Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

Mariner instantly pulled his legs out straight: he then presented his musket to the other two, who appeared somewhat panic-struck, and threatened to blow out their brains if they did not instantly obey his orders, and pull towards the vessel. They accordingly put about, and made towards her. The one that Mr. Mariner wounded was a piece of a warrior, but the other two had never been in battle, and, as he supposes, did not know, but what he could fire off his musket as often as he pleased without loading it: be this as it may, they were now perfectly obedient, and he encouraged them farther, by reminding them that they had a good excuse to make to their chiefs, since it was by compulsion, and not by will, that they acted. In the mean time, he kept a strict eye both upon them and the man in the bottom of the canoe; upon those, lest they should take an opportunity to upset the canoe, and swim to the shore, with which they were well acquainted, and upon this, lest he

cifully, for which Mr. Mariner had frequently knocked him down with a club: he formerly had a wife who, in time of scarcity, he killed and ate: since that time having several children, more than he wished, he killed a couple of them to get them out of the way. His best quality was being an excellent fisherman, and a very hard-working fellow.

should recover and attempt the same thing, or else make an unexpected attack: fortunately he did not stir the whole night. They did not come up with the vessel till about daylight next morning, owing to the distance they had to go, for they were about four miles off the north-west part of Vavaoo, and the ship bore west-south-west, about five miles distant, steering under easy sail, to the south end of that island: besides which, they were much fatigued with having pulled about the whole day against a heavy sea, and were short of any provisions, except raw fish. During the whole night, the man in the bottom of the canoe lay perfectly still, and shewed no signs of life, except a slight gurgling noise in his throat, which was heard now and then. As soon as the canoe pulled up along side the brig, Mr. Mariner, without stopping to hail, on the impulse of the moment, jumped up into the main chains, and had liked to have been knocked overboard by the centinel, who took him for a native, for his skin was grown very brown,

* It may be remarked, also, that this was the season for sharks, and their consciences, probably, were not quite clear from having infringed some prohibition or another, in consequence of which, according to their notions, they were liable to be devoured by sharks.

his hair very long, and tied up in a knot, with a turban round the head, and an apron of the leaves of the chi tree round his waist: this disguise would have warranted the conduct of the centinel, but, as soon as Mr. Mariner spoke English, and told him he was an Englishman, he allowed him to come on deck, where he addressed the captain, who cordially shook hands with him. The latter had heard from the captain of a schooner the whole unfortunate affair of the Port au Prince; for the schooner brought away two men from one of these islands during the time that Mr. Mariner was in another quarter, upon some business for Finow.

The captain presented him with a pair of trowsers and a shirt; the latter, it must be said, was neither very new nor very clean; in consequence, he took the pains to wash it, and hang it up in the rigging to dry: in the morn ing, however, it had disappeared, at the honest instigation of somebody; hence, his whole stock of apparel consisted of the said pair of trowsers; nor did he get better provided till he arrived in China, about seven weeks afterwards. But to return to the subject: the brig proved to be the Favourite, Captain Fisk, from Port Jackson, about 130 tons burthen; had on

board about ninety tons of mother of pearl shells, procured from the Society Islands: she intended to make up her voyage with sandal wood from the Fiji islands, and thence to proceed to China.'

Mr. Mariner requested the captain to give the men in the canoe, which brought him, some beads, as a reward for their trouble, &c., and also an axe as a present for Finow. The captain liberally complied; and the canoe left the ship, with a message from Mr. Mariner to the king, requesting him to come on board. As to the wounded man, he was, in all probability, dead; at least the other two seemed to think so by his not stirring, and so took no trouble about him. By this time there were about two hundred small canoes near the vessel, and several large ones, so that the whole people of Vavaoo seemed to be assembled to view the brig, for the whole beach was also crowded. As the vessel was very short of provisions; a very brisk traffic was carried on with the natives by the captain and mate, for yams, hogs, &c. hence orders were given to the crew not to purchase any trinkets, &c., till they had procured plenty of provisions. About the middle of the day Finow came along side with his sister, and several of her female at

[ocr errors]

tendants, bringing off, as a present for Mr. Mariner, five large hogs, and forty large yams, each weighing not less than thirty pounds, and some of the largest sixty or seventy pounds : these things Mr. Mariner begged leave to transfer to the captain, and presented them accordingly. Notwithstanding repeated-messages from the chiefs on shore to Finow, requesting him to return, he resolved to sleep on board that night, if the captain would allow him, which he readily did. The women, however, intimated their wish to return, not liking the thought of trusting their persons among a number of strange men. Mr. Mariner found it very difficult to remove their scruples, by assuring them that they should not be molested. At length, however, they consented to remain, on his promise to take care of them, and to roll them all up in a sail, in which state they laid the whole night in the steerage; and, as they said, slept comfortably. As to Finow, he was very well contented with sleeping on a sail on the cabin deck. As the weather was remarkably fine, the brig did not come to an anchor, but stood off and on during the whole of the night. At day-light canoes came along

* It is a very common thing among the natives to transfer á present.

« ForrigeFortsæt »