The Thought That We Were Actually Going Up For The Last Time,
And That The Next Time We Went Round
San Diego point it would
be "homeward bound," brought things so near a close, that we
felt as though we
Were just there, though it must still be the
greater part of a year before we could see Boston.
I spent one evening, as had been my custom, at the oven with the
Sandwich Islanders; but it was far from being the usual noisy,
laughing time. It has been said, that the greatest curse to each
of the South Sea islands, was the first man who discovered it;
and every one who knows anything of the history of our commerce
in those parts, knows how much truth there is in this; and that
the white men, with their vices, have brought in diseases before
unknown to the islanders, and which are now sweeping off the native
population of the Sandwich Islands, at the rate of one fortieth of
the entire population annually. They seem to be a doomed people.
The curse of a people calling themselves Christian, seems to follow
them everywhere; and even here, in this obscure place, lay two
young islanders, whom I had left strong, active young men, in the
vigor of health, wasting away under a disease, which they would
never have known but for their intercourse with Christianized Mexico
and people from Christian America. One of them was not so ill; and
was moving about, smoking his pipe, and talking, and trying to keep
up his spirits; but the other, who was my friend, and Aikane - Hope,
was the most dreadful object I had ever seen in my life: his eyes
sunken and dead, his cheeks fallen in against his teeth, his hands
looking like claws; a dreadful cough, which seemed to rack his whole
shattered system, a hollow whispering voice, and an entire inability
to move himself. There he lay, upon a mat, on the ground, which was
the only floor of the oven, with no medicine, no comforts, and no
one to care for, or help him, but a few Kanakas, who were willing
enough, but could do nothing. The sight of him made me sick,
and faint. Poor fellow! During the four months that I lived
upon the beach, we were continually together, both in work, and
in our excursions in the woods, and upon the water. I really
felt a strong affection for him, and preferred him to any of my
own countrymen there; and I believe there was nothing which he
would not have done for me. When I came into the oven he looked
at me, held out his hand, and said, in a low voice, but with a
delightful smile, "Aloha, Aikane! Aloha nui!" I comforted him
as well as I could, and promised to ask the captain to help him
from the medicine-chest, and told him I had no doubt the captain
would do what he could for him, as he had worked in our employ for
several years, both on shore and aboard our vessels on the coast.
I went aboard and turned into my hammock, but I could not sleep.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 192 of 324
Words from 99936 to 100471
of 170236
