Instantly all was bustle on board the hitherto quiet schooner.The top-sails were taken in and stowed, the men stood by the sheets and halyards, and the captain gazed anxiously at the breeze which was now rushing towards us like a sheet of dark blue.In a few seconds it struck us.The schooner trembled as if in surprise at the sudden onset, while she fell away, then bending gracefully to the wind, as though in acknowledgment of her subjection, she cut through the waves with her sharp prow like a dolphin, while Bill directed her course towards the strange sail.
In half an hour we neared her sufficiently to make out that she was a schooner, and, from the clumsy appearance of her masts and sails we judged her to be a trader.She evidently did not like our appearance, for, the instant the breeze reached her, she crowded all sail and showed us her stern.As the breeze had moderated a little our top-sails were again shaken out, and it soon became evident, - despite the proverb, "A stern chase is a long one," that we doubled her speed and would overhaul her speedily.When within a mile we hoisted British colours, but receiving no acknowledgment, the captain ordered a shot to be fired across her bows.In a moment, to my surprise, a large portion of the bottom of the boat amidships was removed, and in the hole thus exposed appeared an immense brass gun.It worked on a swivel and was elevated by means of machinery.It was quickly loaded and fired.The heavy ball struck the water a few yards ahead of the chase, and, ricochetting into the air, plunged into the sea a mile beyond it.
This produced the desired effect.The strange vessel backed her top-sails and hove-to, while we ranged up and lay-to, about a hundred yards off.
"Lower the boat," cried the captain.
In a second the boat was lowered and manned by a part of the crew, who were all armed with cutlasses and pistols.As the captain passed me to get into it, he said, "jump into the stern sheets, Ralph, I may want you." I obeyed, and in ten minutes more we were standing on the stranger's deck.We were all much surprised at the sight that met our eyes.Instead of a crew of such sailors as we were accustomed to see, there were only fifteen blacks standing on the quarter-deck and regarding us with looks of undisguised alarm.
They were totally unarmed and most of them unclothed; one or two, however, wore portions of European attire.One had on a pair of duck trousers which were much too large for him and stuck out in a most ungainly manner.Another wore nothing but the common scanty native garment round the loins, and a black beaver hat.But the most ludicrous personage of all, and one who seemed to be chief, was a tall middle-aged man, of a mild, simple expression of countenance, who wore a white cotton shirt, a swallow-tailed coat, and a straw hat, while his black brawny legs were totally uncovered below the knees.
"Where's the commander of this ship?" inquired our captain, stepping up to this individual.
"I is capin," he answered, taking off his straw hat and making a low bow.
"You!" said our captain, in surprise."Where do you come from, and where are you bound? What cargo have you aboard?""We is come," answered the man with the swallow-tail, "from Aitutaki; we was go for Rarotonga.We is native miss'nary ship;our name is de OLIVE BRANCH; an' our cargo is two tons cocoa-nuts, seventy pigs, twenty cats, and de Gosp'l."This announcement was received by the crew of our vessel with a shout of laughter, which, however, was peremptorily checked by the captain, whose expression instantly changed from one of severity to that of frank urbanity as he advanced towards the missionary and shook him warmly by the hand.
"I am very glad to have fallen in with you," said he, "and I wish you much success in your missionary labours.Pray take me to your cabin, as I wish to converse with you privately."The missionary immediately took him by the hand, and as he led him away I heard him saying, "Me most glad to find you trader; we t'ought you be pirate.You very like one 'bout the masts."What conversation the captain had with this man I never heard, but he came on deck again in a quarter of an hour, and, shaking hands cordially with the missionary, ordered us into our boat and returned to the schooner, which was immediately put before the wind.In a few minutes the OLIVE BRANCH was left far behind us.
That afternoon, as I was down below at dinner, I heard the men talking about this curious ship.
