Jarwin and Cuffy Part 10

Saying this, Big Chief sat down, and left Jarwin standing in the midst scratching his head, and looking with extreme perplexity at the vast sea of black faces and glittering eyes which were directed towards him.

"W'y, you know, old man, it ain't fair of you, this ain't," he said, addressing himself to Big Chief; "you've took me all aback, like a white squall. How d'ee s'pose that _I_ can tell 'ee wot to do? I ain't a parson--no, not even a clerk, or a parish beadle!"

To this Big Chief vouchsafed no further reply than--"Palaver, you Breetish tar!"

"Wery good," exclaimed Jarwin, turning round, and looking full at his audience, while a bright smile lit up his sunburnt countenance, as if a sudden idea had occurred to him, "I'll do my best to palaver. Here goes, then, for a yarn."

Jarwin spoke, of course, in the native tongue, which we translate into his own language.

"Big Chief, small chiefs, and n.i.g.g.e.rs in general," he began, with a wave of his right hand, "you've called on me for a speech. Good. I'm your man, I'm a `Breetish tar,' as your great chief says truly--that's a fact; an' I'm a Christian--I _hope_. G.o.d knows, I've sometimes my own doubts as to that same; but the doubts ain't with reference to the Almighty; they're chiefly as regards myself. Howsever, to come to the point, you've gone and burnt your idols--"

"Ho!" exclaimed the whole a.s.sembly, with a degree of energy that made a deep impression on the sailor--just as one might be impressed when he has been permitted to become the happy medium of achieving some great end which he had never dreamed of being privileged to accomplish.

"Well, then," continued Jarwin, "_that_ is a good thing, anyhow; for it's a disgrace to human natur', not to speak o' common-sense an' other things, to wors.h.i.+p stocks an' stones, w'en the Bible _distinctly_ tolls 'ee not to do it. You've done right in that matter; an' glad am I to hear from Big Chief that you intend, after this, to foller _the truth_.

Old man, an' n.i.g.g.e.rs," cried Jarwin, warming up, "to my mind, the highest thing that a man can dewot his-self to is, the follerin' out an'

fallin' in with _the truth_. Just s'pose that chemists, an' ingineers, an' doctors was to foller lies! W'y, wot would come of it? Confoosion wus confounded. In coorse, therefore, they carefully _tries_ to foller wots _true_--though I'm bound for to say they _do_ git off the track now an' then. Well, if it's so with such like, it's much more so with religion. Wot then? W'y, stand by your colours, through thick an'

thin. Hold on to the Bible! That's the watchword. That's your sheet-anchor--though you haven't seed one yet. It's good holdin' ground is the Bible--it's the _only_ holdin' ground. `How does I know that?'

says you. Well, it ain't easy for me to give you an off-hand answer to that, any more than it is to give you an off-hand answer to a complicated question in the rule o' three. A parson could do it, no doubt, but the likes o' me can only show a sort o' reflected light like the moon; nevertheless, we may show a true light--though reflected.

Chiefs an' n.i.g.g.e.rs, there's a.s.ses in every generation (young a.s.ses chiefly) as thinks they've found out somethin' noo in regard to the Bible, an' then runs it down. An' them fellers grow old, an' sticks to their opinions; an' they think themselves wise, an' other people thinks 'em wise 'cause they're old, as if oldness made 'em wise! W'y are they a.s.ses? W'y, because they formed their opinions _early_ in life, in opposition to men wot has studied these matters all through their lives.

Havin' hoisted their colours, they nails 'em to the mast; an' there they are! They never goes at the investigation o' the subject as a man investigates mathematics, or navigation, or logarithms; so they're like a s.h.i.+p at sea without a chart. n.i.g.g.e.rs, no man can claim to be wise unless he can `render a reason.' He _may_ be, p'raps, but he can't _claim_ to be. _I_ believe the Bible's true because o' two facts. Fust of all, men of the highest intellec' have found it true, an tried it, an' practised its teachin's, an' rested their souls on it. In the second place, as the parsons say, _I_ have tried it, an' found it true as fur as I've gone. I've sailed accordin to the chart, an' have struck on no rocks or shoals as yet. I've bin wery near it; but, thank G.o.d, I wasn't allowed to take the wrong course altogether, though I've got to confess that I wanted to, many a time. Now, wot does all this here come to?" demanded Jarwin, gazing round on his audience, who were intensely interested, though they did not understand much of what he said, "wot _does_ it come to? W'y that, havin' wisely given up yer idols, an'

taken to the true G.o.d, the next best thing you can do is to go off at once to Raratonga, an' git the best adwice you can from those wot are trained for to give it. I can't say no fairer than that, for, as to askin' adwice on religious matters from the likes o' me, w'y the thing's parfitly ridiklous!"

Jarwin sat down amid a murmur of applause. In a few minutes an old chief rose to reply. His words were to the effect that, although there was much in their white brother's speech beyond their understanding-- which was not to be wondered at, considering that he was so learned, and they so ignorant--there was one part of it which he thoroughly agreed with, namely, that a party should be sent to Raratonga to inform the Cookee missionaries as to what had taken place, to ask advice, and to beg one of the Cookees to come and live permanently on their island, and teach them the Christian religion. Another chief followed with words and sentiments to much the same effect. Then Big Chief gave orders that the canoes for the deputation should be got ready without delay, and the meeting broke up with loud shouts and other pleasant demonstrations.

Matters having been thus satisfactorily arranged, Jarwin returned to his hut with a grateful heart, to meditate on the happy turn that had taken place in his prospects. Finding the hut not quite congenial to his frame of mind, and observing that the day was unusually fine, he resolved to ramble in the cool shades of a neighbouring wood.

"Come, Cuff, my doggie, you an' I shall go for a walk this fine day; we've much to think about an' talk over, d'ee see, which is best done in solitary places."

Need we say that Cuffy responded with intense enthusiasm to this invitation, and that his "spanker boom" became violently demonstrative as he followed his master into the wood.

Jarwin still wore, as we have said, his old canvas trousers, which had been patched and re-patched to such an extent with native cloth, that very little of the original fabric was visible. The same may be said of his old flannel s.h.i.+rt, to which he clung with affectionate regard long after it had ceased to be capable of clinging to him without patchwork strengthening. The remnants of his straw hat, also, had been carefully kept together, so that, with the exception of the paint on his face, which Big Chief insisted on his wearing, and the huge South-Sea club which he carried habitually for protection, he was still a fair specimen of a British tar.

Paroquets were chattering happily; rills were trickling down the hillsides; fruit and flower trees perfumed the air, and everything looked bright and beautiful--in pleasant accordance with the state of Jarwin's feelings--while the two friends wandered away through the woods in dreamy enjoyment of the past and present, and with hopeful antic.i.p.ations in regard to the future. Jarwin said something to this effect to Cuffy, and put it to him seriously to admit the truth of what he said, which that wise dog did at once--if there be any truth in the old saying that "silence is consent."

After wandering for several hours, they came out of the wood at a part of the coast which lay several miles distant from Big Chief's village.

Here, to his surprise and alarm, he discovered two war-canoes in the act of running on the beach. He drew back at once, and endeavoured to conceal himself, for he knew too well that this was a party from a distant island, the princ.i.p.al chief of which had threatened more than once to make an attack on Big Chief and his tribe. But Jarwin had been observed, and was immediately pursued and his retreat cut off by hundreds of yelling savages. Seeing this, he ran down to the beach, and, taking up a position on a narrow spit of sand, flourished his ponderous club and stood at bay. Cuffy placed himself close behind his master, and, glaring between his legs at the approaching savages, displayed all his teeth and snarled fiercely. One, who appeared to be a chief, ran straight at our hero, brandis.h.i.+ng a club similar to his own.

Jarwin had become by that time well practised in the use of his weapon; he evaded the blow dealt at him, and fetched the savage such a whack on the small of his back as he pa.s.sed him, that he fell flat on the sand and lay there. Cuffy rushed at him and seized him by the throat, an act which induced another savage to launch a javelin at the dog. It grazed his back, cut it partly open, and sent him yelling into the woods.

Meanwhile, Jarwin was surrounded, and, although he felled three or four of his a.s.sailants, was quickly overpowered by numbers, gagged, lashed tight to a pole, so that he could not move, and laid in the bottom of one of the war-canoes.

Even when in this sad plight the st.u.r.dy seaman did not lose heart, for he knew well that Cuffy being wounded and driven from his master's side, would run straight home to his master's hut, and that Big Chief would at once suspect, from the nature of the wound and the circ.u.mstance of the dog being alone, that it was necessary for him and his men-of-war to take the field; Jarwin, therefore, felt very hopeful that he should be speedily rescued. But such hopes were quickly dispelled when, after a noisy dispute on the beach, the savages, who owned the canoe in which he lay, suddenly re-embarked and pushed off to sea, leaving the other canoe and its crew on the beach.

Hour after hour pa.s.sed, but the canoe-men did did not relax their efforts. Straight out to sea they went, and when the sun set, Big Chief's island had already sunk beneath the horizon.

Now, indeed, a species of wild despair filled the breast of the poor captive. To be thus seized, and doomed in all probability to perpetual bondage, when the cup of regained liberty had only just touched his lips, was very hard to bear. When he first fully realised his situation, he struggled fiercely to burst his bonds, but the men who had tied him knew how to do their work. He struggled vainly until he was exhausted. Then, looking up into the starry sky, his mind became gradually composed, and he had recourse to prayer. Slumber ere long sealed his eyes, setting him free in imagination, and he did not again waken until daylight was beginning to appear.

All that day he lay in the same position, without water or food, cramped by the cords that bound him, and almost driven mad by the heat of an unclouded sun. Still, onward went the canoe--propelled by men who appeared to require no rest. Night came again, and Jarwin--by that time nearly exhausted--fell into a troubled slumber. From this he was suddenly aroused by loud wild cries and shouts, as of men engaged in deadly conflict, and he became aware of the fact that the canoe in which he lay was attacked, for the warriors had thrown down their paddles and seized their clubs, and their feet trod now on his chest, now on his face, as they staggered to and fro. In a few minutes several dead and wounded men fell on him; then he became unconscious.

When John Jarwin's powers of observation returned, he found himself lying on his back in a neat little bed, with white cotton curtains, in a small, comfortably-furnished room, that reminded him powerfully of home!

Cuffy lay on the counterpane, sound asleep, with his chin on his master's breast. At the bedside, with her back to him, sat a female, dressed in European clothes, and busy sewing.

"Surely it ain't bin all a long dream!" whispered Jarwin to himself.

Cuffy c.o.c.ked his ears and head, and turned a furtive glance on his master's face, while his "spanker boom" rose with the evident intention to wag, if circ.u.mstances rendered it advisable; but circ.u.mstances had of late been rather perplexing to Cuffy. At the same time the female turned quickly round and revealed a brown, though pleasant, face.

Simultaneously, a gigantic figure arose at his side and bent over him.

"You's bedder?" said the gigantic figure.

"Hallo! Big Chief! Wot's up, old feller?" exclaimed Jarwin.

"Hold you's tongue!" said Big Chief, sternly. "Go way," he added, to the female, who, with an acquiescent smile, left the room.

"Well, this _is_ queer; an' I feels queer. Queery--wots the meanin' of it?" asked Jarwin.

"You's bin bad, Jowin," answered Big Chief, gravely, "wery bad. Dead a-most. Now, you's goin' to be bedder. Doctor say that--"

"Doctor!" exclaimed Jarwin in surprise, "_what_ doctor?"

"Doctor of s.h.i.+p. Hims come ebbery day for to see you."

"s.h.i.+p!" cried Jarwin, springing up in his bed and glaring at Big Chief in wonder.

"Lie down, you Christian Breetish tar," said the Chief, sternly, at the same time laying his large hand on the sailor's chest with a degree of force that rendered resistance useless. "Hold you's tongue an' listen.

Doctor say you not for speak. Me tell you all about it.

"Fust place," continued Big Chief, "you's bin bad, konsikince of de blackguard's havin' jump on you's face an' stummick. But we give 'em awful lickin', Jowin--oh! smash um down right and left; got you out de canoe--dead, I think, but no, not jus' so. Bring you here--Raratonga.

De Cookee missionary an' his wife not here; away in s.h.i.+p you sees im make. Native teecher here. Dat teecher's wife bin nurse you an' go away jus' now. s.h.i.+p comes here for trade, bound for England. Ams got doctor. Doctor come see you, shake ums head; looks long time; say he put you `all right.' Four week since dat. Now, you's hall right?"

The last words he uttered with much anxiety depicted on his countenance, for he had been so often deceived of late by Jarwin having occasional lucid intervals in the midst of his delirium, that his faith in him had been shaken.

"All right!" exclaimed Jarwin, "aye, right as a trivet. Bound for England, did 'ee say--the s.h.i.+p?"

Big Chief nodded and looked very sad. "You go home?" he asked, softly.

Jarwin was deeply touched, he seized the big man's hand, and, not being strong, failed to restrain a tear or two. Big Chief, being _very_ strong--in feelings as well as in frame--burst into tears. Cuffy, being utterly incapable of making head or tail of it, gave vent to a prolonged, dismal howl, which changed to a bark and whine of satisfaction when his master laughed, patted him, and advised him not to be so free in the use of his "spanker boom!"

Four weeks later, and Jarwin, with Cuffy by his side, stood, "himself again," on the quarterdeck of the _Nancy_ of Hull, while the "Yo, heave ho!" of the sailors rang an accompaniment to the clatter of the windla.s.s as they weighed anchor, Big Chief held his hand and wept, and rubbed noses with him--to such an extent that the cabin boy said it was a perfect miracle that they had a sc.r.a.p of nose left on their faces--and would not be consoled by the a.s.surance that he, Jarwin, would certainly make another voyage to the South Seas, if he should be spared to do so, and occasion offered, for the express purpose of paying him a visit. At last he tore himself away, got into his canoe, and remained gazing in speechless sorrow after the homeward-bound vessel as she shook out her topsails to the breeze.

Despite his efforts, poor Jarwin was so visibly affected at parting from his kind old master, that the steward of the s.h.i.+p, a sympathetic man, was induced to offer him a gla.s.s of grog and a pipe. He accepted both, mechanically, still gazing with earnest looks at the fast-receding canoe.

Presently he raised the gla.s.s to his lips, and his nose became aware of the long-forgotten odour! The current of his thoughts was violently changed. He looked intently at the gla.s.s and then at the pipe.

"Drink," said the sympathetic steward, "and take a whiff. It'll do you good."

"Drink! whiff!" exclaimed Jarwin, while a dark frown gathered on his brow. "There, old Father Neptune," he cried, tossing the gla.s.s and pipe overboard, "_you_ drink and whiff, if you choose; John Jarwin has done wi' drinkin' an' whiffin' for ever! Thanks to _you_, all the same, an'

no offence meant," he added in a gentler tone, turning to the astonished steward, and patting him on the shoulder, "but if you had suffered all that I have suffered through bein' a slave to the gla.s.s and the pipe-- when I _thought_ I was no slave, mark you, an' would have larfed any one to scorn who'd said I wos--if you'd see'd me groanin', an yearnin', an'

dreamin' of baccy an' grog, as I _have_ done w'en I couldn't get neither of 'em for love or money--you wouldn't wonder that I ain't goin' to be such a born fool as to go an' sell myself over again!"