23. CHAPTER XXIII.
SAILING FROM THE ISLAND THEY PILLAGE THE CABIN.
There was a small carronade on the forecastle, unshipped
from its carriage, and lashed down to ringbolts on the deck.
This Samoa now loaded; and with an ax knocking off the
round knob upon the breech, rammed it home in the tube.
When, running the cannon out at one of the ports, and studying
well his aim, he let fly, sunk the boat, and buried his dead.
It was now late in the afternoon; and for the present
bent upon avoiding land, and gaining the shoreless sea, never
mind where, Samoa again forced round his craft before the
wind, leaving the island astern. The decks were still cumbered
with the bodies of the Lahineese, which heel to point
and crosswise, had, log-like, been piled up on the main-hatch.
These, one by one, were committed to the sea; after which,
the decks were washed down.
At sunrise next morning, finding themselves out of sight
of land, with little or no wind, they stopped their headway,
and lashed the tiller alee, the better to enable them to overhaul
the brigantine; especially the recesses of the cabin.
For there, were stores of goods adapted for barter among the
Islanders; also several bags of dollars.
Now, nothing can exceed the cupidity of the Polynesian,
when, through partial commerce with the whites, his eyes
are opened to his nakedness, and he perceives that in some
things they are richer than himself.
The poor skipper's wardrobe was first explored; his chests
of clothes being capsized, and their contents strown about
the cabin floor.
Then took place the costuming. Samoa and Annatoo
trying on coats and pantaloons, shirts and drawers, and admiring
themselves in the little mirror panneled in the bulkhead.
Then, were broken open boxes and bales; rolls of
printed cotton were inspected, and vastly admired; insomuch,
that the trumpery found in the captain's chests was disdainfully
doffed: and donned were loose folds of calico, more
congenial to their tastes.
As case after case was opened and overturned, slippery
grew the cabin deck with torrents of glass beads; and heavy
the necks of Samoa and Annatoo with goodly bunches
thereof.
Among other things, came to light brass jewelry,—Rag
Fair gewgaws and baubles a plenty, more admired than all;
Annatoo, bedecking herself like a tragedy queen: one blaze
of brass. Much mourned the married dame, that thus arrayed,
there was none to admire but Samoa her husband;
but he was all the while admiring himself, and not her.
And here must needs be related, what has hitherto remained
unsaid. Very often this husband and wife were no
Darby and Joan. Their married life was one long campaign,
whereof the truces were only by night. They billed
and they cooed on their arms, rising fresh in the morning to
battle, and often Samoa got more than a hen-pecking. To
be short, Annatoo was a Tartar, a regular Calmue, and
Samoa—Heaven help him—her husband.
Yet awhile, joined together by a sense of common danger,
and long engrossed in turning over their tinsel acquisitions
without present thought of proprietorship, the pair refrained
from all squabbles. But soon burst the storm. Having
given every bale and every case a good shaking, Annatoo,
making an estimate of the whole, very coolly proceeded to
set apart for herself whatever she fancied. To this, Samoa
objected; to which objection Annatoo objected; and then
they went at it.
The lady vowed that the things were no more Samoa's
than hers; nay, not so much; and that whatever she wanted,
that same would she have. And furthermore, by way of
codicil, she declared that she was slave to nobody.
Now, Samoa, sad to tell, stood in no little awe of his
bellicose spouse. What, though a hero in other respects;
what, though he had slain his savages, and gallantly carried
his craft from their clutches:—Like the valiant captains
Marlborough and Belisarius, he was a poltroon to his wife.
And Annatoo was worse than either Sarah or Antonina.
However, like every thing partaking of the nature of a
scratch, most conjugal squabbles are quickly healed; for if
they healed not, they would never anew break out: which
is the beauty of the thing. So at length they made up;
but the treaty stipulations of Annatoo told much against the
interests of Samoa. Nevertheless, ostensibly, it was agreed
upon, that they should strictly go halves; the lady, however,
laying special claim to certain valuables, more particularly
fancied. But as a set-off to this, she generously renounced
all claims upon the spare rigging; all claims upon the foremast
and mainmast; and all claims upon the captain's
arms and ammunition. Of the latter, by the way, Dame
Antonina stood in no need. Her voice was a park of artillery;
her talons a charge of bayonets.
