“Faytan!” he said. “Look, Ketaha, is it not so?”
Ketaha was Nux’s original name, never used since Uncle Naboth had picked him up. He too stared at the coast line steadily, and then nodded his head.
“It may be Faytan, my Louiki. Perhaps we are wrong. But it surely looks like Faytan.”
“Do you know this island, then?” I asked, speaking their own language.
r “If it is Faytan, we have been very near to it; but we have never landed upon the island,” replied Bry. “The Pearl People live in Faytan, and they are the enemies of all the other islanders — of all the world. If it is Faytan, we are risking our lives to land there.”
“It is risking our lives to try to keep afloat in this sea,” I replied. “Our men cannot fight these waves for long, Bry.”
He turned away and whispered to Nux. After a brief confab the latter said to us in English:
“Jus’ try to turn dat point o’ rock yonder, Cap’n Steele. Den I guess you find a cove to land, where dere am no rocks.”
The English of the blacks was somewhat imperfect, although they spoke their own language with excellent expression. But you must remember they had acquired our language on shipboard, from all classes of people, and seamen are not noted for grammatical precision.
Captain Steele at once took command of our boat and directed the men to pull around a point of rock. They obeyed with a will and, although they found it a desperately hard task in such a raging sea, finally succeeded in breasting the waves and making the point. Immediately we found ourselves sheltered from the force of the waves and, sure enough, a strip of white sand lined the shore of a small cove just ahead.
“Faytan!” cried Bry, and covered his face with his hands.
“Faytan!” echoed Nux; but he frowned and said nothing more.
The other boats had followed our lead and, heavily laden though they were, managed to round the point. Within half an hour we had run all three boats upon the tiny beach, pulled them out of reach of the sea, and stood wet and despondent in a dismal group upon this unknown isle.
CHAPTER 7
THE PEARL PEOPLE
“This is a terrible experience,” said De Jiminez in a gloomy voice. “A nation’s fate has been decided by a South Sea typhoon!”
“All is not lost,” replied Little Jim, attempting to console him. “The ship is high on the rocks yonder, and all the arms and ammunition may yet be saved. Perhaps the natives of this island are civilized and friendly, and will care for us until we can find another ship to take us to Colombia.”
His father shook his head disconsolately.
“I doubt if any people at all live on these rocks,” he said. “The place seems absolutely barren.”
“Why, there is a grove of big trees a quarter of a mile back,” declared Alfonso, “and the island is surely big enough to support many inhabitants. Wherever there are trees we are likely to find fields of grain and fruits. Come; let us go inland and explore the place.”
During this conversation the three women had huddled under their wet cloaks, terrified and trembling. To them this adventure was a dreadful thing. To be shipwrecked upon a barren island is not wholly unknown to mankind, but may well be regarded at all times with foreboding and horror.
“Come, then,” said the elder De Jiminez; “let us walk to the forest yonder. We shall find better shelter there, if nothing more.”
“Wait a moment, please!” I exclaimed, for I had been watching Bryonia and Nux, who stood apart eagerly conversing together.
“Why should we wait?” demanded Alfonso, annoyed at my interference.
“Because these blacks are natives of the South Seas,” I replied, “and they think they recognize this island. Let us therefore counsel with them before we act.”
“Bah! Any of these islands is safe enough,” persisted the boy.
“I am not sure of that,” I responded. “We are far from the usual path of ships as we have been blown from our course by the gale. This island is not marked upon any chart, I am sure, which means that there is no record of a white man having ever visited it.”
This statement had its influence upon our passengers, for they cast uneasy glances around and I am sure De Jiminez had no desire to risk the safety of the women by acting recklessly.
Presently our blacks came toward us with grave faces. Bryonia approached my father and said; “We pretty sure this Faytan Island, the home of the cruel Pearl People. If that is so, we no safe here, and better go away.”
“What, and leave the Seagull!” exclaimed my father.
“If no go away,” returned Bry in solemn tones, “we soon be dead.”
“Why?”
“Pearl People never let people come to their island. If people come, they kill ‘em quick. Nux and I, we once live on island near here. Twice the young men of my people make a war party to conquer Pearl People. The first time none ever came back. The second time Nux and I we go with them. We have many hundred fighting men — warriors. We come to other side of island, where is big city. Pearl People see us and send many hundred boats to meet us on the water. We make brave fight. All our warriors die. Nux and me, we bound and put in bottom of canoe. Pearl People king say he take us to city and kill us with fire to honor his great Pearl God, who win him the fight. But sudden storm come up; very bad storm; our boat break away and drift out to sea; we nearly die from thirst and pain when you pick us up and save us. That the story of the Pearl People. They very bad, cruel blacks.”
Bry’s dramatic recital gave us all food for thought, as may well be imagined. The sailors and passengers formed an eager group around him and listened intently to the tale; but there was little of comfort in it for anyone.
Uncle Naboth, my father and I, Joe and Ned Britton went a little apart from the others and held a council. After considering the situation we favored Joe’s advice, which was to cut across the end of the island to where the Seagull was perched upon the rocks, enter the ship and take possession of it before our enemies did. We could be more comfortable there than elsewhere on this bleak shore. Our supplies were there, probably uninjured; moreover, we could use it as a fort and defend it successfully against a horde if attacked.
If Bry and Nux were correct about this being Faytan, then this was the safest plan we could adopt. If our blacks were wrong we would soon discover the fact and could later decide on a definite plan of action.
It would be impossible to launch the boats again and return around the point to the ship, for the sea was yet in fearful turmoil; so we decided to leave the boats where they were, and try to find our way across the rocks.
Our passengers, when this was explained to them, readily agreed to the plan, provided the ship proved to be in a safe position and we were able to get aboard. Of course our crew, all old and tried men, were ready to obey any orders they received, so we lost no time in making the start and our promptness doubtless saved our lives.
There was a gloomy sky and the wind howled mournfully among the rocks. We appointed two men to assist Madam de Jiminez and two others to aid Madam de Alcantara who, since a real calamity had befallen us, had ceased to wail and settled into a state of helpless stupor. Alfonso and Joe walked with Lucia, but the girl was fully as active as they were and could climb the rocks like a mountain goat.
There was a fairly level country between the forest and the cove, but in order to reach the ship we had to clamber over a mass of jagged rocks that proved exceedingly difficult. There were high peaks with deep ravines between them, for the point we were crossing was of volcanic formation and some eruption had tossed the huge stones helter-skelter in a confused mass. At one time we were high enough to see the ocean — still rolling wildly — and at its feet the dear old Seagull perched like a monument on the rocks. Then we got tangled up with the ravines again and when next we emerged we were across the point, and only a hundred rods or so from the jagged coast where the ship was.
It was a marvelous thing, this high beaching of the Seagull. The
wave that carried her ashore must have been a monster, for the ship stood at least twenty feet above the water level and she had been gently placed between two huge rocks in a cavity that seemed especially made to receive her. She stood level as a die, stem to the island and bow to the sea — the sea that she was likely never to sail again; for no human agency could ever launch her from that altitude, with a double row of sharp reefs between her and the deep water. As a seagoing vessel we admitted that the career of the Seagull was ended; but as a place of refuge — a residence and a fort — the ship in its present location would prove invaluable to us as long as we were obliged to remain upon the island.
We found the rocks that supported her so steep and difficult to climb that we sent Joe and Ned Britton ahead, they being as sure-footed as cats. On reaching the ship they found only a loose rope hanging over the side to enable them to get aboard; but Joe managed to mount by this means and at once let down a ladder. A few minutes sufficed to gather ropes enough for their purpose, which was to furnish something to assist us in mounting to the ship. It was not easy to get the two ladies up, but Lucia was as active as a boy and assisted her mother even better than we could.
Soon we were all aboard, and to us who had always trod the decks when the Seagull lay upon the bosom of the water it was a peculiar experience to find her stationary and wedged tight between two big rocks. There was more or less disorder on board, as was natural when you consider we had deserted the ship in a panic of fear; but there seemed no especial damage of any sort and the men set to work and quickly put things to rights again.
The sea was falling rapidly. After we reached the ship there was no wave of sufficient magnitude to dash the spray over her side, and few that even wetted her. The passengers at once sought their staterooms and put them in order for further occupancy. De Jiminez was delighted at the thought that he had saved his precious cargo, although what good the guns and truck could do the revolution in Colombia was a mystery to the rest of us. Little Jim was in a sullen, silent mood and seemed to think fate was playing him a sorry trick. Perhaps she was; but my opinion is we were lucky to come out of the typhoon as well as we did. It was assuredly the worst storm I have ever experienced.
So far we had seen no natives at all, and Uncle Naboth said to Bryonia:
“Perhaps you’re mistaken about this being the island of the Pearl People. For if them natives you’ve described are as careful as you say they are about guarding their coast, they would have been after us long before this.”
“We quite sure we right,” answered Bry. “But you see, in such storm as this they think no natives of other islands can come here to attack, so they stay at home in their big city. To-morrow they come here, plenty of them; and then we must fight hard.”
This set my father thinking. He turned to Ned Britton and said:
“Do you s’pose we could get the boats around to-night? The sea’s easier now and if we wait till to-morrow we may have the natives on us. We can’t very well afford to lose the boats, for without ‘em we’d have no way to leave this island.”
Ned cast a look over the water and then nodded.
“All right, Cap’n,” he said. “We’ll try it.”
He went away to pick his men, and Bry returned to the kitchen galley and started dinner. Fortunately the Seagull was well provisioned and we had enough supplies to last our party for several months.
As Nux was laying the cabin table for the noonday meal I said to him:
“Why are the natives of Faytan called the Pearl People — and why should your tribe make such a desperate effort to conquer them?”
“‘Roun’ dis island, Mars Sam,” said he, “is de fines’ pearls in all de world. Dey grow in a certain sort o’ clamshell what can’t be foun’ anywhere else. An’ de Faytan natives dey jus’ crazy ‘bout dem pearls, an’ fish fer ‘em all de time. But dey won’t sell none nor give ‘em away; dey jus’ keeps ‘em all heaped up in de Pearl City, an’ wears ‘em on deyre bodies fer orn’ments. Dey worship de pearls in de great temple an’ believes dey gives ‘em strength an’ health an’ makes ‘em defeat all deyre enemies. If any boat comes here an’ sends anyone ashore dey kill ‘em quick. Sometimes de tribes of other islands come in big numbers to try to get de pearls; but Faytans always too strong for’ em an’ kill ‘em all.”
“Then how do you know about the pearls, and the Pearl City, and the Pearl Temple, and all that?” I inquired.
“How we know?”
“Yes. If no one ever gets away alive, how did you find out about these people?”
“I tell you,” said Nux. “Bry’s father he great chief of our people — what you call king. One day when he go with many canoe to fight the Grinto Islanders, a storm come up an’ drive him far away. All de canoe keep together with lines, an’ lay still on de water all night, floatin’ where ever de wind drive ‘em. When day break in momin’ he find two canoe from Faytan have drift in among ‘em. When Faytan people see our canoe dey go fast to escape; but our warriors go faster. Dey catch Faytan canoe an’ de Pearl People fight us. Dey kill twenty-two of our warriors an’ we kill six Faytan people an’ make two prisoners. The prisoners we carry back home. Dey big fellows an’ don’t talk much; but dey brag of de Pearl People an’ say they rich an’ strong, an’ nobody can ever conquer dem an’ get de pearls. Sometimes dey tell us all about de Pearl City an’ de great temple, an’ all dat; an’ our chief ask ‘em to show de way to Faytan an’ he prove he can conquer de Pearl People. Dey tell chief dey hate us so bad dey will show de way. So many young men of our tribe go in canoe, an’ de two Faytan natives go an’ show dem de way. I guess ‘bout four hundred went, but only seven came back. All de res’ was murdered by de Pearl People. De prisoners try to escape in de fight an’ get to land; but our chief he kill ‘em both an’ den escape himself an’ come home with six others.”
“That was hard luck,” I remarked.
“My father,” said Nux, “was kill in dat fight.”
“But you tried it again?”
“Many years after. Chief he old, den, an’ his son grow up an’ want to go to Faytan. De chiefs son is Bry. He my cousin. We hear much talk about Pearl People, an’ Bry — his right name Louiki — he beg chief to go. So we get a thousan’ warriors with spear, ax an’ bow ‘n’ arrow, and go in many canoe to Faytan. Bry told you what happen. I think we two the only ones that escape.”
I thought over this story with much care.
“Do you believe all that rubbish about the pearls, Nux?” I asked. “Why not, Mars Sam? I see de Pearl People when I fight ‘em. All have their bodies covered wid strings of fine pearls. Big pearls. Some white, some blue, some pink. I see de pearls. Why do I not believe?”
“Did you see the big city?”
“I see part of it from de sea. We couldn’t get on shore. It mighty fine city, Mars Sam — over on de odder side dis island.”
“Then how did you happen to recognize the back end of the island where we are now?”
“Before we fight we come close, in de night, to see if we can land here an’ not be seen. We think if we can fight on land we beat de Faytans, who fight best on water. But when we row up an’ down dis coast we find we cannot land. We try de little cove; but dey on watch. Dey on watch all aroun’ de island; so we go bold to de front an’ fight in sight of de city.”
“Seems to me, Nux,” I observed, turning this over in my mind, “we’re likely to have some lively times with these natives.”
The black nodded very soberly.
“Pearl People very big; very dang’rous,” he replied. “They thick as leaves on the trees. If we go ‘way alive, Mars Sam, it’s cause we have a ship full o’ guns an’ ca’tridges, which shoot better than bow ‘n’ arrow can.
“Yes, indeed,” I said, smiling; “it is certainly fortunate we have such a cargo. And the ship, cast ashore in this place, is a splendid fort. We won’t despair yet, Nux.”
The ladies did not appear at dinner, all three having gone to bed to rest after
their dreadful night. Nux carried coffee and toast to them, and the rest of us dined at the cabin table in rather solemn fashion. There was little in the situation to cheer any of us.
Toward evening Ned and his men left the ship and began their tedious climb over the rocky point to the cove where we had left the boats. I saw that all of them were well armed and warned them of the warlike disposition of the natives. The sea was now smooth enough to render the journey around by boat practical, and as we had seen no sign of any inhabitants, so far, we hoped we were as yet unobserved. But that thick forest ahead of us might be harboring a hundred watching eyes.
They failed to discover themselves, in that case, then or afterward. It grew dark quickly and I feared our boys would not reach the boats until long after nightfall. But the sky was clearing, in patches, and in places we could see thousands of stars glittering dimly.
We had established a good watch on deck and drawn up all the ladders, so that a surprise was well-nigh impossible. Joe and I paced up and down in the dusk, for we were careful not to show any lights, and talked about the queer stories we had heard of the Pearl People.
“If half these tales are true, Joe,” said I, “I mean to have a try at some of those pearls before we leave here.”
“Of course,” he returned. “It would be foolish for us not to land such a rare treasure when it’s right at hand — hunting for us, so to speak. But what interests me most, Sam, is the Pearl City, with its palaces and temples. That might be worth seeing.”
“Nux says the natives number many thousands, and they have decreed death to all strangers. But who knows, Joe? We may see the city after all.”
As he was about to reply we heard the far-off crack of rifles — a regular volley — and knew the sound came from the cove. After that there was deep silence.
The struggle had begun.
CHAPTER 8
THE REEF PATROL
Complete Works of L. Frank Baum Page 721
