But, Ralph," he
continued, "I've not told you half o' the abominations I have seen
durin' my life in these seas. If we pull long together, lad, I'll tell
you more; and if times have not changed very much since I was here
last, it's like that you'll have a chance o' seeing a little for
yourself before long."
Chapter XXV
The sandal-wood party--Native children's games somewhat
surprising--Desperate amusements suddenly and fatally brought to a
close--An old friend recognised--News--Romata's mad conduct.
Next day the wood-cutting party went ashore again, and I accompanied
them as before. During the dinner-hour I wandered into the woods alone,
being disinclined for food that day. I had not rambled far when I found
myself unexpectedly on the sea-shore, having crossed a narrow neck of
land which separated the native village from a large bay. Here I found
a party of the islanders busy with one of their war-canoes, which was
almost ready for launching. I stood for a long time watching this party
with great interest, and observed that they fastened the timbers and
planks to each other very much in the same way in which I had seen Jack
fasten those of our little boat. But what surprised me most was its
immense length, which I measured carefully, and found to be a hundred
feet long; and it was so capacious that it could have held three
hundred men. It had the unwieldy outrigger and enormously high
stern-posts which I had remarked on the canoe that came to us while I
was on the Coral Island.
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