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Have I not said that I was a gay…hearted； golden； bearded giant of
an irresponsible boy that had never grown up？ With scarce a pang；
when the Sparwehrs' water…casks were filled； I left Raa Kook and his
pleasant land； left Lei…Lei and all her flower…garlanded sisters；
and with laughter on my lips and familiar ship…smells sweet in my
nostrils； sailed away； sea…cuny once more； under Captain Johannes
Maartens。
A marvellous wandering； that which followed on the old Sparwehr。 We
were in quest of new lands of silk and spices。 In truth； we found
fevers； violent deaths； pestilential paradises where death and
beauty kept charnel…house together。 That old Johannes Maartens；
with no hint of romance in that stolid face and grizzly square head
of his； sought the islands of Solomon； the mines of Golcondaay； he
sought old lost Atlantis which he hoped to find still afloat
unscuppered。 And he found head…hunting； tree…dwelling anthropophagi
instead。
We landed on strange islands； sea…pounded on their shores and
smoking at their summits； where kinky…haired little animal…men made
monkey…wailings in the jungle； planted their forest run…ways with
thorns and stake…pits； and blew poisoned splinters into us from out
the twilight jungle bush。 And whatsoever man of us was wasp…stung
by such a splinter died horribly and howling。 And we encountered
other men； fiercer； bigger； who faced us on the beaches in open
fight； showering us with spears and arrows； while the great tree
drums and the little tom…toms rumbled and rattled war across the
tree…filled hollows； and all the hills were pillared with signal…
smokes。
Hendrik Hamel was supercargo and part owner of the Sparwehr
adventure； and what he did not own was the property of Captain
Johannes Maartens。 The latter spoke little English； Hendrik Hamel
but little more。 The sailors； with whom I gathered； spoke Dutch
only。 But trust a sea…cuny to learn Dutchay； and Korean； as you
shall see。
Toward the end we came to the charted country of Japan。 But the
people would have no dealings with us； and two sworded officials； in
sweeping robes of silk that made Captain Johannes Maartens' mouth
water； came aboard of us and politely requested us to begone。 Under
their suave manners was the iron of a warlike race； and we knew； and
went our way。
We crossed the Straits of Japan and were entering the Yellow Sea on
our way to China； when we laid the Sparwehr on the rocks。 She was a
crazy tub the old Sparwehr； so clumsy and so dirty with whiskered
marine…life on her bottom that she could not get out of her own way。
Close…hauled； the closest she could come was to six points of the
wind； and then she bobbed up and down； without way； like a derelict
turnip。 Galliots were clippers compared with her。 To tack her
about was undreamed of； to wear her required all hands and half a
watch。 So situated； we were caught on a lee shore in an eight…point
shift of wind at the height of a hurricane that had beaten our souls
sick for forty…eight hours。
We drifted in upon the land in the chill light of a stormy dawn
across a heartless cross…sea mountain high。 It was dead of winter；
and between smoking snow…squalls we could glimpse the forbidding
coast； if coast it might be called； so broken was it。 There were
grim rock isles and islets beyond counting； dim snow…covered ranges
beyond； and everywhere upstanding cliffs too steep for snow； outjuts
of headlands； and pinnacles and slivers of rock upthrust from the
boiling sea。
There was no name to this country on which we drove； no record of it
ever having been visited by navigators。 Its coast…line was only
hinted at in our chart。 From all of which we could argue that the
inhabitants were as inhospitable as the little of their land we
could see。
The Sparwehr drove in bow…on upon a cliff。 There was deep water to
its sheer foot； so that our sky…aspiring bowsprit crumpled at the
impact and snapped short off。 The foremast went by the board； with
a great snapping of rope…shrouds and stays； and fell forward against
the cliff。
I have always admired old Johannes Maartens。 Washed and rolled off
the high poop by a burst of sea； we were left stranded in the waist
of the ship； whence we fought our way for'ard to the steep…pitched
forecastle…head。 Others joined us。 We lashed ourselves fast and
counted noses。 We were eighteen。 The rest had perished。
Johannes Maartens touched me and pointed upward through cascading
salt…water from the back…fling of the cliff。 I saw what he desired。
Twenty feet below the truck the foremast ground and crunched against
a boss of the cliff。 Above the boss was a cleft。 He wanted to know
if I would dare the leap from the mast…head into the cleft。
Sometimes the distance was a scant six feet。 At other times it was
a score； for the mast reeled drunkenly to the rolling and pounding
of the hull on which rested its splintered butt。
I began the climb。 But they did not wait。 One by one they unlashed
themselves and followed me up the perilous mast。 There was reason
for haste； for at any moment the Sparwehr might slip off into deep
water。 I timed my leap； and made it； landing in the cleft in a
scramble and ready to lend a hand to those who leaped after。 It was
slow work。 We were wet and half freezing in the wind…drive。
Besides； the leaps had to be timed to the roll of the hull and the
sway of the mast。
The cook was the first to go。 He was snapped off the mast…end； and
his body performed cart…wheels in its fall。 A fling of sea caught
him and crushed him to a pulp against the cliff。 The cabin boy； a
bearded man of twenty…odd； lost hold； slipped； swung around the
mast； and was pinched against the boss of rock。 Pinched？ The life
squeezed from him on the instant。 Two others followed the way of
the cook。 Captain Johannes Maartens was the last； completing the
fourteen of us that clung on in the cleft。 An hour afterward the
Sparwehr slipped off and sank in deep water。
Two days and nights saw us near to perishing on that cliff； for
there was way neither up nor down。 The third morning a fishing…boat
found us。 The men were clad entirely in dirt white； with their long
hair done up in a curious knot on their patesthe marriage knot； as
I was afterward to learn； and also； as I was to learn； a handy thing
to clutch hold of with one hand whilst you clouted with the other
when an argument went beyond words。
The boat went back to the village for help； and most of the
villagers； most of their gear； and most of the day were required to
get us down。 They were a poor and wretched folk； their food
difficult even for the stomach of a sea…cuny to countenance。 Their
rice was brown as chocolate。 Half the husks remained in it； along
with bits of chaff； splinters； and unidentifiable dirt which made
one pause often in the chewing in order to stick into his mouth
thumb and forefinger and pluck out th