The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-03-28
The Islander's Revenge.

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The Islanders Revenge.
Among the Friendly Islands in the
South Pacific is a little native settle
ment called Vaovao. Two white mis-
sionaries have laboured here for years
with happy results, and to-day there is
large church on the island, built en-
tirely by the converts. In the early
seventies visite this place OH whal-
inp.ship. to obtain a supply of fresh
vegetables and fruit.
We were short of men also, and sue
ceeded in persuading two tine-iooklng
Kapakas to ship with us Tor the sea-
son. promising TO return them to their
island home before We left for New
Zealand. ,,,
Cocoanut by the sailors, his own name
being unpronounceable. He wasa tall
wiry fellow, brimming over with sim
nile good nature. He never. seemed out
of temper, and was always ready 10 90
a favour when asked. Indeed, his
willingness in this respect was taken
advantage of by some of the crew to
such an extent that he was really
abused.
One man seemed to take especial de-
light in shifting all his work upon the
native, and even went so Tar as 10
strike him on several occasions. But
the blows Were taken as unconcernedly
"a nossible whilethe rest wondered what
conld be the reason for this eXtraor-
dinarv behaviour on Johnny's part,
for the Kanaka men are oraVe anu
quick to resent an insult or this KIM.
At last we found out the reason.
The native had protested Chrlstianity,
and had been told 1t was wicked 10
fight. What it cost him to tame MS
wild nature to a point where a dow
could be borne in silence will never be
known; but he did it.
We cruised among the islands for
several weeks, and big Tom Lincoln
treated the Kanaka worse than ever.
One afterooon we anchored close to
ANAL. uninhabiled island and sent the
hoat on a short cruise for humpbacK
whales. They returned before dark,
having met with no success, and after
we had eaten our supper 1t was propos..
70 have q swim in the deep waters OF
the little bay. ,
AS is customary in these latitudes, q
man was sent alOft to keep a LOOKOUT
for sharks, and the rest of us plunged
m overhoard at once. The water was
fully ten fathoms deep where we were,
and after the heat of day 1t was oeIlG-
iously cool and refreshing TO splasn
about as we often did. On this occas-
ion we had enjoyed ourselves 1or iully
q half.hour unmolested, When suooeh'
Iy the lookout aloft shouted -,
"Look out there! Shak SharR:.
We scrambled up the netting which
hunp over the ships side as fast as pos
sibIe' each man think only of himself,
when the captain cried, eXcitedly:
"Good heavens! Who is that OIL
there?" ..,, -
Every eye followed his outstretGneo
arm. and to our horror we saw Tom
Lincoln's head fully fifty yards away.
He was swimming at his best speed 1or
the ship, but about the same distance
beyond him black, triangular mn was
cutting through the water at a speed
which lay between him and safety.
"Jump into boat, some or you
Ouick!" shouted the captain.
AS he spoke he ran to the caolh lot
his rifle, AT the same instant several
men sprang for the nearest boat, 1al-
ling over each other in their eagernsss,
and losing all presence of mind.
It seemed an age before the boat
pushed from the ship. Before IT was a
dozen wards away one man lost MS
stroke and fell over backward, throw
Ing the rest into hopeless confusion
It was evident that the man Woulu oe
lost before any boat could reach MN
With blaGched cheeks we stood as II
fascinated, while the monster rapidly
overbauled his prey. 49,,
Suddenly brown, 1.-the body shol
from the ships side AMI All instant
later we saw the Kanaka's head appeal
on the surface. Between his teeth ne
held a long knife, and with speed al.
most incredible his dusky body sl0'
forward toward the unfortunate niai
whom he had every reason to hate.
Tom had beem swimming with the
desperation of despair, and it seemed
Int a moment before the native hao
r nassed him and was not ten yards
from the pursuer. Then the brave lei
lows head sank out of sight suddenly
"He's been bitten by another
shark w exclaimed several voices
"No, he hasn'tm cried the captain
who had seen the daring feat perform
ed before. He's gone down under tha
shark; Pull ahead there, in that boat
and stand by to take him ABOARD wlIei
he comes up ~
As the men i'm the boat obeyed, We
: saw the fin disappear for All instans
Then with a mighty splash the shark
sprang nearly his whole length out o
the water, revealing long cash in hi!
white belly from which his life wa:
flowing.
E Again and again lie threw himsel
. in the air, and thel the native appear
h. ed 10 our view and struck out for lht
: boat, which was now helping the
frightened sailor Oh board. Before the
men were on the ships deck agail
there were fully Il dozen ravenou'
sharks fighting for The body of thei
dead comrade.
Tom Lincoln was too frightened t.
sneak for some time, but when he re
turned to the fOrecaStle the native
walked by to him quietly and held on
, his hand, saying
"Me no fight man, but me figh
shark, eh q"
Under his brown skin beat hero
, heart. and his reproOf was L monumen
to his teachers glory.-4outh's Com
!. panion.