CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.
A PICNIC AND A SURPRISE.
But the cyclone, terrible though it was, did not altogether put an endto the Dumplin' picnic, if we may be allowed the phrase. It onlydelayed it. As soon as the weather cleared up, that interesting eventcame off.
"Who'll go by land and who'll go by water?" asked Thursday, when theheads of houses were assembled in consultation on the morning of thegreat day, for great it was in more ways than one in the annals ofPitcairn.
"I'll go by water," said Charlie Christian, who was one of the "heads,"inasmuch as he had been appointed to take charge of the hut which hadbeen nearly carried away.
"Does any one know how the girls are going?" asked Matt Quintal.
"I'm not sure," said John Adams, with one of those significant glancesfor which he was noted. "I did hear say that Sally meant to go by land,but, of course, I can't tell. Girls will be girls, you know, an'there's no knowing when you have them."
"Well, perhaps the land road will be pleasanter," said Charlie. "Yes,now I think of it, I'll go by land."
"I think, also," continued Adams, without noticing Charlie's remark,"that some one said Bessy Mills was going by water."
"You're all wrong, Charlie, about the land road," said Matt Quintal;"the water is far better. _I_ shall go by water."
"Dan'l, my lad," said Adams, addressing young McCoy, "which way did_you_ say you'd go?"
"I didn't say I'd go any way, father," answered Dan.
"That may be so, lad, but you'll have to go one way or other."
"Not of necessity, father. Mightn't I stay at home and take care of thepigs?"
"You might," said Adams, with a smile, "if you think they would besuitable company for you. Well, now, the sooner we start the better. Imean to go by water myself, for I'm gettin' rather stiff in the legs forcliff-work. Besides, I promised to give Sarah Quintal a lesson indeep-sea fishing, so she's goin' with me."
"Perhaps," observed Dan McCoy, after a pause, "I might as well go bywater too, and if you've no objection to take me in your canoe, I wouldlend you a hand wi' the paddle. I would be suitable company for you,father, you know, and I'm very anxious to improve in deep-sea fishin'."
"It don't take much fishin' to find out how the wind blows, you blessedinnocents," thought John Adams, with a quiet chuckle, which somewhatdisconcerted Dan; but he only said aloud, "Well, yes, you may come, butonly on condition that you swim alongside, for I mean to carry a cargoof staggerers and sprawlers."
"There's only one staggerer and one sprawler now," said Dan, with alaugh; "your own George and Toc's Dumplin'."
"Just so, but ain't these a host in themselves? You keep your tongueunder hatches, Dan, or I'll have to lash it to your jaw with a bit o'rope-yarn."
"Oh, _what_ a yarn I'd spin with it if you did!" retorted theincorrigible Dan. "But how are the jumpers to go, and where are they?"
"They may go as they please," returned Adams, as he led the way to thefootpath down the cliffs; "they went to help the women wi' the victuals,an' I've no doubt are at their favourite game of slidin' on the waves."
He was right in this conjecture. While the younger women and girls ofthe village were busy carrying the provisions to the beach, those activelittle members of the community who were styled jumpers, and of whomthere were still half-a-dozen, were engaged in their favourite game. Itwas conducted amid shouts and screams of delight, which rose above thethunder of the mighty waves that rolled in grand procession into thebay.
Ned Quintal, the stoutest and most daring, as well as the oldest ofthese jumpers, being over eight years, was the best slider. He was onthe point of dashing into the sea when Adams and the others arrived onthe scene.
Clothed only with a little piece of tapa cloth formed into breechesreaching to about the knees, his muscular little frame was shown to fulladvantage, as he stood with streaming curly hair, having a thin boardunder his arm, about three feet long, and shaped like a canoe.
He watched a mighty wave which was coming majestically towards him.Just as it was on the point of falling, little Ned held up the board infront of him, and with one vigorous leap dived right through the wave,and came out at the other side. Thus he escaped being carried by it tothe shore, and swam over the rolling backs of the waves that followed ituntil he got out to sea. Then, turning his face landward, he laid hisboard on the water, and pushing it under himself, came slowly in,watching for a larger wave than usual. As he moved along, little BillyYoung ranged alongside.
"Here's a big un, Billy," cried Ned, panting with excitement andexertion, as he looked eagerly over his shoulder at a billow whichseemed big enough to have wrecked an East Indiaman.
Billy did not reply, for, having a spice of Dan McCoy's fun-lovingspirit in him, he was intent on giving Ned's board a tip and turning itover.
As the wave came up under them, it began as it were to boil on thesurface, a sure sign that it was about to break. With a shout Nedthrust his board along, and actually mounted it in a sitting posture.Billy made a violent kick, missed his aim, lost hold of his own board,and was left ignominiously behind. Ned, caught on the wave's crest, wascarried with a terrific rush towards the shore. He retained hisposition for a few seconds, then tumbled over in the tumult of water,but got the board under him again as he was swept along.
How that boy escaped being dashed to pieces on the rocks which studdedBounty Bay is more than we can comprehend, much more, therefore, than wecan describe. Suffice it to say, that he arrived, somehow, on his legs,and was turning to repeat the manoeuvre, when Adams called to him andall the others to come ashore an' get their sailin' orders.
Things having been finally arranged, Adams said, "By the way, who'sstopping to take charge of poor Jimmy Young?"
A sympathetic look from every one and a sudden cessation of merrimentfollowed the question, for poor little James Young, the only invalid onPitcairn, was afflicted with a complaint somewhat resembling that whichcarried off his father.
"Of course," continued Adams, "I know that my old 'ooman an' Mainmastare with him, but I mean who of the young folk?"
"May Christian," said Sally, who had come down to see the water-partystart. "Two or three of us offered also to stay, father, but Jimwouldn't hear of it, an' said he would cry all the time if we stayed.He said that May was all he wanted."
"Dear little Jim," said Adams, "I do believe he's got more o' God's bookinto him, small though he is, than all the rest of us put together. An'he's not far wrong, neither, about May. She's worth a dozen or'narygirls. Now then, lend a hand wi' the canoe. Are you ready, MistressToc?"
"Quite," replied the heroine of the day, with a pleased glance inThursday's somewhat sheepish face.
"An' Dumplin', is _he_ ready?" said the seaman.
The hero of the day was held up in the arms of his proud father.
"Now then, lads, shove off!"
In a few minutes the canoe, with its precious freight and Thursday atthe steering-paddle, was thrust through the wild surf, and went skimmingover the smooth sea beyond. Immediately thereafter another canoe waslaunched, with John Adams and a miscellaneous cargo of children, women,and girls, including graceful Bessy Mills and pretty Sarah Quintal.
"Now then, here goes," cried Matt Quintal, wading deep into the surf."Are you coming, Dan?"
"I'm your man," said Dan, following.
Both youths raised their hands and leaped together. They went throughthe first wave like two stalwart eels, and were soon speeding after thecanoes, spurning the water behind them, and conversing as comfortably onthe voyage as though the sea were their native element.
Close on their heels went two of the most athletic among the smallerboys, while one bold infant was arrested in a reckless attempt to followby Otaheitan Sally, who had to rush into the surf after him.
Descended though he was of an amiable race, it is highly probable thatthis infant would have displayed the presence of white blood in hisveins had his detainer been any other than Sall
y; but she possessed apower to charm the wildest spirit on the island. So the child consentedto "be good," and go along with her overland.
"Now, are you ready to go?" said Sally to Charlie, who was the onlyother one of the band left on the beach besides herself.
Poor Charlie stood looking innocently into the sparkling face of thebrunette. He did not know what was the matter with him, still less didhe care. He knew that he was supremely happy. That was enough. Sally,who knew quite well what was the matter--quite as well, almost, as ifshe had gone through a regular civilised education--laughed heartily,grasped the infant's fat paw, and led him up the hill.
Truly it was a pleasant picnic these people had that day. Healthy andhearty, they probably came as near to the realisation of heaven uponearth as it is ever given to poor sinful man to know, for they had lovein their hearts, and their religion, drawn direct from the purefountain-head, was neither dimmed by false sentimentality on the onehand, nor by hypocrisy on the other.
Perhaps John Adams was the only one of the band who wondered at thesight, and thanked God for undeserved and unexpected mercy, for he alonefully understood the polluted stock from which they had all sprung, andthe terrible pit of heathenish wickedness from which they had beenrescued, not by _him_ (the humbled mutineer had long since escaped fromthat delusion), but by the Word of God.
After proceeding a considerable distance along the rocky coast of theirlittle isle, John Adams ordered the canoes to lie-to, while he made anattempt to catch a fresh cod for dinner.
Of course, Matt Quintal and Dan McCoy ranged up alongside, and werespeedily joined by some of the adventurous small boys. Adams took theselatter into the canoe, but the former he ordered away.
"No, no," he said, while Sarah Quintal assisted to get out the bait andBessy Mills to arrange the line. "No, no, we don't want no idlers here.You be off to the rocks, Matt and Dan, an' see what you can catch.Remember, he who won't work shall not eat. There should be lots o'crawfish about, or you might try for a red-snapper. Now, be off, bothof you."
"Ay, ay, father," replied the youths, pushing off and swimming shorewardrather unwillingly.
"I don't feel much inclined to go after crawfish or red-snappers to-day,Matt, do you?" asked Dan, brushing the curls out of his eyes with hisright hand.
"No, not I; but we're bound to do something towards the dinner, youknow."
At that moment there was a loud shouting and screaming from the canoe.They looked quickly back. Adams was evidently struggling with somethingin the water.
"He has hooked something big," cried Matt; "let's go see."
Dan said nothing, but turned and made for the canoe with the speed of aporpoise. His companion followed.
Adams had indeed hooked a large cod, or something like it, and hadhauled it near to the surface when the youths came up.
"Have a care. He bolts about like a mad cracker," cried Adams. "There,I have him now. Stand clear all!"
Gently did the seaman raise the big fish to the surface, and verytenderly did he play him, on observing that he was not well hooked.
"Come along, my beauty! What a wopper! Won't he go down without sauce?Pity I've got no kleek to gaff him. Not quite so close, Dan, he'llget--Hah!"
The weight of the fish tore it from the hook at that moment, and itdropped.
Dropped, ay, but not exactly into its native element. It dropped intoDan's bosom! With a convulsive grasp Dan embraced it in his strong armsand sank. Matt Quintal dived, also caught hold of the fish with bothhands and worked his two thumbs deep into its gills. By the processcalled treading water, the two soon regained the surface. Sarah Quintalseized Dan McCoy by the hair, Bessy Mills made a grasp at Matt andcaught him by the ear, while John Adams made a grab at the fish, got himby the nose, thrust a hand into his mouth, which was wide open withsurprise or something else, as well it might be, and caught it by thetongue.
Another moment, and a wild cheer from the boys announced that the fishwas safe in the canoe.
"We're entitled to dinner now, father," said Dan, laughing.
"Not a bit of it, you lazy boys; that fish is only big enough for thegirls. We want something for the men and child'n. Be off again."
With much more readiness the youths, now gratified by their success,turned to the outlying rocks of a low promontory which jutted from theinaccessible cliffs at that part. Effecting a landing with somedifficulty, they proceeded to look for crawfish, a species of lobsterwhich abounds there.
Leaning over a ledge of rock, and peering keenly down into a clear poolwhich was sheltered from the surf, Dan suddenly exclaimed, "There's one,Matt; I see his feelers."
As he spoke he dived into the water and disappeared. Even a pearl divermight have wondered at the length of time he remained below. Presentlyhe reappeared, puffing like a grampus, and holding a huge lobster-likecreature in his hands.
"That'll stop the mouths of two or three of us, Matt!" he exclaimed,looking round.
But Matt Quintal was nowhere to be seen. He, too, had seen a fish, andgone to beard the lobster in his den. In a few seconds he reappearedwith another crawfish.
Thus, in the course of a short time, these youths captured four finefish, and returned to the canoe, swimming on their backs, with one ineach hand.
While things were progressing thus favourably at sea, matters were beingconducted not less admirably, though with less noise, on land.
The canoe containing Mrs Toc and the celebrated baby went direct to thelanding-place at Martin's Cove, which was a mere spot of sand in anarrow creek, where landing was by no means easy even for these expertcanoemen.
Here the women kindled a fire and heated the culinary stones, while Tocand some of the others clambered up the cliffs to obtain gulls' eggs andcocoa-nuts.
Meanwhile Charlie Christian and Otaheitan Sally and the staggerer wendedtheir way overland to the same rendezvous slowly--remarkably slowly.They had so much to talk about; not of politics, you may be sure, noryet of love, for they were somewhat shy of that, being, so to speak, newto it.
"I wonder," said Charlie, sitting down for the fiftieth time, on a bank"whereon time grew" to such an extent that he seemed to take no accountof it whatever; "I wonder if the people in the big world we've heard somuch of from father lead as pleasant lives as we do."
"Some of 'em do, of course," said Sally. "You know there are plenty ofbusy people among them who go about working, read their Bible, an' tryto make other people happy, so of course they must be happy themselves."
"That's true, Sall; but then they have many things to worry them, an'you know _we_ haven't."
"Yes, they've many things to worry them, I suppose," rejoined Sall, witha pensive look at the ground. "I wonder what sort of things worry themmost? It can't be dressin' up grand, an' goin' out to great parties,an' drivin' in lovely carriages. Nobody could be worried by that, youknow."
Charlie nodded his head, and agreed with her entirely.
"Neither can it be money," resumed Sall, "for money buys everything youwant, as father says, and that can be nothin' but pleasure. If theiryam-fields went wrong, I could understand that, because even you and Iknow somethin' about such worries; but, you see, they haven't got noyam-fields. Then father says the rich ones among 'em eat an' drinkwhatever they like, and as much as they like, and sleep as long as theylike, an' _we_ know that eatin' an' drinkin' an' sleepin' don't worryus, do they, Charlie?"
Again Charlie accorded unmeasured assent to Sall's propositions.
"I can understand better," continued Sall, "how the poor ones among 'emare worried. It must worry 'em a good deal, I should think, to see somepeople with far more than they want, when they haven't got half as muchas they want; an' father says some of 'em are sometimes well-nighstarvin'. Now, it must be a dreadful worry to starve. Just think howfunny it would feel to have nothin' to eat at all, not even a yam! Thenit must be a dreadful thing for the poor to see their child'n withoutenough to eat. Yes, the poor child'n of the poor must be a w
orry to'em, though the child'n of the rich never are."
At this point a wild shriek from the little child caused Sally's heartto bound. She looked up, and beheld the fat legs of her charge fly upas he went headlong over a precipice. Fortunately the precipice wasonly three feet high, so that when Sally and Charlie ran panting to thespot, he was already on his feet, looking much surprised, but none theworse for his tumble.
This incident sobered the inquisitive friends, and brought them backfrom fanciful to actual life. They hurried over the remainder of thejourney, and arrived at Martin's Cove just as the picnic party werebeginning dinner.
Feasting is a commonplace and rather gross subject, having many pointsof similitude in all lands. We shall therefore pass over this part ofthe day's enjoyment, merely remarking that, what with fish and lobster,and yams and cocoa-nuts, and bananas and plantains, and sundry compoundsof the same made into cakes, and clear water from the mountain-side,there was ample provision for the wants of nature. There was no lack,either, of that feast which is said to flow from "reason" and "soul"There was incident, also, to enliven the proceedings; for the child whohad come by the overland route with Sally fell into something resemblinga yam-pie, and the hero of the day managed to roll into the oven whichhad cooked the victuals. Fortunately, it had cooled somewhat by thattime, and seemed to tickle his fancy rather than otherwise.
Dinner was concluded; and as it had been preceded by asking a blessing,it was now closed with thanksgiving. Then Dinah Adams began to show atendency to clear up the debris, when Dan McCoy, who had wandered awaywith Sarah Quintal in search of shells to a neighbouring promontory,suddenly uttered a tremendous and altogether new cry.
"What _is_ he up to now?" said John Adams, rising hastily and shadinghis eyes with his hand.
Dan was seen to be gesticulating frantically on the rocks, and pointingwildly out to sea.
The whole party ran towards him, and soon became as wildly excited ashimself, for there, at long last, was a _ship_, far away on the horizon!
To launch the canoes and make for home was the work of a very fewminutes. No one thought of swimming now. Those who did not go in thecanoes went by the land road as fast as they could run and clamber. Ina short time the gulls were left in undisturbed possession of Martin'sCove.
The Lonely Island: The Refuge of the Mutineers Page 27