The Wonder Island Boys: Adventures on Strange Islands

  CHAPTER X

  PECULIARITIES OF THE NATIVE TRIBE

  Within an hour the feast was ready, and the men in the open were alreadymaking merry with the maidens who prepared the meal. George and Harryfrequently nudged each other, as they caught the eyes of some of thenative boys who were very attentive to the gentler sex.

  Within the Chief's dwelling there was the most animated conversationindulged in by the Chief, Uraso and John, and to this number were addedthe Chief's brother, and a handsome man who was probably one of theChief's principal advisors. Muro and Uraso were the interpreters.

  The latter, by turns, told the Chief where they sailed from, and whattheir history had been for the past three years. They told about thewonderful Professor, and all concerning John, and what part the two boyshad taken in the transformation of the island.

  "But where is this wonderful ship?" asked the Chief.

  "On the other side of the island," answered Uraso.

  "Then why do you not bring it here?"

  "We should have done so, but we did not know we had a friend here."

  "I want to see the wonderful place you have told me about,--your home,and how you make people happy," said the Chief.

  John's face lit up when this was interpreted to him.

  "What do your people work at?" the Chief abruptly asked Muro.

  "We make many curious things, like the articles you have here," and hepointed to George's belongings, which were still lying about.

  The Chief hurriedly gathered them up and handed them to George. Thelatter, after turning to John, refused to take them, and addressingUraso, said: "Tell him that I want him to take them, and my gun, aswell."

  The Chief could not understand this, and at first refused, but John, aswell as Uraso, insisted, and the latter said:

  "These boys can make these things, and they do not feel that they aresacrificing anything, beyond what it is their duty to do."

  The Chief looked doubtfully at the boys, as he remarked: "Do you tell methat these _memees_, (Boys) made these things?"

  Uraso and Muro both assured them that such was the case, and added: "Andstill more wonderful things."

  After some conversation Uraso turned to John and said: "The Chief wishesto send a runner to bring the ship to the harbor here. Hasmo mayaccompany him."

  This arrangement had John's approval, and when Hasmo was advised of themission, he jumped up with delight, and, together with the Chief'sfleetest messenger, speeded off to make the intervening twenty-fivemiles.

  It was not much of a task for the two men. In less than four hours,Sutoto saw two men on the shore, one of them waving a signal that heunderstood. A boat was put off, and when the runners came aboard, andthe news imparted, all on board sprang to their places, the anchor washurriedly taken up, and the _Pioneer_ soon rounded the point, while theyall eagerly scanned the shore.

  The Chief and his visitors remained in the "palace" for three hours,while the latter told and retold the stories which so much interestedthe chieftain. Then John began to question him upon matters that morenearly concerned their visit.

  "Ask him," he said, "if they have any Krishnos here?"

  "He does not know what they are," answered Muro.

  "Does he believe in a Great Spirit?"

  "No he has never heard anything of that kind."

  "Ask him if he knows who makes the rain and the sunshine, and theclouds."

  "He says that the questions are surprising to him."

  "Has he never thought of those things?"

  "No; all he knows is that he lives and that he is a Chief and is the onewho must govern the people."

  "Does he know why he is the Chief?"

  "Yes; because he is stronger than any one else."

  "That would certainly make him a Chief," remarked Harry. "I never sawsuch a big man."

  "Do they have any big holes in the ground!"

  When the question was asked he waited a moment, and then slowly shookhis head.

  "They have nothing of that kind to his knowledge."

  The countenances of Harry and George fell. John noticed it, and smiledat the disappointment.

  "There are no caves around here," said George.

  "Are there any mountains on the island?"

  "There are high hills."

  "Have they any neighbors, or different tribes?"

  "Yes; to the north, (pointing in that direction) are some bad people,but they belong to him."

  "Why do they not live near to the village!"

  "Because they would make the people bad."

  "What did they do that was so bad?"

  "They stole and lied."

  "From whom did they steal?"

  "From the Chief."

  "Did they steal from each other?"

  "No; they could not steal from each other."

  At this remark the boys laughed. John began to be interested now in hisquestionings.

  "Do you mean it is not wrong to steal from each other, but only from theChief?"

  He nodded an assent. This was a curious bit of reasoning. It neededsome explanation. John continued:

  "Why is it wrong to steal from the Chief and not from each other?"

  At this question the Chief did not answer as promptly as usual. Heweighed the question in his mind. He smiled as though to say: How can itbe wrong for people to take things from each other? They do not ownanything. No one but the Chief owns things.

  His answer, when finally given, was not at all clear, at least so theboys thought.

  "The Chief in his wisdom gives to all alike; and when he gives it theproperty still belongs to him and not the people; but if they take itfrom the Chief then they are robbers."

  "Ask him," said John, "whether, if when he gives anything to one of hispeople, and it still belongs to him, after he gives it, why it is notstealing from him, if some one takes it away from the one he gave itto?"

  The Chief was not at all taken aback at this question. Pointing to thesun, he said:

  "That is a great Chief. He gives seed to the people, and they plant it.But the great Chief does not forget it. The seed comes up to see itsfather. It still belongs to him. When he gives that seed to the peopleit is for their use. Every one has a right to take it and use it, and itis no crime. But if he takes it away from the Chief, he destroys whatbelongs to him, and he then does a wrong which must be punished."

  "This may not be very clear to you," said John, "but it means thatwhoever takes it away and destroys it wilfully, is guilty of a crime.Whatever the Great Chief gives willingly, like the fruits of the earth,is intended for all alike, and men should not be called criminals fortaking what they need, if they do not wilfully destroy it."

  "That is a wonderful idea, when I come to think of it," remarked George."And to think that a savage could work that out in his mind."

  "But there is one thing that looks a little queer to me. He said he didnot know or believe in a Great Spirit, and yet he talks of the sun as aGreat Spirit," remarked Harry.

  "I will put the question to him," said John. "You said that you did notbelieve in a Great Spirit, but now you speak about the sun as a GreatChief. Do you not believe in him?"

  "No; I only know that he is there; I do not believe in him any more thanin the carago (moon)."

  A great noise was heard outside; the Chief looked up, as an attendantentered. He spoke to Uraso, and the latter turned to John and said:

  "Our ship is coming."

  This announcement broke up the interview. It was exciting andinteresting from first to last, and when they emerged from the dwellingthe host and visitors were friends that the future never could sever. Itgave a new inspiration to the boys, and it showed them that even a lowstate of man was capable of expressing things that were worthy ofconsideration.

  The entire village went to the seashore. The inhabitants wondered at thegreat vessel, and were impressed at the manner in which it was handled.

  "I am anxious to see the man who can row such a vessel," said the Ch
ief.

  "He is one of the men from our island," answered Muro.

  This seemed to be an astonishing thing to him. He had seen vesselsbefore, but in the distance. At long intervals parts of ships had comeashore; but this was the first time that a vessel had ever landed,within his recollection.

  As it drew near he marveled at its size. He could see the man at thebow-sprit who was constantly throwing something attached to a lineoverboard, and then drawing it in again.

  He questioned the reason for such a strange action, and was told thatthe man was trying the depth of the water, so that they might not cometoo close to the shore, and strike the bottom. Then some of the sailorsdropped something overboard, with a great splash, and a huge sail felldown like magic, and the ship still moved toward the shore and turnedaround.

  The Chief was inquisitive concerning every action. Why did the ship actlike a human and turn around? He could hardly believe the statement whentold that the anchor was a giant claw, and that when it reached thebottom it took hold and had sufficient strength to stop the ship andmake it swing around, as he had witnessed.

  A boat was lowered, and the last one to descend was Sutoto. Urasopointed out his figure, and the Chief kept his eyes on him. The firstman to leave the boat was Sutoto, and both boys rushed down to meet him.It was the course they always pursued, to be in the lead to welcomeanyone.

  They led him to the Chief, and he put his great arms about Sutoto, tothe latter's great embarrassment. But what affected Sutoto more thananything else, were the eyes of the Chief's daughter, who had acted soshyly to George the night before. From that moment Sutoto saw no oneelse, and she,--well, Harry and George laughed, and slyly caressedSutoto, as they saw her admiring glances.

  Sutoto was the handsomest native on Wonder Island. He was the brave andfleet runner who undertook the mission to pass through the three savagetribes to carry a message, written on a plaintain leaf by the Professor,to John and the boys while they were surrounded by the hostiles.

  The friendship between him and the boys grew stronger and better fromthat day on. The tribute to him was one which the boys enjoyed for hissake, and because he deserved it.

  There was a feast that night, unparalleled in the knowledge of the boys.It was like going to a new world, and meeting new people. Only onelittle thing seemed to mar the joyous occasion for the boys for a time.When they were returning from the beach, they saw three of the natives,together with their wives and children, with their hands bound, and incharge of a half dozen warriors.

  George recognized the three as his captors. Then was impressed upon himthe fact that they were about to pay the penalty for stealing his thingsand hiding the theft from the Chief. They were to be exiled to the placewhere the bad people lived.

  George hurriedly told Uraso the story of the theft, and begged him tointercede with the Chief. Instantly, when he learned that Georgerequested it, he turned to Uraso, and said: "He may release them."

  He rushed up to the now bewildered culprits, in order to sever thebonds, and then recalling that he had given his knife to the Chief, hecalled to Harry, and together they freed the limbs of the captives andthe Chief, with a few words of admonition, dismissed them. The boysnever forgot the grateful looks that came from the men and their wives.

  When they had departed Muro said: "Under their law the women andchildren of the culprits are criminals also, and so they were doomed togo together."

  It would be a difficult matter to describe the food prepared and eatenat this banquet. Several varieties of fowl, all wild types, and the wildboar, as well as the 'possum, provided the meats. Of course taro andamarylla were the chief vegetables; and of nuts, the well known Brazilspecies was found everywhere, and to be seen in all dwellings.

  The outer portion of the shell of the Brazil nut formed bowls and cups,which the boys early learned to utilize. There were bananas, a speciesof fig, and loquats.

  "What surprises me is that they have no fish, or sea food of any kind,"observed Harry.

  John mused for a while, and then said: "It is likely that the peoplehere have the same aversion to fish as some natives along the Australiancontinent, and in the islands near there."

  "What is that?" asked George.

  "The natives of New Guinea, for instance, worship snakes, lizards,sharks and crocodiles, and there is a strict law among them not toinjure anything, of that kind. As a result, they are afraid to eatanything that approaches the shape of these animals."

  "Well, if they worship the snakes they must have some kind of religion,"ventured Harry.

  "Yes; and with them go the witch doctors who practice on the people andcharge fees just the same as the physicians do in our country."

  "Do they claim there is a Great Spirit, like some of the people here!"

  "No; they have a God called Baigona, who lives in the mountains, andinstead of being a good God, is a bad one; he has the power to speakwithout being heard, to strike without being seen, and he loves andhates, just like human beings. He gives the witch doctor the power to doanything, without being wrong, and without being liable to punishment."

  "Well, that is a pretty convenient God to have," said Harry, as he musedat the idea.

  The peculiar thing about the absence of sea food at the banquet couldnot be understood, particularly as the natives on Wonder Island weregreat fish eaters, and were also the bitter enemies of snakes.

  "We must consult the Chief about that," said John.

  At the first opportunity the subject was brought up, and it wasdiscovered that the people were afraid to eat anything that came fromthe sea. And then another thing was learned. There were no rivers of anyconsequence on the island; only a few streams, that were dry most of theyear.

  "I can understand," said John, "that in such a case you do not havefresh water fish."

  The Chief was, in many respects, a remarkable character. Most nativesare extremely superstitious, and it is particularly true of those whohave a belief in some form of God. While he would marvel at new thingsthey did not occur to him as being the result of some new occult force.

  In this respect he differed from the natives of Wonder Island, all ofwhom believed, more or less, in the tales of the Medicine Men, and ofthe witch doctors. Old Suros, of the Berees tribe, was the only one whodid not believe in the existence of a being who could rule him.

  But the Chief had other qualities which were remarkable in a savage, ifsuch he was. He governed according to some law, and yet he did not knowwhat law was. The only thing in that community was the will of that oneman.

  If he said something, in adjusting any matter, it was always rememberedby the people, and that ruling became a guide for them in the future.Take, for instance, the theft of the articles from George. The three whoparticipated in it, knew that it was not wrong, according to the lightthey had, to take it from George.

  Indeed, the Chief had distinctly said that they could not steal fromeach other, but only from him, hence the theft of the articles whichGeorge owned was not a crime. On what ground, then, were they guilty?

  George thought he had solved the problem, when discussing the matterwith John. "The Chief found them guilty of trying to hide what they haddone, and they were caught at it."

  "But the Chief was not covetous. He admitted he did not care for thethings, and one of the men told Muro that the Chief never took thingsfrom his people without paying for them."

  "Well, then, he punished them for trying to deceive him."

  "There, that is one of the crimes which the Chief referred to. I thinkhe is a wonderful character, and I hope we shall be able to unite himwith us."