Life and Adventure in the South Pacific

by John D. Jones

On going home the first evening we thought best to take a stroll across the island, then take the sand-beach to the house. On arriving at the beach, behold! it was high tide, and we must either climb stone walls or take the water, which was some three feet in depth. We concluded to wade it, and prepared ourselves accordingly by assuming Strong’s Island costume, and then “pitched in.” Occasionally a roller would come booming along, dashing over and almost taking our feet from under us. It was just dark, and as we were plodding along, consoling ourselves with the thoughts of a good night’s rest after we reached our “hotel,” we suddenly perceived a large shark dart between us toward the wall, turn himself round very easily, and then swim away. We made all the noise possible to frighten him, and then ensued some of the tallest “walking in the water” that we had ever seen. We could only go ahead. There were high stone walls along shore, water ahead, water behind, and water to our right; so we e’en made the best of it, and “put” as fast as our legs would carry us through three feet depth of water. We were fortunate enough to escape with whole limbs, and arrived safely at our stopping-place, congratulating ourselves upon our escape from “John Shark.” Friend Zegrah had prepared for us a quantity of baked bananas, roasted fish, etc., and, setting them before us, with plenty of fruit, we had a very sociable and jovial time. His wife was present, and seemed to enter into the spirit of the evening with a hearty good-will. Zegrah himself, as we before remarked, was young and full of fun, but, living on a remote part of the island, was very lonesome, and made us promise to spend all the time we possibly could with him, and he would pilot us over the island.

The next morning, Wednesday, December 18th, “Sail ho!” was the cry. On looking, we saw a ship off the passage, and presently a boat made its appearance and came ashore. The ship proved to be the “Planter,” of Nantucket, full, bound home. Captain H. came ashore in the boat, and brought his clothing and some goods. He informed the king that he wished to reside on the island for a short time, as he did not like to go to America at present. We learned the following particulars in regard to Captain H. and the “Planter:” While the ship was cruising off Pitt’s Island, a barrel of bad meat had been opened, which created considerable dissatisfaction among the crew, and they finally threw it overboard, and said they would do no more work until they had good meat. The captain told them they should have no more until the regular time, as they had no right to throw the other overboard. Upon this, the men refused duty. The captain ordered them to work, but they firmly refused. He then ordered them to come aft, and this they refused to do, when he ordered the mate to go forward and bring the ringleader aft. Upon this, one of the crew threw out a threat that, if he came forward and laid his hands upon any of them, they would break his head, or something to that effect. The captain, thinking it time something decisive was done, ordered some muskets to be loaded and brought on deck. They were accordingly brought, and he then told the men distinctly and firmly that unless they went below he would fire. Some one of them replied, “Fire, and be hanged to you!” After waiting a sufficient time, and repeating his orders, he fired, and one of the mutineers instantly fell dead, the ball taking effect in his brain. The men instantly rushed pell-mell for the forecastle. The mate now came forward, and ordered them up one by one, and, being perfectly tamed, they came and submitted to being placed in irons and stationed aft. The body, after a suitable time, was buried. Upon the men promising to resume their duties and behave themselves if liberated, the irons were taken off, and they were allowed to go forward.

These events transpired but a few weeks before the ship visited Strong’s Island, and the captain, thinking it better to wait a year or two before returning home, wished to remain on this island during the interim. The king, after some conversation with our captain, gave his consent, and, accordingly, Captain H. had his property transferred from the ship to the shore, leaving her in command of the mate. The ship did not anchor, but the things were brought ashore in boats.

When the last boat was about leaving the shore, “Smut,” alias the blacksmith, and our friend Mackey, stepped in, and, accordingly, stepped out, as that was the last we heard of them. We were sorry to lose Mackey, as in doing so we lost one great source of amusement; but he was gone, and, before it was known on board that they had deserted, the “Planter” was off, with square yards and a stiff breeze.

Some of the crew one day started for the shore in a small canoe, and before they had got half way it capsized, slightly spilling them out. They had a fine ducking, as well as a long swim for it. The same day, we, in company with another shipmate, undertook to navigate one of the canals in a small canoe, but, not exactly understanding the crooks and turns of the “ditch,” had the misfortune to be capsized in the mud, and received a good soaking before we “made the land.”

Hardly a day had passed since our arrival in port that we had not turned our eyes large-islandward, and longed for a stroll among its mountains, valleys, and groves, but had delayed the intended visit from the want of a suitable guide. On Friday, the 20th, however, that want was supplied by Zegrah offering his services for the occasion. We accepted them with pleasure, and, in company with two other shipmates, crossed the channel in a canoe. In low tide this channel is fordable. We found the houses were not so large nor comfortable as on the small island, nor so neatly kept, and are more scattering. We encountered many ruins and walls here also, but no canals. After rambling over hills and rocks, through woods and swamps, and finding ourselves completely covered with mud, we made our way back, having encountered nothing worthy of note, and our bright anticipations, which we had long cherished, just about as near realized as thousands of others that we have had. But we must learn wisdom by experience, we thought, and thus consoled ourselves.

Our man Friday we find a capital fellow to stroll on shore with, he having a perfect fund of wit and drollery to draw upon at pleasure. Wherever we went we introduced him as the brother to the king of his island, and he was accordingly treated with the greatest respect, which amused him infinitely. We found him very useful in our rambles also; for, when we were thirsty, he was always ready to ascend a cocoanut-tree, and pass down a sufficient quantity of the rich nuts to satisfy the thirst of all. One day, while he was thus engaged, a native came, running and hallooing, to see who was taking cocoanuts that were tabooed. Of course, the boys all ran; and one of the crowd was in such haste to get over a stone wall with an armful of cocoanuts, that he lost his balance, and wall and all fell, plunging him almost out of sight in a mud bath. Friday, however, sat in the tree, perfectly at his ease, laughing heartily at the mishap. The native sang out to him, “Come down; no good; king taboo!” Friday coolly replied, “No saba” (no understand), and again commenced throwing down the nuts, taking particular pains, however, to hit the poor native as often as possible, who would cry out, “Wa-a-a, wa-a, what for all the same? No good.” He finally beat a retreat, leaving Friday master of the field, and the boys laughing at the manner in which he had driven the “Kanaka pool,” as he termed him, from the ground. When he came down he found himself in a quandary. He had got more cocoanuts than he could conveniently carry, and leave them he would not; and, as the boys were all supplied, he was in a fix. At last, however, his eye brightened, and exclaiming, “I fix ’em,” he stripped off his pants, reducing himself to the costume of the “king’s court,” and filling each leg with cocoanuts, marched along. We took the “spoil” to our quarters at the “hotel,” and deposited them there. We would here state, that when the king or chiefs wish to reserve any particular place or house from the intrusion of the natives, they place the taboo upon it; and, as the penalty of breaking this is death, they consider it sacrilege almost to disobey, or think of molesting the place. It was thus that our quarters were rendered perfectly safe from intrusion. Zegrah tabooed the house, and no native dare enter it without our permission. The natives are very kind and hospitable to those who treat them well, but inclined to pilfer if a good opportunity presents itself. Most of them are notorious beggars, and are constantly teasing for a “small piece ’bacca.”

On Sunday morning, December 22d, we found that our third mate and another man had deserted in the course of the night, taking with them all their clothing. All hands rejoiced that the third mate, the great bully, had left, and the captain shipped two men instead of the deserters. These men had been on the island some months.

But we had been some time in port; all our wood, water, and fresh provisions were on board, and we were ready for sea. Accordingly, at five A.M. on Monday, December 23d, we weighed anchor, and left this beautiful harbor, some with sorrowful hearts, and others rejoicing that they were once more rolling on “the deep blue sea.” But we did not immediately leave the island. The captain had a little more business to transact, and we “stood off and on” the harbor for two days, close in sight of the land.

The next day after weighing anchor, the bark “Mary Frazier,” of New Bedford, Captain Haggerty, entered the harbor, so that our island friends were not left alone. She was from the Arctic Ocean, where she had taken thirteen hundred barrels whale oil in one season. We ascertained by her that our two deserters had escaped from the island in the bark “George Champlin,” Captain Swain, which vessel had been lying in the lee harbor. In the place of our third mate who had deserted, and his office become vacant thereby, the captain placed Mr. Smith, whom we took from the ship “Marcus,” as the reader will recollect, in exchange for the boat-steerer, who left us on account of his ill health. All hands were much pleased with the exchange, as Mr. S. was a noble man, and a sailor every inch of him. But scarcely had we left port, and on the next day succeeding that in which we learned of the escape of his predecessor, before he was taken violently ill with a burning pain in his stomach. For several days he continued growing worse, becoming deranged, and continually vomiting, until Tuesday, December 31st, the last day of the year, he departed this life. He died struggling very hard.