Part 43 (2/2)
The doctor laughed ”That's a very old notion,” he re since been exploded They have legs and claws like other birds, though the natives cut them off and dry the birds as these have been over a hot fire It's the only way they have of preserving theht not to land, as the natives ht have been te the the coast the country seemed to be thickly populated, and the boat was frequently sent to try and land, but ays met with the same inhospitable reception The moment we drew near the shore the black-skinned natives would rush down, apparently to prevent our landing
This was a great disappointment, for the captain was anxious to obtain fresh provisions, as several of thetih, ho had been in the boat, were free from it At one place, however, we traded with the natives, and bought several more of the stuffed paradise birds, and a nues, and beautiful little creatures they were Our hope was to carry thee of cli New Guinea, and passing the island of Mysole, we came to a small island called Gely, at the south-east end of Gillolo, lying exactly under the equator It contains a ht up There being an abundance of good water, and trees from which spars can be cut, it is an excellent place for repairing da fro cured
The plan he proposed was to bury them up to their necks in the sand, and to leave the to try the experiht be effectual Two of ourfro to subo on shore to fill the water-casks, we carried the stripped naked, were covered up side by side in the war only their heads above the surface, so that they could not possibly extricate themselves The captain, I should have said, approved of the plan, having before seen it tried with success; but the doctor, declaring that he would have nothing to do with the matter, ith Jack and another e of the watering party The stream from which we filled our casks was at some distance from the place where thefilled if Horner would remain by thethe casks down to the boat when Horner ca and his hair almost on end
”What's the one out of his mind
”I can't bear it!” he exclaimed ”It's too dreadful I couldn't help it”
”What is dreadful? What could you not help?” I inquired
”The brutes of crocodiles Poor fellows,” he stammered out ”There won't be a bit of them left presently!” and he pointed to where we had buried our poor shi+p
The ht met our eyes The body of oneoff the other He had dragged it under the water before we could reach the spot We could do nothing but shout at the crocodiles
Horner confessed that he had gone to a distance for a short ti which the brutes had landed and killed the two men We returned very sad to the boat As for Horner, it was a long tilect of duty Several canoes filled with natives ca potatoes and other vegetables One of theht a number of clam-shells of various sizes One which we hoisted on board weighed four hundred-weight, and we afterwards saw on shore one which hed a quarter of a ton The natives use the a child in one The meat of the creature when fried is very palatable I also obtained some beautiful specimens of coral, which I wanted to carry hoallons of nute number of shells for some old clothes The harbour swar We here cut some splendid spars for the use of the shi+p
I may mention that the inner harbour, from its perfect security, has obtained the name of ”Abraham's Bosom” Were it not for the sharks and crocodiles the place would be perfect
All the crew having recovered fro refitted, we once htful, and we sailed on over the calht breeze
We had to keep a constant look-out for rocks and reefs
I can assert, though it is often denied, that when passing under the lee of the Spice Islands, the scent which came off from the shore was perfectly delicious Whether this arises fros, or froh we generally had a light breeze, ere sometimes completely becalmed, on which occasions, when near shore, we ran the risk of being driven on the rocks by the currents, andahead to keep her off the up We continued our course, passing to the eastward of Cera for Tiers besides calms and currents We had just left the Serwatty Islands astern when the wind dropped, and we lay becal whales, ays kept a look-out for them from the masthead, as we could stow one or twofor a breeze, when the look-out aloft shouted that he saw three craft stealing up from behind the island to the eastward The second lass, and when he returned on deck he reported that they were three large proas, pulling, he should say, twenty oars or more, and full of men, and that he had no doubt they were pirates
Those seas, we kneere infested with such gentry--generally Malays, the most bloodthirsty and cruel of their race Many a merchant vessel has been captured by the killed
”Whatever they are, we must be prepared for theht to the last; and I tell you that if they once get alongside us we shall find it a difficult job to keep them off We will have the aret a breeze, as they pull fast, they'll soon be up to us”
All the ed in order; our two guns were loaded, and the armourer and carpenter set to work to sharpen the blubber-spades, harpoons, and spears We had thus no lack of weapons; our high bulwarks also gave us an advantage; but the pirates, we kneould probably out-number us by ten to one
However, we did not lose heart; Captain Hawkins looked cool and determined, and the mates imitated his example I didn't think about ht be killed, and that I should not have the happiness of taking him home
As the pirates approached, weourselves Muskets and ammunition were served out to the men most accustomed to firearms; the others had the blubber-spades and spears put into their hands The two uns, which were loaded to theirthem The doctor provided himself with a couple of muskets and a sword The captain told hiht be required to bind up the hurts of the rest of us He laughed, and said that the first thing to be done was to drive back our enemies should they attempt to board the shi+p
The pirates came closer and closer The captain looked anxiously round the horizon, for though, like a brave man, he was prepared to defend his shi+p to the last, he had no wish for a fight As I looked over the sides I saw so the surface of the water The pirates by this tihter canvas, which had hung down against the ed out, and then the topsails filled
”All hands trim sails!” shouted the captain