CHAPTER VIII.

Here indeed was a new phase of existence, gloomy enough in anticipation, yet far preferable to the dangerous scenes in which it had heretofore been my fortune to participate. The sailors pitched four small tents; two for themselves, and two for the officers. These served for a shelter at night; but, during the day, when the sun shone with an almost scorching fervency of heat, unmitigated by a single cloud on the face of the sky, it was almost impossible to remain in them. To augment our troubles, the fleas were so numerous and so blood-thirsty, that for a few days I was in perpetual motion. When once they made a lodgment in our clothing, it was useless to attempt to exterminate them; and _they_ never capitulate. At night, upon retiring, our only preparation was to spread a blanket upon the sand, and lie down upon it. In the morning, we would find ourselves almost imbedded in the loose beach-sand; for, upon the dry part of the beach, it was quite deep. I would rise, and shake my head to dislodge the quantity of sand there collected. My hair was hanging unconfined over my shoulders, having lost comb, hair-pins, and bonnet. I would walk down to the shore of the Pacific,--an ample wash-bowl, certainly,--and perform my ablutions, dispensing, of necessity, with all the modern appurtenances of a lady’s toilet.

Captain Lunt proposed to send to the American Consul at Payta for assistance to remove us from the beach. His mate, Mr. McCrelles, of Belfast, Maine, volunteered to go, accompanied by four of the sailors. The next day after our arrival there, they embarked on their voyage to obtain the relief we so much needed. Their directions were, to keep close in shore; and, with God’s blessing, they would arrive at Payta, and assistance would reach us at the expiration of a week. We watched the little boat until she looked like a speck upon the water; and, with many an unuttered prayer for her safe arrival, we turned our thoughts landward,--I to amuse myself by selecting the most beautiful shells I could find: they were very numerous among the rocks at each extremity of the beach. I was never lonely: I found companions in my own thoughts; and they were oftentimes pleasanter than the gayer ones of the world would have been, for they whispered of home and loved friends.

There was the skeleton of a whale perfect, and entirely exposed. How long the remains of this huge aquatic monster had been bleaching under the scorching rays of that tropical sun, we had no means of ascertaining.

The Indians faithfully kept their promise, and each succeeding day they visited us with a plentiful supply of water and potatoes; the bill of fare varied occasionally by the introduction of some very offensive fowl, which they positively asserted were “esta bueno.” An amusement in which I often indulged was to chase innumerable crabs, with which the beach was literally covered in the mornings. They would, upon the first intimation of pursuit, disappear instantly into their holes in the hard sand. By remaining perfectly quiet for some time, they would again assemble in numbers, which the least movement on my part would again put to flight. They would make greater progress running sideways than I could any way; therefore, I never caught one.

The pig remained secreted in his cavernous retreat, which no entreaties on our part could induce him to vacate. Not until driven to the last extremity by the pangs of hunger, did he venture to reconnoitre from the aperture. After viewing his companions in distress for a little time, he gained sufficient courage to eat potatoes from my hand. After that, he became quite domesticated, and, with the hen, used to share the sailors’ tent with them at nights.

During this time, I was unconsciously assuming the dark and swarthy hue of the native women, from being constantly exposed to the scorching glare of a tropical sun. My habiliments, too, were becoming exceedingly soiled, from constant use both by night and day.

The love and spirit of adventure had, from earliest infancy, been strongly implanted in my nature; and, during this voyage, certainly, this predilection for thrilling adventure had been amply gratified. Yet, had not the fiery ordeal through which it had pleased the God of love to bring me been for good, it would have been averted.

A week had now elapsed since the departure of the boat. Intently we scanned the ocean, in the hope of descrying the anxiously expected sail. Nights, at the hour of twilight, I would seat myself upon the rocks to indulge in the reveries which that most fitting hour for reflection usually calls up. The mind feels a soothing influence as the light of day fades gradually from sight. At such times memory is busy with the past--the distant home, the loved friends there assembled. I often wandered in this way through the spirit-land of old times. One night I was startled by the exultant cry of “A sail! a sail!” Being fearful lest some casualty had befallen the boat, and she had never reached Payta, Captain Lunt deemed it advisable to make signals, in the hope of attracting attention. She kept on her way, apparently unmindful of the signals which she could not but have seen, as the captain had sent up a rocket, which he had preserved in the water-proof chest. Darkness now hid her from our view; and we sat down, wondering that no answering signal had been displayed to our call for succor.

We repaired to our tent with our minds illy reconciled to passing another night victims to the insatiable fleas, whose cry still was, Blood, blood. All at once we heard the clanking of chains letting go an anchor. All rushed out, and there lay a dark object in the offing. Soon we heard the splash of oars; and in a short time Mr. McCrellis, his countenance beaming with smiles, stood in our midst. He was accompanied by Captain Hillman, originally of New Bedford. His bark had been chartered by the American consul to come to our rescue. The next morning we bade farewell to rocks, and sand, and fleas, and repaired on board the bark, where, for the first time since leaving the Fanchon, I caught a glimpse of my sun-burned, swarthy countenance. The poisonous bite of the fleas had contributed their share towards imparting to my skin the appearance of a person suffering from measles, small-pox, and erysipelas combined.