CHAPTER XXXIV.
Imprisonment--Sinking hopes--Unexpected freedom to more than one, and inmore senses than one.
For a long long month we remained in our dark and dreary prison, duringwhich dismal time we did not see the face of a human being, except thatof the silent savage who brought us our daily food.
There have been one or two seasons in my life during which I have felt asif the darkness of sorrow and desolation that crushed my inmost heartcould never pass away, until death should make me cease to feel thepresent was such a season.
During the first part of our confinement we felt a cold chill at ourhearts every time we heard a foot-fall near the cave--dreading lest itshould prove to be that of our executioner. But as time dragged heavilyon, we ceased to feel this alarm, and began to experience such a deep,irrepressible longing for freedom, that we chafed and fretted in ourconfinement like tigers. Then a feeling of despair came over us, and weactually longed for the time when the savages would take us forth to die!But these changes took place very gradually, and were mingled sometimeswith brighter thoughts; for there were times when we sat in that darkcavern on our ledge of rock and conversed almost pleasantly about thepast, until we well-nigh forgot the dreary present. But we seldomventured to touch upon the future.
A few decayed leaves and boughs formed our bed; and a scanty supply ofyams and taro, brought to us once a-day, constituted our food.
"Well, Ralph, how have you slept?" said Jack, in a listless tone, onrising one morning from his humble couch. "Were you much disturbed bythe wind last night?"
"No," said I; "I dreamed of home all night, and I thought that my mothersmiled upon me, and beckoned me to go to her; but I could not, for I waschained."
"And I dreamed, too," said Peterkin; "but it was of our happy home on theCoral Island. I thought we were swimming in the Water Garden; then thesavages gave a yell, and we were immediately in the cave at SpoutingCliff, which, somehow or other, changed into this gloomy cavern; and Iawoke to find it true."
Peterkin's tone was so much altered by the depressing influence of hislong imprisonment, that, had I not known it was he who spoke, I shouldscarcely have recognised it, so sad was it, and so unlike to the merry,cheerful voice we had been accustomed to hear. I pondered this much, andthought of the terrible decline of happiness that may come on humanbeings in so short a time; how bright the sunshine in the sky at onetime, and, in a short space, how dark the overshadowing cloud! I had nodoubt that the Bible would have given me much light and comfort on thissubject, if I had possessed one, and I once more had occasion to regretdeeply having neglected to store my memory with its consoling truths.
While I meditated thus, Peterkin again broke the silence of the cave, bysaying, in a melancholy tone, "Oh, I wonder if we shall ever see our dearisland more."
His voice trembled, and, covering his face with both hands, he bent downhis head and wept. It was an unusual sight for me to see our once joyouscompanion in tears, and I felt a burning desire to comfort him; but,alas! what could I say? I could hold out no hope; and although I essayedtwice to speak, the words refused to pass my lips. While I hesitated,Jack sat down beside him, and whispered a few words in his ear, whilePeterkin threw himself on his friend's breast, and rested his head on hisshoulder.
Thus we sat for some time in deep silence. Soon after, we heardfootsteps at the entrance of the cave, and immediately our jailerentered. We were so much accustomed to his regular visits, however, thatwe paid little attention to him, expecting that he would set down ourmeagre fare, as usual, and depart. But, to our surprise, instead ofdoing so, he advanced towards us with a knife in his hand, and, going upto Jack, he cut the thongs that bound his wrists, then he did the same toPeterkin and me! For fully five minutes we stood in speechlessamazement, with our freed hands hanging idly by our sides. The firstthought that rushed into my mind was, that the time had come to put us todeath; and although, as I have said before, we actually wished for deathin the strength of our despair, now that we thought it drew really near Ifelt all the natural love of life revive in my heart, mingled with achill of horror at the suddenness of our call.
But I was mistaken. After cutting our bonds, the savage pointed to thecave's mouth, and we marched, almost mechanically, into the open air.Here, to our surprise, we found the teacher standing under a tree, withhis hands clasped before him, and the tears trickling down his darkcheeks. On seeing Jack, who came out first, he sprang towards him, andclasping him in his arms, exclaimed,--
"Oh! my dear young friend, through the great goodness of God you arefree!"
"Free!" cried Jack.
"Ay, free," repeated the teacher, shaking us warmly by the hands againand again; "free to go and come as you will. The Lord has unloosed thebands of the captive and set the prisoners free. A missionary has beensent to us, and Tararo has embraced the Christian religion! The peopleare even now burning their gods of wood! Come, my dear friends, and seethe glorious sight."
We could scarcely credit our senses. So long had we been accustomed inour cavern to dream of deliverance, that we imagined for a moment thismust surely be nothing more than another vivid dream. Our eyes and mindswere dazzled, too, by the brilliant sunshine, which almost blinded usafter our long confinement to the gloom of our prison, so that we feltgiddy with the variety of conflicting emotions that filled our throbbingbosoms; but as we followed the footsteps of our sable friend, and beheldthe bright foliage of the trees, and heard the cries of the paroquets,and smelt the rich perfume of the flowering shrubs, the truth, that wewere really delivered from prison and from death, rushed withoverwhelming power into our souls, and, with one accord, while tearssprang to our eyes, we uttered a loud long cheer of joy.
It was replied to by a shout from a number of the natives who chanced tobe near. Running towards us, they shook us by the hand with everydemonstration of kindly feeling. They then fell behind, and, forming asort of procession, conducted us to the dwelling of Tararo.
The scene that met our eyes here was one that I shall never forget. On arude bench in front of his house sat the chief. A native stood on hisleft hand, who, from his dress, seemed to be a teacher. On his rightstood an English gentleman, who, I at once and rightly concluded, was amissionary. He was tall, thin, and apparently past forty, with a baldforehead, and thin gray hair. The expression of his countenance was themost winning I ever saw, and his clear gray eye beamed with a look thatwas frank, fearless, loving, and truthful. In front of the chief was anopen space, in the centre of which lay a pile of wooden idols, ready tobe set on fire; and around these were assembled thousands of natives, whohad come to join in or to witness the unusual sight. A bright smileoverspread the missionary's face as he advanced quickly to meet us, andhe shook us warmly by the hands.
"I am overjoyed to meet you, my dear young friends," he said. "Myfriend, and your friend, the teacher, has told me your history; and Ithank our Father in heaven, with all my heart, that he has guided me tothis island, and made me the instrument of saving you."
We thanked the missionary most heartily, and asked him in some surprisehow he had succeeded in turning the heart of Tararo in our favour.
"I will tell you that at a more convenient time," he answered, "meanwhilewe must not forget the respect due to the chief. He waits to receiveyou."
In the conversation that immediately followed between us and Tararo, thelatter said that the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ had been sent tothe island, and that to it we were indebted for our freedom. Moreover,he told us that we were at liberty to depart in our schooner whenever wepleased, and that we should be supplied with as much provision as werequired. He concluded by shaking hands with us warmly, and performingthe ceremony of rubbing noses.
This was indeed good news to us, and we could hardly find words toexpress our gratitude to the chief and to the missionary.
"And what of Avatea?" inquired Jack.
The missionary replied by pointing to a group of natives in the midst
ofwhom the girl stood. Beside her was a tall, strapping fellow, whosenoble mien and air of superiority bespoke him a chief of no ordinarykind.
"That youth is her lover. He came this very morning in his war-canoe totreat with Tararo for Avatea. He is to be married in a few days, andafterwards returns to his island home with his bride!"
"That's capital," said Jack, as he stepped up to the savage and gave hima hearty shake of the hand. "I wish you joy, my lad;--and you too,Avatea."
As Jack spoke, Avatea's lover took him by the hand and led him to thespot where Tararo and the missionary stood, surrounded by most of thechief men of the tribe. The girl herself followed, and stood on his lefthand while her lover stood on his right, and, commanding silence, madethe following speech, which was translated by the missionary:--
"Young friend, you have seen few years, but your head is old. Your heartalso is large and very brave. I and Avatea are your debtors, and wewish, in the midst of this assembly, to acknowledge our debt, and to saythat it is one which we can never repay. You have risked your life forone who was known to you only for a few days. But she was a woman indistress, and that was enough to secure to her the aid of a Christianman. We, who live in these islands of the sea, know that the trueChristians always act thus. Their religion is one of love and kindness.We thank God that so many Christians have been sent here--we hope manymore will come. Remember that I and Avatea will think of you and prayfor you and your brave comrades when you are far away."
To this kind speech Jack returned a short sailor-like reply, in which heinsisted that he had only done for Avatea what he would have done for anywoman under the sun. But Jack's forte did not lie in speech-making, sohe terminated rather abruptly by seizing the chief's hand and shaking itviolently, after which he made a hasty retreat.
"Now, then, Ralph and Peterkin," said Jack, as we mingled with the crowd,"it seems to me that the object we came here for having beensatisfactorily accomplished, we have nothing more to do but get ready forsea as fast as we can, and hurrah for dear old England!"
"That's my idea precisely," said Peterkin, endeavouring to wink, but hehad wept so much of late, poor fellow, that he found it difficult;"however, I'm not going away till I see these fellows burn their gods."
Peterkin had his wish, for, in a few minutes afterwards, fire was put tothe pile, the roaring flames ascended, and, amid the acclamations of theassembled thousands, the false gods of Mango were reduced to ashes!
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