Deschard Of Oneaka by Louis Becke

At daylight next morning some native women, passing by the deserted house on their way to work in the puraka plantations of Oneaka, saw the figure of the messenger lying dead. One of the women, named Niapó, in placing her hand upon his bosom to feel if he yet breathed, found the letter which had cost him his life. For nearly twenty years she kept possession of it, doubtless from some superstitious motive, and then it was bought from her by a white trader from Apamama, named Randall,20 by whom it was sent to the Rev. Mr. Damon,21 the "Sailor's Friend," a well-known missionary in Honolulu. This was the letter: MY DEAR HUSBAND,--It is nearly three years since I got your letter, but I dared no risk writing to you, even if I had know of a ship leaving for the South Seas or the whale fishery. None of the sandalwooding people in Sydney seemed even to know the name of this island (Courier?). My dear husband, I have enough money now, thank God, to end all our troubles. Your letter was brought to me at Parramatta by a sailor--an American, I think. He gave it first to Maurice. I would have rewarded him, but before I could speak to him he had gone. For ten years I have waited and prayed to God to bring us together again. We came to Sydney in the same ship as Major D--, of the 77th. He has always been so good to us, and so has his wife. Nell is sixteen now, Laura eighteen. God grant that I will see you in a few hours. The captain says that he will land us all at one of the places in the Dutch East Indies.23 I have paid him £100, and am to pay him £100 when you are safely on board. I have been so miserable for the past year, as Major D-- had heard that a man-of-war was searching the islands, and I was in such terrible fear that we would never meet again. Come quickly and God bless you, my dear husband. Maurice insisted and begged to be allowed to take this to you. He is nineteen years old now, but will not live long--has been a faithful and good lad. Laura is eighteen and Nell nearly sixteen now. We are now close to Courier, and should see you ere long.--Your loving and now joyful wife,--ANNA DESCHARD.

In the big maniapa, or council house, on Oneaka, two hundred armed and naked savages were sitting awaiting the arrival of Corton and his warriors from Kuria. A little apart from the muttering, excited natives, and seated together, were the man Deschard and the two other beachcombers, Pedro and Tamu.