A son was expected
to do exactly as his father did before him, and to do it in the same
way.
One day when I was fishing outside the reef, I was startled by a cry,
and looking toward whence it came I perceived a young girl in evident
terror, swimming for the reef with the black fin of a shark close upon
her. Going to her assistance I managed, at some risk, to drive off the
shark, and, pulling the girl into my boat I took her on board our ship,
where I delighted her with a present of printed calico with which to
reign as a queen of fashion among her tribe. When I took her ashore she
showed her gratitude by taking my hand in hers, and placing it upon her
forehead, which meant the making of a compact between us that she would
lay down her life for me if occasion should require. It was to this
that we subsequently owed our escape from death.
We had not found anything profitable to trade from these islands with
the exception of sandal wood and tortoiseshell, of which we obtained a
supply, but I noticed that the chief did not appear to grudge anything
we took from him. It became a joke among our crew that they could have
anything for the asking, and the ship was soon a museum of island
curiosities.
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