A TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1180, 16 September 1885, Page 4

A TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.

[By F. A. J. Db Condb.]

Chapter 11,

" The most fearful blow of all to us was received towards tho secoud last day of our voyage. Our intrepid commander — we had by unanimous consent accepted Jim as our captain — whose courage never failed once, and who never uttered a complaint, though he was consuming away his very life-blood in his efforts to keep up, was seized suddenly with faintness and fell into the bottom of the boat insensible. We tried all we could to rouse him, but in vain, for in less thau half an hour he had ceased to breathe.

" God only kuows how we felt as we slowly and silently consigned his body to the vasty deep — the body of the man whom we looked upon as our guide and protector. Monstrous sharks with hungry ,savage,grecn, glaring eyes were in waiting all around. We shuddered and closed our oyes as we saw them struggling and fighting around poor Jim's mangled corpse. I had to steer now. Soon darkness closed down upon us, and a very night of horrors was entered upon indeed. How vivid and intense was my memory then.. Every scene of my whole life passed in review before me like a great panorama — every picture painfully distinct — more so than their originals,

" I saw again my own happy home, where the joyous days of childhood were artlessly spent. I saw my dear old father, long since dead, sitting in the old arm-chair beside the fire. I saw my angel mother with her wellknown cap and shawl I saw my sisters, Jane and Bessie, with tears of gladness in their eyes. I saw my brother Joe, as they all crowded around me to welcome me back from my first voyage. Again I stood among my schoolmates, aud played once more our happy games. Again I sat and talked with the merry bright-eyed Evelina, our old schoolmaster's youngest daughter ; and again I went over the events that first took me to sea. I heard her low, sweet voice telling me that her father had forbidden her ever to see me again after that night, and was going to send her away to her uncle's next day. I pressed her to my heart and kissed away the tears that dimmed her eyes, and we parted for ever.

" Then the many wild scenes I had taken part in since all glared before me like torturing demons. Occupied by such thoughts as these, for the time, I was unconscious of my existence ; but still, as by some instinct, I did not forget the steer-oar. The studded vault overhead seemed closer that night than ever I had seen it before, as though the stars were listening to catch the echoes of my thoughts. The stars at length begun to pale, and soon the fiery sun, like a globe of burnished brass, appeared above the horizon. A burning hot sun it was, and we had no shelter from its fierce rays.

"I noticed the eager, half-hopeful look of my comrades, as they gazed northwards, around the horizon. I gazed too, long and anxiously, and about noon I fancied I could dimly discern something like land to the north-east of us. I spoke not for I feared to raise a false hope, which I knew by its reaction would only bring deeper despair. We were now full in the track of the south-east trades, and as a fresh breeze was springing up from the south we slid through the water rapidly.

" The last drop of water had been drunk the day before, and the awful agonies of thirst were torturing us again. JYoin our weak state we could not endure this another day. Half-an-hour had passed since I first thought I descried land. I looked again more closely ; yes, there could be no mistake; the outline of the hill tops stood up clear against the distant horizon. I told my comrades to look northward. They did so ; at first languidly, then suddenly a bright ray of hope stole over their faces, and they tried to shout for joy, but their parched throats refused to obey.

"Two hours more of brisk sailing snowed us the distinct features of the coast line. As we drew near, we saw that -fclie eoasfc at some places was low &nA fiwdtnpy looking, acul at others bold and rocky. We saw in the distance mountain summits lost in the clouds, and veiled in snow-white mist. In about half-an-hour more we were quite close to the breakers, and the sweetest music that ever greeted my ears was the roar of those mighty waves upon the echoing rocks of that unknown shore. We could not land among the breakers, so we sailed northward along the coast, on the look-out for the first available landing-place. We soon passed a high bluff, running nearly parallel with the coast line, round which we sailed close in to the surf. As soon as we got fairly past it a fine calm river, stretching away into the hills, opened out before us. The boat's bow was quickly turned into it, and as we were now under the lea of the point the wind did not reach us, so mycompanions plied the oars with all their remaining strength. We saw a small stream decending into the harbour, and we put forth what vigor remained to reach it.

" Scarce had the boat's keel touched the ground 6re w6 all sprang mho bhs sweety limpid water and drank of it freediiy. Our thirst quenched, we athed our wearied limbs in the cool water, and washed the encrusted salt off our faces,

" Great trees were growing close to the water, and on their many roots reaching down into the water large crabs were crawling about. We succeeded in catching plenty of these, and we also got some splendid large oysters, with which we were enabled to satisfy the cravings of hunger.

" Joe, our boatswain, had a flint and steel in the boat, and with this, after a struggle; sve managed to light a firo. We bad a good repast that night of roasted crabs aud oysters, and with grateful hearts we partook of the bounties of Providence cast around us with lavish hand. By the time that our meal was over, the sun was setting, and we bethought ourselves of preparing a place to pass the night in. Afraid of wild beasts we procured a large stone, and anchored the boat out in the stream a few fathoms from shore, and with heart-felt gratitude for deliverance from. a painful lingering death, we thanked Almighty G-od; aud lay down to sleep.

"When we awoke next morning, the suu was high iv the heavens — a glorious sun ; the most glorious, we all agreed, that ever wo had seen. A delicious cool breeze fanned our scorched cheeks, and rippled the calm waters into a fretwork of diamonds. Fishes of gold aud silver hues, and gem-bespangled, sported in the deep, clear blue water, around us on every side. The sweet notes of songbirds, drowned by the loud harsh cries of noisy parrots, now and then reached us from out the matted and interwoven foliage of tho giant trees, swathed in gorgeous flowering orchids, and descending to the water's edge.

" As we drank in the beauties of the surrounding scene, and gazed upon, ihe wild profusion of all that man could desire, strewn around iv unceasing variety, our hearts melted, and prayers of thanksgiving ascended on high from our grateful hearts.

"We weighed our improvised anchor, and went ashore to the delightful stream of fresh water that we had cooled our burning throats in the previous day, and drank again of its cool sparkling water, clear as the distilled dew of heaven, and partook of a refreshing bath. We managed, with a pointed stick, to spear some of the beautiful fish that sported in the shallow water, and roasted them for breakfast. Joe found some delicious fruit growing on a low shrub, which we enjoyed very much.

"But as each one has to play his part in my story, I may as well tell you the names of my comrades. Joe Smith I have already spoken of ; then the others were Jack Nicholas, Jim M'Donald, Bill Martin, and' Harry Townsend. When we had finished breakfast, Joe and Jack went into the forest and soon returned with five or six plump birds which they had killed witli stones. They were somewhat like the wingless bird of ew Zealand, called by the Maoris the weka, which I have often since killed and eaten. They are not altogether without wings, but as their wings are too short to fly with, naturalists give them a hard Latin name which means wingless. We put the birds away safely in the boat's locker, and gathered a quantity of the luscious fruit hanging invitingly from the trees in clusters like grapes. Our two kegs were filled with water and we set forth up the harbor to explore, but we soon became convinced as we ascended, that our harbor was nothing but the estuary of a river. We came to a rich grove of cocoanut trees, and went to gather a few nuts. They; were lying about the ground in all directions, having been blown off by the recent storm, which was very fortunate for us, for, from our weak state, we could not have climbed up the trees. The nuts were quite ripe, and the milky juice they contained was most refreshing.

"After gathering a good many cocoanuts we pushed out from the shore again, with our spirits considerably elated. We now passed a point in the gradually contracting river, and suddenly a most enchanting scene burst upon us. Involuntarily, exclamations of raptureburstf rom us simultaneously, and we lay upon our oars to gaze around. We deemed the hand of Nature prodigal in its lavishness near the sea, but here there was a tenfold proportion of the surplus gifts of a bountiful creation. From the summits of the lofty hills that bounded us on all sides, right down to the verge of the bold abrupt rocks which kissed the placid surface of the reposing water, was one dense mass of emerald, plenteovLsly- bespangled, wifeti bright S.OW9XS of every color, flashing back the sunlight like flaming gems. Jfloweca and fruits and beauteous plants of every kind, and everything that mortal man cpuld desire, were all around on every side in wildest profusion. Tall and stately trees reared their gem-crowned heads heavenward from the margins of the streams that flowed down the hollows ; birds of surpassing beauty and every hue of delight flitted, among the green bowers, and filled the quiet, sequestered glade with melody divine ; the golden sunbeams shot through the tree tops, and lit up the bosom of the river till it shone like sapphire, till the whole was like a beautiful fairy picture. At the upper end of the reach several sparkling cascades leaped over a promontory about a hundred feet high, and sweetly blended their rushing sound with the song of the birds ; and here and there, where rugged points of glistening rock shone clear through the dense foliage of the trees, could be seen huge eagles or vultures pluming their pinions, and on the watch for prey. ' "We were completely lost in reverie, and a solemn, deep feeling of adoration crept over us. I wondered, then, -whether paradise would be like this — I thought it could not exceed it in beauty. Again I wondered why such [ scenes of indescribable beauty only existed in those wild savage lands. ! Surely, the rude, untutored barbarian could not venerate those lovely scenes, whose very name should be sacred ! " But while we were lost in reverie, contemplating the beauties of that unexplored region, a startling sound rang

through the hills and echoed from rock to rock. We started from our reverie and gazed eagerly around, and there we saw just entering the reach, a large canoe filled with painted savages. Our first impulse was to seek safety in flight, but recovering ourselves again, we resolved to await their approach. Just then another canoe pushed off beneath the overhanging trees bolow us. Our retreat was thus cut off, so we were forced to await our fate. The canoes closed in with us, and soon came close alongside. One man in each canoe stood up while all the rest were seated. 3?rom his peculiar dress, and the abundance of amulets hanging about him, we concluded that the mau in the nearest canoe was a priest. I afterwards found that he was the high priest of his tribe. When he came near enough to see us plainly, he evidently took us for superior intelligences, for he uncovered his head, and waved his hands about in a variety of ways, and addressed us in an uuknown tongue."