Three Years in Tristan da Cunha Part 20

_Friday, August_ 21.--We have spent the best part of four hours taking the harmonium to pieces and putting it together again. A note had gone wrong, causing the greatest discord; we therefore had to do something. The parts to be unscrewed seemed numberless, but happily we were able to find out what was causing the mischief and to put it right. A small peg had got out of its place. It was worth while taking the instrument to pieces if only to clear away the acc.u.mulation of dust. Yet there was one incident which threatened to wreck everything. A board with a line of little upright pegs was removed, which Graham, without a thought that the pegs were not fixtures, turned upside down, when out fell the greater part of them. To our consternation we found each peg had its own hole and that there was nothing to show which it was. It took us hours to get them fitted.

_Sat.u.r.day, August_ 29.--It is now over five months since we have had communication with the outer world. Happily, the every-day duties and interests make the weeks pa.s.s quickly. Some families have run short of potatoes, partly on account of disease and partly on account of the increased population. The Repettos are among the number. It being their week to serve us, I told Mrs. Repetto this morning she must not bring us any, but she brought them all the same. They killed an ox yesterday, and brought such a huge piece of beef that we had to return some of it. He said, with tears in his eyes, perhaps it would be their last time of serving us.

We fear the new-comers will have a bad influence on old and young as regards morals. One of the men and two of the wives are terrible swearers.

Some of the children are already singing bad songs learnt from them.

_Tuesday, September_ 1.--This evening we heard that two whales were to be seen within the kelp. We went on to the cliffs to look and could clearly see, about a quarter of a mile away, an old one playing with its calf.

Andrew Swain and his wife spent the evening with us. I taught her a new pattern in knitting, a new heel, and how to cast on double.

_Friday, September_ 4.--Yesterday after the choir practice Mrs. Repetto and Mary went down to fish. Before long I saw them returning, and when they got near noticed Mary had her head bound up. It seems she had fallen on the wet rocks and cut her head near the right temple. Her mother wrapped her pinafore round the place, but could do no more, as such sights make her ill. They came in here. It was difficult at first to see what damage had been done, as the cut had bled freely and the hair was clotted with blood. We bathed the place and then made her lie down on Ellen's bed, where she fell asleep. Happily, it turned out not to be such a bad cut as it at first appeared to be. Mrs. Repetto stayed and talked about her children. She told us Willie will never go to bed unless she says, "Good-night, dear." "Good-night, Willie," will not do. He comes back and throws his arms round her neck and says, "Say 'dear.'" Sometimes to teaze him she says the other words. The night of the dance when they came back with the children it was 12 o'clock, but little Joe, though very sleepy, would not go to bed until he had said his prayers. So many of the children get no help from their parents in doing right. Truthfulness is a great difficulty with them. Quite small children will tell you a lie without so much as a blink of the eye. I think some are certainly more truthful than they were; but children go through such phases that it is not easy to tell whether the habit of truthfulness has been formed.

_Sat.u.r.day, September_ 5.--A s.h.i.+p was sighted early this morning, which proved to be a French sealer bound for Kerguelen Island. It put out a boat, but not knowing where the settlement was, made for the Hardies. A boat went off from here and then the s.h.i.+p came round. It has been rather a miserable day, for rain has been falling nearly all the time. Two boats went out in the afternoon with meat and potatoes, which had been asked for. The Captain was not willing to give anything but spirits in exchange.

The boat which went off in the morning and which contained some of the new-comers got three bags of biscuits and soap, which ought really to have been divided amongst "All Hands." It was very disappointing for the others, who had gone out to the s.h.i.+p in a steady downpour.

The young Sam Swains had a little son born yesterday. This makes our number ninety-nine. I went to-day to inquire and found the mother knitting. Mrs. Repetto was nursing the baby, which looked beautifully clean in a pretty gown and a little print capie on his head.

_Thursday, September_ l0.--A mild form of mumps is prevalent among the younger children. The Andrew Hagans have had to leave the house of his step-mother, old Eliza Hagan. Susan Hagan could stand the life there no longer. It seems that Mrs. James Hagan is out nearly all day, neglects her children, and is altogether impossible to live with. It is hard that they should have to turn out for newcomers, the more so as Andrew is the elder brother and has been living in the house many years. What led to the final breach was James saying to Susan that her husband had stolen his step-mother's sheep and that there would be blood and slaughter. This alarmed the Andrew Hagans so much that they made up their minds to leave next day, and did so. The old step-mother is staying on, as it is her house, but I fear she will have an ill time of it, for the children are unmanageable and she will often be left alone with them.

_Friday, September_ 11.--This morning as we were getting up there was a loud knock at the door. Bill Rogers had come to ask us to go at once to his boy Arthur, who was very ill. He had been waiting until he saw the smoke coming from our chimney, and looked, poor fellow, very much upset.

We hurried on our things and were off in about three minutes. He was standing at his door looking for us. The room was full of men. Arthur was on the sofa in the sitting-room and propped up with pillows. He was breathing with the greatest difficulty, could not swallow, and the saliva was running out of his mouth. Graham soon cleared the room by taking the men outside. The mother and I set to and fomented the boy's throat. In a short time I saw this was giving relief, as he was beginning to swallow and to breathe more easily. The poor father was in tears. Later on we fomented again, after which he was able to speak. This evening he seems going on nicely. He had been suffering from mumps, and we think he must have caught cold.

I went to see Mrs. Sam Swain, who has the baby-boy, and heard an amusing story of her sharp little child of three. She did not want to come to school this morning, but her G.o.d-mother, Charlotte Swain, dressed her and made her come. When school was over and Charlotte was going out with her, she said, "Mummish, you got the best of me this morning."

_Thursday, September_ 17.--Early this morning Graham went off by boat with Mr. Keytel and Repetto to visit Freshwater Cave to get specimens of night-birds and their eggs. Mr. Keytel remained in charge of the boat while Graham and Repetto went into the cave, which was about one hundred yards in length. At the far end was a pebbly beach, where the birds were supposed to be. Between it and the mouth was water, which had to be pa.s.sed. Repetto climbed from ledge to ledge along one side of the cave.

Graham preferred to wade and swim through the water. They saw about twelve night-birds and found seven eggs. Mr. Keytel took a photograph of them standing at the cave's mouth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRESHWATER CAVE]

I spent the day visiting the different invalids. I daily visit Arthur Rogers, who is still on the couch and whose face remains much swollen, but now he is feeling better he is all smiles. I think the mumps are going the round of the settlement, though with some the complaint only shows itself in a bad headache and a general feeling of illness.

This evening Andrew Hagan and his wife have been in, Graham having asked them to come, as he wanted to hear from them why they had left their house. What they said agreed with what I have already related. He has also asked James Hagan, and, as he has not come, has been to see him more than once, but has not been able to find him at home.

_Thursday, September_ 24.--The men have finished planting their potatoes; of which the early ones will be ready for digging in November. Until then the people will be very short of suitable food. They have no flour and are living a good deal on young eaglets, which are too rich to eat without potatoes.

Many persons have been suffering from ophthalmia. One of the babies from the Cape came with it. We strongly recommend those who have had it in their houses to whitewash their rooms, and we have offered what lime we can spare.

I must not forget to mention a diverting trade letter received from an enterprising Liverpool firm. It is addressed to the Collector of Customs, Tristan d'Acunha, and the following is one of its paragraphs--

"If not asking too much, we should be glad if you will send us the names of any Traders and General Storekeepers in Tristan d'Acunha who would be interested in our catalogues, which we could forward them by mail direct.

We believe our goods are largely imported to Tristan d'Acunha, and would be greatly obliged if you could comply with our request, as we find the names furnished by directories are not altogether satisfactory."

CHAPTER x.x.xI

_Sat.u.r.day, September_ 26.--The weeks are flying fast. In November we shall begin packing, so as to be ready in case a s.h.i.+p should call for us. We shall leave the furniture to be put by for any future clergyman.

Yesterday we had again to take the harmonium to pieces, as another note had gone wrong. We could find nothing amiss except that the note squeaked when pressed; it, however, came all right after the board had been placed near the fire.

To-day old Eliza Hagan had tea with us. She is now without tea and lives mostly on eggs. She looked so aged and talked but little, just answering us. I think she was afraid of being asked about the Jim Hagans, who live with her, but we carefully avoided that subject. A few days ago Graham had a straight talk with Mrs. James Hagan and Will Swain, at the house of whose mother, Susan Swain, she spends most of her time. We shall bring home, all being well, a number of photographs. Mr. Keytel very kindly always gives us copies of those he has taken.

_Monday, September_ 28.--Our population is now one hundred, Mrs. Bob Gla.s.s having had a son yesterday. I saw her for a few minutes this morning.

There are many other invalids, for several are suffering from the breaking out of sores. Alfred has had them very badly on his face and has been really ill. They break out on the head, face, arms and legs, and, in fact, all over the body, causing those who are suffering from them to feel very poorly. They are certainly contagious, and attack men, women and children, apparently they were brought by one of the children from the Cape.

On Sat.u.r.day thirteen of the men went by boat to Sandy Point. They took their dogs, and coming back, having no room for them in the boats owing to the number of eggs, sent them home overland. The old ones reached home about as soon as their masters. The next day I happened to see Bill Rogers, who told me his young collie (the best-looking dog on the island) had not returned. He seemed very upset about it, and said he should go off in search of it. Happily, in the afternoon when he got home from service he found it had returned. It was so footsore that its feet had to be bound up. When we first arrived there was a very poor set of dogs. But later Sam Swain was sent a half collie, and now there is a very much better stamp of dog. These new dogs have quite won their way with the people, who think much more of them and allow them in the house. They have gentle, attractive ways, very much like those of our Rob.

_Sat.u.r.day, October_ 3.--I am daily dressing Alfred's face with boracic ointment, which I think is doing good. Poor Ben was taken ill again last night with fits. It is nearly a year since he had any. He has got under bad influence and has vowed he will never go to church again. Some of the other men have also almost given up coming, whereas at one time they came fairly regularly.

_Wednesday, October_ 7.--A s.h.i.+p was sighted soon after five this morning.

Mr. Keytel and some of the men went off to it; but many of the others were on the mountains hunting for eggs. It was an American sealer and came close in. We got a barrel of flour for five lambs. The captain had come in for potatoes, but, of course, could not get any. He said another of their sealers, which had started four days earlier than he had, was going to call, and that both were bound for Gough Island.

_Thursday, October_ 8.--An expedition was planned yesterday by Graham, Mr.

Keytel and Repetto were to go on the mountain today in search of Molly's eggs. They arranged to start between two and three. Graham got up at two, and when Repetto came to call him was dressed and just going to have breakfast. I spent part of the morning photographing, and took the Henry Green family sitting in front of their house. I found Mrs. Green so hard up for cotton that she was unravelling a piece of boat canvas. The mountaineers returned in the early evening. Graham much enjoyed the day, and thinks they must have walked thirty miles. Going up they watched the sealer cautiously sailing round Inaccessible. They also got a view of the Peak, which had a little snow on it. Mr. Keytel photographed the Mollyhawk on its nest.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOLLYHAWK ON ITS NEST]

_Sat.u.r.day, October_ 10.--There was a south-east wind blowing last night.

This is a wind likely to do damage, so Graham went out to have a look round and saw something sticking out from the roof. There being no lights in the houses he concluded every one was in bed, and so got the ladder and mounted on to the roof, where he found a piece of wood that holds the lead down had got loose. This afternoon, meeting several men at Mr. Keytel's, he told them how he had fastened the loose board, when they said, "You should have called 'Sail, ho!'; you would have had every one out of their beds pretty quick."

_Tuesday, October_ 13.--We were awakened by a cry of "Sail, ho!" I got up, added postscripts to my letters, and retired to bed again. The men started off but seeing the s.h.i.+p was not heading this way they came back.

Mrs. H. Green is getting quite brisk. I have called once or twice on Sunday morning and taken her to church. The women are not coming very well to their meeting; on an average there are only eight or nine, of whom Charlotte Swain is always one. She loves a joke. I sometimes have a race to get to the meeting first, and one day heard great laughter from her house and saw heads at the window; her people were much enjoying the fun.

_Tuesday, October_ 20.--We have dispatched our letters at last. The s.h.i.+p was a Norwegian bound for Adelaide. The captain was making his first voyage as such. He gave Mr. Keytel some books, two of which, _Keswick Week_ and _Side-lights of the Bible_, have been pa.s.sed on to us. I fear a captain must find our men rather a worry. They go to him with so many requests. Only think, after you imagine the trading has been done, of having sixteen men, one after the other, each wanting something in exchange for a bottle of milk or a dozen eggs. We met the returning boats, and Mr. Keytel came and sat down on the s.h.i.+ngle and told us how the day had gone and what a kind captain they had met with.

_Wednesday, October_ 21.--We heard the first thing this morning a small vessel was in sight coming from the east. As it was wet and the sea was "making up," the men did not go out to her.

_Thursday, October_ 22.--A barque sighted far out, as usual, going east.

_Friday, October_ 23.--A small vessel sighted this evening.

CHAPTER x.x.xII

_Sat.u.r.day, October_ 24.--We have had an unusually exciting day. The small vessel that was sighted yesterday evening and which the people felt sure was an American whaler was seen again this morning. As it was making for the island the men did not hurry to go out. At last three boats went off.

It was rather breezy. When the first boat reached the s.h.i.+p, to our surprise it at once began to return, and the other two did not go on. Soon after two o'clock Charlotte Swain came running up from the beach, quite breathless, to say the captain was coming ash.o.r.e and wanted especially to see Graham, so we went down, thinking he was perhaps bringing letters. We met him on the top of the cliff, and he and Mr. Keytel came with us to the house. This is what we learnt: the stranger's name was Pearson. The vessel was not an ordinary s.h.i.+p, but a ketch, nor had it a regular crew, but was manned by himself, his two brothers, a friend and a Creole. He was not the captain, but his next brother was, and held a master-mariner's certificate. They had come out from Dover with the object of seeing for themselves what these islands and Gough Island could produce in the way of guano. A friend had given them the ketch, and with only three pounds in their pockets they set sail. They had had a most adventurous voyage; for they took nearly five months coming out and were only provisioned for three. Our visitor told us of the straits they had been in for food. They had only flour, tea and a few biscuits left. Their oil had run short and they had just begun to eat uncooked flour. Of water they had only two gallons left. I understood that most of the time they had been without meat and had lived chiefly on dried beans and peas. Mr. Keytel told us that when he went on board they were trembling from weakness.

Notwithstanding all they have gone through Mr. Pearson seemed quite cheerful and said he felt better for the voyage. None of them except the sailor-brother knew anything about the working of a boat; one of them was an architect, one a city clerk, and one a secretary. They had not long been out from Dover before these three were down with sea-sickness, and the captain had to do all the work, day and night, through the Channel. As soon as they found their sea-legs they had to take their turn at the tiller, with the result that the course was often very considerably changed from what the captain had set. At a Portuguese island they took in the Creole, who wanted to work his pa.s.sage to the Cape. I think it was at this place that the Port Officials found the rolling and pitching of the boat too much for them, and had to beat a hasty retreat. The sails of the ketch are much damaged, due not to rough weather, but to having been allowed to flap when she was becalmed.

Our visitor, who is the architect, said he would like to go round the settlement, and was very much pleased with the architecture of the houses, which he thought to be in such excellent keeping with the natural tone of the place. Mr. Keytel has undertaken to get them supplies. To-night we sent them a large loaf of bread, sugar and treacle. Mr. Pearson said they did not want to beg, and offered clothes and books in exchange, but I said receiving was not begging and that it was a pleasure to give. We hear this evening that the American sealer has appeared on the scene, so no doubt they will be able to get something from her. The ketch has come close in and anch.o.r.ed, and looks so small. Their plan after visiting Gough Island is to go on to the Cape and there sell the ketch.

_Sunday, October_ 25.--The American sealer came in and three boats went off to her, taking two of the Mr. Pearsons. They returned about two o'clock, when Graham went down and brought back to dinner Mr. Keytel, the youngest brother, who looks more like a son of the Mr. Pearson we first saw, and the friend, Mr. Crumpton. These two had started off for church this morning, but could not pull through the kelp and had to return.

Directly dinner was over we had to hurry to service, the two young men going with us. They did not know what to do with their fox-terrier, but solved the difficulty by bringing it in. It certainly looks as if it had been through a famine, and as regards colour might have been living up the chimney. Later in the day the captain and his brother came ash.o.r.e and Mr.

Keytel brought them in, but they did not stay long as it was getting dusk.

_Monday, October_ 26.--We are having a run of s.h.i.+ps; another appeared this morning, and the men decided to go out to her though the sea was rough. We went down with Mr. Keytel who had kindly come in for our letters. I sat on the top of the bank with the Repettos and watched the proceedings. At first only one boat was going, but more men arriving a second was prepared. The sea was "making up" and it looked rather a risky business.