Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/218

208 at the tahboo house, and about nightfall the master returned alone, having left his wife at the woman's tahboo. However, he said, "We will sleep here," and both prepared for the night.

We can not help but linger here a moment in thought, considering an experience like this and the pathos of a hope without a reasonable or demonstrable foundation springing up in such a situation. The question also arises, will the results of the civilization brought to these seas and islands seem at last to recompense the losses and sufferings that lads like Holden and Knute and their more unfortunate mates, or the many unknown sailors of the Pacific, had to endure?

Next morning, just about daylight, he was aroused by the sound of loud voices singing out from the tops of the cocoanut trees, where the natives had gone early to gather toddy, "Sawa, sawa." His master heard the cry, and roused instantly and jumped up. Holden did not move, lying in a singular repose, feeling that his premonition was to be realized, and yet having no urging of his own effort. In a few minutes his master came back all excitement and hurried him down to the beach. ' ' Look yonder,' he said, "and see whether there is a ship.Holden scanned the horizon, but saw nothing. Whatever there was was below the horizon. He replied that he saw nothing yet, but told his master to climb a tree and he might discover it.

The natives readily climb the long shafts of the cocoanut trees by means of a hoop, into which they place their feet, on the side opposite their body, and hold themselves while taking a new hold with the arms. The master, whose name was Parabaway, was soon into his hoop, and