“Yes,” answered Allen, “you are right. Thirty years, and a little over, as it is now March.”
“As I was saying, I left England, bound for Australia, on that day. We had pleasant enough passage until we had almost reached our destination, when we encountered one of those horrors of the sea—a cyclone. For days we were at the mercy of the wind, our masts gone and a greater part of the upper works washed away. Our ship began to leak so fast, that with the most desperate efforts we could no longer keep her afloat and were driven to take to the boats. One boat was smashed against the vessel’s side; a second was swamped by the suction produced by the sinking ship. We, in our boat, alone escaped, but our sufferings were intense. What with the stormy waves that dashed over us, carrying away three of our number, the horrible hunger we had to undergo, being without anything to eat, and the frightful thirst that overtook us before we reached this island, my sufferings were so great, that, whereas my hair had been as black as Ahleka’s there, when I sailed from home, when I landed here it was as you see it now. Finally we were thrown on the reef, that extends almost around this island. Our boat quickly went to pieces and we clung to portions of the wreckage, hoping to be at last thrown on the island. Just as we were almost exhausted, and about to give up, we saw several canoes, containing natives, coming rapidly toward us. They had been surf bathing, and seeing our terrible position, and being kindly natured, had come to our assistance. We were soon in the canoes, but there were only three of us, whereas, when the boat struck the reef, three had been five, but they were nowhere to be seen. After bringing us to this village they cared for us with the greatest kindness. It was not long before one of our number, a young doctor, was happily settled in a little grass cottage with a lovely brown girl for a wife. The other member of our party was the mate of the ship. He had a sweet little wife back in England, so declined to marry a native women who wished him as a husband. According to a custom of this people, he was instantly put to death by her relatives, who took this method of resenting the insult to their kinswoman. If she had been a beautiful young maiden, like the doctor’s bride, it might have been different. Then I married my lovely Lokie (a rose). We had three children, this son and two daughters. I was happy and contented as years went by, but when Ahleka was twelve years old, a dreadful scourge of fever swept over the island, and my wife, one of my daughters, and the young doctor were among those who were marked by the hand of death. Then I lived on with my son and daughter. I received great consideration from the people of the island, as my son Ahleka is their head Alii or king. The line of succession descending in this island, not from father to son, but from the mother to her children, thus keeping the royal blood pure. Now, you have heard my story.”
“Yes, but not your name, or that of the vessel in which you sailed,” said Captain Gray.
“The ship’s name was the ‘Castle Ayreshire.’” At the mention of that name Allen Thornton made a violent start. “And I,” continued he, “was her captain—Allen Thornton.”
At the sound of that name a cry of astonishment burst from the lips of each of the party.
Allen, throwing himself on his knees, in front of the old man, cried: “My father! My father! Have I found you at last?”
The old man looked bewildered.
“You are my father,” continued Allen, “did you not leave a boy, a few months old, as well as a young wife, behind you at Brighton.”
“I did! I did!” sobbed the old man, “and you are he. I thank God for his goodness. To think that my other son should be sent to cheer my declining days. Surely God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. But your mother, boy, your mother. Where is she, and how? Why did you leave her?”
“Father she is happy and has no need of me. She died when I was fifteen, after mourning you as dead so many years.”