第73章
and screechin' like fiends.It's a marvel to me that they're not dashed to shivers on the coral reef, for sure an' sartin am I that if any o' us tried it, we wouldn't be worth the fluke of a broken anchor after the wave fell.But there they go!"As he spoke, several hundreds of the natives, amongst whom we were now standing, uttered a loud yell, rushed down the beach, plunged into the surf, and were carried off by the seething foam of the retreating wave.
At the point where we stood, the encircling coral reef joined the shore, so that the magnificent breakers, which a recent stiff breeze had rendered larger than usual, fell in thunder at the feet of the multitudes who lined the beach.For some time the swimmers continued to strike out to sea, breasting over the swell like hundreds of black seals.Then they all turned, and, watching an approaching billow, mounted its white crest, and, each laying his breast on the short flat board, came rolling towards the shore, careering on the summit of the mighty wave, while they and the onlookers shouted and yelled with excitement.Just as the monster wave curled in solemn majesty to fling its bulky length upon the beach, most of the swimmers slid back into the trough behind;others, slipping off their boards, seized them in their hands, and, plunging through the watery waste, swam out to repeat the amusement; but a few, who seemed to me the most reckless, continued their career until they were launched upon the beach, and enveloped in the churning foam and spray.One of these last came in on the crest of the wave most manfully, and landed with a violent bound almost on the spot where Bill and I stood.I saw by his peculiar head-dress that he was the chief whom the tribe entertained as their guest.The sea-water had removed nearly all the paint with which his face had been covered; and, as he rose panting to his feet, I recognised, to my surprise, the features of Tararo, my old friend of the Coral Island!
Tararo at the same moment recognised me, and, advancing quickly, took me round the neck and rubbed noses; which had the effect of transferring a good deal of the moist paint from his nose to mine.
Then, recollecting that this was not the white man's mode of salutation, he grasped me by the hand and shook it violently.
"Hallo, Ralph!" cried Bill, in surprise, "that chap seems to have taken a sudden fancy to you, or he must be an old acquaintance.""Right, Bill," I replied, "he is indeed an old acquaintance;" and Iexplained in a few words that he was the chief whose party Jack and Peterkin and I had helped to save.
Tararo having thrown away his surf-board, entered into an animated conversation with Bill, pointing frequently during the course of it to me; whereby I concluded he must be telling him about the memorable battle, and the part we had taken in it.When he paused, I begged of Bill to ask him about the woman Avatea, for I had some hope that she might have come with Tararo on this visit."And ask him," said I, "who she is, for I am persuaded she is of a different race from the Feejeeans." On the mention of her name the chief frowned darkly, and seemed to speak with much anger.
"You're right, Ralph," said Bill, when the chief had ceased to talk; "she's not a Feejee girl, but a Samoan.How she ever came to this place the chief does not very clearly explain, but he says she was taken in war, and that he got her three years ago, an' kept her as his daughter ever since.Lucky for her, poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and eaten like the rest.""But why does Tararo frown and look so angry?" said I.
"Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most o' the sex, an'
won't marry the man he wants her to.It seems that a chief of some other island came on a visit to Tararo and took a fancy to her, but she wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in love, and engaged to a young chief whom Tararo hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy; so, as he was going on a war expedition in his canoe, he left her to think about it, sayin' he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped she wouldn't be so obstropolous.This happened just a week ago; an' Tararo says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief returns, as his bride, she'll be sent to him as a LONG PIG.""As a long pig!" I exclaimed in surprise; "why what does he mean by that?""He means somethin' very unpleasant," answered Bill with a frown.
"You see these blackguards eat men an' women just as readily as they eat pigs; and, as baked pigs and baked men are very like each other in appearance, they call men LONG pigs.If Avatea goes to this fellow as a long pig, it's all up with her, poor thing.""Is she on the island now?" I asked eagerly.
"No, she's at Tararo's island."
"And where does it lie?"
"About fifty or sixty miles to the south'ard o' this," returned Bill; " but I - "At this moment we were startled by the cry of "Mao! mao! - a shark!
a shark!" which was immediately followed by a shriek that rang clear and fearfully loud above the tumult of cries that arose from the savages in the water and on the land.We turned hastily towards the direction whence the cry came, and had just time to observe the glaring eye-balls of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms in the air.Next instant he was pulled under the waves.
A canoe was instantly launched, and the hand of the drowning man was caught, but only half of his body was dragged from the maw of the monster, which followed the canoe until the water became so shallow that it could scarcely swim.The crest of the next billow was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore.