80 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
instead of the flag one of my white shirts was tied to its 
top by the sleeves, and then the pole was elevated, and 
soon the shirt floated in the shape of a flag. 
The vessel came nearer and nearer the shore, and I 
could soon make out that it was a whaler: there was no 
mistake about it, for I could see the whale-boats. 
With my spy-glass I looked and saw the white faces 
of the men. 
The ship hoisted its flag, and the stars and stripes of 
the great Republic displayed themselves. A wild hur- 
rah from me greeted their appearance, and my men gave 
three cheers. 3 
The breakers were heavy, very heavy, but we must 
go on board; I must hear the news; I must see the face 
of a white man—I who had been so long away from civ- 
ilization, from my kindred, and from the world. 
“Boys, let us try !” I shouted with excitement; “let us 
go on board !” 
All the voices of my men shouted, “ Let us try !” and 
immediately the canoe came down the beach, five men 
on each side paddle in hand, Ratenou and I standing by 
the stern. 
We were watching an opportunity when the angry 
billows should calm down and there should bé’a lull. 
The lull came, and almost as quick as lightning the 
canoe was in the sea and we were off. My men paddled 
as hard as they could in order to pass the surf before the 
heavy rollers should break again. 
But lo! when we were about midway, the face of 
Ratenou changed color, for from far away came one of 
those heavy swells that, as he knew, would gradually 
change itself into a heavy roller as it neared the shore, 
|”? 
as aa 
Pika ne 
