south sea tales- 第20部分

grabbed　three　cartridge　belts　and　two　Winchesters　and　skinned　up　to　the

cross…trees。　He　was　the　sole　survivor；　and　you　can't　blame　him　for　being　mad。

He　pumped　one　rifle　till　it　got　so　hot　he　couldn't　hold　it；　then　he　pumped　the

other。　The　deck　was　black　with　niggers。　He　cleaned　them　out。　　He　dropped　them

as　they　went　over　the　rail；　and　he　dropped　them　as　fast　as　they　picked　up

their　paddles。　Then　they　jumped　into　the　water　and　started　to　swim　for　it；　and

being　mad；　he　got　half　a　dozen　more。　And　what　did　he　get　for　it？〃



〃Seven　years　in　Fiji；〃　snapped　the　mate。



〃The　government　said　he　wasn't　justified　in　shooting　after　they'd　taken　to　the

water；〃　the　skipper　explained。



〃And　that's　why　they　die　of　dysentery　nowadays；〃　the　mate　added。



〃Just　fancy；〃　said　Bertie；　as　he　felt　a　longing　for　the　cruise　to　be　over。



Later　on　in　the　day　he　interviewed　the　black　who　had　been　pointed　out　to　him

as　a　cannibal。　This　fellow's　name　was　Sumasai。　He　had　spent　three　years　on　a

Queensland　plantation。　He　had　been　to　Samoa；　and　Fiji；　and　Sydney；　and　as　a

boat's　crew　had　been　on　recruiting　schooners　through　New　Britain；　New　Ireland；

New　Guinea；　and　the　Admiralties。　Also；　he　was　a　wag；　and　he　had　taken　a　line

on　his　skipper's　conduct。　Yes；　he　had　eaten　many　men。　How　many？　He　could　not

remember　the　tally。　Yes；　white　men；　too；　they　were　very　good；　unless　they　were

sick。　He　had　once　eaten　a　sick　one。



〃My　word！〃　he　cried；　at　the　recollection。　〃Me　sick　plenty　along　him。　'my　belly

walk　about　too　much。〃



Bertie　shuddered；　and　asked　about　heads。　Yes；　Sumasai　had　several　hidden

ashore；　in　good　condition；　sun…dried；　and　smoke…cured。　One　was　of　the　captain

of　a　schooner。　It　had　long　whiskers。　He　would　sell　it　for　two　quid。　Black

men's　heads　he　would　sell　for　one　quid。　He　had　some　pickaninny　heads；　in　poor

condition；　that　he　would　let　go　for　ten　bob。



Five　minutes　afterward；　Bertie　found　himself　sitting　on　the　companionway…slide

alongside　a　black　with　a　horrible　skin　disease。　He　sheered　off；　and　on　inquiry

was　told　that　it　was　leprosy。　He　hurried　below　and　washed　himself　with

antiseptic　soap。　He　took　many　antiseptic　washes　in　the　course　of　the　day；　for

every　native　on　board　was　afflicted　with　malignant　ulcers　of　one　sort　or

another。



As　the　Arla　drew　in　to　an　anchorage　in　the　midst　of　mangrove　swamps；　a　double

row　of　barbed　wire　was　stretched　around　above　her　rail。　That　looked　like

business；　and　when　Bertie　saw　the　shore　canoes　alongside；　armed　with　spears；

bows　and　arrows；　and　Sniders；　he　wished　more　earnestly　than　ever　that　the

cruise　was　over。



That　evening　the　natives　were　slow　in　leaving　the　ship　at　sundown。　A　number　of

them　checked　the　mate　when　he　ordered　them　ashore。　〃Never　mind；　I'll　fix

them；〃　said　Captain　Hansen；　diving　below。



When　he　cam　back；　he　showed　Bertie　a　stick　of　dynamite　attached　to　a　fish

hook。　Now　it　happens　that　a　paper…wrapped　bottle　of　chlorodyne　with　a　piece　of

harmless　fuse　projecting　can　fool　anybody。　It　fooled　Bertie；　and　it　fooled　the

natives。　When　Captain　Hansen　lighted　the　fuse　and　hooked　the　fish　hook　into

the　tail　end　of　a　native's　loin　cloth；　that　native　was　smitten　with　so　an

ardent　a　desire　for　the　shore　that　he　forgot　to　shed　the　loin　cloth。　He

started　for'ard；　the　fuse　sizzling　and　spluttering　at　his　rear；　the　natives　in

his　path　taking　headers　over　the　barbed　wire　at　every　jump。　Bertie　was

horror…stricken。　　So　was　Captain　Hansen。　He　had　forgotten　his　twenty…five

recruits；　on　each　of　which　he　had　paid　thirty　shillings　advance。　　They　went

over　the　side　along　with　the　shore…dwelling　folk　and　followed　by　him　who

trailed　the　sizzling　chlorodyne　bottle。



Bertie　did　not　see　the　bottle　go　off；　but　the　mate　opportunely　discharging　a

stick　of　real　dynamite　aft　where　it　would　harm　nobody；　Bertie　would　have　sworn

in　any　admiralty　court　to　a　nigger　blown　to　flinders。　The　flight　of　the

twenty…five　recruits　had　actually　cost　the　Arla　forty　pounds；　and；　since　they

had　taken　to　the　bush；　there　was　no　hope　of　recovering　them。　The　skipper　and

his　mate　proceeded　to　drown　their　sorrow　in　cold　tea。



The　cold　tea　was　in　whiskey　bottles；　so　Bertie　did　not　know　it　was　cold　tea

they　were　mopping　up。　All　he　knew　was　that　the　two　men　got　very　drunk　and

argued　eloquently　and　at　length　as　to　whether　the　exploded　nigger　should　be

reported　as　a　case　of　dysentery　or　as　an　accidental　drowning。　When　they　snored

off　to　sleep；　he　was　the　only　white　man　left；　and　he　kept　a　perilous　watch

till　dawn；　in　fear　of　an　attack　from　shore　and　an　uprising　of　the　crew。



Three　more　days　the　Arla　spent　on　the　coast；　and　three　more　nights　the　skipper

and　the　mate　drank　overfondly　of　cold　tea；　leaving　Bertie　to　keep　the　watch。

They　knew　he　could　be　depended　upon；　while　he　was　equally　certain　that　if　he

lived；　he　would　report　their　drunken　conduct　to　Captain　Malu。　Then　the　Arla

dropped　anchor　at　Reminge　Plantation；　on　Guadalcanar；　and　Bertie　landed　on　the

beach　with　a　sigh　of　relief　and　shook　hands　with　the　manager。　'mr。　Harriwell

was　ready　for　him。



〃Now　you　mustn't　be　alarmed　if　some　of　our　fellows　seem　downcast；〃　Mr。

Harriwell　said；　having　drawn　him　aside　in　confidence。　〃There's　been　talk　of　an

outbreak；　and　two　or　three　suspicious　signs　I'm　willing　to　admit；　but

personally　I　think　it's　all　poppycock。〃



〃Howhow　many　blacks　have　you　on　the　plantation？〃　Bertie　asked；　with　a

sinking　heart。



〃We're　working　four　hundred　just　now；〃　replied　Mr。　Harriwell；　cheerfully；　but

the　three　of　us；　with　you；　of　course；　and　the　skipper　and　mate　of　the　Arla；

can　handle　them　all　right。〃



Bertie　turned　to　meet　one　McTavish；　the　storekeeper；　who　scarcely　acknowledged

the　introduction；　such　was　his　eagerness　to　present　his　resignation。



〃It　being　that　I'm　a　married　man；　Mr。　Harriwell；　I　can't　very　well　afford　to

remain　on　longer。　Trouble　is　working　up；　as　plain　as　the　nose　on　your　face。

The　niggers　are　going　to　break　out；　and　there'll　be　another　Hohono　horror

here。〃



〃What's　a　Hohono　horror？〃　Bertie　asked；　after　the　storekeeper　had　been

persuaded　to　remain　until　the　end　of　the　month。



〃Oh；　he　means　Hohono　Plantation；　on　Ysabel；〃　said　the　manager。　　〃The　niggers

killed　the　five　white　men　ashore；　captured　the　schooner；　killed　the　captain

and　mate；　and　escaped　in　a　body　to　Malaita。　But　I　always　said　they　were

careless　on　Hohono。　They　won't　catch　us　napping　here。　Come　along；　Mr。

Arkwright；　and　see　our　view　from　the　veranda。〃



Bertie　was　too　busy　wondering　how　he　could　get　away　to　Tulagi　to　the

Commissioner's　house；　to　see　much　of　the　view。　He　was　still　wondering；　when　a

rifle　exploded　very　near　to　him；　behind　his　back。　At　the　same　moment　his　arm

was　nearly　dislocated；　so　eagerly　did　Mr。　Harriwell　drag　him　indoors。



〃I　say；　old　man；　that　was　a　close　shave；〃　said　the　manager；　pawing　him　over　to

see　if　he　had　been　hit。　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am。　But　it　was　broad

daylight；　and　I　never　dreamed。〃



Bertie　was　beginning　to　turn　pale。



〃They　got　the　other　manager　that　way；〃　McTavish　vouchsafed。　〃And　a　dashed　fine

chap　he　was。　Blew　his　brains　out　all　over　the　veranda。　You　noticed　that　dark

stain　there　between　the　steps　and　the　door？〃



Bertie　was　ripe　for　the　cocktail　which　Mr。　Harriwell　pitched　in　and　compounded

for　him；　but　before　he　could　drink　it；　a　man　in　riding　trousers　and　puttees

entered。



〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　the　manager　asked；　after　one　look　at　the　newcomer's

face。　〃Is　the　river　up　again？〃



〃River　be　blowedit's　the　niggers。　Stepped　out　of　the　cane　grass；　not　a　dozen

feet　away；　and　whopped　at　me。　It　was　a　Snider；　and　he　shot　from　the　hip。　Now

what　I　want　to　know　is　where'd　he　get　that　Snider？Oh；　I　beg　pardon。　Glad　to

know　you；　Mr。　Arkwright。〃



〃Mr。　Brown　is　my　assistant；〃　explained　Mr。　Harriwell。　〃And　now　let's　have　that

drink。〃



〃But　where'd　he　get　that　Snider？〃　Mr。　Brown　insisted。　〃I　always　objected　to

keeping　those　guns　on　the　premises。〃



〃They're　still　there；〃　Mr。　Harriwell　said；　with　a　show　of　heat。



Mr。　Brown　smiled　incredulously。



〃Come　along　and　see；〃　said　the　manager。



Bertie　joined　the　procession　into　the　office；　where　Mr。　Harriwell　pointed

triumphantly　at　a　big　packing　case　in　a　dusty　corner。



〃Well；　then　where　did　the　beggar　get　that　Snider？〃　harped　Mr。　Brown。



But　just　then　McTavish　lifted　the　packing　case。　The　manager　started；　then　tore

off　the　lid。　The　case　was　empty。　They　gazed　at　one　another　in　horrified

silence。　Harriwell　drooped　wearily。



Then　McVeigh　cursed。



〃What　I　contended　all　alongthe　house…boys　are　not　to　be　trusted。〃



〃It　does　look　serious；〃　Harriwell　admitted；　〃but　we'll　come　through　it　all

right。　What　the　sanguinary　niggers　need　is　a　shaking　up。　Will　you　gentlemen

please　bring　your　rifles　to　dinner；　and　will　you；　Mr。　Brown；　kindly　prepare

forty　or　fifty　sticks　of　dynamite。　'make　the　fuses　good　and　short。　We'll　give

them　a　lesson。　And　now；　gentlemen；　dinner　is　served。〃



One　thing　that　Bertie　detested　was　rice　and　curry；　so　it　happened　that　he

alone　partook　of　an　inviting　omelet。　He　had　quite　finished　his　plate；　when

Harriwell　helped　himself　to　the　omelet。　　One　mouthful　he　tasted；　then　spat　out

vociferously。



〃That's　the　second　time；〃　McTavish　announced　ominously。



Harriwell　was　still　hawking　and　spitting。



〃Second　time；　what？〃　Bertie　quavered。



〃Poison；〃　was　the　answer。　〃That　cook　will　be　hanged　yet。〃



〃That's　the　way　the　bookkeeper　went　out　at　Cape　March；〃　Brown　spoke　up。　〃Died

horribly。　They　said　on　the　Jessie　that　they　heard　him　screaming　three　miles

away。〃



〃I'll　put　the　cook　in　irons；〃　sputtered　Harriwell。　〃Fortunately　we　discovered

it　in　time。〃



Bertie　sat　paralyzed。　There　was　no　color　in　his　face。　He　attempted　to　speak；

but　only　an　inarticulate　gurgle　resulted。　　All　eyed　him　anxiously。



〃Don't　say　it；　don't　say　it；〃　McTavish　cried　in　a　tense　voice。



〃Yes；　I　ate　it；　plenty　of　it；　a