Part 9 (2/2)
We sat talking together for some little time, and as I looked at Lucia I could not but wonder at theher health and strength Her pallor, once so very uid step, and at thisa pipe so old and dirty and so short in the sterinned, and said it was a lucky pipe For when it hite, new, and long, and he was s it for the first ti from a canoe, it fell from his mouth into the sea, and before he could dive for it ed by a _kura_ (rock-cod)
”Ho you?” she asked
”Because ht, when she was cooking it,” he replied promptly
Presently Niabon, who knew exactly to the s was stowed in the boat, told hi tackle, where he would find a so catch sorey mullet, while she, Lucia, and un withpast us towards the sand patches now being revealed by the ebbing tide, we started off, Niabon leading, and conducting us directly towards the centre of the islet, which was less than three-quarters of a mile from shore to shore, and was the northernmost of a chain of five or six, al the northern horn of the lagoon a short walk brought us to a sround was devoid of any foliage with the exception of so up between the layers of what seemed to be a solid bed of coral slabs cast up by the action of the sea during heavy stor years before
”It was once a deep hole and was used as a well, long, long ago,” said Niabon, ”but the bones of seven white men lie there under the stones
Their bodies were thrown into the well, and then for two days some of the people of Tarawa threw stones upon them till the hole, which was five fatho banks, and a fathom and a half down to where the fresh water lay, was filled, and only a flat surface of stones was to be seen Coet away to the other side, for the air here is hot and foul fro trees It is never dry, for the sun cannot get to it”
We gladly followed her, and soon reached the other side of the island, which faced the lagoon, of which we had a glorious view as far as eye could see Then Niabon told us the story of the well--a story that, horrible as it as but a counterpart of edies which had taken place all over the North and South Pacific, more especially after the settle and whaling brought hundreds of shi+ps into the South Seas, the forreatest ruffians who ever dangled from the end of a rope
The story was told to her by old Kaibuka, who himself had participated in the massacre, which had been planned and executed under the direct supervision of his father, his uncle, and himself And it was not the only such affair in which he had been concerned--not on Tarawa alone, but on the neighbouring lagoon of Maiana Fro of his past life, and I honestly believe could not have done so had she wished otherwise, for the old felloed his respect and fear for her and her powers of ”seeing beyond” to the saree as did every other one of his people--ined that this particular case of cutting-off occurred about forty or fifty years previously, for Kaibuka told her that although he was young at the tiuess at his present age, she had no very reliable data
This island, he told her, was called Te Mata Toto (The bloody Eye of the Land) frooon, fro to the inhabitants of the large villages on the opposite side of the approach of their hereditary enemies--the people of Apaian Thethe ocean strait which divides the two islands, signal fires, always kept in readiness, were lit, and the villages would prepare to resist the invaders, who sometimes, however, would content themselves with an assault on the outpost stationed on the little island As they generally outnumbered the defenders by ten to one, there was usually but one result--every one of the garrison was slaughtered, and the victors, after stripping the dead bodies of their valued ar their canoes and houses, would return to Apaian satisfied For this reason--ie, the uinary encounters which took place on the little island--it was given its ominous name
One day Kaibuka was sent to coarrison and ere keeping a keen watch--for a raid was again expected--when a s for the island
[Illustration: She came boldly on 126]
She came boldly on, and dropped anchor close to the shore, lowered a boat, and five men came on shore They were all ar up the beach to Kaibuka and histhat the latter possessed no firear down his club and spear, walked down and shook hands with them in a very friendly manner, and was at once addressed by one of theh he could not speak it very well
He told Kaibuka that the shi+p was going to China, and that he was a passenger; that he had been living on Temana (an island far to the south-east) but had tired of it, and so, when the shi+p called there to get some food, of which she was badly in want, he came aith her, the captain, in return for his services as interpreter, proe to the island of Makin, where were living four or five whitewater on the little island, and any food--of any kind whatever--to be obtained
The white men were at once taken and shown the well, at which they were very pleased, and two of them went back to the shi+p for water-casks, the others re with Kaibuka's people for so for the of rurown coco-nuts were brought them within a few days Turtle, however, were scarce, but Kaibuka said that there were a good e, and he would send over for soested that two or three of the white er; but they were too wary, andit did not matter, but that he would send aas many turtle as could be obtained The captain and interpreter were satisfied with this, and returned on board, declining to let any of the curious natives come with the some water-casks which they hoped Kaibuka and hischief called to his er
”Tell ether on the shi+p, but each one carries a gun, pistol, and cutlass, and two are always on guard Tell hi women who can dance well come with him as well But my uncle and soht, and make no noise They must land and hide in the bush, and stay there tillthe captain again landed, and was pleased to find Kaibuka's father, acco woht but five turtle that day, but would fetch an equal number or more on the morrow if they could be obtained The captain was pleased
Fresh food, he said, he was very anxious to obtain, as they had nothing on board but salt beef and ave old Takai (Kaibuka's father) soo on board and dance for the amusement of the sailors This was exactly what the old man desired, for he could, from them, obtain definite information as to the condition of affairs on board the shi+p, for it was very evident that the captain was determined not to be led into fancied security by the friendly demeanour of the natives, but meant to keep himself and creell prepared to resist a surprise
During this ti Kaibuka and the interpreter--the white , whilst the young women were still on board, he ca Kaibuka aside from the other natives, said he wanted to speak to him privately As soon as they were alone, he boldly avowed his intention of capturing the shi+p, andall the other white men if Kaibuka and his people would assist him The matter, he said, could be easily done He and so at Makin Island--had once stolen a shi+p when they were prisoners in Van Diemen's Land, had killed five or six soldiers and some of the crew, and sailed aith her to Fiji; and they had got ot from _this_ shi+p?” asked Kaibuka, who had heard this particular story from some traders and knew it to be true
”Casks and casks of rus of powder and bullets, hundreds of muskets, swords, knives, and axes and beads--all thatto a far-off cold country to barter these things for furs”
Kaibuka then inquired what share of the plunder he and his people should have if they captured the shi+p
Half, replied the whitethat was in the shi+p's hold and in the cabin, except some small square boxes of silver money--ten in all--for which he (Kaibuka) would have no use And he could have two of the four big guns on the deck if he wished; but the shi+p herself was not to be har taken away And Kaibuka would lend him two or three men to sail her to Makin, where he (the white man) would reward theht the man; ”come with ether”