Edward Barry / South Sea Pearler

New Hebrides Group and the great archipelago of the Solomon Islands for Arrecifos Lagoon. During these ten days Barry had had time to study C

his demeanour, but willing and cheerful. His name, so he told Barry, was Velo, and he was a native of Manono, in the Samoan Group. For the past four or five years he had been wandering to and fro among the islands of the Pacific, his last voyage being made in a luckless Hobart Town whaleship, which he had left at Sydney in disgust and without a penny in his pocket. Like Barry, he had been attracted

r, on the morning of the fourth day, a steady breeze set in, and Rawlings' equanimity was restored. His anxiety to make a quick passage was very evident, and when the vicinity of the Northern Solomons was reached, and continuous and furious squalls were experienced almost every night, he would refuse to take in sail till

d sea, leapt up from her weather bow as high as the foretopsail. "I want to get into Arrecifos Lagoon as quickly as I can, even if we do lose a light spar or two. I'm no navigator, as you know, but I know the Solomons as well as any man, for I've been trading

ame time, I believe there is no cause for hurry. But perhaps Tracey has imbued me with some of his fears that some one

way, often caused even the native look-outs to call out "Breakers ahead?" and then she sailed into the region of the gentle, north-east trade wind, till the blue mountain-peaks of Ponapé the beautiful showed upon the sunlit sea

days at least, and possibly ten days or a fortnight; so on the following morning, when at breakf

the captain. "We're bound to get

y and the thick haze hanging over Ponapé I think we can safely count on this one lasting for three days at the very least. But even if it ru

reath, and then moodily ass

t I hope you are mistaken about the calm cont

adily on until a little before seven bells, when Barry heard one of

bakwa bubura!" ("A shark! a

e fo'c'sle for the shark-fishing tackle which every Gilbert Islander carries with him when at sea. Rawlings and Barry, who were both on the after-deck, went to the rail and looked over a

And he's hungry, too; look how the pilot fish are running round the ship. That's a sure sig

Greek boatswain, who angrily bade him get back to his work again, and tea

nt and smiling, flashed resentfully, and he bent his head

aid the Greek savagely, and raising

flashing in his right hand, and the lust of blood in his

he Greek, who was a man of enormous strength, had been quicker than his assailant in the use of the knife, and had already stabbed the Islander twice in the shoulder, whilst Billy, who was a much smaller man, had driven his own weapon through the Gr

y both feet, dragged him out of the mêlée, and lifting him in his arms threw him down the forescuttle, whilst Barry quietened the

e slash-intended for the Greek-across his temple, and, blinded by the flow of blood, staggered across

cry of alarm. "Quick, Mr.

d was holding his head out of water, was swimming toward the staging under the main chains, the shark suddenly appeared under the counter, swimming high up on the surface. Barry saw i

the shark darted off in terror, and Barry quietly swam alongside aga

Billy Onotoa's wounds, Rawlings standing beside him and e

avely, "and as you are such a good surgeon, perhaps

ownright sweep-like all his ear-ringed kidney. He had no right to kick this man, who is one of the best and smartest men aboard. I gave him a cli

a bully, and does not understand these natives as you do. But, at the same time, he is a good sailor m

y discipline. But I tell you plainly that the native crew on this ship are a different class of natives to which you have been accustomed in the Solomon Group and the New Hebrides. They will not take a blow from any man-wh

ked the ash o

a good dressing down, and tell him to be careful in future. I have the utmost

d him for nearly half an hour, and then as he was entering his cabin to change his cl

ould have been taken. Velo told me so just now. He said that he might have been safe, but that I w

what I did; I've seen natives do the same thing for amusement-it's the best way out o

quietly after the fight, were evidently much dissatisfied, and when at six o'clock they all marched aft and demanded to speak with the captain, Barry was not at all surprised. Rawlings, ho

ey simply want you to promise them that the boatswain will not attempt to 'haze' any one of them again. If you appear before them with a weapon in your hand they will take

d his chief officer on deck. The native crew were awaiting him. Velo stepped forward as spokesman

not be kep' in irons. The bos'un kicked him and made him get mad. Why i

k-skinned companions, who were watchin

off," muttered Barry, in low tones; "if yo

a minute or so, as he walked to and

no sailor not to take a kick or a lift under the jaw in good part. The bos'un himself told me he

bos'un kicked him-American fashion; if the bos'un had hit him

any jaw from you. Mr. Barradas, plea

that lay under their apparently quiet manner. Barradas went for'ard and liberated Billy, who,

in so close to the land that the breaking surf on the reef was plainly to be heard-not more than three m

he brig to the eastward so as to clear the southern horn of the projecting reef,

ahoy,

o are you?

ader from

ncing boat, and in a few minutes she came alongside. She was manned by a crew of semi-nude, woolly-hair

hands with Rawlings and Ba

s, and had to clear out to save my -- skin. Where are you bound to, captain? Give me and my boys a passage. I don'

. Warner. Come below, and let your men com

ce he stared, and then gave a hoarse, snorting

wouldn't have reckernised yer only

e. Mr. Barry, this is Mr. Bill Warner, an old Solomon Island shipmate a

awlings' dark eyes, which he took in

Warner staggered up on deck, and with a vast amount of hilarious profanity and b

t stand by him when the time comes, for there may be throats to cut." Then he added

the skylight, and in a few minute

Barry had lowered one of the boats, and the crew were towing her clear of the outlying horn of the reef. The wild, half-naked savage

ong, Mr. Barry?" said

reef we need no more towing. But it is just as well to be on

rry." He took a turn or two along the deck, and then with his hands in his

rs ago in the Solomon Island labour trade. He has, it seems, had a quarrel with the natives of Ponapé, who attacked him, and he and his crowd had to clear out to save

, if he is to be judged by first impressions. He's as drunk as a pig, and I don't wonder at the Ponapé natives wanting to get rid of him, for in my

on poor Warner, my dear Barry. He's not as bad as he looks.

courteously. "I think we had bett