Three Years in Tristan da Cunha Part 8

[Ill.u.s.tration: EARLY MORNING FROM THE WEST, SHOWING SNOW IN CREVa.s.sE, NEAR PEAK]

Fourteen cattle died last week due to the wet and cold, making the number of deaths three hundred and seventy.

_Thursday, November_ 8.--We were knocked up yesterday morning soon after five by Repetto, who came to tell us that a steamer was in sight and that they were going off to it immediately. In about ten minutes he was here again for the letters. I was in my dressing-gown finishing a letter to A----. Graham was finishing another to his sister and had to run down to the boat with it. He was just in time, but had to wade into the water to hand it in. The steamer had borne down upon the settlement very rapidly.

Graham so regretted he hadn't gone when he saw how close it had come in.

We felt we had perhaps lost an opportunity of a pa.s.sage to the Cape we might not get again, but really there was not time to dress and be off.

Graham worked off his disappointment by polishing away at the boots and shoes. The men were soon back. The captain said he could only wait half-an-hour, but stayed an hour. He let them have 300 lbs. of flour and some other goods. Repetto was able to get some of the things we asked him to try for, namely, bacon, lemons, a ten-pound tin of b.u.t.ter and some apple-rings. The captain sent his kind regards and sent me a special offering of tea and sugar. We have given the tea to the people as they had none. The steamer was bound for Durban, and the captain, who was here the year before, said he hoped to return in a month, and if he did would bring more flour for the people. The islanders had to pay in cash. A pa.s.senger on board presented them with a sovereign to buy food. The captain would not let us pay for anything. Two and a half years later when we arrived home in England we heard of another kind deed of the captain. He had kindly taken charge of the letters to post at Durban, and noticing one bearing our name most kindly sent to the address copies of some photographs which he had that morning taken of the island. The fine view facing this page is one of them. We have been scanning the papers and have obtained a considerable amount of information from them. The steamer hailed from a c.u.mberland port, and in a Maryport paper was a speech of F----'s at Workington in support of the Liberal candidate. In the same paper we read with regret of the death of Sir Wilfrid Lawson. In another was an account of the fires on the Malvern Hills, and in a third a long article on the "Welcome." [Footnote: A Restaurant and Home for girls, Jewin Street, London.] The sugar was done up in a Birmingham paper from which, however, we did not extract much beyond the attempt on the Russian Premier's life. We feel we have come quite in touch with the world again.

On Monday there is to be another meeting about the trading schooner, but we doubt if much will come of it. It appears from a book Repetto has that the Cape duty on imported animals is rather high, and the men do not seem inclined to come down in their prices. We are seriously contemplating the future as regards food. We have been taking stock and find our stores are getting very low. If we knew definitely a gun-boat was coming and would bring our stores it would be all right, but alas we do not. One cannot get very much from pa.s.sing ships, so Graham is rather anxious we should go to Cape Town to get a supply of food, if for nothing else. I expect it will end in our going if a chance occurs.

Ellen is busy making a pale blue nun's-veiling blouse for Emma Hagan. You would hardly have thought there would have been such vanities here. The material was sent by some relations at the Cape. Every one tries to have a new garment for Christmas Day, and some of the material which was brought by the _Surrey_ is being kept for this purpose. I have been making a pinafore out of a faded muslin blind for Sophy Rogers who is very short of clothes; after being ironed it looks very nice and has given great pleasure.

_Friday, November_ 9.--The strawberries are just beginning to ripen; they are very small and more like wild ones. I have put zinnia seeds straight into the ground, and shielded with tins they are coming up quite strongly.

The stocks have borne the wind better than any other flower. Marvel of Peru is coming up strongly too.

_Monday, November_ l2.--We have had such a warm day, which makes us feel summer is coming.

Yesterday in the midst of morning service one man after another went out, and shortly I saw two little boats on the sea. A whaler had appeared and all the men had gone out to her. We were sorry, for it meant trading on a Sunday, and the people were not now short of food; but one must not be too hard upon them. The whaler is from America and will probably be here for two or three days. The islanders like a whaler better than any other vessel, with the exception of a man-of-war, as it brings material as well as food to trade with, and is glad of fresh meat and potatoes in exchange.

I can see the ship so clearly, the sun lighting up its white sails.

The meeting about the schooner took place this afternoon. One or two at the last meeting got rather heated, but all were very quiet to-day. They were not ready, however, to lower their prices and so nothing was done.

But, later, Henry Green and Repetto came in to say they had been round, and the men had arranged to sell at a lower price so as to make it possible for a schooner to come.

The rats are beginning to appear again. Last night we had a constant tapping overhead; and this morning to her dismay Ellen found our breakfast had been eaten up by them. The bacon had been placed on the window-sill outside, a dish over it, and a heavy stone on the top. It was not a great loss as it was hardly eatable. The milk-jug was also knocked over and the precious milk spilt. We hope we shall be able to get some extra food from the whaler; and some c.o.c.ks and hens!

_Tuesday, November_ l3.--Yesterday shortly after we left morning school Mrs. Bob Green rushed in to tell us William had seen a seal on the beach, and that her husband had killed it, but that she had asked him not to skin it till we had seen it. We went to look and saw a small party on the rocks. Two seals had been secured, which was quite a find as a good price can be had for the skins. Seals rarely come in here now, but a dozen or so may be caught at Inaccessible.

We are having a whole holiday to-day owing to the presence of the whaler.

The men did not board her yesterday as there was a fog, and when it cleared off and she came in it was too late for them to go out. They went off this morning. Every one is in the greatest excitement. Dressed in their best all went down to the beach to meet Betty and Martha's nephew, Joe Beetham, who was coming on sh.o.r.e from the whaler. He was first brought in here. Graham had met him at Cape Town; since then he has been to America, where his home is. He has brought a large box of things for Betty Cotton from her relatives there, which has quite cheered her up. I think she is the only one on the island who does not care about living here. The islanders have gone off again to the ship to make purchases. Beetham told us the whaler is calling at Mauritius, so Graham has written a line to the Bishop as he might like to hear how we are getting on.

I have started packing, for we must be ready to be off at any instant; even at five o'clock in the morning!

_Sunday, November_ l8.--The men did not get back from the whaler till nearly midnight. The captain seemed a somewhat difficult man to deal with and undoubtedly got the best of the bargaining. His wife was on board, and most kindly sent us a parcel of jams and soap.

Mrs. Sam Swain, senior, has a little girl, born last Friday. Her eldest girl Charlotte is twenty-two. This birth makes the population seventy-eight.

To-day a ship was to be seen in the far distance, it has been hanging about; four of the men have gone out to it.

Graham spoke this morning to the people in church about Sunday trading. He said he saw no harm in going out to a ship on a Sunday, but that they ought not to trade on that day unless they were in real need. Mr. Dodgson was very strong on this point.

We are ready packed so far as we can be when our boxes are our chests-of-drawers. I think Ellen will manage all right while we are away.

She likes the people, and if she feels lonely can have one of the children to stay with her. She will teach a little.

We have been thinking a good deal the last day or two of this time last year when we were starting forth. It is a year to-day since we left Southampton.

_Tuesday, November_ 20.--On Monday morning four of the men put out to a ship going east, but she had got too far for them to reach her, a squall driving her further out. It is curious to think that any day we may be on our way to the Cape, but perhaps we shall not get there at all.

A meeting was held last Thursday to consider the quant.i.ty of food-stuff a schooner should bring in exchange. It will be a great boon to the people if we can get one to come. We think they would do much better if they would go in more for sheep-breeding and keep fewer cattle. The return would be much quicker; and the shipping of them much easier; and as the weather here is uncertain the loading is an important matter. The sheep are small, but the mutton is good. I do not think this place is suited for cattle; it is too exposed; and the people lay themselves out so little to provide either shelter or food for them. It is quite nice to see a few cattle again grazing on the settlement which has been so dest.i.tute of them.

Potatoes are now coming in, but the people do not like to begin eating them too soon.

_Wednesday, November_ 21.--Graham has had an afternoon of it. First there was a Confirmation Cla.s.s, then another meeting about the schooner. The food-list had to be revised and a list made of the requirements of each family. Arrangements were also made as to our getting off from here. If a steamer is sighted we are both to go at once; if a sailing vessel, which will be much less likely to be going to South Africa, Graham will go off with the men in the first boat. A second boat will await the signal from the ship as to whether or no we can be taken. If we can I shall at once embark in it with the rest of the men. Lots were drawn as to who should go in the first boat. Of course, they like to be in the first as they then have a greater chance of bargains.

In order to prevent delay in going out to a ship there is an excellent system by which each family in turn has to provide the oxen, sheep and geese needed for the public trading. The stuff in exchange for these is divided round equally. The rule is for this public trading to be done first. After it is over any who like can do private trading. They offer for barter all sorts of things, sometimes even the moccasins which they are actually wearing. William got a coat for his pair the other day; on another occasion, boy-like, he got a big pair of boots which he is most proud of, but which are of very little use to him. The height of ambition is to own a pair of boots, though the feet look much tidier in moccasins.

His grandmother has just asked me to buy her a pair at the Cape.

Graham has been writing a letter to the Bishop telling of our contemplated visit to the Cape. He will leave a copy of it here on the possible chance of the Bishop arriving when we are away. If he should arrive there are various things of which he may wish to have accurate information.

To do the rats justice let me here record it is now thought that a cat was the culprit on the occasion of the breakfast having disappeared.

CHAPTER XV

_Thursday, November_ 22.--To-day when I was hanging the bird-cage on the wall of the house, Jack somehow squeezed himself through the wires and flew to the flax on the edge of the garden. I caught him, but he slipped through my fingers and flew on to the common and then back into the garden, again alighting on a flax-leaf. He is so tame he allowed me to go up to him, and I caught him once more quite easily.

I have started baking bread in an iron pot after the method of the people.

_Thursday, November_ 29.--Should we go to the Cape it has been arranged for the elder girls to carry on the school. They are rather pleased at the idea. To get their hand in, Graham let them take it yesterday and again to-day. They are capable of taking it for a limited time.

The men and boys have been playing cricket lately, the latter being very keen upon it.

High winds have again somewhat damaged the plants.

_Friday, November_ 30, _St. Andrew's Day_.--It being the day of Intercession for Missions we had service at five o'clock. Sixty-one people were present, which was good for a week-day. Earlier in the afternoon the sewing-cla.s.s met. When possible we have it out of doors. We are reading _Teddy's b.u.t.ton_, which the children quite enjoy. They enter into reading aloud so much more than they did.

_Monday, December 3_.--Yesterday afternoon Sam Swain's baby was christened and named Rachel Caroline. The baptism was earlier than it would have been because the parents were anxious she should be baptized before we leave for the Cape. The church was full. Graham has asked Repetto to read the service on Sunday while we are away. Ellen will play the hymns.

This evening a vessel was sighted. As the men think it is a whaler they are not going out to it till to-morrow.

_Wednesday, December_ 5.--The vessel was a whaler, and the men went off at breakfast-time next morning and were away all day. For three sheep and eight geese they only got a barrel of flour and some mola.s.ses. The captain evidently knew how to drive a bargain; it is rather too bad.

The flower garden is beginning to look quite bright. The sweet peas will soon be in flower, the stocks, too, are showing buds. This week we expect to pick a dish of peas, though the plants look very poor after the blight they had.

There has been a rearrangement of the cla.s.ses in school and some of the infants have gone up. The elder girls now help a little in the teaching.

This morning I had to speak to one of them. She had been taking the infants in reading, and sat with cane in hand administering justice right and left, to which her scholars paid but little heed.

_Thursday, December_ 6.--Yesterday, it being the Advent season, there was a short service after the confirmation cla.s.s. The people sing "Lo, He comes with clouds descending" to the tune in the _Hymnal Companion_ so heartily. Coming out from the service we found the men gazing intently towards the west. They saw what they said was a whaler; we could just see something. It seems to be coming in, so they will not go out to it till to-morrow. Whalers are no good as regards taking letters, because it may be so long before they make a port.

_Friday, December_ 7.--The whaler came in on Thursday and the men started out to meet her, but finding that she was sending a boat ash.o.r.e, returned.

In the boat was the harpooner, a brother of Sam Swain, senior. The brothers had not met for twenty-four years. He and the boat's crew spent part of the day here. It has been a great thing for the people to have had these three whalers as they have been able to get provisions and material.

I must say our friends are a most liberal people. To-day just after dinner Henry Green brought us a bag of flour from _All Hands_. Graham did not want to take it, and being pressed, offered to pay for it, but Henry would not hear of that, and after some argument said with decision he would not take it back and plumped it down on the sofa. They think now there will be a very good potato crop both in quality and quant.i.ty, so we cannot want.

The potatoes last year were small owing to the blight.

_Sat.u.r.day, December_ 8,--The Henry Greens have a child nearly two years old that can neither walk nor talk, and is very fat. They said they thought his back was weak, so I suggested they should bathe it with sea-water twice a day. For some time they did not try this, but last week began it, and after two or three days to their surprise, and to mine when I was told of it, he stood up. The mother is most thankful and only wishes she had begun it before.

_Friday, December_ l4.--There was great excitement yesterday afternoon.

Word was brought in that there had been a shipwreck and that two boats were making for the island. We all ran out expecting to see a shipwrecked crew, but no boats were to be seen. We made then for Hottentot Point, and there we could see a ship in the distance. One of out boats had already started, but returned before it had gone far. Later the same enterprising crew, Tom Rogers, Henry Green, and young Sam Swain, set forth again with things for barter. We only knew at the last minute they were going. Ellen and I ran to the top of the cliff with our letter, but the boat had started. We heard afterwards they would have come back had they known we had letters. It is more than a month since we dispatched our last batch.