- end_line
- 10673
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:25.203Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 10628
- text
- from them, several of the islanders now raised a simultaneous shout,
and pressing upon Karakoee, they menaced him with furious gestures, and
actually forced him into the sea. Appalled at their violence, the poor
fellow, standing nearly to the waist in the surf, endeavoured to pacify
them; but at length fearful that they would do him some fatal violence,
he beckoned to his comrades to pull in at once, and take him into the
boat.
It was at this agonizing moment, when I thought all hope was ended, that
a new contest arose between the two parties who had accompanied me to
the shore; blows were struck, wounds were given, and blood flowed. In
the interest excited by the fray, every one had left me except Marheyo,
Kory-Kory and poor dear Fayaway, who clung to me, sobbing indignantly.
I saw that now or never was the moment. Clasping my hands together, I
looked imploringly at Marheyo, and move towards the now almost deserted
beach. The tears were in the old man’s eyes, but neither he nor
Kory-Kory attempted to hold me, and I soon reached the Kanaka, who had
anxiously watched my movements; the rowers pulled in as near as they
dared to the edge of the surf; I gave one parting embrace to Fayaway,
who seemed speechless with sorrow, and the next instant I found myself
safe in the boat, and Karakoee by my side, who told the rowers at once
to give way. Marheyo and Kory-Kory, and a great many of the women,
followed me into the water, and I was determined, as the only mark of
gratitude I could show, to give them the articles which had been brought
as my ransom. I handed the musket to Kory-Kory, with a rapid gesture
which was equivalent to a ‘Deed of Gift’; threw the roll of cotton to
old Marheyo, pointing as I did so to poor Fayaway, who had retired from
the edge of the water and was sitting down disconsolate on the shingles;
and tumbled the powder-bags out to the nearest young ladies, all of whom
were vastly willing to take them. This distribution did not occupy ten
seconds, and before it was over the boat was under full way; the Kanaka
all the while exclaiming loudly against what he considered a useless
throwing away of valuable property.
Although it was clear that my movements had been noticed by several of
the natives, still they had not suspended the conflict in which they
were engaged, and it was not until the boat was above fifty yards from
the shore that Mow-Mow and some six or seven other warriors rushed into
the sea and hurled their javelins at us. Some of the weapons passed
quite as close to us as was desirable, but no one was wounded, and the
men pulled away gallantly. But although soon out of the reach of the
spears, our progress was extremely slow; it blew strong upon the shore,
and the tide was against us; and I saw Karakoee, who was steering the
boat, give many a look towards a jutting point of the bay round which we
had to pass.
- title
- Chunk 5