18. Companions

CHAPTER 18

COMPANIONS

          “Well then,” Hantuman summarized the essential elements of the current standoff.  “Here’s the bottom line, Tyreantum.  Our futures, yours and mine, really depend on each other.  You’re risking your life that I bring both you and this ship to the land northward on time.  How foolish!  I’m relying on hope, that once we do get to the land northward, there is still something I can do to save Lehi.”

          “In your idealistic mind, I suppose,” Tyreantum consented.  “But at least my risk is worth it for all the riches I will make!  Great riches don’t come without some risk.  You, Hantuman, on the other hand, are the bigger fool.  Only an insane, religious fool risks his own belongings with the false hope that they will spare the life of another!”

          Spitting with disgust, Tyreantum spurted out, “Lehi’s life is not worth your noble intentions!”

          “So there we have it then.  Get out of my way and stay out of my way!” commanded Hantuman.

Hantuman pushed Tyreantum aside to get to Nephi.  He untied the rope from Nephi’s waist.  He put his arm carefully around Nephi and supported him on his feet.  Nephi was not able to walk without Hantuman’s support.  Hantuman brought Nephi into his own private compartment near the stern of the ship.  There he placed him into his own hammock.

          Hantuman stayed with Nephi that night and nursed him as much as he could.  With the dawn of the fourth day, he saw that his patient was already much improved.  He warmed some soup in the small fireplace that was built into the private compartment for the captain of the ship.

          “Good morning, Nephi.”  Hantuman spoke to Nephi when he saw that he was waking up.  “You’ve been asleep for a long time.  You had me a little worried.”

          “What?  I did?”  Nephi dreamily began to remember where he was and what had happened.

          “Yeah.  But hurray!  You are looking much better to me this morning.  Your skin color is finally normal again, and I haven’t heard your insides rumble for a while now.  Try some of this potato soup I prepared for you this morning.  I think you will be able to keep it down all right.  You kept down the broth I had you sip last night.  You are feeling better this morning after a good night’s sleep.  Right?”

          Nephi remembered that Hantuman had helped him by getting him into his own hammock the day before.  Before he was fully awake, it seemed like a bad dream.  Remembering that it was real did not please him.

          “Thank you for helping me yesterday, Hantuman.”

          “No thanks required.”  Hantuman had a cheerful spirit and seemed eager to do anything he could for Nephi.  “I am the one who must beg for your forgiveness though.  I should never have let this happen in the first place.  If I had any idea what Tyreantum and the others were doing to you, I would have thrown them off the ship right from the start.”

          “Oh, dear brother, it’s not your fault.  You had no way of knowing.  You’re too kind as it is to bring me back here with you.   You’ve done more than enough.  And I think I am feeling better inside, not nearly as queasy today as before.”

          “Hallelujah for that.  Let me see you eat a good breakfast today.  You must be famished after hardly eating a thing for three days.”

          “I am.  Thanks.  I do think I’ll try eating again if you don’t mind.  That soup smells wonderful.  Tyreantum may have left a bruise on the outside, but I think the hurt on the inside might go away with some nourishment.”

          “Great!  Glad to hear that.” 

          Hantuman served Nephi a soup that was a mix of potatoes with goat’s milk, cheese, and chunks of fish.  Nephi ate and felt better.

          When Nephi was about to finish his second bowl, Hantuman hoped the moment was suitable and he ventured to ask Nephi a question.  “So, why is it that Tyreantum was so determined to hurt you?  Did you ever do anything to him?”

          Nephi stopped eating his soup.  He looked in bemusement at Hantuman.  “Oh.  You don’t know, do you?  Well, of course not.  I forget that you grew up in the land northward.  You wouldn’t know our history in the land of Zarahemla.”

          “No.  I don’t.  But since you are from Zarahemla, and I’ve been told that Tyreantum is originally from Zarahemla, I take it that you have a history.”

          “Well, we do.  Tyreantum and I have battled in the past.  It’s not pleasant for me to remember.”

          “That’s fine.  Please forgive me.  Forget that I even wanted to know.”

          “It’s all right, brother.  Lehi never told you about Tyreantum?”

          “No, why?  Told me what?”

          “That he killed my wife!”

          “Oh, Nephi!  I didn’t know!  I’m so sorry!”

“There wasn’t enough substantial evidence to convict him at the judgment-seat and Alumon made sure he was judged to be innocent.  Afterward, Tyreantum and Alumon saw opportunities to band together and grow rich in the land northward, and apparently they have succeeded.  I gave up the position as chief judge in order to consecrate all my time to preach the word of God to my people.”

          Nephi finished his second bowl of soup.  Neither Hantuman nor Nephi spoke.  They sat in sorrowful silence for several minutes.

          Then, Hantuman just had to break the silence.  “Can I ask you one last question about Tyreantum?  Don’t you hate him?  How do you let him get away with it?  Can’t you have God strike him down in punishment?  He deserves it!”

          “What!?  And lose my own soul for the sake of revenge?  Oh, I struggle to resist the temptation.  My son asked me essentially the same question.  No.  I must leave Tyreantum’s fate in God’s hands.  The Spirit has constrained me from stretching forth my hand against Tyreantum for the time being.  God will eventually make things right.  The blood of the innocent shall someday stand as a witness against him, and at the last day, the judgment of God shall be just.  But, for now, sometimes we must endure suffering because of the wickedness of others.”

          “May I ask a question of you, Hantuman?”  Nephi was anxious to switch the topic to something else.

          “Sure.  Go ahead.”

          “Who told you about Tyreantum’s plan to steal your boat, not pay you for the timber, and take me to Lehi’s captors?”

          “Nobody!  Come to think of it.  That was amazing, wasn’t it!?  It seems as though the Spirit revealed it to me in that very moment when I was speaking.  And it’s true because he ended up confessing to everything I said.”

          “Yes.  I thought so.”

          Nephi stood up as if he were going to leave.  He was not used to having somebody else look after him and take care of him.  “Thank you, brother.  That was delicious.  I am feeling much better today, and…”

          “Sit back down!  Where in the world do you think you are going?”  Hantuman was not going to allow Nephi to return to the compartments for the other passengers.  “You’re not going anywhere yet!  And especially not back with Tyreantum and his buddies.

          “You know, it’s actually kind of ironic.  You’re just like your brother, Lehi, aren’t you Nephi?  The first time I met him, he was famished and discouraged.  But a stranger had said to me that a prophet of God would find me, and that I should take him to my home.  That turned out to be the best thing I ever did.  Now I get to do that all over again for you, Nephi.  You’re staying here with me for the rest of our voyage!”

          “Hah.  I will have to call you Amulek from now on.”

          Hantuman smiled appreciatively at that comment from Nephi.  Then he announced, “Before you woke, I checked the direction of the wind, the weather, and the condition of the sea.  Looks like a clear day of sailing ahead.  We appear to be on course.”

          “And where are we on course to?” asked Nephi.

          “What!?”  Hantuman was obviously confused by Nephi’s strange question.  “Did Tyreantum knock away your memory?  We’re on course to the land northward, of course.”

          “I see.”  Nephi explained the reason for his question.  “Wouldn’t it make more sense now to turn back to the land of Zarahemla and keep your property?  Tyreantum and his robbers in the land northward will carry out their plan.  It doesn’t matter to them that it is no longer a surprise.”

          “I know that,” replied Hantuman.  “Do you think that I would value my property as more worth to me than Lehi’s life?  Heaven forbid!  If there is any chance at all to save Lehi, I’ll do anything in my power to rescue him.  Yes, we’re on course for the land northward.  I expect to see land in a few days.”

          “Bless you for your faithful commitment,” said Nephi.  “Not only am I feeling better physically after being fed by you, I’m also feeling better emotionally about one concern.”

          “What would that be?” asked Hantuman.

          “That Lehi is indeed still alive.  Your personal sacrifice to rescue Lehi will be worth it.”

          “Why is that?  How can you be sure?”

          “Because I can see that God’s hand is in it.  Tyreantum would not have confessed if he thought Lehi was already dead.  So, despite his evil plan, this adds to my faith that God will help us.”

          Hantuman made sure that Tyreantum or the other passengers had no further occasion to abuse Nephi.  Tyreantum and the others kept to themselves for the most part.  When Nephi or Hantuman passed near a group of them in conversation, they would quickly change whatever topic they had been discussing, and exchange simple greetings, make comments about the weather, or ask questions about the progress of the voyage.  As soon as Nephi or Hantuman was again out of hearing distance, more intense and serious discussions resumed.

The standoff needed to be resolved eventually.  But until they reached the land northward, nothing could be done about it.

          Nephi used this time to observe and to learn from Hantuman how to navigate the ship.  Hantuman helped him to see how, despite the lack of any landmarks amid a vast ocean of water, it was still possible to know where you were and where you were headed.

Hantuman explained how a blind man can learn to see without his eyes.  You just had to “see” using your other senses.  Nephi began to see things in the sea.  For example, slightly different colors in the water meant different currents. Different currents meant steering the ship in a different direction.  Although they were a great distance from land, birds were sometimes seen flying overhead.  Hantuman always noted in which direction they were flying, and whether it was morning or evening.

Nephi learned how the different clouds would bring different winds, and he learned how to set the sails depending on the direction and the strength of the wind.  Hantuman showed Nephi how to steer the ship according to the motion of the waves, particularly how to keep the ship on course even when pushed back by higher waves.

          The stars guided them each night.  When the sky was clear or had just a few clouds, Nephi recognized the stars that over time had become so familiar to him.  He wasn’t sure if it was because they were on a ship in the middle of the sea and far away from land, or if it was the extra darkness of the night, but it seemed that new stars were also appearing.

          One night, after Nephi and Hantuman had looked at the stars and completed a routine check to ensure that everything was in order, they prepared the hammocks and were about to lie down for the night.  A light knock on the door to Hantuman’s private compartment surprised them.

Hantuman opened the door to find Moriancom standing nervously on the other side.

17. Opposition

CHAPTER 17

OPPOSITION

The entire ship rolled or swayed and bobbed incessantly with the rise and fall of the sea below it.  Progress was slow.   Light winds and occasional gusts from the north made sailing in that direction more difficult.  The land was either obscured by a constant fog along the coastline, or it was too far away to remain visible.

Hantuman had raised the sails three days ago to begin the voyage to the land northward for the fifty passengers who cheered to be underway.

The storage level at the bottom of the ship was laden with timber which was much needed in the land northward.  A passenger level below the main deck had an area for eating and preparing meals, space to keep animals, and six open compartments where hammocks were hung.  As many as ten hammocks per compartment could be hung before the space began to feel crowded.

Nephi’s stomach ache began shortly after departure and grew worse as the waves of the open sea continuously rocked the ship.  He was sick.  After three full days of sickness, Nephi was terribly weak and stood with difficulty.  He was hungry, and yet he couldn’t eat.  No food he tried to swallow remained inside for very long.

Hantuman had explained to everyone that some people might experience a temporary stomach illness at sea.  Out of the fifty passengers on the ship, three other passengers, besides Nephi, had been sick the first night.  Two were feeling much better by the next day, and the third was better on the day after that.  Nephi was the only one who still suffered with the illness on day three.

Nephi preferred the main deck instead of the passenger level.  The air was fresher and easier to breathe, but the deck was also colder and wetter, especially at night, so Nephi had been mostly alone.

Hantuman didn’t normally allow people to sit around very long on the deck.   There was danger of getting swept overboard even if you were alert.  Nephi had to talk very persuasively before convincing Hantuman to make an exception.  His main argument had been that there would be less vomit on the passenger level to clean up, and less foul smell for the others to complain about.  Hantuman reluctantly relented only when Nephi promised to keep a rope securely tied around his waist at all times.

Nephi did not fully explain the real reason he preferred to remain on deck as much as possible.  The real reason had nothing to do with sea sickness.  The excitement of a voyage on the sea actually thrilled Nephi.  He first boarded the ship with expectations that a voyage on the sea to the land northward would be fun and adventurous.

His expectations had not included encountering a trial so early on his mission.  A person who described himself as the chief leader of all passengers had met him.  Like hard to sink jetsam, garbage from the past had resurfaced, only smellier than before. 

This garbage was none other than Tyreantum!

          “Well, well, well.  If it isn’t ol’ holier than thou Nephi himself.”  Tyreantum faked friendliness and delight to see Nephi board the ship as a passenger under his command.

          Tyreantum had gained even more weight in recent years.  The overhanging belly on his short body couldn’t be hidden by the wide, elaborate waist band he wore over his costly robe.  His fat cheeks and prominently sagging double chin rounded out the picture.  The headband he wore had a semi-circle of long feathers in the back which stuck up from ear to ear.   The headband was supposed to help Tyreantum appear taller than he really was, but the feathers merely called attention to his baldness.

Tyreantum liked to talk.  “Alumon said I might see you again, Nephi.  And he was right, as always.  He mentioned how he keeps track of your brother Lehi in the land northward.  He thought you would be re-joining your brother some day in the land northward.  It’s a good place.  You can get rich fast.  I bet nothing’s looking good for you in Zarahemla these days, is it?  That’s too bad.  Giving up your position as chief judge wasn’t too smart, was it?  Maybe you can still get a new start in the land northward.  If you don’t intend to be preach religion, of course.  If you’ve decided to give up preaching, I can help you make some good money fast by …

          “Oh, wait.  Maybe you don’t remember me?  I’m Tyreantum.  I tried to save your wife after she fell.  That was tragic and…”

          “Don’t lie, Tyreantum!  I know who you are.  You killed her!”

          “No, no!  You said yourself that…”

          “I said at the judgment-seat that the available testimony and evidence were too conflicting and inconclusive to convict.  I am a man that upholds and defends the righteous law of the land.  That is why I was to be honored that night.

“However, you and your kind do not!  Beware the eternal justice of God!  Wo unto you because of your iniquity, your crimes, your murders, and your evil doings.  Damnation in hell awaits you!”  Nephi spoke with authority and was not afraid to tell the truth.

          “Oh!  Is that so?  I see you haven’t changed much, have you, Nephi?  Have it your way then.  But know this!  I am the chief leader for all the passengers on this voyage!  I have been appointed by Alumon himself.  As a result, you do what I say.  I am the authority and the law on this ship.  I command the passengers.  You obey.  You have no power over me.  You’re not the chief judge.  You’re a has-been.  We’ll see who of us goes to hell!  That is, if there isn’t someplace even worse for you!”

          Tyreantum had aged a lot in ten years.  He was probably ten to fifteen years younger than Nephi, but what hair he had was turning grey.  He used a blackening paste on his thin hair and brushed it from one side to the other in a vain attempt to cover the top.  Little did he realize that the feathered headband already made him look ridiculous.

He loved the attention that a show of wealth brought him.  That is why he always wore the costliest clothing, and adorned himself with anklets, bracelets, and rings.  He wore several chains of gold around his neck.

The origin of Tyreantum’s wealth was questionable.  Some said that he had inherited it from his family who were well-established in the land northward.  Others, who said they knew better, believed Tyreantum’s family wanted nothing to do with him.  They believed he stole from family members as well as anyone else he could possibly cheat or deceive for money.  Honesty and credibility were never closely associated with Tyreantum or his known business partners.  He and Alumon supposedly competed in the trade of timber for the land northward, but they had secretly agreed together to drive up prices as high as they could.

 Tyreantum usually managed to dangle enough money in front of others that they followed after him eventually, even if at first they resented being subjected to his temptations.  His riches did accord him many powers.   Tyreantum, for his part, loved the power and the influence that he assumed with his wealth.

And he had an awful temper.  Since Nephi could not be bought, he was the enemy.  So later, when Nephi’s sickness at sea became apparent, that was all it took for Tyreantum to begin the persecution.

The first day at sea, he made sure that Nephi was teased and ridiculed by the other passengers.   Encouraged by Tyreantum, the passengers laughed at Nephi and pointed their fingers at him in dismay.  They pretended to gag on something, held their stomachs, and then ran to the side of the ship as if suddenly needing to vomit.  They acted like little children and giggled among themselves.

But they were careful to watch for Hantuman and made sure that he was out of sight when they ridiculed Nephi.

The second day, Tyreantum increased his verbal insults and physical abuse.  He confronted Nephi on the deck.  After making sure that Hantuman was nowhere to be seen, Tyreantum slapped the back of his pudgy little hand sharply across Nephi’s face.

“What’s the matter, Nephi?  Don’t have the guts to fight back, eh.  Don’t have your chief judge authority here, do you?  What do you say for yourself?  Are you just too much of a poor fool to do anything but preach your silly religion to others?”

Nephi said nothing to Tyreantum in reply.  This only angered Tyreantum all the more.  He smote Nephi again on the cheeks and said,     “Why don’t you answer me?  Don’t you know that I’m in charge?”

          Again, Nephi answered nothing.  Disgusted, Tyreantum spat and swore at Nephi.  Finally, he stomped away to yell at some other passengers.

The third day, Nephi must have dozed off into a restless slumber because he suddenly awoke with a fright.  He felt something wasn’t right -- something besides his illness.  He sensed trouble.  Then he realized he was no longer alone on the deck.

Tyreantum confronted him again.  He took open pleasure in abusing Nephi, even in front of the other passengers.  He recognized that the other passengers did not dare oppose his actions.

          Tyreantum angrily swore at Nephi for falling asleep on the deck.  He smote him sharply three times on the cheeks.  He punched him solidly in the stomach and declared, “I’ll give you a good reason to make sure your stomach really hurts!”  He struck Nephi again as hard as he could in the stomach.

Other passengers were waiting nearby.  Tyreantum gave them a nod and several came forward.   One by one, they also began to taunt Nephi, saying:

          “Why don’t you get your God to heal you?  Or is it that your God is really not as powerful as you say He is?  If your God really existed, wouldn’t He stop us from hurting you?  Will you continue to preach that we will be punished unless we repent from our so-called sins?  If you have such great power from God, why don’t you deliver yourself from us?  Why would your God leave you in such a miserable and helpless state unless there really is no such being?”

          Each passenger in turn who came forward to harass Nephi smote him on the cheeks and spat upon him.  And each one would say the same things to him, and some would say more things as they were mocking him, such as:

          “How will I look when I am damned?  Will you again be able to stand to judge me and condemn the way I live my life?  Where is your Savior who is supposed to remove the suffering you are going through now?  Are you going to pray for a famine to stop me from beating you?  Seems to me that you are the one not able to eat, not me!”

          This mocking and similar abuse continued until several of the passengers had taken their turn.  Nephi answered nothing in every case.

          However, one passenger, a young sixteen year old boy whose name was Moriancom, saw what was going on.  He wanted to help Nephi, but didn’t have the courage to face the chief leader of the passengers directly.  But seeing that Tyreantum’s persecution had gone much too far, Moriancom ran to find Hantuman.

          Tyreantum was about to strike Nephi again when Hantuman burst through the small circle of passengers surrounding Nephi, knocking two of them off their feet!

          Hantuman rushed toward Tyreantum with eyes glaring.  He bent over to put his face directly in the face of Tyreantum.  Hantuman roared, “Stop it!!  Stop it this instant!  What is going on here?  So help me God, cease such abuse, or either you or I will die this instant!!”

          Hantuman was a large man, well-built and muscular.  Years of hard work in building ships and crafting the heavy timbers that supported the masts had toned and hardened his muscles even more.  He was about the same age as Tyreantum, but he could have passed for half as many years.  His deep, dark eyes were afire with anger, and although his arms were bare of any weapons, his fists alone could have easily choked the breath of life away from Tyreantum.    

          Tyreantum flinched and stepped back.  A quick flash of cowardice appeared in his eyes.  Then he dishonestly answered,         “Just enforcing some needed discipline among the passengers, brother.”

The practiced manner in which Tyreantum lied was too arrogant to fool anybody, least of all an angry Hantuman.

Tyreantum continued, “Nephi has not completed a single task I require of passengers.  He is only faking his illness.  As chief leader of the passengers, it is my responsibility to remind him of his duties.”

          “Then it is my responsibility to warn you, Tyreantum.”  Hantuman was head and shoulders taller than Tyreantum.   Tyreantum may have been the chief leader of all the passengers, but the destiny of the ship and the control of the voyage was in Hantuman’s hands alone.  

          “Behold, I say unto you, Tyreantum, as the Lord liveth, if you harm Nephi again, God will send his avenging angel to smite you down!!  Yea, a watery grave does at this very moment await you.  Know you not that Nephi is a holy prophet of the Almighty God!  Yea, and God will not permit you to harm him as long as he remains on my ship!  So powerful is the Spirit of God that whosoever attempts to touch Nephi shall wither as a dried reed!  Yea, his flesh shall be instantly consumed!”

          And now, when Hantuman had spoken these words, Tyreantum and the other passengers were astonished.  They saw that someone else besides Nephi testified of God’s power and punishments.  Hantuman’s boldness and strength struck fear into the heart of Tyreantum, and he backed away.

          Nevertheless, Tyreantum desired to retain his pride.  He sought to recover some of his falsely acquired authority before it was lost entirely in front of the other passengers.  He needed to somehow regain some measure of control.  Therefore, he tried to challenge Hantuman’s authority.  He tried to find a way to lessen the impact of the words which Hantuman had spoken.

So, he began to question Hantuman, saying, “What gives you permission to threaten me?  I’m in charge of the affairs for this voyage, am I not?  Your future depends upon me!  I am the one who employs you!  Who pays you for the delivery of timber to the land northward?  Huh!?  Where would you be without me?”

          Tyreantum did not know that Hantuman could see his true intentions.  As Tyreantum began to question him, Hantuman perceived his lying thoughts.

          Hantuman spoke with real power, “That’s a lie!  Oh you wicked and perverse person!  You hypocrite!  For you have only made plans with the devil.  You are hoping to spring a trap to catch this holy prophet of God!  You plan to pervert the ways of the righteous!  But you will only succeed in bringing down the wrath of God upon your own head, even to your utter destruction.

          “You say that my future depends on you, and imply that you will be paying me for the delivery of timber.  Behold, that is a lie!  You have, in fact, already plotted with others to bring Nephi to Lehi’s captors.  In exchange, they are willing to help you steal this ship and its timber.  Your secret scheme is to pay me nothing!”

          “Who? --- Who has told you this?” demanded Tyreantum.  He shot glaring looks at everybody around him.  Questioning looks were rapidly exchanged among the passengers who were nearby.  Nobody moved.  Nobody spoke.

          “No matter,” said Tyreantum finally.  “It doesn’t matter that you were told.  We can still do it anyway.  My partners are powerful men.  This ship will not be yours, Hantuman.  And the profits you dreamed about making with this shipment of timber will go to others once we arrive in the land northward.”

          “And what makes you think I will continue to take you to the land northward?” questioned Hantuman.  “You admit that you plan to take my rightful possessions!  I can turn around now and never return to the land northward!  You have it entirely backwards, Tyreantum.  You see, in reality, your future depends on me!  Without me, you can’t steer the ship or get to the land northward!”

          Tyreantum was speechless.

          “I’ll admit that,” confessed Tyreantum at last.  “I’d have made a better plan if that were not the case.  But I know that I can trust you to return us to the land northward --- despite the fact that you must have overheard our plans!”

          “And why is that?” questioned Hantuman.  “You deserve God’s punishment right now unless He has some strange reason to keep you around.”

          “If I don’t arrive back in the land northward as scheduled,” continued to explain Tyreantum, “your beloved companion Lehi will die.  Yes!  You see, I know about you.  Alumon me told me how you would do anything to rescue him.  Sadly, there isn’t anything you can do for Lehi.  He’s as good as dead already.”