29. CHAPTER XXIX.
WHAT THEY LIGHTED UPON IN FURTHER SEARCHING THE
CRAFT, AND THE RESOLUTION THEY CAME TO.
Descending into the cabin with Samoa, I bade him hunt
up the brigantine's log, the captain's writing-desk, and nautical
instruments; in a word, aught that could throw light
on the previous history of the craft, or aid in navigating her
homeward.
But nearly every thing of the kind had disappeared: log,
quadrant, and ship's papers. Nothing was left but the
sextant-case, which Jarl and I had lighted upon in the state-room.
Upon this, vague though they were, my suspicions returned;
and I closely questioned the Islander concerning the disappearance
of these important articles. In reply, he gave
me to understand, that the nautical instruments had been
clandestinely carried down into the forecastle by Annatoo;
and by that indefatigable and inquisitive dame they had
been summarily taken apart for scientific inspection. It
was impossible to restore them; for many of the fixtures
were lost, including the colored glasses, sights, and little
mirrors; and many parts still recoverable, were so battered
and broken as to be entirely useless. For several days afterward,
we now and then came across bits of the quadrant or
sextant; but it was only to mourn over their fate.
However, though sextant and quadrant were both unattainable,
I did not so quickly renounce all hope of discovering
a chronometer, which, if in good order, though at present
not ticking, might still be made in some degree serviceable.
But no such instrument was to be seen. No: nor to be heard
of; Samoa himself professing utter ignorance.
Annatoo, I threatened and coaxed; describing the chronometer—a
live, round creature like a toad, that made a
strange noise, which I imitated; but she knew nothing about
it. Whether she had lighted upon it unbeknown to Samoa,
and dissected it as usual, there was now no way to determine.
Indeed, upon this one point, she maintained an air of such
inflexible stupidity, that if she were really fibbing, her deadwall
countenance superseded the necessity for verbal deceit.
It may be, however, that in this particular she was
wronged; for, as with many small vessels, the Parki might
never have possessed the instrument in question. All
thought, therefore, of feeling our way, as we should penetrate
farther and farther into the watery wilderness, was
necessarily abandoned.
The log book had also formed a portion of Annatoo's pilferings.
It seems she had taken it into her studio to ponder
over. But after amusing herself by again and again counting
over the leaves, and wondering how so many distinct
surfaces could be compacted together in so small a compass,
she had very suddenly conceived an aversion to literature, and
dropped the book overboard as worthless. Doubtless, it met
the fate of many other ponderous tomes; sinking quickly
and profoundly. What Camden or Stowe hereafter will
dive for it?
One evening Samoa brought me a quarto half-sheet of
yellowish, ribbed paper, much soiled and tarry, which he
had discovered in a dark hole of the forecastle. It had
plainly formed part of the lost log; but all the writing
thereon, at present decipherable, conveyed no information
upon the subject then nearest my heart.
But one could not but be struck by a tragical occurrence,
which the page very briefly recounted as well, as by a noteworthy
pictorial illustration of the event in the margin of
the text. Save the cut, there was no further allusion to the
matter than the following:—“This day, being calm, Tooboi,
one of the Lahina men, went overboard for a bath, and was
eaten up by a shark. Immediately sent forward for his
bag.”
Now, this last sentence was susceptible of two meanings.
It is truth, that immediately upon the decease of a friendless
sailor at sea, his shipmates oftentimes seizee upon his effects,
and divide them; though the dead man's clothes are seldom
worn till a subsequent voyage. This proceeding seems
heartless. But sailors reason thus: Better we, than the
captain. For by law, either scribbled or unscribbled, the
effects of a mariner, dying on shipboard, should be held in
trust by that officer. But as sailors are mostly foundlings
and castaways, and carry all their kith and kin in their
arms and their legs, there hardly ever appears any heirat-law
to claim their estate; seldom worth inheriting,
like Esterhazy's. Wherefore, the withdrawal of a dead
man's “kit” from the forecastle to the cabin, is often held
tantamount to its virtual appropriation by the captain. At
any rate, in small ships on long voyages, such things have
been done.
Thus much being said, then, the sentence above quoted
from the Parki's log, may be deemed somewhat ambiguous.
At the time it struck me as singular; for the poor diver's
grass bag could not have contained much of any thing valuable;
unless, peradventure, he had concealed therein some
Cleopatra pearls, feloniously abstracted from the shells
brought up from the sea.
Aside of the paragraph, copied above, was a pen-and-ink
sketch of the casualty, most cruelly executed; the poor
fellow's legs being represented half way in the process of
deglutition; his arms firmly grasping the monster's teeth,
as if heroically bent upon making as tough a morsel of himself
as possible.
But no doubt the honest captain sketched this cenotaph
to the departed in all sincerity of heart; perhaps, during
the melancholy leisure which followed the catastrophe.
Half obliterated were several stains upon the page; seemingly,
lingering traces of a salt tear or two.
From this unwonted embellishment of the text, I was led
to infer, that the designer, at one time or other, must have
been engaged in the vocation of whaling. For, in India
ink, the logs of certain whalemen are decorated by somewhat
similar illustrations.
When whales are seen, but not captured, the fact is denoted
by an outline figure representing the creature's flukes,
the broad, curving lobes of his tail. But in those cases
where the monster is both chased and killed, this outline is
filled up jet black; one for every whale slain; presenting
striking objects in turning over the log; and so facilitating
reference. Hence, it is quite imposing to behold, all in a
row, three or four, sometime five or six, of these drawings;
showing that so many monsters that day jetted their last
spout. And the chief mate, whose duty it is to keep the
ship's record, generally prides himself upon the beauty, and
flushy likeness to life, of his flukes; though, sooth to say,
many of these artists are no Landseers.
After vainly searching the cabin for those articles we most
needed, we proceeded to explore the hold, into which as yet
we had not penetrated. Here, we found a considerable
quantity of pearl shells; cocoanuts; an abundance of fresh
water in casks; spare sails and rigging; and some fifty barrels
or more of salt beef and biscuit. Unromantic as these
last mentioned objects were, I lingered over them long, and
in a revery. Branded upon each barrel head was the name
of a place in America, with which I was very familiar. It
is from America chiefly, that ship's stores are originally procured
for the few vessels sailing out of the Hawaiian Islands.
Having now acquainted myself with all things respecting
the Parki, which could in any way be learned, I repaired to
the quarter-deck, and summoning round me Samoa, Annatoo,
and Jarl, gravely addressed them.
I said, that nothing would give me greater satisfaction
than forthwith to return to the scene of the massacre, and
chastise its surviving authors. But as there were only four
of us in all; and the place of those islands was wholly unknown
to me; and even if known, would be altogether out
of our reach, since we possessed no instruments of navigation;
it was quite plain that all thought of returning thither
was entirely useless. The last mentioned reason, also,
prevented our voyaging to the Hawaiian group, where the
vessel belonged; though that would have been the most
advisable step, resulting, as it would, if successful, in restoring
the ill-fated craft to her owners.
But all things considered, it seemed best, I added, cautiously
to hold on our way to the westward. It was our
easiest course; for we would ever have the wind from
astern; and though we could not so much as hope to arrive
at any one spot previously designated, there was still a positive
certainty, if we floated long enough, of falling in with
islands whereat to refresh ourselves; and whence, if we
thought fit, we might afterward embark for more agreeable
climes. I then reminded them of the fact, that so long as
we kept the sea, there was always some prospect of encountering
a friendly sail; in which event, our solicitude would
be over.
All this I said in the mild, firm tone of a superior; being
anxious, at once to assume the unquestioned supremacy.
For, otherwise, Jarl and I might better quit the vessel forthwith,
than remain on board subject to the outlandish caprices
of Annatoo, who through Samoa would then have the sway.
But I was sure of my Viking; and if Samoa proved docile,
had no fear of his dame.
And therefore during my address, I steadfastly eyed him;
thereby learning enough to persuade me, that though he deferred
to me at present, he was, notwithstanding, a man
who, without precisely meditating mischief, could upon occasion
act an ugly part. But of his courage, and savage
honor, such as it was, I had little doubt. Then, wild buffalo
that he was, tamed down in the yoke matrimonial, I could
not but fancy, that if upon no other account, our society
must please him, as rendering less afflictive the tyranny of
his spouse.
For a hen-pecked husband, by the way, Samoa was a
most terrible fellow to behold. And though, after all, I
liked him; it was as you fancy a fiery steed with mane
disheveled, as young Alexander fancied Bucephalus; which
wild horse, when he patted, he preferred holding by the
bridle. But more of Samoa anon.
Our course determined, and the command of the vessel
tacitly yielded up to myself, the next thing done was to put
every thing in order. The tattered sails were replaced by
others, dragged up from the sail-room below; in several
places, new running-rigging was rove; blocks restrapped;
and the slackened stays and shrouds set taught. For all of
which, we were mostly indebted to my Viking's unwearied
and skillful marling-spike, which he swayed like a scepter.
The little Parki's toilet being thus thoroughly made for
the first time since the massacre, we gave her new raiment
to the breeze, and daintily squaring her yards, she gracefully
glided away; honest old Jarl at the helm, watchfully guiding
her path, like some devoted old foster-father.
As I stood by his side like a captain, or walked up and
down on the quarter-deck, I felt no little importance upon
thus assuming for the first time in my life, the command of
a vessel at sea. The novel circumstances of the case only
augmented this feeling; the wild and remote seas where we
were; the character of my crew, and the consideration, that
to all purposes, I was owner, as well as commander of the
craft I sailed.
