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- 2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z
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- 651
- text
- CHAPTER V.
WHAT HAPPENED AT HYTYHOO
Less than forty-eight hours after leaving Nukuheva, the blue, looming
island of St. Christina greeted us from afar. Drawing near the shore,
the grim, black spars and waspish hull of a small man-of-war craft
crept into view; the masts and yards lined distinctly against the sky.
She was riding to her anchor in the bay, and proved to be a French
corvette.
This pleased our captain exceedingly, and, coming on deck, he examined
her from the mizzen rigging with his glass. His original intention was
not to let go an anchor; but, counting upon the assistance of the
corvette in case of any difficulty, he now changed his mind, and
anchored alongside of her. As soon as a boat could be lowered, he then
went off to pay his respects to the commander, and, moreover, as we
supposed, to concert measures for the apprehension of the runaways.
Returning in the course of twenty minutes, he brought along with him
two officers in undress and whiskers, and three or four drunken
obstreperous old chiefs; one with his legs thrust into the armholes of
a scarlet vest, another with a pair of spurs on his heels, and a third
in a cocked hat and feather. In addition to these articles, they merely
wore the ordinary costume of their race—a slip of native cloth about
the loins. Indecorous as their behaviour was, these worthies turned out
to be a deputation from the reverend the clergy of the island; and the
object of their visit was to put our ship under a rigorous “Taboo,” to
prevent the disorderly scenes and facilities for desertion which would
ensue, were the natives—men and women—allowed to come off to us freely.
There was little ceremony about the matter. The priests went aside for
a moment, laid their shaven old crowns together, and went over a little
mummery. Whereupon, their leader tore a long strip from his girdle of
white tappa, and handed it to one of the French officers, who, after
explaining what was to be done, gave it to Jermin. The mate at once
went out to the end of the flying jib boom, and fastened there the
mystic symbol of the ban. This put to flight a party of girls who had
been observed swimming toward us. Tossing their arms about, and
splashing the water like porpoises, with loud cries of “taboo! taboo!”
they turned about and made for the shore.
The night of our arrival, the mate and the Mowree were to stand “watch
and watch,” relieving each other every four hours; the crew, as is
sometimes customary when lying at an anchor, being allowed to remain
all night below. A distrust of the men, however, was, in the present
instance, the principal reason for this proceeding. Indeed, it was all
but certain, that some kind of attempt would be made at desertion; and
therefore, when Jermin’s first watch came on at eight bells
(midnight)—by which time all was quiet—he mounted to the deck with a
flask of spirits in one hand, and the other in readiness to assail the
first countenance that showed itself above the forecastle scuttle.
Thus prepared, he doubtless meant to stay awake; but for all that, he
before long fell asleep; and slept with such hearty good-will too, that
the men who left us that night might have been waked up by his snoring.
Certain it was, the mate snored most strangely; and no wonder, with
that crooked bugle of his. When he came to himself it was just dawn,
but quite light enough to show two boats gone from the side. In an
instant he knew what had happened.
Dragging the Mowree out of an old sail where he was napping, he ordered
him to clear away another boat, and then darted into the cabin to tell
the captain the news. Springing on deck again, he drove down into the
forecastle for a couple of oarsmen, but hardly got there before there
was a cry, and a loud splash heard over the side. It was the Mowree and
the boat—into which he had just leaped to get ready for
lowering—rolling over and over in the water.
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