The Island Home

by Richard Archer

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

  AN EXPLOSION.

  THE CANNIBALS APPRECIATE MUSIC AND ELOQUENCE, BUT TAKE OFFENCE AT THENEW THEOLOGY.

  "Then tumult rose, fierce rage, and wild affright."

  "In the afternoon," resumed Arthur, "we went with our host and hostess,and our companions at dinner, to a grove on the banks of the stream--aplace of general resort for the villagers during the latter part ofevery fine day. The younger people met there, to pursue a variety ofsports and athletic exercises, and the older to gossip and look on. Wehad intended to return to the boat, as soon as the repast was over, andit would have been well had we done so. But our new friends insisted sostrenuously upon our accompanying them to the grove, that we yielded atlast to their playful importunities, so far as to consent to make abrief pause there on our way. We had gone but a short distance from thehouse, when a bird of about the size of a robin, flew down from a treebeneath which we were passing, and after circling several times aroundOlla's head, alighted on her finger, which she held out for it to perchupon. It was a young wood-pigeon, which she had found in the grove,when a callow half-fledged thing, the old bird having been captured orkilled by some juvenile depredators. Taking pity on its orphan state,Olla had adopted and made a pet of it: it was now perfectly tame, andwould come readily at her call of `Lai-evi', (little captive), the nameshe had given it, attending her so closely as to be seldom during theday beyond the sound of her voice.

  "On reaching the grove, we found quite a number of the natives, of allages and of both sexes assembled, and though they soon began to gatherabout us with inquisitive looks, we were subjected to much lessannoyance than might reasonably have been expected under thecircumstances. We were neither crowded, nor jostled, nor evenoffensively stared at, the very children appearing to possess an innatedelicacy and sense of propriety, (though it may have been timidity),which made them try to gratify their curiosity covertly, seizing thoseopportunities to peep at us, when they thought they were themselvesunobserved.

  "Barton, who possessed an enviable faculty of adapting himself to allsorts of people and circumstances, was in a few moments as much at homeamong the villagers as if he had lived for years in their midst. Hegossiped with the old people, romped with the children, and chatted andfrolicked with the prettiest and most lively of the dusky maidens, tothe manifest disapprobation of several grim-looking young savages, whostalked about in sullen dignity watching these familiar proceedings ofthe handsome stranger, with rising jealousy and indignation.

  "At length a bevy of laughing girls, in punishment for some impertinencewith which they charged him, fell to pelting him with jasmine buds andpandanus cones, the latter of which, in mischievous hands, are capableof becoming rather formidable missiles. Foremost among the assailantswere our fair acquaintances of the morning, and even Olla, forgettingher matronly station and dignity, joined zealously in the flowerywarfare; which was maintained with such spirit, that Barton was atlength obliged to beg for quarter, promising at the same time to `makesome music' for them, as a condition of the suspension of hostilities.This proposition, as soon as it was understood, seemed to afford themost extravagant delight; the shower of missiles ceased at once, andBarton was immediately surrounded by as attentive and breathlesslyexpectant an audience as artist could desire. Taking his stand upon amoss-covered fragment of rock, he drew an enormous Jew's-harp from hispocket, and handed it to me, gravely requesting me to `accompany' himupon it, while he sang. Then, after clearing his throat, with quite aprofessional air, he commenced `Hail Columbia,' and as he had a full,clear voice, and sang with great spirit, the performance was listened towith every mark of enjoyment, and was succeeded by rapturous applause.

  "He next gave a solo on the Jew's-harp to the air of `Yankee Doodle,'with brilliant and original variations, which likewise met with aflattering reception. But by far the greatest sensation was produced by`Auld Lang syne,' which we sang together as a grand finale. The nativesreally seemed to feel the sentiment of the music, although Barton turnedit into a burlesque by such an exaggerated pathos of tone andexpression, and gesture, that I had much difficulty in getting throughmy part of the performance without laughing; but my vexation at beingsurprised into taking a part in such a piece of buffoonery, greatlyhelped me in resisting my sense of the ludicrous. At the end of everyverse, Barton grasped my hand in the most demonstrative manner, andcommenced shaking it vigorously, looking me all the while solemnly inthe face, and shaking away through the entire chorus, thereby producinga number of quavers, which, though not set down in the music, greatlyadded to its pathetic character. After the last chorus, he spread openhis arms, rushed forward, and gave me a stage embrace. Thisperformance, including the pantomime, must have been of a very movingcharacter, for when we had finished, I actually saw tears in the eyes ofseveral of our audience. This evidence of the gentle andunsophisticated character of these simple people, affected me almost asmuch as our music had moved them, and I could not help thinking to howmuch better account such amiable impressibility was capable of beingturned.

  "Having thus performed his promise, Barton now insisted that we ought tobe entertained in our turn with some music, and after a littlepersuasion, three young girls sang, or rather chaunted, severalplaintive, but somewhat monotonous airs. Their voices, though neitherstrong nor clear, were soft and melodious, like the cooing of theirnative wood-pigeons. In vain we asked for something livelier and morespirited. Barton humming the tune of `Yankee Doodle,' to make them thebetter understand what we wanted. All their melodies seemed to be of aslow and measured character, and those specimens which we heard,embraced a comparatively narrow range of notes.

  "Just as the native girls finished singing, we were joined by a freshparty of eight or ten men, who came across the brook, and mingled withthe others. I heard Barton say to Rokoa, `There is the old priestagain,' but on looking around I could not see him. The new-comers didnot appear to be in the same holiday humour as the throng around us;they walked gravely about without joining in the general mirth andgaiety, and manifesting none of the curiosity in regard to ourselves,which the others had evinced. I, however, thought nothing of this atthe time, supposing that they had been of the number of those whom wehad seen in the morning by the sea-shore, although I did not recogniseany of them.

  "Presently, Olla and her companions commenced begging us for more music.One young lady in particular, (the same who had pronounced us to beinhabitants of the moon), pressed Barton with unceasing importunities,mingled with threats of a renewal of hostilities in case ofnon-compliance. Finding all attempts at excuse or evasion utterlyunavailing, he suddenly snatched a wreath of yellow candle-nut-blossomsfrom the head of his tormentress, crowned himself therewith, andspringing upon the top of the rock, assumed an oratorical attitude, andwaved his hand, as if about to harangue the people. Then, while I waswondering what was to come next, he fixed his eye sternly upon asinister looking man of middle-age, with the head-dress of an inferiorchief, who was standing directly in front of him, and began to declaimin Latin, with great vehemence--`Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina,patientia nostra,' etcetera, which the audience seemed at first, toconsider highly interesting and entertaining. As he proceeded,delivering the sounding sentences, `ore rotundo,' and emphasising eachthundering polysyllable with a fierce gesture of his clenched fist, Iobserved that the individual before mentioned, whom the orator seemed tohave chosen to represent Catiline, and who, without understanding Latin,could very well perceive that there was something menacing andvituperative in the language addressed to him, began to look at firstpuzzled, and then incensed. He stole two or three hurried and uncertainglances at those behind and immediately around him, as if to assurehimself whether this torrent of denunciation was not in fact directedagainst some other person; but when all doubt on this point seemed tohave been resolved by the unequivocal demonstrations of the orator, hisrigid features assumed an expression of such anger and ferocity, that Ibegan to fear some violent outbreak of passion,
and made severalattempts by signs and gestures, to indicate to Barton the danger ofpursuing so thoughtless and imprudent a pleasantry. But he either didnot perceive my meaning, or else, felt rather flattered than alarmed, bythe effect which his elocution seemed to produce upon Catiline, for hecontinued to pour out upon him the torrent of his oratory for severalminutes longer, and it was not until his memory began evidently to failhim, that he concluded with a last emphatic invective accompanied by asufficiently significant pantomime to convey some notion of its meaning,and bowing to his audience, leaped from the rostrum.

  "This performance, seemed to afford even greater pleasure to the malepart of the assembly, (with a few exceptions), than the previous musicalentertainment had done, and they testified their approbation, byemphatic nods and shouts of applause.

  "I now thought it time to terminate our visit, and return to the boat,and was about to speak to Rokoa on the subject, when Barton seized me bythe arm, and pushed me towards the platform of rock.

  "`Now, Arthur, it is your turn,' said he, `you perceive what an effectmy eloquence has produced on old Catiline, there: give him a lectureupon the sinfulness of indulging the vindictive passions, and exhort himto repentance.'

  "The younger people pressed about me, and instigated and aided byBarton, they fairly forced me upon the rocky platform. Though by nomeans pleased at being obliged to take a part in a farce so little to mytaste, and for which I possessed none of Barton's talent, I saw plainlythat the shortest and least troublesome way, was to comply with theirwishes, and I accordingly endeavoured to recall some fragment of proseor verse which might serve the present purpose. Supposing that Englishwould be quite as intelligible and acceptable to them as Barton's Latin,I was just about to declaim those noble opening lines of Comus--

  "`Before the starry threshold of Jove's Court,' etcetera.

  "Which used to be a favourite of mine at school, when suddenly anotherimpulse seized me.

  "As I glanced around upon the circle of smiling, upturned countenances,I was struck by the docile and childlike expression of many of them. Ithought of the sad and benighted condition of this simple people,without the knowledge of God, or the hope of immortality, given up, asit seemed, a helpless prey to the darkest and most cruel superstitions.I thought of the moss-grown marae in the dark wood, with its hideousidols, its piles of human bones, and its hoary priest--fit minister ofsuch a religion. I remembered the aged woman at Mowno's house, and thefrightful doom in reserve for her. I felt that perhaps to suchimpressible spirits, even a passing word, unskilfully and feebly spoken,might by God's blessing do good; and yielding to the impulse of themoment, instead of declaiming the verses from Comus, I began to speak tothem in their own language, of those great truths, the most momentousfor civilised or savage man to know, and the most deeply interesting toevery thoughtful mind, of whatever degree of culture--truths so simple,that even these untutored children of nature could receive, and be madehappy by them.

  "In the plainest and simplest language I could command, and striving toadapt myself to their habits of thought, and to use those forms ofexpression most familiar to them, I announced the great doctrine of theexistence of one God, the sole creator of the world, and the lovingFather of all his creatures. I spoke of his power and his goodness, andtold them that though invisible to our eyes, as the wind which stirredthe tops of the palm-trees above them, he was ever near each one of us,hearing our words, seeing our actions, reading our thoughts, and caringfor us continually.

  "I endeavoured to illustrate these attributes of God, by references andallusions to the daily aspects of nature around them, and to ideas andnotions with which their mode of life, and the system of superstition inwhich they had been trained, rendered them familiar. My especial aimwas to lead them, unconsciously, as it were, and without making anydirect attack upon their religion, to contrast the benignant characterof Him who has permitted us to call Him `Our Father in Heaven,' withthat of the malignant beings they had been taught to worship.

  "I next spoke of death, and of a future life, and assured them that thefriends whom they had buried, and they themselves, and all who had everlived, should awake as from a brief sleep, and live again for ever. Butwhen I proceeded to declare that most awful and mysterious doctrine ofour religion, and spoke of the worm that dieth not and the fire that isnot quenched, of eternal happiness, and unending woe, I could see by theearnestness of their attention, and the expression of theircountenances, how powerfully they were impressed.

  "I cannot remember all that I said, or the language I used, but Iendeavoured to set before them in a shape adapted to theircomprehension, the simple elements of the Christian scheme--the greatdoctrines of God and immortality, of human sinfulness andaccountability, and of salvation through Jesus Christ. But encouragedby the attention and apparent interest of the silent and listeningcircle, in the glow of the moment, I went beyond this prescribed limit,and from these vast general truths, I began at last to speak ofparticular acts and practices. As I thought once more of the marae inthe forest, and of the unhappy Malola, I told the people that our Fatherbeyond the sky could alone hear their prayers, and should alone beworshipped; that he desired no sacrifices of living things; that he wasoffended and displeased with all cruelty and bloodshed; and that theoffering of human sacrifices, and the killing of aged persons, werecrimes which he detested, and would be sure to punish; that he hadexpressly commanded children to love and honour their parents, and thatit was their duty, the older, the more infirm and helpless they became,the more faithfully to cherish and protect them. In speaking on thissubject, I grew earnest and excited, and probably my voice and mannertoo strongly expressed the abhorrence I felt for such monstrous andunnatural crimes.

  "At this point, Barton, who had for some time been looking on inastonishment at the serious turn which the matter had so unexpectedlytaken, interrupted me with the whispered caution--

  "`Be careful, Arthur! I fear from the black looks of one of yourclerical fathers here, that you are giving offence to the cloth, andtrenching upon perilous ground.'

  "But the warning came too late. Just as I glanced round in search ofthe threatening looks, to which Barton alluded, a frightful figuresprang up on the outer edge of the circle of listeners, directly infront of me, and with cries of rage forced its way towards the spotwhere I stood. I recognised at once the old priest of the marae, buthow changed since I last saw him! Every sign of age and decrepitude hadvanished: his misshapen frame seemed dilated, and instinct with nervousenergy: his face was pale with the intensity of his fury, and his smalleyes flashed fire.

  "`Perish, reviler of Oro, and his priests!' he cried, and hurled at me abarbed spear, with so true an aim, that if I had not stooped as it lefthis hand, it would have struck my face. Whizzing over my head, itpierced the tough bark of a bread-fruit tree, ten yards behind me, whereit stood quivering. Instantly catching a club from the hands of abystander, he rushed forward to renew the attack. He had reached thefoot of the rock where I stood, when Rokoa with a bound placed himselfbetween us, and though without any weapon, motioned him back, with agesture so commanding, and an air at once so quiet, and so fearless,that the priest paused. But it was for an instant only; then, withoututtering a word, he aimed a blow full at Rokoa's head. The lattercaught it in his open palm, wrenched the weapon from him, and, adroitlyfoiling a furious attempt which he made to grapple with him, once morestood upon the defensive with an unruffled aspect and not the slightestappearance of excitement in his manner.

  "The baffled priest, livid with rage, looked round for another weapon.Half a dozen of the men who had arrived upon the ground with him,uttered a wild yell, and pressed forward with brandished clubs andspears. Barton and I, placed ourselves by Rokoa's side, the formerhanding me one of his pistols. All was tumult and confusion. Theoutbreak had been so sudden and unexpected, and what I have just relatedhad passed so rapidly, that the bystanders had not yet recovered fromthe first shock of astonishment and terror. Of the women, some shri
ekedand fled from the spot, others threw themselves between us and the armednatives, or invoked the interference of their brothers and friends forour protection. Only a few, even of the men, seemed to participate inthe feeling of hostility against us.

  "But however inferior in number, the party of our foes far surpassedthat of our friends in resolution and energy. Foremost among them werethe priest and the hard-featured chief, who had been so deeply incensedby what he regarded as the wanton insults offered him by Barton. Anumber of the young men also, whose anger and jealousy had been arousedby his sudden popularity, and the attention which had been paid us,sided zealously with the priest and his party, and joined in the clamouragainst us.

  "Meanwhile, Mowno, at Olla's entreaty, strove to calm the tumult, and topacify the leader and instigator of it; but his authority was fiercelyspurned, and our good-natured protector quailed before the fury of thevindictive old man. As yet, however, our enemies, conscious that thesympathies of a large number of the bystanders were with us, had offeredus no actual violence, confining themselves to menacing cries andgestures, by which they seemed to be striving to work themselves up tothe requisite pitch of excitement. This was likely to be speedilyattained under the influence of the fierce exhortations and contagiousfury of the priest. Some of the young men, in fact, now commenced asort of covert attack, by throwing stones and fragments of wood at usfrom the outskirts of the crowd, and Barton was struck violently in themouth by one of these missiles, by which his lip was badly cut. In themidst of all the excitement and tumult, Rokoa stood, with the outwardappearance at least, of perfect composure. Neither the ravings of thepriest, nor the menacing attitude of `Catiline,' nor the brandishedweapons of their followers, deprived him of his coolness and presence ofmind. He steadily confronted them with an unblenching eye, grasping theclub of which he had possessed himself, in readiness to meet the attack,which he at the same time did nothing, by look or gesture, to provoke.His calm intrepidity, while it seemed temporarily to restrain ourenemies, served also to reassure and steady Barton and myself; andendeavouring to emulate his self-possession, we stood ready to act ascircumstances should indicate, looking to him for the example."

  Here Arthur paused, as if about to suspend his narrative. Johnny, whowas now broad awake, and listening eagerly, waited patiently a fewmoments, expecting him to recommence. Finding, however, that he did notdo so, he at length asked him to "go on."

  "It is getting quite late," answered Arthur; "see, those three brightstars which were high in the heavens when we first sat down here, arenow on the very edge of the horizon, about to sink behind the ocean. Aswe expect to be up, and on our way to Castle-hill before sunriseto-morrow. I think we should now go to rest."

  "If we do," replied Johnny, "I am sure I shall not be able to sleep; Ishall be thinking of that terrible old priest, and trying to guess howyou escaped at last."

  "I judge," said Browne, "that you are pretty nearly at the end of youradventures in Angatan, so pray let us have the remainder now."

  "Do so," added Morton, "and set Johnny's mind at rest, or he will bedreaming of cannibals and cannibal-priests all night, and disturbing usby crying out in his sleep."

  "I think it's quite likely," said Johnny, shaking his head in athreatening manner; "I feel just now very much as if I should."

  "Since that is the case," said Arthur, "I suppose I must `go on,' inself-defence; and as I believe that twenty minutes will suffice for whatremains, I will finish it."