The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-13

SldnQlnS
tent, at little distance from my COM
pan1ons, and was an anxious spectator
OF the scene. Their appearance excited
my establishment and I was filed with
horror by the sight of beings appar ant-
ly human and yet almost destitute of
the ordinary marks of humanity. T7ev
We're entirely naked. Each one was
armed with spear and tomahawk;
some with battle axes. They were
Enthusiastically tattooed on different parts
of their body. Their hair, naturally
coarse and black, like that of the In
dams of America, was very long and
hung loosely over their shoulders, CIV
ing them singular and frightful ap-
pearance. Their teeth were entirely
black, rendered so. as we afterwards
found by chewing what thew call
.abooak." The reader can judge of
"ur feelings on finding ourselves in the
lands of beings of this description.
cur confidence in the honesty of our
visitors did not improve on further ac
quaintance.
No sooner had they landed than they
commenced their depredations upon the
Few articles, which at that time consti-
tuted all our earthly riches. The nautf-
cal instruments, the musket and part
of our clothing they Immediately ap-
propriated TO their own benefit. For
tunately, part of our clothing, the
powder and the cutlasses we had sue
ceeded in concealing in crevice in the
rock. Taking with them their booty.
they precipitately got into their canoe
and, reckoning to US, evidently with a
view OF inducing us to follow them,
they steered directly for the wreck.
Their first appearance and this strong
manifestation of their thievish DISPOSE
ton, so far from inclining us to Guilt
Vate their acquaintance any further,
had given us an irresistible inclination
to avoid them. Our minds were not
long in coming to the conclusion that
an open sea, with heaven to protect
u.s. would be far preferable to a chance
among beings like those. Accordingly,
with the least possible delay, we launch
ed our boat and, putting into it such
things Of value as we had saved, once
more, surrounded by new difficulties
and dangers, committed ourselves to
the mercy of the waves.
The island before mentioned being
now distinctly visible, we steered in
direction towards it; though we found
1t necessary to go in somewhat cir
cuitous course in order to avoid the
reef. BY the time we had succeeded
in getting into deep water, the natives
had been to the ship and were return
ing with the five muskets which we had
left on board. They soon passed US
with great rapidity and evidently with
the intention of escaping with their
booty unframed. The cause of their
precipitancy will soon be explained.
Just at this time there came In sight
number of canoes, perhaps thirty,
filled with natives, who seemed no less
intent upon plumber than those with
whom we had already formed a dis
agreeable acquaintance. Their lam
guage was to US entirely unintelligible.
but we could gather from their some
what significant gestures that they
most of all desired to possess them
selves of firearms. They beckoned to
US to go with them and seemed quite
anxious to avail themselves of our as
sistance; but we were not less so to es-
cape; and with the hope of being able
to do so, we continued to row towards
the island. Some of them remained
near US, while the rest made for the
ship. At length all except those in one
canoe left us and joined their compan-
of our company, partly on account, as
we afterwards learned, of their sus-
pecting that we had something of val
ue concealed about US, and partly for
the purpose of making us their prison
ers, and in that way gaining some adj
vantage over the others. After while
they offered. with an appearance of
friendship, to render us some assistance
by towing our boat, and after some de-
liberation we concluded to throw them
a line. This greatly facilitated our
progress, as their canoe, being made
very light, SKINNED over the water with
Incredible swiftness. No sooner was
this arrangement completed than
chief and one other of the natives left
their canoe and took their station with
US; the chief with a somewhat offensive
familiarity seating himself in the stern
of the boat near the captain. We were
not long in doubt concerning the mo-
tive which had led them to this act OF
condescension. Our bread was contain
ed in a small chest which had been
placed in the bottom of the boat; this
seemed to have excited their curiosity
to the highest pitch, as they kept their
eyes almost constantly upon 1t and en-
deavored to persuade the captain to
give them a chance to examine its con-
tents. He declined gratifying them,
thinking it better to keep their anxiety
alive. rather than to expose to them the
comparative worthlessness Of the little
that remained with US, of either the
comforts or necessaries Of life.
Probably owing to this show of re-
sistance on our part, when we had ap-
preached to within five or six miles or
the island, at a signal given by the
chief, the sail of their canoe was sud
denly dropped, and. seizirg our pow
der canister, he jumped overheard ana
swan to the canoe. His companion,
following the example of the thievish
chief seized a bundle Of clothing ana
was making off with IT, whereupon MT.
Mute, who had not yet become entirely
reconciled to the fashion of going with
out clothes, like our new acquaintance,
and conceiving that it might be well to
+, ,-tr tRHe nj r.