{"id":"01KG8AKTVZAM3TQ4CEZWJNK2YG","cid":"bafkreiaxyvuuv5zuxnhtb54h6mtqszbas65ncl4u5uzj4zapb4kt35z32m","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":2424,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":2354,"text":"CHAPTER XIX.\r\nA SURPRISE—MORE ABOUT BEMBO\r\n\r\n\r\nThe sight of the island was right welcome. Going into harbour after a\r\ncruise is always joyous enough, and the sailor is apt to indulge in all\r\nsorts of pleasant anticipations. But to us, the occasion was heightened\r\nby many things peculiar to our situation.\r\n\r\nSince steering for the land, our prospects had been much talked over.\r\nBy many it was supposed that, should the captain leave the ship, the\r\ncrew were no longer bound by her articles. This was the opinion of our\r\nforecastle Cokes; though, probably, it would not have been sanctioned\r\nby the Marine Courts of Law. At any rate, such was the state of both\r\nvessel and crew that, whatever might be the event, a long stay, and\r\nmany holidays in Tahiti, were confidently predicted.\r\n\r\nEverybody was in high spirits. The sick, who had been improving day by\r\nday since the change in our destination, were on deck, and leaning over\r\nthe bulwarks; some all animation, and others silently admiring an\r\nobject unrivalled for its stately beauty—Tahiti from the sea.\r\n\r\nThe quarter-deck, however, furnished a marked contrast to what was\r\ngoing on at the other end of the ship. The Mowree was there, as usual,\r\nscowling by himself; and Jermin walked to and fro in deep thought,\r\nevery now and then looking to windward, or darting into the cabin and\r\nquickly returning.\r\n\r\nWith all our light sails wooingly spread, we held on our way, until,\r\nwith the doctor’s glass, Papeetee, the village metropolis of Tahiti,\r\ncame into view. Several ships were descried lying in the harbour, and\r\namong them, one which loomed up black and large; her two rows of teeth\r\nproclaiming a frigate. This was the Reine Blanche, last from the\r\nMarquesas, and carrying at the fore the flag of Rear-Admiral Du Petit\r\nThouars. Hardly had we made her out, when the booming of her guns came\r\nover the water. She was firing a salute, which afterwards turned out to\r\nbe in honour of a treaty; or rather—as far as the natives were\r\nconcerned—a forced cession of Tahiti to the French, that morning\r\nconcluded.\r\n\r\nThe cannonading had hardly died away, when Jermin’s voice was heard\r\ngiving an order so unexpected that everyone started. “Stand by to haul\r\nback the main-yard!”\r\n\r\n“What’s that mean?” shouted the men, “are we not going into port?”\r\n\r\n“Tumble after here, and no words!” cried the mate; and in a moment the\r\nmain-yard swung round, when, with her jib-boom pointing out to sea, the\r\nJulia lay as quiet as a duck. We all looked blank—what was to come\r\nnext?\r\n\r\nPresently the steward made his appearance, carrying a mattress, which\r\nhe spread out in the stern-sheets of the captain’s boat; two or three\r\nchests, and other things belonging to his master, were similarly\r\ndisposed of.\r\n\r\nThis was enough. A slight hint suffices for a sailor.\r\n\r\nStill adhering to his resolution to keep the ship at sea in spite of\r\neverything, the captain, doubtless, intended to set himself ashore,\r\nleaving the vessel, under the mate, to resume her voyage at once; but\r\nafter a certain period agreed upon, to touch at the island, and take\r\nhim off. All this, of course, could easily be done without approaching\r\nany nearer the land with the Julia than we now were. Invalid whaling\r\ncaptains often adopt a plan like this; but, in the present instance, it\r\nwas wholly unwarranted; and, everything considered, at war with the\r\ncommonest principles of prudence and humanity. And, although, on Guy’s\r\npart, this resolution showed more hardihood than he had ever been given\r\ncredit for, it, at the same time, argued an unaccountable simplicity,\r\nin supposing that such a crew would, in any way, submit to the outrage.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJH07Y1Q0CCD1EWKJXEM0","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKVG71R6VN2CXA3WTXHGA","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:17.279Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.015Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}