The Coral Island by Robert Michael Ballantyne (interesting books to read in english TXT) 📖

punishment for his faults. The rear of the

procession was brought up by a shouting crowd of women and

children, with whom we mingled and followed to the temple.

 

Here we arrived in a few minutes. The temple was a tall circular

building, open at one side. Around it were strewn heaps of human

bones and skulls. At a table inside sat the priest, an elderly

man, with a long gray beard. He was seated on a stool, and before

him lay several knives, made of wood, bone, and splinters of

bamboo, with which he performed his office of dissecting dead

bodies. Farther in lay a variety of articles that had been

dedicated to the god, and among them were many spears and clubs. I

observed among the latter some with human teeth sticking in them,

where the victims had been clubbed in their mouths.

 

Before this temple the bodies, which were painted with vermilion

and soot, were arranged in a sitting posture; and a man, called a

“dan-vosa” (orator), advanced, and, laying his hands on their

heads, began to chide them, apparently, in a low bantering tone.

What he said we knew not, but, as he went on, he waxed warm, and at

last shouted to them at the top of his lungs, and finally finished

by kicking the bodies over and running away, amid the shouts and

laughter of the people, who now rushed forward. Seizing the bodies

by a leg, or an arm, or by the hair of the head, they dragged them

over stumps and stones and through sloughs, until they were

exhausted. The bodies were then brought back to the temple and

dissected by the priest, after which they were taken out to be

baked.

 

Close to the temple a large fire was kindled, in which stones were

heated red hot. When ready these were spread out on the ground,

and a thick coating of leaves strewn over them to slack the heat.

On this “lovo,” or oven, the bodies were then placed, covered over,

and left to bake.

 

The crowd now ran, with terrible yells, towards a neighbouring hill

or mound, on which we observed the framework of a house lying

ready to be erected. Sick with horror, yet fascinated by

curiosity, we staggered after them mechanically, scarce knowing

where we were going or what we did, and feeling a sort of

impression that all we saw was a dreadful dream.

 

Arrived at the place, we saw the multitude crowding round a certain

spot. We pressed forward and obtained a sight of what they were

doing. A large wooden beam or post lay on the ground, beside the

other parts of the framework of the house, and close to the end of

it was a hole about seven feet deep and upwards of two feet wide.

While we looked, the man whom we had before observed with his hands

pinioned, was carried into the circle. His hands were now free,

but his legs were tightly strapped together. The post of the house

was then placed in the hole, and the man put in beside it. His

head was a good way below the surface of the hole, and his arms

were clasped round the post. Earth was now thrown in until all was

covered over and stamped down; and this, we were afterwards told,

was a CEREMONY usually performed at the dedication of a new temple,

or the erection of a chief’s house

 

“Come, come,” cried Jack, on beholding this horrible tragedy, “we

have seen enough, enough, far more than enough! Let us go.”

 

Jack’s face looked ghastly pale and haggard as we hurried back to

rejoin the teacher, and I have no doubt that he felt terrible

anxiety when he considered the number and ferocity of the savages,

and the weakness of the few arms which were ready indeed to essay,

but impotent to effect, Avatea’s deliverance from these ruthless

men.

 

CHAPTER XXXII.

 

An unexpected discovery, and a bold, reckless defiance, with its

consequences - Plans of escape, and heroic resolves.

 

WHEN we returned to the shore, and related to our friend what had

passed, he was greatly distressed, and groaned in spirit; but we

had not sat long in conversation, when we were interrupted by the

arrival of Tararo on the beach, accompanied by a number of

followers bearing baskets of vegetables and fruits on their heads.

 

We advanced to meet him, and he expressed, through our interpreter,

much pleasure in seeing us.

 

“And what is it that my friends wish to say to me?” he inquired.

 

The teacher explained that we came to beg that Avatea might be

spared.

 

“Tell him,” said Jack, “that I consider that I have a right to ask

this of him, having not only saved the girl’s life, but the lives

of his own people also; and say that I wish her to be allowed to

follow her own wishes, and join the Christians.”

 

While this was being translated, the chiefs brow lowered, and we

could see plainly that our request met with no favourable

reception. He replied with considerable energy, and at some

length.

 

“What says he?” inquired Jack.

 

“I regret to say that he will not listen to the proposal. He says

he has pledged his word to his friend that the girl shall be sent

to him, and a deputy is even now on this island awaiting the

fulfilment of the pledge.”

 

Jack bit his lip in suppressed anger. “Tell Tararo,” he exclaimed

with flashing eye, “that if he does not grant my demand, it will be

worse for him. Say I have a big gun on board my schooner that will

blow his village into the sea, if he does not give up the girl.”

 

“Nay, my friend,” said the teacher, gently, “I will not tell him

that; we must overcome evil with good.’”

 

“What does my friend say?” inquired the chief, who seemed nettled

by Jack’s looks of defiance.

 

“He is displeased,” replied the teacher.

 

Tararo turned away with a smile of contempt, and walked towards the

men who carried the baskets of vegetables, and who had now emptied

the whole on the beach in an enormous pile.

 

“What are they doing there?” I inquired.

 

“I think that they are laying out a gift which they intend to

present to some one,” said the teacher.

 

At this moment a couple of men appeared leading a young girl

between them; and, going towards the heap of fruits and vegetables,

placed her on the top of it. We started with surprise and fear,

for in the young female before us we recognised the Samoan girl,

Avatea!

 

We stood rooted to the earth with surprise and thick coming fears.

 

“Oh! my dear young friend,” whispered the teacher, in a voice of

deep emotion, while he seized Jack by the arm, “she is to be made a

sacrifice even now!”

 

“Is she?” cried Jack, with a vehement shout, spurning the teacher

aside, and dashing over two natives who stood in his way, while he

rushed towards the heap, sprang up its side, and seized Avatea by

the arm. In another moment he dragged her down, placed her back to

a large tree, and, wrenching a war-club from the hand of a native

who seemed powerless and petrified with surprise, whirled it above

his head, and yelled, rather than shouted, while his face blazed

with fury, “Come on, the whole nation of you, an ye like it, and do

your worst!”

 

It seemed as though the challenge had been literally accepted; for

every savage on the ground ran precipitately at Jack with club and

spear, and, doubtless, would speedily have poured out his brave

blood on the sod, had not the teacher rushed in between them, and,

raising his voice to its utmost, cried. -

 

“Stay your hands, warriors! It is not your part to judge in this

matter. It is for Tararo, the chief, to say whether or not the

young man shall live or die.”

 

The natives were arrested; and I know not whether it was the

gratifying acknowledgment of his superiority thus made by the

teacher, or some lingering feeling of gratitude for Jack’s former

aid in time of need, that influenced Tararo, but he stepped

forward, and, waving his hand, said to his people, - “Desist. The

young man’s life is mine.” Then, turning to Jack, he said, “You

have forfeited your liberty and life to me. Submit yourself, for

we are more numerous than the sand upon the shore. You are but

one; why should you die?”

 

“Villain!” exclaimed Jack, passionately, “I may die, but,

assuredly, I shall not perish alone. I will not submit until you

promise that this girl shall not be injured.”

 

“You are very bold,” replied the chief, haughtily, “but very

foolish. Yet I will say that Avatea shall not be sent away, at

least for three days.”

 

“You had better accept these terms,” whispered the teacher,

entreatingly. “If you persist in this mad defiance, you will be

slain, and Avatea will be lost. Three days are worth having.”

 

Jack hesitated a moment, then lowered his club, and, throwing it

moodily to the ground, crossed his arms on his breast, and hung

down his head in silence.

 

Tararo seemed pleased by his submission, and told the teacher to

say that he did not forget his former services, and, therefore,

would leave him free as to his person, but that the schooner would

be detained till he had further considered the matter.

 

While the teacher translated this, he approached as near to where

Avatea was standing as possible, without creating suspicion, and

whispered to her a few words in the native language. Avatea, who,

during the whole of the foregoing scene, had stood leaning against

the tree perfectly passive, and seemingly quite uninterested in all

that was going on, replied by a single rapid glance of her dark

eye, which was instantly cast down again on the ground at her feet.

 

Tararo now advanced, and taking the girl by the hand, led her

unresistingly away, while Jack, Peterkin, and I returned with the

teacher on board the schooner.

 

On reaching the deck, we went down to the cabin, where Jack threw

himself, in a state of great dejection, on a couch; but the teacher

seated himself by his side, and, laying his hand upon his shoulder,

said, -

 

“Do not give way to anger, my young friend. God has given us three

days, and we must use the means that are in our power to free this

poor girl from slavery. We must not sit in idle disappointment, we

must act” -

 

“Act!” cried Jack, raising himself, and tossing back his hair

wildly; “it is mockery to balk of acting when one is bound hand and

foot. How can I act? I cannot fight a whole nation of savages

single-handed. Yes,” he said, with a bitter smile, “I can fight

them, but I cannot conquer them, or save Avatea.”

 

“Patience, my friend; your spirit is not a good one just now. You

cannot expect that blessing which alone can insure success, unless

you are more submissive. I will tell you my plans if you will

listen.”

 

“Listen!” cried Jack, eagerly, “of course I will, my good fellow; I

did not know you had any plans. Out with them. I only hope you

will show me how I can get the girl on board of this schooner, and

I’d up anchor and away in no time. But proceed with your plans.”

 

The teacher smiled sadly: “Ah! my friend, if one fathom of your

anchor chain were to rattle, as you drew it in, a thousand