The Sinister-Looking Boatmen

But the islanders, seeing that I was really adrift, took pity on me. I drifted very slowly to the eastward, approaching the island slantingly; and presently I saw, with hysterical relief, the launch come round and return towards me. She was heavily laden, and I could make out as she drew nearer Montgomery’s white-haired, broad-shouldered companion sitting cramped up with the dogs and several packing-cases in the stern sheets. This individual stared fixedly at me without moving or speaking. The black-faced cripple was glaring at me as fixedly in the bows near the puma. There were three other men besides,—three strange brutish-looking fellows, at whom the staghounds were snarling savagely. Montgomery, who was steering, brought the boat by me, and rising, caught and fastened my painter to the tiller to tow me, for there was no room aboard.

But the islanders saw that I really was adrift and took pity on me. I drifted very slowly eastward, approaching the island at an angle. Soon, to my hysterical relief, I saw the launch turn around and come back toward me. It was heavily loaded. As it drew nearer, I could make out Montgomery’s white-haired, broad-shouldered companion. He was sitting cramped among the dogs and several packing cases at the stern. He stared at me without moving or speaking. The black-faced cripple was glaring at me just as steadily from the bow, near the puma. There were three other men too, strange, brutish-looking fellows. The staghounds were snarling savagely at them. Montgomery, who was steering, brought the boat alongside me. He stood up, caught my tow rope, and fastened it to the tiller to tow me. There was no room aboard.

I had recovered from my hysterical phase by this time and answered his hail, as he approached, bravely enough. I told him the dingey was nearly swamped, and he reached me a piggin. I was jerked back as the rope tightened between the boats. For some time I was busy baling.

By then, I had recovered from my hysterics. I answered him bravely enough when he called out as he approached. I told him the dinghy was nearly flooded, and he handed me a bucket. I was jerked back as the rope between the boats tightened. For some time, I was busy bailing out water.

It was not until I had got the water under (for the water in the dingey had been shipped; the boat was perfectly sound) that I had leisure to look at the people in the launch again.

Only after I had cleared the water could I look at the people in the launch again. The water had splashed into the dinghy. The boat itself was perfectly sound.

The white-haired man I found was still regarding me steadfastly, but with an expression, as I now fancied, of some perplexity. When my eyes met his, he looked down at the staghound that sat between his knees. He was a powerfully-built man, as I have said, with a fine forehead and rather heavy features; but his eyes had that odd drooping of the skin above the lids which often comes with advancing years, and the fall of his heavy mouth at the corners gave him an expression of pugnacious resolution. He talked to Montgomery in a tone too low for me to hear.

The white-haired man was still staring at me steadily, but now I thought he looked somewhat puzzled. When our eyes met, he looked down at the staghound sitting between his knees. As I have said, he was powerfully built, with a fine forehead and rather heavy features. But the skin above his eyelids drooped oddly, as it often does with age. The corners of his heavy mouth turned down, giving him a look of combative determination. He spoke to Montgomery in a voice too low for me to hear.

From him my eyes travelled to his three men; and a strange crew they were. I saw only their faces, yet there was something in their faces—I knew not what—that gave me a queer spasm of disgust. I looked steadily at them, and the impression did not pass, though I failed to see what had occasioned it. They seemed to me then to be brown men; but their limbs were oddly swathed in some thin, dirty, white stuff down even to the fingers and feet: I have never seen men so wrapped up before, and women so only in the East. They wore turbans too, and thereunder peered out their elfin faces at me,—faces with protruding lower-jaws and bright eyes. They had lank black hair, almost like horsehair, and seemed as they sat to exceed in stature any race of men I have seen. The white-haired man, who I knew was a good six feet in height, sat a head below any one of the three. I found afterwards that really none were taller than myself; but their bodies were abnormally long, and the thigh-part of the leg short and curiously twisted. At any rate, they were an amazingly ugly gang, and over the heads of them under the forward lug peered the black face of the man whose eyes were luminous in the dark. As I stared at them, they met my gaze; and then first one and then another turned away from my direct stare, and looked at me in an odd, furtive manner. It occurred to me that I was perhaps annoying them, and I turned my attention to the island we were approaching.

My eyes moved from him to his three men. They were a strange crew. I could see only their faces, but something about them gave me a sudden shudder of disgust. I did not know what it was. I looked at them steadily, but the feeling did not pass, though I could not see what had caused it. They seemed to me then to be brown men. But their limbs were strangely wrapped in thin, dirty white material, all the way down to their fingers and feet. I had never seen men wrapped up like that before, and I had seen women dressed that way only in the East. They wore turbans too. From beneath them, their elfin faces peered out at me, with protruding lower jaws and bright eyes. They had straight black hair, almost like horsehair. As they sat, they seemed taller than any race of men I had seen. The white-haired man, whom I knew to be at least six feet tall, sat a head below each of them. I later discovered that none of them was actually taller than I was. But their bodies were unusually long, and their thighs were short and strangely twisted. In any case, they were an amazingly ugly gang. Above their heads, beneath the forward sail, the black face of the man whose eyes glowed in the dark peered out. As I stared at them, they met my gaze. Then, one by one, they turned away from my direct stare and looked at me in a strange, furtive way. It occurred to me that I might be annoying them, so I turned my attention to the island we were approaching.

It was low, and covered with thick vegetation,—chiefly a kind of palm, that was new to me. From one point a thin white thread of vapour rose slantingly to an immense height, and then frayed out like a down feather. We were now within the embrace of a broad bay flanked on either hand by a low promontory. The beach was of dull-grey sand, and sloped steeply up to a ridge, perhaps sixty or seventy feet above the sea-level, and irregularly set with trees and undergrowth. Half way up was a square enclosure of some greyish stone, which I found subsequently was built partly of coral and partly of pumiceous lava. Two thatched roofs peeped from within this enclosure. A man stood awaiting us at the water’s edge. I fancied while we were still far off that I saw some other and very grotesque-looking creatures scuttle into the bushes upon the slope; but I saw nothing of these as we drew nearer. This man was of a moderate size, and with a black negroid face. He had a large, almost lipless, mouth, extraordinary lank arms, long thin feet, and bow-legs, and stood with his heavy face thrust forward staring at us. He was dressed like Montgomery and his white-haired companion, in jacket and trousers of blue serge. As we came still nearer, this individual began to run to and fro on the beach, making the most grotesque movements.

It was low and covered with thick vegetation, mostly a kind of palm I had never seen before. From one point, a thin white thread of vapor rose at an angle to a great height. Then it spread out like a down feather. We were now inside a broad bay, with a low headland on either side. The beach was made of dull gray sand and rose steeply to a ridge, perhaps sixty or seventy feet above sea level. Trees and undergrowth were scattered unevenly along the ridge. Halfway up the slope was a square enclosure made of grayish stone. I later learned that it was built partly of coral and partly of porous lava. Two thatched roofs peeked out from inside the enclosure. A man stood at the water’s edge, waiting for us. While we were still far away, I thought I saw some other, very grotesque-looking creatures scurry into the bushes on the slope. But I saw nothing of them as we drew closer. The man was of average size, with a Black face. He had a large, almost lipless mouth, unusually long, thin arms, long, thin feet, and bowed legs. He stood staring at us, his heavy face thrust forward. Like Montgomery and his white-haired companion, he wore a blue serge jacket and trousers. As we came even closer, he began running back and forth on the beach, making the most grotesque movements.

At a word of command from Montgomery, the four men in the launch sprang up, and with singularly awkward gestures struck the lugs. Montgomery steered us round and into a narrow little dock excavated in the beach. Then the man on the beach hastened towards us. This dock, as I call it, was really a mere ditch just long enough at this phase of the tide to take the longboat. I heard the bows ground in the sand, staved the dingey off the rudder of the big boat with my piggin, and freeing the painter, landed. The three muffled men, with the clumsiest movements, scrambled out upon the sand, and forthwith set to landing the cargo, assisted by the man on the beach. I was struck especially by the curious movements of the legs of the three swathed and bandaged boatmen,—not stiff they were, but distorted in some odd way, almost as if they were jointed in the wrong place. The dogs were still snarling, and strained at their chains after these men, as the white-haired man landed with them. The three big fellows spoke to one another in odd guttural tones, and the man who had waited for us on the beach began chattering to them excitedly—a foreign language, as I fancied—as they laid hands on some bales piled near the stern. Somewhere I had heard such a voice before, and I could not think where. The white-haired man stood, holding in a tumult of six dogs, and bawling orders over their din. Montgomery, having unshipped the rudder, landed likewise, and all set to work at unloading. I was too faint, what with my long fast and the sun beating down on my bare head, to offer any assistance.

At Montgomery's command, the four men in the launch sprang up and lowered the sails with strangely awkward movements. Montgomery steered us around and into a narrow little dock dug into the beach. The man on the beach hurried toward us. What I call a dock was really just a ditch. At this stage of the tide, it was only just long enough for the longboat. I heard the bow scrape against the sand. Using my small bucket, I pushed the dinghy away from the larger boat's rudder. Then I untied the dinghy's rope and went ashore. The three wrapped-up men scrambled clumsily onto the sand. They immediately began unloading the cargo, helped by the man from the beach. I was especially struck by the strange movements of the three bandaged boatmen's legs. Their legs were not stiff, but somehow distorted, almost as if their joints were in the wrong places. The dogs were still snarling and straining at their chains toward the men as the white-haired man brought them ashore. The three big fellows spoke to one another in strange, guttural tones. As they grabbed some bales piled near the stern, the man from the beach began chattering excitedly to them. I thought he was speaking a foreign language. I had heard a voice like his somewhere before, but I could not remember where. The white-haired man stood holding back six unruly dogs and shouting orders over their noise. Montgomery removed the rudder and came ashore too, and everyone set to work unloading. I was too weak to help. I had gone so long without food, and the sun was beating down on my bare head.

Presently the white-haired man seemed to recollect my presence, and came up to me.

Soon, the white-haired man seemed to remember I was there and came over to me.

“You look,” said he, “as though you had scarcely breakfasted.” His little eyes were a brilliant black under his heavy brows. “I must apologise for that. Now you are our guest, we must make you comfortable,—though you are uninvited, you know.” He looked keenly into my face. “Montgomery says you are an educated man, Mr. Prendick; says you know something of science. May I ask what that signifies?”

“You look,” he said, “as though you’ve barely had breakfast.” His small eyes were a brilliant black beneath his heavy brows. “I must apologize for that. Now that you’re our guest, we must make you comfortable, though you weren’t invited, you know.” He looked closely at my face. “Montgomery says you’re an educated man, Mr. Prendick. He says you know something about science. May I ask what that means?”

I told him I had spent some years at the Royal College of Science, and had done some researches in biology under Huxley. He raised his eyebrows slightly at that.

I told him I had spent several years at the Royal College of Science. I had also done some biology research under Huxley. He raised his eyebrows slightly at that.

“That alters the case a little, Mr. Prendick,” he said, with a trifle more respect in his manner. “As it happens, we are biologists here. This is a biological station—of a sort.” His eye rested on the men in white who were busily hauling the puma, on rollers, towards the walled yard. “I and Montgomery, at least,” he added. Then, “When you will be able to get away, I can’t say. We’re off the track to anywhere. We see a ship once in a twelve-month or so.”

“That changes things a little, Mr. Prendick,” he said, with a little more respect. “As it happens, we’re biologists here. This is a biological station, of sorts.” He looked at the men in white, who were busy hauling the puma on rollers toward the walled yard. “Montgomery and I are biologists, at least,” he added. Then he said, “I can’t say when you’ll be able to leave. We’re far from any regular route. We see a ship about once a year.”

He left me abruptly, and went up the beach past this group, and I think entered the enclosure. The other two men were with Montgomery, erecting a pile of smaller packages on a low-wheeled truck. The llama was still on the launch with the rabbit hutches; the staghounds were still lashed to the thwarts. The pile of things completed, all three men laid hold of the truck and began shoving the ton-weight or so upon it after the puma. Presently Montgomery left them, and coming back to me held out his hand.

He left me suddenly and walked up the beach past the group. I think he went into the enclosure. The other two men were with Montgomery, stacking smaller packages on a low-wheeled cart. The llama was still on the launch with the rabbit hutches. The staghounds were still tied to the boat’s seats. Once the packages were stacked, all three men took hold of the cart. They began pushing its load of about a ton after the puma. After a while, Montgomery left them and came back to me. He held out his hand.

“I’m glad,” said he, “for my own part. That captain was a silly ass. He’d have made things lively for you.”

“I’m glad, for my part,” he said. “That captain was a fool. He would have made trouble for you.”

“It was you,” said I, “that saved me again.”

“You were the one who saved me again,” I said.

“That depends. You’ll find this island an infernally rum place, I promise you. I’d watch my goings carefully, if I were you. He—” He hesitated, and seemed to alter his mind about what was on his lips. “I wish you’d help me with these rabbits,” he said.

“That depends. You’ll find this island a damn strange place, I promise you. If I were you, I’d watch what I did. He...” He hesitated and seemed to change his mind about what he was going to say. “I wish you’d help me with these rabbits,” he said.

His procedure with the rabbits was singular. I waded in with him, and helped him lug one of the hutches ashore. No sooner was that done than he opened the door of it, and tilting the thing on one end turned its living contents out on the ground. They fell in a struggling heap one on the top of the other. He clapped his hands, and forthwith they went off with that hopping run of theirs, fifteen or twenty of them I should think, up the beach.

The way he dealt with the rabbits was strange. I waded in with him and helped him carry one of the hutches ashore. As soon as we had done that, he opened its door. He tipped the hutch onto one end, spilling the rabbits onto the ground. They fell in a struggling heap, one on top of another. He clapped his hands, and they immediately went hopping up the beach. There were fifteen or twenty of them, I should think.

“Increase and multiply, my friends,” said Montgomery. “Replenish the island. Hitherto we’ve had a certain lack of meat here.”

“Have children and multiply, my friends,” said Montgomery. “Fill the island. Until now, we’ve been a little short of meat here.”

As I watched them disappearing, the white-haired man returned with a brandy-flask and some biscuits. “Something to go on with, Prendick,” said he, in a far more familiar tone than before. I made no ado, but set to work on the biscuits at once, while the white-haired man helped Montgomery to release about a score more of the rabbits. Three big hutches, however, went up to the house with the puma. The brandy I did not touch, for I have been an abstainer from my birth.

As I watched them disappear, the white-haired man returned with a flask of brandy and some biscuits. “Something to keep you going, Prendick,” he said, in a much more familiar tone than before. I made no fuss and began eating the biscuits at once. Meanwhile, the white-haired man helped Montgomery release about twenty more rabbits. Three large hutches, however, went up to the house with the puma. I did not touch the brandy, because I have never drunk alcohol.