William H. Macy  Source  Whalesite

Leaves from the Arethusa's Log.
No. 15

W. H. Macy

Flag of our Union.
Vol. 23, No. 39 (Sep 26, 1868)
p. 622

Leaves from the Arethusa's Log.

No. 15.

ESCAPE OF THE SAVAGES. — RECOVERY OF THE BOAT. — MAGICAL EFFECTS OF LYNCH LAW.

      This division of opinion among the barbarians was a circumstance in our favor; and some of them made signals aside to us to go, slyly swinging their hands in the direction of Hanayapa, where the ship lay. Indeed, we were even then gradually edging away from the crowd; for Peter had seized the right moment, while the confusion was at its height, and saying to me "Come," we continued moving carelessly along the beach, and, as we perceived we were not followed, we almost insensibly quickened our pace, looking behind us anxiously, and then starting on, satisfied from the violence of the clamor, that the natives would not soon agree upon their plan of action, and knowing that each moment was precious to us. Some still waved us on; while others beckoned us back again, and even made starts in pursuit, but were accompanied and headed off by men of the other party, when all would again come to a halt, and renew the war of words and gestures. In this way we had increased our distance to perhaps three hundred yards, when I said to Peter:

      "Don't you think we could make a push over the mountains inland, and find our way to the ship?"

      "No good," said my companion shortly. "Keep on beach — climb over rock — come to 'noder beach — follow water."

      I relied upon his judgment. Indeed this was the safer course for us, for, as soon as we gained the summit of the rocky bluff, or spur, which rose in our path, we should have the ship in sight, and could shape our course with some certainty. We pushed on at a jog-trot now, not daring yet to break into a run, and wishing to reserve our strength for the time when we should be obliged to climb the rocks. We had nearly reached the foot of the cliff when Peter suddenly said to me, "Look! he come!" I turned my head, and saw that we had no time to lose. The savages were starting in pursuit, and the party who were determined on our captivity appeared to be now in the ascendancy, as we knew by the proud bearing of their leader and chief-spokesman, a tall, athletic chief, who, with his highly polished lance poised in air was striding in advance of all the rest. Loud yells rose from the throats of the party, as they beckoned for us to halt, and come back; but neither I nor my Kanaka shipmate could see the propriety of again placing ourselves voluntarily at their mercy, now that we had so much the start in the race.

      "Now," said Peter as we reached the end of the beach, "keep close togedder. We go up rock — go alongside of it — keep near water."

      We sprang up the hill, and followed round the face of the bluff, making sometimes rapid progress for a minute or two and then obliged to ascend and descend and pass places where there was but little foothold. Our pursuers, seeing themselves cheated of their prey, redoubled their efforts to overtake us; and I had the satisfaction of knowing that they were especially anxious to capture me; as being a white man, and withal a petty officer, they could demand a high ransom. I was determined they should have no easy task of it, and I could see that the Hawaian was equally resolved not to be taken without making a desperate fight. Our zigzag route had carried us gradually upward till we were now some three hundred feet above the sea, and had got among bushes which grew thickly in some spots; while here and there a stunted cocoanut-tree forced itself up, seeming to grow almost from a foundation of rocks. I looked round to survey the situation. The greater number of the yelling devils had halted at the base of the cliff, and with loud cries were urging on a few of the fastest and strongest, who still continued the chase. The tall chief was still further in the lead than before, having distanced all others, and it was plain that he was rapidly gaining. I could see his lance gleam in the sunshine, and this was the weapon I most feared. The man next in rear of him was armed with a musket, but I gave myself little uneasiness about their fire-arms, as I held the quality of both guns and marksmen in contempt.

      We pushed on, doing our best, and taking every possible advantage of the nature of the ground; but, ever and anon, as I glanced over my shoulder, the lance gleamed brighter, and the tall savage was lessening the little distance that separated us. I saw Peter's hand feel for his sheath-knife, to assure himself that it was ready for action; his breath came short and quick from his exertions, and still more from excitement at the certainty of being soon brought to bay. Suddenly his face lighted, and his nostrils seemed to be doubled in size.

      "See rock ahead?" said he, pointing with his hand.

      "Yes," answered I, pantingly. "What then?"

      "Fight there. Odder side of it."

      Volumes could not have said more. His whole plan was at once unfolded, as he picked up a sapling of convenient size to be used as an offensive weapon.

      The rock of which he spoke projected outward from the face of the hill, which was here steeply inclined, and, to double round it, it was necessary to descend a short distance, and after passing it, to climb up again. We passed it, and Peter turning the corner, halted short, and struck an attitude showing that he meant to meet the enemy with the end of his sapling, to harpoon him, as it were, instead of swinging a blow at him. He crouched close to the rock, saying in a low, quick tone:

      "Stand behind me — give me room for dart; get nodder stick — big stone all 'e same. If I miss him, stand by to give it to him."

      Nothing could have been better planned; as the pursuing savage could not see him until their faces were close together, Peter having all the advantage of the higher position. Arming myself with a fragment of rock of convenient weight, I crouched a little up the hill in rear of my comrade, just giving him room to draw back his heavy pole.

      We had not long to wait, ere the hard breathing of the infuriated chief was audible as he struggled round under the lee of the projecting boulder. Peter drew back his weapon at a poise, and planted his feet more firmly, while I closed up a little with my stone in reserve. The horrible tattooed face rose into view like Banquo's ghost. Too late he perceived the ruse of the wily Hawaian, and vainly struggled to bring his lance to bear; the sapling met him full in the face with terrific force, and he was hurled backwards down the declivity, receiving my stone full in his naked breast as he fell. He did not go far, for a ledge some ten feet below, brought him up; but I can never forget the appearance of his crushed and bleeding face upturned to us. His lance, thrown from his hand, had stuck in a turfy spot, and seizing this weapon, I now felt tolerably safe from direct pursuit, though I was still a little apprehensive of some flank movement from the mountain above.

      We struggled on, but as we advanced, we found we were coming where the face of the precipice was impassable, and there was no course for us but to make our way upward to the summit of the mountain. We soon after heard voices, as of men cowering above us, and presently we were hailed to "come up there!" I understood thus much of the Marquesan gibberish; but the idea of a flank attack instantly recurred to my mind, and I dreaded lest we had now fallen into a snare where the advantages were with the enemy, he being above instead of beneath us. But Peter had already answered the hail, and after a few sentences were interchanged, he started directly upward, saying to me, "All right! Come on!" Again I trusted to his knowledge and sagacity, and followed without further question; though still keeping my lance ready for immediate use, if necessary to defend myself.

      My fears were soon allayed, however; for four men dressed in shirts and trousers like seamen, emerged into view on a ledge or terrace above us, whom I recognized as the boat's crew, whom Bailey had employed. Up to this time nothing had been seen of these men, or of Bailey himself, since I pushed my way out of his house.

      These men all belonged to the tribe of Hanayapa, where the ship lay, and were now on their way home to their own village, bearing some of the hatchets, cloth and tobacco with them, and filled with indignation at their employer, who had failed to satisfy them in the distribution of the plunder. They were, of course, ready to befriend us, and to pilot us back to the ship; taking every occasion to make their peace with us, and to vent their virtuous indignation by denouncing all the tribe to windward for their perfidy. "Hanaca-oa no good," was the burden of their tale, so far as they could render it into English; but they doubtless ran through their whole vocabulary of guttural adjectives for the benefit of my companion. They, of course, knew nothing of our fight with the colossal chief on the cliff, and we did not enlighten them at present; but when they inquired where I got the lance, Peter gave them to understand that I had seized it from the ground when we first started to make our escape. They had come by a path which wound over the mountain inland, but hereabouts it struck nearer the brow of the cliff, and through the openings in the bushes they had seen us beneath them some time before they could be seen themselves.

      A short distance further on, the path wound over a high pinnacle from which we could look down upon the bay of Hanayapa, and the gallant Arethusa riding at anchor; while our boat could be seen like a speck, coming round the bluff that formed the other side of the harbor's mouth, pulling up from Hanarora. A rugged and circuitous route carried us down into the valley, and a canoe was soon found by our four friends. Before sundown we were once more on the deck of our floating home.

      The old man was highly indignant on hearing the particulars of our story, and it would have fared hard with the traitor Bailey, could he have laid hands on him at that time. The goods carried ashore for traffic were of no great value, and were doubtless, ere this time, divided up and scattered beyond all hope of recovery; but the boat was of more importance to us, and was not to be relinquished without an effort to recover her. In the mean time, as it was uncertain what trouble might grow out of the affair, all haste was made to get the forehold stowed off, and trim the ship so as to be in working condition. We worked like beavers the greater part of the night, and were ready before morning to get under way, except that our water casks were still on shore, most of them being ready filled. We knew not how far to trust the chief or king of the tribe of Hanayapa. It was uncertain whether he would use his influence to assist us in recovering our boat, or whether he would sustain his brother potentate at Hanaca-oa in keeping her from us. His canoe was alongside of us bright and early in the morning, and he expressed the greatest indignation at the other tribe, and professed his willingness to aid us in recovering the boat, even by force, if necessary.

      While the king was on board, the boats were sent in to the watering-place to fill and raft off as fast as possible, as we should be perfectly secure from attack while the king and his suite were detained on board as hostages. Our water was all off and hoisted in on deck, in a couple of hours; and now the boat was manned for Hanaca-oa, taking the king with us in the boat, and his canoe following us. We learned from the king that the chief whom Peter had knocked down the cliff was still alive, and would probably recover; but I felt certain that, if he did, the lines of beauty in the ornamental work of his face were forever spoiled, and its former hideousness was intensified tenfold.

      We did not leave the ship without taking some precautionary measures, notwithstanding the apparent friendship of the king. If he really was acting in good faith, we desired to remain two or three days more at the anchorage, as we had not yet obtained what we wanted in the way of provisions. But preparations had been made for immediate departure in case it should be found that we were deceived in him. The chain had been hove in nearly short during the night, and the six-pounder had been loaded, and was ready for use if needed. The fore and maintopsails had been loosed in the morning while the king was on board; but this attracted no attention, as we had been in the habit of loosing some one or two of the sails every dry day, furling them again at sundown. Several women were on board when we left the ship, though it was observed that the number was smaller than usual; for the females came and went without question at all hours, having small canoes which they managed themselves.

      Strict orders had been left with Mr. Grafton, that if the boat was not seen returning within two hours, he was to get underway and stand out, beating up towards Hanaca-oa; and if, before that time, any suspicious circumstance should occur, he was to fire the six-pounder as a signal to us, and, at the same time trip his anchor and stand out. I was in the cabin, and heard these instructions given; and it was plain to me that the old man did not intend to waste much time in parley to recover the boat. He had no doubt of the power of our pretended friend, as the king of the stronger tribe, and in some sense, ruler over both (as we had learned both from Bailey and from the white man); and a very few minutes would suffice to show whether he really meant to get her back for us or not.

      We shoved off, I being at the steering-oar, with the captain and the king seated in front of me on a movable thwart; the king's canoe and body-guard of six men keeping along with us. As we opened the bay of Hanaca-oa but few natives were seen on the beach, and all appeared quiet as usual. Our boat could be seen away up in the cocoanut-grove, as we judged by the form of the object, though she was covered with mats to shield her from the sun's rays. We pulled in leisurely, and with wary eyes about us; the king seeming unusually talkative with the old man, and sporting to the best advantage what little English he was master of.

      About half-way up the bay, on the eastern or weather side, an irregular point of rocks made out, forming a sort of cove, opening seaward, and observing this, I had edged the boat up towards that side of the bay. The old man half-turned his head towards me, as he noticed this change of course, but catching my glance, also turned his own in the same direction. The king could not conceal his uneasiness, as he asked, with a constrained laugh. "What for no keep off in middle? Dere good place — land boat," not knowing that we had no intention of landing at all. At this instant, the point of a paddle was raised above the low rocks near the mouth of the cove, but a short distance from us. All three of us caught sight of it; the king half-sprung to his feet in confusion, and waved to his men in the canoe, but was seized by the old man, and forced back to his seat, while a pistol was held at his ear. "Lay round!" shouted the captain; but I was already anticipating the order, and throwing her head out to sea again. As I tossed the mast and sail into the bowman's hands, two canoes containing about thirty armed men shot out from the cove and gave chase for a short distance, but, seeing that we held the sovereign completely at our mercy, and that he would be our first victim, if attacked, they rested on their paddles. The king's canoe paddled in our wake, fast dropping astern, as we were now moving swiftly through the water under the double impulse of the sail and oars.

      A dull report, muffled by the intervening land, was borne to our ears; the signal agreed upon in case of any suspicious movements at Hanayapa; and the sound lent new strength to the arms of the five oarsmen, while the cowering king shook in his skin with fear.

      "Give way, hard, men!" cried Captain Upton; "the ship will be underway before we get there! Keep quiet, you murdering scoundrel!" he added, to the ugly representative of fallen majesty, who had here manifested a disposition to throw himself overboard. "If there is any blood spilled in this matter, I'll take care that a part of it shall be royal," he added, pushing the muzzle of the pistol fairly into his ear.

      "Hurrah! here she comes!" I cried with enthusiasm, as the flying jibboom of our noble ship projected beyond the headland now at no great distance from us, and the graceful hull drew slowly out into view; then moving more swiftly as she met the full power of the fresh trade wind, a few minutes gave her a safe offing to back the maintopsail for us to come alongside. She was under her three topsails, spanker and jib; but hands were already aloft to loose the lighter sails, and the courses were hanging in the buntlines.

      "Keep this arch-devil secure!" said the captain, as we pushed his royal person rather disrespectfully up the side. "As long as he is in our hands, we hold the best card in the pack. Didn't have any harm done, did you, Mr. Grafton?"

      "No, sir; we gave 'em the slip too quick," answered the mate. "Look up in the head of the bay there!"

      We looked; sure enough, there lay a large fleet of canoes all filled with armed men, resting, like baffled hounds; while on our weather quarter, at a safe distance, the small canoe of the king held way with us, uncertain whether to venture any nearer.

      "Brace full and down tacks!" said the old man, as soon as the boat was hoisted up. "Sheet home the to'gallantsails, and make sail as fast as you can! We'll make a good stretch off shore, Mr. Grafton, so as to fetch to windward of Hana — what's-his-name, there, Admiral Bailey's place, I mean."

      Two hours off shore under a press of canvas, and we went in stays, "looking" well up for the eastern point of the entrance to Hanaca-oa. The six-pounder was loaded with ball, and roused into the waist, the gangway-board unshipped, and a block and whip rigged at the fore-yardarm.

      "What the devil is that for?" asked the cooper, of the second mate, who was superintending these operations.

      "To make fools ask questions," returned the second mate, dryly. "There'll be another yarn for you, cooper, when we get through the scrape."

      "The yarn will be well stretched, whether the king's neck is or not," said Mr. Grafton, aside to me.

      "Haul the mainsail up!" shouted the old man, as we drew in shore.

      "We'll stand close in under the weather-point here, and luff to in full view of those devils on the beach there. Take that old traitor forward to the cat-head! Haul the foresail up, so the audience can all get their money's worth! I hope I sha'n't have to commit regicide," he added, in his low dry tone, "but I want to scare him almost to death."

      We hove to, so as to bring our starboard "battery" to bear fairly upon the landing-place. A plank was rigged out, the king was mounted upon it in full sight of his subjects, and the slip-noose adjusted round his neck. These operations produced a magical effect on shore; the savages could be seen running distractedly about the beach, and the air was vocal with wild yells. Presently a large party of them made a rush for the mat-covered object up in the cocoanut-grove.

      "That's the idea!" said the old man, who had his glass bearing upon them. "Give them a shot, Mr. Dunham, to quicken their movements! We can't afford to lie here long, waiting."

      The smart report of the six-pounder rang out over the water, echoing and re-echoing round the concave of the bay. Some thirty or forty of the frightened barbarians picked up the boat, and started upon the run for the beach.

      "That makes them 'step lightly!'" said the old man. "Load up again, Mr. Dunham! Powder and wad will be enough this time. Don't waste any balls upon them."

      At the second snap of the gun, our boat was coming out through the rollers, and two canoes with her to take her in tow. The trembling wretch was released, shorn of all his majesty for the time being. We waifed his canoe, which was still hovering round, to come alongside. Our boat was hoisted up on one side, while the king went down the other.

      "Brail up the spanker!" said the captain. "Put your helm up there! We'll run down to Hanarora now, and lie off and on for what we want. I think I see Jim's canoe coming up along shore now."

      It was indeed, the white man, Jim, who had come up to warn us against treachery; but found he was too late as we had already left the anchorage.

      On coming on board, he informed us that the chief whom Peter had punched in the face with the sapling, died the same night of his injuries; and that the chiefs, actuated by the double motives of revenge and plunder, had planned to get possession of the ship, and had sent envoys to the chief at Hanarora, who declined cooperating. The arch-traitor had accompanied us to Hanaca-oa thinking we would land without suspicion; or, if not, he himself could go ashore there, under pretence of getting the boat for us, and as soon as he was safe on the beach, the attack was to be made at both places. We who were isolated from the ship could be easily disposed of; and if we took the alarm and tried to escape, we should be headed off by the canoes stationed in the cove. The crews of these last had betrayed themselves by showing the paddle in the air, but whether through carelessness, or whether this was a signal intended only for the king's eye, Jim could not tell. As soon as he learned this much, he had started for the ship to inform Mr. Grafton of the danger, but was too late, the ship being under way before he arrived.

      Mr. Grafton, soon after we left the ship, feeling uneasy, went aloft into the topmast crosstrees to make observations. On the weather side of the bay, towards Hanarora a small river flowed down and emptied itself, the banks of which, beyond the first bend, were overhung by bushes of no great height, but sufficient to conceal anything in the creek from the deck. But from his elevated perch it was possible to overlook them; and the mate saw enough to excite his apprehension. Several canoes passed across the creek filled with men, while he was on the lookout, and went out of view behind the screen of bushes. He came down on deck, and fired the gun as had been agreed upon, manning the windlass at the same time. The anchor was just breaking ground and the topsail-sheets being hauled home, when a shrill whistle was heard on the beach, and looking about him, the last three women who had remained on board were getting into their canoe. It was too late to think of detaining them; the ship's head was swinging, and, as she gathered headway, the flotilla of canoes hove in sight at the mouth of the creek, making the welkin ring with the cries of baffled rage.

      "Now," said the mate, "they must have known at that moment that the plan was frustrated, and that the captain's boat had put back for the ship. And by the way, Jim, you must have known it, too, by the time I was under way. What kind of telegraph do you make use of here?"

      "The human telegraph," said Jim. "That same whistle that you heard is repeated along the mountain paths, all the way down to Hanarora, and on some occasions, all round the island. The men are stationed at proper distances so as to be within sound of each other's whistles, and the whistle has certain variations to suit different circumstances."

"I see," said the old man, "like Nelson's repeating frigates off Cadiz, to signalize when the French took their anchors; the main body of his fleet being sixty miles off shore."

We finished our business at Hanarora the next day, and once more made all sail to the westward for a cruise among "The Groups."

Source:

W. H. Macy.
"Leaves from the Arethusa's Log - No. 15."
      Flag of Our Union.
Vol. 23, No. 39 (Sep 26, 1868)
p. 622.

William H. Macy  Source  Whalesite