Once in a while, we came in at the death of a chiefs pig; the noise of
whose slaughtering was generally to be heard at a great distance. An
occasion like this gathers the neighbours together, and they have a
bit of a feast, where a stranger is always welcome. A good loud
squeal, therefore, was music in our ears. It showed something going
on in that direction.
Breaking in upon the party tumultuously, as we did, we always created
a sensation. Sometimes, we found the animal still alive and
struggling; in which case, it was generally dropped at our approach.
To provide for these emergencies, Flash Jack generally repaired to the
scene of operations with a sheath-knife between his teeth, and a club
in his hand. Others were exceedingly officious in singeing off the
bristles, and disembowelling. Doctor Long Ghost and myself, however,
never meddled with these preliminaries, but came to the feast itself
with unimpaired energies.
Like all lank men, my long friend had an appetite of his own. Others
occasionally went about seeking what they might devour, but he was
always on the alert.
He had an ingenious way of obviating an inconvenience which we all
experienced at times. The islanders seldom use salt with their food;
so he begged Rope Yarn to bring him some from the ship; also a little
pepper, if he could; which, accordingly, was done. This he placed in
a small leather wallet - a "monkey bag" (so called by sailors)
- usually worn as a purse about the neck.
"In my opinion," said Long Ghost, as he tucked the wallet out of
sight, "it behooves a stranger, in Tahiti, to have his knife in
readiness, and his castor slung."
CHAPTER XXXV.
VISIT FROM AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE
WE had not been many days ashore, when Doctor Johnson was espied
coming along the Broom Road.
We had heard that he meditated a visit, and suspected what he was
after. Being upon the consul's hands, all our expenses were of course
payable by him in his official capacity; and, therefore, as a friend
of Wilson, and sure of good pay, the shore doctor had some idea of
allowing us to run up a bill with him. True, it was rather awkward to
ask us to take medicines which, on board the ship, he told us were
not needed. However, he resolved to put a bold face on the matter, and
give us a call.
His approach was announced by one of the scouts, upon which someone
suggested that we should let him enter, and then put him in the
stocks.
