Wrecked on the Feejees

by William S. Cary

Though we were now all clear of the ship alive, it was with heavy hearts that we gazed back upon the wreck of what had so lately been our home. Land was in sight about three leagues off, and we headed towards it but soon found that a reef, forming a sort of hollow square about three miles long by two wide, enclosed us. We followed the reef around until we came to an opening through which we all safely passed. The water inside this reef was perfectly smooth and appeared deep.

Upon getting clear of the reef, we made the best of our way toward the land, and as we neared the shore, a man came down to the beach. We lay on our oars and held a brief consultation, but decided it was better to land and take our chances with the natives than to starve in our boats. Seeing us hesitating, the man beckoned to us in a friendly manner to row along the beach, which we did until we came opposite a landing. Seeing a number of natives sitting in the grass and apparently making hostile demonstrations, we again paused for consultation. The captain objected to landing at all and proposed that we make the best of our way to Wallis' island, where there was a chance of falling in with some homeward bound whaler. Mr. Shaw, however, urged that the natives showed no signs of hostility, that what we had taken to be clubs and spears were nothing more than sugar cane that they had brought down to treat us with when we landed, and he argued that we could remain here until the weather moderated sufficiently to get what we wanted out of the ship to fit our boats, and then go where we liked.

Seeing our hesitation, the natives sent one of the oldest of their party out in a small canoe. He paddled off until within a few feet of us but said nothing. We had the New Zealand boy in our boat and the captain told him to address the native in his language, which he did, but our visitor did not understand him and soon returned to the shore. Supposing he was sent off to invite us to land, we concluded to do so.

As soon as the boat touched the beach, Capt. Riddell jumped out, walked up to the natives, and offered them his hand, but they took no notice of the friendly greeting, and all rose and made for the boats. The captain told us to let them take whatever there was in the boats, which was not much, as he had everything thrown overboard that he thought would be valuable to them for fear they might quarrel for the plunder and endanger our lives. They assisted us to haul up our boats and gave us some of their provisions, which consisted of sugar cane, coconuts, and a sweet root called mussarway and was very pleasant to the taste. We offered them some of our bread, but they would not eat it.

Some of the women came down to the landing, looked at us, and returned to the town. Capt. Riddell took out his watch and placed it to the ear of a native, who started back with fright and astonishment. He then opened it and explained to them the use of it as well as he could by signs and finally presented it to one of the chiefs, who appeared to be highly pleased with it.

After their curiosity was satisfied, the chief said something to one of the natives, who started for the town, making signs for us to follow, which we did. After traveling nearly a mile over a rough stony path, we arrived at the town, which consisted of about twenty houses. Two of these we found nicely prepared with mats, one for the officers, the other for the crew.

It appeared that there had been at some previous time more people on the island, as there were two villages of about twenty houses each, but only one was now occupied. The houses were built by setting posts in the ground, leaving them about six feet high and connected with rafters about twenty feet long. The roofs were thickly thatched with long grass, while the sides and ends were covered with reeds neatly bound on with rivets made from coconut husks. We found there were only about twenty-five inhabitants then on the island—some fifteen men and boys, the rest females. The men were large and well formed, of a dark color, some almost black. Their only covering was a strip of matting made from the bark of a tree twisted and wound several times around their bodies. The women wore about their waist a similar covering stained with different colors.

When we took possession of our new quarters it was about one o'clock p. m. The natives left us soon after and returned in the course of a couple of hours with baskets of cooked vegetables consisting of yams, tarrow packarlolo (a sort of pudding made of tarrow and coconut milk) and a kind of potatoes. They laid the food down at the door and repeated some words over it, then brought it in and made signs for us to eat, while they stood by watching us with interest, but not being very partial to our new diet, we soon finished the meal.

Several of us then started on a stroll about the island with some of the natives in search of water, which we found only in the hollow rocks, there being no pond or spring on the island; hence we were wholly dependent on the clouds for water, but we found coconuts, bananas, and a few bread fruit trees, also excellent fish in abundance.

We found we were on Turtle island, one of the Feejees, two miles long by one and a half wide, and surrounded by coral reefs. The island was broken and rocky but fertile and thickly wooded.