VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER FIVE.
On the ensuing day, after the usual business of the divan had been gonethrough, the renegade was called in, and taking his seat, commenced thenarrative of his sixth voyage.
SIXTH VOYAGE OF HUCKABACK.
May it please your highness:--
It was my intention to have remained quietly on shore, after so manyhairbreadth escapes and singular adventures; but I found France sochanged, that I was disgusted with my own country. Every thing wasupside down--the nobles, the wealthy, the talented, either weremurdered, or living in abject poverty in other countries, while thelower classes had usurped their place, and governed the land. But whatdecided me once more to go to sea, was that the continual demands forfresh levies to recruit the republican armies, convinced me that I hadno chance of long remaining in quiet. Of two evils I preferred what Iconsidered to be the least; and rather than die in a ditch on shore, Ipreferred the dangers which might be incurred afloat. I bought a largeship, and fitted her for a voyage of speculation to Lima in SouthAmerica. As the English cruisers covered the seas, and I was resolvedthat I would not be taken by a vessel of small force, I shipped with mea complement of forty men, and had twelve guns mounted on her decks. Weescaped through the gut of Gibraltar, and steered our course for CapeHorn, the southernmost point of America. Nothing worth narratingoccurred until we made the land, when a strong adverse gale came on,which, after attempting in vain to beat against it, blew away most ofour sails and finally obliged us to bear up, and run away to thesouthward and eastward.
From the working and straining of the vessel, the decks had become soleaky, that the water ran through every part of the ship. Ourprovisions (particularly our bread) being spoiled, and obliged to bethrown overboard, we were necessitated to be put upon short allowance.As we had no hopes of being able to support ourselves upon what was leftuntil our arrival at Lima, I determined to run for the nearest island,where I might obtain a fresh supply, and then renew our attempt to beatround the Cape. I was in some doubts where to proceed, but afterrunning eastward for a fortnight, we discovered land on the lee bow,which I considered to be the uninhabited Island of New Georgia; but aswe approached it, we thought that we perceived people on the beach, andwhen within five miles we could plainly distinguish that they weresoldiers in their uniforms, ranged up, rank and file. The colour oftheir clothes could not be made out with the glass, but it was easy tobe distinguished that they had yellow facings; from which I inferredthat they were our enemies the English. "Peste!" thought I, "is itpossible that these grasping islanders have made a settlement on thisplace? Where will they go to next?" The different companies appearedto be from one to two dozen in number; sometimes they stood quite still,at others they walked a little way on the beach; but they constantlyadhered to their rank-and-file position, and as I could not perceivethat they had any muskets in their hands, I inferred that they weremerely practising the marching evolutions. No houses or fortificationswere distinguishable, and I determined to run the ship nearer in, that Imight observe their motions. I did so, and when within two miles, Iagain rounded to, and putting my eye to the glass, perceived to myastonishment that a whole regiment of them ran into the surf, andre-appeared on the outside of it, in the form of aquatic birds, swimmingand diving in every direction. I now began to suspect, that it was anenchanted island, and not forgetting the lesson of the Golden Fountain,I made all sail, and we soon left it out of sight astern. I think itright to state to your highness, that on mentioning this circumstance toan Englishman, who had been employed in the spermaceti whale fishery, heasserted that they really were birds, called Patagonian penguins, whohad often deceived others by their martial appearance. He stated thatthey had no wings, but only flappers, and when on shore, invariablystood upright like men in ranks--that they were about three or four feethigh when in this posture, and had two broad yellow streaks on each sideof their necks. How far his assertions were true I do not know, for thepeople of that country, who have doubled the Cape, consider themselvesentitled to tell any falsehoods which they think proper, and to shootyou if you venture to express a doubt as to their veracity: one of mychief reasons for disliking the English is, that they are suchabominable liars.
We now steered more to the southward, and in three days discoveredanother small island. It was apparently well wooded, although notlarge. We hove-to, to windward of it, and not perceiving anyinhabitants, I lowered down a boat, and sent the first mate on shore toreconnoitre. He returned in an hour, informing me that the island wascovered with cocoa-nut trees in full bearing, and that he had seenseveral wild pigs, but no symptoms of its being inhabited--that therewas no anchorage that he could discover, as the shore roseperpendicularly, like a wall, from the ocean. We therefore ran toleeward, and discovered that a reef of coral rocks extended nearly twomiles from that side of the island. The boats were again lowered; andafter surveying, the mate reported that there was a passage, with plentyof water for the ship, through the very centre of the reef, which wouldbring her into a small bay, where she might lay in perfect security.Before night we had gained the anchorage, and furled sails. The nextmorning I went on shore to reconnoitre; we found some springs of freshwater, cocoa-nuts and other trees in abundance, and occasionally fell inwith herds of wild pigs, which appeared, with the exception of birds, tobe the only animals that existed upon the island. Satisfied that I nowhad an opportunity of revictualling my ship, I unbent my sails, struckmy topmasts, unrove my running rigging, and, in short, made everypreparation for a long stay. I then sent parties on shore to erecttents, and shoot the wild pigs, while I superintended the fixing ofcoppers on the beach to boil the salt out of the sea water, which wouldbe necessary for curing the provisions. I also dug shallow pans in therock, close to the water's edge, that I might gain as much salt aspossible by means of evaporation. Every thing was prepared in thecourse of the day, and the major part of my ship's company were landed,and slept in the tents. In three days we had salted down several casksof pork, and had collected a large quantity of cocoa-nuts.
On the fourth morning I beard a dispute among the men, some of themswearing that they would not remain, and that the ship ought to go tosea immediately. Astonished at these remarks, after they had expressedthem selves so well pleased, I inquired the reason. They answered, thatthere was magic in the island, and on my requiring an explanation, theytook me to the salt pans, which, upon our arrival, had been cut in therocks within a foot of the water's edge, but had now receded from theshore to a distance of nine or ten feet. I must own that I wassurprised at the circumstance, which was quite unaccountable: but stilldid not feel inclined to leave the island, without first obtaining thenecessary supply of provisions. I pointed out to the men, that althoughI could not explain so strange an incident, yet as we had seen and heardnothing, and should certainly starve if we went to sea withoutprovisions, it would be better to remain until we had procured a supply:observing that it was not impossible that the water might have receded,instead of the island having advanced. The latter remark seemed toquiet them, although at the time that I made it, I knew it to beincorrect, as the rocks above water near the beach were not higher outof it than before. This the seamen did not pay attention to, and I tookcare not to point it out to them. They agreed with my supposition, thatthe water had receded, and said no more about it.
We remained a fortnight longer, during which the same phenomenoncontinued, each day the salt pans and coppers being further off from thebeach. At last the men perceiving that the rocks did not rise higherfrom the water again became alarmed, and broke out into open mutiny. Bythis time I had cured a sufficiency of provisions, and I made noobjection, indeed I must confess that I was by no means easy in my ownmind at these supernatural appearances. We struck our tents, sent everything on board, rove the rigging, bent the sails, and prepared for ourdeparture. Soon after we repaired on board, I happened to cast my eyesupon the lead line, which was hanging over from the main chains, andobserved that it lay in
a bight; hauling up the slack, I found, to mysurprise, that instead of five fathoms water in which we had anchored,we were in less than three.
At first it occurred to me that this was a floating island, like the oneI before described, and that it was gradually rising more to thesurface; but this idea did not satisfy me. Throwing the lead and linein the boat, I pushed off, and sounded in several directions, and hadthe mortification to find that in the passage which the ship hadentered, there was not sufficient water for her to go out again, even ifwe were to have discharged the whole cargo. I soon discovered the causeof this apparent mystery; for as I went further out on the reef, I foundthat whole trees and solid masses of coral had sprung up to the water'sedge, in parts which I knew were several fathoms deep when we entered.I had often heard that the islands in these seas were formed by corals,but I had no idea of the rapidity with which they were extended.
Your highness must know that all the zoophyte, or animal plants, arecomposed of small insects, who work in millions under the water, untilthey rise to the top. Such was the case in the present instance, andthus by the labours of the minutest of the creation, in the short spaceof three weeks my ship was shut up so as to render escape hopeless.
I returned on board, and explained to the men the real cause of theapparently supernatural effects of what we had witnessed. Satisfiedthat my assertions were correct, they seemed to care little at beingobliged to remain on an island which afforded them the means of suchcomfortable subsistence. As nothing could be done for the ship, we wenton shore again, and repitching the tents, waited quietly until we mightbe taken off by some vessel who should chance to pass that way.
In a fortnight the ship was aground, and the island continued toincrease so rapidly, that in two months she was raised high and dry outof the water, about half a mile from the beach. The vegetation seemedto advance as regularly and as rapidly as the island, and after therainy season the trees had grown up so high, that the ship wascompletely hid in a large wood, and it was just possible to see herlower masts above the branches. For some time the men seemed perfectlycontented. We had plenty of stores in the ship of every description:the cargo I had taken on board was chiefly manufactures, and as theisland provided fresh meat, fish, and fruit, they were in want ofnothing. But sailors are such changeable and restless beings, that Ireally believe they would soon be tired of Paradise itself. After asojourn of nine months, during which they perhaps lived better than theyever had before, they began to murmur and talk of getting away in somemanner or another. As my cargo was valuable, I was in hopes that avessel would visit the island, and take it on board: I therefore madeevery remonstrance that I could imagine to induce them to wait some timelonger; but they would not listen to me, and made preparations forbuilding a vessel at the weather-side of the island, out of thematerials that the ship afforded. The reason why they chose the weatherside was, that they perceived that the island only increased to leeward;whereas to windward it was a perpendicular rock of coral, which youcould not obtain bottom alongside of, with two hundred fathoms of line.They had cut a slip out of the rock, and were already occupied withdriving out the bolts and fastenings of the ship that was shored up inthe woods, when one evening we perceived a large fleet of canoes comingtowards us. As I knew that I could not be far from the SandwichIslands, I immediately pronounced them to come from that quarter, inwhich supposition I was correct; for although the island was notinhabited, the islanders had for some years been aware of its existence,and came to gather the crop of cocoa-nuts which it annually produced. Iadvised my men to keep quiet in the woods, removing the tents and everyobject that might create suspicion of our being on the island; but theywere of a different opinion, and as they had lately discovered the meansof collecting the toddy from the cocoa-nut trees, and distilling arrack,they had been constantly drunk, mutinous, and regardless of myauthority. They thought it would be much easier to take the largecanoes from the islanders, and appropriate them to their own use, thanto build a vessel, and notwithstanding my entreaties, they persisted intheir resolution to make the attempt.
As the canoes approached, we counted fourteen, all of a very large size,and with my glass I could distinguish that they had fifty or sixtypersons on board of each, including the women. I pointed this out tothe sailors, stating that I did not believe there were more than tenwomen in each canoe, so that the men must amount to seven hundred, aforce much too large to give them any chance of success in their rashintentions. But I did more harm than good; the mention of the womenseemed to inspire them with fresh ardour, and they vowed that they wouldkill all the men, and then would be content to remain on the island withthe women. They armed themselves with muskets, and retired among thetrees as the canoes approached, fearful that the islanders would notland if they were discovered. The canoes ran between the reefs, and ina few minutes the whole of the islanders disembarked; not conceiving itnecessary to leave any but the women in the canoes, the water being assmooth as a fish-pond.
The arrangements of my men were certainly very good: they allowed theislanders to go up to the tents, which were now more than a mile fromthe beach, and then walking down under cover of the trees, rushed to thecanoes, and putting one man in each with their muskets and ammunition,shoved them off and made them fast to the coral rocks, about two hundredyards distant. The screams of the women, and the shoving off of thecanoes, alarmed the men, who hastened down to ascertain the cause. Assoon as they came within half musket shot, the sailors who were onshore, amounting to twenty-five, fired a volley out of the wood, whichkilled and wounded a great number. The islanders retreated inconfusion, then gave a loud shout and advanced. Another volley wasfired, and they again retreated, bearing off their killed and wounded.They now held a consultation, which ended in their dividing into twobodies, one of which separated from the other, so that they might attackthe party in the wood from two different points.
In the meantime several of the women leaped overboard and swam on shore,and the men in the boats were so busy in preventing the others fromfollowing, that they could give no assistance to the party in the wood,although they were within musket-shot. The conduct of the islanderspuzzled our men; and although I had taken no part in this murderousattack, yet as I considered my life at stake, I thought that I mustassist. I therefore advised them to retreat to the ship, which, if theyonce gained possession of, they would be enabled to keep the islandersat bay. My advice was followed, and creeping through the thick wereached the ship in safety, having climbed up by rope-ladders, whichwere hanging from her, to enable us to go on board, to fetch anyarticles we required. We hauled them up after us, and waited the issue.In a few minutes, one of the parties of the islanders came up, andseeing the ship with us on board, gave a loud yell, and let fly theirspears. We returned a volley which killed many, but they were verybrave, and continued the attack although we fired twenty or thirtyrounds with great execution.
The other party now came up, and the conflict continued; they made everyattempt to climb the stern and sides of the vessel, but were repulsed;and as the evening closed in, they retired taking away their killed andwounded, which we estimated at two hundred men. When they retreated, wefired some of our large guns in that direction, as much to frighten theislanders, as to let our comrades in the canoes know where we were.
We kept a sharp look out till dark, but saw no more of them. I proposedthat we should attempt to communicate with the men in the canoes, anddesire them to permit some of them to drift on shore after taking outthe women, as the islanders would then in all probability go away. Butas the men very justly remarked, nobody in the first place would ventureon such a dangerous service, and in the next, if the islanders obtainedsome of their canoes, they would attack the others and overpower thesailors that were in them. This plan was therefore justly overruled. Ithen proposed that one man should steal down to the beach, swim off, anddesire the fourteen men to take all the women into one canoe, and pullround to the north side of the island during the night, l
eaving theremainder for the islanders to go away in. This was considered a goodscheme, but no one would volunteer; and, as I had proposed it, I thoughtthat I was in honour bound to go, as otherwise the men would, in future,have had no opinion of me. I therefore stated my intention, and takingmy musket and ammunition, I slipped down by a rope. As soon as I was onmy legs, I perceived something crawling out of the wood towards theship. I could not exactly decipher what it was, so I crept under thecounter of the vessel, where it was so dark that I could not bedistinguished. As it approached, I made it out to be one of theislanders with a faggot of wood on his back; he placed it close to theside of the vessel, and then crawled back as before. I now perceivedthat there were hundreds of these faggots about the ship, which theislanders had contrived to carry there during the night; for althoughthe moon was up, yet the vessel was so inclosed with trees that thelight did not penetrate. I immediately comprehended that it was theirintention to set fire to the vessel, and I was thinking of communicatingthe information to my companions on board, when two more crawled fromthe woods, and deposited their bundles so close to me, that we werenearly in contact. I therefore was obliged to leave those who were onboard to make the best of it, and imitating the islanders, I crawledfrom the vessel into the brushwood, trailing the gun after me. It wasfortunate that I took this precaution, for in the very part of the woodwhere I crept to, there were dozens of them making up faggots, but itwas too thick with underwood, and too dark to distinguish any thing,although I heard them close to me breaking off the branches. I did thesame as I went on, to avoid discovery, until I had passed by them, whenI continued my route to where the canoes had been left. I arrived insafety at the outskirts of the wood close to the beach, and perceivedthe canoes still lying at the rocks, to which they had been taken; butthe moon shone bright, and I hesitated to walk out in the light, until Iascertained whether there were any islanders on the beach. As I waiteda short time in the dark shade of the trees, close to one of the springsof fresh water, I heard a moan close to me, and looking in thatdirection I perceived a body on the ground. I went towards it, andcould distinguish very plainly that it was one of the women who had swamon shore. She was nearly lifeless, and feeling, as every man must havedone, compassion at her unfortunate condition, I knelt down by her tosee if I could afford her any assistance. As she had very littleclothes round her body, I discovered, by passing my hand over her, thatshe was wounded with a musket-ball above the knee, and was exhaustedfrom pain and loss of blood. I tore my neck-cloth and shirt intobandages, and bound up her leg; I then fetched some water from thespring in my hat, which I poured into her mouth, and threw over herface. She appeared to recover and I felt happy that I had been of someuse, and not being able to descry any of the islanders, was proceedingto the beach, that I might swim off to the canoes, when just as I walkedout of the shade, two or three muskets were fired by those on board.These were followed by others, and loud yells from the islanders, whohad swum off in hundreds, and were attacking our people. The conflictwas very short, for the men, not being able to load their musketsquickly enough, were overpowered by the islanders, who climbed into thecanoes; and in a few minutes they were all paddled to the beach.
I now thought that it was all over with my men on board of the ship, andso it proved; for an hour before daylight the islanders lighted thefaggots, and, at the same time, attacked the vessel with great fury.The fire continued to blaze higher and higher, the muskets wereconstantly discharging, and the shouts and yells continued for about anhour, when I heard no more reports from the muskets, and took it forgranted that my men were overcome, which was the case, as I afterwardsfound out; many were killed by the spears when on board, others whenthey leaped from the vessel to avoid the flames, and the remainder hadbeen suffocated.
As the sun rose above the horizon, a loud explosion took place, by whichI knew that the flames had communicated with the magazine, and that theship had been blown to atoms. I determined to hide myself in thebushes, with the hope of not being discovered. Before I went, I made ahasty visit to the poor wounded woman, to see how she was. It was broaddaylight, and I found that I had afforded succour to a very beautifulyoung girl, about sixteen or seventeen years old. As she still appearedfaint, I brought her some more water, and when I gave it to her, sheexpressed her gratitude with her eyes. Examining the bandages, whichhad slipped a little on one side, I replaced them, and then darted intothe thickest of the underwood. As I pressed on, bent half double, myhead suddenly came in contact with something hard; I looked up, andfound that it was the head of one of the islanders, who was also forcinghis way through the bushes, an immense, powerful man, who immediatelysprung upon me, and pinned me to the ground. He was followed by severalothers who came to his assistance, and all resistance was useless. Theypulled some of the creeping withies, that grow in those countries, andbound me hand and foot; then selecting a large pole, they made me fastto it, and carried me away. When they arrived at the beach, I was laiddown on my back, exposed to the burning sun. Left to my ownreflections, and calling to mind all that I could recollect from thevoyages and travels which I had read, I concluded that I was to be madea sacrifice of to their gods. I prayed to Heaven for mercy, andresigned myself to my fate, which appeared inevitable.
The islanders had all assembled on the beach close to where I lay. Thedead bodies of their companions, who had fallen in the conflict, and thewounded, were carried into the canoes. They formed a circle round thefire, which they had kindled, made several speeches, and danced awar-dance. I turned round on my side, and perceived to my horror, thatthey had collected all the bodies of my companions, and were devouringthem. What they did not feel inclined to eat, they packed up inbaskets, and put into the canoes. I anticipated that such would be myown fate--not at present, as they had more than they could consume--butthat I should be reserved for a festival, after their arrival in theirown country. Nor was I incorrect in my supposition; they collectedtogether all the bones, which they carried with them, and putting me onboard, hoisted their mat sails, and steered away for their own islands.
On the third day we arrived, when I was carried on shore and confined inwhat I believe was a burying-ground. They stuffed me every day withpork and other victuals to keep me alive, and in good condition, butthey never cast me loose from the pole to which I was bound. I heardprocessions, shouts, and lamentations for the dead; but I could seenothing, for I was now too weak to turn on my side. When I had been aweek in this confined state, the agony arising from the swelling of mylimbs, and from the increased tightness of the ligatures was so great,that I called for death to relieve me from my sufferings; and when Ionce more found myself raised upon the shoulders of men, I was asimpatient for my approaching fate, as I should have been, under othercircumstances, for my release. My senses were gradually overpowered bythe pain, which was so much increased by the renewed suspension of mybody. I have a distinct recollection of being placed on the ground in alarge circle--of the screams of a woman, and of a confused uproar, whichfollowed. When I came to my senses, I found myself in a hut, unbound,and lying upon soft mats, with fomentations applied to my limbs and whenmy eyes opened, I beheld, hanging over me with an air of the tenderestsolicitude, the beautiful savage, whom I had found wounded, and hadsuccoured on the night of the affray. I subsequently learnt, that whenI had been brought into the circle, she had recognised me as the personwho had assisted her; that she claimed my life, pointing to her wound,and producing the bandages with which I had bound it up, and which wereidentified with the remainder, as part of the dress which I still wore.A council was held; and as it appeared that I could not have been withthe party in the ship, for I had been taken prisoner in the woods, nearto where the girl lay, after many speeches pro and con, it was decidedthat my life should be spared, and that I should be married to the girlwho had been the means of preserving it. She had carried me away to herhut, and was now returning the debt of gratitude which she had incurred.
Owing to her unwearie
d kindness and attention, I soon recovered, andbefore I was aware that I was to be her husband I courted her by signs,and all the little attentions that could be suggested by gratitude andlove. As soon as I was supposed to be sufficiently recovered I was ledinto a large circle of the islanders, to be formally admitted into theirsociety. A venerable old man made a speech, which I presume was not avery good one from its extreme length, and then several men laid hold ofme, and throwing me on the ground, face downwards, sat astride on me,and commenced running needles into the upper part of my thighs. Thepain was excessive; but as all the islanders were tattooed about theloins, I presumed it was an operation that I must submit to, and bore itwith fortitude.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And pray what is that tattooing?"
"Tattooing, may it please your highness, is puncturing the skin withneedles or sharp points--and then rubbing Indian ink or gunpowder intothe wounds. This leaves an indelible mark of a deep blue tint. All theislanders in those seas practise it, and very often the figures that aredrawn are very beautiful."
"Mashallah! How wonderful is God! I should like to see it," rejoinedthe pacha.
"Allah forbid," replied the renegade, "that I should expose my person toyour highness. I know my duty better."
"Yes, but I must see it, yaha bibi, my friend!" continued the pacha,impatiently; "never mind your person. Come--obey my orders."
The renegade was a little at a nonplus, as he never had undergone theoperation which he had described. Fortunately for the support of hisveracity, it happened that during one of his piratical excursions, in anidle fit, he had permitted one of his companions to tattoo a smallmermaid on his arm.
"Min Allah! God forbid," rejoined the renegade; "my life is at thedisposal of your highness, and I had sooner that you should take it,than I would affront your august eyes with the exposure in question;fortunately I can gratify your highness's curiosity without offendingdecency--as, after they had finished the operation I was describing,they made the figure of their most respected deity upon my arm." Therenegade then pulled up his sleeve, and showed the figure of a mermaid,with a curling tail, a looking-glass in one hand and a comb in theother. "Here your highness will perceive a specimen of their art. Thisis a representation of their goddess, Bo-gee. In one hand she holds aniron rake, with which she tattoos those who are good, and the markserves as a passport when they apply for admittance into the regions ofbliss. In the other, she brandishes a hot iron plate, with which shebrands those who are sentenced to be punished for their sins."
"Allah karim--God is merciful! And why has she a fish's tail?" inquiredthe pacha.
"The people I am describing, inhabit a cluster of islands, and it is toenable her to swim from one to the other, as her presence may berequired."
"Very true," observed the pacha--"now you may go on with your story."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I mentioned to your highness, they tattooed me without mercy; theoperation lasted an hour, when they put me on my feet again. Anotherspeech was made, which I understood as little of as the former; theyleft me with my wife, and the ceremony was at an end.
I must say I wished that I had not been naturalised and married both onthe same day. I was so swelled and so stiff with the tattooing, that itwas with difficulty I could, with the assistance of my wife, walk backto my hut. However, by the remedies which she constantly applied, inthe course of three days I felt no further inconvenience.
I now considered myself settled for the remainder of my life. I waspassionately attached to Naka-poop, for such was the name of my youngwife, and notwithstanding my French education, could not but acknowledgethat her natural and unsophisticated manners were more graceful and morefascinating, than is all the studied address of my own countrywomen.She was of high rank in her own country, being nearly allied to theking; and for two years my life slipped away, in uninterrupted happinessand peace. But, alas!--and the renegade covered up his face.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Come, Huckaback, you surely have been too much accustomed to lose yourwives by this time, to make a fuss about it. These Franks are strangepeople," observed the pacha to the vizier; "they've a tear for everywoman."
"Your highness must excuse me; I shall not offend again, for I nevermarried afterwards. My charming Naka-poop died in child-bed, and theisland became so hateful to me, that I determined to quit it. Anopportunity occurred by an American vessel, which arrived with somemissionaries."
"What are missionaries?" inquired the pacha.
"People who came to inform the islanders, that Bo-gee was not a goddess,and to persuade them to embrace the true faith."
"Very right," replied the pacha, "there is but one God, and Mahomet ishis prophet. Well--"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I understood both languages, I was employed as an interpreter, but itwas impossible to explain what the missionaries intended to convey, asthe language of the islanders had not words that were analogous. Acouncil was held; and the answer which the missionaries received was asfollows:--
"You tell us that your God rewards the good and punishes the wicked--sodoes Bo-gee. We speak one language, you speak another. Perhaps thename of your God means Bo-gee in ours. Then we both worship the sameGod, under different names. No use to talk any more; take plenty ofpigs and yams, and go home."
The missionaries took their advice, their pigs and their yams, and Iwent home with them. We arrived at New York, where I claimed andreceived from the Bible Society my pay as interpreter to themissionaries from the time that they landed up to the day of our return.I never should have thought of claiming it, had it not been for theadvice of one of the missionaries, who took a fancy to me.
With the money that I received I paid my passage in a vessel bound toGenoa, where I arrived in safety, but without the means of subsistence.But what doth the poet say, "Necessity is a strong rider with sharpstirrups, who maketh the sorry jade do that which the strong horsesometimes will not do." Having no other resource, I determined oncemore to try my fortune upon the ocean.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Allah wakbar--God is every where! It was your talleh--your destiny,Huckaback."
"It was his kismet--his fate, your sublime highness," rejoined Mustapha,"that he should go through those perils to amuse your leisure hours."
"Wallah thaib--well said, by Allah! Let the slave rejoice in ourbounty. Give him ten pieces of gold; we will open our ears to his nextvoyage to-morrow. Murakhas, you are dismissed."
"May your sublime shadow never be less," replied Huckaback, as hesalaamed out of the pacha's presence.