Коралловый остров

Chapter 24

           Wehavetakenmanycargoesofitalreadyandhavepaidforthem,too,forthesavagesaresonumerousthatwedarednottrytotakeitbyforce.Butourcaptainhastriedtocheatthemsooftenthatthey’rebeginnin’nottolikeusovermuchnow.Besides,themenbehavedillthelasttimewewerehere,andIwonderthecaptainisnotafraidtoventure.Buthe’safraido’nothin’earthly,Ibelieve."

           Wesoonraninsidethebarriercoralreef,andletgoouranchorinsixfathomswater,justoppositethemouthofasmallcreek,whoseshoresweredenselycoveredwithmangrovesandtallumbrageoustrees.Theprincipalvillageofthenativeslayabouthalf-a-milefromthispoint.Orderingtheboatout,thecaptainjumpedintoit,andorderedmetofollowhim.Themen,fifteeninnumber,werewellarmed;andthematewasdirectedtohaveLongTomreadyforemergencies.

           "Giveway,lads!"criedthecaptain.

           Theoarsfellintothewaterattheword,theboatshotfromtheschooner’sside,andinafewminutesreachedtheshore.Here,contrarytoourexpectation,weweremetwiththeutmostcordialitybyRomata,theprincipalchiefoftheisland,whoconductedustohishouseandgaveusmatstositupon.Iobservedinpassingthatthenatives,ofwhomthereweretwoorthreethousand,weretotallyunarmed.

           Afterashortpreliminarypalaver,afeastofbakedpigsandvariousrootswasspreadbeforeus,ofwhichwepartooksparingly,andthenproceededtobusiness.

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