Then I left her.

Chapter XVII

Yva Explains

When I reached the rock I was pleased to find Marama and about twenty of his people engaged in erecting the house that we had ordered them to build for our accommodation.  Indeed, it was nearly finished, since house-building in Orofena is a simple business.  The framework of poles let into palm trunks, since they could not be driven into the rock, had been put together on the further shore and towed over bodily by canoes.  The overhanging rock formed one side of the house; the ends were of palm leaves tied to the poles, and the roof was of the same material.  The other side was left open for the present, which in that equable and balmy clime was no disadvantage.  The whole edifice was about thirty feet long by fifteen deep and divided into two portions, one for sleeping and one for living, by a palm leaf partition.  Really, it was quite a comfortable abode, cool and rainproof, especially after Bastin had built his hut in which to cook.

Marama and his people were very humble in their demeanour and implored us to visit them on the main island.  I answered that perhaps we would later on, as we wished to procure certain things from the wreck.  Also, he requested Bastin to continue his ministrations as the latter greatly desired to do.  But to this proposal I would not allow him to give any direct answer at the moment.  Indeed, I dared not do so until I was sure of Oro’s approval.

Towards evening they departed in their canoes, leaving behind them the usual ample store of provisions.

We cooked our meal as usual, only to discover that what Yva had said about the Life-water was quite true, since we had but little appetite for solid food, though this returned upon the following day.  The same thing happened upon every occasion after drinking of that water which certainly was a most invigorating fluid.  Never for years had any of us felt so well as it caused us to do.

So we lit our pipes and talked about our experiences though of these, indeed, we scarcely knew what to say.  Bastin accepted them as something out of the common, of course, but as facts which admitted of no discussion.  After all, he said, the Old Testament told much the same story of people called the Sons of God who lived very long lives and ran after the daughters of men whom they should have left alone, and thus became the progenitors of a remarkable race.  Of this race, he presumed that Oro and his daughter were survivors, especially as they spoke of their family as “Heaven born.”  How they came to survive was more than he could understand and really scarcely worth bothering over, since there they were.