One day when they had brought fewer shells than usual, the captain sent a party of us on shore, and having caught two of their chiefs, we brought them on board, and kept them in irons, telling them that we should carry
them away unless their people would stir themselves.
Next day a double quantity was brought on board. The captain seemed mightily pleased.
Now, my boys, this shows what you can do, he said, in the lingo the savages spoke. I am going to make a cruise to some other islands not far off, and I shall take your chiefs with me. If, when I come back, you have not got as many pearls as I want, and he told them the quantity he should require, up go your chiefs to our yard-arms.
I dont mean that he said this in as many words, but it was what he wished the people to understand.
The other islands we visited could supply us only with cocoa-nut oil, and though we had a quarrel now and then about it, we generally managed to get what we wanted at the price we chose to give.
On our return we found the supply of shells the captain had ordered.
I thought that he would have allowed the chiefs to go on shore, but he was too deep a hand for that. He had found the plan answer so well that he determined to have some more pearls before sailing, so he pretended that the natives had not brought him enough, and told them that they must go off and collect more. They grumbled, declaring that they would do no such thing, and demanded their chiefs back.
You shall have them, he answered, but they shall swing at our yard-arms first, and he ordered the ropes to be rove to hang them by.
The chiefs were then brought on deck. They did not look much like chiefs, half-starved and dirty as they were, for they had been kept below during the voyage for fear of their jumping overboard, and making their escape. The natives set up a loud yell when they saw them, and made as if they would attack us, and try to rescue them. On this the captain ordered us to present our muskets, and fire if they approached. Bill was the only person who refused to obey, declaring that it was a shame, and that he would sooner let the natives kill us than shoot one of them. The captain, hearing this, threatened to trice him up with the chiefs, and to my mind he meant what he said. The natives, however, thought better of it, and paddled off to try to get more pearls.
Its lucky for you, Bill, that the savages played us no tricks; but Ill not forget you, my lad, exclaimed the captain, shaking his fist at him.
In a couple of days the natives appeared paddling towards us. They kept, however, at a distance, and one canoe only with three men in her came alongside, bringing a few pearls. They said they had got more, but they had resolved to throw them into the sea unless their chiefs were first delivered up to them.
The captain grinned at this, and replied that they should have one chief, and when the pearls were brought they should have the other. The natives after talking a long time were obliged to comply. The chiefs embraced; they might have suspected that the one who remained would run a great chance of swinging at the yardarm, notwithstanding the captains promise. At last he told the younger of the two that he might go, thinking, probably, that he was of less consequence than the other. The poor fellow was lowered into the canoe, and away his countrymen paddled to the shore.
I thought that the elder man looked well pleased at the escape of his companion, as he squatted down on deck, resting his head on his hands, though he looked up every now and then at the rope hanging from the yardarm, as if he expected to be dangling from it before long.
The same canoe returned in a couple of hours, bringing a further supply of pearls, while the rest of the natives were seen gathering in the distance.
Perhaps the captain thought that if he did not deliver up the chief driven to desperation, they might attack the vessel, and that though many might have been killed, we should not have got off scathless. The natives were indeed in great numbers advancing closer and closer. He therefore told the chief he might go. The old man rose, and with the help of his countrymen got into the canoe, which immediately paddled away towards the rest, advancing rapidly to meet him.
The breeze was fair out of the harbour. Sails were loosed, the anchor tripped. There was no time to be lost, for some scores of canoes were close up to us.
Give the savages a parting volley to teach them that we are not to be insulted with impunity, cried the captain.
Several shots were fired at the canoes, and two or three of the savages were hit. I cannot say whether all fired, but Bill did not.
The brig had gathered way, and we were distancing the canoes, and though the captain ordered another volley to be fired, the shot fell short of them.
We have managed that pretty cleverly, he observed, as he walked the deck, rubbing his hands. I never expected to get so many pearls,
and we have not paid dear for them either, and he chuckled to himself as he turned aft.