The Orofenans To our shame we had a very pleasant supper that night off the grilled fish, which was excellent, and some tinned meat.I say to our shame, in a sense, for on our companions the sharks were supping and by rights we should have been sunk in woe.I suppose that the sense of our own escape intoxicated us.Also, notwithstanding his joviality, none of us had cared much for the captain, and his policy had been to keep us somewhat apart from the crew, of whom therefore we knew but little.It is true that Bastin held services on Sundays, for such as would attend, and Bickley had doctored a few of them for minor ailments, but there, except for a little casual conversation, our intercourse began and ended.
Now the sad fact is that it is hard to be overwhelmed with grief for those with whom we are not intimate.We were very sorry and that is all that can be said, except that Bastin, being High Church, announced in a matter-of-fact way that he meant to put up some petitions for the welfare of their souls.To this Bickley retorted that from what he had seen of their bodies he was sure they needed them.
Yes, it was a pleasant supper, not made less so by a bottle of champagne which Bickley and I shared.Bastin stuck to his tea, not because he did not like champagne, but because, as he explained, having now come in contact with the heathen it would never do for him to set them an example in the use of spirituous liquors.
"However much we may differ, Bastin, I respect you for that sentiment," commented Bickley.
"I don't know why you should," answered Bastin; "but if so, you might follow my example."That night we slept like logs, trusting to our teak door which we barricaded, and to Tommy, who was a most excellent watch-dog, to guard us against surprise.At any rate we took the risk.As a matter of fact, nothing happened, though before dawn Tommy did growl a good deal, for I heard him, but as he sank into slumber again on my bed, I did not get up.In the morning I found from fresh footprints that two or three men had been prowling about the ship, though at a little distance.
We rose early, and taking the necessary precautions, bathed in the pool.Then we breakfasted, and having filled every available receptacle with water, which took us a long time as these included a large tank that supplied the bath, so that we might have at least a week's supply in case of siege, we went on deck and debated what we should do.In the end we determined to stop where we were and await events, because, as I pointed out, it was necessary that we should discover whether these natives were hostile or friendly.In the former event we could hold our own on the ship, whereas away from it we must be overwhelmed; in the latter there was always time to move inland.
About ten o'clock when we were seated on stools smoking, with our guns by our side--for here, owing to the overhanging cliff in which it will be remembered the prow of the ship was buried, we could not be reached by missiles thrown from above--we saw numbers of the islanders advancing upon us along the beach on either side.They were preceded as before by women who bore food on platters and in baskets.These people, all talking excitedly and laughing after their fashion, stopped at a distance, so we took no notice of them.Presently Marama, clad in his feather cloak, and again accompanied by priests or medicine-men, appeared walking down the path on the cliff face, and, standing below, made salutations and entered into a conversation with us of which I give the substance--that is, so far as we could understand it.
He reproached us for not having come to him as he expected we would do.We replied that we preferred to remain where we were until we were sure of our greeting and asked him what was the position.He explained that only once before, in the time of his grandfather, had any people reached their shores, also during a great storm as we had done.They were dark-skinned men like themselves, three of them, but whence they came was never known, since they were at once seized and sacrificed to the god Oro, which was the right thing to do in such a case.
We asked whether he would consider it right to sacrifice us.He replied:
Certainly, unless we were too strong, being gods ourselves, or unless an arrangement could be concluded.We asked--what arrangement? He replied that we must make them gifts; also that we must do what we had promised and cure him--the chief--of the disease which had tormented him for years.In that event everything would be at our disposal and we, with all our belongings, should become taboo, holy, not to be touched.None would attempt to harm us, nothing should be stolen under penalty of death.
We asked him to come up on the deck with only one companion that his sickness might be ascertained, and after much hesitation he consented to do so.Bickley made an examination of the growth and announced that he believed it could be removed with perfect safety as the attachment to the neck was very slight, but of course there was always a risk.This was explained to him with difficulty, and much talk followed between him and his followers who gathered on the beach beneath the ship.They seemed adverse to the experiment, till Mamma grew furious with them and at last burst into tears saying that he could no longer drag this terrible burden about with him, and he touched the growth.He would rather die.Then they gave way.
I will tell the rest as shortly as I can.