He made signs to her to follow him,
and then, taking the chief by the hand, was about to conduct him to the
bower, when his eye fell on the poor infant which had been thrown into
the sea and was still lying on the shore. Dropping the chief's hand, he
hastened towards it, and, to his great joy, found it to be still alive.
We also found that the mother was beginning to recover slowly.
"Here, get out o' the way," said Jack, pushing us aside, as we stooped
over the poor woman and endeavoured to restore her; "I'll soon bring
her round." So saying, he placed the infant on her bosom and laid its
warm cheek on hers. The effect was wonderful. The woman opened her
eyes, felt the child, looked at it, and with a cry of joy clasped it in
her arms, at the same time endeavouring to rise, for the purpose,
apparently, of rushing into the woods.
"There, that's all right," said Jack, once more taking the chief by the
hand. "Now, Ralph and Peterkin, make the women and these fellows follow
me to the bower. We'll entertain them as hospitably as we can."
In a few minutes the savages were all seated on the ground in front of
the bower making a hearty meal off a cold roast pig, several ducks, and
a variety of cold fish, together with an unlimited supply of cocoa-nuts,
breadfruits, yams, taro, and plums; with all of which they seemed to be
quite familiar and perfectly satisfied.
Meanwhile, we three, being thoroughly knocked up with our day's work,
took a good draught of cocoa-nut lemonade, and, throwing ourselves on
our beds, fell fast asleep.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203