“Now, young ladies, the sooner we get you on board, where our captain and his good wife will look after you, the better,” exclaimed the mate, as he offered to carry us to the boat. I begged that Abela might be brought with us. He lifted me up in his arms as if I had been a feather, and others followed, with Maud and Abela. Mr Norton had scarcely strength to reach the boat. I explained that Tofa was a chief’s son, and that having rendered us great service, I begged that he might be treated with attention.
In a few minutes we were on board the “True Love,” and in Captain Hudson’s cabin, under the care of his kind motherly wife. She almost shed tears as she saw us; Maud especially excited her sympathy.
“Poor dear child, she could not have lasted another hour, and she now will require all the care we can bestow on her. And we must look after you too,” she added, addressing me. “I wonder you have held out so well. You must tell me all about it by-and-by. You are too weak to talk now. I cannot get a word out of any one else—not even from the young Englishman. He fainted on reaching the deck, and my husband is attending to him; but you need not be alarmed, he will come round in time.”
I inquired for Abela.
“The native woman is in one of the mate’s cabins. I will go and attend to her directly, and all the rest who are alive are safe on board; but five or six of the poor Indians were dead, I am told, before they could be lifted from the deck of the canoe.”
I grieved much to hear this, for I had entertained hopes that all when brought under Christian instruction would have accepted the truth; but God’s ways are inscrutable—we only know that they are just and right.
Soon after Mrs Hudson had placed me in bed, I sank into a state of almost insensibility, and was conscious only that I was attended by a kind hand. I could neither speak nor think, and knew not to what place the ship was carrying us. My first inquiry on coming to myself, when I saw Mrs Hudson standing over me, was for dear Maud. My heart leaped with joy when I heard her voice saying, “I am here Mary—I am so very very glad to hear you speaking again.” I found that she was lying on a sofa outside my cabin, to which Mrs Hudson said she had entreated to be brought, that she might be near me. Abela, I found was also recovering, and Mr Norton was well, and devoted himself to the care of the sufferers, some of whom were still in a precarious state.
“He is trying to learn their language, and the young prince is never weary in giving him instruction,” said Mrs Hudson.
“They call Tofa the young prince, because the rest of his people pay him so much respect,” observed Maud.
I was truly thankful to hear this of Mr Norton. I should have trembled for him, lest after getting safely on board the ship had he shown that he had forgotten his good resolutions.