Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 22, 2025
"What has become of the other poor fellows, Macco?" "I not know. Come now, I help you to get on my raft." Saying this he swam round, and began pushing the spar before him, one end first, by which means it was easily driven through the water. It took us some time to reach the piece of wreck, which appeared to be part of the poop-deck.
He made signs to us that we were to take two of the canoes and go into the bay to fish, as the women were doing. "Dat bery good," observed Macco. "Me know how to catch more fish dan dem." We found a number of lines, with hooks made of the bones of birds, hung up in the house. When we offered to take them, Prince Frizzlepate nodded his permission.
Their whole conduct now changed towards us. The chief had seated himself in his usual place on the deck, when we were dragged up to him, and he made signs to us to empty our pockets. Oliver and Macco had, of course, but a few small coins: I had rather more, but no great sum, in Dutch money, which Captain Davenport had given me to make some purchases in the town of Ternate.
"Bery good fun for dem, but bad for us," observed Macco, as the violent shocks made us expect every instant to be hurled to the ground. At length they stopped, and there was an ominous silence. We felt as people do during the lull of a hurricane, when they know it will come back with tenfold force.
Be that as it may, Macco fixed on a canoe which he thought would answer his purpose. His countrymen assisted him, and he procured a piece of calico to serve as a sail, and soon cut a mast and spar on which to spread it. The only food he was able to provide for supporting existence was eight pounds of uncooked rice, and a small barrel of water.
Oliver agreed with me. Macco only grinned. Probably he saw nothing like a princess about her only a kind-hearted girl, who had taken compassion on three unfortunate strangers. We presented our fish in due form to the princess, and she graciously received them, being indeed highly pleased with the present. With the remainder we returned to our masters.
I was at no loss to light a fire; and collecting a supply of sticks and leaves, I struck a light with the two pieces of bamboo as Macco had done, and soon had the crab roasting before the fire; while I satisfied the cravings of hunger with a draught from the cocoa-nut and a portion of the fruit.
We now sat down on the beach, to see what was best to be done. Macco had his sailor's knife, fortunately, secured with a lanyard round his neck. I had a large clasp-knife in my pocket, which, though, like my clothes, somewhat the worse for having been wetted with salt water, was still serviceable and sharp. The first thing was to survey our island, we agreed, and to try to find water.
Poor Macco, however, was a mild-tempered young man, and probably thought that he would only be treated worse if he made any such attempt. At length, to avoid the persecutions to which he was subjected, he determined to run away from the island, and endeavour to reach the Mauritius. He mentioned his determination to one of his fellow-countrymen, who advised him to put it into execution.
In smooth water I might have pushed the spar before me with the help of Oliver. Presently we saw Macco slip off the raft and strike out towards us. He swam beautifully. I did not think a human being could make such rapid way through the water. In a short time we saw his dark-skinned face close to us. "Ah! ah! Bery glad, Massa Walter. Bery glad to see you safe."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking