Wrecked on the Feejees

by William S. Cary

During their stay the king kept me close by him for fear they would entice me away. I was very anxious to go, but the king told me he was going to Ambow in a few days and I should go with him. The visitors came to invite us to go to a great feast which was preparing at Ambow, and in a few days they returned home in their canoes.

We now commenced preparations for our voyage. Messengers were dispatched to every part of the island to inform the different chiefs that the king was going to Ambow, and that they must send all the coconut oil, tappah, and whales' teeth they could produce for presents to the king of Ambow. Twenty large canoes were fitted for the voyage, and when all was ready the king went down to the squadron escorted by a large party of chiefs and subjects, five of his wives bringing up the rear and bearing with them the mats to sleep on and cooking utensils. We set sail with a fine breeze, made our passage through the reef which surrounds the islands, into the open ocean, and steered for the island of Emwaller, where we arrived about sunset and anchored near the shore. The king and myself slept on the shore. The inhabitants brought down yams, tarrow, pacalcolo and pigs which were divided among the occupants of the canoes, a separate share being set aside for the king and myself. The pig being rare done we built a fire, broiled it, and made a very hearty meal. The next morning we got under way and steered for the island of Engow, where we arrived, with the aid of our paddles, before sunset and anchored as before, which was done by sticking an ironwood pole into the sand, and making fast a rope with a running bowline that it might slip down to the bottom. Where the bottom is rocky they dive down and make the end of the rope fast to a rock or piece of coral. Here we received the same friendly treatment as at the other island, and the next morning steered for the island of Motosick, where we arrived in the afternoon. This island is about fifteen miles from Ambow.

Soon after our arrival here I saw a canoe coming from Ambow, in which was a white man. As they came alongside our canoe the white man reached out his hand and addressed me by name. I was dumb with astonishment. At last he said, "don't you know David Whippey?" "Yes," I answered, "I formerly knew him. He was a townsman of mine and an old playmate." "Well," said he, "I am that David Whippey."

Chapter III

CARY LEARNS FACTS ABOUT "CHARLIE"—A BATTLE AMONG THE NATIVES—THE MURDER OF THE KING.

My joy at this unexpected meeting was unbounded. It was now about a year since I had seen a white man. David inquired how I came there and I briefly told him my story. He said he had seen casks and pieces of boats which he had called American, and concluded that a ship had been wrecked on some of the weather islands. In his turn he told me his story. He had left the brig Calder some thirteen months before, bearing presents from the captain to the king of Ambow, together with a request that he collect all the turtle shell he could, the captain promising to return in a few months and trade with him for it. But now the time was so long that he had given up all hope of seeing the brig again. In fact, he had no desire to leave the island, as he was a particular favorite with the king and chiefs and was a chief himself. He informed me that there were two other white men who lived with him; one came in the Manila brig, the other had lived at the Feejees ten or twelve years. The king of Ambow valued the white men highly, as they had previously been troubled very much by the mountaineers coming down and committing depredations on the sea-coast villages. They were very much afraid of the white men's muskets, however, and had not troubled them since they had been with them.

It being near night and David's chief being anxious to get to the island of Ovalau, about seven miles distant, he took leave of me, expecting to meet me again at Ambow. We then landed and hauled up our canoes as our king had received intelligence that the king of Ambow was not quite ready for us, having to repair some houses for our reception, which had been partially burned a short time before. The inhabitants of this island brought us provisions in abundance, of which we ate heartily and then retired for the night. We spent three days here, and on the fourth launched our canoes and made sail for Ambow, where we arrived about ten o'clock in the forenoon and anchored, when the natives painted themselves, dressed and tied large bundles of tappah on their backs, as presents for the king.

When all was prepared we cast off and headed for the landing. When within speaking distance the natives saluted each other by shouting "Dohoah". (This word is used only to kings and chiefs.) Directly the queens came down to welcome our queens and escort them to the house prepared for their reception. They were very tastefully ornamented with most beautiful and fragrant flowers, and formed a line at the water's edge, repeating the word "myinafuandooa", which is the salutation for the queens. We then landed and proceeded to the house prepared for us, the king and his chiefs taking with them the loads of presents which, after some ceremony, were presented to the king.

The next morning I met David Whippey again, who came to invite me to the island on which he lived (Ovalau). We passed the day and evening very agreeably at my king's house. The chiefs, hearing of my intended visit with David, desired me to return as soon as possible. They had become very much attached to me and desired to have me in sight always, yet their kindly feeling toward me would not let them refuse me any liberty I wanted. I had always made it a rule never to oppose them and thus had got their perfect good will. The natural disposition of these natives is good and they possess kind feelings for those whom they like; they also possess strong passions and when enraged are savage beyond description and would kill anyone who displeased them with as little compunction as civilized people would kill a rat.

David spent the night with me and the next morning we started for Ovalau. This island was very much like the rest of the group, mountainous, well wooded, with plenty of water. A considerable portion was under cultivation. It also abounded with beautiful flowers of the most exquisite fragrance and all kinds of tropical fruits grew in profusion. The natives seemed very friendly. Here I spent three days very pleasantly and then returned to Ambow to my king, who was delighted to think I had come back so soon, but when I told him that I was going to stop with the king of Ambow, he was exceedingly sorrowful and used every argument he could to induce me to return to him. I told him, however, that I was anxious to get home and I thought my chances here would be better than at his island. He still insisted that I had better go home with him, and so it proved, for there was a ship touched at his island shortly after his return. Though he had the power to force me to go with him, he would not compel me to return against my will, and when I bade him good-bye he took me by the hand and said: "William, I am very sorry you are going to leave me. I shall be very lonesome when I go home without you, but I shall always be your friend and you will know where to find me." So we parted.