We then went to an Island to catch fish, and a disagreement taking place between two of the natives, about some trifling affair, the particulars of which I did not learn, one of them took a spear belonging to the other, and after breaking it across his knee, with one half of it killed his antagonist, and left him. The parents of the man killed, being present, laid him out on some mats, and appeared to regret their loss very much. They kept a continual drumming over the body of the deceased for two or three days; after which he received a decent burial on another Island at some distance from the Island where he was killed.
CHAPTER IX.
Having a successful fishing voyage, we loaded our canoe, and carried our cargo to the chiefs of Luguonewort. I had the satisfaction of an interview with Lay; but our provisions being soon exhausted, we were obliged to go again in search of fish. At this time there was a severe drought, and breadfruit trees suffered extremely, many of them entirely died. The superstitious natives supposed the drought was sent upon them as a judgment, because myself and Lay were allowed to live. I informed them that we could neither make it rain nor prevent it; but some of them were so ignorant that they believed we could control the weather. But some of the chiefs thought the drought was visited upon them because they had killed our shipmates, and I was always ready to join with them in that opinion. The drought continued about four months with such severity that most of the breadfruit trees on the small Islands were so completely dried up that they never sprouted again. Many of the ignorant natives still insisted that their sickness and drought were occasioned by suffering us to live upon their Islands; but this gross ignorance was counterbalanced by most of the chiefs, who believed differently, and to their more liberal opinion we are indebted for our lives.
About this time the Islands were refreshed by plentiful showers of rain, and the natives assembled at Milly to sing for the breadfruit to come in abundance. They said their singing would please Anit, and that he would reward them with a very great crop.
A disturbance existed between the high chief and his brother Longerene. The disagreement lasted about nine months, during which time the two brothers did not see or speak to each other. Luttuon, the high chief, then sent a canoe to inform his brother Longerene that he wished to see him. An interview took place, and a treaty of peace was ratified.
During our stay at Milly, I had frequent opportunities of seeing Lay, my fellow sufferer; but the only relief we could afford each other was derived from a sympathy of feelings, and in conversations relating to our homes and native country, by blending our mutual wishes for a safe return, &c. &c. The reader can hardly conceive the unpleasantness of our situation at this time—the famine was so great that the tender branches of trees were cooked, and the nutricious juice drank as food. My strength was so reduced in consequence of being deprived of my usual quantity of provisions, that I was unable to accompany my master on a fishing voyage. When my master returned, he found me lying in the hut, and asked me what was the matter. I informed him my indisposition proceeded from hunger; he cooked a fish and gave me, which, though it afforded me some relief, was not half enough to satisfy the cravings of appetite.
After I had recruited my strength, one day while engaged in fishing, a canoe came to the Island; and as soon as the canoe was near enough for the natives in her to be heard, they commenced hallooing and making dreadful noises, which is their practice when war is declared. They informed us that the high chief had killed several of the lower chiefs who belonged to the Island called Alloo; that Longerene had fled to Alloo, his own Island; and that the high chief was determined to pursue and kill him. We were ordered to go immediately to his assistance; accordingly we set sail for the Island Milly, where we found a great number of natives collected for war. Again I had the satisfaction of being with Lay; who informed me that they were going to fight the other party at Alloo; and that the high chief had told him that he and I must prepare two muskets, and go and fight with them. Luttuon sent for me and Lay, and informed us he was about to have a battle, and that we must prepare to take a part in it. We asked him if he had any powder—he said he had a plenty, and showed us a small box, which contained a little powder and mustard seed mixed together, which, if it had been good powder, would not have made more than five or six charges. We told him it was good for nothing; but he said we must do the best we could with it. As we were afraid to offend him, we went to work with the powder, and dried it in the sun, and prepared our muskets for battle.—The next morning we launched 15 or 16 canoes, containing in all about 200 natives, and set sail for Alloo; where we arrived and landed, and proceeded to a village in order to give battle to the enemy. On learning that the chief of Alloo and his family had fled in a canoe, we returned to our canoes, made sail in pursuit of the chief, but did not overtake him. After returning and spending a day or two at the Island of Alloo, we launched our canoes and went to our respective homes, and heard no more of the war.
Some time after my master returned to the Island where we usually resided, a canoe came and brought the information that a vessel was anchored near one of the head Islands—that she carried guns on each side, and had a hundred men—that they (the natives that brought the news) had been on board of the vessel, and received presents of beads, which they had on their necks. The natives said the vessel was not like our ship which we came in, but had only two masts. I told them we had vessels of all descriptions, some with one mast only. They said the men on board did not look like us, and that they were very saucy. I informed the natives the vessel was a war vessel, and that if molested by the natives, they would shoot them. The natives said they would take the vessel and kill all the men on board. I told them their safety consisted in friendship, and that any hostile attack on the crew of the schooner would lead to their own destruction.—They then set sail for Milly, to inform the chiefs of the arrival of the vessel at the head Island. The chiefs of Milly gave orders to launch the canoes, 15 in number, to go and take the schooner. These canoes were manned by 200 natives. My master’s canoe not being in perfect repair, we could not join the party. On the night of the 25th, (Nov.) we saw several of the canoes returning towards the Island where I was. From one of the canoes landed the high chief, who began to question me respecting the vessel. I told him I had not seen the vessel, and of course could not tell much about her; but that I expected she had come after me and Lay, and that she would have us. He then said he had better kill us both, and then there would be no one to tell that the natives had killed the rest of our crew. I told him that the people on board the schooner knew there were two alive, and if they killed us, the crew of the vessel would kill all the natives. This appeared to perplex his mind, and he shortly left me, and retired to rest.
On the next morning, 26th, the chief again questioned me respecting the vessel, but I could give him no particular information, as I had not seen her.—The natives then commenced knotting up leaves to inquire of their god, who, they said, would inform them what was best to be done. Towards night they departed, leaving me with my master, giving him strict orders not to let me go to the vessel, fearing that I should not only remain on board, but give information that my shipmates had been murdered. I was glad to see them depart, for I feared they would kill me.—The reader can have but a faint idea of my feelings at that time; nor will I attempt to describe them.