51. CHAPTER LI.
WILSON GIVES US THE CUT.—DEPARTURE FOR IMEEO.
About three weeks after the Julia's sailing, our condition
began to be a little precarious. We were without any regular
supply of food; the arrival of ships was growing less frequent;
and, what was worse yet, all the natives but good old Captain
Bob, began to tire of us. Nor was this to be wondered at; we
were obliged to live upon their benevolence, when they had
little enough for themselves. Beside, we were sometimes driven
to acts of marauding: such as kidnapping pigs, and cooking
them in the groves; at which their proprietors were by no
means pleased.
In this state of affairs, we determined to march off to the consul
in a body; and, as he had brought us to these straits, demand
an adequate maintenance.
On the point of starting, Captain Bob's men raised the most
outrageous cries, and tried to prevent us. Though hitherto we
had strolled about wherever we pleased, this grand conjunction
of our whole force upon one particular expedition, seemed to
alarm them. But we assured them, that we were not going to
assault the village; and so, after a good deal of gibberish, they
permitted us to leave.
We went straight to the Pritchard residence, where the consul
dwelt. This house—to which I have before referred—is
quite commodious. It has a wide verandah, glazed windows,
and other appurtenances of a civilized mansion. Upon the lawn
in front are palm-trees standing erect here and there, like sentinels.
The Consular Office, a small building by itself, is inclosed
by the same picket which fences in the lawn.
We found the office closed; but, in the verandah of the
dwelling-house, was a lady performing a tonsorial operation on
the head of a prim-looking, elderly European, in a low, white
cravat;—the most domestic little scene I had witnessed since
leaving home. Bent upon an interview with Wilson, the sailors
now deputed the doctor to step forward as a polite inquirer
after his health.
The pair stared very hard as he advanced; but no ways disconcerted,
he saluted them gravely, and inquired for the consul.
Upon being informed that he had gone down to the beach,
we proceeded in that direction; and soon met a native, who told
us, that apprised of our vicinity, Wilson was keeping out of the
way. We resolved to meet him; and passing through the village,
he suddenly came walking toward us; having apparently
made up his mind that any attempt to elude us would be useless.
“What do you want of me, you rascals?” he cried—a greeting
which provoked a retort in no measured terms. At this
juncture, the natives began to crowd round, and several foreigners
strolled along. Caught in the very act of speaking to
such disreputable acquaintances, Wilson now fidgeted, and
moved rapidly toward his office; the men following. Turning
upon them incensed, he bade them be off—he would have nothing
more to say to us; and then, hurriedly addressing Captain
Bob in Tahitian, he hastened on, and never stopped till the
postern of Pritchard's wicket was closed behind him.
Our good old keeper was now highly excited, bustling about
in his huge petticoats, and conjuring us to return to the Calabooza.
After a little debate, we acquiesced.
This interview was decisive. Sensible that none of the
charges brought against us would stand, yet unwilling formally
to withdraw them, the consul now wished to get rid of us altogether;
but without being suspected of encouraging our escape.
Thus only could we account for his conduct.
Some of the party, however, with a devotion to principle
truly heroic, swore they would never leave him, happen what
might. For my own part, I began to long for a change; and
as there seemed to be no getting away in a ship, I resolved to
hit upon some other expedient. But first, I cast about for a
comrade; and of course the long doctor was chosen. We at
once laid our heads together; and for the present, resolved to
disclose nothing to the rest.
A few days previous, I had fallen in with a couple of Yankee
lads, twins, who, originally deserting their ship at Fanning's
Island (an uninhabited spot, but exceedingly prolific in fruit of
all kinds), had, after a long residence there, roved about among
the Society group. They were last from Imeeo—the island
immediately adjoining—where they had been in the employ of
two foreigners, who had recently started a plantation there.
These persons, they said, had charged them to send over from
Papeetee, if they could, two white men for field-laborers.
Now, all but the prospect of digging and delving, suited us
exactly; but the opportunity for leaving the island was not to
be slighted; and so we held ourselves in readiness to return
with the planters; who, in a day or two, were expected to visit
Papeetee in their boat.
At the interview which ensued, we were introduced to them
as Peter and Paul; and they agreed to give Peter and Paul
fifteen silver dollars a month, promising something more, should
we remain with them permanently. What they wanted, was
men who would stay. To elude the natives—many of whom
not exactly understanding our relations with the consul, might
arrest us, were they to see us departing—the coming midnight
was appointed for that purpose.
When the hour drew nigh, we disclosed our intention to the
rest. Some upbraided us for deserting them; others applauded,
and said, that on the first opportunity they would follow our
example. At last, we bade them farewell. And there would
now be a serene sadness in thinking over the scene—since we
never saw them again—had not all been dashed by M'Gee's
picking the doctor's pocket of a jackknife, in the very act of
embracing him.
We stole down to the beach, where, under the shadow of a
grove, the boat was waiting. After some delay, we shipped
the oars, and pulling outside of the reef, set the sail; and with
a fair wind, glided away for Imeeo.
It was a pleasant trip. The moon was up—the air, warm—
the waves, musical—and all above was the tropical night, one
purple vault hung round with soft, trembling stars.
The channel is some five leagues wide. On one hand, you
have the three great peaks of Tahiti lording it over ranges of
mountains and valleys; and on the other, the equally romantic
elevations of Imeeo, high above which a lone peak, called by
our companions, “the Marling-spike,” shot up its verdant spire.
The planters were quite sociable. They had been sea-faring
men, and this, of course, was a bond between us. To strengthen
it, a flask of wine was produced, one of several which had been
procured in person from the French admiral's steward; for
whom the planters, when on a former visit to Papeetee, had
done a good turn, by introducing the amorous Frenchman to
the ladies ashore. Besides this, they had a calabash filled with
wild boar's meat, baked yams, bread-fruit, and Tombez potatoes.
Pipes and tobacco also were produced; and while regaling
ourselves, plenty of stories were told about the neighboring
islands.
At last we heard the roar of the Imeeo reef; and gliding
through a break, floated over the expanse within, which was
smooth as a young girl's brow, and beached the boat.
