + “'Ask your wife,' he said sadly; 'you are my dear friend, and she is my + guest—but her conduct has not been satisfactory.' + </p> + <p> + “I now insisted upon him telling me more, and soon learnt the whole + miserable story. My wife had been in the habit of meeting Captain Decker + clandestinely ever since she had been in Bremerhaven, although she had + denied it when Mrs. Muller had indignantly threatened to write and tell me + if she did not at once cease the intimacy. This she had sworn to do, but, + Muller said, she had, he feared, violated her promise frequently, though + he could not absolutely prove it. + </p> + <p> + “I went direct to my wife. Instead of a shrinking, trembling woman, I + found a defiant devil—a shameless creature who coolly admitted her + guilt, told me that she had never cared for me, and that she had only + married me to escape from the monotony of her London life with her mother—if + she was her mother, she added with a mocking laugh. + </p> + <p> + “Thank God, I didn't hurt her! The revelation was a heavy one, but I + braced myself up, and the rage and contempt that filled me were mingled + with some sort of pity. I did not even reproach her. I had in my pockets + about thirty pounds in English gold. I put down twenty on the table. + </p> + <p> + “'There are twenty pounds,' I said—'take it and go. I will send you + another two hundred pounds as soon as I can communicate with my father—on + one condition.' + </p> + <p> + “'What is it?' she said sullenly. + </p> + <p> + “'That you'll never try to see me, or harass me again. If you do, by God! + I'll kill you.' + </p> + <p> + “I promise you that much,” she replied. In half an hour she had left the + house, and I never saw or heard of her again. + </p> + <p> + “That evening I made special preparations. First of all I wrote to my poor + father, and told him everything, and bade Muller and his wife goodbye, + telling them I was going on board my ship. They, pitying me deeply, bade + me farewell with tears. + </p> + <p> + “But I had no such intention. I wanted to settle scores with the man who + had wronged me. At a marine store dealer's that night I bought two common + cutlasses, and waited for my chance. I had learnt that Decker went to the + service club on certain evenings, and stayed very late. + </p> + <p> + “My time came the following night. I saw my man come out of the club, and + followed him closely till he entered a quiet street. Then I called him by + name. He turned and faced me and asked me angrily what I wanted. + </p> + <p> + “'I am Theodor Brandt,' I said, and handed him one of the two cutlasses I + was carrying under my overcoat. + </p> + <p> + “The man was no coward, and fought well, but in less than a minute I ran + him clean through the body. He fell in the muddy street, and by the time I + had dragged him away into the shadow of a high wooden fence enclosing a + timber yard, was dead. Half an hour later I was on board a fishing-smack, + bound for Wangeroog, one of the Frisian Islands, off the coast. At that + place I remained in safety for a month, then got away to Amsterdam, and + from there to Java. Then for the next eight-and-twenty years, down to this + very moment, I have been a wanderer on the face of the earth. Six years + after I escaped I joined an American man-of-war—the <i>Iroquois</i>—at + Canton, and when we were paid off in the States I took out my + naturalisation papers. This served me well, when, two years afterwards, I + was recognised at San Francisco by some German bluejackets as 'Brandt, the + murderer of Captain Decker,' and arrested. Fortunately, I had money, and + while the German Consul was trying hard to get me handed over to the + German naval authorities on the Pacific Coast, my lawyers managed to get + me out on bail. I got away down to the Hawaiian Islands in a lumber ship, + and—well, since then I've been knocking around anywhere and + everywhere.... Come, let us turn in.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter VI + </h2> + <p> + At dawn the wind had died away to a light breeze, and the sun rose to + shine upon an ocean of unspecked blue. To the eastward, the slopes of New + Britain were hidden from our view by a thick mist, only the tops of some + high mountain peaks far inland showing above, and there seemed to be every + appearance of the fine weather lasting. This gave us much satisfaction, + and after a bathe in a rocky pool on the reef, we ate our breakfast of + fish and coconut with good spirits, then filling our pipes, went down to + the inner beach to bask in the glorious sunshine. + </p> + <p> + “If this sort ot weather keeps up,” I remarked to Yorke, “I'm afraid your + prediction about our seeing Guest and the cutter in another two days won't + be verified—it'll fall calm before noon to-day, and may keep so for + a week. I've known a calm to last for a solid ten days on the north side + of New Britain.” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps so,” he replied; “but then the current about here sets strongly + to the eastward, and somehow I feel certain that, wind or no wind, we'll + see the ships.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if we do, you ought to give up sailoring, Captain Yorke, and go + into business as a prophet. I for one would always come to you for a tip. + But, joking apart, let us imagine that Guest or the cutter did not run far + to the eastward, but hove-to, and as soon as the hurricane had blown + itself out, headed back for us; in such a case, both vessels may be within + half a day's sail of us at this very moment.” + </p> + <p> + “That is quite possible—it is also possible they may be within + twenty miles of us, becalmed. It would not surprise me if Guest actually + drifts in sight of these islands, and comes to look for us in his boat.” + </p> + <p> + “Now that brings me to the kernel of my imagination. I think it very + likely he may have no boat to send, and——” + </p> + <p> + He gave me a mighty thump on the back. + </p> + <p> + “Good boy! I know what you're thinking of—the raft?” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly, Captain. So don't you think it would be as well for us to turn + to at once, and make a couple of good paddles? though in an emergency the + butt ends of dry coconut branches do very well for paddles.” + </p> + <p> + Then I went on to say that it was quite likely that Guest had lost both + his boats, and the cutter her dingy, before there was time to have them + properly secured; and that the brigantine had lost the whaler, which had + brought us ashore, I was sure of, for she had, as I have mentioned, been + nearly thrown over on her beam ends when struck by the first blast, and + the boat must certainly either have been hopelessly stove when she was + forced below, or torn away from the davits by the weight of water in her + when the ship righted herself. + </p> + <p> + We set to at once with a good will—Yorke overhauling the cane + fastenings with which the great bamboos were lashed together, whilst I + went along the beach in search of some young <i>futu</i> trees, the wood + of which is soft when green, but dries hard, and could be easily worked, + even by such a tool as a sheath knife. + </p> + <p> + A quarter of a mile from our camp I found just what I wanted—three + or four young <i>futu</i> saplings lying on the ground, torn up by the + roots. Taking two ot the best, I stripped off the branches, and returned + to my companion, who was still at work on the raft, relashing its timbers + wherever needed. + </p> + <p> + In a couple of hours I had made quite a decent pair of paddles, each about + four feet in length, and with four inches of blade in the widest part. + Then Yorke, having finished with the raft, went with me along the beach, + and collected some old coconuts for food, and some young ones to drink, + for, as my comrade observed, one never knew what might happen, and it + would be as well to have some provisions all ready to hand in case of + emergency. There were still thousands of dead fish to be seen everywhere + lying on the sand, cast up among the <i>débris</i> above high-water mark, + but these were now turning putrid, and of no use. + </p> + <p> + We had noticed a huge banyan tree not far distant from our sleeping place, + which was the roosting and breeding place of a vast number of whale birds, + so Yorke proposed that we should go there and see if we could kill some by + hurling sticks at them. We had often seen this done by the natives ot the + western Caroline Islands, for the birds are very stupid, and allow + themselves, when not on the wing, to be approached quite closely. We cut + ourselves each a half-dozen of short, heavy throwing-sticks of green wood, + and set out for the rookery, and within an hour had killed thirty or forty + of the poor birds, some of which we at once picked, cleaned, and roasted. + We had no lack of salt, for every rock and shrub above high-water mark on + the weather side of the island was covered with a thin incrustation of it, + caused by the rapid evaporation of the spray under a torrid sun. The + remainder of the birds we cooked later in the day, intending them as a + stand-by. + </p> + <p> + In the afternoon we again bathed, this time in the lagoon, and Yorke, who + was one of the strongest and swiftest swimmers, for an European, that I + had ever seen, succeeded in capturing a turtle which was lying asleep on + the surface of the water, and brought it ashore; but it proved to be so + old and poor that we let it go again in disgust. + </p> + <p> + Towards the close of the day we again crossed the islet to have a better + look at the New Britain shore, the heavy mist which had hung over it most + of the day having now vanished. That the native owners of the plantations + would put in an appearance before many days had passed I was certain, for + they would be anxious to see what damage had been done by the hurricane, + and no doubt dig up some of the taro, which, as I have said, was fully + grown. + </p> + <p> + The moment we emerged from the scrub out upon the eastern shore, we + obtained a splendid view of the opposite coast of the great island, though + the actual shore was not visible on account of the extreme lowness of the + belt of littoral, which was many miles in width; but by climbing a tree we + could just discern the long, dark line of palms, and here and there a + narrow strip of white, denoting either surf or a sandy beach. + </p> + <p> + “Why,” I said to Yorke, “that land cannot be more than five miles distant + to its nearest point, and if there are niggers living there we should see + their fires to-night, and——” + </p> + <p> + The next moment I uttered a loud hurrah! and nearly fell off the tree in + my excitement, for away on the northern horizon was a sail, shining + snowy-white in the rays of the sinking sun! + </p> + <p> + Yorke echoed my cheer. “A day sooner than I prophesied, Drake! Wish we had + a glass, so that we could make out which it is. I am rather inclined to + think it is the <i>Fray Bentos</i> it looks too big for the cutter. + Anyway, whichever it is, she's becalmed; but even if there is not a breath + of wind during the night, she'll be closer in in the morning, as the + current is bound to set her along this way.” + </p> + <p> + We descended from the tree jubilantly, and I suggested that we should make + a big blaze on the eastern shore, so as to let the ship know we saw her, + but the more cautious Yorke said it would be rather risky. Natives, he + said, might be quite near at that moment, a party of canoes could have + easily crossed over during the day, and we should be none the wiser unless + we happened to see the reflections of their fires, after they had arrived, + on the lagoon waters. So, after waiting another ten minutes, when the sun + set, we returned to camp. + </p> + <p> + “Let us kill the fatted calf and divide it between us,” said my companion, + taking our plug of tobacco and cutting it in halves; “I'm going to smoke + all night, or at any rate until I fall asleep. Did you see how the sun + set? Well, that thick, yellow haze means a calm to-morrow, to a dead + certainty, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if we see Guest pulling into + the lagoon at daylight, that is, if he has a boat left.” + </p> + <p> + I do not think either of us slept for more than a quarter of an hour that + night. That Yorke could have done so, I do not doubt, but I would persist + in talking, getting up, walking about, and smoking, and he, + good-naturedly, kept awake on my account. The night was wondrously calm + and beautiful, so calm and quiet that there was not the slightest surf on + the outer reef, and the only sound that broke the silence would be the + croak of some night-fishing bird, as it rose, prey in bill, from the + slumbering lagoon. + </p> + <p> + As soon as ever we could see our way through to the other side of the + island, we were afoot, unheeding the drenching we got from the dew-soaked + trees whenever we touched a branch. Within five minutes after we had + emerged out into the open the sun rose, and a cheer broke from us when we + saw both the cutter and the brigantine lying becalmed about four miles + away, between the islet and the mainland of New Britain, and almost + abreast of where we stood. + </p> + <p> + “They have both lost all the boats, I am almost sure,” said Yorke, “or we + should see one coming ashore; unless, indeed, a boat is already pulling + down the lagoon on the other side. Let us wait an hour. That will decide + us what to do; if we see no boat between now and then, we can be assured + that Guest has none to send, and that he is waiting for a breeze, so that + he can run in close to the reef, and try to get within hail of us. I + daresay that he has a raft of some sort already made, and is trying to get + closer to the land to send it ashore for us. So we'll give him a pleasant + surprise.” + </p> + <p> + We waited impatiently till the hour had passed, but could see no sign of a + boat putting off from, or on the way from the brigantine, and were then + certain that she had none to send, as if it had left the vessel, even at + daylight, it would have entered the lagoon and been with us by that time. + </p> + <p> + Whilst we were waiting we had piled together on the shore a great heap of + dried coconut branches, on top of which we threw masses of a thick, green, + saline creeper. This heap we lit as a signal, and a pillar of dense smoke + rose high in the windless atmosphere. It was answered by Guest in a few + minutes—not by a gun, as we expected, but by a similar signal of + smoke, caused by a mass of cotton waste being soaked in coal tar and + ignited. + </p> + <p> + “He's answering us,” exclaimed Yorke. “Now, let's get the raft launched + and make a start.” + </p> + <p> + We tore back through the scrub to our camp, I panting with excitement, + Yorke as cool as ever. Carrying the raft down to the water we quickly put + on board the bundles of young coconuts, not deeming it worth while to + bother with the old ones and the cooked birds, as we quite expected to be + alongside the <i>Fray Bentos</i> within three hours at least, the sea + being as calm as a mill-pond, and the raft very light. + </p> + <p> + “Go easy, my lad, go easy,” said Yorke with a smile, as he saw the state + of flurry I was in. “We've got two or three hours paddling to do, so don't + knock yourself up needlessly. Now, what about our rifles?” + </p> + <p> + I had actually forgotten them, but at once ran back for them (the + cartridges we always kept in our pockets), and picking one up in each + hand, tore down the bank again, caught my left foot in a vine, and pitched + upon my nose on the top of the broken coral and pebbles covering the beach + with such violence that had it not been for the muzzle of the rifle I was + carrying in my right hand plunging into the loose stones, and bringing me + up sharply, I might have broken my jaw against a big boulder, which just + caught me on the chin. + </p> + <p> + Pretending I was not hurt, though my chin was skinned, and my shoulder was + strained, I picked myself up, handed the rifles to Yorke, and said I was + ready. + </p> + <p> + “Take a drink first,” he said in his authoritative, yet sympathetic way, + as he opened a young coconut. “Then fill your pipe and rest awhile. We're + in no hurry for ten minutes. Poor chap, you did do a flyer. Talk about the + Gadarene swine! Why you could give them points in running down steep + places!” + </p> + <p> + I certainly had given myself a tremendous shaking, for I felt quite dizzy, + but after a few draws at my pipe, said I was fit to paddle the raft to + Cape Horn. + </p> + <p> + We pushed off, then poled along shore till we came to the passage, which + was as smooth as glass. Here, on account of the deep water, we had to take + to our paddles, and were soon out in the open sea, heading for the + vessels. The sun was intensely hot, but we took no heed of it, and + congratulated ourselves upon having such a calm sea, instead of having to + paddle against a swell, which would have greatly impeded our progress. + </p> + <p> + For the first mile or so we went along in great style—then, to our + consternation, we suddenly ran right into a heavy tide rip, and away we + went at the rate of three or four knots an hour to the south-east, and + towards the New Britain shore. The belt or tide-rip seemed to be about a + mile in width, and although we paddled furiously in the endeavour to get + out of the whirling, seething stream, it was in vain—the raft spun + round and round with such rapidity that we lost control over, and had to + let her go; for not only were we unable to make any headway, but the + manner in which we were spinning round would not allow us to keep our + feet, and began to make us sea-sick. After half an hour or more of this, + we at last saw a chance of getting out of the rip into a side eddy; and, + putting forth all our strength, we just succeeded in doing so, only to be + menaced by a fresh and more alarming danger. + </p> + <p> + Yorke, dashing the pouring perspiration from his brow with his hand, had + just stood up to get a look at the brigantine and cutter, when he uttered + an oath. + </p> + <p> + “By God, we're in for it now! Look, here's four canoes, filled with + niggers, heading dead on for us. The beggars see us, too!” + </p> + <p> + I stood up beside him, and saw, about a quarter of a mile away, four + canoes, each of which was carrying six or eight natives, coming towards us + at a furious rate. They were, like all New Britain canoes, very low down + in the water, which, together with our own troubles when we were in the + tide rip, had prevented our seeing them long before. + </p> + <p> + “Lucky we have not wasted any of our cartridges” said Yorke grimly; “we'll + give them all the fight they want. But let them get closer, while we head + back for the ships. We <i>must</i> get out of this current—we can + lick the niggers easy enough; but if we get into that tide-rip again, + we'll be carried out of sight of the brigantine by midday.” + </p> + <p> + Plunging our paddles into the water, we sent our bamboo craft along till + we were in absolute safety as far as the tide-rip was concerned. Then + Yorke laid down his paddle. + </p> + <p> + “We're all right now, Drake; and now we'll give these man-chawing beggars + a bit of a surprise. They mean to knock us on the head in another ten + minutes, and take our carcasses ashore for to-night's dinner. You are the + younger man, and can shoot better than I, so I'll be polite and give you + first show. Sight for five hundred yards for a trial shot, at the leading + canoe. But wait a minute—don't stand up.” + </p> + <p> + He quickly piled up the young coconuts in a firm heap, and then stood over + me, his own rifle in hand, whilst I knelt on the bamboos and placed my + rifle on the top of the heap of coconuts. + </p> + <p> + I am now, at this time of life, ashamed of the savage instinct that in + those days filled me with a certain joy in destroying human life, + unthinkingly, and without compunction. But I had been brought up in a + rough school, among men who thought it not only justifiable, but correct + and proper to shoot a man—black, or white, or brown, or yellow—who + had done them any wrong. It had been my lot, in the Solomon Islands, to + witness one of the most hideous and appalling massacres of a ship's crew + that was ever perpetrated by natives—a massacre that had filled my + youthful mind with the most intense and unreasoning hatred of all + “niggers,” as we called the natives of Melanesia. The memory of that awful + scene had burned itself upon my brain, for the captain and mate of the + vessel were dear friends of mine, and they and their men had been cruelly + slaughtered, not for any wrong they had done—for they were good, + straight men—but simply because their blind confidence in the savage + natives invited their destruction. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + I steadied my rifle upon the top of the heap of coconuts, and waited a + second or two till every man in the first canoe was in line. Then I pulled + the trigger, and was thrown back bleeding and unconscious, for the rifle + burst just in front of the breech block, which blew out and struck me on + the top of my head, nearly fracturing my skull. + </p> + <p> + When I came to again Yorke's face was bending over me. + </p> + <p> + “We're all right, Drake. The brigantine is within a mile of us, coming up + with a light air, and we'll be aboard in half an hour. How do you feel, my + son?” + </p> + <p> + “Rockotty. Did the rifle burst?” + </p> + <p> + “Burst? It burst like a cannon, all but killed you, and a splinter hurt me + in the eye. Drake, my boy, the next time you do the Gadarene swine trick + with a cheap German Snider in your hand, see that the barrel is clear + before you fire it. When you fell that time, your rifle barrel must have + been pretty badly choked with sand and coral pebbles... Now lie still, and + don't worry like an old maid who has lost her cat. You can do nothing, and + will only be a damned nuisance if you <i>do</i> try to do anything. The + brigantine will be here presently, and you'll get your head attended to, + and have 'pretty-pretty' plasters stuck on your nose and other parts of + your facial beauties.” + </p> + <p> + “Where are the niggers?” I asked. + </p> + <p> + “Gone, gone, my dear boy. Vanished, but not vanished in time enough for + five or six of them. I have used every one of our cartridges on the four + canoes, and have had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that I have not + used them in vain. Now stop talking, and let me attend to the ship—the + bamboo ship... There, put your head on my coat; and don't talk.” + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + When the <i>Fray Bentos</i> sailed up alongside the raft I was lifted on + board, and placed in my berth, and long days passed ere I saw Yorke again. + </p> + <p> + When I did see him the brigantine was lying at anchor at Rook Island, and + Guest was in my cabin telling me the story of the hurricane—of how + he had lost the two boats within an hour—one being carried away when + the brigantine was all but thrown over on her beam ends, and the other—the + longboat—swept away with everything else on deck—guns, + deck-houses, bulwarks and all. + </p> + <p> + “How we escaped smashing into some reef or another I don't know,” said + Guest; “but the strangest thing about it all is that Yorke's cutter, + manned by native seamen, managed to stick so close to the <i>Fray Bentos</i>; + for when I, running before the hurricane, with my decks swept with + tremendous seas, suddenly ran into smooth water, brought to in fifteen + fathoms, and dropped anchor, there was the <i>Francesca</i> cheek by jowl, + alongside of me.” + </p> + <p> + “Kanaka sailors' eyesight,” I said. “Napoleon never lost sight of the + brigantine for a moment! And, talking about eyesight, how is Yorke's eye?” + </p> + <p> + “Bad, bad, my boy. It is destroyed entirely, and he is now on board here, + in my cabin. He has been asking for you. Do you feel strong enough to get + up and see him?” + </p> + <p> + I rose at once, and went into Guest's cabin. Yorke was lying in the + skipper's bunk, and as I entered he extended both hands to me, and smiled + cheerfully, though his left eye was covered with a bandage, and his brave, + square-set face was white and drawn. + </p> + <p> + “How are you, Drake, my boy? We had a narrow squeak, didn't we, from the + niggers? And here is Captain Guest worrying and tormenting himself that he + could not fire a gun to scare them off.” + </p> + <p> + I held his big, right hand between my own, and pressed it gently, for + there was something in his one remaining eye that told me the end of all + was near. + </p> + <p> + “Goodbye, dear lad.... Goodbye, Captain Guest. <i>I</i> know what is the + matter with me—erysipelas—and erysipelas to a big, fat man + like me means death... and if you would put a bullet through my head now + you would do me a good turn... But here, Guest, and you, Drake... your + hands. I'll be dead by to-morrow morning, and want to say goodbye, and + wish good luck to you both, before I begin babbling silly twaddle about + things that are of no account now... of no account now... not worth + speaking about now. But the South Seas are a rotten sort of a place, + anyway.” + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + +***** This file should be named 23821-h.htm or 23821-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/2/23821/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Yorke The Adventurer + 1901 + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: January 28, 2008 [EBook #23821] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +YORKE THE ADVENTURER + +By Louis Becke + +T. Fisher Unwin, 1901 + + + + +Chapter I + +In that delightful and exciting book, written by Captain Joshua Slocum, +and entitled, "Sailing Alone Round the World," there is a part wherein +the adventurous American seaman relates how he protected himself from +night attacks by the savages by a simple, but efficient precaution. It +was his custom, when he anchored for the night off the snow-clad and +inhospitable shores of Tierra del Fuego, to profusely sprinkle his +cutter's deck with sharp tacks, and then calmly turn in and sleep the +sleep of the just; for even the horny soles of the Fuegian foot is +susceptible to the business end of a tack; and, as I read Slocum's +story, I smiled, and thought of dear old Yorke and the _Francesco_. + +***** + +I first met Yorke early in the "seventies." Our vessel had run in under +the lee of the South Cape of New Britain to wood and water, and effect +some repairs, for in working northward through the Solomon Group, on a +special mission to a certain island off the coast of New Guinea, we +had met with heavy weather, and had lost our foretopmast. In those days +there was not a single white man living on the whole of the south coast +of New Britain, from St. George's Channel on the east, to Dampier's +Straits on the west--a stretch of more than three hundred miles, +and little was known of the natives beyond the fact of their being +treacherous cannibals. In Blanche Bay only, on the northern shore, was +there a settlement of a few adventurous English traders--the employees +of a rich German company--and these were only acquainted with the +natives in their own vicinity. Even the masters of trading vessels +avoided the south coast of the great island, not only on account of the +dangerous character of its inhabitants, but also because there was not, +they thought, anything to tempt them to risk their and their crews' +lives--for the shore nearly everywhere presented a line of dense +unbroken forest, with but scanty groves of coco-palms at long intervals, +and even had there been many such groves, no communication could be had +with the people. In the wild days of the "seventies" the practice of +cutting up and drying the coconut into what is known as "copra" had +scarcely made any headway in those parts of New Britain, New Ireland, +and the Solomon and New Hebrides Groups which were visited by trading +vessels--the nuts were turned into oil by a crude and wasteful process +known as "rotting." + +The captain of our little vessel was one of the oldest and most +experienced trading skippers in the Western Pacific, grim, resolute, and +daring, but yet cautious of his men's lives, if not of his own; so when +he decided to anchor under the lee of the South Cape, he chose a part +of the coast which seemed to be but scantily inhabited. The dense forest +which came down to the water's edge concealed from view any village that +might have been near us; but the presence of smoke arising from various +spots denoted that there were some natives living in the vicinity, +though we could not see any canoes. + +We brought to about half a mile from the shore. Two boats were at once +lowered, manned, and armed, and under the captain's guidance, set out to +search for water, which we knew we should have but little difficulty in +finding, even on the south coast of New Britain, which is not nearly so +well watered as the northern shore of the island. In the captain's boat +were six men besides himself; I was in charge of the covering boat, +manned by six native seamen and carrying three water-casks--all we could +stow. + +Pulling in together, close to the shore, the captain then went ahead, +my boat following at the regulation distance of fifty yards, only four +hands rowing in each, leaving four men to keep a look-out for natives. + +Presently the skipper turned to me, and pointed shoreward. + +"That's the place for us, Drake--between those two spurs--just round +this point. There's bound to be water there." + +The place which he indicated was about two miles distant to the +eastward, and the crews gave way with good will, for the prospect of +having a drink of pure water after the brackish and ill-smelling stuff +we had been drinking for a fortnight, was very pleasing. Although but a +little past nine o'clock in the morning the day was intensely hot, and +windless as well, and the perspiration was streaming down the naked +chests and backs of our sturdy native sailors. The only sounds that +broke the silence were the cries of birds--cockatoos and large green and +scarlet parrots, which screamed angrily at us as the boats passed close +in to the dense, steamy jungle of the littoral. + +Just as the captain's boat rounded the point, we heard a cry of +astonishment from his crew, a cry that was echoed by ourselves half a +minute later; for there in the centre of a small landlocked bay, was +a cutter lying at anchor! She appeared to be of about thirty or forty +tons, had an awning spread aft, and presented a very weather-worn +appearance; her rudder was gone, and the upper part of her stern badly +damaged. There was no one visible on deck, but presently, in answer to +the captain's hail, the face of an old, white-haired man, appeared above +the companion. + +"Come on board," he called out in clear, vigorous tones, and we saw him +take up a broom, which was lying on the skylight, and begin to sweep the +after-deck vigorously with one hand, the other being in a sling. + +"Guess he's a lunatic," said Captain Guest, turning to me with a laugh. +But we had no time to indulge in surmises, for in a few minutes we were +drawing up alongside; the stranger was standing at the stern, broom in +hand, watching us. + +"Step on board here, over the stern, please," he said, and then he added +quickly, "but are you all wearing boots?" + +"No," answered the captain, now quite sure the old man was wrong in his +head, "some of my men have no boots." + +"Then they had better not come aboard," he said with a quiet, amused +smile, as he saw our puzzled faces. + +The moment Captain Guest and myself stepped over the rail and shook +hands with the stranger, we saw the reason for the broom--the entire +deck, except the small space aft which had just been swept, was covered +with broken glass! + +"Glad to see you, gentlemen. My name is Yorke, and this cutter is the +_Francesco_." + +"And my name is Guest. I am master of the brigantine _Fray Sentos_, +of Sydney, lying just round the point, and this is Mr. Drake, my +supercargo." + +"Sit down here on the skylight, gentlemen, out of the way of the +glass--my cabin is very small." + +"Guess it would have to be a pretty big one if you had another two men +like yourself to share it," said Guest with a laugh, as he surveyed our +new friend's proportions. And indeed he was right, for Yorke was over +six feet in height, rather stout, and with a chest like a working +bullock. His face and neck were deeply bronzed to a dark tan, and +presented a striking and startling yet pleasing contrast to his +snowy-white hair, moustache, and eyebrows; his clear, steely blue eyes +were in consonance with the broad, square jaw, and the man's character +revealed itself in his features--strong, courageous, dominant, and +self-reliant. + +The moment Captain Guest mentioned that our men were thirsty and would +like a drink of water, Yorke became the soul of hospitality, and told +them to come on board and help themselves, while for Guest and myself he +produced a couple of bottles of excellent Tennant, and took a glass of +it himself. + +"Now, do you know, gentlemen," he said as he sat down on the cutter's +rail, facing us, "this morning I had a dream? I thought I heard some one +call out, 'All ready there, for'ard?' and I heard the rattle of a cable +through the hawse-pipes. Then I woke and looked at the clock--it was +just half-past seven." + +"And at half-past seven we let go anchor, a good four miles from here. +Surely you could not have heard us at such a distance." + +"No, that's a fact. So, when I did hear you hail just now I knew my +dream was verified. As a rule, dreams aren't worth a bag of shakings." + +"Where are your crew, captain?" I asked. + +"Ah, now I've a yarn to tell you. I'm the only man on board--my mate and +every man of my crew were massacred about six weeks ago off the north +end of New Ireland, and I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. And now +you can guess the meaning of all this glass on the deck. There's plenty +of niggers all around us here, and that broken glass is a splendid +protection for me at night time. Since I lost my men they have made two +attempts to cut me off at night time, once at a place just the other +side of Cape St. George and once near here. But," and he laughed softly, +"they didn't stay on deck more than five seconds, I can assure you. I'll +tell you the whole yarn presently. But say, captain--can you help me +to a new rudder? I lost mine a week ago, and having a bad hand have not +been able to do anything towards making one myself." + +"Certainly I will. I'll send my carpenter to you as soon as we get back +to the ship; or, better still, we'll tow you down to the Fray Bentos. +But we are in want of water and firewood, and I should like to take some +of both back with me." + +He thanked Guest warmly, and added that, although the cutter had no +rudder, she would steer very well with a sweep; and then he informed us +there was good running water within a couple of cables' length of the +cutter, also plenty of wood, and offered to take us to the place. We +need not, he said, apprehend any attack by the natives, as our party was +too large, and the spot where we could fill the casks was in fairly open +country, and by stationing a sentry or two on each side of the creek, we +could both wood and water with safety. + +"There is a village about six miles along the coast from here, and no +doubt it was the people from there who boarded me the other night, for +I saw a lot of canoes on a little beach there. I think it must be the +largest village for many miles hereabout. Now, do you see all those +columns of smoke? Some, you will notice, are very thin and bluish, while +others are almost black; the thin ones are only from native ovens, the +others are signals to the various smaller villages to the eastward--by +this time every nigger within fifty miles of us knows that your ship is +at anchor. I hope you left plenty of men on board?" "Plenty, and ours is +a well-armed crew." Just as he was stepping into the captain's boat, I +asked him what was the matter with his hand. He replied carelessly that +he had "managed to get a bit of a knock," and would be glad if I would +look at it when we returned to the cutter, as it was rather painful at +times. + +The boats were soon under way for the shore, and in a quarter of an hour +we entered a narrow but deep creek, not wide enough to permit us using +our oars; but this was of no consequence, for each boat carried half +a dozen canoe paddles. Within a hundred yards up from the entrance we +found the water to be quite fresh, and while some of the men started to +fill the casks, the rest, except the sentries, made for a clump of +about a dozen coconut-trees growing close beside a magnificent grove of +areca-palms. Every nut that was young enough to drink was quickly thrown +down, and carried to the boats. Then we set to work to collect firewood, +and two or three dry, solid logs were dragged down into the creek, +lashed together, and then, with them and the filled water casks in tow, +we returned merrily to the _Franceses_ hoisted up our water casks, swept +up all the glass, shovelled it into a hogshead standing on the +deck, hoisted her mainsail, and hove up her anchor, glad of having +accomplished our task so easily and so quickly. A light air had sprung +up, and the vessel, aided by the boats, made good progress towards our +brigantine, despite the logs towing astern. + +Our new friend asked me if I would mind coming below with him, as it was +past three o'clock, and quite time we had something to eat and drink. + +The cabin certainly was small, but was spotlessly clean, and exceedingly +well furnished. It contained three bunks, two of which were hidden from +view by neat cretonne curtains. + +"That was my poor young mate's bunk," he said sadly, "and the other was +the boatswain's. Now, will you please pass these up on deck?" + +From a locker he took out a dozen or more of ale, two bottles of +spirits, and a number of tins of beef, sardines, etc., together with +an ample supply of biscuit. These I passed up to Guest, who, at Yorke's +request, ordered the boats alongside, so that the crews could get some +dinner, and a stiff glass of grog all round. Then we ourselves ate a +most hearty meal, rendered the more enjoyable by the deliciously cool +beer--a liquor which, until that day, we had not tasted for quite +four or five months. As soon as we had finished, I asked him to let me +examine his hand. + +"Can you do a bit of cutting?" he asked, as I began to remove the +bandages. + +"Rather," answered Guest for me, "Drake loves to dig out a bullet, +especially--doesn't he, Napoleon?" + +Napoleon was one of our native crew--a short, nuggety little Tongan, +who, in an attack made on our boats nearly a year before, had received a +bullet in the calf of the leg. I had succeeded in extracting it without +unduly mutilating the patient, for I had once acted as amateur assistant +to a medical missionary in Samoa, and had seen a good many bullets +extracted during a very lively six months' native war. + +When I saw the condition of Yorke's hand, I was startled. It was +enormously swollen from the tips of the fingers to the wrist, and badly +lacerated and bruised all over the back, and presented a very dangerous +appearance. The pain he had endured, and was enduring at the moment, +must have been something atrocious, and I felt a sudden respect and +admiration for a man who could attend to _our_ wants before thinking of +himself. + +"Good heavens!" said Guest sympathisingly, "how did it happen?" + +He told us that ten days previously the cutter had struck on a reef in +the night. She bumped heavily three or four times, but would have worked +across the reef without serious damage, as there was a good breeze, had +not a sea taken her on the bows, thrown her aback, and driven her stern +first against the one exposed portion of the reef, tearing away her +rudder, and smashing all the upper part of her stern. Yorke, who was +half-stunned by the boom swinging over, and striking him on the head as +he was rising to his feet after being hurled along the deck, felt that +he had received an injury to his hand, which was bleeding profusely. +But just then he gave no thought to it, for the next two or three seas +fortunately carried the cutter over the reef into deep water and safety. +When he came to examine his hand, he found it had been crushed, probably +by a piece of the heavy hardwood rail, and several splinters were +protruding from the back and wrist. These he had succeeded in +extracting, but the pain continued to increase day by day, and the palm +of the hand began to swell and gather. + +"Perhaps there's a bit of timber in there yet," he remarked to us. + +I thought so also, and so did Guest, and after torturing the poor fellow +a few minutes, I located the exact spot--just below the ball of the +thumb. + +"Captain Yorke," I said, "I can cut it out, I am sure. But, frankly, +the thumb is a dangerous thing for an amateur surgeon to meddle with, +and----" + +"I know," he interrupted quietly, "but I'd rather run the risk of +lockjaw than the certainty of blood poisoning, and I know that that +is what it will turn to. Last night I made up my mind to cut into the +damned thing this morning if that last poultice I put on had no effect. +Now go ahead. There's a bottle of carbolic acid below, which will be +useful, and my pocket-knife has a razor-edge." + +In less than five minutes I set to work, and in a few more, to my +intense satisfaction--for I felt nervous--the thing was done, and I had +extracted a piece of wood half an inch long, and as thick as a small +quill. Then Guest and I carefully washed the wound over and over again +in a solution of carbolic acid, and in half an hour the hand was bound +up _pro tem_. Poor Yorke bore the pain without the twitching of an +eyelid, and I felt a sincere thankfulness when, two hours later, we saw +the change that relief from intense physical suffering had effected in +his features. + +When we reached the brigantine, I was able to bandage the injured hand +in a more shipshape and proper manner, as we had an ample supply of +lint and other requirements; and within ten days he could use his hand +freely, though it took a much longer time for a thorough recovery. That +he was deeply grateful to us he showed us in many quiet ways; and before +he had been with us a week, both the captain and myself, and, indeed, +every one else on board the _Fray Bentos_ had grown to like the man +immensely, though at times he would become unaccountably moody and +silent, and keep to himself, only speaking in answer to a direct +question. But, even then, he never attempted to directly avoid us, and +was always civil, even to any of our native crew who might speak to him. + +"Guess he thinks a lot about those poor men of his," said Guest to me +one day. + +That first evening we had a very pleasant supper. Yorke was with us, and +during the meal he gave us a detailed account of his voyage, and of the +massacre of his little vessel's company. + + + + +Chapter II + +He had, he told us, bought the _Francesco_ at Sourabaya about three +years before, and after making several trading voyages between Manila +and the Ladrone Islands--voyages which did not pay as well as he had +anticipated--he fell in with the master of a Hobart Town whaler, +who strongly advised him to go farther eastwards and southwards, +particularly about the Admiralty Group and their vicinity, where a +few colonial vessels were doing very well, trading for coconut oil, +beche-de-mer, sandalwood, tortoise-shell and pearl-shell. Yorke took his +advice and made a very successful voyage to the Admiralties, taking a +cargo of pearl-shell to Singapore. This he sold very profitably, and +was soon at sea again. On reaching the Admiralty Group, however, he was +prevented from trading by the hostility of the natives, though on his +previous visit they had been very friendly; and so, fearing that they +might cut off the vessel, he decided to leave. He had with him a native +of Yap, one of the Caroline Islands--a man who had wandered about the +North and South Pacific from his boyhood. His name was Rul, and he was +not only a good seaman and an expert diver, but spoke fluently nearly a +score of Melanesian and Micronesian dialects. + +On the evening of the day that the cutter left Callie Harbour, on +Admiralty Island, Yorke called his six men together, and told them that +he was very undecided what to do. (I found out afterwards that he had a +way of taking his crew into his confidence--"It pleases them," he said, +"and has proved very useful on a number of occasions when their goodwill +meant much to me "). + +After telling them that he did not like to risk their lives by trying to +return to Callie Harbour, he asked if they were willing to sail with him +to the southwestern coast of New Guinea, where, he had heard, there was +a great deal of pearl-shell to be bought from the natives. At the same +time he pointed out to them that it would be a risky undertaking; he +had no chart of that part of the Western Pacific, and, if they lost the +ship, they would stand but little chance of escaping from the cannibal +natives. + +"Then," he went on, "this fellow Rul said that although he and the other +natives on board were quite willing to go anywhere with me, _he_ knew +of a place only two days' sail away to the eastward where there was +not only plenty of black-edge pearl-shell, but hawkbill turtle-shell as +well. He had, he said, been cast away there in a whaleship, and remained +on the island three months, could speak a little of the language, and +gave me the names of several villages and harbours, but did not know the +name of the island as a whole. + +"I brought up my chart, and in a few seconds I discovered the names +he had mentioned. The island was New Hanover, and, with the northerly +breeze then blowing, I knew we should be there in twenty-four hours. So +I made up my mind to try the place; for Rul was a thoroughly trustworthy +fellow, and I knew I could depend on him. + +"My mate was a young American named Ted Merriman, a native of New +London, Connecticut, a fine sailorman, and a good navigator. My +boatswain, too, was one of the right sort; and, as for the rest, +although they were all natives, they were good seamen, and I had never +had a sulky look from any one of them since they first shipped with me. + +"We anchored just off a village which Rul knew, and in a few minutes +the people came off to us in crowds and filled the deck. Many of them +recognised Rul, and they all showed great friendliness and eagerness to +trade; and I, like a cocksure fool, was thrown off my guard." + +He ceased speaking, sighed, then lit his pipe and smoked in silence +for awhile, and it was evident to us all that, although he was not an +emotional man, he was strongly affected by the memory of the tragedy, +and reproached himself keenly. + +"Everything went well for the two following days," he resumed; "the +natives had over ten tons of good black-edge shell, all of which I +bought from them, paying for it principally in tobacco. It was worth to +me in Singapore about L65 a ton, and only cost me about L3 a ton, so +you may imagine that I felt very well satisfied. Then, besides the +pearl-shell I bought nearly five hundredweight of splendid hawkbill +turtle-shell, giving but two or three sticks of tobacco for an entire +carapace of thirteen plates weighing between two and three pounds, and, +as you know, hawkbill shell is worth eight dollars a pound in Hongkong, +and much more in London or Hamburg." + +"Captain Yorke," said Guest, with a laugh, "you should not have told us +this. Drake here is a very good fellow, but in business matters--as a +supercargo--he'd cut the throat of his best friend." + +"Don't believe that, Captain Yorke," I said, "but at the same time I +wish you had not told us of this place. You certainly have the prior +right of discovery, and ought to have the benefit, so I promise you I +will not repeat to our owners anything you now tell us." + +Yorke's face changed, and his bright blue eyes looked into ours with +such a kindly expression that the fascination he already possessed over +me deepened quickly. + +"You and Captain Guest are welcome to my knowledge, but I trust you will +use it for your own benefit, and not consider your owners. Tell me now, +gentlemen, would they consider _you_? Would they give you a handsome +bonus for putting, say, five, or six thousand pounds into their +pockets?" + +"I daresay they would give us each a cheque for fifty pounds," said +Guest meditatively. + +"Then keep the thing dark," said the big man energetically, "keep it +dark. Why should you, Captain Guest, and you, Mr. Drake, enrich your +owners by imparting to them this information? I tell you, gentlemen, +that all shipowners are alike, at least I never ran across any that +showed much consideration for any one else's welfare. Nine out of every +ten will work the soul out of their ship-masters and officers, who, when +they grow too old to go to sea, are chucked out into the gutter to die +of poverty, unless they have laid by a nest-egg for their old age." + +"That is true enough," assented Guest, "and our esteemed employers are +no better than the general run. So we will look on what you have just +told us as private; by and by we will all talk over the matter, and see +if we cannot go into the thing together." + +Yorke nodded. "I'm with you. I've always played a lone hand hitherto, +but I think that I can pull very well with men like you." + +Then he resumed his story. + +"On the morning of the third day I went ashore with my gun to have a few +hours' shooting on a large swamp, situated about three miles inland +from the village. One of the natives had told Rul that there were great +numbers of wild duck and plover there, and offered to guide me to the +place; so, telling Merriman that I would be back in time for dinner, +I started with the guide. The gun I had with me was a double-barrelled +pin-fire Lefaucheux breech-loader, and just before I left the cutter, I +put in a couple of cartridges, intending to have a shot at some cranes +which I saw walking about on the beach. Most fortunately for me, they +flew away before I could get near enough. Besides the gun, I brought +with me a Sharp's rifle, as the guide said that we should most likely +see a wild pig or two about the swamp. The rifle I gave to him to carry, +but the ten cartridges for it I put in my coat pocket, together with +about twenty cartridges for the gun. + +"On landing at the village, I was met by the head man, who wanted to +know if I would buy a couple of pigs from him. I told him to take them +on board to the mate, who would pay him; then, the guide leading, we +struck out into the forest. After going about a mile or so, the nigger +was joined by half a dozen young bucks, all armed with spears and clubs. +I asked the guide, who spoke a little English, what they wanted; he +replied that they wished to see me shoot. + +"'Very well,' I said, 'go ahead then, all of you.' + +"The bucks grinned, but instead of going ahead stepped back to let me +pass, and fell in, in single file at the rear, the guide still leading. +Now, I didn't like that at all, and I turned round to tell them to go +in front of me; I was just in time to save myself from getting a spear +through my back--as it was, it whizzed through the side of my coat, and +in another second the nigger who threw it had a charge of shot through +his brains. Then, slewing round, I was just able to drop the guide, who +was running off with the rifle. I hit him in the back, and saw him fall, +then took cover behind a big tree to load again; but every other nigger +had vanished, and then I heard a sound that filled me with dread for +those on board the cutter--the loud, hoarse bellowing of conch shells. + +"I ran over to the guide, who was lying where he had fallen. I don't +think he was mortally wounded, for he was quite thirty yards off when +I fired. However, I made certain of him by cracking his skull with a +long-handled club he carried. Then I loaded the Sharp's rifle, slung +it over my shoulder by its sling; and started back for the village at a +run, holding my shot gun ready cocked. + +"When I reached the village, I could not see a soul--every house was +deserted, but from the sea front I could hear diabolical yells and +cries. I had to run another hundred yards or more before I came in sight +of the cutter, and the moment I did so, I saw that it was all over +with poor Merriman and the others--the vessel was simply swarming with +niggers, and surrounded by canoes, into which they were already throwing +the plunder! + +"I rested a minute or so to get my breath and steady my hand, and then +opened fire. The cutter was not two hundred yards away from where I +stood, and the very first shot plumped right into the black, surging +crowd on deck, and one nigger gave his last jump. I fired three more +shots into them before they had time to get into their canoes, or spring +overboard to swim ashore. Most of the canoes made off to the south, +around a point, but three or four of them came right in towards me, +heading for the village. I don't think any of them saw me, for I was +lying down among the roots and _debris_ of a fallen tree, just above +high water mark. They came in, paddling like mad, but not uttering a +sound. I waited till the first canoe was within ten yards of me, and +then fired both barrels of my gun in quick succession right into them, +nearly blowing the chest out of the old chief, who was seated amidships, +and wounding all the others. Then I got to work with my rifle again +on the other canoes; and, although the moment they saw me, the niggers +jumped overboard and dived, I got one for every shot of the last six +cartridges--whenever one got into shallow water and stood up to run, +down he went. + +"Then, taking both shot gun and rifle by the barrels, I smashed them on +a rock, tore off my clothes and boots, and started to swim off to the +vessel, looking behind me every now and then to see if the niggers were +following. But they had had enough of me, and their empty canoes were +drifting about the bay. + +"I got alongside, clambered up over the waist, and saw a sight I +shall never forget--every one of my poor shipmates had been ruthlessly +slaughtered, and their mutilated bodies, stripped of every bit of +clothing, were lying about the deck. A very brief examination showed me +that every one of them was dead--in fact their heads had been beaten to +pulp, and each body was pierced through and through with spear wounds +and hacked and chopped about with tomahawks; while the deck was just a +puddle of blood, mixed with sticks of tobacco, pieces of print, knives, +and all sorts of trade goods. + +"The first thing I did was to try and hoist the mainsail so as to get +under way, but the black devils had cut away a lot of the running gear, +and the halliards had been severed and lay on the deck, ready to be +taken on shore with the other loot littered about, though the sail +itself had not been damaged. The jib and staysail, also, I could not +hoist: they were lying in a heap on the windlass with a dead nigger on +top, and, further aft, were another two of the gentry, one dead and +one with a smashed thigh bone. I slung the wounded man overboard to the +sharks, and then began to consider what was best to do. The niggers, I +felt certain, would not tackle the cutter again, when they knew I was +safe on board, but I determined to make certain. + +"You noticed those two brass three-pounders I carry? Well, the first +thing I did was to load them with heavy charges of round bullets, and +some nuts and bolts. Then I got up a dozen or so of rifles, and plenty +of ammunition, and laid them in readiness on the skylight; for, although +the niggers had turned my cabin upside down when looting the ship, there +were any amount of small arms and various stores in the little hatch +under the cabin table; besides these, I had some more in my own berth in +a locker. + +"Just as I was taking a long drink at the scuttle butt, I saw some of +the niggers creeping back to the village through the trees, and watching +what I was doing. I soon let them know. + +"The cutter had swung round, and was broadside on to the houses, so +taking the gun on the port side over to the starboard, I secured it +well, and then trained it with the other on the biggest house in the +village--a sort of meeting-house or temple, or some such darned thing. +I can tell you, gentlemen, I felt as if I could laugh when I saw quite +a score of the black swine go into this house, one after another. I had +friction tubes in both guns, and waited for another five minutes; then I +fired them one after another. Whether many or any niggers were killed, I +do not know; but there was a fearful howling, which did me good to hear, +and the front of the house went into splinters under the heavy charges +of the guns, and in five seconds the village was deserted again. + +"Before I did anything more for my own safety, I got some sailcloth and +rugs, and covered the bodies of my shipmates--the dreadful appearance +they presented just unnerved me, and I felt like sitting down and +crying. But I had to hustle. I wanted to get under way as quickly as +possible before darkness came on, and it was now noon. + +"First of all I rove the mainsail halliards, and then bent on the jib, +stopping only now and then to fire a rifle at the village, just to +let the natives know I was keeping my eyes skinned. Then I hoisted the +mainsail and hove up my anchor without any trouble, for the wind was +very light, and got a good cant off shore as soon as I ran up the jib. + +"As soon as I was well away from the land, I stood north--about so as so +clear Cape Queen Charlotte, the westerly point of New Hanover, and ran +on for three or four hours, the vessel steering herself while I sewed up +poor Merriman's and the boatswain's bodies as well as I could under the +circumstances. I should have done the same for the natives had I had the +time, especially for Rul, but I had not. About dusk I brought to, just +off the Cape, and dropped them over the side one after another--only +just realising, ten minutes previously, that I was still stark naked! + +***** + +"After rounding the north point of New Hanover, I stood away down the +coast of New Ireland till I made Gerrit Denys Island, where I anchored +for a couple of days, the natives being very friendly, and giving me all +the fresh provisions I wanted for a little tobacco and some hoop-iron. +There was an old white beachcomber named Billy living with them; he +seemed to do pretty well as he liked, and had a deal of influence +with them, not allowing any one of them to hang about the vessel after +sunset, and each night he slept on board with me. I gave him a case of +Hollands for lending me a hand to set up my rigging, which so pleased +him that he turned to and got drunk in ten minutes. + +"After leaving Gerrit Denys I had a hard struggle to make Cape St. +George, on the south end of New Ireland. For eight or ten days I had +rainy weather, with heavy squalls from the eastward, and did not feel +very well into the bargain, for I had a touch of fever and ague." + +I asked him how he managed at night-time as regarded sleep. + +He laughed quietly, and assured us that he never lost a night's rest +during the whole of the time he was at sea. He would simply "scandalise" +his mainsail without reefing it, haul the staysail sheet to windward, +and let the cutter head reach till daylight. The _Francesco_ he +said--and I afterwards found out that he was not over-rating her +qualities--was a marvellous little vessel for taking care of herself. + +"Well, I jogged along till one Sunday morning, when I made the land +between Cape Bougainville and Cape St. George. It had been raining in +torrents for two days, and I was feeling a bit done up; so, picking out +a quiet little bay with thick forest growing right down to the water's +edge, and not a sign of a native or native house, I ran in and let go +in fifteen fathoms, but within a stone throw of the shore. And I'll be +hanged, gentlemen, if I did not see, ten minutes afterwards, the +smoke of half a dozen signal fires rising over the trees from as many +different places, and all within three miles of the cutter. However, I +was too weak to heave up again, even had I felt inclined. I wanted to +cosset myself up, and get a good sweating between thick blankets to +drive some of the fever out of me; and, niggers or no niggers, I meant +to do so that day. Then I thought of a dodge--I mean the broken-glass +trick. + +"In the hold were half a dozen barrels of empty gin, beer, and +whisky bottles. We had put them aside to give to the Admiralty Island +people--especially the women and children--who attached some value to +them as water holders. I brought up sixty or seventy dozen, and smashed +them up in a clean hogshead. Then I turned the whole lot out in a heap +on the main hatch, got a shovel, and covered the entire deck fore and +aft, first getting all loose ropes, &c, out of the way, as I did not +want to get any glass in my own hands when I next handled the running +gear. After that I went below, lit a spirit lamp, and made myself a big +bowl of hot soup--real hot soup--a small tin of soup and bouilli, and a +half bottle of Worcester sauce with a spoonful of cayenne pepper and a +stiff glass of brandy thrown in. + +"It touched me up, I can tell you, but I knew it would do me good as I +lay down in my bunk, rolled myself in a heavy blanket, and piled over me +every other rug and blanket I could find. In half an hour I was sweating +profusely, for not only was the soup remedy working, but the little +cabin, having every opening closed, was stiflingly hot. However, I stuck +it out for a good two hours, till I felt I could stand it no longer; so +I got up, unfastened my cabin door to get some air, and began rubbing +myself down with a coarse towel. Heavens! it felt delightful; for +although my bones still ached, and I was very shaky on my legs, my head +was better, and my spirits began to rise. I put on my pyjamas, went on +deck, and had a look round. It was nearly dark, the rain had cleared +off, a young moon was just lifting over the trees, and the little bay +was as quiet as the grave--except for the cries of a colony of flying +foxes which lived in a big _vi_ tree just a cable's length away from the +cutter. + +"I knew that the New Britain and New Ireland natives don't like going +out after dark, and that if these people meant mischief to me, they +would wait till just before daylight, when they would expect to find +everyone on board asleep; so, feeling much better and stronger, I turned +in at eight o'clock, and slept till past midnight. I made some coffee, +drank it, and laid down again, dozing off every now and then till just +before dawn. Then I heard a sudden rush on deck, followed by the most +diabolical howls and yells as twenty or thirty niggers jumped overboard +with bleeding feet, many of them leaving their clubs lying on the deck. +I put my head out of the cabin, and gave them half a dozen revolver +shots, but I'm afraid I didn't hit any of the beggars. + +"I got away on the same morning, and made a fine run right across St. +George's Channel, and along the New Britain coast till I made Cape +Roebuck. Once the cutter did a steady nine knots for thirty hours. After +running on that reef, I did not drop anchor again till I brought up off +a rocky beach a few miles from here; and there the niggers made another +try to get me, but the broken glass again proved effectual." + +"It's a mighty smart dodge, Captain Yorke," said Guest, as we rose and +shook hands with him, for he was going to sleep on board his own vessel. + + + + +Chapter III + +We lay under the lee of the South Cape or New Britain for nearly a +fortnight, during which time we effected all the necessary repairs to +our own vessel, and fitted Yorke's cutter with a new rudder. So far he +had not told us anything further of his intentions as regarded either +the further prosecution of his trading voyage, or its abandonment. +At breakfast one morning, Guest told him that he (Yorke) could have a +couple of our native hands to help him work the cutter to Manila, or any +other port in the China Seas, if he so desired. + +He stroked his big, square jaw meditatively. + +"That is very kind of you, Captain Guest," he said; "but to tell you the +exact truth, I don't know my own mind at this moment. I've a hazy sort +of an idea that I'd like to keep the Fray Bentos company for a bit +longer. I can outsail you in light winds--and I really don't care what I +do now. And if you can spare me a couple of hands, I could jog along in +company with you indefinitely. But, please understand me--I don't want +to thrust myself and the _Francesco_ into your company if _you_ don't +want_ me_. As a matter of fact, I don't care a straw where I go--but I +certainly would like to keep in company with you, if you don't object. +Perhaps you would not mind telling me where you are bound?" + +Guest looked at me interrogatively. + +"Well, Captain Yorke," I said, "one confidence begets another; your +confidence in us is worth a heap of money to Guest and myself, and, to +be perfectly frank and straightforward with you, the captain and myself +intended to lay a proposition before you whereby we three might possibly +go into this New Hanover venture on our own hook. But Guest and myself +are bound to our present employers for another seven months." + +Yorke nodded. "That will be all right. I'm ready to go in with you, +either at the end of seven months or at any other time which may suit +you. You can count on me. I'm not a rich man, nor yet am I a poor +man; in fact, there's a thousand pounds' worth of stuff under the +_Francesco's_ hatches now." + +"Well then, Captain Yorke," I said, "as Guest here leaves me to do all +the talking, I'll tell you _why_ we are so far up to the northward, +out of our usual beat. We heard in Samoa that a big ship, named the +_Sarawak_ had run ashore and been abandoned at Rook Island, in Dampier +Straits, between the west end of New Britain and the east coast of New +Guinea, and both Guest and myself know her to be one of the largest +ships out of Liverpool; she left Sydney for Hongkong about six months +ago with a general cargo. And 'there be pickings,' for she is almost a +new vessel, and her gear and fittings alone, independent of her cargo, +ought to be worth a thousand pounds. All we could learn at Samoa was +that she had run up on a ledge of reef on Rook Island, and that the +skipper, with three boats' crews, had started off for Thursday Island, +in Torres Straits. Now, it is quite likely that, if she has not broken +up, there may be a lot of money hanging to it." + +"For your owners!" said Yorke, with his slow, amused smile. + +"Just so, Captain Yorke. 'For our owners,' as you say. But even our +owners, who are rather 'sharp' people, are not a bad lot--they'll give +Guest and myself a bonus of some sort if we do them good over this +wrecked ship." + +"And if you don't 'do them good'?" he asked, with the same +half-humorous, half-sarcastic smile. + +"If we don't, the senior partner in our highly-esteemed, sailor-sweating +firm, will tell Guest and myself that we 'made a most reprehensible +mistake,' and have put the firm to a considerable loss by doing too much +on our own responsibility." + +He nodded as I went on--"We heard of this wreck from the officers of a +French cruiser which called at Samoa while we were there. They sighted +her lying high and dry on the reef, sent a boat ashore, and found her +abandoned. She was bilged, but not badly, as far as they could see. On +the cabin table was nailed a letter, written by the captain, saying +that being unable to float the ship again, and fearing that he and his +unarmed crew would be attacked by the savages, he was starting off in +his boats for Thursday Island, the nearest port. Now, that is a big +undertaking, and the chances are that the poor fellows never reached +there. However, Guest and I thought so much of the matter that we +hustled through our business in Samoa, and sailed the next day direct +for Rook Island, instead of doing our usual cruise to the eastward. But +we met with fearful weather coming up through the Solomon Group, lost +our foretopmast, and strained badly. And here we are now, tied up by the +nose off the South Cape of New Britain instead of being at Rook Island +at work on that wreck." + +Yorke thought a moment. "Well, gentlemen, let me come in with you--just +for the fun of the thing. I don't want to get any money out of it, I +assure you, and I'll lend you a hand with the wrecking work." + +"Agreed," said Guest, extending his hand, "but only on this +condition--whatever our owners give Drake and myself, we three divide +equally." + +"As you please, as you please," he said. "Now come aboard my little +hooker, and have a look at what is in the hold." + +We went on board the Francesco with him, and made an examination of +her small but valuable cargo, and Guest and I agreed that he had +underestimated its worth by quite four hundred or five hundred +pounds--in fact, the whole cargo would sell in Sydney or San Francisco +for about sixteen hundred pounds. + +We sailed together that afternoon, the cutter getting under weigh first. +We had given Yorke three of our men--Napoleon the Tongan, and two other +natives--and before ten minutes had passed, Guest and everyone else on +board the _Fray Bentos_ could see that the _Francesco_ could sail rings +round our old brigantine, even in a stiff breeze, for the cutter drew +as much water as we did, and had a big spread of canvas. By nightfall we +were running before a lusty south-east breeze, the cutter keeping about +half a mile to windward of us, and taking in her gaff topsail, when it +became dark, otherwise she would have run ahead of, and lost us before +morning. At daylight, when I went on deck, she was within a cable's +length, Yorke was steering--smoking as usual--and no one else was +visible on deck. + +I hailed him: "Good morning, Captain; where are your men?" "Taking it +out in 'bunk, oh,'" he answered with a laugh. "I came on deck about two +hours ago, and told them to turn in until four bells." + +"You'll ruin them for the _Fray Bentos_, sir," cried our mate with +grumbling good-humour. "Why don't you start one of 'em at the galley +fire for your coffee!" + +"Because I'm coming aboard you for it," was the reply. He hauled in the +main-sheet, lashed the tiller, went quietly forward without awakening +his native seamen, and put the staysail to windward. Then he came +amidships again to the main hatch, picked up the little dingy which was +lying there, and, despite his bad hand, slid her over the cutter's rail +into the water as if she were a toy, got in, and sculled over to the +brigantine, leaving the cutter to take care of herself! + +Charley King, the mate of the _Fray Bentos_ turned to me in +astonishment. He was himself one of the finest built and most powerful +men I had ever met, not thirty years of age, and had achieved a great +reputation as a long-distance swimmer and good all-round athlete. + +"Why, Mr. Drake, that dingy must weigh three hundred pounds, if she +weighs an ounce, for she's heavy oak built! And yet with one gammy hand +he can put her over the side as if she was made of brown paper." + +Yorke sculled alongside, made fast to the main chains, clambered over +the bulwarks, and stepped aboard in his usual quiet way, as if nothing +out of the common had occurred, and asked the mate what he thought of +the _Francesca_ as a sailer. King looked at him admiringly for a moment. + +"She's a daisy, Captain Yorke.... but you oughtn't to have put your boat +over the side by yourself, sir, with that bad hand of yours." + +The big man laughed so genuinely, and with such an infectious ring in +his voice, that even our Kanaka steward, who was bringing us our coffee, +laughed too. The dingy, he said, was very light, and there was no need +for him to call one of the men to help him. As we drank our coffee he +chatted very freely with us, and drew our attention to the lovely +effect caused by the rising sun upon a cluster of three or four small +thickly-wooded islets, which lay between the two vessels and the +mainland of New Britain, whereupon King, who had no romance in his +composition, remarked that for his part he could not see much difference +between one sunrise or sunset and another. "One means a lot of wind, and +another none at all; one means decent weather and another means rotten +weather, or middlin' weather." + +"Ah, Mr. King, you look at everything from a sailor's point of view," he +said good-naturedly. "Now, there's nothing gives me more pleasure than +to watch a sunset and sunrise anywhere in the tropics--particularly if +there's land in the foreground or background--I never miss a sunrise in +the South Seas if I can help it." + +Presently we began to talk of the voyage, and I asked him a +question--which only at that moment occurred to me--concerning himself +before we met. + +"I wonder, Captain Yorke, when your crew were cut off, that it did not +occur to you to run down the west coast of New Ireland, between it and +New Britain, to Blanche Bay, where there is a German station, and where +you could have obtained assistance. It would have been much easier for +you instead of that long buffeting about on the east coast." + +He made no answer at first, and I saw that his face had changed colour. +Then he answered slowly: + +"Just so. I knew all about the Germans at Blanche Bay, but I did not +want to go there--for very good reasons. Will you come aboard and have +some breakfast with me? I'll send you back again any time you like; +the sea is so smooth, as far as that goes, that I could run the cutter +alongside, and let you step off on to your own deck." + +Just as we were pushing off from the brigantine, Guest came on deck, +glass in hand, to have a look at the cluster of islands, at the same +time calling out to Yorke and myself to wait a little. After scanning +the islands from the deck, he went aloft for a better view, then +descended and came aft again to the rail. + +"Good morning, Captain Yorke. I've just been taking a look at those +islands over there, and an idea has just come to me. But, first of +all, are they marked on your chart? They are on mine, but not even +named--just dots." + +"Neither are they on my big sheet chart--and I have no other of this +part of the Western Pacific." + +"Well then, here's my idea. I see from aloft that there is a good-sized +blue water lagoon there, and as likely as not there may be pearl-shell +in it. Anyway, it's worth seeing into, and so if Drake and yourself like +to take our boat and half a dozen men, you might have a look in there. +I can't see any houses, but at the same time, be careful. You can run +in with the cutter pretty close, and then go ashore in the boat. You are +bound to find a passage into the lagoon somewhere or other. I'll send +Tim Rotumah and George" (two of our native crew who were good divers) +"with you in the boat; they'll soon let you know if there is any shell +in the lagoon. If there is, light a fire, and make a smoke, and I'll +anchor the brigantine and come after you." + +I was delighted with this, and at once returned on board, while Yorke +went off to the cutter to give his crew their instructions. In ten or +fifteen minutes the whaleboat was over the side awaiting me, manned by +six of our native crew, all of whom were armed with Snider carbines and +revolvers. Pushing off from the _Fray Bentos_, we went alongside the +_Francesco_ to pick up Yorke, who was waiting for the boat. As the wind +had now fallen very light, he suggested to me to make a start at once, +leaving the cutter in charge of Napoleon, with orders to anchor if it +fell calm, and he was on easy soundings. + +The morning was deliciously bright, clear, and, for those latitudes at +that season of the year, very cool. As the boat skimmed over the placid +surface of the ocean, "schools" of bright silvery gar-fish and countless +thousands of small flying squid sprang into the air and fell with a +simultaneous splash into the water on each side and ahead of us. Then +"George," a merry-faced, broad-chested native of Anaa, in the Paumotu +Islands, after an inquiring glance at me, broke out into a bastard +Samoan-Tokelauan canoe song, with a swinging chorus, altering and +improvising as he sang, showing his white teeth, as every now and then +he smiled at Yorke and myself when making some humorous play upon +the words of the original song, praising the former for his skill and +bravery, and his killing of the man-eating savages of New Hanover, his +great strength and stature, and his kindly heart--"a heart which groweth +from his loins upwards to his throat." + +Long, long years have passed since that day, but I shall always remember +how Yorke turned to me with a smile when at something George had sung, +the rest of our crew burst into approving laughter. + +"What is he saying about me?--of course I can recognise that 'Ioka' +means 'Yorke,'" he said. + +"It's extremely personal, but highly complimentary to you. Now, wait a +bit, till they come to the chorus, and I'll try and translate it. There, +he's starting:" + + "Miti Ioka, malie toa, toa malohi + Kapeni Iota, arii vaka! + Tule Ioka, fana tonu! + Mate puaka uri, kai tino. + Maumau lava, nofo noa! + Maumau lava, nofo noa t + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!! + "E aue l le tiga ina + Ma kalaga, ma kalaga + O fafine lalolagi + E kau iloay i nofa noa + Kapeni Ioka + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!!" + +"which goes," I said, "as far as I can understand, something like +this--'Mr. Yorke, warrior brave and fighter strong, Captain Yorke, +the sailor captain, leader Yorke who fired so truly, slew the black, +man-eating pigs of savages! Oh, the pity he is single, oh, the pity he +is single! _Pull, men, pull!_ The next verse says that did the world of +women know that such a fine man as yourself was a bachelor, they would +consume themselves with grief." + +"I wonder why they should take it for granted that I am a single man," +he laughed, as he began to fill his pipe; then he added quietly--"I may +be a widower for all I know. I was married in Copenhagen thirty years +ago, and have never seen my wife since, and trust I never may." Then in +a moment he changed the subject, and I took good care not to mention the +matter again. + +An hour after leaving the brigantine, we found a passage--narrow but +safe--leading into the lagoon, which was a mile or mile and a half in +width, and but for the one opening in the reef, completely land locked +by four small islands, all low and densely wooded with banyan and other +trees, and connected with each other at low tide. Here and there, at +intervals, were groves of coco-palms, and a few _vi_ trees--the wild +mango of the Western Pacific, growing close down to the beach, which on +the inner side of the lagoon was of bright yellow sand, and presented a +very pleasing appearance. + + + + +Chapter IV + +A very brief trial of the lagoon, at various depths, soon convinced us +that it contained no pearl-shell, both George and the Rotumah man coming +up empty-handed after each dive, and pronouncing the bottom to be _oge_, +_i.e._, poverty-stricken as regarded shell. But we made one rather +pleasing discovery, which was that the lagoon contained a vast number +of green turtle. We could see the creatures, some of them being of great +size, swimming about beneath the boat in all directions. It at once +occurred to me that I should let Guest know, for we were getting short +of provisions on board the _Fray Bentos_, and had been using native +food--pork, yams, and taro, to eke out our scanty store. Here, now, was +an opportunity of getting a supply of fresh meat which would last us for +a couple of months or more; as we could easily stow eighty or a hundred +turtle on board, and kill one or two every day as required. We always +carried with us a heavy turtle-net, made of coir fibre, which I had +bought two years before in the Tokelau Group. But, first of all, I +consulted with our native crew as to whether we could dispense with the +net by remaining on the island all night and watching for the turtle to +come ashore. + +They all assured me that we should get none, or at best but few, as it +was not the laying season. + +"Very well," I said, "go off to the ship, and tell the captain that +there is no pearl-shell here, but plenty of turtle. Ask him if he will +let you have the turtle-net, so that we can set it across the mouth of +the passage as soon as it becomes dark; and tell him we shall come +off again by midnight if he does not care about our staying till the +morning; but that as we are pretty sure to get a lot of turtle, he had +better send the longboat as well." + +Yorke, at first, intended to go off again to the _Francesca_, but I told +him I was so sure that Guest would come to an anchor when he heard about +the turtle, that he (Guest) would be sure to tell Napoleon and the other +men on board the cutter to do the same. "In fact," I added, "a supply +of turtle will be a God-send to us, and the skipper will not mind, I am +sure, if we stay here for a couple of days, under the circumstances." + +We pulled ashore to a little sandy beach, and Yorke and myself, taking +our rifles, ammunition, and a few biscuits each, got out, the native +crew at once starting off again for the ship, pulling as hard as they +could, for they were eager to return with the turtle-net and enjoy +themselves as only South Sea Islanders and other of Nature's children do +when fishing. + +About an hour after the boat had gone, we set to work to get some +coconuts to drink, both for ourselves and the boat's crew when +they returned. Yorke ascended a very tall palm--about sixty feet in +height--like a native, and began throwing down the young nuts. I took +a shorter tree near by, and was leisurely twisting off the heavy nuts, +when he, who had a good view of the sea, called out to me that it had +fallen calm. + +"And what I don't like, Drake, is this," he added--"there's a dull, +greasy look on the water over to the eastward there, and I'd like to +be on board the Francesca instead of being here. I don't like it, I can +tell you, and I'm sorry we did not go off in the boat." + +I, in my fatuous, youthful conceit, laughed at his forebodings. + +"It's only a New Britain squall--a lot of wind for ten minutes, then a +power of rain for another twenty, and then it'll be over." + +Yorke, however, was too old and experienced a seaman to disregard +the signs of coming danger. He quickly descended from his tree, and I +followed suit. + +"There's something more than a squall coming, my lad. Let us cut through +the bush across to the weather side of the island, and try and stop the +boat. We can do it if we are quick." + +The island was less than a mile in width, even at its broadest portion, +which was where we had landed; so, after a hurried drink, we picked +up our rifles and started off to try to intercept the boat as she was +pulling down the outer and eastern shore. But before we had made two +hundred yards, we came to a dead stop, our progress being barred by a +dense thicket of thorny and stunted undergrowth. We turned aside and +skirted the thicket for a quarter of a mile, then tried again, with the +same result--it was absolutely impossible to force our way through the +obstacle. + +By this time the air had become stiflingly hot and oppressive, and the +rapidly darkening sky presaged the coming storm. From every pore in our +bodies the perspiration was streaming profusely, and our hands and faces +were scratched and bleeding. + +"We must go back," said Yorke, "we cannot possibly get to the other side +of the island through this damnable scrub. The only thing we can do is +to run along the inner beach of the island till we come to its end, wade +across the reef, and try to stop the boat before she has gone too far. +This is no common squall, I'm afraid--it's going to be a hurricane. Come +on." + +We started off at a run, along the hard sand, but before we had done the +first quarter of a mile, I felt that I could go no further, for I +was pumped out, could scarcely breathe, and felt a strange, unnatural +faintness overcoming me--a not uncommon sensation experienced by many +people just before a hurricane or an earthquake. + +"You must go on alone," I said, pantingly, to Yorke; "leave me here. +I'll be all right, even if I have to stop here a month of Sundays. I +can't starve in such a place as this." + +Pitching his own and my rifle up on the bank above high water mark, he +seized me and lifted me up on his back, telling me to hold on, as he +meant to make a big try for the boat. It was no use my protesting--he +set off again at a steady run, my weight apparently impeding his +progress no more than if he had been carrying a doll instead of ten +stone. + +At last we gained the end of the island, where there was a break in the +verdure, and from which we had a brief view of the sea before it was +blotted out by the black wall of the coming hurricane. + +"We're done as far as getting on board is concerned," he said, as I +slid down his back on to the sand; "but, thank God, the boat is safe. In +another ten minutes she would have been too late to have reached either +the cutter or brigantine, and have been smothered. Look, Captain Guest +is all ready, and so is the cutter!" + +I got up on my feet, just in time to see the boat go alongside the +brigantine, which was under a close reefed lower topsail and a bit of +her mainsail only--for Guest knew what was coming, and had prepared to +meet it; the cutter, too, was reefed down, and had taken her dingy on +deck. At that moment, however, both vessels were becalmed; but scarcely +had the whale boat been hoisted up to the starboard davits of the _Fray +Bentos_ and secured, when the hurricane struck both vessels. I thought +at first that our poor old brigantine was going to turn turtle, for she +was all but thrown on her beam ends; but righting herself gallantly, she +plunged away into the growing darkness, followed by the cutter, and in +five minutes both were hidden from view, and Yorke and myself had to +throw ourselves flat on our faces to avoid being blown down the beach +into the lagoon. + +I had once, years before when a boy in Fiji, seen a bad hurricane, and +was rather proud of my experience, but I never saw, and never wish to +see again, such a truly terrifying and appalling sight as my companion +and I now witnessed--for within an hour all Nature seemed to have gone +stark, raving mad, and I never expected to see the next morning's sun. I +do not think it was the fearful force of the wind which so terrified me +into a state of helplessness as the diabolical clamour--the clashing +and tearing and rending asunder of the trees, accompanied by a prolonged +howling mingled with a deep droning hum like one sometimes hears when a +volcano is in eruption--and, in a minor key, the dulled roaring of the +surf as the mighty seas swept over the outer reef, and broke over the +weather shore with such tremendous force that the island seemed to +tremble to its very foundations. + +Unable to make himself heard in the pandemonium roaring around us, Yorke +turned to me, and gripping me by one hand, and shielding his eyes with +the other from the hurtling showers of sand and pebbles which threatened +to cut our faces to pieces, he managed to drag me along the beach to a +low ledge of coral rocks, under the shelter of which we were protected +from the fury of the wind, and, in a measure, safe from flying branches, +though all along the beach coco-palms were being torn up by the roots, +or their lofty crowns cut off as if they were no stronger than a dahlia +or some such weakly plant. + +As we crouched on the sand under the ledge of rock, a terrific but +welcome downpour of rain fell, and we were able to satisfy our thirst +by pressing our mouths to crevices in the rock overhead. But we were +not long allowed to remain undisturbed in our shelter, for, although the +tide was on the ebb, the enormous influx of water, driven over the +reef by the violence of the wind, so swelled the lagoon that we had to +abandon our refuge and crawl on our hands and knees up over the bank, +and thence into the thorny scrub, where we were at least safe from +falling trees, there being none near us. + +"I must try and get our rifles before it is too late," shouted Yorke +in my ear. "I know the place, but if I don't get there pretty quick, +I shall never be able to recognise it. Stay where you are until I get +back, then we'll try and find a better camping place before night comes +on--if this little tin-pot island isn't blown out of the water over on +to New Guinea in the meantime." + +By this time I was beginning to get some courage, and to feel ashamed of +myself; so, as soon as Yorke had crept out of the scrub, I braced +myself up, and taking out my sheath knife, began to cut away the thorny +branches, and pull up by the roots some of the scrub around me, so as +to make more room. The soil consisted of decomposed shell and vegetable +matter, very soft and porous, underneath which were loose coral slabs, +and I soon had a space cleared large enough for us both to lie down +upon. Then I started to enclose it on three sides by a low wall of the +flat coral stones, across which I laid a thick and nearly rain-proof +covering of branches and leaves, and when Yorke returned an hour later, +I was almost finished, and had begun to make a fire of dead roots and +branches. + +"That's grand," he said, as he laid down the rifles. "I was wondering +if your matches were dry. Mine are spoilt, as I had them loose in my +pocket. How is your tobacco?" + +"Quite dry, too. Here you are, fill your pipe." + +The man's thoughtfulness showed at once. "No, thank you--not just yet. +I'll improve this newly-erected mansion of ours by getting coconut +branches up from the beach. We might as well make our roof as watertight +as we can before dark. Then I want something to eat, and there are +plenty of coconuts lying about everywhere." + +"We won't starve," I said; "there are any amount of robber crabs in +this scrub, and to-night we can get as many as we want, if we can make a +bright fire." + +By dark we had succeeded in carrying up thirty or forty coconut +branches, and covering our sleeping place over in a more satisfactory +manner, though we were every now and then chilled to the bone by the +stinging rain. Our rifles, matches, tobacco, and a few biscuits, we +placed in a dry spot, and then built up a small but hot fire of roots +under the shelter, and, after eating a meal of coconut and biscuit, we +filled our pipes, piled on more roots, and sat by the fire drying +our clothes, and listening to the wild uproar of wind and sea, +congratulating ourselves upon being in a spot where we were at least +safe from the wind, for our camp was at least eight or ten feet below +the general level of the island, both on its windward and leeward sides. + +All that night the wind blew with terrific violence, and the noise of +the surf thrashing upon the coral barriers of the island was something +indescribable. At about midnight, just after a lull succeeded by a +heavy fall of rain, the wind hauled round two or three points to the +southward, and, if possible, blew with still greater violence. The +crashing of trees mingling with the demoniacal shriek of the hurricane, +was enough to disturb the mind of the bravest; but my companion lay +quietly beside the fire, smoking his pipe and talking to me as he would +had we been seated at the supper table on board the _Fray Bentos_. +Yet that he was deeply anxious about our ship-mates I well knew, when, +bidding me good-night, he laid his great frame upon the sand and went to +sleep. + + + + +Chapter V + +By dawn on the following morning, the hurricane had lost its strength +and settled down into a hard gale from the north-east. When we crawled +out from our shelter, a fearful scene of desolation met our eyes; not +more than a hundred coco-palms were left standing on the weather side +of the island, and enormous boulders of coral rock, torn off the reef +by the violence of the sea, were piled up in wild confusion along the +shore, while, at the north end, the surf had made a clean breach over +the land, with devastating effect. On the inner beach of the lagoon, the +destructive results of the wind and sea had not been so great, although +vast numbers of fish were lying dead on the sand, or among the soaked +and flattened undergrowth above high water mark. We at once collected a +few, lit a fire, roasted them over the coals, and made a good breakfast, +finishing up with some young drinking coconuts, hundreds of which were +lying about us. + +We knew that, until the weather moderated, there was little likelihood +of our seeing the brigantine and cutter--if we ever saw either again. +The ocean for many hundreds of miles around us was full of dangers, for +it was unsurveyed, and risky even to a ship in good weather. Many of +the islands, shoals and reefs marked on the charts had no existence, +but still more were placed in wrong positions, and we both felt that it +would be something marvellous if the two vessels escaped disaster. All +we could do was to hope for the best, and wait patiently. + +As the rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly, although the +gale was still blowing fiercely, we decided to cross to one of the +other islands and make an examination of our surroundings. First of +all, however, we examined our stock of ammunition, and found we had +thirty-five cartridges between us; the rest of our effects consisted of +about a quarter of a pound of plug tobacco, a sheath knife and a pocket +knife, a small box of vestas, and the clothes we had on. + +With some difficulty we managed to wade through the shallow passage +dividing the island on which we had slept from the next, and found the +latter to be much better wooded, wider, and three or four feet higher; +and I had just observed to Yorke that it would suit us better to live on +than the other, when I came to a dead stop--right in front of us was a +banyan tree, from a low branch of which was suspended a huge cane-work +fishing basket! + +In a moment we hid ourselves, and remained quiet for a few minutes, +scanning the surrounding bush carefully to see if there were any further +signs of human occupancy, or the humans themselves. From the appearance +of the basket, however, I judged that it had not been used for many +weeks at least, and had been hung up to prevent its becoming rotten from +lying on the moist, steamy soil. + +After satisfying ourselves that there were no natives--in our immediate +vicinity at least--we set out again, proceeding very cautiously, and a +short distance further on struck a dearly-defined native path; this we +followed, and presently came in sight of half a dozen small thatched +huts, under the shelter of two very large trees, from the branches of +which were hanging fish baskets similar to that we had just seen. Most +of the huts, though damaged by the storm, were substantially built, and +evidently had not long been vacated, for in a sort of cleared plot in +front were a number of gaily-coloured crotons, which showed signs of +having been recently tended--the grass had been pulled up around their +roots, &c. In one of the huts we found some smaller fish traps, a number +of fish spears, and two large wooden bowls. + +"It's a fishing village, belonging to the niggers on the mainland, I +think," I said to Yorke. "It is quite a common thing for them, both in +New Ireland and New Britain, to have plantations or fishing stations on +many of these small islands off the coast, and they come over three or +four times a year to plant or fish. Let us go on further." + +My surmise was correct, for, quite near the huts, was a large taro +plantation, on which great labour and care had been expended. A brief +examination of some of the tubers showed us that they were full grown. +This was not a pleasant discovery, for we knew that the owners might be +expected to put in an appearance at any moment after the gale ceased, in +order to dig them up. + +"Well, let us get on, and see what else we can discover," said Yorke, +shouldering his rifle. "The beggars can't get across from the mainland +in such weather as this, so we need not be under any immediate alarm." + +By two in the afternoon we had thoroughly examined the whole of the four +islands, but found no more houses, though on all of them we came across +the inevitable fish-traps, and also a good-sized bamboo fishing raft, +lying far up on the beach. This we at once carried off, and were about +to hide in a thicket--little thinking it would prove such a dangerous +acquisition--when Yorke suggested a better course. It would be a +mistake, he said, to leave the raft so far from our sleeping place, +instead of taking it away, when not only should we have it near us in +case of a sudden attack by the natives, but we could utilise it for +fishing, and that by removing it to the southernmost islet, which was +farthest away from the fishing village on the largest island, we could +easily conceal it from view. + +The natives, he argued, would be bound to search for it on the islet +where they had left the thing, and would conclude that it had been +washed away in the hurricane, and therefore were hardly likely to come +down to the southern islet, the inner beach of which could be seen from +nearly every point on the lagoon. + +"So," he went on, "you see that if the black gentry do think that their +raft might have been carried down to the inner beach of the south islet, +they will only need to use their eyes to show them it isn't there. But +it will be snug enough on the outer side of the island, where they won't +dream of looking for it, and where we can use it whenever we like--for +we'll shift our camp down there to-day.... God knows how long we may +have to live here if anything has happened to the _Fray Bentos_ and the +_Francesca_ and so we must run no needless risks." + +"Right," I assented, "and see, the wind is falling steadily, and there's +not much of a swell inside the lagoon now. Why not let us try and +take the raft away with us at once, instead of coming for her in the +morning?" + +We cut down a couple of young saplings for poles, carried the raft to +the water, and launched it. It was big enough to support five or six +people, but floated like a feather, and, to our delight, we found that +we could pole it along in shallow water with the greatest of ease. By +four o'clock we reached the island, and carried our craft up from the +inner beach into a clump of trees. This spot, we thought, would make a +good camp, as from it we commanded not only a good view of the lagoon, +but of the sea to the south and west, and we felt certain that if Guest +turned up all right, he would look for us at this end of the atoll--even +if he made it from the northward, and had to run the coast down. + +By supper time we had fixed ourselves up comfortably for the night. The +rain now only fell at long intervals, the wind had fallen to a strong, +steady breeze, and we made up a fire, and cooked some more fish, of +which there were still numbers to be had on the beach merely for the +trouble of picking them up. Then we ate our supper, smoked a pipeful of +our precious tobacco between us, and discussed our plans for the morrow, +Yorke listening to my suggestions as if they were put forward by a man +of his own age and experience, instead of by one who was as yet but a +young seaman, and a poor navigator. + +"I am quite sure," he said in his slow, quiet way, as he passed me +the pipe, "that you and I will get along here all right for weeks, +months--years even, if it has pleased the Almighty to take our +shipmates, and we have to live here till we are taken off by some ship, +or can build a boat. Your knowledge of ways and means of getting food, +and living in such a place as this, is of more value than my seamanship +and knowledge of navigation. Come, let us get out to the beach and take +a look at the weather." + +He placed his hand on my shoulder in such a kindly manner, as his bright +blue eyes looked into mine, that, with the impulsiveness of youth, +together with my intense admiration for the character of the man +himself, I could not help saying: + +"Captain Yorke! Please don't think I was boasting of what I could do in +the way of getting food for us--and all that. You see, I have been in +the South Seas ever since I was a kid--and by nature I'm half a Kanaka. +I've lived among natives so long, and----" + +He held up his hand, smiling the while: "I'm glad to have such a good +comrade as you, Drake. You have the makings of a good sailorman in +you, but you're too quick and excitable, and want an old wooden-headed, +stolid buffer like me to steady you. Now let us start." + +We walked across the narrow strip of land to the weather side, and sat +down upon a creeper-covered boulder of coral rock. Before us the +ocean still heaved tumultuously, and the long, white-crested breakers +thundered heavily on the short, fringing reef; but overhead was a +wondrous sky of myriad stars, set in a vault of cloudless blue. + +"The gale is blowing itself out," said my companion. "We shall see a +fine day in the morning. And, Drake, we shall see the brigantine back in +three days." + +"I hope so," I said, laughingly, "but I'm afraid we won't. Both the +brigantine and cutter must have had to heave to, or else run, and if +they have run, they may be two hundred miles away from here by now. And +I think that Guest _would_ run to the westward for open water, instead +of heaving-to among such an infernal lot of reefs and shoals." + +"Whatever he may have done, he, and my cutter, too, are safe, and we +shall see them back in three days," he reiterated, with such quiet +emphasis, and with such a strangely confident, contented look in his +eyes, that I also felt convinced the vessels would, as he said, turn up +safely. + +We sat silent for some minutes, watching the sea, and noting how quickly +the wind was falling, when presently my comrade turned to me. + +"You asked me why I did not try to make the German head station in +Blanche Bay, after my crew were killed," he said. "Well, I'll tell you. +I am frightened of no man living, but I happened to hear the name of the +manager there--a-Captain Sternberg, an ex-captain of the German navy. +He and I served together in the same ship--and I am a deserter from the +German service." + +I was astonished. "You!" I exclaimed; "surely you are not a German?" + +"Indeed, I am," he replied, "and if I fell into the hands or the German +naval authorities, or any German Consul, or other official anywhere, I +should have but a short time in this world." + +"Why, what could they do?" + +"Send me home to be tried--and shot." + +"Surely they cannot shoot a man for desertion in the German navy." + +"There is something beyond desertion in my case-- I killed an officer. +Sternberg knows the whole story, and though as a man and a gentleman he +would feel for me, he would have no hesitation in arresting me and +sending me home in irons, if he could get me. And he could not fail to +recognise me, although eight and twenty years have passed since he last +saw me." + +"But he is not an Imperial officer now," I remarked. + +"Yes, he is. He is Vice-Consul for Germany in the Western Pacific, +and, as such, would have authority to apprehend me, and apprehend me he +certainly would, though, as I have said, he knows my story, and when we +served together, was always a kind and good friend to me, despite the +fact that he was an officer and I was not; for I came from as good a +family as his own--and that goes a long way in both the German army and +navy." + +I made some sympathetic remark, and then Yorke resumed: + +"What I am telling you now--and I'll tell you the whole story--is no +secret, for thousands of people have read of the Brandt extradition case +in the United States. Twenty years ago I was arrested in San Francisco +at the instance of the German Consul there, but managed to escape after +being in custody for six weeks. + +"My real name is Brandt. My father was a German, my mother a Danish +lady--a native of Klampenborg, a small sea-coast town not far from +Copenhagen. My father was an officer in the army, and was well-known as +an Asiatic traveller and linguist, and I was the only child. At fifteen +years ot age, much to my delight, I went into the navy, served one +commission in the Baltic, and two on the west coast of South America. +Then when I was about twenty-one years of age, I was given, through +my father's influence, a minor position on the staff of a scientific +expedition sent out by the German Geographical Society to Arabia. I came +home at the end of a year, and was given three months' leave, at the end +of which I was to join a new ship. + +"Being pretty liberally supplied with money by my father--who was a man +of means--I determined to spend my leave in London, and there I met the +woman who was to prove the ruin of my future. She was the daughter of +the woman in whose house I lodged in Chelsea, and was a very handsome, +fascinating girl about nineteen. I fell madly in love with her, and she +professed to return my feelings, and I, poor young fool, believed +in her. Her mother, who was a cunning old harridan, and greedy and +avaricious to a degree, gave us every opportunity of being together. As +I spent my money most lavishly on the girl, and they both knew my father +was well-off, and I was the only son, they had merely to spread their +net for me to fall into it. + +"Well, I married the girl, both she and her mother promising to keep the +matter secret from my parents until after I returned from my next voyage +and got a commission. I knew well that I should get into very serious +trouble with my superiors if the fact of my marriage became known, but +was so infatuated with the girl that I allowed no considerations to +influence me. + +"A month before my leave expired, I sent my wife over to Bremerhaven, +where I had some friends on whose secrecy I could rely. My ship--a small +gunboat--was being fitted out at that port, and my wife seemed delighted +that she would see me pretty frequently before I sailed. I was cautious +enough not to travel with her from London, for that would have meant +almost certain detection, and, as an additional precaution, she went to +my friends in Bremerhaven under her maiden name. I was to follow her in +a week, by the next steamer. + +"That evening, as I was being driven home to my wife's mother's house in +Chelsea, the horse bolted. I was thrown out of the cab, and half-an-hour +later, I was in a hospital with a broken arm and severe internal +injuries. It was six weeks before I was able to leave England to join +my ship; but my father had written to the navy office, telling of my +accident, and my leave had been extended. During all this time my wife +wrote to me weekly, telling me she was very miserable at my not allowing +her to return to England to nurse me, but would obey me; for I had +written to her and told her not to return, as I did not think it +advisable--the doctors and nurses at the hospital knew I was in the +German navy, and I was then becoming somewhat fearful of the news of my +marriage getting to the knowledge of the naval authorities. + +"When I reached Bremerhaven, I had still three days of my extended +leave to expire, so had no need to report myself; but at once went to my +friends' house, where I met my wife, who was overjoyed to see me again. +My friends, too, welcomed me warmly, though I somehow fancied there +seemed to be some underlying restraint upon them. They were quite a +young couple: the husband was a clerk in the customhouse, and he and I +had been friends from boyhood. + +"In the morning I went to look at my new ship, and was greatly pleased +to find that my old officer, Lieutenant Sternberg, had been appointed +to her. He saw me at once, came along the deck, and spoke very kindly to +me. Whilst he was talking to me, an officer from the port guardship came +on board. He was a very handsome man, about thirty, with a deep +scar across his forehead, and I noticed that he looked at me very +keenly--almost rudely--and I fancied I saw something like a sneer on his +face as he turned away to speak to Sternberg. + +"My young friend, the custom house clerk, whose name was Muller, +returned every day from his office at six o'clock, when we had supper, +and on this occasion I began to tell him of my new ship, and then said +casually: + +"By the way, who is that conceited-looking fellow from the guardship--a +man with an ugly scar across his forehead?" + +"No one answered, and then to my surprise I saw that Muller was looking +inquiringly at my wife, whose face suddenly became scarlet, while Mrs. +Muller bent her face over her plate. Then Muller looked at me and said +quietly: + +"'That was Captain Decker. I believe that he has the honour of the +friendship of Frau Brandt.' + +"There was something so stern in his tones that I could not understand; +but another look at my wife's face filled me with the blackest +misgivings. She had turned a deathly pale, and, faltering something +inaudible, rose from the table and went to her room. Then I asked Muller +what it meant. + +"'Ask your wife,' he said sadly; 'you are my dear friend, and she is my +guest--but her conduct has not been satisfactory.' + +"I now insisted upon him telling me more, and soon learnt the whole +miserable story. My wife had been in the habit of meeting Captain Decker +clandestinely ever since she had been in Bremerhaven, although she had +denied it when Mrs. Muller had indignantly threatened to write and tell +me if she did not at once cease the intimacy. This she had sworn to do, +but, Muller said, she had, he feared, violated her promise frequently, +though he could not absolutely prove it. + +"I went direct to my wife. Instead of a shrinking, trembling woman, +I found a defiant devil--a shameless creature who coolly admitted her +guilt, told me that she had never cared for me, and that she had only +married me to escape from the monotony of her London life with her +mother--if she was her mother, she added with a mocking laugh. + +"Thank God, I didn't hurt her! The revelation was a heavy one, but I +braced myself up, and the rage and contempt that filled me were mingled +with some sort of pity. I did not even reproach her. I had in my pockets +about thirty pounds in English gold. I put down twenty on the table. + +"'There are twenty pounds,' I said--'take it and go. I will send +you another two hundred pounds as soon as I can communicate with my +father--on one condition.' + +"'What is it?' she said sullenly. + +"'That you'll never try to see me, or harass me again. If you do, by +God! I'll kill you.' + +"I promise you that much," she replied. In half an hour she had left the +house, and I never saw or heard of her again. + +"That evening I made special preparations. First of all I wrote to +my poor father, and told him everything, and bade Muller and his wife +goodbye, telling them I was going on board my ship. They, pitying me +deeply, bade me farewell with tears. + +"But I had no such intention. I wanted to settle scores with the man +who had wronged me. At a marine store dealer's that night I bought two +common cutlasses, and waited for my chance. I had learnt that Decker +went to the service club on certain evenings, and stayed very late. + +"My time came the following night. I saw my man come out of the club, +and followed him closely till he entered a quiet street. Then I called +him by name. He turned and faced me and asked me angrily what I wanted. + +"'I am Theodor Brandt,' I said, and handed him one of the two cutlasses +I was carrying under my overcoat. + +"The man was no coward, and fought well, but in less than a minute I ran +him clean through the body. He fell in the muddy street, and by the time +I had dragged him away into the shadow of a high wooden fence +enclosing a timber yard, was dead. Half an hour later I was on board a +fishing-smack, bound for Wangeroog, one of the Frisian Islands, off the +coast. At that place I remained in safety for a month, then got away to +Amsterdam, and from there to Java. Then for the next eight-and-twenty +years, down to this very moment, I have been a wanderer on the face +of the earth. Six years after I escaped I joined an American +man-of-war--the _Iroquois_--at Canton, and when we were paid off in the +States I took out my naturalisation papers. This served me well, when, +two years afterwards, I was recognised at San Francisco by some German +bluejackets as 'Brandt, the murderer of Captain Decker,' and arrested. +Fortunately, I had money, and while the German Consul was trying hard to +get me handed over to the German naval authorities on the Pacific +Coast, my lawyers managed to get me out on bail. I got away down to +the Hawaiian Islands in a lumber ship, and--well, since then I've been +knocking around anywhere and everywhere.... Come, let us turn in." + + + + +Chapter VI + +At dawn the wind had died away to a light breeze, and the sun rose to +shine upon an ocean of unspecked blue. To the eastward, the slopes of +New Britain were hidden from our view by a thick mist, only the tops of +some high mountain peaks far inland showing above, and there seemed +to be every appearance of the fine weather lasting. This gave us much +satisfaction, and after a bathe in a rocky pool on the reef, we ate our +breakfast of fish and coconut with good spirits, then filling our pipes, +went down to the inner beach to bask in the glorious sunshine. + +"If this sort ot weather keeps up," I remarked to Yorke, "I'm afraid +your prediction about our seeing Guest and the cutter in another two +days won't be verified--it'll fall calm before noon to-day, and may keep +so for a week. I've known a calm to last for a solid ten days on the +north side of New Britain." + +"Perhaps so," he replied; "but then the current about here sets strongly +to the eastward, and somehow I feel certain that, wind or no wind, we'll +see the ships." + +"Well, if we do, you ought to give up sailoring, Captain Yorke, and go +into business as a prophet. I for one would always come to you for a +tip. But, joking apart, let us imagine that Guest or the cutter did not +run far to the eastward, but hove-to, and as soon as the hurricane had +blown itself out, headed back for us; in such a case, both vessels may +be within half a day's sail of us at this very moment." + +"That is quite possible--it is also possible they may be within twenty +miles of us, becalmed. It would not surprise me if Guest actually drifts +in sight of these islands, and comes to look for us in his boat." + +"Now that brings me to the kernel of my imagination. I think it very +likely he may have no boat to send, and----" + +He gave me a mighty thump on the back. + +"Good boy! I know what you're thinking of--the raft?" + +"Exactly, Captain. So don't you think it would be as well for us to turn +to at once, and make a couple of good paddles? though in an emergency +the butt ends of dry coconut branches do very well for paddles." + +Then I went on to say that it was quite likely that Guest had lost both +his boats, and the cutter her dingy, before there was time to have them +properly secured; and that the brigantine had lost the whaler, which had +brought us ashore, I was sure of, for she had, as I have mentioned, been +nearly thrown over on her beam ends when struck by the first blast, and +the boat must certainly either have been hopelessly stove when she was +forced below, or torn away from the davits by the weight of water in her +when the ship righted herself. + +We set to at once with a good will--Yorke overhauling the cane +fastenings with which the great bamboos were lashed together, whilst I +went along the beach in search of some young _futu_ trees, the wood of +which is soft when green, but dries hard, and could be easily worked, +even by such a tool as a sheath knife. + +A quarter of a mile from our camp I found just what I wanted--three or +four young _futu_ saplings lying on the ground, torn up by the roots. +Taking two ot the best, I stripped off the branches, and returned to +my companion, who was still at work on the raft, relashing its timbers +wherever needed. + +In a couple of hours I had made quite a decent pair of paddles, each +about four feet in length, and with four inches of blade in the widest +part. Then Yorke, having finished with the raft, went with me along the +beach, and collected some old coconuts for food, and some young ones to +drink, for, as my comrade observed, one never knew what might happen, +and it would be as well to have some provisions all ready to hand in +case of emergency. There were still thousands of dead fish to be +seen everywhere lying on the sand, cast up among the _debris_ above +high-water mark, but these were now turning putrid, and of no use. + +We had noticed a huge banyan tree not far distant from our sleeping +place, which was the roosting and breeding place of a vast number of +whale birds, so Yorke proposed that we should go there and see if we +could kill some by hurling sticks at them. We had often seen this done +by the natives ot the western Caroline Islands, for the birds are very +stupid, and allow themselves, when not on the wing, to be approached +quite closely. We cut ourselves each a half-dozen of short, heavy +throwing-sticks of green wood, and set out for the rookery, and within +an hour had killed thirty or forty of the poor birds, some of which we +at once picked, cleaned, and roasted. We had no lack of salt, for every +rock and shrub above high-water mark on the weather side of the +island was covered with a thin incrustation of it, caused by the rapid +evaporation of the spray under a torrid sun. The remainder of the birds +we cooked later in the day, intending them as a stand-by. + +In the afternoon we again bathed, this time in the lagoon, and Yorke, +who was one of the strongest and swiftest swimmers, for an European, +that I had ever seen, succeeded in capturing a turtle which was lying +asleep on the surface of the water, and brought it ashore; but it proved +to be so old and poor that we let it go again in disgust. + +Towards the close of the day we again crossed the islet to have a better +look at the New Britain shore, the heavy mist which had hung over it +most of the day having now vanished. That the native owners of the +plantations would put in an appearance before many days had passed I was +certain, for they would be anxious to see what damage had been done by +the hurricane, and no doubt dig up some of the taro, which, as I have +said, was fully grown. + +The moment we emerged from the scrub out upon the eastern shore, we +obtained a splendid view of the opposite coast of the great island, +though the actual shore was not visible on account of the extreme +lowness of the belt of littoral, which was many miles in width; but by +climbing a tree we could just discern the long, dark line of palms, and +here and there a narrow strip of white, denoting either surf or a sandy +beach. + +"Why," I said to Yorke, "that land cannot be more than five miles +distant to its nearest point, and if there are niggers living there we +should see their fires to-night, and----" + +The next moment I uttered a loud hurrah! and nearly fell off the tree +in my excitement, for away on the northern horizon was a sail, shining +snowy-white in the rays of the sinking sun! + +Yorke echoed my cheer. "A day sooner than I prophesied, Drake! Wish we +had a glass, so that we could make out which it is. I am rather inclined +to think it is the _Fray Bentos_ it looks too big for the cutter. +Anyway, whichever it is, she's becalmed; but even if there is not a +breath of wind during the night, she'll be closer in in the morning, as +the current is bound to set her along this way." + +We descended from the tree jubilantly, and I suggested that we should +make a big blaze on the eastern shore, so as to let the ship know we saw +her, but the more cautious Yorke said it would be rather risky. Natives, +he said, might be quite near at that moment, a party of canoes could +have easily crossed over during the day, and we should be none the wiser +unless we happened to see the reflections of their fires, after they had +arrived, on the lagoon waters. So, after waiting another ten minutes, +when the sun set, we returned to camp. + +"Let us kill the fatted calf and divide it between us," said my +companion, taking our plug of tobacco and cutting it in halves; "I'm +going to smoke all night, or at any rate until I fall asleep. Did +you see how the sun set? Well, that thick, yellow haze means a calm +to-morrow, to a dead certainty, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if we +see Guest pulling into the lagoon at daylight, that is, if he has a boat +left." + +I do not think either of us slept for more than a quarter of an hour +that night. That Yorke could have done so, I do not doubt, but I would +persist in talking, getting up, walking about, and smoking, and he, +good-naturedly, kept awake on my account. The night was wondrously calm +and beautiful, so calm and quiet that there was not the slightest surf +on the outer reef, and the only sound that broke the silence would be +the croak of some night-fishing bird, as it rose, prey in bill, from the +slumbering lagoon. + +As soon as ever we could see our way through to the other side of +the island, we were afoot, unheeding the drenching we got from the +dew-soaked trees whenever we touched a branch. Within five minutes after +we had emerged out into the open the sun rose, and a cheer broke from us +when we saw both the cutter and the brigantine lying becalmed about +four miles away, between the islet and the mainland of New Britain, and +almost abreast of where we stood. + +"They have both lost all the boats, I am almost sure," said Yorke, +"or we should see one coming ashore; unless, indeed, a boat is already +pulling down the lagoon on the other side. Let us wait an hour. That +will decide us what to do; if we see no boat between now and then, we +can be assured that Guest has none to send, and that he is waiting for +a breeze, so that he can run in close to the reef, and try to get within +hail of us. I daresay that he has a raft of some sort already made, and +is trying to get closer to the land to send it ashore for us. So we'll +give him a pleasant surprise." + +We waited impatiently till the hour had passed, but could see no sign +of a boat putting off from, or on the way from the brigantine, and were +then certain that she had none to send, as if it had left the vessel, +even at daylight, it would have entered the lagoon and been with us by +that time. + +Whilst we were waiting we had piled together on the shore a great heap +of dried coconut branches, on top of which we threw masses of a thick, +green, saline creeper. This heap we lit as a signal, and a pillar of +dense smoke rose high in the windless atmosphere. It was answered by +Guest in a few minutes--not by a gun, as we expected, but by a similar +signal of smoke, caused by a mass of cotton waste being soaked in coal +tar and ignited. + +"He's answering us," exclaimed Yorke. "Now, let's get the raft launched +and make a start." + +We tore back through the scrub to our camp, I panting with excitement, +Yorke as cool as ever. Carrying the raft down to the water we quickly +put on board the bundles of young coconuts, not deeming it worth while +to bother with the old ones and the cooked birds, as we quite expected +to be alongside the _Fray Bentos_ within three hours at least, the sea +being as calm as a mill-pond, and the raft very light. + +"Go easy, my lad, go easy," said Yorke with a smile, as he saw the state +of flurry I was in. "We've got two or three hours paddling to do, so +don't knock yourself up needlessly. Now, what about our rifles?" + +I had actually forgotten them, but at once ran back for them (the +cartridges we always kept in our pockets), and picking one up in each +hand, tore down the bank again, caught my left foot in a vine, and +pitched upon my nose on the top of the broken coral and pebbles covering +the beach with such violence that had it not been for the muzzle of the +rifle I was carrying in my right hand plunging into the loose stones, +and bringing me up sharply, I might have broken my jaw against a big +boulder, which just caught me on the chin. + +Pretending I was not hurt, though my chin was skinned, and my shoulder +was strained, I picked myself up, handed the rifles to Yorke, and said I +was ready. + +"Take a drink first," he said in his authoritative, yet sympathetic +way, as he opened a young coconut. "Then fill your pipe and rest awhile. +We're in no hurry for ten minutes. Poor chap, you did do a flyer. Talk +about the Gadarene swine! Why you could give them points in running down +steep places!" + +I certainly had given myself a tremendous shaking, for I felt quite +dizzy, but after a few draws at my pipe, said I was fit to paddle the +raft to Cape Horn. + +We pushed off, then poled along shore till we came to the passage, which +was as smooth as glass. Here, on account of the deep water, we had to +take to our paddles, and were soon out in the open sea, heading for +the vessels. The sun was intensely hot, but we took no heed of it, and +congratulated ourselves upon having such a calm sea, instead of +having to paddle against a swell, which would have greatly impeded our +progress. + +For the first mile or so we went along in great style--then, to our +consternation, we suddenly ran right into a heavy tide rip, and away we +went at the rate of three or four knots an hour to the south-east, and +towards the New Britain shore. The belt or tide-rip seemed to be about a +mile in width, and although we paddled furiously in the endeavour to +get out of the whirling, seething stream, it was in vain--the raft spun +round and round with such rapidity that we lost control over, and had +to let her go; for not only were we unable to make any headway, but the +manner in which we were spinning round would not allow us to keep our +feet, and began to make us sea-sick. After half an hour or more of this, +we at last saw a chance of getting out of the rip into a side eddy; and, +putting forth all our strength, we just succeeded in doing so, only to +be menaced by a fresh and more alarming danger. + +Yorke, dashing the pouring perspiration from his brow with his hand, +had just stood up to get a look at the brigantine and cutter, when he +uttered an oath. + +"By God, we're in for it now! Look, here's four canoes, filled with +niggers, heading dead on for us. The beggars see us, too!" + +I stood up beside him, and saw, about a quarter of a mile away, four +canoes, each of which was carrying six or eight natives, coming towards +us at a furious rate. They were, like all New Britain canoes, very low +down in the water, which, together with our own troubles when we were in +the tide rip, had prevented our seeing them long before. + +"Lucky we have not wasted any of our cartridges" said Yorke grimly; +"we'll give them all the fight they want. But let them get closer, while +we head back for the ships. We _must_ get out of this current--we can +lick the niggers easy enough; but if we get into that tide-rip again, +we'll be carried out of sight of the brigantine by midday." + +Plunging our paddles into the water, we sent our bamboo craft along till +we were in absolute safety as far as the tide-rip was concerned. Then +Yorke laid down his paddle. + +"We're all right now, Drake; and now we'll give these man-chawing +beggars a bit of a surprise. They mean to knock us on the head in +another ten minutes, and take our carcasses ashore for to-night's +dinner. You are the younger man, and can shoot better than I, so I'll be +polite and give you first show. Sight for five hundred yards for a trial +shot, at the leading canoe. But wait a minute--don't stand up." + +He quickly piled up the young coconuts in a firm heap, and then stood +over me, his own rifle in hand, whilst I knelt on the bamboos and placed +my rifle on the top of the heap of coconuts. + +I am now, at this time of life, ashamed of the savage instinct that +in those days filled me with a certain joy in destroying human life, +unthinkingly, and without compunction. But I had been brought up in a +rough school, among men who thought it not only justifiable, but correct +and proper to shoot a man--black, or white, or brown, or yellow--who +had done them any wrong. It had been my lot, in the Solomon Islands, to +witness one of the most hideous and appalling massacres of a ship's +crew that was ever perpetrated by natives--a massacre that had filled +my youthful mind with the most intense and unreasoning hatred of all +"niggers," as we called the natives of Melanesia. The memory of that +awful scene had burned itself upon my brain, for the captain and mate +of the vessel were dear friends of mine, and they and their men had +been cruelly slaughtered, not for any wrong they had done--for they were +good, straight men--but simply because their blind confidence in the +savage natives invited their destruction. + +***** + +I steadied my rifle upon the top of the heap of coconuts, and waited +a second or two till every man in the first canoe was in line. Then I +pulled the trigger, and was thrown back bleeding and unconscious, for +the rifle burst just in front of the breech block, which blew out and +struck me on the top of my head, nearly fracturing my skull. + +When I came to again Yorke's face was bending over me. + +"We're all right, Drake. The brigantine is within a mile of us, coming +up with a light air, and we'll be aboard in half an hour. How do you +feel, my son?" + +"Rockotty. Did the rifle burst?" + +"Burst? It burst like a cannon, all but killed you, and a splinter hurt +me in the eye. Drake, my boy, the next time you do the Gadarene swine +trick with a cheap German Snider in your hand, see that the barrel is +clear before you fire it. When you fell that time, your rifle barrel +must have been pretty badly choked with sand and coral pebbles... Now +lie still, and don't worry like an old maid who has lost her cat. You +can do nothing, and will only be a damned nuisance if you _do_ try to +do anything. The brigantine will be here presently, and you'll get your +head attended to, and have 'pretty-pretty' plasters stuck on your nose +and other parts of your facial beauties." + +"Where are the niggers?" I asked. + +"Gone, gone, my dear boy. Vanished, but not vanished in time enough for +five or six of them. I have used every one of our cartridges on the four +canoes, and have had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that I have not +used them in vain. Now stop talking, and let me attend to the ship--the +bamboo ship... There, put your head on my coat; and don't talk." + +***** + +When the _Fray Bentos_ sailed up alongside the raft I was lifted on +board, and placed in my berth, and long days passed ere I saw Yorke +again. + +When I did see him the brigantine was lying at anchor at Rook Island, +and Guest was in my cabin telling me the story of the hurricane--of how +he had lost the two boats within an hour--one being carried away +when the brigantine was all but thrown over on her beam ends, and the +other--the longboat--swept away with everything else on deck--guns, +deck-houses, bulwarks and all. + +"How we escaped smashing into some reef or another I don't know," said +Guest; "but the strangest thing about it all is that Yorke's cutter, +manned by native seamen, managed to stick so close to the _Fray Bentos_; +for when I, running before the hurricane, with my decks swept with +tremendous seas, suddenly ran into smooth water, brought to in fifteen +fathoms, and dropped anchor, there was the _Francesca_ cheek by jowl, +alongside of me." + +"Kanaka sailors' eyesight," I said. "Napoleon never lost sight of the +brigantine for a moment! And, talking about eyesight, how is Yorke's +eye?" + +"Bad, bad, my boy. It is destroyed entirely, and he is now on board +here, in my cabin. He has been asking for you. Do you feel strong enough +to get up and see him?" + +I rose at once, and went into Guest's cabin. Yorke was lying in the +skipper's bunk, and as I entered he extended both hands to me, and +smiled cheerfully, though his left eye was covered with a bandage, and +his brave, square-set face was white and drawn. + +"How are you, Drake, my boy? We had a narrow squeak, didn't we, from the +niggers? And here is Captain Guest worrying and tormenting himself that +he could not fire a gun to scare them off." + +I held his big, right hand between my own, and pressed it gently, for +there was something in his one remaining eye that told me the end of all +was near. + +"Goodbye, dear lad.... Goodbye, Captain Guest. _I_ know what is the +matter with me--erysipelas--and erysipelas to a big, fat man like me +means death... and if you would put a bullet through my head now you +would do me a good turn... But here, Guest, and you, Drake... your +hands. I'll be dead by to-morrow morning, and want to say goodbye, and +wish good luck to you both, before I begin babbling silly twaddle about +things that are of no account now... of no account now... not worth +speaking about now. But the South Seas are a rotten sort of a place, +anyway." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + +***** This file should be named 23821.txt or 23821.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/2/23821/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Yorke The Adventurer + 1901 + +Author: Louis Becke + +Release Date: January 28, 2008 [EBook #23821] +Last Updated: March 8, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + YORKE THE ADVENTURER + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Louis Becke + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h4> + T. Fisher Unwin, 1901 + </h4> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> Chapter I </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> Chapter II </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> Chapter III </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> Chapter IV </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> Chapter V </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> Chapter VI </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter I + </h2> + <p> + In that delightful and exciting book, written by Captain Joshua Slocum, + and entitled, “Sailing Alone Round the World,” there is a part wherein the + adventurous American seaman relates how he protected himself from night + attacks by the savages by a simple, but efficient precaution. It was his + custom, when he anchored for the night off the snow-clad and inhospitable + shores of Tierra del Fuego, to profusely sprinkle his cutter's deck with + sharp tacks, and then calmly turn in and sleep the sleep of the just; for + even the horny soles of the Fuegian foot is susceptible to the business + end of a tack; and, as I read Slocum's story, I smiled, and thought of + dear old Yorke and the <i>Francesco</i>. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + I first met Yorke early in the “seventies.” Our vessel had run in under + the lee of the South Cape of New Britain to wood and water, and effect + some repairs, for in working northward through the Solomon Group, on a + special mission to a certain island off the coast of New Guinea, we had + met with heavy weather, and had lost our foretopmast. In those days there + was not a single white man living on the whole of the south coast of New + Britain, from St. George's Channel on the east, to Dampier's Straits on + the west—a stretch of more than three hundred miles, and little was + known of the natives beyond the fact of their being treacherous cannibals. + In Blanche Bay only, on the northern shore, was there a settlement of a + few adventurous English traders—the employees of a rich German + company—and these were only acquainted with the natives in their own + vicinity. Even the masters of trading vessels avoided the south coast of + the great island, not only on account of the dangerous character of its + inhabitants, but also because there was not, they thought, anything to + tempt them to risk their and their crews' lives—for the shore nearly + everywhere presented a line of dense unbroken forest, with but scanty + groves of coco-palms at long intervals, and even had there been many such + groves, no communication could be had with the people. In the wild days of + the “seventies” the practice of cutting up and drying the coconut into + what is known as “copra” had scarcely made any headway in those parts of + New Britain, New Ireland, and the Solomon and New Hebrides Groups which + were visited by trading vessels—the nuts were turned into oil by a + crude and wasteful process known as “rotting.” + </p> + <p> + The captain of our little vessel was one of the oldest and most + experienced trading skippers in the Western Pacific, grim, resolute, and + daring, but yet cautious of his men's lives, if not of his own; so when he + decided to anchor under the lee of the South Cape, he chose a part of the + coast which seemed to be but scantily inhabited. The dense forest which + came down to the water's edge concealed from view any village that might + have been near us; but the presence of smoke arising from various spots + denoted that there were some natives living in the vicinity, though we + could not see any canoes. + </p> + <p> + We brought to about half a mile from the shore. Two boats were at once + lowered, manned, and armed, and under the captain's guidance, set out to + search for water, which we knew we should have but little difficulty in + finding, even on the south coast of New Britain, which is not nearly so + well watered as the northern shore of the island. In the captain's boat + were six men besides himself; I was in charge of the covering boat, manned + by six native seamen and carrying three water-casks—all we could + stow. + </p> + <p> + Pulling in together, close to the shore, the captain then went ahead, my + boat following at the regulation distance of fifty yards, only four hands + rowing in each, leaving four men to keep a look-out for natives. + </p> + <p> + Presently the skipper turned to me, and pointed shoreward. + </p> + <p> + “That's the place for us, Drake—between those two spurs—just + round this point. There's bound to be water there.” + </p> + <p> + The place which he indicated was about two miles distant to the eastward, + and the crews gave way with good will, for the prospect of having a drink + of pure water after the brackish and ill-smelling stuff we had been + drinking for a fortnight, was very pleasing. Although but a little past + nine o'clock in the morning the day was intensely hot, and windless as + well, and the perspiration was streaming down the naked chests and backs + of our sturdy native sailors. The only sounds that broke the silence were + the cries of birds—cockatoos and large green and scarlet parrots, + which screamed angrily at us as the boats passed close in to the dense, + steamy jungle of the littoral. + </p> + <p> + Just as the captain's boat rounded the point, we heard a cry of + astonishment from his crew, a cry that was echoed by ourselves half a + minute later; for there in the centre of a small landlocked bay, was a + cutter lying at anchor! She appeared to be of about thirty or forty tons, + had an awning spread aft, and presented a very weather-worn appearance; + her rudder was gone, and the upper part of her stern badly damaged. There + was no one visible on deck, but presently, in answer to the captain's + hail, the face of an old, white-haired man, appeared above the companion. + </p> + <p> + “Come on board,” he called out in clear, vigorous tones, and we saw him + take up a broom, which was lying on the skylight, and begin to sweep the + after-deck vigorously with one hand, the other being in a sling. + </p> + <p> + “Guess he's a lunatic,” said Captain Guest, turning to me with a laugh. + But we had no time to indulge in surmises, for in a few minutes we were + drawing up alongside; the stranger was standing at the stern, broom in + hand, watching us. + </p> + <p> + “Step on board here, over the stern, please,” he said, and then he added + quickly, “but are you all wearing boots?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” answered the captain, now quite sure the old man was wrong in his + head, “some of my men have no boots.” + </p> + <p> + “Then they had better not come aboard,” he said with a quiet, amused + smile, as he saw our puzzled faces. + </p> + <p> + The moment Captain Guest and myself stepped over the rail and shook hands + with the stranger, we saw the reason for the broom—the entire deck, + except the small space aft which had just been swept, was covered with + broken glass! + </p> + <p> + “Glad to see you, gentlemen. My name is Yorke, and this cutter is the <i>Francesco</i>.” + </p> + <p> + “And my name is Guest. I am master of the brigantine <i>Fray Sentos</i>, + of Sydney, lying just round the point, and this is Mr. Drake, my + supercargo.” + </p> + <p> + “Sit down here on the skylight, gentlemen, out of the way of the glass—my + cabin is very small.” + </p> + <p> + “Guess it would have to be a pretty big one if you had another two men + like yourself to share it,” said Guest with a laugh, as he surveyed our + new friend's proportions. And indeed he was right, for Yorke was over six + feet in height, rather stout, and with a chest like a working bullock. His + face and neck were deeply bronzed to a dark tan, and presented a striking + and startling yet pleasing contrast to his snowy-white hair, moustache, + and eyebrows; his clear, steely blue eyes were in consonance with the + broad, square jaw, and the man's character revealed itself in his features—strong, + courageous, dominant, and self-reliant. + </p> + <p> + The moment Captain Guest mentioned that our men were thirsty and would + like a drink of water, Yorke became the soul of hospitality, and told them + to come on board and help themselves, while for Guest and myself he + produced a couple of bottles of excellent Tennant, and took a glass of it + himself. + </p> + <p> + “Now, do you know, gentlemen,” he said as he sat down on the cutter's + rail, facing us, “this morning I had a dream? I thought I heard some one + call out, 'All ready there, for'ard?' and I heard the rattle of a cable + through the hawse-pipes. Then I woke and looked at the clock—it was + just half-past seven.” + </p> + <p> + “And at half-past seven we let go anchor, a good four miles from here. + Surely you could not have heard us at such a distance.” + </p> + <p> + “No, that's a fact. So, when I did hear you hail just now I knew my dream + was verified. As a rule, dreams aren't worth a bag of shakings.” + </p> + <p> + “Where are your crew, captain?” I asked. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, now I've a yarn to tell you. I'm the only man on board—my mate + and every man of my crew were massacred about six weeks ago off the north + end of New Ireland, and I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. And now + you can guess the meaning of all this glass on the deck. There's plenty of + niggers all around us here, and that broken glass is a splendid protection + for me at night time. Since I lost my men they have made two attempts to + cut me off at night time, once at a place just the other side of Cape St. + George and once near here. But,” and he laughed softly, “they didn't stay + on deck more than five seconds, I can assure you. I'll tell you the whole + yarn presently. But say, captain—can you help me to a new rudder? I + lost mine a week ago, and having a bad hand have not been able to do + anything towards making one myself.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly I will. I'll send my carpenter to you as soon as we get back to + the ship; or, better still, we'll tow you down to the Fray Bentos. But we + are in want of water and firewood, and I should like to take some of both + back with me.” + </p> + <p> + He thanked Guest warmly, and added that, although the cutter had no + rudder, she would steer very well with a sweep; and then he informed us + there was good running water within a couple of cables' length of the + cutter, also plenty of wood, and offered to take us to the place. We need + not, he said, apprehend any attack by the natives, as our party was too + large, and the spot where we could fill the casks was in fairly open + country, and by stationing a sentry or two on each side of the creek, we + could both wood and water with safety. + </p> + <p> + “There is a village about six miles along the coast from here, and no + doubt it was the people from there who boarded me the other night, for I + saw a lot of canoes on a little beach there. I think it must be the + largest village for many miles hereabout. Now, do you see all those + columns of smoke? Some, you will notice, are very thin and bluish, while + others are almost black; the thin ones are only from native ovens, the + others are signals to the various smaller villages to the eastward—by + this time every nigger within fifty miles of us knows that your ship is at + anchor. I hope you left plenty of men on board?” “Plenty, and ours is a + well-armed crew.” Just as he was stepping into the captain's boat, I asked + him what was the matter with his hand. He replied carelessly that he had + “managed to get a bit of a knock,” and would be glad if I would look at it + when we returned to the cutter, as it was rather painful at times. + </p> + <p> + The boats were soon under way for the shore, and in a quarter of an hour + we entered a narrow but deep creek, not wide enough to permit us using our + oars; but this was of no consequence, for each boat carried half a dozen + canoe paddles. Within a hundred yards up from the entrance we found the + water to be quite fresh, and while some of the men started to fill the + casks, the rest, except the sentries, made for a clump of about a dozen + coconut-trees growing close beside a magnificent grove of areca-palms. + Every nut that was young enough to drink was quickly thrown down, and + carried to the boats. Then we set to work to collect firewood, and two or + three dry, solid logs were dragged down into the creek, lashed together, + and then, with them and the filled water casks in tow, we returned merrily + to the <i>Franceses</i> hoisted up our water casks, swept up all the + glass, shovelled it into a hogshead standing on the deck, hoisted her + mainsail, and hove up her anchor, glad of having accomplished our task so + easily and so quickly. A light air had sprung up, and the vessel, aided by + the boats, made good progress towards our brigantine, despite the logs + towing astern. + </p> + <p> + Our new friend asked me if I would mind coming below with him, as it was + past three o'clock, and quite time we had something to eat and drink. + </p> + <p> + The cabin certainly was small, but was spotlessly clean, and exceedingly + well furnished. It contained three bunks, two of which were hidden from + view by neat cretonne curtains. + </p> + <p> + “That was my poor young mate's bunk,” he said sadly, “and the other was + the boatswain's. Now, will you please pass these up on deck?” + </p> + <p> + From a locker he took out a dozen or more of ale, two bottles of spirits, + and a number of tins of beef, sardines, etc., together with an ample + supply of biscuit. These I passed up to Guest, who, at Yorke's request, + ordered the boats alongside, so that the crews could get some dinner, and + a stiff glass of grog all round. Then we ourselves ate a most hearty meal, + rendered the more enjoyable by the deliciously cool beer—a liquor + which, until that day, we had not tasted for quite four or five months. As + soon as we had finished, I asked him to let me examine his hand. + </p> + <p> + “Can you do a bit of cutting?” he asked, as I began to remove the + bandages. + </p> + <p> + “Rather,” answered Guest for me, “Drake loves to dig out a bullet, + especially—doesn't he, Napoleon?” + </p> + <p> + Napoleon was one of our native crew—a short, nuggety little Tongan, + who, in an attack made on our boats nearly a year before, had received a + bullet in the calf of the leg. I had succeeded in extracting it without + unduly mutilating the patient, for I had once acted as amateur assistant + to a medical missionary in Samoa, and had seen a good many bullets + extracted during a very lively six months' native war. + </p> + <p> + When I saw the condition of Yorke's hand, I was startled. It was + enormously swollen from the tips of the fingers to the wrist, and badly + lacerated and bruised all over the back, and presented a very dangerous + appearance. The pain he had endured, and was enduring at the moment, must + have been something atrocious, and I felt a sudden respect and admiration + for a man who could attend to <i>our</i> wants before thinking of himself. + </p> + <p> + “Good heavens!” said Guest sympathisingly, “how did it happen?” + </p> + <p> + He told us that ten days previously the cutter had struck on a reef in the + night. She bumped heavily three or four times, but would have worked + across the reef without serious damage, as there was a good breeze, had + not a sea taken her on the bows, thrown her aback, and driven her stern + first against the one exposed portion of the reef, tearing away her + rudder, and smashing all the upper part of her stern. Yorke, who was + half-stunned by the boom swinging over, and striking him on the head as he + was rising to his feet after being hurled along the deck, felt that he had + received an injury to his hand, which was bleeding profusely. But just + then he gave no thought to it, for the next two or three seas fortunately + carried the cutter over the reef into deep water and safety. When he came + to examine his hand, he found it had been crushed, probably by a piece of + the heavy hardwood rail, and several splinters were protruding from the + back and wrist. These he had succeeded in extracting, but the pain + continued to increase day by day, and the palm of the hand began to swell + and gather. + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps there's a bit of timber in there yet,” he remarked to us. + </p> + <p> + I thought so also, and so did Guest, and after torturing the poor fellow a + few minutes, I located the exact spot—just below the ball of the + thumb. + </p> + <p> + “Captain Yorke,” I said, “I can cut it out, I am sure. But, frankly, the + thumb is a dangerous thing for an amateur surgeon to meddle with, and——” + </p> + <p> + “I know,” he interrupted quietly, “but I'd rather run the risk of lockjaw + than the certainty of blood poisoning, and I know that that is what it + will turn to. Last night I made up my mind to cut into the damned thing + this morning if that last poultice I put on had no effect. Now go ahead. + There's a bottle of carbolic acid below, which will be useful, and my + pocket-knife has a razor-edge.” + </p> + <p> + In less than five minutes I set to work, and in a few more, to my intense + satisfaction—for I felt nervous—the thing was done, and I had + extracted a piece of wood half an inch long, and as thick as a small + quill. Then Guest and I carefully washed the wound over and over again in + a solution of carbolic acid, and in half an hour the hand was bound up <i>pro + tem</i>. Poor Yorke bore the pain without the twitching of an eyelid, and + I felt a sincere thankfulness when, two hours later, we saw the change + that relief from intense physical suffering had effected in his features. + </p> + <p> + When we reached the brigantine, I was able to bandage the injured hand in + a more shipshape and proper manner, as we had an ample supply of lint and + other requirements; and within ten days he could use his hand freely, + though it took a much longer time for a thorough recovery. That he was + deeply grateful to us he showed us in many quiet ways; and before he had + been with us a week, both the captain and myself, and, indeed, every one + else on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i> had grown to like the man immensely, + though at times he would become unaccountably moody and silent, and keep + to himself, only speaking in answer to a direct question. But, even then, + he never attempted to directly avoid us, and was always civil, even to any + of our native crew who might speak to him. + </p> + <p> + “Guess he thinks a lot about those poor men of his,” said Guest to me one + day. + </p> + <p> + That first evening we had a very pleasant supper. Yorke was with us, and + during the meal he gave us a detailed account of his voyage, and of the + massacre of his little vessel's company. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter II + </h2> + <p> + He had, he told us, bought the <i>Francesco</i> at Sourabaya about three + years before, and after making several trading voyages between Manila and + the Ladrone Islands—voyages which did not pay as well as he had + anticipated—he fell in with the master of a Hobart Town whaler, who + strongly advised him to go farther eastwards and southwards, particularly + about the Admiralty Group and their vicinity, where a few colonial vessels + were doing very well, trading for coconut oil, beche-de-mer, sandalwood, + tortoise-shell and pearl-shell. Yorke took his advice and made a very + successful voyage to the Admiralties, taking a cargo of pearl-shell to + Singapore. This he sold very profitably, and was soon at sea again. On + reaching the Admiralty Group, however, he was prevented from trading by + the hostility of the natives, though on his previous visit they had been + very friendly; and so, fearing that they might cut off the vessel, he + decided to leave. He had with him a native of Yap, one of the Caroline + Islands—a man who had wandered about the North and South Pacific + from his boyhood. His name was Rul, and he was not only a good seaman and + an expert diver, but spoke fluently nearly a score of Melanesian and + Micronesian dialects. + </p> + <p> + On the evening of the day that the cutter left Callie Harbour, on + Admiralty Island, Yorke called his six men together, and told them that he + was very undecided what to do. (I found out afterwards that he had a way + of taking his crew into his confidence—“It pleases them,” he said, + “and has proved very useful on a number of occasions when their goodwill + meant much to me “). + </p> + <p> + After telling them that he did not like to risk their lives by trying to + return to Callie Harbour, he asked if they were willing to sail with him + to the southwestern coast of New Guinea, where, he had heard, there was a + great deal of pearl-shell to be bought from the natives. At the same time + he pointed out to them that it would be a risky undertaking; he had no + chart of that part of the Western Pacific, and, if they lost the ship, + they would stand but little chance of escaping from the cannibal natives. + </p> + <p> + “Then,” he went on, “this fellow Rul said that although he and the other + natives on board were quite willing to go anywhere with me, <i>he</i> knew + of a place only two days' sail away to the eastward where there was not + only plenty of black-edge pearl-shell, but hawkbill turtle-shell as well. + He had, he said, been cast away there in a whaleship, and remained on the + island three months, could speak a little of the language, and gave me the + names of several villages and harbours, but did not know the name of the + island as a whole. + </p> + <p> + “I brought up my chart, and in a few seconds I discovered the names he had + mentioned. The island was New Hanover, and, with the northerly breeze then + blowing, I knew we should be there in twenty-four hours. So I made up my + mind to try the place; for Rul was a thoroughly trustworthy fellow, and I + knew I could depend on him. + </p> + <p> + “My mate was a young American named Ted Merriman, a native of New London, + Connecticut, a fine sailorman, and a good navigator. My boatswain, too, + was one of the right sort; and, as for the rest, although they were all + natives, they were good seamen, and I had never had a sulky look from any + one of them since they first shipped with me. + </p> + <p> + “We anchored just off a village which Rul knew, and in a few minutes the + people came off to us in crowds and filled the deck. Many of them + recognised Rul, and they all showed great friendliness and eagerness to + trade; and I, like a cocksure fool, was thrown off my guard.” + </p> + <p> + He ceased speaking, sighed, then lit his pipe and smoked in silence for + awhile, and it was evident to us all that, although he was not an + emotional man, he was strongly affected by the memory of the tragedy, and + reproached himself keenly. + </p> + <p> + “Everything went well for the two following days,” he resumed; “the + natives had over ten tons of good black-edge shell, all of which I bought + from them, paying for it principally in tobacco. It was worth to me in + Singapore about £65 a ton, and only cost me about £3 a ton, so you may + imagine that I felt very well satisfied. Then, besides the pearl-shell I + bought nearly five hundredweight of splendid hawkbill turtle-shell, giving + but two or three sticks of tobacco for an entire carapace of thirteen + plates weighing between two and three pounds, and, as you know, hawkbill + shell is worth eight dollars a pound in Hongkong, and much more in London + or Hamburg.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Yorke,” said Guest, with a laugh, “you should not have told us + this. Drake here is a very good fellow, but in business matters—as a + supercargo—he'd cut the throat of his best friend.” + </p> + <p> + “Don't believe that, Captain Yorke,” I said, “but at the same time I wish + you had not told us of this place. You certainly have the prior right of + discovery, and ought to have the benefit, so I promise you I will not + repeat to our owners anything you now tell us.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke's face changed, and his bright blue eyes looked into ours with such + a kindly expression that the fascination he already possessed over me + deepened quickly. + </p> + <p> + “You and Captain Guest are welcome to my knowledge, but I trust you will + use it for your own benefit, and not consider your owners. Tell me now, + gentlemen, would they consider <i>you</i>? Would they give you a handsome + bonus for putting, say, five, or six thousand pounds into their pockets?” + </p> + <p> + “I daresay they would give us each a cheque for fifty pounds,” said Guest + meditatively. + </p> + <p> + “Then keep the thing dark,” said the big man energetically, “keep it dark. + Why should you, Captain Guest, and you, Mr. Drake, enrich your owners by + imparting to them this information? I tell you, gentlemen, that all + shipowners are alike, at least I never ran across any that showed much + consideration for any one else's welfare. Nine out of every ten will work + the soul out of their ship-masters and officers, who, when they grow too + old to go to sea, are chucked out into the gutter to die of poverty, + unless they have laid by a nest-egg for their old age.” + </p> + <p> + “That is true enough,” assented Guest, “and our esteemed employers are no + better than the general run. So we will look on what you have just told us + as private; by and by we will all talk over the matter, and see if we + cannot go into the thing together.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke nodded. “I'm with you. I've always played a lone hand hitherto, but + I think that I can pull very well with men like you.” + </p> + <p> + Then he resumed his story. + </p> + <p> + “On the morning of the third day I went ashore with my gun to have a few + hours' shooting on a large swamp, situated about three miles inland from + the village. One of the natives had told Rul that there were great numbers + of wild duck and plover there, and offered to guide me to the place; so, + telling Merriman that I would be back in time for dinner, I started with + the guide. The gun I had with me was a double-barrelled pin-fire + Lefaucheux breech-loader, and just before I left the cutter, I put in a + couple of cartridges, intending to have a shot at some cranes which I saw + walking about on the beach. Most fortunately for me, they flew away before + I could get near enough. Besides the gun, I brought with me a Sharp's + rifle, as the guide said that we should most likely see a wild pig or two + about the swamp. The rifle I gave to him to carry, but the ten cartridges + for it I put in my coat pocket, together with about twenty cartridges for + the gun. + </p> + <p> + “On landing at the village, I was met by the head man, who wanted to know + if I would buy a couple of pigs from him. I told him to take them on board + to the mate, who would pay him; then, the guide leading, we struck out + into the forest. After going about a mile or so, the nigger was joined by + half a dozen young bucks, all armed with spears and clubs. I asked the + guide, who spoke a little English, what they wanted; he replied that they + wished to see me shoot. + </p> + <p> + “'Very well,' I said, 'go ahead then, all of you.' + </p> + <p> + “The bucks grinned, but instead of going ahead stepped back to let me + pass, and fell in, in single file at the rear, the guide still leading. + Now, I didn't like that at all, and I turned round to tell them to go in + front of me; I was just in time to save myself from getting a spear + through my back—as it was, it whizzed through the side of my coat, + and in another second the nigger who threw it had a charge of shot through + his brains. Then, slewing round, I was just able to drop the guide, who + was running off with the rifle. I hit him in the back, and saw him fall, + then took cover behind a big tree to load again; but every other nigger + had vanished, and then I heard a sound that filled me with dread for those + on board the cutter—the loud, hoarse bellowing of conch shells. + </p> + <p> + “I ran over to the guide, who was lying where he had fallen. I don't think + he was mortally wounded, for he was quite thirty yards off when I fired. + However, I made certain of him by cracking his skull with a long-handled + club he carried. Then I loaded the Sharp's rifle, slung it over my + shoulder by its sling; and started back for the village at a run, holding + my shot gun ready cocked. + </p> + <p> + “When I reached the village, I could not see a soul—every house was + deserted, but from the sea front I could hear diabolical yells and cries. + I had to run another hundred yards or more before I came in sight of the + cutter, and the moment I did so, I saw that it was all over with poor + Merriman and the others—the vessel was simply swarming with niggers, + and surrounded by canoes, into which they were already throwing the + plunder! + </p> + <p> + “I rested a minute or so to get my breath and steady my hand, and then + opened fire. The cutter was not two hundred yards away from where I stood, + and the very first shot plumped right into the black, surging crowd on + deck, and one nigger gave his last jump. I fired three more shots into + them before they had time to get into their canoes, or spring overboard to + swim ashore. Most of the canoes made off to the south, around a point, but + three or four of them came right in towards me, heading for the village. I + don't think any of them saw me, for I was lying down among the roots and + <i>débris</i> of a fallen tree, just above high water mark. They came in, + paddling like mad, but not uttering a sound. I waited till the first canoe + was within ten yards of me, and then fired both barrels of my gun in quick + succession right into them, nearly blowing the chest out of the old chief, + who was seated amidships, and wounding all the others. Then I got to work + with my rifle again on the other canoes; and, although the moment they saw + me, the niggers jumped overboard and dived, I got one for every shot of + the last six cartridges—whenever one got into shallow water and + stood up to run, down he went. + </p> + <p> + “Then, taking both shot gun and rifle by the barrels, I smashed them on a + rock, tore off my clothes and boots, and started to swim off to the + vessel, looking behind me every now and then to see if the niggers were + following. But they had had enough of me, and their empty canoes were + drifting about the bay. + </p> + <p> + “I got alongside, clambered up over the waist, and saw a sight I shall + never forget—every one of my poor shipmates had been ruthlessly + slaughtered, and their mutilated bodies, stripped of every bit of + clothing, were lying about the deck. A very brief examination showed me + that every one of them was dead—in fact their heads had been beaten + to pulp, and each body was pierced through and through with spear wounds + and hacked and chopped about with tomahawks; while the deck was just a + puddle of blood, mixed with sticks of tobacco, pieces of print, knives, + and all sorts of trade goods. + </p> + <p> + “The first thing I did was to try and hoist the mainsail so as to get + under way, but the black devils had cut away a lot of the running gear, + and the halliards had been severed and lay on the deck, ready to be taken + on shore with the other loot littered about, though the sail itself had + not been damaged. The jib and staysail, also, I could not hoist: they were + lying in a heap on the windlass with a dead nigger on top, and, further + aft, were another two of the gentry, one dead and one with a smashed thigh + bone. I slung the wounded man overboard to the sharks, and then began to + consider what was best to do. The niggers, I felt certain, would not + tackle the cutter again, when they knew I was safe on board, but I + determined to make certain. + </p> + <p> + “You noticed those two brass three-pounders I carry? Well, the first thing + I did was to load them with heavy charges of round bullets, and some nuts + and bolts. Then I got up a dozen or so of rifles, and plenty of + ammunition, and laid them in readiness on the skylight; for, although the + niggers had turned my cabin upside down when looting the ship, there were + any amount of small arms and various stores in the little hatch under the + cabin table; besides these, I had some more in my own berth in a locker. + </p> + <p> + “Just as I was taking a long drink at the scuttle butt, I saw some of the + niggers creeping back to the village through the trees, and watching what + I was doing. I soon let them know. + </p> + <p> + “The cutter had swung round, and was broadside on to the houses, so taking + the gun on the port side over to the starboard, I secured it well, and + then trained it with the other on the biggest house in the village—a + sort of meeting-house or temple, or some such darned thing. I can tell + you, gentlemen, I felt as if I could laugh when I saw quite a score of the + black swine go into this house, one after another. I had friction tubes in + both guns, and waited for another five minutes; then I fired them one + after another. Whether many or any niggers were killed, I do not know; but + there was a fearful howling, which did me good to hear, and the front of + the house went into splinters under the heavy charges of the guns, and in + five seconds the village was deserted again. + </p> + <p> + “Before I did anything more for my own safety, I got some sailcloth and + rugs, and covered the bodies of my shipmates—the dreadful appearance + they presented just unnerved me, and I felt like sitting down and crying. + But I had to hustle. I wanted to get under way as quickly as possible + before darkness came on, and it was now noon. + </p> + <p> + “First of all I rove the mainsail halliards, and then bent on the jib, + stopping only now and then to fire a rifle at the village, just to let the + natives know I was keeping my eyes skinned. Then I hoisted the mainsail + and hove up my anchor without any trouble, for the wind was very light, + and got a good cant off shore as soon as I ran up the jib. + </p> + <p> + “As soon as I was well away from the land, I stood north—about so as + so clear Cape Queen Charlotte, the westerly point of New Hanover, and ran + on for three or four hours, the vessel steering herself while I sewed up + poor Merriman's and the boatswain's bodies as well as I could under the + circumstances. I should have done the same for the natives had I had the + time, especially for Rul, but I had not. About dusk I brought to, just off + the Cape, and dropped them over the side one after another—only just + realising, ten minutes previously, that I was still stark naked! + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + “After rounding the north point of New Hanover, I stood away down the + coast of New Ireland till I made Gerrit Denys Island, where I anchored for + a couple of days, the natives being very friendly, and giving me all the + fresh provisions I wanted for a little tobacco and some hoop-iron. There + was an old white beachcomber named Billy living with them; he seemed to do + pretty well as he liked, and had a deal of influence with them, not + allowing any one of them to hang about the vessel after sunset, and each + night he slept on board with me. I gave him a case of Hollands for lending + me a hand to set up my rigging, which so pleased him that he turned to and + got drunk in ten minutes. + </p> + <p> + “After leaving Gerrit Denys I had a hard struggle to make Cape St. George, + on the south end of New Ireland. For eight or ten days I had rainy + weather, with heavy squalls from the eastward, and did not feel very well + into the bargain, for I had a touch of fever and ague.” + </p> + <p> + I asked him how he managed at night-time as regarded sleep. + </p> + <p> + He laughed quietly, and assured us that he never lost a night's rest + during the whole of the time he was at sea. He would simply “scandalise” + his mainsail without reefing it, haul the staysail sheet to windward, and + let the cutter head reach till daylight. The <i>Francesco</i> he said—and + I afterwards found out that he was not over-rating her qualities—was + a marvellous little vessel for taking care of herself. + </p> + <p> + “Well, I jogged along till one Sunday morning, when I made the land + between Cape Bougainville and Cape St. George. It had been raining in + torrents for two days, and I was feeling a bit done up; so, picking out a + quiet little bay with thick forest growing right down to the water's edge, + and not a sign of a native or native house, I ran in and let go in fifteen + fathoms, but within a stone throw of the shore. And I'll be hanged, + gentlemen, if I did not see, ten minutes afterwards, the smoke of half a + dozen signal fires rising over the trees from as many different places, + and all within three miles of the cutter. However, I was too weak to heave + up again, even had I felt inclined. I wanted to cosset myself up, and get + a good sweating between thick blankets to drive some of the fever out of + me; and, niggers or no niggers, I meant to do so that day. Then I thought + of a dodge—I mean the broken-glass trick. + </p> + <p> + “In the hold were half a dozen barrels of empty gin, beer, and whisky + bottles. We had put them aside to give to the Admiralty Island people—especially + the women and children—who attached some value to them as water + holders. I brought up sixty or seventy dozen, and smashed them up in a + clean hogshead. Then I turned the whole lot out in a heap on the main + hatch, got a shovel, and covered the entire deck fore and aft, first + getting all loose ropes, &c, out of the way, as I did not want to get + any glass in my own hands when I next handled the running gear. After that + I went below, lit a spirit lamp, and made myself a big bowl of hot soup—real + hot soup—a small tin of soup and bouilli, and a half bottle of + Worcester sauce with a spoonful of cayenne pepper and a stiff glass of + brandy thrown in. + </p> + <p> + “It touched me up, I can tell you, but I knew it would do me good as I lay + down in my bunk, rolled myself in a heavy blanket, and piled over me every + other rug and blanket I could find. In half an hour I was sweating + profusely, for not only was the soup remedy working, but the little cabin, + having every opening closed, was stiflingly hot. However, I stuck it out + for a good two hours, till I felt I could stand it no longer; so I got up, + unfastened my cabin door to get some air, and began rubbing myself down + with a coarse towel. Heavens! it felt delightful; for although my bones + still ached, and I was very shaky on my legs, my head was better, and my + spirits began to rise. I put on my pyjamas, went on deck, and had a look + round. It was nearly dark, the rain had cleared off, a young moon was just + lifting over the trees, and the little bay was as quiet as the grave—except + for the cries of a colony of flying foxes which lived in a big <i>vi</i> + tree just a cable's length away from the cutter. + </p> + <p> + “I knew that the New Britain and New Ireland natives don't like going out + after dark, and that if these people meant mischief to me, they would wait + till just before daylight, when they would expect to find everyone on + board asleep; so, feeling much better and stronger, I turned in at eight + o'clock, and slept till past midnight. I made some coffee, drank it, and + laid down again, dozing off every now and then till just before dawn. Then + I heard a sudden rush on deck, followed by the most diabolical howls and + yells as twenty or thirty niggers jumped overboard with bleeding feet, + many of them leaving their clubs lying on the deck. I put my head out of + the cabin, and gave them half a dozen revolver shots, but I'm afraid I + didn't hit any of the beggars. + </p> + <p> + “I got away on the same morning, and made a fine run right across St. + George's Channel, and along the New Britain coast till I made Cape + Roebuck. Once the cutter did a steady nine knots for thirty hours. After + running on that reef, I did not drop anchor again till I brought up off a + rocky beach a few miles from here; and there the niggers made another try + to get me, but the broken glass again proved effectual.” + </p> + <p> + “It's a mighty smart dodge, Captain Yorke,” said Guest, as we rose and + shook hands with him, for he was going to sleep on board his own vessel. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter III + </h2> + <p> + We lay under the lee of the South Cape or New Britain for nearly a + fortnight, during which time we effected all the necessary repairs to our + own vessel, and fitted Yorke's cutter with a new rudder. So far he had not + told us anything further of his intentions as regarded either the further + prosecution of his trading voyage, or its abandonment. At breakfast one + morning, Guest told him that he (Yorke) could have a couple of our native + hands to help him work the cutter to Manila, or any other port in the + China Seas, if he so desired. + </p> + <p> + He stroked his big, square jaw meditatively. + </p> + <p> + “That is very kind of you, Captain Guest,” he said; “but to tell you the + exact truth, I don't know my own mind at this moment. I've a hazy sort of + an idea that I'd like to keep the Fray Bentos company for a bit longer. I + can outsail you in light winds—and I really don't care what I do + now. And if you can spare me a couple of hands, I could jog along in + company with you indefinitely. But, please understand me—I don't + want to thrust myself and the <i>Francesco</i> into your company if <i>you</i> + don't want<i> me</i>. As a matter of fact, I don't care a straw where I go—but + I certainly would like to keep in company with you, if you don't object. + Perhaps you would not mind telling me where you are bound?” + </p> + <p> + Guest looked at me interrogatively. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Captain Yorke,” I said, “one confidence begets another; your + confidence in us is worth a heap of money to Guest and myself, and, to be + perfectly frank and straightforward with you, the captain and myself + intended to lay a proposition before you whereby we three might possibly + go into this New Hanover venture on our own hook. But Guest and myself are + bound to our present employers for another seven months.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke nodded. “That will be all right. I'm ready to go in with you, either + at the end of seven months or at any other time which may suit you. You + can count on me. I'm not a rich man, nor yet am I a poor man; in fact, + there's a thousand pounds' worth of stuff under the <i>Francesco's</i> + hatches now.” + </p> + <p> + “Well then, Captain Yorke,” I said, “as Guest here leaves me to do all the + talking, I'll tell you <i>why</i> we are so far up to the northward, out + of our usual beat. We heard in Samoa that a big ship, named the <i>Sarawak</i> + had run ashore and been abandoned at Rook Island, in Dampier Straits, + between the west end of New Britain and the east coast of New Guinea, and + both Guest and myself know her to be one of the largest ships out of + Liverpool; she left Sydney for Hongkong about six months ago with a + general cargo. And 'there be pickings,' for she is almost a new vessel, + and her gear and fittings alone, independent of her cargo, ought to be + worth a thousand pounds. All we could learn at Samoa was that she had run + up on a ledge of reef on Rook Island, and that the skipper, with three + boats' crews, had started off for Thursday Island, in Torres Straits. Now, + it is quite likely that, if she has not broken up, there may be a lot of + money hanging to it.” + </p> + <p> + “For your owners!” said Yorke, with his slow, amused smile. + </p> + <p> + “Just so, Captain Yorke. 'For our owners,' as you say. But even our + owners, who are rather 'sharp' people, are not a bad lot—they'll + give Guest and myself a bonus of some sort if we do them good over this + wrecked ship.” + </p> + <p> + “And if you don't 'do them good'?” he asked, with the same half-humorous, + half-sarcastic smile. + </p> + <p> + “If we don't, the senior partner in our highly-esteemed, sailor-sweating + firm, will tell Guest and myself that we 'made a most reprehensible + mistake,' and have put the firm to a considerable loss by doing too much + on our own responsibility.” + </p> + <p> + He nodded as I went on—“We heard of this wreck from the officers of + a French cruiser which called at Samoa while we were there. They sighted + her lying high and dry on the reef, sent a boat ashore, and found her + abandoned. She was bilged, but not badly, as far as they could see. On the + cabin table was nailed a letter, written by the captain, saying that being + unable to float the ship again, and fearing that he and his unarmed crew + would be attacked by the savages, he was starting off in his boats for + Thursday Island, the nearest port. Now, that is a big undertaking, and the + chances are that the poor fellows never reached there. However, Guest and + I thought so much of the matter that we hustled through our business in + Samoa, and sailed the next day direct for Rook Island, instead of doing + our usual cruise to the eastward. But we met with fearful weather coming + up through the Solomon Group, lost our foretopmast, and strained badly. + And here we are now, tied up by the nose off the South Cape of New Britain + instead of being at Rook Island at work on that wreck.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke thought a moment. “Well, gentlemen, let me come in with you—just + for the fun of the thing. I don't want to get any money out of it, I + assure you, and I'll lend you a hand with the wrecking work.” + </p> + <p> + “Agreed,” said Guest, extending his hand, “but only on this condition—whatever + our owners give Drake and myself, we three divide equally.” + </p> + <p> + “As you please, as you please,” he said. “Now come aboard my little + hooker, and have a look at what is in the hold.” + </p> + <p> + We went on board the Francesco with him, and made an examination of her + small but valuable cargo, and Guest and I agreed that he had + underestimated its worth by quite four hundred or five hundred pounds—in + fact, the whole cargo would sell in Sydney or San Francisco for about + sixteen hundred pounds. + </p> + <p> + We sailed together that afternoon, the cutter getting under weigh first. + We had given Yorke three of our men—Napoleon the Tongan, and two + other natives—and before ten minutes had passed, Guest and everyone + else on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i> could see that the <i>Francesco</i> + could sail rings round our old brigantine, even in a stiff breeze, for the + cutter drew as much water as we did, and had a big spread of canvas. By + nightfall we were running before a lusty south-east breeze, the cutter + keeping about half a mile to windward of us, and taking in her gaff + topsail, when it became dark, otherwise she would have run ahead of, and + lost us before morning. At daylight, when I went on deck, she was within a + cable's length, Yorke was steering—smoking as usual—and no one + else was visible on deck. + </p> + <p> + I hailed him: “Good morning, Captain; where are your men?” “Taking it out + in 'bunk, oh,'” he answered with a laugh. “I came on deck about two hours + ago, and told them to turn in until four bells.” + </p> + <p> + “You'll ruin them for the <i>Fray Bentos</i>, sir,” cried our mate with + grumbling good-humour. “Why don't you start one of 'em at the galley fire + for your coffee!” + </p> + <p> + “Because I'm coming aboard you for it,” was the reply. He hauled in the + main-sheet, lashed the tiller, went quietly forward without awakening his + native seamen, and put the staysail to windward. Then he came amidships + again to the main hatch, picked up the little dingy which was lying there, + and, despite his bad hand, slid her over the cutter's rail into the water + as if she were a toy, got in, and sculled over to the brigantine, leaving + the cutter to take care of herself! + </p> + <p> + Charley King, the mate of the <i>Fray Bentos</i> turned to me in + astonishment. He was himself one of the finest built and most powerful men + I had ever met, not thirty years of age, and had achieved a great + reputation as a long-distance swimmer and good all-round athlete. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Mr. Drake, that dingy must weigh three hundred pounds, if she weighs + an ounce, for she's heavy oak built! And yet with one gammy hand he can + put her over the side as if she was made of brown paper.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke sculled alongside, made fast to the main chains, clambered over the + bulwarks, and stepped aboard in his usual quiet way, as if nothing out of + the common had occurred, and asked the mate what he thought of the <i>Francesca</i> + as a sailer. King looked at him admiringly for a moment. + </p> + <p> + “She's a daisy, Captain Yorke.... but you oughtn't to have put your boat + over the side by yourself, sir, with that bad hand of yours.” + </p> + <p> + The big man laughed so genuinely, and with such an infectious ring in his + voice, that even our Kanaka steward, who was bringing us our coffee, + laughed too. The dingy, he said, was very light, and there was no need for + him to call one of the men to help him. As we drank our coffee he chatted + very freely with us, and drew our attention to the lovely effect caused by + the rising sun upon a cluster of three or four small thickly-wooded + islets, which lay between the two vessels and the mainland of New Britain, + whereupon King, who had no romance in his composition, remarked that for + his part he could not see much difference between one sunrise or sunset + and another. “One means a lot of wind, and another none at all; one means + decent weather and another means rotten weather, or middlin' weather.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, Mr. King, you look at everything from a sailor's point of view,” he + said good-naturedly. “Now, there's nothing gives me more pleasure than to + watch a sunset and sunrise anywhere in the tropics—particularly if + there's land in the foreground or background—I never miss a sunrise + in the South Seas if I can help it.” + </p> + <p> + Presently we began to talk of the voyage, and I asked him a question—which + only at that moment occurred to me—concerning himself before we met. + </p> + <p> + “I wonder, Captain Yorke, when your crew were cut off, that it did not + occur to you to run down the west coast of New Ireland, between it and New + Britain, to Blanche Bay, where there is a German station, and where you + could have obtained assistance. It would have been much easier for you + instead of that long buffeting about on the east coast.” + </p> + <p> + He made no answer at first, and I saw that his face had changed colour. + Then he answered slowly: + </p> + <p> + “Just so. I knew all about the Germans at Blanche Bay, but I did not want + to go there—for very good reasons. Will you come aboard and have + some breakfast with me? I'll send you back again any time you like; the + sea is so smooth, as far as that goes, that I could run the cutter + alongside, and let you step off on to your own deck.” + </p> + <p> + Just as we were pushing off from the brigantine, Guest came on deck, glass + in hand, to have a look at the cluster of islands, at the same time + calling out to Yorke and myself to wait a little. After scanning the + islands from the deck, he went aloft for a better view, then descended and + came aft again to the rail. + </p> + <p> + “Good morning, Captain Yorke. I've just been taking a look at those + islands over there, and an idea has just come to me. But, first of all, + are they marked on your chart? They are on mine, but not even named—just + dots.” + </p> + <p> + “Neither are they on my big sheet chart—and I have no other of this + part of the Western Pacific.” + </p> + <p> + “Well then, here's my idea. I see from aloft that there is a good-sized + blue water lagoon there, and as likely as not there may be pearl-shell in + it. Anyway, it's worth seeing into, and so if Drake and yourself like to + take our boat and half a dozen men, you might have a look in there. I + can't see any houses, but at the same time, be careful. You can run in + with the cutter pretty close, and then go ashore in the boat. You are + bound to find a passage into the lagoon somewhere or other. I'll send Tim + Rotumah and George” (two of our native crew who were good divers) “with + you in the boat; they'll soon let you know if there is any shell in the + lagoon. If there is, light a fire, and make a smoke, and I'll anchor the + brigantine and come after you.” + </p> + <p> + I was delighted with this, and at once returned on board, while Yorke went + off to the cutter to give his crew their instructions. In ten or fifteen + minutes the whaleboat was over the side awaiting me, manned by six of our + native crew, all of whom were armed with Snider carbines and revolvers. + Pushing off from the <i>Fray Bentos</i>, we went alongside the <i>Francesco</i> + to pick up Yorke, who was waiting for the boat. As the wind had now fallen + very light, he suggested to me to make a start at once, leaving the cutter + in charge of Napoleon, with orders to anchor if it fell calm, and he was + on easy soundings. + </p> + <p> + The morning was deliciously bright, clear, and, for those latitudes at + that season of the year, very cool. As the boat skimmed over the placid + surface of the ocean, “schools” of bright silvery gar-fish and countless + thousands of small flying squid sprang into the air and fell with a + simultaneous splash into the water on each side and ahead of us. Then + “George,” a merry-faced, broad-chested native of Anaa, in the Paumotu + Islands, after an inquiring glance at me, broke out into a bastard + Samoan-Tokelauan canoe song, with a swinging chorus, altering and + improvising as he sang, showing his white teeth, as every now and then he + smiled at Yorke and myself when making some humorous play upon the words + of the original song, praising the former for his skill and bravery, and + his killing of the man-eating savages of New Hanover, his great strength + and stature, and his kindly heart—“a heart which groweth from his + loins upwards to his throat.” + </p> + <p> + Long, long years have passed since that day, but I shall always remember + how Yorke turned to me with a smile when at something George had sung, the + rest of our crew burst into approving laughter. + </p> + <p> + “What is he saying about me?—of course I can recognise that 'Ioka' + means 'Yorke,'” he said. + </p> + <p> + “It's extremely personal, but highly complimentary to you. Now, wait a + bit, till they come to the chorus, and I'll try and translate it. There, + he's starting:” + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “Miti Ioka, malie toa, toa malohi + Kapeni Iota, arii vaka! + Tule Ioka, fana tonu! + Mate puaka uri, kai tino. + Maumau lava, nofo noa! + Maumau lava, nofo noa t + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!! + “E aue l le tiga ina + Ma kalâga, ma kalâga + O fafine lalolagi + E kau iloay i nofa noa + Kapeni Ioka + Halo! Tama, Halo Foe!!!” + </pre> + <p> + “which goes,” I said, “as far as I can understand, something like this—'Mr. + Yorke, warrior brave and fighter strong, Captain Yorke, the sailor + captain, leader Yorke who fired so truly, slew the black, man-eating pigs + of savages! Oh, the pity he is single, oh, the pity he is single! <i>Pull, + men, pull!</i> The next verse says that did the world of women know that + such a fine man as yourself was a bachelor, they would consume themselves + with grief.” + </p> + <p> + “I wonder why they should take it for granted that I am a single man,” he + laughed, as he began to fill his pipe; then he added quietly—“I may + be a widower for all I know. I was married in Copenhagen thirty years ago, + and have never seen my wife since, and trust I never may.” Then in a + moment he changed the subject, and I took good care not to mention the + matter again. + </p> + <p> + An hour after leaving the brigantine, we found a passage—narrow but + safe—leading into the lagoon, which was a mile or mile and a half in + width, and but for the one opening in the reef, completely land locked by + four small islands, all low and densely wooded with banyan and other + trees, and connected with each other at low tide. Here and there, at + intervals, were groves of coco-palms, and a few <i>vi</i> trees—the + wild mango of the Western Pacific, growing close down to the beach, which + on the inner side of the lagoon was of bright yellow sand, and presented a + very pleasing appearance. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter IV + </h2> + <p> + A very brief trial of the lagoon, at various depths, soon convinced us + that it contained no pearl-shell, both George and the Rotumah man coming + up empty-handed after each dive, and pronouncing the bottom to be <i>ogé</i>, + <i>i.e.</i>, poverty-stricken as regarded shell. But we made one rather + pleasing discovery, which was that the lagoon contained a vast number of + green turtle. We could see the creatures, some of them being of great + size, swimming about beneath the boat in all directions. It at once + occurred to me that I should let Guest know, for we were getting short of + provisions on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i>, and had been using native food—pork, + yams, and taro, to eke out our scanty store. Here, now, was an opportunity + of getting a supply of fresh meat which would last us for a couple of + months or more; as we could easily stow eighty or a hundred turtle on + board, and kill one or two every day as required. We always carried with + us a heavy turtle-net, made of coir fibre, which I had bought two years + before in the Tokelau Group. But, first of all, I consulted with our + native crew as to whether we could dispense with the net by remaining on + the island all night and watching for the turtle to come ashore. + </p> + <p> + They all assured me that we should get none, or at best but few, as it was + not the laying season. + </p> + <p> + “Very well,” I said, “go off to the ship, and tell the captain that there + is no pearl-shell here, but plenty of turtle. Ask him if he will let you + have the turtle-net, so that we can set it across the mouth of the passage + as soon as it becomes dark; and tell him we shall come off again by + midnight if he does not care about our staying till the morning; but that + as we are pretty sure to get a lot of turtle, he had better send the + longboat as well.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke, at first, intended to go off again to the <i>Francesca</i>, but I + told him I was so sure that Guest would come to an anchor when he heard + about the turtle, that he (Guest) would be sure to tell Napoleon and the + other men on board the cutter to do the same. “In fact,” I added, “a + supply of turtle will be a God-send to us, and the skipper will not mind, + I am sure, if we stay here for a couple of days, under the circumstances.” + </p> + <p> + We pulled ashore to a little sandy beach, and Yorke and myself, taking our + rifles, ammunition, and a few biscuits each, got out, the native crew at + once starting off again for the ship, pulling as hard as they could, for + they were eager to return with the turtle-net and enjoy themselves as only + South Sea Islanders and other of Nature's children do when fishing. + </p> + <p> + About an hour after the boat had gone, we set to work to get some coconuts + to drink, both for ourselves and the boat's crew when they returned. Yorke + ascended a very tall palm—about sixty feet in height—like a + native, and began throwing down the young nuts. I took a shorter tree near + by, and was leisurely twisting off the heavy nuts, when he, who had a good + view of the sea, called out to me that it had fallen calm. + </p> + <p> + “And what I don't like, Drake, is this,” he added—“there's a dull, + greasy look on the water over to the eastward there, and I'd like to be on + board the Francesca instead of being here. I don't like it, I can tell + you, and I'm sorry we did not go off in the boat.” + </p> + <p> + I, in my fatuous, youthful conceit, laughed at his forebodings. + </p> + <p> + “It's only a New Britain squall—a lot of wind for ten minutes, then + a power of rain for another twenty, and then it'll be over.” + </p> + <p> + Yorke, however, was too old and experienced a seaman to disregard the + signs of coming danger. He quickly descended from his tree, and I followed + suit. + </p> + <p> + “There's something more than a squall coming, my lad. Let us cut through + the bush across to the weather side of the island, and try and stop the + boat. We can do it if we are quick.” + </p> + <p> + The island was less than a mile in width, even at its broadest portion, + which was where we had landed; so, after a hurried drink, we picked up our + rifles and started off to try to intercept the boat as she was pulling + down the outer and eastern shore. But before we had made two hundred + yards, we came to a dead stop, our progress being barred by a dense + thicket of thorny and stunted undergrowth. We turned aside and skirted the + thicket for a quarter of a mile, then tried again, with the same result—it + was absolutely impossible to force our way through the obstacle. + </p> + <p> + By this time the air had become stiflingly hot and oppressive, and the + rapidly darkening sky presaged the coming storm. From every pore in our + bodies the perspiration was streaming profusely, and our hands and faces + were scratched and bleeding. + </p> + <p> + “We must go back,” said Yorke, “we cannot possibly get to the other side + of the island through this damnable scrub. The only thing we can do is to + run along the inner beach of the island till we come to its end, wade + across the reef, and try to stop the boat before she has gone too far. + This is no common squall, I'm afraid—it's going to be a hurricane. + Come on.” + </p> + <p> + We started off at a run, along the hard sand, but before we had done the + first quarter of a mile, I felt that I could go no further, for I was + pumped out, could scarcely breathe, and felt a strange, unnatural + faintness overcoming me—a not uncommon sensation experienced by many + people just before a hurricane or an earthquake. + </p> + <p> + “You must go on alone,” I said, pantingly, to Yorke; “leave me here. I'll + be all right, even if I have to stop here a month of Sundays. I can't + starve in such a place as this.” + </p> + <p> + Pitching his own and my rifle up on the bank above high water mark, he + seized me and lifted me up on his back, telling me to hold on, as he meant + to make a big try for the boat. It was no use my protesting—he set + off again at a steady run, my weight apparently impeding his progress no + more than if he had been carrying a doll instead of ten stone. + </p> + <p> + At last we gained the end of the island, where there was a break in the + verdure, and from which we had a brief view of the sea before it was + blotted out by the black wall of the coming hurricane. + </p> + <p> + “We're done as far as getting on board is concerned,” he said, as I slid + down his back on to the sand; “but, thank God, the boat is safe. In + another ten minutes she would have been too late to have reached either + the cutter or brigantine, and have been smothered. Look, Captain Guest is + all ready, and so is the cutter!” + </p> + <p> + I got up on my feet, just in time to see the boat go alongside the + brigantine, which was under a close reefed lower topsail and a bit of her + mainsail only—for Guest knew what was coming, and had prepared to + meet it; the cutter, too, was reefed down, and had taken her dingy on + deck. At that moment, however, both vessels were becalmed; but scarcely + had the whale boat been hoisted up to the starboard davits of the <i>Fray + Bentos</i> and secured, when the hurricane struck both vessels. I thought + at first that our poor old brigantine was going to turn turtle, for she + was all but thrown on her beam ends; but righting herself gallantly, she + plunged away into the growing darkness, followed by the cutter, and in + five minutes both were hidden from view, and Yorke and myself had to throw + ourselves flat on our faces to avoid being blown down the beach into the + lagoon. + </p> + <p> + I had once, years before when a boy in Fiji, seen a bad hurricane, and was + rather proud of my experience, but I never saw, and never wish to see + again, such a truly terrifying and appalling sight as my companion and I + now witnessed—for within an hour all Nature seemed to have gone + stark, raving mad, and I never expected to see the next morning's sun. I + do not think it was the fearful force of the wind which so terrified me + into a state of helplessness as the diabolical clamour—the clashing + and tearing and rending asunder of the trees, accompanied by a prolonged + howling mingled with a deep droning hum like one sometimes hears when a + volcano is in eruption—and, in a minor key, the dulled roaring of + the surf as the mighty seas swept over the outer reef, and broke over the + weather shore with such tremendous force that the island seemed to tremble + to its very foundations. + </p> + <p> + Unable to make himself heard in the pandemonium roaring around us, Yorke + turned to me, and gripping me by one hand, and shielding his eyes with the + other from the hurtling showers of sand and pebbles which threatened to + cut our faces to pieces, he managed to drag me along the beach to a low + ledge of coral rocks, under the shelter of which we were protected from + the fury of the wind, and, in a measure, safe from flying branches, though + all along the beach coco-palms were being torn up by the roots, or their + lofty crowns cut off as if they were no stronger than a dahlia or some + such weakly plant. + </p> + <p> + As we crouched on the sand under the ledge of rock, a terrific but welcome + downpour of rain fell, and we were able to satisfy our thirst by pressing + our mouths to crevices in the rock overhead. But we were not long allowed + to remain undisturbed in our shelter, for, although the tide was on the + ebb, the enormous influx of water, driven over the reef by the violence of + the wind, so swelled the lagoon that we had to abandon our refuge and + crawl on our hands and knees up over the bank, and thence into the thorny + scrub, where we were at least safe from falling trees, there being none + near us. + </p> + <p> + “I must try and get our rifles before it is too late,” shouted Yorke in my + ear. “I know the place, but if I don't get there pretty quick, I shall + never be able to recognise it. Stay where you are until I get back, then + we'll try and find a better camping place before night comes on—if + this little tin-pot island isn't blown out of the water over on to New + Guinea in the meantime.” + </p> + <p> + By this time I was beginning to get some courage, and to feel ashamed of + myself; so, as soon as Yorke had crept out of the scrub, I braced myself + up, and taking out my sheath knife, began to cut away the thorny branches, + and pull up by the roots some of the scrub around me, so as to make more + room. The soil consisted of decomposed shell and vegetable matter, very + soft and porous, underneath which were loose coral slabs, and I soon had a + space cleared large enough for us both to lie down upon. Then I started to + enclose it on three sides by a low wall of the flat coral stones, across + which I laid a thick and nearly rain-proof covering of branches and + leaves, and when Yorke returned an hour later, I was almost finished, and + had begun to make a fire of dead roots and branches. + </p> + <p> + “That's grand,” he said, as he laid down the rifles. “I was wondering if + your matches were dry. Mine are spoilt, as I had them loose in my pocket. + How is your tobacco?” + </p> + <p> + “Quite dry, too. Here you are, fill your pipe.” + </p> + <p> + The man's thoughtfulness showed at once. “No, thank you—not just + yet. I'll improve this newly-erected mansion of ours by getting coconut + branches up from the beach. We might as well make our roof as watertight + as we can before dark. Then I want something to eat, and there are plenty + of coconuts lying about everywhere.” + </p> + <p> + “We won't starve,” I said; “there are any amount of robber crabs in this + scrub, and to-night we can get as many as we want, if we can make a bright + fire.” + </p> + <p> + By dark we had succeeded in carrying up thirty or forty coconut branches, + and covering our sleeping place over in a more satisfactory manner, though + we were every now and then chilled to the bone by the stinging rain. Our + rifles, matches, tobacco, and a few biscuits, we placed in a dry spot, and + then built up a small but hot fire of roots under the shelter, and, after + eating a meal of coconut and biscuit, we filled our pipes, piled on more + roots, and sat by the fire drying our clothes, and listening to the wild + uproar of wind and sea, congratulating ourselves upon being in a spot + where we were at least safe from the wind, for our camp was at least eight + or ten feet below the general level of the island, both on its windward + and leeward sides. + </p> + <p> + All that night the wind blew with terrific violence, and the noise of the + surf thrashing upon the coral barriers of the island was something + indescribable. At about midnight, just after a lull succeeded by a heavy + fall of rain, the wind hauled round two or three points to the southward, + and, if possible, blew with still greater violence. The crashing of trees + mingling with the demoniacal shriek of the hurricane, was enough to + disturb the mind of the bravest; but my companion lay quietly beside the + fire, smoking his pipe and talking to me as he would had we been seated at + the supper table on board the <i>Fray Bentos</i>. Yet that he was deeply + anxious about our ship-mates I well knew, when, bidding me good-night, he + laid his great frame upon the sand and went to sleep. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter V + </h2> + <p> + By dawn on the following morning, the hurricane had lost its strength and + settled down into a hard gale from the north-east. When we crawled out + from our shelter, a fearful scene of desolation met our eyes; not more + than a hundred coco-palms were left standing on the weather side of the + island, and enormous boulders of coral rock, torn off the reef by the + violence of the sea, were piled up in wild confusion along the shore, + while, at the north end, the surf had made a clean breach over the land, + with devastating effect. On the inner beach of the lagoon, the destructive + results of the wind and sea had not been so great, although vast numbers + of fish were lying dead on the sand, or among the soaked and flattened + undergrowth above high water mark. We at once collected a few, lit a fire, + roasted them over the coals, and made a good breakfast, finishing up with + some young drinking coconuts, hundreds of which were lying about us. + </p> + <p> + We knew that, until the weather moderated, there was little likelihood of + our seeing the brigantine and cutter—if we ever saw either again. + The ocean for many hundreds of miles around us was full of dangers, for it + was unsurveyed, and risky even to a ship in good weather. Many of the + islands, shoals and reefs marked on the charts had no existence, but still + more were placed in wrong positions, and we both felt that it would be + something marvellous if the two vessels escaped disaster. All we could do + was to hope for the best, and wait patiently. + </p> + <p> + As the rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly, although the + gale was still blowing fiercely, we decided to cross to one of the other + islands and make an examination of our surroundings. First of all, + however, we examined our stock of ammunition, and found we had thirty-five + cartridges between us; the rest of our effects consisted of about a + quarter of a pound of plug tobacco, a sheath knife and a pocket knife, a + small box of vestas, and the clothes we had on. + </p> + <p> + With some difficulty we managed to wade through the shallow passage + dividing the island on which we had slept from the next, and found the + latter to be much better wooded, wider, and three or four feet higher; and + I had just observed to Yorke that it would suit us better to live on than + the other, when I came to a dead stop—right in front of us was a + banyan tree, from a low branch of which was suspended a huge cane-work + fishing basket! + </p> + <p> + In a moment we hid ourselves, and remained quiet for a few minutes, + scanning the surrounding bush carefully to see if there were any further + signs of human occupancy, or the humans themselves. From the appearance of + the basket, however, I judged that it had not been used for many weeks at + least, and had been hung up to prevent its becoming rotten from lying on + the moist, steamy soil. + </p> + <p> + After satisfying ourselves that there were no natives—in our + immediate vicinity at least—we set out again, proceeding very + cautiously, and a short distance further on struck a dearly-defined native + path; this we followed, and presently came in sight of half a dozen small + thatched huts, under the shelter of two very large trees, from the + branches of which were hanging fish baskets similar to that we had just + seen. Most of the huts, though damaged by the storm, were substantially + built, and evidently had not long been vacated, for in a sort of cleared + plot in front were a number of gaily-coloured crotons, which showed signs + of having been recently tended—the grass had been pulled up around + their roots, &c. In one of the huts we found some smaller fish traps, + a number of fish spears, and two large wooden bowls. + </p> + <p> + “It's a fishing village, belonging to the niggers on the mainland, I + think,” I said to Yorke. “It is quite a common thing for them, both in New + Ireland and New Britain, to have plantations or fishing stations on many + of these small islands off the coast, and they come over three or four + times a year to plant or fish. Let us go on further.” + </p> + <p> + My surmise was correct, for, quite near the huts, was a large taro + plantation, on which great labour and care had been expended. A brief + examination of some of the tubers showed us that they were full grown. + This was not a pleasant discovery, for we knew that the owners might be + expected to put in an appearance at any moment after the gale ceased, in + order to dig them up. + </p> + <p> + “Well, let us get on, and see what else we can discover,” said Yorke, + shouldering his rifle. “The beggars can't get across from the mainland in + such weather as this, so we need not be under any immediate alarm.” + </p> + <p> + By two in the afternoon we had thoroughly examined the whole of the four + islands, but found no more houses, though on all of them we came across + the inevitable fish-traps, and also a good-sized bamboo fishing raft, + lying far up on the beach. This we at once carried off, and were about to + hide in a thicket—little thinking it would prove such a dangerous + acquisition—when Yorke suggested a better course. It would be a + mistake, he said, to leave the raft so far from our sleeping place, + instead of taking it away, when not only should we have it near us in case + of a sudden attack by the natives, but we could utilise it for fishing, + and that by removing it to the southernmost islet, which was farthest away + from the fishing village on the largest island, we could easily conceal it + from view. + </p> + <p> + The natives, he argued, would be bound to search for it on the islet where + they had left the thing, and would conclude that it had been washed away + in the hurricane, and therefore were hardly likely to come down to the + southern islet, the inner beach of which could be seen from nearly every + point on the lagoon. + </p> + <p> + “So,” he went on, “you see that if the black gentry do think that their + raft might have been carried down to the inner beach of the south islet, + they will only need to use their eyes to show them it isn't there. But it + will be snug enough on the outer side of the island, where they won't + dream of looking for it, and where we can use it whenever we like—for + we'll shift our camp down there to-day.... God knows how long we may have + to live here if anything has happened to the <i>Fray Bentos</i> and the <i>Francesca</i> + and so we must run no needless risks.” + </p> + <p> + “Right,” I assented, “and see, the wind is falling steadily, and there's + not much of a swell inside the lagoon now. Why not let us try and take the + raft away with us at once, instead of coming for her in the morning?” + </p> + <p> + We cut down a couple of young saplings for poles, carried the raft to the + water, and launched it. It was big enough to support five or six people, + but floated like a feather, and, to our delight, we found that we could + pole it along in shallow water with the greatest of ease. By four o'clock + we reached the island, and carried our craft up from the inner beach into + a clump of trees. This spot, we thought, would make a good camp, as from + it we commanded not only a good view of the lagoon, but of the sea to the + south and west, and we felt certain that if Guest turned up all right, he + would look for us at this end of the atoll—even if he made it from + the northward, and had to run the coast down. + </p> + <p> + By supper time we had fixed ourselves up comfortably for the night. The + rain now only fell at long intervals, the wind had fallen to a strong, + steady breeze, and we made up a fire, and cooked some more fish, of which + there were still numbers to be had on the beach merely for the trouble of + picking them up. Then we ate our supper, smoked a pipeful of our precious + tobacco between us, and discussed our plans for the morrow, Yorke + listening to my suggestions as if they were put forward by a man of his + own age and experience, instead of by one who was as yet but a young + seaman, and a poor navigator. + </p> + <p> + “I am quite sure,” he said in his slow, quiet way, as he passed me the + pipe, “that you and I will get along here all right for weeks, months—years + even, if it has pleased the Almighty to take our shipmates, and we have to + live here till we are taken off by some ship, or can build a boat. Your + knowledge of ways and means of getting food, and living in such a place as + this, is of more value than my seamanship and knowledge of navigation. + Come, let us get out to the beach and take a look at the weather.” + </p> + <p> + He placed his hand on my shoulder in such a kindly manner, as his bright + blue eyes looked into mine, that, with the impulsiveness of youth, + together with my intense admiration for the character of the man himself, + I could not help saying: + </p> + <p> + “Captain Yorke! Please don't think I was boasting of what I could do in + the way of getting food for us—and all that. You see, I have been in + the South Seas ever since I was a kid—and by nature I'm half a + Kanaka. I've lived among natives so long, and——” + </p> + <p> + He held up his hand, smiling the while: “I'm glad to have such a good + comrade as you, Drake. You have the makings of a good sailorman in you, + but you're too quick and excitable, and want an old wooden-headed, stolid + buffer like me to steady you. Now let us start.” + </p> + <p> + We walked across the narrow strip of land to the weather side, and sat + down upon a creeper-covered boulder of coral rock. Before us the ocean + still heaved tumultuously, and the long, white-crested breakers thundered + heavily on the short, fringing reef; but overhead was a wondrous sky of + myriad stars, set in a vault of cloudless blue. + </p> + <p> + “The gale is blowing itself out,” said my companion. “We shall see a fine + day in the morning. And, Drake, we shall see the brigantine back in three + days.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope so,” I said, laughingly, “but I'm afraid we won't. Both the + brigantine and cutter must have had to heave to, or else run, and if they + have run, they may be two hundred miles away from here by now. And I think + that Guest <i>would</i> run to the westward for open water, instead of + heaving-to among such an infernal lot of reefs and shoals.” + </p> + <p> + “Whatever he may have done, he, and my cutter, too, are safe, and we shall + see them back in three days,” he reiterated, with such quiet emphasis, and + with such a strangely confident, contented look in his eyes, that I also + felt convinced the vessels would, as he said, turn up safely. + </p> + <p> + We sat silent for some minutes, watching the sea, and noting how quickly + the wind was falling, when presently my comrade turned to me. + </p> + <p> + “You asked me why I did not try to make the German head station in Blanche + Bay, after my crew were killed,” he said. “Well, I'll tell you. I am + frightened of no man living, but I happened to hear the name of the + manager there—a-Captain Sternberg, an ex-captain of the German navy. + He and I served together in the same ship—and I am a deserter from + the German service.” + </p> + <p> + I was astonished. “You!” I exclaimed; “surely you are not a German?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, I am,” he replied, “and if I fell into the hands or the German + naval authorities, or any German Consul, or other official anywhere, I + should have but a short time in this world.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, what could they do?” + </p> + <p> + “Send me home to be tried—and shot.” + </p> + <p> + “Surely they cannot shoot a man for desertion in the German navy.” + </p> + <p> + “There is something beyond desertion in my case— I killed an + officer. Sternberg knows the whole story, and though as a man and a + gentleman he would feel for me, he would have no hesitation in arresting + me and sending me home in irons, if he could get me. And he could not fail + to recognise me, although eight and twenty years have passed since he last + saw me.” + </p> + <p> + “But he is not an Imperial officer now,” I remarked. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, he is. He is Vice-Consul for Germany in the Western Pacific, and, as + such, would have authority to apprehend me, and apprehend me he certainly + would, though, as I have said, he knows my story, and when we served + together, was always a kind and good friend to me, despite the fact that + he was an officer and I was not; for I came from as good a family as his + own—and that goes a long way in both the German army and navy.” + </p> + <p> + I made some sympathetic remark, and then Yorke resumed: + </p> + <p> + “What I am telling you now—and I'll tell you the whole story—is + no secret, for thousands of people have read of the Brandt extradition + case in the United States. Twenty years ago I was arrested in San + Francisco at the instance of the German Consul there, but managed to + escape after being in custody for six weeks. + </p> + <p> + “My real name is Brandt. My father was a German, my mother a Danish lady—a + native of Klampenborg, a small sea-coast town not far from Copenhagen. My + father was an officer in the army, and was well-known as an Asiatic + traveller and linguist, and I was the only child. At fifteen years ot age, + much to my delight, I went into the navy, served one commission in the + Baltic, and two on the west coast of South America. Then when I was about + twenty-one years of age, I was given, through my father's influence, a + minor position on the staff of a scientific expedition sent out by the + German Geographical Society to Arabia. I came home at the end of a year, + and was given three months' leave, at the end of which I was to join a new + ship. + </p> + <p> + “Being pretty liberally supplied with money by my father—who was a + man of means—I determined to spend my leave in London, and there I + met the woman who was to prove the ruin of my future. She was the daughter + of the woman in whose house I lodged in Chelsea, and was a very handsome, + fascinating girl about nineteen. I fell madly in love with her, and she + professed to return my feelings, and I, poor young fool, believed in her. + Her mother, who was a cunning old harridan, and greedy and avaricious to a + degree, gave us every opportunity of being together. As I spent my money + most lavishly on the girl, and they both knew my father was well-off, and + I was the only son, they had merely to spread their net for me to fall + into it. + </p> + <p> + “Well, I married the girl, both she and her mother promising to keep the + matter secret from my parents until after I returned from my next voyage + and got a commission. I knew well that I should get into very serious + trouble with my superiors if the fact of my marriage became known, but was + so infatuated with the girl that I allowed no considerations to influence + me. + </p> + <p> + “A month before my leave expired, I sent my wife over to Bremerhaven, + where I had some friends on whose secrecy I could rely. My ship—a + small gunboat—was being fitted out at that port, and my wife seemed + delighted that she would see me pretty frequently before I sailed. I was + cautious enough not to travel with her from London, for that would have + meant almost certain detection, and, as an additional precaution, she went + to my friends in Bremerhaven under her maiden name. I was to follow her in + a week, by the next steamer. + </p> + <p> + “That evening, as I was being driven home to my wife's mother's house in + Chelsea, the horse bolted. I was thrown out of the cab, and half-an-hour + later, I was in a hospital with a broken arm and severe internal injuries. + It was six weeks before I was able to leave England to join my ship; but + my father had written to the navy office, telling of my accident, and my + leave had been extended. During all this time my wife wrote to me weekly, + telling me she was very miserable at my not allowing her to return to + England to nurse me, but would obey me; for I had written to her and told + her not to return, as I did not think it advisable—the doctors and + nurses at the hospital knew I was in the German navy, and I was then + becoming somewhat fearful of the news of my marriage getting to the + knowledge of the naval authorities. + </p> + <p> + “When I reached Bremerhaven, I had still three days of my extended leave + to expire, so had no need to report myself; but at once went to my + friends' house, where I met my wife, who was overjoyed to see me again. My + friends, too, welcomed me warmly, though I somehow fancied there seemed to + be some underlying restraint upon them. They were quite a young couple: + the husband was a clerk in the customhouse, and he and I had been friends + from boyhood. + </p> + <p> + “In the morning I went to look at my new ship, and was greatly pleased to + find that my old officer, Lieutenant Sternberg, had been appointed to her. + He saw me at once, came along the deck, and spoke very kindly to me. + Whilst he was talking to me, an officer from the port guardship came on + board. He was a very handsome man, about thirty, with a deep scar across + his forehead, and I noticed that he looked at me very keenly—almost + rudely—and I fancied I saw something like a sneer on his face as he + turned away to speak to Sternberg. + </p> + <p> + “My young friend, the custom house clerk, whose name was Muller, returned + every day from his office at six o'clock, when we had supper, and on this + occasion I began to tell him of my new ship, and then said casually: + </p> + <p> + “By the way, who is that conceited-looking fellow from the guardship—a + man with an ugly scar across his forehead?” + </p> + <p> + “No one answered, and then to my surprise I saw that Muller was looking + inquiringly at my wife, whose face suddenly became scarlet, while Mrs. + Muller bent her face over her plate. Then Muller looked at me and said + quietly: + </p> + <p> + “'That was Captain Decker. I believe that he has the honour of the + friendship of Frau Brandt.' + </p> + <p> + “There was something so stern in his tones that I could not understand; + but another look at my wife's face filled me with the blackest misgivings. + She had turned a deathly pale, and, faltering something inaudible, rose + from the table and went to her room. Then I asked Muller what it meant. + </p> + <p> + “'Ask your wife,' he said sadly; 'you are my dear friend, and she is my + guest—but her conduct has not been satisfactory.' + </p> + <p> + “I now insisted upon him telling me more, and soon learnt the whole + miserable story. My wife had been in the habit of meeting Captain Decker + clandestinely ever since she had been in Bremerhaven, although she had + denied it when Mrs. Muller had indignantly threatened to write and tell me + if she did not at once cease the intimacy. This she had sworn to do, but, + Muller said, she had, he feared, violated her promise frequently, though + he could not absolutely prove it. + </p> + <p> + “I went direct to my wife. Instead of a shrinking, trembling woman, I + found a defiant devil—a shameless creature who coolly admitted her + guilt, told me that she had never cared for me, and that she had only + married me to escape from the monotony of her London life with her mother—if + she was her mother, she added with a mocking laugh. + </p> + <p> + “Thank God, I didn't hurt her! The revelation was a heavy one, but I + braced myself up, and the rage and contempt that filled me were mingled + with some sort of pity. I did not even reproach her. I had in my pockets + about thirty pounds in English gold. I put down twenty on the table. + </p> + <p> + “'There are twenty pounds,' I said—'take it and go. I will send you + another two hundred pounds as soon as I can communicate with my father—on + one condition.' + </p> + <p> + “'What is it?' she said sullenly. + </p> + <p> + “'That you'll never try to see me, or harass me again. If you do, by God! + I'll kill you.' + </p> + <p> + “I promise you that much,” she replied. In half an hour she had left the + house, and I never saw or heard of her again. + </p> + <p> + “That evening I made special preparations. First of all I wrote to my poor + father, and told him everything, and bade Muller and his wife goodbye, + telling them I was going on board my ship. They, pitying me deeply, bade + me farewell with tears. + </p> + <p> + “But I had no such intention. I wanted to settle scores with the man who + had wronged me. At a marine store dealer's that night I bought two common + cutlasses, and waited for my chance. I had learnt that Decker went to the + service club on certain evenings, and stayed very late. + </p> + <p> + “My time came the following night. I saw my man come out of the club, and + followed him closely till he entered a quiet street. Then I called him by + name. He turned and faced me and asked me angrily what I wanted. + </p> + <p> + “'I am Theodor Brandt,' I said, and handed him one of the two cutlasses I + was carrying under my overcoat. + </p> + <p> + “The man was no coward, and fought well, but in less than a minute I ran + him clean through the body. He fell in the muddy street, and by the time I + had dragged him away into the shadow of a high wooden fence enclosing a + timber yard, was dead. Half an hour later I was on board a fishing-smack, + bound for Wangeroog, one of the Frisian Islands, off the coast. At that + place I remained in safety for a month, then got away to Amsterdam, and + from there to Java. Then for the next eight-and-twenty years, down to this + very moment, I have been a wanderer on the face of the earth. Six years + after I escaped I joined an American man-of-war—the <i>Iroquois</i>—at + Canton, and when we were paid off in the States I took out my + naturalisation papers. This served me well, when, two years afterwards, I + was recognised at San Francisco by some German bluejackets as 'Brandt, the + murderer of Captain Decker,' and arrested. Fortunately, I had money, and + while the German Consul was trying hard to get me handed over to the + German naval authorities on the Pacific Coast, my lawyers managed to get + me out on bail. I got away down to the Hawaiian Islands in a lumber ship, + and—well, since then I've been knocking around anywhere and + everywhere.... Come, let us turn in.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Chapter VI + </h2> + <p> + At dawn the wind had died away to a light breeze, and the sun rose to + shine upon an ocean of unspecked blue. To the eastward, the slopes of New + Britain were hidden from our view by a thick mist, only the tops of some + high mountain peaks far inland showing above, and there seemed to be every + appearance of the fine weather lasting. This gave us much satisfaction, + and after a bathe in a rocky pool on the reef, we ate our breakfast of + fish and coconut with good spirits, then filling our pipes, went down to + the inner beach to bask in the glorious sunshine. + </p> + <p> + “If this sort ot weather keeps up,” I remarked to Yorke, “I'm afraid your + prediction about our seeing Guest and the cutter in another two days won't + be verified—it'll fall calm before noon to-day, and may keep so for + a week. I've known a calm to last for a solid ten days on the north side + of New Britain.” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps so,” he replied; “but then the current about here sets strongly + to the eastward, and somehow I feel certain that, wind or no wind, we'll + see the ships.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if we do, you ought to give up sailoring, Captain Yorke, and go + into business as a prophet. I for one would always come to you for a tip. + But, joking apart, let us imagine that Guest or the cutter did not run far + to the eastward, but hove-to, and as soon as the hurricane had blown + itself out, headed back for us; in such a case, both vessels may be within + half a day's sail of us at this very moment.” + </p> + <p> + “That is quite possible—it is also possible they may be within + twenty miles of us, becalmed. It would not surprise me if Guest actually + drifts in sight of these islands, and comes to look for us in his boat.” + </p> + <p> + “Now that brings me to the kernel of my imagination. I think it very + likely he may have no boat to send, and——” + </p> + <p> + He gave me a mighty thump on the back. + </p> + <p> + “Good boy! I know what you're thinking of—the raft?” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly, Captain. So don't you think it would be as well for us to turn + to at once, and make a couple of good paddles? though in an emergency the + butt ends of dry coconut branches do very well for paddles.” + </p> + <p> + Then I went on to say that it was quite likely that Guest had lost both + his boats, and the cutter her dingy, before there was time to have them + properly secured; and that the brigantine had lost the whaler, which had + brought us ashore, I was sure of, for she had, as I have mentioned, been + nearly thrown over on her beam ends when struck by the first blast, and + the boat must certainly either have been hopelessly stove when she was + forced below, or torn away from the davits by the weight of water in her + when the ship righted herself. + </p> + <p> + We set to at once with a good will—Yorke overhauling the cane + fastenings with which the great bamboos were lashed together, whilst I + went along the beach in search of some young <i>futu</i> trees, the wood + of which is soft when green, but dries hard, and could be easily worked, + even by such a tool as a sheath knife. + </p> + <p> + A quarter of a mile from our camp I found just what I wanted—three + or four young <i>futu</i> saplings lying on the ground, torn up by the + roots. Taking two ot the best, I stripped off the branches, and returned + to my companion, who was still at work on the raft, relashing its timbers + wherever needed. + </p> + <p> + In a couple of hours I had made quite a decent pair of paddles, each about + four feet in length, and with four inches of blade in the widest part. + Then Yorke, having finished with the raft, went with me along the beach, + and collected some old coconuts for food, and some young ones to drink, + for, as my comrade observed, one never knew what might happen, and it + would be as well to have some provisions all ready to hand in case of + emergency. There were still thousands of dead fish to be seen everywhere + lying on the sand, cast up among the <i>débris</i> above high-water mark, + but these were now turning putrid, and of no use. + </p> + <p> + We had noticed a huge banyan tree not far distant from our sleeping place, + which was the roosting and breeding place of a vast number of whale birds, + so Yorke proposed that we should go there and see if we could kill some by + hurling sticks at them. We had often seen this done by the natives ot the + western Caroline Islands, for the birds are very stupid, and allow + themselves, when not on the wing, to be approached quite closely. We cut + ourselves each a half-dozen of short, heavy throwing-sticks of green wood, + and set out for the rookery, and within an hour had killed thirty or forty + of the poor birds, some of which we at once picked, cleaned, and roasted. + We had no lack of salt, for every rock and shrub above high-water mark on + the weather side of the island was covered with a thin incrustation of it, + caused by the rapid evaporation of the spray under a torrid sun. The + remainder of the birds we cooked later in the day, intending them as a + stand-by. + </p> + <p> + In the afternoon we again bathed, this time in the lagoon, and Yorke, who + was one of the strongest and swiftest swimmers, for an European, that I + had ever seen, succeeded in capturing a turtle which was lying asleep on + the surface of the water, and brought it ashore; but it proved to be so + old and poor that we let it go again in disgust. + </p> + <p> + Towards the close of the day we again crossed the islet to have a better + look at the New Britain shore, the heavy mist which had hung over it most + of the day having now vanished. That the native owners of the plantations + would put in an appearance before many days had passed I was certain, for + they would be anxious to see what damage had been done by the hurricane, + and no doubt dig up some of the taro, which, as I have said, was fully + grown. + </p> + <p> + The moment we emerged from the scrub out upon the eastern shore, we + obtained a splendid view of the opposite coast of the great island, though + the actual shore was not visible on account of the extreme lowness of the + belt of littoral, which was many miles in width; but by climbing a tree we + could just discern the long, dark line of palms, and here and there a + narrow strip of white, denoting either surf or a sandy beach. + </p> + <p> + “Why,” I said to Yorke, “that land cannot be more than five miles distant + to its nearest point, and if there are niggers living there we should see + their fires to-night, and——” + </p> + <p> + The next moment I uttered a loud hurrah! and nearly fell off the tree in + my excitement, for away on the northern horizon was a sail, shining + snowy-white in the rays of the sinking sun! + </p> + <p> + Yorke echoed my cheer. “A day sooner than I prophesied, Drake! Wish we had + a glass, so that we could make out which it is. I am rather inclined to + think it is the <i>Fray Bentos</i> it looks too big for the cutter. + Anyway, whichever it is, she's becalmed; but even if there is not a breath + of wind during the night, she'll be closer in in the morning, as the + current is bound to set her along this way.” + </p> + <p> + We descended from the tree jubilantly, and I suggested that we should make + a big blaze on the eastern shore, so as to let the ship know we saw her, + but the more cautious Yorke said it would be rather risky. Natives, he + said, might be quite near at that moment, a party of canoes could have + easily crossed over during the day, and we should be none the wiser unless + we happened to see the reflections of their fires, after they had arrived, + on the lagoon waters. So, after waiting another ten minutes, when the sun + set, we returned to camp. + </p> + <p> + “Let us kill the fatted calf and divide it between us,” said my companion, + taking our plug of tobacco and cutting it in halves; “I'm going to smoke + all night, or at any rate until I fall asleep. Did you see how the sun + set? Well, that thick, yellow haze means a calm to-morrow, to a dead + certainty, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if we see Guest pulling into + the lagoon at daylight, that is, if he has a boat left.” + </p> + <p> + I do not think either of us slept for more than a quarter of an hour that + night. That Yorke could have done so, I do not doubt, but I would persist + in talking, getting up, walking about, and smoking, and he, + good-naturedly, kept awake on my account. The night was wondrously calm + and beautiful, so calm and quiet that there was not the slightest surf on + the outer reef, and the only sound that broke the silence would be the + croak of some night-fishing bird, as it rose, prey in bill, from the + slumbering lagoon. + </p> + <p> + As soon as ever we could see our way through to the other side of the + island, we were afoot, unheeding the drenching we got from the dew-soaked + trees whenever we touched a branch. Within five minutes after we had + emerged out into the open the sun rose, and a cheer broke from us when we + saw both the cutter and the brigantine lying becalmed about four miles + away, between the islet and the mainland of New Britain, and almost + abreast of where we stood. + </p> + <p> + “They have both lost all the boats, I am almost sure,” said Yorke, “or we + should see one coming ashore; unless, indeed, a boat is already pulling + down the lagoon on the other side. Let us wait an hour. That will decide + us what to do; if we see no boat between now and then, we can be assured + that Guest has none to send, and that he is waiting for a breeze, so that + he can run in close to the reef, and try to get within hail of us. I + daresay that he has a raft of some sort already made, and is trying to get + closer to the land to send it ashore for us. So we'll give him a pleasant + surprise.” + </p> + <p> + We waited impatiently till the hour had passed, but could see no sign of a + boat putting off from, or on the way from the brigantine, and were then + certain that she had none to send, as if it had left the vessel, even at + daylight, it would have entered the lagoon and been with us by that time. + </p> + <p> + Whilst we were waiting we had piled together on the shore a great heap of + dried coconut branches, on top of which we threw masses of a thick, green, + saline creeper. This heap we lit as a signal, and a pillar of dense smoke + rose high in the windless atmosphere. It was answered by Guest in a few + minutes—not by a gun, as we expected, but by a similar signal of + smoke, caused by a mass of cotton waste being soaked in coal tar and + ignited. + </p> + <p> + “He's answering us,” exclaimed Yorke. “Now, let's get the raft launched + and make a start.” + </p> + <p> + We tore back through the scrub to our camp, I panting with excitement, + Yorke as cool as ever. Carrying the raft down to the water we quickly put + on board the bundles of young coconuts, not deeming it worth while to + bother with the old ones and the cooked birds, as we quite expected to be + alongside the <i>Fray Bentos</i> within three hours at least, the sea + being as calm as a mill-pond, and the raft very light. + </p> + <p> + “Go easy, my lad, go easy,” said Yorke with a smile, as he saw the state + of flurry I was in. “We've got two or three hours paddling to do, so don't + knock yourself up needlessly. Now, what about our rifles?” + </p> + <p> + I had actually forgotten them, but at once ran back for them (the + cartridges we always kept in our pockets), and picking one up in each + hand, tore down the bank again, caught my left foot in a vine, and pitched + upon my nose on the top of the broken coral and pebbles covering the beach + with such violence that had it not been for the muzzle of the rifle I was + carrying in my right hand plunging into the loose stones, and bringing me + up sharply, I might have broken my jaw against a big boulder, which just + caught me on the chin. + </p> + <p> + Pretending I was not hurt, though my chin was skinned, and my shoulder was + strained, I picked myself up, handed the rifles to Yorke, and said I was + ready. + </p> + <p> + “Take a drink first,” he said in his authoritative, yet sympathetic way, + as he opened a young coconut. “Then fill your pipe and rest awhile. We're + in no hurry for ten minutes. Poor chap, you did do a flyer. Talk about the + Gadarene swine! Why you could give them points in running down steep + places!” + </p> + <p> + I certainly had given myself a tremendous shaking, for I felt quite dizzy, + but after a few draws at my pipe, said I was fit to paddle the raft to + Cape Horn. + </p> + <p> + We pushed off, then poled along shore till we came to the passage, which + was as smooth as glass. Here, on account of the deep water, we had to take + to our paddles, and were soon out in the open sea, heading for the + vessels. The sun was intensely hot, but we took no heed of it, and + congratulated ourselves upon having such a calm sea, instead of having to + paddle against a swell, which would have greatly impeded our progress. + </p> + <p> + For the first mile or so we went along in great style—then, to our + consternation, we suddenly ran right into a heavy tide rip, and away we + went at the rate of three or four knots an hour to the south-east, and + towards the New Britain shore. The belt or tide-rip seemed to be about a + mile in width, and although we paddled furiously in the endeavour to get + out of the whirling, seething stream, it was in vain—the raft spun + round and round with such rapidity that we lost control over, and had to + let her go; for not only were we unable to make any headway, but the + manner in which we were spinning round would not allow us to keep our + feet, and began to make us sea-sick. After half an hour or more of this, + we at last saw a chance of getting out of the rip into a side eddy; and, + putting forth all our strength, we just succeeded in doing so, only to be + menaced by a fresh and more alarming danger. + </p> + <p> + Yorke, dashing the pouring perspiration from his brow with his hand, had + just stood up to get a look at the brigantine and cutter, when he uttered + an oath. + </p> + <p> + “By God, we're in for it now! Look, here's four canoes, filled with + niggers, heading dead on for us. The beggars see us, too!” + </p> + <p> + I stood up beside him, and saw, about a quarter of a mile away, four + canoes, each of which was carrying six or eight natives, coming towards us + at a furious rate. They were, like all New Britain canoes, very low down + in the water, which, together with our own troubles when we were in the + tide rip, had prevented our seeing them long before. + </p> + <p> + “Lucky we have not wasted any of our cartridges” said Yorke grimly; “we'll + give them all the fight they want. But let them get closer, while we head + back for the ships. We <i>must</i> get out of this current—we can + lick the niggers easy enough; but if we get into that tide-rip again, + we'll be carried out of sight of the brigantine by midday.” + </p> + <p> + Plunging our paddles into the water, we sent our bamboo craft along till + we were in absolute safety as far as the tide-rip was concerned. Then + Yorke laid down his paddle. + </p> + <p> + “We're all right now, Drake; and now we'll give these man-chawing beggars + a bit of a surprise. They mean to knock us on the head in another ten + minutes, and take our carcasses ashore for to-night's dinner. You are the + younger man, and can shoot better than I, so I'll be polite and give you + first show. Sight for five hundred yards for a trial shot, at the leading + canoe. But wait a minute—don't stand up.” + </p> + <p> + He quickly piled up the young coconuts in a firm heap, and then stood over + me, his own rifle in hand, whilst I knelt on the bamboos and placed my + rifle on the top of the heap of coconuts. + </p> + <p> + I am now, at this time of life, ashamed of the savage instinct that in + those days filled me with a certain joy in destroying human life, + unthinkingly, and without compunction. But I had been brought up in a + rough school, among men who thought it not only justifiable, but correct + and proper to shoot a man—black, or white, or brown, or yellow—who + had done them any wrong. It had been my lot, in the Solomon Islands, to + witness one of the most hideous and appalling massacres of a ship's crew + that was ever perpetrated by natives—a massacre that had filled my + youthful mind with the most intense and unreasoning hatred of all + “niggers,” as we called the natives of Melanesia. The memory of that awful + scene had burned itself upon my brain, for the captain and mate of the + vessel were dear friends of mine, and they and their men had been cruelly + slaughtered, not for any wrong they had done—for they were good, + straight men—but simply because their blind confidence in the savage + natives invited their destruction. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + I steadied my rifle upon the top of the heap of coconuts, and waited a + second or two till every man in the first canoe was in line. Then I pulled + the trigger, and was thrown back bleeding and unconscious, for the rifle + burst just in front of the breech block, which blew out and struck me on + the top of my head, nearly fracturing my skull. + </p> + <p> + When I came to again Yorke's face was bending over me. + </p> + <p> + “We're all right, Drake. The brigantine is within a mile of us, coming up + with a light air, and we'll be aboard in half an hour. How do you feel, my + son?” + </p> + <p> + “Rockotty. Did the rifle burst?” + </p> + <p> + “Burst? It burst like a cannon, all but killed you, and a splinter hurt me + in the eye. Drake, my boy, the next time you do the Gadarene swine trick + with a cheap German Snider in your hand, see that the barrel is clear + before you fire it. When you fell that time, your rifle barrel must have + been pretty badly choked with sand and coral pebbles... Now lie still, and + don't worry like an old maid who has lost her cat. You can do nothing, and + will only be a damned nuisance if you <i>do</i> try to do anything. The + brigantine will be here presently, and you'll get your head attended to, + and have 'pretty-pretty' plasters stuck on your nose and other parts of + your facial beauties.” + </p> + <p> + “Where are the niggers?” I asked. + </p> + <p> + “Gone, gone, my dear boy. Vanished, but not vanished in time enough for + five or six of them. I have used every one of our cartridges on the four + canoes, and have had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that I have not + used them in vain. Now stop talking, and let me attend to the ship—the + bamboo ship... There, put your head on my coat; and don't talk.” + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + When the <i>Fray Bentos</i> sailed up alongside the raft I was lifted on + board, and placed in my berth, and long days passed ere I saw Yorke again. + </p> + <p> + When I did see him the brigantine was lying at anchor at Rook Island, and + Guest was in my cabin telling me the story of the hurricane—of how + he had lost the two boats within an hour—one being carried away when + the brigantine was all but thrown over on her beam ends, and the other—the + longboat—swept away with everything else on deck—guns, + deck-houses, bulwarks and all. + </p> + <p> + “How we escaped smashing into some reef or another I don't know,” said + Guest; “but the strangest thing about it all is that Yorke's cutter, + manned by native seamen, managed to stick so close to the <i>Fray Bentos</i>; + for when I, running before the hurricane, with my decks swept with + tremendous seas, suddenly ran into smooth water, brought to in fifteen + fathoms, and dropped anchor, there was the <i>Francesca</i> cheek by jowl, + alongside of me.” + </p> + <p> + “Kanaka sailors' eyesight,” I said. “Napoleon never lost sight of the + brigantine for a moment! And, talking about eyesight, how is Yorke's eye?” + </p> + <p> + “Bad, bad, my boy. It is destroyed entirely, and he is now on board here, + in my cabin. He has been asking for you. Do you feel strong enough to get + up and see him?” + </p> + <p> + I rose at once, and went into Guest's cabin. Yorke was lying in the + skipper's bunk, and as I entered he extended both hands to me, and smiled + cheerfully, though his left eye was covered with a bandage, and his brave, + square-set face was white and drawn. + </p> + <p> + “How are you, Drake, my boy? We had a narrow squeak, didn't we, from the + niggers? And here is Captain Guest worrying and tormenting himself that he + could not fire a gun to scare them off.” + </p> + <p> + I held his big, right hand between my own, and pressed it gently, for + there was something in his one remaining eye that told me the end of all + was near. + </p> + <p> + “Goodbye, dear lad.... Goodbye, Captain Guest. <i>I</i> know what is the + matter with me—erysipelas—and erysipelas to a big, fat man + like me means death... and if you would put a bullet through my head now + you would do me a good turn... But here, Guest, and you, Drake... your + hands. I'll be dead by to-morrow morning, and want to say goodbye, and + wish good luck to you both, before I begin babbling silly twaddle about + things that are of no account now... of no account now... not worth + speaking about now. But the South Seas are a rotten sort of a place, + anyway.” + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Yorke The Adventurer, by Louis Becke + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YORKE THE ADVENTURER *** + +***** This file should be named 23821-h.htm or 23821-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/2/23821/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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