So he gave them some beads
and fish-hooks as a present to show that he was a friend and again his
boat shot away toward the beach.
They pulled to a creek where a brook ran down in a lovely valley
between two mountains. On the beach stood some Erromangan natives,
with their eyes (half fierce, half frightened) looking out under their
matted jungle of hair.
Picking up a bucket from the boat, Williams held it out to the chief
and made signs to show that he wished for water from the brook. The
chief took the bucket, and, turning, ran up the beach and disappeared.
For a quarter of an hour they waited; and for half an hour. At last,
when the sun was now high in the sky, the chief returned with the
water.
Williams drank from the water to show his friendliness. Then his
friend, Harris, swinging himself over the side of the boat, waded
ashore through the cool, sparkling, shallow water and sat down. The
natives ran away, but soon came back with cocoa-nuts and opened them
for him to drink.
* * * * *
"See," said Williams, "there are boys playing on the beach; that is a
good sign."
"Yes," answered Captain Morgan, "but there are no women, and when the
savages mean mischief they send their women away."
Williams now waded ashore and Cunningham followed him.
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