Chapter Fourteen - Page 2

interest,
and redoubled the energy with which they employed themselves in
collecting fruit to sell to the expected visitors. Some were
tearing off the husks from cocoanuts; some perched in the trees
were throwing down bread-fruit to their companions, who gathered
them into heaps as they fell; while others were plying their
fingers rapidly in weaving leafen baskets in which to carry the
fruit.

There were other matters too going on at the same time. Here you
would see a stout warrior polishing his spear with a bit of old
tappa, or adjusting the folds of the girdle about his waist; and
there you might descry a young damsel decorating herself with
flowers, as if having in her eye some maidenly conquest; while,
as in all cases of hurry and confusion in every part of the
world, a number of individuals kept hurrying to and fro, with
amazing vigour and perseverance, doing nothing themselves, and
hindering others.

Never before had we seen the islanders in such a state of bustle
and excitement; and the scene furnished abundant evidence of the
fact--that it was only at long intervals any such events occur.

When I thought of the length of time that might intervene before
a similar chance of escape would be presented, I bitterly
lamented that I had not the power of availing myself effectually
of the present opportunity.

From all that we could gather, it appeared that the natives were
fearful of arriving too late upon the beach, unless they made
extraordinary exertions. Sick and lame as I was, I would have
started with Toby at once, had not Kory-Kory not only refused to
carry me, but manifested the most invincible repugnance to our
leaving the neighbourhood of the house. The rest of the savages
were equally opposed to our wishes, and seemed grieved and
astonished at the earnestness of my solicitations. I clearly
perceived that while my attendant avoided all appearance of
constraining my movements, he was nevertheless determined to
thwart my wishes. He seemed to me on this particular occasion,
as well as often afterwards, to be executing the orders of some
other person with regard to me, though at the same time feeling
towards me the most lively affection.

Toby, who had made up his mind to accompany the islanders if
possible, as soon as they were in readiness to depart, and who
for that reason had refrained from showing the same anxiety that
I had done, now represented to me that it was idle for me to
entertain the hope of reaching the beach in time to profit by any
opportunity that might then be presented.

'Do you not see,' said he, 'the savages themselves are fearful of
being too late, and I should hurry forward myself at once did I
not think that if I