Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-03
!" They say she drowned herself

On a certain night he arranged SO
that his dependents, male and female,
should be prepared to leave Vavaoo at
a moments notice, and all were secretly
embarked in boats, with such few
necessary effects as form tie domestic
surroundings of these poor Islanders.
The day was just breaking when the
little group Of boats pulled away from
the Island Once fairly embarked, and
couple of leagues from shore, they
feared no pursuit, besides they were
organized and armed SO that no ordi-
nary part sent to follow them would ven
ture to attack them.
The young chief led the way in the
largest boat, steering boldly for the
stone cliffs of che Island of Hoonga, one
of the Tonga groupe, and near the spot
where he was so often seen in search for
pearls In the boat was his aged
mother, for he had left mono of his
family behind as victims to the venge-
ance of the tyrant from whose rule he
was fleeing.
They were all congratulating them
selves on their safe escape, and with so
little trouble, when the mother said
"Ah, my son, I would that you had
taken with a Tonga bride; it is all I re-
greet.
SIS that all you regret, mother p
said the gallant young chief. eff SO,
perhaps that may be accomplished"
It is too late.
Perhaps not, he replied.
I do not understand, my SON
"Hold the b oat here" he said.
He had now reached the deep water
which laves the precipitous shores of
Hoonga, ana divesting himself of the
slight clothin which the custom of the
Tonga Islanders, save tbs single gar
ment about the loins, he babe them a
brief farewell and dived from the boat
into the deepest sea near the shore.
The faces of the whole party we're
shrouded in wonder. What could this
mean? When they were in such haste.
why lose time thus2 There was a
mystery which they did not understand.
Where and for what had the chief gone !?
How long he remains in the sea, !"
said one.
1t is dangerous, said another.
Who can live SO leng under water"
asked third. i
Hapai can live longer under water,
1t is said, than any other man, but no
human beirg can live SO long as this |"
said one of the men in boat, with
manifest trouble in his voice.
At the moment when his long absence
was causing the greatest CONSERVATION
In the boats, a few bubbles appeared on
the water, and followed th m, there
arose to the surfaoe tie form of Hapai
and IN his arms he bore the lost Eoa,
his Tonga bride.
What did it mean? What had the
beautiful and long missing girl been
hidden beneath the waves There was
no mistaking the facts, their eyes did
not deceive them, for the young girl
embraced them all, kissing the wrinkled
cheeks of her lovers mother. A hun
dred questions were vociferated at
once, as to whence she had came, to
which the young chief promised to reply
anon.
The boats were once more directed
away from the Fiji Islands. The delay
at Hoonga had, unfortunately, given
time for an organized party to be dis
patched after the fugitive chief and his
the emissaries of the tyrant could be
seen pulling in the distance.
Hapai had prepared for such an
and now babe the people
raise the single sail with which each
boat was provided, but at the same time
be ordered them to keep on using the
oars.
The pursuers had only their oars to
depend upon, and it was therefore i'm
possible for them to hold their own as
to distance; still they pulled on after
the fugitives for some time, until it
was only too plain that they could not
reach them, and they were compelled to
Surn back and report their failure to
the tyrant whose orders they had at
tempted to fulfil.
Hapai and his adheren had made
good their escape. And now the young
chief found time to explain how and
where his young bride had secreted
Nearly year before, while diving
for pearls, he had made the discovery
of Cal re beneath the sea, only accessi-
BILE by an entrance fathoms below the
surface of the waves,
At first he was about to promulgate
his curious experience, but something
whispered to him to keep his secret,
and he did so.
When Eoa was condemned to death
with the rest of the family, he deter
mined to rescue her, at least, from the
number, and to secrete her there. He
persuaded her to trust herself to him.
They entered cannoe. The place of
her retreat was explained to her on the
way. These women swim like mer,
maids. he sprang into the sea and she
dived after him, rising in the wonder
full cavern, which was fifty feet long,
with natural galleries, worn by the
action of the sea.
Here her lover brought the choicest
food and rich clothing, mats for her
bed, and sandeI wood oil to perfume
her body. When he was ostensibly
diving for pears, he was only seeking
his "pearl of great price" his dearly
loved sEoa. The only sadness she
knew was caused by the tragic fate of
her kindred
The Inoo% under tho 1.rootioy, Of Tho