In the evening all hands appeared to be in the best humor possible. The fruit had been freely distributed, and each man had received as much as he wanted for a month. All were busy discussing its qualities, spinning yarns, singing and dancing; while the Kanakas, seven in number, were having their “hula hula,” or dances, accompanied with songs, in high glee. These performances were very interesting to us, as we never before witnessed them. They have what they call their love dance, missionary dance, whaling dance, and war dance. Their gestures, songs, and dances very much resemble those of the North American Indians.
CHAPTER XIII.
Making Passage to King Mill Group.—Fourth of July.—Byron’s Island.—Perote Island.—Drummond’s Island.—Sydenham’s Island.—Visit from the Natives.—Their Canoes.—Themselves.—Trade.—“Dittoes.”—Taking of the “Triton.”—A treacherous Portuguese.—A bloody Massacre.—A just Retribution.—The Kanaka’s Stratagem.—The Natives frightened.—Prisoners ashore.—A young Hero.—Hostages.—The Prisoners released.—Proceed to the Sandwich Islands.—Henderville’s Island.—Woodle’s Island.—Natives again.—“Teka moi moi.”—Young Cocoanuts.—Decidedly Jewish.—Easily satisfied.—Description of Natives.—The Females.—A large Fleet.—Comparisons.—Simpson’s Island.—Ship “Narragansett.”—Stove Boat.—Fisherman’s Luck.—Experiments in Mesmerism.—Somebody “sold.”
We were now making passage for the “King Mill Group,” which is a group of small islands greatly celebrated for being a good sperm whaling ground. Our captain had filled the same ship in which we now were on this ground but a few years before, and it was to be our principal place of cruising for a year or fourteen months, at least.
And now we come to Thursday, July 4th—the never-to-be-forgotten Fourth of July—our first one at sea. While our friends at home are celebrating the anniversary of American Independence, we are deprived the pleasure of being with them in person, yet we are with them in spirit, and the spark of patriotism glows as brightly in the small company of Americans on board as if we had been within hearing of the booming cannon, the joyful peal rung out by the merry bells, the patriotic oration and sentiment; and, although among the wild Isles of the Pacific, and thousands of leagues from the “home of the free,” yet the return of this day sent a thrill of joy through every frame, and we felt thankful to the God who watched over the cradle of the infant nation, who still guides its footsteps as it approaches manhood, and who is ever blessing it with heaven’s choicest blessings. May no American ever fail to render thanks for this anniversary, in whatever clime he may be situated.
SYDENHAM ISLAND CANOE.
On Tuesday, July 23d, we saw the most eastern island of the group, Byron’s Island, and the next day sighted Perote Island. These islands are all coral formations, very low, are inhabited, and thickly covered with cocoanut-trees. On Saturday, the 27th, we passed Drummond’s Island, and sighted Sydenham’s Island. From the latter the natives came off in great numbers to trade. Their canoes are constructed of narrow, thin strips of wood, the cocoanut, fastened with small line made from the cocoanut husk; are sharp at both ends, very narrow, and are prevented from capsizing by a long piece of wood placed parallel with the canoe and made fast to it, called the “outrigger.” They have a mast, with a three-cornered mat sail, made from the leaf of the cocoanut-tree, and rigged in such a manner as to admit of sailing in either direction without turning the canoe. They have them of all sizes, from the small one carrying but one person, to the large war-canoes carrying one hundred.
The natives are a wild-looking set of copper-colored beings, in a complete state of nudity, their bodies tattooed, and covered with cocoanut oil, which is their perfumery. They are of medium size, but very powerful. They are all merchants, bringing with them, to trade with ships, shells, fish, mats, cocoanuts, and a species of fruits called “dittoes.” These grow in large bunches, very compact, and similar to figs packed in a box. On the outside of the bunch they are green; on breaking them apart, you find about two thirds of the length, from the inner end, is of a bright golden color, and of an excellent flavor. The currency here, as at most of the Kanaka Islands, is tobacco and pipes, and for this they will follow a ship for miles. As it was near night, we made sail and motioned them ashore.
At this island a few years since, the natives, led on by a Portugee, who was living among them at this time, attempted to take the ship “Triton,” of New Bedford, Captain Spencer. The plot was well laid and matured, and the natives went off to the ship and informed the captain, by signs, they had a fine “fluke-chain” ashore, and wanted to sell it. He asked them where they got it, when they replied, “Kiabuka broke” (ship broke), conveying the idea that a ship had been wrecked here some time previous. As the captain was desirous of obtaining a chain of this description, he immediately, without suspecting their dark and bloody designs, ordered his boat to be lowered away and manned. On arriving on shore, and before they suspected any treachery, they were seized and bound. The Portugee then, with a large number of natives, went off to the ship to trade, as they intimated. The crew, when they arrived, were mostly down below, and the third mate was asleep in one of the boats. When the natives had collected on deck in sufficient numbers, they made a rush for the “spades,” which hung overhead on the quarter-deck, and, before any one was aware of what was transpiring, had possession of the deck. They killed the man at the helm, two or three foremast hands, the second mate, steward, and cook, and then proceeded to the cabin, where the mate was lying asleep. He was aroused by the noise, but too late to offer any resistance; they, attacking him, cut and mangled him in a horrible manner, and left him, as they supposed, dead.