Volume I Part 14 (2/2)

I looked like an Eh with soled hair and harpoon, he looked like the sea-God, that boards shi+ps, for the first ti the Equator For tatooed Sa one of a tawny leopard, though his spots were all in one place Besides this raiencies we had provided our boat with divers nankeens and silks

But now into full view co, and driving through the water with considerable velocity; the i She seemed full of men; and from the dissonant cries borne over to us, and the canoe's widely yawing, it was plain that we had occasioned no small sensation They seemed undeter, or avoid it; whether to regard us as friends or foes

As we ca their faces, we loudly hailed the them to furl their sails, and allow us to board the And noithin less than two shi+ps'-lengths, they swept right across our bow, gazing at us with blended curiosity and fear

Their craft was about thirty feet long, consisting of a pair of parallel canoes, very narrow, and at the distance of a yard or so, lengthwise, united by stout cross-tiunwales Upon these timbers was a raised plat-form or dais, quite dry; and astern an arched cabin or tent; behind which, were two broad-bladed paddles ter in rude shark-tails, by which the craft was steered

The yard, spreading a yellow sail, was a crooked bough, supported obliquely in the crotch of aHere and there were little tufts of h, beaked prow of that canoe in which the mast was placed, resereat variety of fruits, including scores of cocoanuts, unhusked This proas railed off, for a sort of chancel within

The foreunwales, extended soular intervals hereupon, stout cords were fastened, which, leading up to the head of the mast, answered the purpose of shrouds The breeze was now strea fresh; and, as if to force down into the water the ard side of the craft, fivefive shrouds Yet they failed to counterbalance the pressure of the sail; and owing to the opposite inclination of the twin canoes, these living statues were elevated high above the water; their appearance rendered still er attitudes, and the apparent peril of their position, as the mad spray from the bow dashed over them

Suddenly, the Islanders threw their craft into the wind; while, for ourselves, we lay on our oars, fearful of alarain, we said ere friends; and had friendly gifts for them, if they would peaceably perhty clamor; insoently toward the strangers Whereupon, amid a storm of vociferations, some of the with ar us with clubs and spears; and one, an olda sort of arbor for his hair, planted hi behind hi

Upon this hostile display, Saht his piece to bear upon the old man, who, by his attitude, seeart of Gath But I quickly knocked down the htest token of hostility; enjoining it upon uard

We now ceased rowing, and after a few -paddles, and forcing round their craft before the wind, rapidly ran away fro also at our oars, soon overtook the into closer coht was useless, the Islanders again stopped their canoe, and onceout to them not to be fearful; and Sa that he had known every soul of them from his infancy

We approached within two or three yards; e paused, which so a red China handkerchief to the blade of our longof hands, and , I whispered to Jarl to give the boat a sheer toward the canoe, which being adroitly done, brought the bohere I stood, still nearer to the Islanders I then dropped the silk aht it, at once handed it to the warlike oldhilanced rapidly froift, to the more wonderful donors

This old man was the superior of the party And Samoa asserted, that he ed; that the craft could be no other than one of their sacred canoes, bound on soe All this he inferred fro no wo the old priest, I dropped into the canoe another silk handkerchief; while Samoa loudly exclaimed, that ere only three men, and were peaceably inclined Meanti the two silks crosswise over his shoulders, like a brace of Highland plaids, crosslegged sat, and eyed us

It was a curious sight The old priest, like a scroll of old parchlyphical devices, harder to interpret, I'll warrant, than any old Sanscrit raven in wrinkles, were characters still ipsy could have deciphered He looked old as the elderly hills; eyes sunken, though bright; and head white as the summit of Mont Blanc

The rest were a youthful and comely set: their complexion that of Gold Sherry, and all tattooed after this pattern: two broad cross- stripes on the chest and back; reaching down to the waist, like a foot-soldier's harness Their faces were full of expression; and theirof their lips, was as the opening of pearl oysters Marked, here and there, after the style of Tahiti, with little round figures in blue, dotted in the hs looked not unlike the gallant hams of Westphalia, spotted with the red dust of Cayenne

But what a marvelous resemblance in the features of all Were they born at one birth? This resehtened by their uniform marks But it was subsequently ascertained, that they were the children of one sire; and that sire, old Aaron; who, no doubt, reposed upon his sons, as an old general upon the trophies of his youth

They were the children of asthem up for the priesthood

CHAPTER XLI A Fray

So bent were the strangers upon concealing who they were, and the object of their voyage, that it was some time ere we could obtain the information we desired

They pointed toward the tent, as if it contained their Eleusinian ave us to know, that it would be profanation to enter it

But all this only roused my curiosity to unravel the wonder