CHAPTER XV
SAVAGE MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
It was impossible to describe the effect of these revelations on theboys. It was so different from anything they had been led to expect. Itbrought one thing forcibly to their minds; that because these people hadcommitted some crime, or some wrong against society, they were stillhuman beings, and were worthy of being treated as men and women.
John related to them that various governments had tried the plan ofsending convicts to some foreign lands, and placing them in situationswhere they might work out their own salvation; that all such effortswere successful, where real opportunities were bestowed.
"The idea is," remarked John, "that they are banished from the societyin which they resided, or in which they were raised, for the purpose ofhelping them. The reason for inflicting punishment on criminals has beento protect society but apparently no efforts have been made to cure thecriminals or to help them to better themselves."
"I heard the Professor say, at one of the trials at Wonder Island, thatsome scientists consider crime a disease," said George.
"Exactly; now suppose we treated people suffering from smallpox, orscarlet fever, or some other like disease, just like we treatcriminals, it would be regarded as brutal. To lock them up, and deprivethem of the pleasures of living, simply to protect society, is wrong."
"But the smallpox and scarlet fever patients are taken away so they willnot give the complaints to others," observed Harry.
"And that is right. I favor that and advocate that same thing withcriminals. But the patients are not deprived of the things they havebeen accustomed to, and they are restored, when cured. It is not so withthe poor unfortunate who errs. When he does come back he is hounded andlooked upon as a tainted individual, although he may, in heart, bebetter than his accusers."
During that day and the next, the natives and those who accompanied Johnassociated with each other, and had many conversations. What interestedthem was the presence of the unfortunate paralytic who was unable tospeak for himself.
The boys did not believe that he was one of the crew of the school ship_Investigator_. What connection, if any, did he have with the skeletonthey found the day before? was another of their queries.
On the second day they were taken to the beach where the white man wasfound. There, as explained, he was found, with wreckage all about,during one of the raging monsoons with which the boys were so wellacquainted, but aside from that there was not a vestige to show his nameor where he was from.
All the clothing worn by him originally, and of that there was scarcelyany when found, had been worn threadbare, and he was now dressed innative garments. The chair in which he was reclining was undoubtedlyfrom some wrecked ship, and had been in the possession of the villagersfor years.
John spoke to the old man concerning the patient, and advised him thatthey would soon call to take him away. They would thus relieve them ofthe burden, and endeavor to restore him to health, if it were possibleto do so.
The old man was thankful for the kind words uttered by John, and thelatter assured him that before many moons passed he would return andshow his appreciation for their kindness to a fellow creature.
"But we do not feel that we have done anything which especially meritspraise. He is one like ourselves, who was in distress, and we helpedhim."
"Yes; you have done that which is right. We intend to reward you notthat you should be paid for doing what is right, but to show that weappreciate your noble actions," answered John.
The party, after many wishes and hearty good-byes, filed out of thevillage, some of them loath to go.
Calmo was silent. He was not the same as before they marched through thevillage. John noticed it, but he wisely refrained from commenting on thesights they had witnessed. There was cleanliness and order in Hutoton;and filth and disorder in Sasite. It was impossible to be unconsciousof the difference between the industry in one place, and the uttershiftlessness in the other.
As it required two days to make the return journey, they were absentfrom Sasite nearly seven days, and, according to the calculations, the_Pioneer_ would be in from Unity within the next two days.
During the intervening time the boys roamed at will through the island,and on the second day went directly south, so as to scour the sea frontbelow the village.
In the afternoon, as they were about to return, they saw a sail, Georgebeing the first to catch a glimpse of it. "The _Pioneer_," he cried,upon which they danced about in sheer joy and started for the village,which was distant several miles.
They were almost out of breath when they rushed through the village, andcried out the news. Everybody was expectant; all were eager to see thevessel come in and Sutoto was the first to reach the landing.
During the visit of the boys on the island, John had a crude dockconstructed, and as the _Pioneer_ was of light draft, this was not adifficult thing to do, so that the passengers could land from the shipdirectly on the solid platform.
The Chief was among the merry villagers. "Who is that man with the whitehair!" he asked of Uraso.
The latter was just as much surprised as his questioner, when herecognized the Professor, and he informed the Chief of the treat hewould experience in meeting him. "He is the Great Wise man," addedUraso, "whom everybody loves."
Muro, too, was astounded as the Professor came down. But a still greatersurprise awaited the two chiefs. Muro's wife hailed him, and thenUraso's wife waved her handkerchief. This was too much for them, andwaving aside all dignity they rushed forward to greet them.
The whole thing had been so admirably arranged, that no one knew of theaffair which had been planned by John. Sutoto joined in the merriment,but he was too anxious to see Stut to pay much attention to thegreetings.
The visitors discreetly refrained from saying a word to Sutoto,concerning the coming event. Besides the Chief's wives, there wereseveral other women, of the Tribes in Wonder Island, together with somewhite men and their wives, who had been invited at the request ofBlakely.
The latter greeted John with that hearty expression so characteristic ofthe true commercial man, and he was not with John a minute before he wasplying all sorts of questions about the resources of the island, thekind and number of inhabitants the nature of the soil, and thepossibilities of mineral development.
The Professor came down and was introduced to the Chief by Uraso.
The great burly chief was fascinated. He gazed on the Professor andalmost gasped, then turning to Uraso he said: "Ah! I know why he is awise man."
To Uraso this remark was indeed a puzzle; to think that the Chief haddiscovered the secret of the wisdom in the Professor! He was quick toask why he knew it.
"Because he has double eyes."
Uraso laughed, and turned to the Professor, to whom he related theincident. Instantly the Professor removed the glasses, and courteouslyhanded them to the Chief, and Uraso adjusted them to the Chief's eyes.
He glanced around, through the lens, and forced out one expression ofdelight after the other. He was oblivious of everything else. He forgotthat there were dozens of the visitors ready in line to be introduced tohim; but all enjoyed the great pleasure he experienced in the new sight.
But suddenly he stopped in his enthusiasm, and with an apology took offthe glasses and held them up, in the act of handing them back. TheProfessor returned them, and took another pair from his pocket which heput on.
It was not likely that the Chief could have received a more acceptablepresent, as his eyesight was failing, and the glasses seemed like theopening of a new world to him. Later on the Professor provided a pair ofglasses better adapted to his sight.
The Chief then became concerned about the comfort of his guests, soUraso said: "Do not feel worried about the visitors. They will sleep onthe vessel where they have comfortable rooms."
The Chief could hardly believe the statements, as he muttered: "This is,indeed, wonderful."
It would require pages to record the incidents that c
ame to hisattention about the wonders of these new people. The surprising thingwas, that Uraso, and the natives of Wonder Island were dressed like thewhite people and acted like them, and yet he was told that all thatwonderful change had come about in a little over two years' time.
Muro's wife was quickly made acquainted with the Chief's wife, and theday following she had a consultation with her. Mida, who was Muro'swife, said: "I do not know whether or not you know of Sutoto's affectionfor Cinda, but we learned about it, and have come over to attend theceremony."
Linnea, the Chief's wife, smiled as Mida spoke to her. "Yes, I know ofit, but the Chief has not yet been told."
It seems that they had very curious and at the same time differentcustoms among the various tribes, and Mida's object was to learn whattheir etiquette called for as to betrothals. Among some of the WonderIsland tribes, the Chief was the only one who has the right to consentto the marriage of the females, although the males could go to othertribes and secure wives without the consent of the Chief.
In other tribes the women, the mothers, are the sole judges, and it isnot infrequent for the parents of the bride to demand a payment,dependent on the rank or the riches of the father.
Then the question of ceremonies is always an important one. It would besacrilegious to perform the rite except in exact accordance with theprescribed rules. Sometimes those rules are so extremely different tothose of another tribe that intermarriage between members of such tribesis impossible.
Thus, a Tuolo could never marry a Saboro, nor could an Illya warriortake an Osaga for a bride. On all these points the women were adepts. Itis more than likely, however, that Cinda and Sutoto had all that matterfully understood between them.
"Did Stut tell you about Sutoto?" asked George.
Harry laughed. "No; but I have a good one to tell you. What did he say?"
"Well, you know he hired Stut to get him a wedding outfit, and apresent?"
"Yes."
"When the people left the vessel Sutoto sneaked back, and hunted upStut. Of course Stut had the package all done up, and he is now takingit over to his hut."
"I have something better than that. Sutoto is going to be marriedto-night."
"How do you know?"
"Cinda told one of her girl friends, and it frightened her so that shetold Uraso."
"Why that would spoil all the plans."
"So it would, but Uraso told his sister."
"Are you sure of that?"
"Of course I am; I was there."
"What did she say?"
"She simply said 'I will take care of that.'"
"Of course she will; she's a brick."