Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas

by Herman Melville

  Presenting my compliments to Long Ghost, I asked how it fared withhim.

  "Bad enough," he replied, as he tossed about in the outlandish rubbishlying in the bottom of our couch. "Pah! how these old mats smell!"

  As he continued talking in this exciting strain for some time, I atlast made no reply, having resumed certain mathematical reveries toinduce repose. But finding the multiplication table of no avail, Isummoned up a grayish image of chaos in a sort of sliding fluidity,and was just falling into a nap on the strength of it, when I heard asolitary and distinct buzz. The hour of my calamity was at hand. Oneblended hum, the creature darted into the canoe like a smallswordfish; and I out of it.

  Upon getting into the open air, to my surprise, there was Long Ghost,fanning himself wildly with an old paddle. He had just made anoiseless escape from a swarm which had attacked his own end of thecanoe.

  It was now proposed to try the water; so a small fishing canoe, hauledup near by, was quickly launched; and paddling a good distance off,we dropped overboard the native contrivance for an anchor--a heavystone, attached to a cable of braided bark. At this part of theisland the encircling reef was close to the shore, leaving the waterwithin smooth, and extremely shallow.

  It was a blessed thought! We knew nothing till sunrise, when themotion of our aquatic cot awakened us. I looked up, and beheld Zekewading toward the shore, and towing us after him by the bark cable.Pointing to the reef, he told us we had had a narrow escape.

  It was true enough; the water-sprites had rolled our stone out of itsnoose, and we had floated away.

  CHAPTER LVII.

  THE SECOND HUNT IN THE MOUNTAINS

  FAIR dawned, over the hills of Martair, the jocund morning of ourhunt.

  Everything had been prepared for it overnight; and, when we arrived atthe house, a good breakfast was spread by Shorty: and old Tonoi wasbustling about like an innkeeper. Several of his men, also, were inattendance to accompany us with calabashes of food; and, in case wemet with any success, to officiate as bearers of burdens on ourreturn.

  Apprised, the evening previous, of the meditated sport, the doctor hadannounced his willingness to take part therein.

  Now, subsequent events made us regard this expedition as a shrewddevice of the Yankee's. Once get us off on a pleasure trip, and withwhat face could we afterward refuse to work? Beside, he enjoyed allthe credit of giving us a holiday. Nor did he omit assuring us that,work or play, our wages were all the while running on.

  A dilapidated old musket of Tonoi's was borrowed for the doctor. Itwas exceedingly short and heavy, with a clumsy lock, which required astrong finger to pull the trigger. On trying the piece by firing ata mark, Long Ghost was satisfied that it could not fail of doingexecution: the charge went one way, and he the other.

  Upon this, he endeavoured to negotiate an exchange of muskets withShorty; but the Cockney was proof against his blandishments; at last,he intrusted his weapon to one of the natives to carry for him.

  Marshalling our forces, we started for the head of the valley; nearwhich a path ascended to a range of high land, said to be a favouriteresort of the cattle.

  Shortly after gaining the heights, a small herd, some way off, wasperceived entering a wood. We hurried on; and, dividing our party,went in after them at four different points; each white man followedby several natives.

  I soon found myself in a dense covert; and, after looking round, wasjust emerging into a clear space, when I heard a report, and a bulletknocked the bark from a tree near by. The same instant there was atrampling and crashing; and five bullocks, nearly abreast, broke intoView across the opening, and plunged right toward the spot wheremyself and three of the islanders were standing.

  They were small, black, vicious-looking creatures; with short, sharphorns, red nostrils, and eyes like coals of fire. On they came--theirdark woolly heads hanging down.

  By this time my island backers were roosting among the trees. Glancinground, for an instant, to discover a retreat in case of emergency, Iraised my piece, when a voice cried out, from the wood, "Rightbetween the 'orns, Paul! right between the 'orns!" Down went mybarrel in range with a small white tuft on the forehead of theheadmost one; and, letting him have it, I darted to one side. As Iturned again, the five bullocks shot by like a blast, making the aireddy in their wake.

  The Yankee now burst into view, and saluted them in flank. Whereupon,the fierce little bull with the tufted forehead flirted his long tailover his buttocks; kicked out with his hind feet, and shot forward afull length. It was nothing but a graze; and, in an instant, theywere out of sight, the thicket into which they broke rockingoverhead, and marking their progress.

  The action over, the heavy artillery came up, in the person of theLong Doctor with the blunderbuss.

  "Where are they?" he cried, out of breath.

  "A mile or two h'off, by this time," replied the Cockney. "Lord, PaulI you ought to've sent an 'ailstone into that little black 'un."

  While excusing my want of skill, as well as I could, Zeke, rushingforward, suddenly exclaimed, "Creation! what are you 'bout there,Peter?"

  Peter, incensed at our ill luck, and ignorantly imputing it to thecowardice of our native auxiliaries, was bringing his piece to bearupon his trembling squire--the musket-carrier--now descending a tree.

  Pulling trigger, the bullet went high over his head; and, hopping tothe ground, bellowing like a calf, the fellow ran away as fast as hisheels could carry him. The rest followed us, after this, with fearand trembling.

  After forming our line of march anew, we went on for several hourswithout catching a glimpse of the game; the reports of the musketshaving been heard at a great distance. At last, we mounted a craggyheight, to obtain a wide view of the country. Prom this place, webeheld three cattle quietly browsing in a green opening of a woodbelow; the trees shutting them in all round.

  A general re-examination of the muskets now took place, followed by ahasty lunch from the calabashes: we then started. As we descended themountainside the cattle were in plain sight until we entered theforest, when we lost sight of them for a moment; but only to see themagain, as we crept close up to the spot where they grazed.

  They were a bull, a cow, and a calf. The cow was lying down in theshade, by the edge of the wood; the calf, sprawling out before her inthe grass, licking her lips; while old Taurus himself stood close by,casting a paternal glance at this domestic little scene, andconjugally elevating his nose in the air.

  "Now then," said Zeke, in a whisper, "let's take the poor creeturs whilethey are huddled together. Crawl along, b'ys; crawl along. Firetogether, mind; and not till I say the word."

  We crept up to the very edge of the open ground, and knelt behind aclump of bushes; resting our levelled barrels among the branches. Theslight rustling was heard. Taurus turned round, dropped his head tothe ground, and sent forth a low, sullen bellow; then snuffed theair. The cow rose on her foreknees, pitched forward alannedly, andstood upon her legs; while the calf, with ears pricked, got rightunderneath her. All three were now grouped, and in an instant would beoff.

  "I take the bull," cried our leader; "fire!"

  The calf fell like a clod; its dam uttered a cry, and thrust her headinto the thicket; but she turned, and came moaning up to the lifelesscalf, going round and round it, snuffing fiercely with her bleedingnostrils. A crashing in the wood, and a loud roar, announced theflying bull.

  Soon, another shot was fired, and the cow fell. Leaving some of thenatives to look after the dead cattle, the rest of us hurried onafter the bull; his dreadful bellowing guiding us to the spot wherehe lay. Wounded in the shoulder, in his fright and agony he hadbounded into the wood; but when we came up to him, he had sunk to theearth in a green hollow, thrusting his black muzzle into a pool of hisown blood, and tossing it over his hide in clots.

  The Yankee brought his piece to a rest; and, the next instant, thewild brute sprang into the air, and with his forelegs crouching underhim, fell dead.

  Our island friends were now
in high spirits; all courage and alacrity.Old Tonoi thought nothing of taking poor Taurus himself by the horns,and peering into his glazed eyes.

  Our ship knives were at once in request; and, skinning the cattle, wehung them high up by cords of bark from the boughs of a tree.Withdrawing into a covert, we there waited for the wild hogs; which,according to Zeke, would soon make their appearance, lured by thesmell of blood. Presently we heard them coming, in two or threedifferent directions; and, in a moment, they were tearing the offal topieces.

  As only one shot at these creatures could be relied on, we intendedfiring simultaneously; but, somehow or other, the doctor's piece wentoff by itself, and one of the hogs dropped. The others then breakinginto the thicket, the rest of us sprang after them; resolved to haveanother shot at all hazards.

  The Cockney darted among some bushes; and, a few moments after, weheard the report of his musket, followed by a quick cry. On runningup, we saw our comrade doing battle with a young devil of a boar, asblack as night, whose snout had been partly torn away. Firing whenthe game was in full career, and coming directly toward him, Shortyhad been assailed by the enraged brute; it was now crunching thebreech of the musket, with which he had tried to club it; Shortyholding fast to the barrel, and fingering his waist for a knife.Being in advance of the others, I clapped my gun to the boar's head,and so put an end to the contest.

  Evening now coming on, we set to work loading our carriers. The cattlewere so small that a stout native could walk off with an entirequarter; brushing through thickets, and descending rocks without anapparent effort; though, to tell the truth, no white man presentcould have done the thing with any ease. As for the wild hogs, noneof the islanders could be induced to carry Shorty's; some invinciblesuperstition being connected with its black colour. We were,therefore, obliged to leave it. The other, a spotted one, being slungby green thongs to a pole, was marched off with by two young natives.

  With our bearers of burdens ahead, we then commenced our return downthe valley. Half-way home, darkness overtook us in the woods; andtorches became necessary. We stopped, and made them of dry palmbranches; and then, sending two lads on in advance for the purpose ofgathering fuel to feed the flambeaux, we continued our journey.

  It was a wild sight. The torches, waved aloft, flashed through theforest; and, where the ground admitted, the islanders went along on abrisk trot, notwithstanding they bent forward under their loads.Their naked backs were stained with blood; and occasionally, runningby each other, they raised wild cries which startled the hillsides.

  CHAPTER LVIII.

  THE HUNTING-FEAST; AND A VISIT TO AFREHITOO

  TWO BULLOCKS and a boar! No bad trophies of our day's sport. So bytorchlight we marched into the plantation, the wild hog rocking fromits pole, and the doctor singing an old hunting-song--Tally-ho! thechorus of which swelled high above the yells of the natives.

  We resolved to make a night of it. Kindling a great fire just outsidethe dwelling, and hanging one of the heifer's quarters from a limb ofthe banian-tree, everyone was at liberty to cut and broil forhimself. Baskets of roasted bread-fruit, and plenty of taro pudding;bunches of bananas, and young cocoa-nuts, had also been provided bythe natives against our return.

  The fire burned bravely, keeping off the mosquitoes, and making everyman's face glow like a beaker of Port. The meat had the truewild-game flavour, not at all impaired by our famous appetites, and acouple of flasks of white brandy, which Zeke, producing from hissecret store, circulated freely.

  There was no end to my long comrade's spirits. After telling hisstories, and singing his songs, he sprang to his feet, clasped ayoung damsel of the grove round the waist, and waltzed over the grasswith her. But there's no telling all the pranks he played that night.The natives, who delight in a wag, emphatically pronounced him"maitai."

  It was long after midnight ere we broke up; but when the rest hadretired, Zeke, with the true thrift of a Yankee, salted down what wasleft of the meat.

  The next day was Sunday; and at my request, Shorty accompanied me toAfrehitoo--a neighbouring bay, and the seat of a mission, almostdirectly opposite Papeetee. In Afrehitoo is a large church andschool-house, both quite dilapidated; and planted amid shrubbery on afine knoll, stands a very tasteful cottage, commanding a view acrossthe channel. In passing, I caught sight of a graceful calico skirtdisappearing from the piazza through a doorway. The place was theresidence of the missionary.

  A trim little sail-boat was dancing out at her moorings, a few yardsfrom the beach.

  Straggling over the low lands in the vicinity were several nativehuts--untidy enough--but much better every way than most of those inTahiti.

  We attended service at the church, where we found but a smallcongregation; and after what I had seen in Papeetee, nothing veryinteresting took place. But the audience had a curious, fidgety look,which I knew not how to account for until we ascertained that asermon with the eighth commandment for a text was being preached.

  It seemed that there lived an Englishman in the district, who, likeour friends, the planters, was cultivating Tombez potatoes for thePapeetee market.

  In spite of all his precautions, the natives were in the habit ofmaking nocturnal forays into his inclosure, and carrying off thepotatoes. One night he fired a fowling-piece, charged with pepper andsalt, at several shadows which he discovered stealing across hispremises. They fled. But it was like seasoning anything else; theknaves stole again with a greater relish than ever; and the very nextnight, he caught a party in the act of roasting a basketful ofpotatoes under his own cooking-shed. At last, he stated hisgrievances to the missionary; who, for the benefit of hiscongregation, preached the sermon we heard.

  Now, there were no thieves in Martair; but then, the people of thevalley were bribed to be honest. It was a regular businesstransaction between them and the planters. In consideration of somany potatoes "to them in hand, duly paid," they were to abstain fromall depredations upon the plantation. Another security against roguerywas the permanent residence upon the premises of their chief, Tonoi.

  On our return to Martair in the afternoon, we found the doctor andZeke making themselves comfortable. The latter was reclining on theground, pipe in mouth, watching the doctor, who, sitting like a Turk,before a large iron kettle, was slicing potatoes and Indian turnip,and now and then shattering splinters from a bone; all of which, byturns, were thrown into the pot. He was making what he called"Bullock broth."

  In gastronomic affairs, my friend was something of an artist; and byway of improving his knowledge, did nothing the rest of the day butpractise in what might be called Experimental Cookery: broiling andgrilling, and deviling slices of meat, and subjecting them to allsorts of igneous operations. It was the first fresh beef that eitherof us had tasted in more than a year.

  "Oh, ye'll pick up arter a while, Peter," observed Zeke toward night,as Long Ghost was turning a great rib over the coals--"what d'yethink, Paul?"

  "He'll get along, I dare say," replied I; "he only wants to get thosecheeks of his tanned." To tell the truth, I was not a little pleasedto see the doctor's reputation as an invalid fading away so fast;especially as, on the strength of his being one, he had promised tohave such easy times of it, and very likely, too, at my expense.

  CHAPTER LIX.

  THE MURPHIES

  DOZING in our canoe the next morning about daybreak, we were awakenedby Zeke's hailing us loudly from the beach.

  Upon paddling up, he told us that a canoe had arrived overnight, fromPapeetee, with an order from a ship lying there for a supply of hispotatoes; and as they must be on board the vessel by noon, he wantedus to assist in bringing them down to his sail-boat.

  My long comrade was one of those who, from always thrusting forth thewrong foot foremost when they rise, or committing some otherindiscretion of the limbs, are more or less crabbed or sullen beforebreakfast. It was in vain, therefore, that the Yankee deplored theurgency of the case which obliged him to call us up thus early:--thedoctor only looked the more glum,
and said nothing in reply.

  At last, by way of getting up a little enthusiasm for the occasion,the Yankee exclaimed quite spiritedly, "What d'ye say, then, b'ys,shall we get at it?"

  "Yes, in the devil's name!" replied the doctor, like a snappingturtle; and we moved on to the house. Notwithstanding his ungraciousanswer, he probably thought that, after the gastronomic performanceof the day previous, it would hardly do to hang back. At the house,we found Shorty ready with the hoes; and we at once repaired to thefarther side of the inclosure, where the potatoes had yet to be takenout of the ground.

  The rich, tawny soil seemed specially adapted to the crop; the greatyellow murphies rolling out of the hills like eggs from a nest.

  My comrade really surprised me by the zeal with which he appliedhimself to his hoe. For my own part, exhilarated by the cool breathof the morning, I worked away like a good fellow. As for Zeke and theCockney, they seemed mightily pleased at this evidence of ourwillingness to exert ourselves.

  It was not long ere all the potatoes were turned out; and then camethe worst of it: they were to be lugged down to the beach, adistance of at least a quarter of a mile. And there being no suchthing as a barrow, or cart, on the island, there was nothing for itbut spinal-marrows and broad shoulders. Well knowing that this part ofthe business would be anything but agreeable, Zeke did his best toput as encouraging a face upon it as possible; and giving us no timeto indulge in desponding thoughts, gleefully directed our attentionto a pile of rude baskets--made of stout stalks--which had beenprovided for the occasion. So, without more ado, we helped ourselvesfrom the heap: and soon we were all four staggering along under ourloads.