Part 13 (1/2)

”I will let them kill me first”

I felt, indeed, that I would much rather be put to death than seeme by the hand, approached the chief, whose club I expected everyso, however, looking at me kindly, he took me by the hand and made a speech to dick, which we, of course, could not understand, but which, from its tone, relieved us somewhat from our apprehensions I afterwards discovered that it was to the effect that he had pro that the destruction of the shi+p and the death of his people was not owing to as, that would not alter his purpose

”Thank you kindly, sir,” said dick, touching his hat sailor-fashi+on

”If you will treat this boy well, it's all I care for I speak him fair, Charley, for your sake,” he said to ood as his word”

The chief, whose na one,”

now addressed his people, who had been casting solances at us, and, I suspect, had we been left to their tender mercies, would very soon have knocked us on the head Our new friend having appointed several of his people to guard us, told us to follow hi a short distance, we reached another er beach, on which a nue concourse of people assembled We looked about for the captain and our shi+p a little farther, as our horror to see the greater nu dead on the shore, with their heads so battered that we could scarcely recognise theure and dress; we had, therefore, too much reason to suppose that ere the only survivors of the _Dolphin's_ creith the exception of those who had escaped in the boat and the men who had been saved on the mast We saw the latter alive in some of the canoes still afloat Whether the captain had been killed before the destruction of the shi+p, we could not at first ascertain, but I believe he and the rest wereconsultation, while dick and I stood at a little distance watching them, uncertain as to be our fate

”Cheer up, Charley,” said dick ”I would fight for you as long as there's life in es as they are, that they will have the heart to kill you; and as for h I wish I was sure they would not eat me afterwards”

”Oh, dick, dick!” I cried out, ”don't think of anything so horrid! I will ask the young chief not to hurt you, and I will tell him he had better kill me first”

Just then the consultation cans that we need not be afraid, and that he would protect us

I afterwards found, when I cae, that he had told the other chiefs that on seeing me he had been reminded of a little boy he had lost, and that he had saved dick onthat he was my father, or, at all events, my friend

Six men, one of as a Sandwich Islander, naht on shore As atched thees would put them to death, as they had the other poor fellows Tui, however, stepped forward and addressed the natives in a language which they appeared to coether, the unhappy ht not at any h their brains Trusting to Motakee's protection, I felt inclined to rush forward and plead for theood, Charley,” he said, ”and one of those savages ive you a tap with his club, and kill you, as an idle boy does a fly”

The five poor fellows stood collected together, looking pale as death, but they were as brave as any of the nised Tom Clode, the armourer, and Mat Davis, the carpenter'stime Tui was listened to attentively, as he every now and then put in a word At length five of the principal chiefs rose fro forward, each put his hand on one of theto kill the up, told us that they were only going to be taken as slaves Another old chief now advanced and put his hand on dick's shoulder

”He going take you for slave,” said Tui

”I have no wish to be idle, but I would rather have chosen aof his own,” observed dick ”I hope the old gentleman lives not far fro separated from you”

I burst into tears as dick said this, when Motakee, coentle way, to soothefellow, that he is,” cried dick; ”and as you are likely to be well off with him, it's little odds what happens tothat my tears continued to flow, endeavoured to persuade the old chief, Toobo Cava, to allow dick to continue with hiht rather allow me to accompany dick Tui told us as said

”I would like to have you, Charley,” said dick, ”but you will be much better off with Motakee, and, indeed, I doubt if he would let you coht; for after another long palaver, Motakee took me by the hand, while old Toobo Cava led off dick

”Keep up your spirits, Charley, and don't forget the lessons I have taught you; say your prayers, and be a good boy,” cried dick, looking back towardsfellows are cleverer than I take them to be”

Motakee, accompanied by his people, conducted me back to the bay where we had landed, and thence to his house, which was situated in a valley but a short distance froe stones, nearly twelve feet above the ground, and was fully thirty feet in length, though considerably narrower The back of the house was fourteen feet in height, the roof sloping doards the front, which was scarcely ht all round, thus the farther part of the house between them and the roof was entirely open The front part, into which we first entered by a very sh stones of the platform, but the inner part, separated from it by a partition, was covered with fine mats At one end was the bed-place, which consisted of two horizontal poles, about a foot fro stretched between the their heads on one of the poles, which served as a pillohile their feet extended towards the other Around the walls, which were also co nus, and stilts, on which I found that the people were very fond of walking

These stilts are elaborately carved poles, with carved figures towards the lower end, on the heads of which the feet rest The chief took down a pair, and, to areat rapidity, now standing on one leg, now on the other, and twirling round and perfor set the example, others followed it, till nearly all the an chasing each other over the rough ground, asit with their feet, instead of beingover, Motakee led e, where there was a sort of tes a couple of feet high, on each of which stood a carved figure, surrounded with shells, and feathers, and whales' teeth

He and his people sat down before theain, leading ious cere finished his prayers, if such all this bowing andwords could be intended for, the chief conducted me back to his house Here he introduced ht brown colour, clothed in soarments, composed of cloth, manufactured from the paper-mulberry tree She receivedof fish, and various roots, and other vegetables and fruits