The Coral Island by Robert Michael Ballantyne (interesting books to read in english TXT) đź“–
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me to this island, and made me the instrument of saving you.”
We thanked the missionary most heartily, and asked him in some
surprise how he had succeeded in turning the heart of Tararo in our
favour.
“I will tell you that at a more convenient time,” he answered,
“meanwhile we must not forget the respect due to the chief. He
waits to receive you.”
In the conversation that immediately followed between us and
Tararo, the latter said that the light of the gospel of Jesus
Christ had been sent to the island, and that to it we were indebted
for our freedom. Moreover, he told us that we were at liberty to
depart in our schooner whenever we pleased, and that we should be
supplied with as much provision as we required. He concluded by
shaking hands with us warmly, and performing the ceremony of
rubbing noses.
This was indeed good news to us, and we could hardly find words to
express our gratitude to the chief and to the missionary.
“And what of Avatea?” inquired Jack.
The missionary replied by pointing to a group of natives in the
midst of whom the girl stood. Beside her was a tall, strapping
fellow, whose noble mien and air of superiority bespoke him a chief
of no ordinary kind.
“That youth is her lover. He came this very morning in his war-canoe to treat with Tararo for Avatea. He is to be married in a
few days, and afterwards returns to his island home with his
bride!”
“That’s capital,” said Jack, as he stepped up to the savage and
gave him a hearty shake of the hand. “I wish you joy, my lad; -
and you too, Avatea.”
As Jack spoke, Avatea’s lover took him by the hand and led him to
the spot where Tararo and the missionary stood, surrounded by most
of the chief men of the tribe. The girl herself followed, and
stood on his left hand while her lover stood on his right, and,
commanding silence, made the following speech, which was translated
by the missionary:-
“Young friend, you have seen few years, but your head is old. Your
heart also is large and very brave. I and Avatea are your debtors,
and we wish, in the midst of this assembly, to acknowledge our
debt, and to say that it is one which we can never repay. You have
risked your life for one who was known to you only for a few days.
But she was a woman in distress, and that was enough to secure to
her the aid of a Christian man. We, who live in these islands of
the sea, know that the true Christians always act thus. Their
religion is one of love and kindness. We thank God that so many
Christians have been sent here - we hope many more will come.
Remember that I and Avatea will think of you and pray for you and
your brave comrades when you are far away.”
To this kind speech Jack returned a short sailor-like reply, in
which he insisted that he had only done for Avatea what he would
have done for any woman under the sun. But Jack’s forte did not
lie in speech-making, so he terminated rather abruptly by seizing
the chief’s hand and shaking it violently, after which he made a
hasty retreat.
“Now, then, Ralph and Peterkin,” said Jack, as we mingled with the
crowd, “it seems to me that the object we came here for having been
satisfactorily accomplished, we have nothing more to do but get
ready for sea as fast as we can, and hurrah for dear old England!”
“That’s my idea precisely,” said Peterkin, endeavouring to wink,
but he had wept so much of late, poor fellow, that he found it
difficult; “however, I’m not going away till I see these fellows
burn their gods.”
Peterkin had his wish, for, in a few minutes afterwards, fire was
put to the pile, the roaring flames ascended, and, amid the
acclamations of the assembled thousands, the false gods of Mango
were reduced to ashes!
CHAPTER XXXV.
Conclusion.
TO part is the lot of all mankind. The world is a scene of
constant leave-taking, and the hands that grasp in cordial greeting
to-day, are doomed ere long to unite for the last time, when the
quivering lips pronounce the word - “Farewell.” It is a sad
thought, but should we on that account exclude it from our minds?
May not a lesson worth learning be gathered in the contemplation of
it? May it not, perchance, teach us to devote our thoughts more
frequently and attentively to that land where we meet, but part no
more?
How many do we part from in this world with a light “Good-bye,”
whom we never see again! Often do I think, in my meditations on
this subject, that if we realized more fully the shortness of the
fleeting intercourse that we have in this world with many of our
fellow-men, we would try more earnestly to do them good, to give
them a friendly smile, as it were, in passing (for the longest
intercourse on earth is little more than a passing word and
glance), and show that we have sympathy with them in the short
quick struggle of life, by our kindly words and looks and action.
The time soon drew near when we were to quit the islands of the
South Seas; and, strange though it may appear, we felt deep regret
at parting with the natives of the island of Mango; for, after they
embraced the Christian faith, they sought, by showing us the utmost
kindness, to compensate for the harsh treatment we had experienced
at their hands; and we felt a growing affection for the native
teachers and the missionary, and especially for Avatea and her
husband.
Before leaving, we had many long and interesting conversations with
the missionary, in one of which he told us that he had been making
for the island of Raratonga when his native-built sloop was blown
out of its course, during a violent gale, and driven to this
island. At first the natives refused to listen to what he had to
say; but, after a week’s residence among them, Tararo came to him
and said that he wished to become a Christian, and would burn his
idols. He proved himself to be sincere, for, as we have seen, he
persuaded all his people to do likewise. I use the word persuaded
advisedly; for, like all the other Feejee chiefs, Tararo was a
despot and might have commanded obedience to his wishes; but he
entered so readily into the spirit of the new faith that he
perceived at once the impropriety of using constraint in the
propagation of it. He set the example, therefore; and that example
was followed by almost every man of the tribe.
During the short time that we remained at the island, repairing our
vessel and getting her ready for sea, the natives had commenced
building a large and commodious church, under the superintendence
of the missionary, and several rows of new cottages were marked
out; so that the place bid fair to become, in a few months, as
prosperous and beautiful as the Christian village at the other end
of the island.
After Avatea was married, she and her husband were sent away,
loaded with presents, chiefly of an edible nature. One of the
native teachers went with them, for the purpose of visiting still
more distant islands of the sea, and spreading, if possible, the
light of the glorious gospel there.
As the missionary intended to remain for several weeks longer, in
order to encourage and confirm his new converts, Jack and Peterkin
and I held a consultation in the cabin of our schooner, - which we
found just as we had left her, for everything that had been taken
out of her was restored. We now resolved to delay our departure no
longer. The desire to see our beloved native land was strong upon
us, and we could not wait.
Three natives volunteered to go with us to Tahiti, where we thought
it likely that we should be able to procure a sufficient crew of
sailors to man our vessel; so we accepted their offer gladly.
It was a bright clear morning when we hoisted the snow-white sails
of the pirate schooner and left the shores of Mango. The
missionary, and thousands of the natives, came down to bid us God-speed, and to see us sail away. As the vessel bent before a light
fair wind, we glided quickly over the lagoon under a cloud of
canvass.
Just as we passed through the channel in the reef the natives gave
us a loud cheer; and as the missionary waved his hat, while he
stood on a coral rock with his gray hairs floating in the wind, we
heard the single word “Farewell” borne faintly over the sea.
That night, as we sat on the taffrail, gazing out upon the wide sea
and up into the starry firmament, a thrill of joy, strangely mixed
with sadness, passed through our hearts, - for we were at length
“homeward bound,” and were gradually leaving far behind us the
beautiful, bright, green, coral islands of the Pacific Ocean.
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