The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-04-07

side, too?" His lordsbip was literally las
drunk as lord" having possessed himself
of keg of Deacon Giles best. A "tanoa," ="
or awa-bowl, stood near him, containing
about gallon of the rum, which he press
ed US to partake Of As hot water and
molasses were at hand, we all took swig
of the decoction, and Jim and /. having
got on dry clothes, and seeing the prepar-
ations making for hot supper, began to
feel comfortable He, however, was always
borrowing trouble, and as / inquired of
him-looking around at the comfortable
scene, the women bustling about setting
on the smoking hot yams, pork and fish
whether he was not glad he had come
"Yes," he said, "it was all well, so far but
wouldn't the "old man" be mad when he
found we were gone, and wouldn't ne get
us back again?" "0h, nonsense replied
|; "he can't get US without Phillips con-
sent, and there's no fear of his getting
that"
After hearty supper and a smoke, Phil
lips showed us where we were to sleep,
and where we were to remain concealed
until the brig should have sailed This
was inside of large tapa mosquito bar,
which was stretched along on one side Of
the house, and was itself, roomy enough to
contain twenty or thirty persons. Our
chest was placed out of sight, high up on
a wide shelf at one end of the house-a
place of deposit for mats, ropes and 9th
er matters, and known in Fiji as the
"bata" "Now, boys" said Phillips, get
inside of that tau manu-, and there you
will be SAFE" As we lay down on the lux
uriously yielding piles of mats and tried to
compose ourselves to rest, it was long
time before tired Natures sweet restorer,
balmy Sleep" lulled us into fOrgetfulness.
Even then, IN dreams. | was at one time
again in the canoe, threading the dark
windings of the creek, and at other times,
was once more on board the brig having
been captured, and was about to receive a
Justly dreaded lecture and thrashing from
the captain.
About nine o'clock in the morning we
awoke, and Immediately the servant women
of the house-on whom the duty devolved
of closely watching US, and providing Tor
our wants-brought us water for the morn
ing ablution, and pieces of new, white tapa,
for towels This over, they inquired-"Sa
kama ?"-would we eat. Then came "A
warm breakfast, served up on freshly pluck
ed leaves of the breadfruit, washed down
with wal catacata-hOt fsh-broth, served
in polished cocoanut- shells-the feast con-
Guiding with a profusion of the various
tropical fruits of the country. Luxurious
fare, was it not, on which 10 regale two
runaway sailor-boys? While we were eat
ing. squatted in our rear were two of the
female servants, plying, for our comfort,
each huge fan, and occasionally saying,
in persuasive tones-"kana, kana''-eat,
eat. Youthful appetites and good diges
digestive powers did not require much urg-
ing, and we made breakfast fit for king.
After the remains of the repast had been
removed, Phillips came inside of the "tau
manu-" to bid us good morning. To my
surprise, he was quite sober. He inform
ed us. not little to our alarm, that canoe
had arrived from the brig but few min
utes before, with a message from the cap
tain to the king, informing him of our
having absconded, and offering to pay
musket and keg of powder each for our
capture and return on board. "Just as
expected" whimpered jim. Wont we
catch fits from the 'Old man when we get
on boardw l acknowledged that we prob
ably should. Never you fear" said Phil
lips; 1.-The old man no take you out of my
house" So our fears were partially re-
moved, and we lay quietly down and went
to sleep again, our chief, on leaving US, re-
peating frequently, "never you fear"
Judging from the lapse of time, it was
somewhat past midday when Jim and l
were again awakened by the dusky houris
who presided over the culinary department,
with an invitation to eat. While we were
performing the task of taking dinner. we
heard Phillips voice, as he entered the
house, talking with some one in English.
The women, mysteriovsly putting their
fingers to their lips, motiOned Us to keep
silence. Presently, we heard foreigner
say, in reply to some remark of the chiefs,
"Yes, I'd like id well to know where
they are slowed away. I'm blowed if l
wouldn't have them muskets and them
there kegs of powder afore night" Phil
lips laughed. and said, ME, too Then
the rum-keg was brought out, and the two
sat down to serious drinking. Peeping
through the "tau manu." We saw and recog-
nized the stranger. 1t was fellow known
in Rewa as "Gipsy jim" one of the low
est type of "beach-combers. Some said
he was a cockney.jew, but from his com
plexion and features, he certainly had to
me, the appearance of gipsy. He was