Peter Trawl Part 41

The canoes were to the eastward, but it seemed very doubtful whether we could reach the outlet the mate spoke of before they would be up with us. We pulled for our lives, for there could be no doubt, from the behaviour of the savages on sh.o.r.e,--how those in the canoes would be inclined to treat us. While the mate steered, the doctor and I got the muskets ready; the rest of the crew were rowing, Horner helping the stroke oar. On the canoes came, nearer and nearer. We observed the sea breaking over the reef, but there was a clear channel between it and the sh.o.r.e. The savages had left the beach and were rus.h.i.+ng towards the point which they knew we must pa.s.s; probably, as we supposed, to enjoy the satisfaction of seeing us overtaken and ma.s.sacred. As the mate altered our course to steer for the channel, we found the wind on our starboard bow; should it s.h.i.+ft a point or two more, it would come right ahead, and even the canoes, though they sail closer to the wind than any ordinary craft, would be unable to get through it; but they were already within one hundred fathoms of us, and coming on rapidly. I counted seven of them. One took the lead of the rest, and was coming up hand over hand with us. We could see the warriors on the raised deck dancing and leaping and flouris.h.i.+ng their clubs, and hear them shouting and shrieking like their companions on sh.o.r.e. I looked anxiously at the channel. Soper was pulling bow oar. The mate told Horner to take it, and directed Soper to keep a look-out for reefs ahead. The leading canoe was now within fifty fathoms astern.

"Give them a shot, doctor," said the mate; "but fire over their heads.

It will show them that we are armed, but I don't want to kill any one."

"Ay, ay!" answered the doctor; and shouting to the savages to make them understand what he was about to do, he fired. The first shot seemed to have no effect. Still the big canoe came on. We were as far from the pa.s.sage as we were from them. Our men were straining every nerve, and could make the boat go no faster. The doctor waited till I had reloaded the first musket. He again fired, still aiming high, as the mate told him to do. The next instant down came the yard and sail of the canoe.

The bullet must have cut the slings right in two.

"It was a chance shot, and a fortunate one," said the doctor, as he saw its effect. The canoe still glided on, but the next, unable to alter her course, ran right into her, and the others, also coming up, were thrown into confusion. Our men cheered as they saw what had happened.

The channel was reached before our pursuers could get clear of each other. Then on they came again. Before, however, they had come far, the wind s.h.i.+fted a point and then blew right ahead. First one lowered her sail, and then another and another, while we pulled through the channel, Soper keeping a bright look-out for sunken rocks. I caught sight of the savages on sh.o.r.e rus.h.i.+ng along the beach, but we had pa.s.sed the point before they had gained it, and there they stood shrieking, shouting, and gesticulating at us. We pulled away in the wind's eye, knowing that we should thus have a better chance of keeping ahead of our pursuers. They had not yet, however, given up the chase. We saw them at length coming through the channel urged on by their paddles. They could thus move but slowly. Once outside, however, they might again hoist their sails, and, by standing first on one tack and then on the other, come up with us.

As we got away from the island we found the wind blowing steadily from the southward, while in sh.o.r.e it still came from the westward. This gave us a great advantage.

"We'll hoist the sail, lads," said Mr Griffiths, "and see if a whale-boat can beat a double canoe."

The men, who were streaming from every pore, gladly obeyed. The mast was set up in an instant, the sail hoisted, and "_Young Hopeful_," as the doctor called our boat, glided rapidly over the dancing waters.

We had made good way before we saw the sails of the canoes once more hoisted, standing, as far as we could make out, for the north-west.

Now we had got the wind, it would take them a long time to come up with us. The wind was too fresh to allow the oars to be of any use. We trusted, however, to the good providence of G.o.d to carry us clear. All that we would do was to sit quiet and hope that the wind would continue steady. We could see the canoes in the north-east hull down, and we hoped that we might keep ahead till night should hide us from their sight. The mate said he was sure that they would not then attempt to follow us farther.

"But, I say, is any one hungry?" exclaimed Horner. "We've had no breakfast, you'll remember."

We had all been too excited to think of eating, but the mention of food excited our appet.i.tes, and the mate told the doctor to serve out provisions.

The occupation of eating a.s.sisted to pa.s.s the time, and to raise our spirits. The mate told us that he and the doctor had determined to steer for the Pellew Islands, the inhabitants of which, though uncivilised, were supposed to be of a mild disposition, and likely to treat us kindly. Even had we intended to steer for Guam, the canoes in that direction would have prevented us doing so.

From the Pellew Islands we should have a long voyage round to Manilla.

When once there we should be sure of finding European vessels on board of which we should be able to obtain a pa.s.sage to some English settlement. Every now and then, while we were eating, I took a look at the canoes, but the sight of them didn't spoil my appet.i.te, nor that of the rest of us, as far as I could judge.

"They are getting no nearer," I observed.

"Wait till they come about," said Horner; "they'll then be up with us fast enough, and this may be the last meal we shall ever eat."

"Haul in the slack of that, you young croaker!" cried the mate, in an angry tone. "You would like to make the others as much afraid as you are yourself."

Horner could not say he was not afraid, for he looked it. The breeze freshened, and the boat made good way in spite of being heavily laden, standing up well to all the sail we could set. For another hour or more we could see the canoes.

At last the mate, standing up, took a look at them and then cried--

"Hurrah! They have gone about, and are steering for the land."

Just as the sun set they disappeared, and we had no longer any fear of being followed. The mate now set a regular watch;--the rest of us lay down as we best could along the thwarts, or at the bottom of the boat, with some of Jack's matting for pillows. We were rather crowded, to be sure, but we were thankful to have escaped our enemies, and hoped, in spite of its length, that we should have a prosperous voyage.

Day after day we sailed on. Mr Griffiths maintained good discipline among us. Everything was done with as much regularity as if we were aboard s.h.i.+p. He got us to spin yarns and sing songs. I thus heard more of Jack's adventures than I ever since have been able to get out of him.

He corroborated all that Miles Soper had told me, and added much more.

Sam Coal told us how he had once been a slave in the Southern States of America, and made his escape, and being followed, was nearly caught, and how a kind Quaker sheltered him, at the risk of his own life, and got him away on board a s.h.i.+p, where he found that he had not changed much for the better in some respects; but then, as he said--

"Dis n.i.g.g.e.r feel dat he was a free man, and dat make up for all de rest."

The wind was fair and the sea calm. Our chief fear was that we might run short of water, so Mr Griffiths thought it wise to put us upon an allowance at once. Several times flying-fish fell aboard, which we didn't despise, although we had to eat them raw, or rather dried in the sun. If we had had fuel we might have managed to make a fire and cook them, but in our hurry to get off we had come away without any spare wood.

"Never mind, lads," said the mate; "we'll get some at the Pellew Islands, and after that we'll have a hot meal every other day at least."

Brown was always on the look-out with his harpoon, ready to strike any large fish which might come near us, but they seemed to know what we were about, and kept at a respectful distance. Now and then a shark would come up and have a look at us, and the men would call him all manner of names. One day, as we were running along at the rate of about five knots an hour, we saw a black fin coming up astern; it sheered off under the counter and then floated up abreast of us, just coming near enough to show us its wicked eye. It kept too far off, however, for Brown to strike it, or it might have paid dearly for its curiosity. At last, c.o.c.king its eye, it gave a turn of its tail, and off it went like a shot, followed by our roars of laughter.

"Tend on it, Jack Shark find dat we not going to make dinner for him dis day!" cried Sam Coal, "so he tink better go look out sumber else."

Such were the trifling incidents which afforded us amus.e.m.e.nt and a.s.sisted to keep up our spirits. It was trying work, thus to sit all day and day after day in an open boat with nothing to do, and unable to move about freely. We were very thankful, however, to be favoured by such fine weather.

At last Mr Griffiths stood up in the stern-sheets, and, after shading his eyes for some time--for the sun had already pa.s.sed the zenith, said quietly, "Lads, we have made a good landfall. I'm much mistaken if we have not the Pellew Islands in sight. I make out a dozen or more blue hillocks rising above the horizon. Sit quiet, however, for you won't see them just yet. We shall have to heave-to to-night outside the reef which surrounds them, but I hope we shall get ash.o.r.e in the morning."

This news cheered us up, for we were beginning to get somewhat downcast, and some of us thought that we must have pa.s.sed the islands altogether, and might make no other land till we reached the Philippines. We ran on till dark, by which time we could make out one large island and a number of smaller ones, some to the northward and some to the southward, with a reef marked by a line of white foam surrounding them. As it would be dangerous to attempt looking for a pa.s.sage through the reef except in daylight, we hove-to, and the watch below lay down--or "turned in," as we used to call it--rejoicing in the hope of setting our feet on dry ground the next morning, and getting a plentiful supply of provisions.

I had to keep the middle watch with Jim. I took good care not to let my eyes close, for we were at no great distance from the reef, and I knew the danger of being drifted on it. Now I looked to windward to make sure that no vessel was approaching to run us down, now at the reef to find out whether we were drifting nearer it than was safe. After a long silence Jim spoke to me.

"There's something on my mind, Peter," he said. "I'm afraid that now you have found your brother Jack you'll not be caring for me as you used to do, for the whole of the last day you have not opened your lips to me, while you have been talking away to him."

"Don't let such an idea rest on your mind, Jim," I answered. "I very naturally talked to Jack, for of course I wanted to hear everything he had been about since he first went to sea, and it's only lately I have been able to get him to say much. I don't think that anything will make me forget your affection for me. Though Jack is my brother, you've been more than a brother, and as brothers we shall remain till the end of life."

In this way I did my best to satisfy Jim's mind. It hadn't before occurred to me that there was any spice of jealousy in him, and I determined in future to do my best to prevent him having any such feeling. We talked on just as we used to do after that.

The wind was light, and except a slight swell coming from the eastward, the sea was perfectly smooth. If it hadn't been for the talking I should have found it a hard matter to keep my eyes open. After I lay down, I had been for some time asleep, as I fancied, when I heard the mate cry--

"Out oars, lads! Pull for your lives!"

I jumped up in a moment.

The strong current into which the boat had got was carrying her along at the rate of five knots an hour towards the reef, over which the sea was breaking and rising up in a wall of white foam.

There was now not a breath of wind, but a much greater swell was coming in than before.

We all bent to our oars, and had good reason to be thankful that we had got them to help us, for a sailing vessel would very quickly have been dashed to pieces on the reef, and every soul aboard lost.

The mate headed the boat off from the sh.o.r.e in a diagonal course, so that we hoped soon to get out of the current. Still, notwithstanding all our efforts, we appeared to be drawing nearer and nearer the reef as the current swept us along, and I began to think that, notwithstanding all we had gone through, we were doomed to be lost at last. The mate, however, cheered us up.

Daylight soon broke. As the sun rose the wind increased, and presently, a fresh breeze springing up, he hauled aft the sheet, and with the help of the oars the boat moved quickly along till we got out of the current.

We were now able to venture close enough to the reef to look out for a safe opening. At last we found one a little to the southward of the largest island, and hauling up, we steered for it.

The sea broke on either side of the pa.s.sage, which was large enough for a good-sized vessel to venture through. We stood on, keeping a look-out for dangers ahead.

We were soon inside, where the water was perfectly smooth. Seeing a snug little harbour, we ran for it. As we approached, we saw a number of natives coming down, darkish-skinned fellows, though not so black as those of the Caroline Islands all of them without a st.i.tch of clothing on except a loin cloth; but they were pleasant-looking, and we saw no weapons among them.

The mate, however, kept the muskets concealed in the stern-sheets, ready for use in case they were only acting treacherously, and should suddenly rush down upon us with clubs and spears. Still, as we got nearer, and waved our hands, they showed no inclination to attack us, and made every sign to let us understand that they wished to be friends.

We therefore lowered the sail, and pulled the boat gently towards the beach. On this they came down, and when we jumped out, helped us to haul her up. There was one man who seemed to be the chief. He came up and shook hands with Mr Griffiths, the doctor, and me, and then ordered six of his people to stay by the boat, as we supposed to guard her. He made no objection when the mate and the doctor went back to get the muskets, but seemed to think it very natural that they should wish to be armed amongst so many strangers.

The other people were in the meantime making friends with the rest of our party. The chief now invited us up to his house. It was built of trunks of small trees and bamboo canes, and thatched with palm-leaves, much in the same style as the huts of other South Sea islanders, though of a fair size. It was also very clean, and the floors were covered with mats. He begged us to sit down near him, while he squatted on a mat at one end of the room.

As we could only talk by signs we didn't say much. Presently a number of girls appeared, bringing clay dishes, with fish and fowl and vegetables. As soon as they were placed on the ground, he told us to fall to, and a very good meal we enjoyed, after the uncooked food we had lived on so long.