Island Sketches Fridays Adventure with Bully Hayes

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 December 1903, Page 216

Island Sketches Fridays Adventure with Bully Hayes

BY K&LEEFi

#V?ril RID AY is an old man now. Who would think to see '^'•R^ this decrepit old native— 'nTjUPi with, as a trader sagely remarked, " one foot on a bar of soap and one in the /_* grave " — that he had ' a K^J soul above his kava, to- \~ bacco and sleep ? Aye, but ■>i) so time treats us all. Once he was the life of his little village, Halafu, the leader in the fights and gentler sports, and — is it} possible ?i — a gay Lothario ! even so. Old Marafu, the grand old chief of Noatau, now resting in the white coral grave-yard, was wont to hold forth for hours on that 'rus-rus (cunning) old Friday. For did he not steal the belle of Noatau from under their noses, while he softened their hearts with his big pigs and great kava roots. But, greatest and grandest of all, he actually managed to bamboozle the dread of Rotuma, Bully Hayes ! Of course, Friday was not his native name, it was twice as long. An old whaler gave hi;m this nick-name, and it has

lasted his life. He was born at Halafu, Rotuma, but in ; what year he could not tell you, not that he suffered from shyness on this point, but simply because he was born before the days of the Government or missionaries. Now, directly a Rotuman lad can plant and fight, he is supposed to be a man, so Friday must have been about fourteen years old when a great event occurred in his life, a big whaler put into the Motusa anchorage ; and in a fortnight he had bidden a long farewell to the land of sparkling beaches, and learnt what the rope'send meant, and a variety of other useful nautical lessons. After a stormy passage, Port Jackson was reached, and Friday was gazing with round eyes of wonder at the myriads of lights. "Hanisi ai Li mare " (" my love to you, heaven ") he murmured, only as it was night, he could not see the fat pigs grubbing on the beach, that delight the hearts of Rotumans, and with which they imagine " Li mare" to abound. Otter members of the crew were taking it easy shoregazing, doubtless dreaming of " Home, sweet home." A tug was meandering in the vicinity, its two red light suddenly caught the startled Friday's eyes. A shrill whistle sounded, echoed 'by a still more piercing, one from the terrificd l *nativiej lad as he darted down the hatch. Friday was missing all night, next morning the skipper found him at the bottom of the

From Photo of a Painting. Friday.

" 'Ere 'c is and 'undreds more on 'em." " Stow it, Chips, can't yer see the poor nigger is skeered almost out of his wits, leave him to me," said the old man. After some persuasion and gentle reminders of the rope's end, Friday crept fearfully out of the hatch. All went well until he was walking- up the circular quay with Chips, then he was stricken with horror at a q s uiet old cart-horse with its nose in a bag. " Buroas— devils— nothing but a land of devils !" he exclaimed. He had seen " kamias " (dogs 1 ) on Rotuma, but never such big ones as in this land. " Give the nigger a line and let him try his luck fishing. He ought

ship, shivering and moaning about devils and a variety of other horrors.

"Here, you young blackguard, come out of this \" sternly commanded the skipper, as he grabbed Friday' with a heavy but not unkjnd hand.

" Is it gone V fearfully whispered, the Eotuman.

" 0' course c's p-one, yer black son of a sea-cook I" yelled one of the crew.

" But she's a-puffin' hup again/ came in a stage whisper from a lad called Chips.

" »Ugh, Sir, Mister Captain, I no want to go and see any more one big devil spit fire, red eye him got, buroa's eye, all same devil eye— you savee," whined Friday.

to be good at that/ said the skipper on one occasion. " More in 'is line/ laughed Chips. " Them coloured people are kind of related to fish, more nor to monkeys,'"' growled the mate. Chips predicted many evils, as he looked on with a fiendish grin on his freckled face. And as luck would have it, the line had only just "been cast over the side when the luckless Friday caught a cat-fish ! Gentle critic, if you have not been lucky enough to catch a true cat-fish, you cannot imagine the uncanny sensation produced jby its most unearthly mo-mo-ow-ow's, which put a first-class banshee completely into the shade. It was Friday's first introduction to this species of fish, and there was a tableau. Chips declared the darned nigger owed him fifteen shillings for making him " bust " his— well, we will call them clothes — with laughing. Friday, however, was yet to prove himself a hero in Chip's eyes. This he did very effectually when Chips, with a boy's recklessness of sharks, jumped over for a swim. It was the Rotuma lad who saw the danger, for a shark was making straight for Chips ; and over the side he darted, sheath-knife in mouth. Shifting the knife into his hand as he dived under the monster, he ripped him up in approved fashion. Chips never forgot this, and ever after, until his death occurred on a dreadful reef, they were sworn friends.

It was in a Sydney gambling den. which reeked with tobacco and every vice imaginable, the card-taibles were full, and large sums of money and frugget.s of gold were piled here and there on the tables, ready for the eager hands of the lucky winner to grasp as his. own for perhaps a few hours, or even Jess. There were many different types of faces, there, some deeply marked with villainy and crime, others/ mere boys with wild eyes, and bloated features. At

one table apart from the others sat rather a striking group, a big burly man, with an unmistakable air of the sea about him, a shrivelled Frenchman, and a stout fair man with that indescribable Dutch build. The other two were lads, one redheaded, the other slim and brown, no less than Chips and Friday. " And you think 1 could make a good thing out of a trip to Rotuma," said the big man, " and that's why you have brought these boys?" " Mein Gott ! what have I not toldt you dis half -hour !" snarled the Dutchman. " Well, we'll get these lads to swear at once." " Just wait a bit, Boss, 'fore we go with yer, my chum an' me wants to know yer terms, and all the rest of it," chimed in Chips. " You've just got to swear a few things first, my sharpun. But in the meantime, we'll retire into a more secluded place." When the five were seated in a quiet room, Chips broke the silence by saying uneasily : " This 'ere business is kind of mysterious, Boss. I likes to work in the daylight." " Ver' brave Englishman," sneered the Dutchman. " 'Ere, yer swine-scoffing Dutchman, I'll show yer if I'm afraid of yer," and suiting his actions to his words,, the young; jgiant sprang at the Dutchman, who shrank back. " Yes, yer white-livered cur, it took a one-eyed Englishman to take yer 'ole fleet, yer don't forget Nelson, do yer ?" And he would have choked the Dutchman only for the burly man whose iron-hand closed on his arm like a vice. " Look yer, Friday, we'll give 'em best, and sign on with the old man again," said the angry lad. " Not so fast, boy, you're just the sort we want, got a good muscle, too, ha, ha ! Frightened poor old Peters. Now to begin, you say you want to know everything clearly — quite right— l am Capt. Hayes r generally known as ' Bully.' " Chips gave a gasp.

" Well I'm darned ! So yer the bloke what's been setting, them islands by the ears these two years ! My eye, what a cod !" and Chips roared with laughter. "Do yer 'ear, Friday ? This 'ere man is the big sea-chief what run away with that nigger's wife, and 'caps of others, too !" Friday's eyes grew rounder and rounder as only native's eyes can. " You plenty money, Sir, Mister, me go, too." " Sacre !" " Gott !" muttered the Frenchman and Dutchman together. Preliminaries were then gone through . " And you, Friday, don't play any of your black man's tricks on me, mind, I know your ways," said Bully Hayes, fixing his piercing eyes on the native. " You give me money, Sir, Mister, you give me plenty tucker — all right." " Aye, aye, that's all right. Now Ducrose, state the case." The Frenchman cleared his throat: " It's on the fertile the green " he commenced. " Stow that sentiment, Froggie, and state case clearly. Time's precious." " Well, on an island called Rotuma where the ' 1/ Etoile ' survivors landed years ago, for it was on the reef that the ship struck, I. first saw the desire of my heart, yes, the beautiful girl whose life I saved. [ Sacre ! vingt mille tonnerres !' her husband was saved, too ! I risked this life, and swore she should be mine. I wanted them to leave Rotuma in the whaling shin I was on, then the rest would have been easy ; but no, nothing would induce the, foolish creature to go to sea again. ' Our Lady has spared my life, and here I will remain until I die,' she said. Her miserable husband nearly took this life, because I bribed two natives to bind. her, and. bring her to a boat, meaning to hide her on the ship, see the wounds in my body !" screamed Ducrose, tearing his shirt open.

" Puff, a mere scratch, how much is this Frenchman worth V asked Capt. Hayes. " Gold, gold, and jewels, in piles, you can have them all, but the gem I mean to have is Marie Le Moy, the lovely daughter." -X- * * * A little schooner was dancing over the ocean of wonderful hues, three blue hills rose from the distant horizon, these were the highest hills of Eotuma, the Pearl of the Pacific. " Tt lies on the deep, where the blue water pflcnms, A beautiful island, an island of dreams." Evidently Friday thought so as he

gazed with anxious eyes at those blue hills, three years had passed since he saw his native land. "Hanisi ai Rotuma/' he murmured.

On the large verandah of Le Moy's residence, in a silken hammock, Marie Le Moy was gracefully reclining. She was not statuesque, like her beautiful Spanish mother, but a tiny fairy-like child, with her mother's glorious eyes. She had masses of sunny brown hair, her

skin was soft olive with just the dosired tinge of colour on her cheeks. To look at her meant to be captivated, she was exquisitely formed, and wore a loose flowing gown. Her parents were taking it easy near her, for it was intensely hot.

" Mamma, I wish something wonderful would happen for a change/ "My Bebe, what a silly wish. You have all you can desire around you, except, perhaps, someone on the French inan-o'-war;'' laughed Madame.

"'0 my mother, I have never seen the beautiful Paris, and that is my dream."

'<' Marie, child," said her father sternly, " neither have you seen the anger of the sea."

" Father, you know when the last hurricane swept Rotuma 'we had" to fly to the hills from the sea."

" That is not the same thing as being at its mercy, such as your mother and I were."

" Yes, yes. I love Rotuma, my dear ones, but it's only the little longing here "—tapping her heart— "to see the world." As she murmured this, Marie hid her face behind a spray of poinsettia which she was waving about. "I see, my puss, since the man-o'-war called and you met that " " Stop, father." " You are but seventeen," severely remarked Madame.

" And you. Mamma, were but sixteen/ was the pert reply. " Why, 'tis the cry of ■■' ship/ I hear !" exclaimed Monsieur Le Moy.

Nearer came the white wings which were to bring such a change into Marie's life.

Bully Hayes arranged everything very satisfactorily, even to calling himself Capt, Bond for the time being. Only Ducrose was not to land until all was ready. The Le Moys were charmed with the Captain, he was such a well-in-formed man. So all was easy in that quarter. But, alas, Marie, you innocent child ! What need was

there for you to play the guitar to add to your charms ? The sea-rover fell madly in love with this dainty butterfly, and forthwith determined to have gold and maiden too.

Chips and Friday were sitting on a cocoanut log on the Motusa beach one evening, talking earnestly.

" I see what them devil-dodgers is up to, Friday, they just mean to rob the Frenchman, and clear out with the lovely girl, and I says they shan't, bust me if they shall !" and he stamped violently. " Them devils is going to 'aye a dinner on the ship the day after to-morrow, and there is a-going to be wines and all in style, yer see ; and when they take the party back to shore, the boat upsets, yer see ; then the girl is grabbed and taken on board and off they go ; course Dutchie and Froggie is to rob Le Moy while the dinner is on. Oh, they're a nice crowd, I promise yer," and Chips swore fluently. "Me see, me savee long time, Chips," and Friday looked wise. "' Me got 1 one big thinik in my heiad, on the land of my uncle is one big hill ; on top, one big hole, all same well, not too big on top but .all same gin bottle, he get big inside, you savee. Long time ago he used to spit fire. No one go down — too high. Only if bring big rope, then g,o down, down, all same bucket, inside Rotuma." " Friday, yer a brick, a perfect brick, I'm blest if yer, ain't !" " But we no tell, Sir Mister and Missis. Sir Mister Le Moy all puff, bang " " Well, Friday, we'll get the girl, and tell 'er, then we'll what yer call kidnap 'er, and keep 'er till that schooner is clear." " I know Varea, the cook, so we go now," said Friday. As luck would have it, Marie came dancing into the kitchen just after the lads had reached the cookhouse. Marie always liked to make her father's coffee. Chins got as

red as pickled cabbage, when the dainty little 'form appeared. ■ " 0 Varea, more visitors, naughty boy !" she said, holding up a iinger. " Why, one is English," and out went a little white hand. Chips gripped the tiny hand and said awkwardly : " Miss, 1 must see yer to tell yer some news, but yer must promise first not to tell even yer mother." " Ugh, how funny !" and Marie shrugged her shapely shoulders. Chips suddenly remembered a tragic play lie had once seen in London where a mam fell on his knees in front of the heroine, crying, " it's life or death," so he acted accordingly. It went a long way with the sentimental girl. " Speak quickly," she cried. Then they told her all. " It's not Capt. Bond or Bully as you call him that I fear, but that Ducrose, whom my parents believe dead." " Oh, 'c's alive and kicking !" exclaimed Chips. Friday then begged Marie to do as they wished, and to trust Varea with the key of the safe, so that they could hide all the gold and jewels. " But how am I to know this is true ?" she cried anxiously ; but could have bitten her tongue out when she saw Friday's proud face, and Chips' hurt expression. " Well, we 'ay done all we can, Miss, and we are yer true friends, so 'elp me," he said in low and mournful tones. " Enough, my friend, I will slip away when the others are getting ready for the dinner, wait under yon big tree." On the day of the dinner, Marie was very restless, she felt a pang go through her when she thought it might be the last time they: would be all together. Alas ! she must go through with this thing, like Joseph, be lowered into a pit. Sha made up her mind to leave a note telling her mother all, it would spare them pain. After writing it she slipped out and saw her father

reading on the verandah with his. evening cigar. He was evidently enjoying his book as one foot was wagging, and Marie knew that was a sign of amusement. Two arms went softly round thebrown neck. " Mon pere," she whispered, " I do love you." " What news, Bebe ?" he asked* as he folded his precious child in his arms. An hour later Marie had left the dear old home for ever. * * # * What a dark night it was .! Theair was heavy with the scent of orange and lime blossoms.

Friday and Chips with a tiny figure were creeping through thewild bush at the back of Le Moy's residence towards the Mamfiri crater. At dawn they had reached the summit, the sky was so glorious that even tired Marie had to stand and 8-imire it. It was one of thosewonderful tropical sunrises of every hue that could be conceived or desired, from pale sea-green to rosepink, primrose, then near the hori-

zon that wonderful purple and gold — the fitting colours for those grand old Roman Emperors. Marie next turned her tired eyes to take a last peep at her home which nestled among the green far down below like a white dove. This done r sbe closed her eyes, with dread, while the lads prepared the stout manilla rope which they had run through a pulley attached to a tree. At the end of the rope they fixed a bosuns chair for Marie. Then Friday told her that she need fear nothing because he had plenty of nuts and biscuits down below. He had also bribed his mother to take care of Marie. This she promised readily, little dreaming she had to go down the dreaded Mamfiri.

"My eye, she did kick up a shindy !" chuckled Chips. Now, there is an ancient Rotuman legend that Mamfiri is haunted (which, indeed, it is with bats and other small deer. I can vouch for the truth of this, having- gone down myself with the officers of H.M.S " Penguin " in 1896). Friday could tell you that in the days of his great, great grandfather's father, this dreaded cave held the old Rotuman god, who, when angry with his people, would throw fire and stones out of his mouth, and kill everyone in _ the vicinity. But when the white god came on earth, this atua was afraid, and went to another land. And until this day the Eotumans are afraid he might suddenly return, and be wrath with them for forsaking him. It is only the educated Rotumans, who have visited Torres Straits pearl-fishing, who will venture down this crater. Chips was lowered first, then Marie. Friday remained above and cleared all traces away. He then crept to his village to hear with great surprise that the rich white man's daughter had disappeared. Bully Hayes sent for Friday, he was in a fearful rage. " Look here, Friday, you grinning son of a sea-cook, d'ye know anything about this affair ?" He drew ■from his belt a glittering revolver.

"If you do, I shall find you out, and you'll get a pill out of this !"

" Sir Mister Boss ! — me know ? No fear ! Why, me sleep at the house of my father. He kill big pig, he keep for me when me come back from the white man's land, you savee ?" " Then where the devil's Chips, eating your pig, too ?" " No, Sir Mister, Chips, him go to Hatana, wild island out there, with my brother to get the seabirds' eggs, he come back when sun sleep, if sea no get too angry." " What \" shouted Capt. Hayes, " d'ye- mean to say he may not return to-night, when he only had a day off, and in this hell of a place, no harbour ? We might have to run for it any time !" " When Chips, he go with my brother to Hatana, sea be quiet, now me see him angry out there. By-bye big wind blow, then he sleep on sand beach on Hatana, like me one time, seven nights, no water, no cocoanut, eat him crab," mournfully croaked Friday. Then the gallant Captain swore long and loud. It was well for Chips that he was absent or — well, there might have been an accident. As it was. he contented himself with a threat. "If I don't find that girl, I'll smash you up, you young whelp, as I have done others I" Friday departed.

Marie's feelings as she was beinglowered into thq weird darkness of that ghastly crater were anything but pleasant, thei sensation of the rope appearing to go from under her in jerks, was horrible in the extreme, and to make matters worse, armies of flying-foxes squealed around her as they brushed by ; one of the little pests bit her finger so sharply that she almost let go the guiding rope when she was in such a narrow place that her feet could touch each side. At last Chips' cheery voice was heard, and in another moment he had her in

his arms and carried her into a nook where the rays of a lantern disclosed green cocoanut leaves spread on the ground, and Friday's mother sitting near a pile of green nuts with a dejected air, smoking a suluka. " Welcome, 0 daughter of the white race," she muttered, as Marie kissed her, and thanked her so sweetly for her .great kindness that she won the old dame's heart. After giving Marie food, she made her lie down, and deftly smoothed her head with her soft brown hand,

time, the elements were working themselves up to hurricane pitch. Marie had been missing two days when Ducrose, late in the evening, creeping like a tiger in search of prey, approached Le Moy's house. Instead of seeing distracted parents, he saw Madame reclining in an easy-chair, she was ghastly pale, but a calm smile played round her beautiful lips, her husband was leaning over her, whispering. Ducrose caught the words, " rest assured, he will save her." It was

so that the tired girl soon fell into a deep slumber.

Ducrose was beside himself when he found his treasure had slipped through his fingers. Why had he been such a fool as to remain hidden on the ship ? Where was the traitor ? He determined to scour the island for the lovely girl . She could not be far, away. But in the mean-

too much. With the girl he loved so near, was he to be baffled again ? No, never ! He sprang, revolver in hand, through the French window. Madame Le Moy ga,ve a scream, and drew a glittering dagger from her waist. Le Moy caught the man by the arm. "So you are the vile wretch, who seeks to destroy our happiness \" he hissed.

" Die, you dog ■!" yelled Ducrose, as he fired his revolver straight at LeMoy, who reeled back. Then came an awful cry from Ducrose. iMadame Le Moy had stabbed him t©l, the heart. A lamp had been overturned during the fray, and in an hour the beautiful home was a smoking heap of ruins. All night long the wind howled dismally, and next morning a terrific hurricane was raging, but by the early dawn Capt. Hayes had left Rotuma and the treasures miles behind. On the third day, exceDt for the uprooted trees and usual wreckage, all traces of the storm had vanished, and— was it possible ? — a man-o'-war was seen approaching the anchorage. It was, and it proved to be a French one, and, moreover, the one on which Marie's lover served. In a few hours, Madame Le Moy and her husband were safe on board,

Monsieur Le Moy wanted to go to Mamfiri for Marie, but owing to his wounded arm was unable to do so. However, Friday was on the alert, and before a search-party had time to leave the man-o'-war, a canoe was seen to put off from Motusa. It proved to be Marie and her faithful protectors. In a short time Rotuma lay a dream in the distance. Monsieur De Fresne, Marie's lover, now had his beloved by his side, where she declared she would remain " until death do us part."

Friday and Chips went ashore, did elaborate justice to a royal Kotuman feast of pork, fowl, turkey, and yams, with much joking of how Friday had bamboozled Bully Hayes. Then they drank refreshing, draughts .from the kava bowl, rolled themselves up in their mats, and were soon lost in slumber, where we will leave them for the present, " Bonne nuit."