CHAPTER IX.
A visit from the Cohaphas. Our King wishes to learn the use of the gun. Abandons the idea. Arrival of Captain Fisher. His inhumanity. Is driven from the land. Manner of fishing. Attempt to cultivate tobacco. Efficacy of the tabu law. A missionary ship arrives. Meetings are held. Unbelief of the natives. Narrow escape of the author. Conduct of Mr. Daylia. He is driven from the island. Another sail approaches. Recognition of the Captain. His conduct. Plan of escape. The king is deceived. The author leaves the island. Secretes himself. Is missed. His unpleasant situation. Joy at seeing the natives leave the ship. Reflections.
A few days after, a number of the Cohaphas visited our valley, expressing a strong desire to see the Tehoury and their Pobohe. Among them was the celebrated chief Cappayoho, who was still lame from the wound he had received from our slugs. When we came before him, he looked upon us with perfect astonishment, turned us around again and again, asking many questions respecting ourselves, our country, and the use of our pobohe. A large hog was brought in and roasted, and a sumptuous feast given, of which all partook, forgetting all feelings of enmity.
One day our king expressed a strong desire to learn the use of the gun, and asked me to show him. Not liking the idea of it, being fearful we should not only lose the gun, but the reputation we then sustained from our success with it, I resolved to fix him so that he would abandon the thought of it. I accordingly put in a powerful charge, and gave him the gun. He with great confidence brought it to his shoulder, and discharged it. So powerful was it that it threw him upon the ground with great force. He sprang to his feet, exclaiming in great rage—"Kekeno tehoury!" I assured him he did not hold it right, and then loaded it for myself and discharged it without harm. That served to convince him. He declared he would never touch the thing again, and did not during my stay there.
The war having closed, left us without any particular way of spending our time, except getting our supply of fruits for living; this done, time passed heavily. Often we would retire to the groves or some secluded spot, where, shut out from the world as it were, we would sing some lively song, which would call to our minds most vividly the scenes of other days. Home, with all its allurements, would rush before us, and our untold grief could scarcely be borne. Suddenly some native would come upon us, perhaps when we were weeping, when we would feign that degree of contentedness which made them believe we were truly so.
At length the cry of moco nui, a large ship, resounded through the valley. This we fancied was the time for our deliverance from this place. She stood abreast the harbor, taking in her light sails; the boats were lowered and came towards the shore; when within hailing distance they asked for permission to land. This the king, through me, granted. Returning to the ship, they stood into the harbor and came to anchor. The females swam to the ship, and, before the sails could be furled, the decks were literally full of them.
She proved to be the ship Pocahontas, Capt. Fisher, of Sag Harbor. The captain coming on shore, I acquainted him with our situation, and requested his interference in our behalf. He, with a great degree of indifference, offered to take us away if we would get the king's full consent; this he knew we could not do. I then asked him for clothing? His reply was:
"I do not carry clothes around for such miserable fellows as you are;" and furthermore, he had none except those needed for the use of the ship's crew; yet he offered to sell me some, provided I would pay him in American currency. I could only offer him the usual commodity of the island—hogs, &c. These, he said, he could buy of the natives with a few scraps of old iron.
His casks were already on shore for water, and he was trying to get the natives to fill them. I went to the king and told him he was a kekeno tehoury, (bad white man,) and that he was going to get water and hogs without pay, and advised him to drive them from the harbor. The king at this became greatly enraged, and called together the tribe, or many of them, ordered Capt. Fisher to leave the island immediately, and not to land their boats again.
The casks were rolled into the water, the natives followed up closely with clubs and spears, ready to force them away, should they offer resistance or in any way retard their operations. The next morning they weighed anchor and left our harbor, without being able to get either water or provisions.
As fishing was one of the ways in which we spent our time, I purpose here giving an account of the manner in which fish are caught:
When a school of porpoises enter the harbor, notice is given to the tribe, who, armed with stones, immediately resort to the water; some on each side rush into the water, beating the stones together beneath the surface. The porpoises becoming frightened, flee before their pursuers and are driven upon the beach, where they are killed by the old men and boys with clubs.—They are then taken to their huts, and hung up by a cord of bark run through the tail. From these they daily feast, until they rot and fall from their hanging place.
Smaller fish are taken by nets, made of the cords of bark. These nets are about twenty feet across the top or mouth; they are sunk below the water's surface by stones placed in the bottom and attached to several boats, stationed at regular points about, by cords. The natives then swim around on all sides, and at a given signal swim towards the boats, beating stones together. The fish frightened on all sides, flee to the least dangerous point, which is in the vicinity of the net; the net is then raised to the surface, oftentimes catching a barrel or two at a time. The females seldom join in catching fish, and never unless by special permission.
Finding a plant much resembling tobacco, I thought I would try to cultivate it, hoping to improve it, and accordingly set out a number of plants. These the hogs destroyed. When I supplied their place, I bargained with a native to build a stone wall around the patch, which was about fifteen feet square, for a half head of tobacco. When the wall was done I paid him. He seemed not altogether satisfied with the bargain; he left the hut and went directly to the spot and tore the wall down. I informed the king, hoping he would make him rebuild it. The king seized his club and ran every foot to the house in which he lived. As he with the other members of the family were seated at their evening repast, he rushed in and gave him a heavy blow with the club, completely severing the head in twain, and the brains and blood flew around upon those who sat with him. The king then ordered his brother to take the body and put it in a certain hole in the rocks, where the tide as it ebbed and flows would wash it. Had I supposed such would have been the case, I should not have informed the king of him.
My wife knowing the treachery of the tribe, also hearing their threats, put me on my guard.
Several times they attempted me harm, but I evaded them.
One night while we were quietly reposing on our beds of leaves, with the amer nut light burning by my side, a spear was forced through the side of the hut and lodged within a few inches of my body. I sprang to my feet, put out my light, and remained on the watch the remainder of the night.
The next morning I carried the spear to the king, who called the tribe together, and holding up the spear, called upon the owner to come for it; but no one appeared. Then in the presence of the whole tribe he put me and my household under the tabu law, which effectually shielded me from all harm. However great their anger or the desire to kill me might have been, none dare lay the finger of harm upon me. Thus to their heathenish superstition I owed my life, for such was their anger that no law save that would have deterred them from reeking their vengeance upon me.
This however did not heal the wound, or cause the wave of forgetfulness to sweep over the affair, as there was always, during my stay on the island, a sort of hatred existing with the members of that family toward me, though they dare not manifest it.
Again a heavy sail was seen approaching our shores. We dare not look forward to an opportunity of escape, so often had we been doomed to disappointment.
As she came into the harbor and dropped her anchor, we thought we could notice less confusion than usually attended ships on coming to anchor.
The king requested Noyce and myself to go with him to the ship. He had never before allowed us to do that.
On reaching the ship we crawled up her sides, and jumped over the bulwark, when we found ourselves, naked as when born, before two or three English ladies. We instantly jumped overboard, seized a canoe and pulled for the shore, when, Adam-like, we procured leaves and made aprons for ourselves. This proved a Missionary ship, sent from Otaheite, under the direction of an English missionary, named Daylia, who had long resided there, to establish a station, which he intended leaving in charge of two gentlemen, Messrs. Bingham and Morris, who with their wives had come thither for that purpose.
Soon Mr. Daylia, Mr. Bingham and the captain came upon the shore, and after learning the reason of our being there, &c., inquired of the general character of the natives, and of our views of the proposed idea of establishing a station there. Knowing as we did of the hatred with which they were accustomed to look upon all not belonging to their own tribe, especially should they differ from them, we said much to dissuade them from the attempt. Perhaps however we were influenced more by feelings of selfishness, which might arise from the nature of our situation among them, than otherwise. And in such a light it was viewed by Mr. Daylia, who reprimanded me in a manner not at all becoming the dignity of his station. From that moment Mr. Daylia looked upon me as upon a person bearing his dislike, not to say hatred.
Notwithstanding our efforts to have them relinquish the idea of remaining, they moved some of their effects on shore, among them were a bull and cow, without permission, and took possession of an uninhabited hut near the tabu ground.
This greatly incensed the king against them, and had I not interfered, he would have driven, not only the animals, but the people from his shores entirely. At any rate he would not have the animals there, and ordered them removed immediately, or he would kill them. They were accordingly taken to the ships again.
They brought the females on shore and commenced building a house on the tabu ground; the king watching every movement, forbid their proceeding, and asked them by what authority they entered upon his consecrated grounds. Mr. Daylia replied, "By the Lord's authority." The king significantly said the Lord had nothing to do with the tabu ground, and again forbid their building there.
They persisting in staying, the king told them they might do so while they remained at peace with the other tribes, but should a war break out, they would be tattooed, or driven from the land.
Meetings were held each day, which Noyce and myself generally attended, at the request of the missionaries, as an example to the natives.
The Otaheitean and Marquisian languages are so nearly alike they could converse without an interpreter.
Daylia, in one of his meetings, said much about the good land and a bad land, telling them if they would be good and pray they would go to the good land, when they died. This he explained in a manner suited to their understanding. One of the chiefs jumped up and asked if the missionary who died at Nukuhivah (an English missionary who died about two years before) had gone to that good land. Mr. Daylia assured them he had, when, unwilling to believe it, they sent four men to that island, (about fifty miles) to get some of the bones. At the expiration of five or six days they returned, bringing bones with them; and at the next meeting, when Daylia was again telling of the good land, they set up a shouting, calling him a liar and showed him the bones. They told him he had been driven from his own land and had come to live with them, and he might stop preaching about his good land and his bad land, for they would not believe him. In vain were his remonstrances with them. They told him if he would climb a lofty cocoa-nut tree, which stood near, and jump among the rocks unhurt, they would believe him.
Still he held his meetings, but not with any degree of pleasantness, for the natives were as likely to set up a war dance as any thing else.
This was imputed to me by Mr. Daylia, who threatened to send me to England and have me severely punished. His threats I did not heed very much, though I should have been extremely glad to have been sent there.
One morning, at an early hour, going as usual to bathe, I met a servant of Mr. Daylia, who was a native of Otaheite, with an axe upon his shoulder. Having before been on good terms with him, I smilingly passed the compliment of the morning, (Kaoha, good morning) and was passing on. Accidentally turning my eye, I saw the axe uplifted, and aimed at my head. I fell upon my knees and evaded the blow. With earnestness I sprang and caught it, having one hand at the head and the other at the end of the helve, before he could again raise it.
Pulling hard as if to get possession of it, at the same time wrestling about, I brought the edge towards him, he also pulling with his might in endeavoring to hold it, when I suddenly relaxed my hold, still holding on the handle, drove the edge into his face, running obliquely across the nose. This was repeated twice, when he fell yelling most lustily.
His cries brought the missionary and many of the natives, with the king and second chief, to the spot.
I told Daylia if that, with the treatment he had given me, was an illustration of his preaching, he had better stay at home than go to the heathen, professedly to preach peace and salvation, while he practiced such horrid digressions.
The servant declared he was doing his master's bidding. This was stoutly contradicted by Daylia. Still I was led by the former friendship which had existed between us, and the previous conduct of Daylia, to believe the statement of the servant in preference to that of his.
The king then ordered them to leave the island that day or he would kill them all. Daylia taking up a little child of one of the missionaries, said in a half sneering manner, "Would you kill this innocent one?" "Yes," says the king, "a nit will be a louse."
Their goods were taken to the ship, and every preparation made to leave the island; Daylia, however, taking the opportunity to say to me that I might expect to be sent for from England to answer for my conduct, accusing me of influencing the king against them.
This was not the fact; and, to the contrary, had I not interfered in their behalf, they would have been killed in the early part of their adventure.
Still I did not favor the idea of their remaining very much, knowing the utter impracticability of such an undertaking with the then existing state of the inhabitants. Had such an enterprise been in the least degree practicable, we should have been foolish indeed not to have welcomed them with joy, as our situation would thereby have been greatly improved, if our escape had not been effected by it.
It was painful, indeed, to see them depart, especially so, as far as Messrs. Bingham and Morris were concerned, for, towards them we had formed the strongest attachment.
On the morning of the next day they weighed anchor and left the harbor.
Twice since this time have the missionaries attempted to form a station there, and as many times been defeated. Once the French Catholics, with an armed force, attempted to drive them to repentance and religion at the point of the bayonet, but the missionaries and soldiers were massacred, and the sailors driven from the harbor.
After the missionaries left the harbor, time passed still more heavily than before. A month or two elapsed without our having much to do.
One day while seated on a high bluff overlooking the sea, watching for some distant sail, there I sat with anxious, straining eyes till near nightfall, when I discerned a speck in the distance, dancing upon the wave. I watched its course until it ripened into perfect form, giving the beautiful proportion of a large ship. With great eagerness I watched it until night closed it from my sight. Wondering whether she was destined to land at our shores, I returned to the valley and gave notice to the king of its approach.
The next morning I, with my wife, at a very early hour, went to bathe, and saw the ship heading towards the harbor. The king and other natives soon joined us, all with straining eyes watching the ship.
On its nearer approach the king asked me if I would take charge of the ship if he would kill all the crew and take possession of her. This I refused to do, saying our countrymen would come there in great numbers and kill us. He, shaking his head, said, "if they will kill you, what would they do to us? we will not touch them." They suppose all ships and crews, like themselves, belong to some great king; and if any crew commits any wrong upon them, and they cannot be revenged upon the aggressors themselves, they will upon the next ship that comes there, believing one common head suffers or bears the loss. This is the reason, generally, that innocent crews have been murdered so cruelly by them, without any seeming provocation.
The ship entered the harbor and dropped her anchor. The boats came to land with the captain and others. At first sight I thought I recognized in the person of the captain, a friend of other days. This idea was strengthened much by hearing the crew address him as "Capt. Coleman."
I immediately stepped up and asked him if he ever sailed in the brig Henry. He assured me he had. I then, looking him steadily in the eye, asked, "do you know me, sir?" Looking at me a moment steadily, he said, "yes, Bill! though your sunburnt countenance and savage connections almost bid defiance to the recognition." How I came there in that horrible place, with that outlandish crew, and what I could be doing, exceedingly puzzled him.
I chatted with him some time. The king noticing a spirit of familiarity existing with us, stood by with more than common watchfulness, and at every few words, would say, yahah? (what says he?) I told him at each inquiry that he wanted hogs and water, or in some other way quieted him.
Finding it useless to attempt a conversation at that time, he went back to the ship and sent two rafts of casks to the shore for water. These I bargained with the natives to fill for him, paying them in whales' teeth, tobacco, &c. He also purchased a quantity of hogs, fruit, &c., of the natives, always paying them as much certainly, as he promised to do. Besides, he made them many presents of small, and to him, valueless articles, though they esteemed them very highly. This won their affections completely, and he was allowed to go where and when he pleased. By this means we were enabled to get together often and form a plan by which he could assist me in getting away, which was to go on board as the land breeze sprang up. I told him repeatedly of the sad consequences that would most assuredly follow to himself and crew, as well as to me, should we be detected in the act. But that did not in the least degree deter him from making the attempt. What a noble contrast between this captain, who was willing to run the risk of his life, and the lives of his noble crew, to assist me to escape, and the heartless wretch of the Pocahontas, who refused to let me have any thing unless I would pay him in American currency, which he well knew I had not; at the same time he was in want of hogs, &c., which I could furnish him with, and which he chose rather to obtain from the simple natives with a piece of old valueless hoop iron; thus depriving me of useful articles which my necessities required.
The afternoon previous to the departure of the ship, the captain spent on shore with us, and when he left to go on board I shook hands with him, as if never to see him again, telling him to cause a statement of our situation to be made to our friends, which he promised to do.
He went to his ship—manned the windlass—hove short the cable and mast-headed the top-sail yard. The natives seeing it, asked yahah hannah hannah moro, (or, what are they doing there?) I told them they were heaving short and getting ready to leave the harbor. The king asked me then if I wished to leave the island and go with them. I with an outburst of laughter, as if perfectly astonished at the question, said loudly, I did not. I was then asked why. I referred him to my wife and the happy manner in which I lived. At this he seemed greatly delighted.
Often have I heard it asserted that falsehoods were never justifiable, and that the truth is best in all cases. Should those who most loudly proclaim such views, be thus situated, I fear their theory and practice would differ very much. Never have I met a man, I think, who would under those circumstances adhere strictly to the truth, and thereby lose his opportunity of getting away.
We walked away to my hut where the king and second chief sat and chatted with me till the evening was far advanced. They went to their homes perfectly satisfied that I did not wish to go, at least, I thought so, and I was certain I weighed each word and look well. I went to bed and had a lengthy talk with my wife about the ship's leaving the shore and of my unwillingness to go. I remained talking till near midnight, when feigning sickness I got up and walked out.
On the beach I found an old native, who seemed somewhat surprised at my presence, as well as I at his, for I feared a watch was kept. Chatting with him awhile, I was satisfied all things were right. Together we went back to the huts. His being first, I saw him go in, when I went home, and as the land breeze had not yet sprung up, went to bed. I lay a short time in the highest state of excitement, when I heard a rustling in the trees, which I knew was a signal for me to start.
I lay some moments scarce able to raise myself, for fear had taken fast hold of me,—I knew not but some wiley native had discovered something in me which excited them and a watch was kept. If such were really the case, most horrible would be its results.
I was half inclined to abandon the project. Knowing that if this most favorable opportunity passed I might not see another, hope bade me make the trial.
I was soon upon the beach, shoved off a canoe, and was getting in when I found there were no paddles. For a moment I gave up the idea, when recollecting that I had seen some broken ones a few days previous, lying behind an uninhabited hut, thither I repaired, greatly fearing the dogs would give the alarm; I obtained the paddles and was again at the boat.
No person can form any idea of the wretchedness of my situation, as I looked around to see if danger was near.
The moon which had before shone brightly, had retired behind the bluff as if unwilling to bear witness to the affair. I soon reached the ship, seized hold of the ropes, which hang over the ship's side for the purpose, and putting my shoulders under the main chains, sank my canoe, and jumped on board, not daring to look behind lest I should find myself pursued.
As was previously arranged, there was but one man on board who saw me, who was Mr. Bliffin, the mate, the others being below, knowing nothing of my being there, so that should the natives miss me and come on board, they could not betray me by any emotions of fear.
Without speaking to Mr. Bliffin I went immediately to the captain's room, from thence I secreted myself in the run or after part of the vessel, under a pile of rubbish.
The sailors were called and every effort made to quit the harbor immediately. We had scarcely moved from her berth, when by the noise and bustle about the ship, I was satisfied the natives were aboard. Soon I heard them nearing me, and could distinctly distinguish their voices. Among them was the first chief who said, "let us be off, for he is not here; if he had been they would not have let us looked."
The captain pretended not to understand them when they came to the ship, and it was a long time before he could, at the same time he was crowding all sail and getting as far out as possible. Believing I was not there, they left the ship and paddled for the shore. Soon as they had gone the captain called me from my hiding place and took me on deck, to the great astonishment of the crew.
There were about forty came on board. Great was the delight with which I looked on them as they were gaining the shore; and while I was overjoyed at my own escape, I could not but look back upon the wretchedness and misery of Noyce, who was left behind entirely ignorant of what had become of me.
Whether I was captured and killed by some one who might have an ill will towards me, or had escaped on board the ship, were alike matters of consideration with him, for I had left him entirely ignorant of my plans, as I knew I must in order to effect my own escape.
Many who may favor me with reading my simple narrative will no doubt censure me for so doing, but should they be situated as I was, knowing the utter impossibility for both to escape, they would, I think, find the love of self, naturally strong as it is in man, pointing them to the same course I pursued. To go and leave him was indeed painful in the extreme, but had he been thus favored by the visit of a friend who was willing to run the risk of his life in taking him away, and he had thus effected his escape, I think I could only have thought him acting right, however much I might deplore my loss.
The first kind offer of the captain as I came on board was to give me clothes to cover my nakedness. Awkward, indeed, I felt as well as acted, when clothed again, having been naked eighteen months. And as I tasted of the salt meats and other articles found on ship board, cooked so different from what I had been accustomed to so long, I could scarcely eat them.
