Year: 1878

The whaling season was about over
on Japan, of which We had broad
hint in the furious gales that leveled
the sea and made it appear as fiat as g
marble floor. while the ship was held,
with lee-rail in the water. as stationary
as if screwed up in a vice. Therefore,
we up.helm and put away for Cali
fornia. After having obtained some
water and fresh beef, we took a south
erly course and soon reached that lone
island in the midst of the sea called
Easter Island.


At that time it was said that no
white man had ever been ashore on
Easter Island-at least not from whal-
ers or meAhsntmen. The whalemen
never attempted to come to any anchor
there, bat they stood of snd on. while
the natives brought off their merchan-
disc by swimming.


Our captain and officers placed no
confidence in these wild men, who
came on board of US in nude state,
ana talked so rsdidly and SO loud,
while we could not understand word
they said. Their number increased at
every moment. while other swimmer
could be seen from the ship coming
from every direction.


Thare were now come sixty or seven
ty strong. impulsive fellows on board
Of us who joined with the sailors in
pulling the braces. and filled the air
with loud shouts while doing SO. Their
stentorian voices and earnest manner
alarmed our captain. who quietly order
ed the steward to bring up dozen
muskets and place them by the side OF
the companion-way.


The next movement was t. put the
ships head off shore, and run from the
land. SO that the natives might be in
drced to leave before they had got too
great distance from home.


For some time even this scheme did
not work The ssvsges seemed not to
care how far the would have to swim
before they got back to the island.
They became more and more noisy
and venturcsome, all of which
understood perfectly we'll to be the
natural expression Of sound lungs united
to good spirits and unreasonfng i'm
pulse. but the captain and officers of
the ship, as well as the old sailors.
were seriously alarmed, though l knew
nothing about it ut the time.


Seeing one good.looking young
native, who, unlike the rest, wore a
slight garment about the loins, in
vited him down the fore. hold. between
decks, where was u cask of bread open.
and presented hin with couple 'of
biscuit, of which he was extremely
fond


Although we were gone but five
minutes, on returning to the deck l
discovered that all the savages whom l
had left there were in the water,
swimming back to the island.


My tawny companion uttered an eX-
clamation, and l then perceived that
his voice was uclixe the other natives
Tie did not leave the ship. and the first
mate coming towards us, asked:


why don't this fellow go overheard!
Is he afraid that he can't swim to
shore =


The young subject of his question
thereupon burst into tears.


It's woman! It's a girl 7 cried
the mate here's fix. She can't go
ashore. and will be obliged to so to sea
with u.s.


Feeling az though was to blame
for having detained the young lady,
l asked if we couldn't run in and set
her ashore.


No. said the mate, in a decided
tone there's every appearance of a
change Of wind il we were driven
ashore among these naked devils. we'd
find no more mercy than a Cat in hell
without claws


In the meantime the girl was in dis
trCss. Thus expariated, torn from all
her relatives, and, perhaps. from her
lover, the sailors sypathized with her
very sincerely. They invited her into
the stcersge and offered her food. But
it remained untouched; she had no
appetite, and, in fact. it was two days
before she tasted morsel.


She sat in one spot from day to day
with her eyes cast down. while. occasion
ally, large tear swelled under the
lids aud rolled down her bosom.


But continued coed treatment and
the lapse of time at length had little
effect upon her. She began to nibole
at the basin Of food with which she
had been regularly supplied when We
sat down to our meals; and at the end
of week, she went on deck and looked
of at the ocean.


She started with surprise and con-
sternation when she discovered that
NOT n yestavc of land was in sight,