- end_line
- 4742
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:25.200Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 4685
- text
- I rushed out of the house, and caught sight of a tumultuous crowd, who,
with shrieks and lamentations, were just emerging from the grove
bearing in their arms some object, the sight of which produced all this
transport of sorrow. As they drew near, the men redoubled their
cries, while the girls, tossing their bare arms in the air, exclaimed
plaintively, ‘Awha! awha! Toby mukee moee!’--Alas! alas! Toby is killed!
In a moment the crowd opened, and disclosed the apparently lifeless body
of my companion home between two men, the head hanging heavily against
the breast of the foremost. The whole face, neck, back, and bosom were
covered with blood, which still trickled slowly from a wound behind the
temple. In the midst of the greatest uproar and confusion the body was
carried into the house and laid on a mat. Waving the natives off to give
room and air, I bent eagerly over Toby, and, laying my hand upon the
breast, ascertained that the heart still beat. Overjoyed at this, I
seized a calabash of water, and dashed its contents upon his face, then
wiping away the blood, anxiously examined the wound. It was about three
inches long, and on removing the clotted hair from about it, showed the
skull laid completely bare. Immediately with my knife I cut away the
heavy locks, and bathed the part repeatedly in water.
In a few moments Toby revived, and opening his eyes for a second--closed
them again without speaking. Kory-Kory, who had been kneeling beside me,
now chafed his limbs gently with the palms of his hands, while a young
girl at his head kept fanning him, and I still continued to moisten his
lips and brow. Soon my poor comrade showed signs of animation, and I
succeeded in making him swallow from a cocoanut shell a few mouthfuls of
water.
Old Tinor now appeared, holding in her hand some simples she had
gathered, the juice of which she by signs besought me to squeeze into
the wound. Having done so, I thought it best to leave Toby undisturbed
until he should have had time to rally his faculties. Several times he
opened his lips, but fearful for his safety I enjoined silence. In the
course of two or three hours, however, he sat up, and was sufficiently
recovered to tell me what had occurred.
‘After leaving the house with Marheyo,’ said Toby, ‘we struck across the
valley, and ascended the opposite heights. Just beyond them, my guide
informed me, lay the valley of Happar, while along their summits, and
skirting the head of the vale, was my route to Nukuheva. After mounting
a little way up the elevation my guide paused, and gave me to understand
that he could not accompany me any farther, and by various signs
intimated that he was afraid to approach any nearer the territories of
the enemies of his tribe. He however pointed out my path, which now
lay clearly before me, and bidding me farewell, hastily descended the
mountain.
‘Quite elated at being so near the Happars, I pushed up the acclivity,
and soon gained its summit. It tapered to a sharp ridge, from whence
I beheld both the hostile valleys. Here I sat down and rested for a
moment, refreshing myself with my cocoanuts. I was soon again pursuing
my way along the height, when suddenly I saw three of the islanders, who
must have just come out of Happar valley, standing in the path ahead of
me. They were each armed with a heavy spear, and one from his appearance
I took to be a chief. They sung out something, I could not understand
what, and beckoned me to come on.
- title
- Chunk 3