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Then, for the first time, it occurred to Zeppa to use the language of Ratinga. The chief evidently understood it. "God is love," said Zeppa solemnly, pointing upward with his finger. "God forgives. You will forgive, and so be like God." The chief was completely overawed by Zeppa's grandeur and gentleness. He had never before seen the two qualities combined.
In like manner Ebony understood a little of the Ratinga tongue, but could not speak much of it, and Waroonga, who himself spoke uncommonly bad, though fluent, English, interpreted when necessary. "Well, you mus' know," said Ebony, "dat jus before I goes to bed las' night I heat a little too much supper " "You doos that every night" interrupted Buttchee, with a grin.
Let it suffice to say that the natives of Ratinga turned round, childlike and they were little more than grown up children swallowed all he had to say and did all he bid them do or nearly all, for of course there were a few self-willed characters among them who objected at first to the wholesale changes that Waroonga introduced in their manners and customs.
In a retired part of the ship's cabin there are two savage nobles who do not take things quite as gallantly as the ship herself. These are our friends Tomeo and Buttchee of Ratinga. Each is seated on the cabin floor with his back against the bulkhead, an expression of woe-begone desolation on his visage, his black legs apart, and a ship's bucket between them.
And truly, the dark brown skin which fitted so perfectly to his muscular frame tattooed as it was with many elegant devices seemed to warrant his rejection of the ill-made surtout. But in Ratinga, as elsewhere, tastes differ. Buttchee's fancy was caught by the brass buttons, and he volunteered to put on the coat, although he had looked with scorn on the trousers.
The reply of the savage chief was strangely anticipated and checked at that moment by a burst of childish voices singing one of the beautiful hymns with which the inhabitants of Ratinga had long been familiar.
As the ruling passion is said to become dominant in death, so, in this death of reason which appeared to have passed upon Zeppa, love of his wife and child and the natives of Ratinga, as well as profound reverence and love to his God, became conspicuous in the broken sentences that occasionally dropped from his lips.
Savages in all parts of the world are usually much influenced for good or evil by the example of their chiefs. Those of Ratinga were no exception to the general rule, and the chiefs Tomeo and Buttchee did not encourage the putting on of clothes. After much persuasion, however, and being good-natured, he consented to try.
Thus, with the approval of Madame Zeppa and Betsy Waroonga, these five representatives of Ratinga embarked on board the British man-of-war, and left the island. We left the poor madman, Antonio Zeppa, wandering aimlessly up into the mountains of Sugar-loaf Island.
Time, as usual, continued to work his marvellous changes as the years flew by, but of all the transformations he wrought none was so striking as that produced in two men of Ratinga, who daily sat down, side by side, in front of their cottage by the sea, to watch a host of children of all ages, sizes, and complexions, which gambolled merrily on the sands.
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