Raising his voice almost to a shout the captain addressed Philip with the question: “Have you godly beach-combers got any fresh provisions to sell? I’m fifty days out from Macao bound to Callao, and my passengers are beginning to die like flies. I don’t know what’s the matter with ’em, unless it is the foul grub that was put aboard for ’em by the compradore, though I never heard before that any grub was foul enough to poison a Chink.”
Philip replied calmly: “We have plenty of produce, sir, which we shall be glad to exchange with you for tools, clothes, books or anything of that sort. But we don’t want money, it’s of no use to us.”
And he recapitulated the articles available for supply at once, to which the captain replied: “All right, come on aft and I’ll have some stuff brought up to show you.” So Philip most willingly sprang down on the deck and followed the captain aft to the cabin. Here he was first offered some rum, which he courteously refused, much to the captain’s amusement. Then in obedience to the captain’s commands a heap of clothing was brought up out of the slop chest and a few rusty tools of various sorts, including half a dozen coal shovels, at sight of which Philip’s eyes glistened, for these were sorely needed on the island. There were no books available at all, only a heap of old newspapers which Philip did not look twice at, for what did the news of the world matter to these children of Nature?
Then having selected such goods as they needed as far as the limited supply before him would allow, Philip suggested that they should be put in his boat and that the captain should accompany him ashore and see what they had got to offer in exchange, which goods they would bring back with the captain to the ship. To this the captain answered that he should prefer Philip to bring such stuff as he had ready, pass it on board and make his bargain there, as he, the captain, did not want to leave the ship.
Philip rose and looking the captain steadfastly in the face, said: “No sir, on several occasions when we, trusting that other people would act as we always do to one another, have brought our produce on board a passing ship, we have been compelled to take whatever the captain has chosen to give us or nothing at all, because we were completely at his mercy. Now we are always ready to give of our substance to help ships in distress, expecting no payment, but we are sorely in need of certain things, and can only get them by selling our stuff. And if we are cheated it is hard for us to bear, knowing as we do that we would never cheat anybody for any consideration whatever.”
At this modest and dignified remark the captain flew into an assumed rage and cried, “You stuck up hypocritical half nigger, half mutineer, how dare you talk to an English gentleman like that! I’ve half a mind to have you flung overboard, only I know you can’t be drowned. Don’t come any of your palaver over me, for it won’t do. I understand you fellows through and through.”
Philip smiled sadly, but without showing a trace of surprise or fear, then saying, “I’m sorry, sir, that we can’t come to terms,” turned to leave the saloon.
This was too much for the captain, who roared “Here! where ye goin’, ye black thief?” (Many a bronzed Englishman is darker than Philip was.) “Come back here!”
But Philip strode to the deck, leapt on the rail, and shouting, “Let go, boys,” plunged feet foremost into the sea. In a moment the boat, released, was at his side and he had climbed on board.
Overhead, the captain, standing on the rail, was crying, “Don’t be silly, I was only trying to bluff you, it’s all in the way of business. Come up alongside; I’ll come with you and bring the stuff ashore. Good heavens! what a rum lot these Kanakas are, to be sure.”