Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

STATE OF AFFAIRS ABOARD THE SHIP--CONTENTS OF HER LARDER--LENGTH
OF SOUTH SEAMEN'S VOYAGES--ACCOUNT OF A FLYING
WHALE-MAN--DETERMINATION TO LEAVE THE VESSEL--THE BAY OF
NUKUHEVA--THE TYPEES--INVASION OF THEIR VALLEY BY PORTER --
REFLECTIONS -- GLEN OF TIOR--INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE OLD KING AND
THE FRENCH ADMIRAL

OUR ship had not been many days in the harbour of Nukuheva before
I came to the determination of leaving her. That my reasons for
resolving to take this step were numerous and weighty, may be
inferred from the fact that I chose rather to risk my fortunes
among the savages of the island than to endure another voyage on
board the Dolly. To use the concise, pointblank phrase of the
sailors. I had made up my mind to 'run away'. Now as a meaning
is generally attached to these two words no way flattering to the
individual to whom they are applied, it behoves me, for the sake
of my own character, to offer some explanation of my conduct.

When I entered on board the Dolly, I signed as a matter of course
the ship's articles, thereby voluntarily engaging and legally
binding myself to serve in a certain capacity for the period of
the voyage; and, special considerations apart, I was of course
bound to fulfill the agreement. But in all contracts, if one
party fail to perform his share of the compact, is not the other
virtually absolved from his liability? Who is there who will not
answer in the affirmative?

Having settled the principle, then, let me apply it to the
particular case in question. In numberless instances had not
only the implied but the specified conditions of the articles
been violated on the part of the ship in which I served. The
usage on board of her was tyrannical; the sick had been inhumanly
neglected; the provisions had been doled out in scanty allowance;
and her cruises were unreasonably protracted. The captain was
the author of the abuses; it was in vain to think that he would
either remedy them, or alter his conduct, which was arbitrary and
violent in the extreme. His prompt reply to all complaints and
remonstrances was--the butt-end of a handspike, so convincingly
administered as effectually to silence the aggrieved party.

To whom could we apply for redress? We had left both law and
equity on the other side of the Cape; and unfortunately, with a
very few exceptions, our crew was composed of a parcel of
dastardly and meanspirited wretches, divided among themselves,
and only united in enduring without resistance the unmitigated
tyranny of the captain. It would have been mere madness for any
two or three of the number, unassisted by the rest, to attempt
making a stand against his ill usage. They would only have
called down upon