favour was only now to appear. With one voice, the crew

protested; ere Herrick knew what they were doing, the cook

was aroused and came a willing volunteer; all hands clustered

about their mate with expostulations and caresses; and he was

bidden to lie down and take his customary rest without alarm.

'He tell you tlue,' said Uncle Ned. 'You sleep. Evely man hae

he do all light. Evely man he like you too much.'

Herrick struggled, and gave way; choked upon some trivial

words of gratitude; and walked to the side of the house, against

which he leaned, struggling with emotion.

Uncle Ned presently followed him and begged him to lie

down.

'It's no use, Uncle Ned,' he replied. 'I couldn't sleep. I'm

knocked over with all your goodness.'

'Ah, no call me Uncle Ned no mo'!' cried the old man. 'No

my name! My name Taveeta, all-e-same Taveeta King of Islael. Wat

for he call that Hawaii? I think no savvy nothing--all-e-

same Wise-a-mana.'

It was the first time the name of the late captain had been

mentioned, and Herrick grasped the occasion. The reader shall

be spared Uncle Ned's unwieldy dialect, and learn in less

embarrassing English, the sum of what he now communicated.

The ship had scarce cleared the Golden Gates before the captain

and mate had entered on a career of drunkenness, which was

scarcely interrupted by their malady and only closed by death.

For days and weeks they had encountered neither land nor ship;

and seeing themselves lost on the huge deep with their insane

conductors, the natives had drunk deep of terror.

At length they made a low island, and went in; and Wiseman

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>