首页 >出版文学> TYPEE>第45章

第45章

  TheKannaka,however,stillmaintainedhisground,andIatonceperceivedthathewasseekingtopurchasemyfreedom。Animatedbytheidea,Icalleduponhimloudlytocometome;buthereplied,inbrokenEnglish,thattheislandershadthreatenedtopiercehimwiththeirspears,ifhestirredafoottowardsme。AtthistimeIwasstilladvancing,surroundedbyadensethrongofthenatives,severalofwhomhadtheirhandsuponme,andmorethanonejavelinwasthreateninglypointedatme。StillIperceivedclearlythatmanyofthoseleastfriendlytowardsmelookedirresoluteandanxious。
  IwasstillsomethirtyyardsfromKarakoee,whenmyfurtherprogresswaspreventedbythenatives,whocompelledmetositdownupontheground,whiletheystillretainedtheirholduponmyarms。
  Thedinandtumultnowbecametenfold,andIperceivedthatseveralofthepriestswereonthespot,allofwhomwereevidentlyurgingMow-Mowandtheotherchiefstopreventmydeparture;andthedetestableword-“Roo-ne!Roo-ne!“whichIhadheardrepeatedathousandtimesduringtheday,wasnowshoutedoutoneverysideofme。StillIsawthattheKannakacontinuedhisexertionsinmyfavour-
  thathewasboldlydebatingthematterwiththesavages,andwasstrivingtoenticethembydisplayinghisclothandpowder,andsnappingthelockofhismusket。Butallhesaidordidappearedonlytoaugmenttheclamoursofthosearoundhim,whoseemedbentupondrivinghimintothesea。
  WhenIrememberedtheextravagantvalueplacedbythesepeopleuponthearticleswhichwereofferedtotheminexchangeforme,andwhichweresoindignantlyrejected,Isawanewproofofthesamefixeddeterminationofpurposetheyhadallalongmanifestedwithregardtome,andindespair,andrecklessofconsequences,I
  exertedallmystrength,and,shakingmyselffreefromthegraspofthosewhoheldme,IspranguponmyfeetandrushedtowardsKarakoee。
  Therashattemptnearlydecidedmyfate!for,fearfulthatImightslipfromthem,severaloftheislandersnowraisedasimultaneousshout,andpressinguponKarakoee,theymenacedhimwithfuriousgestures,andactuallyforcedhimintothesea。Appalledattheirviolence,thepoorfellow,standingnearlytothewaistinthesurf,endeavouredtopacifythem;butatlength,fearfulthattheywoulddotopacifyhimsomefatalviolence,hebeckonedtohiscomradestopullinatonce,andtakehimintotheboat。
  Itwasatthisagonizingmoment,whenIthoughtallhopewasended,thatanewcontestarosebetweenthetwopartieswhohadaccompaniedmetotheshore;blowswerestruck,woundsweregiven,andbloodflowed。Intheinterestexcitedbythefray,everyonehadleftmeexceptMarheyo,Kory-Kory,andpoordearFayaway,whoclungtome,sobbingconvulsively。Isawthatnoworneverwasthemoment。
  Claspingmyhandstogether,IlookedimploringlyatMarheyo,andmovedtowardsthenowalmostdesertedbeach。Thetearswereintheoldman’seyes,butneitherhenorKory-Koryattemptedtoholdme,andIsoonreachedtheKannaka,whohadanxiouslywatchedmymovements;therowerspulledinasnearastheydaredtotheedgeofthesurf;IgaveonepartingembracetoFayaway,whoseemedspeechlesswithsorrow,andthenextinstantIfoundmyselfsafeintheboat,andKarakoeebymyside,whotoldtherowersatoncetogiveway。MarheyoandKory-Kory,andagreatmanyofthewomen,followedmeintothewater,andIwasdetermined,astheonlymarkofgratitudeIcouldshow,togivethemthearticleswhichhadbeenbroughtasmyransom。I
  handedthemuskettoKory-Kory,indoingwhichhewouldfainhavetakenholdofme,threwtherollofcottontooldMarheyo,pointingasIdidsotopoorFayaway,whohadretiredfromtheedgeofthewater,andwassittingdowndisconsolateonthebeach,andtumbledthepowder-bagsouttothenearestyoungladies,allofwhomwerevastlywillingtotakethem。Thisdistributiondidnotoccupytenseconds,andbeforeitwasovertheboatwasunderfullway,theKannakaallthewhileexclaimingloudlyagainstwhatheconsideredauselessthrowingawayofvaluableproperty。
  Althoughitwasclearthatmymovementshadbeennoticedbyseveralofthenatives,stilltheyhadnotsuspendedtheconflictinwhichtheywereengaged,anditwasnottheboatwasabovefiftyyardsfromtheshore,thatMow-Mowandsomesixorsevenotherwarriorsrushedintotheseaandhurledtheirjavelinsatus。Someoftheweaponspassedquiteasclosetousaswasdesirable,butnoonewaswounded,andthemenpulledawaygallantly。Butalthoughsoonoutofthereachofthespears,ourprogresswasextremelyslow;itblewstrongupontheshore,andthetidewasagainstus;andIsawKarakoee,whowassteeringtheboat,givemanyalooktowardsajuttingpointofthebayroundwhichwehadtopass。
  Foraminuteortwoafterourdeparture,thesavages,whohadformedintodifferentgroups,remainedperfectlymotionlessandsilent。Allatoncetheenragedchiefshowedbyhisgesturesthathehadresolvedwhatcoursehewouldtake。Shoutingloudlytohiscompanions,andpointingwithhistomahawktowardstheheadland,hesetoffatfullspeedinthatdirection,andwasfollowedbyaboutthirtyofthenatives,amongwhomwereseveralofthepriests,allyellingout,“Roo-ne!Roo-ne!“attheverytopoftheirvoices。
  Theirintentionwasevidentlytoswimofffromtheheadlandandinterceptusinourcourse。Thewindwasfresheningeveryminute,andwasrightinourteeth,anditwasoneofthosechopping,angryseas,inwhichitissodifficulttorow。Stillthechancesseemedinourfavour,butwhenwecamewithinahundredyardsofthepoint,theactivesavageswerealreadydashingintothewater,andweallfearedthatwithinfiveminutes’timeweshouldhaveascoreoftheinfuriatedwretchesaroundus。Ifsoourdoomwassealed,forthesesavages,unlikethefeebleswimmersofcivilizedcountries,are,ifanything,moreformidableantagonistsinthewaterthanwhenontheland。Itwasallatrialofstrength;ournativespulledtilltheiroarsbentagain,andthecrowdofswimmersshotthroughthewater,despiteitsroughness,withfearfulrapidity。
  Bythetimewehadreachedtheheadland,thesavageswerespreadrightacrossourcourse。Ourrowersgotouttheirknivesandheldthemreadybetweentheirteeth,andIseizedtheboat-hook。Wewereallawarethatiftheysucceededininterceptingus,theywouldpractiseuponusthemanoeuvrewhichhasprovedsofataltomanyaboat’screwintheseseas。Theywouldgrappletheoars,and,seizingholdofthegunwale,capsizetheboat,andthenweshouldbeentirelyattheirmercy。
  AfterafewbreathlessmomentsIdiscernedMow-Mow。Theathleticislander,withhistomahawkbetweenhisteeth,wasdashingthewaterbeforehimtillitfoamedagain。Hewasthenearesttous,andinanotherinstanthewouldhaveseizedoneoftheoars。EvenatthemomentIfeltthehorrorattheactIwasabouttocommit;butitwasnotimeforpityorcompunction,andwithatrueaim,andexertingallmystrength,Idashedtheboat-hookathim。Istruckhimjustbelowthethroat,andforcedhimdownwards。Ihadnotimetorepeattheblow,butIsawhimrisetothesurfaceinthewakeoftheboat,andnevershallIforgettheferociousexpressionofhiscountenance。
  Onlyoneotherofthesavagesreachedtheboat。Heseizedthegunwale,buttheknivesofourrowerssomauledhiswriststhathewasforcedtoquithishold,andthenextminutewewerepastthemall,andinsafety。Thestrongexcitementwhichhadthusfarkeptmeup,nowleftme,andIfellbackfaintingintothearmsofKarakoee。
  Thecircumstancesconnectedwithmymostunexpectedescapemaybeverybrieflystated。ThecaptainofanAustralianvesselbeingindistressformenintheseremoteseas,hadputintoNukuhevainordertorecruithisship’scompany,butnotasinglemanwastobeobtained;andthebarquewasabouttogetunderweigh,whenshewasboardedbyKarakoee,whoinformedthedisappointedEnglishmanthatanAmericansailorwasdetainedbythesavagesintheneighbouringbayofTypee;andheoffered,ifsuppliedwithsuitablearticlesoftraffic,toundertakehisrelease。TheKannakahadgainedhisintelligencefromMarnoo,towhom,afterall,Iwasindebtedformyescape。Thepropositionwasaccededto;andKarakoee,takingwithhimfivetabooednativesofNukuheva,againrepairedaboardthebarque,whichinafewhourssailedtothatpartoftheisland,andthrewhermaintop-sailabackrightofftheentrancetotheTypeebay。Thewhale-boat,mannedbythetabooedcrew,pulledtowardstheheadoftheinlet,whiletheshiplay“offandon“awaitingitsreturn。
  Theeventswhichensuedhavealreadybeendetailed,andlittlemoreremainstoberelated。OnreachingtheJulia,Iwasliftedovertheside,andmystrangeappearance,andremarkableadventure,occasionedtheliveliestinterest。Everyattentionwasbestoweduponmethathumanitycouldsuggest;buttosuchastatewasIreduced,thatthreemonthselapsedbeforeIrecoveredmyhealth。
  Themysterywhichhungoverthefateofmyfriendandcompanion,Toby,hasneverbeenclearedup。Istillremainignorantwhetherhesucceededinleavingthevalley,orperishedatthehandsoftheislanders。
  NOTE-TheAuthorof“Typee“wasmorethantwoyearsintheSouthSeas,afterescapingfromthevalley,asrecountedinthelastchapter。Sometimeafterreturninghometheforegoingnarrativewaspublished,thoughitwaslittlethoughtatthetimethatthiswouldbethemeansofrevealingtheexistenceofToby,whohadlongbeengivenupforlost。Butsoitproved。Thestoryofhisescapesuppliesanaturalsequeltotheadventure,andassuchitisnowaddedtothevolume。ItwasrelatedtotheAuthorbyTobyhimself。
  THEMORNINGmycomradeleftme,asrelatedinthenarrative,hewasaccompaniedbyalargepartyofthenatives,someofthemcarryingfruitandhogsforthepurposesoftraffic,asthereporthadspreadthatboatshadtouchedatthebay。
  Astheyproceededthroughthesettledpartsofthevalley,numbersjoinedthemfromeveryside,runningwithanimatedcriesfromeverypathway。Soexcitedwerethewholeparty,that,eagerasTobywastogainthebeach,itwasalmostasmuchashecoulddotokeepupwiththem。Makingthevalleyringwiththeirshouts,theyhurriedalongonaswifttrot,thoseinadvancepausingnowandthen,andflourishingtheirweaponstourgetherestforward。
  Presentlytheycametoaplacewherethepathcrossedabendofthemainstreamofthevalley。Hereastrangesoundcamethroughthegrovebeyond,andtheislandershalted。ItwasMow-Mow,theone-eyedchief,whohadgoneonbefore;hewasstrikinghisheavylanceagainstthehollowboughofatree。
  Thiswasasignalofalarm;-fornothingwasnowheardbutshoutsof“Happar!Happar!“-thewarriorstiltingwiththeirspearsandbrandishingthemintheair,andthewomenandboysshoutingtoeachother,andpickingupthestonesinthebedofthestream。InamomentortwoMow-Mowandtwoorthreeotherchiefsranoutfromthegrove,andthedinincreasedtenfold。
  Now,thoughtToby,forafray;andbeingunarmed,hebesoughtoneoftheyoungmendomiciledwithMarheyofortheloanofhisspear。