Indeed, so
much was he taken up with this pump, that he could not be prevailed on
to return on shore, but sent a canoe to fetch his favourite stool, on
which he seated himself, and spent the remainder of the day in pumping
the bilge-water out of the ship!
Next day the crew went ashore to cut sandal-wood, while the captain,
with one or two men, remained on board, in order to be ready, if need
be, with the brass gun, which was unhoused and conspicuously elevated,
with its capacious muzzle directed point-blank at the chiefs house. The
men were fully armed, as usual; and the captain ordered me to go with
them, to assist in the work. I was much pleased with this order, for it
freed me from the captain's company, which I could not now endure, and
it gave me an opportunity of seeing the natives.
As we wound along in single file through the rich, fragrant groves of
banana, cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and other trees, I observed that there
were many of the plum and banyan trees, with which I had become
familiar on the Coral Island. I noticed also large quantities of
taro-roots, yams, and sweet potatoes growing in enclosures. On turning
into an open glade of the woods, we came abruptly upon a cluster of
native houses. They were built chiefly of bamboos, and were thatched
with the large, thick leaves of the pandanus; but many of them had
little more than a sloping roof and three sides with an open front,
being the most simple shelter from the weather that could well be imagined.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252