south sea tales- 第7部分

it。　〃No；　no；　whale　teeth　were　beautiful；〃　and　his　mouth　watered　for　it；　but　he

passed　it　back　to　Erirola　with　many　apologies。



。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　　。



In　the　early　dawn　John　Starhurst　was　afoot；　striding　along　the　bush　trail　in

his　big　leather　boots；　at　his　heels　the　faithful　Narau；　himself　at　the　heels

of　a　naked　guide　lent　him　by　Mongondro　to　show　the　way　to　the　next　village；

which　was　reached　by　midday。　Here　a　new　guide　showed　the　way。　A　mile　in　the

rear　plodded　Erirola；　the　whale　tooth　in　the　basket　slung　on　his　shoulder。　For

two　days　more　he　brought　up　the　missionary's　rear；　offering　the　tooth　to　the

village　chiefs。　But　village　after　village　refused　the　tooth。　It　followed　so

quickly　the　missionary's　advent　that　they　divined　the　request　that　would　be

made；　and　would　have　none　of　it。



They　were　getting　deep　into　the　mountains；　and　Erirola　took　a　secret　trail；

cut　in　ahead　of　the　missionary；　and　reached　the　stronghold　of　the　Buli　of

Gatoka。　Now　the　Buli　was　unaware　of　John　Starhurst's　imminent　arrival。　Also；

the　tooth　was　beautifulan　extraordinary　specimen；　while　the　coloring　of　it

was　of　the　rarest　order。　The　tooth　was　presented　publicly。　The　Buli　of　Gatoka；

seated　on　his　best　mat；　surrounded　by　his　chief　men；　three　busy　fly…brushers

at　his　back；　deigned　to　receive　from　the　hand　of　his　herald　the　whale　tooth

presented　by　Ra　Vatu　and　carried　into　the　mountains　by　his　cousin；　Erirola。　A

clapping　of　hands　went　up　at　the　acceptance　of　the　present；　the　assembled

headman；　heralds；　and　fly…brushers　crying　aloud　in　chorus：



〃A！　woi！　woi！　woi！　A！　woi！　woi！　woi！　A　tabua　levu！　woi！　　woi！　A　mudua；　mudua；

mudua！'



〃Soon　will　come　a　man；　a　white　man；〃　Erirola　began；　after　the　proper　pause。

〃He　is　a　missionary　man；　and　he　will　come　today。　　Ra　Vatu　is　pleased　to　desire

his　boots。　He　wishes　to　present　them　to　his　good　friend；　Mongondro；　and　it　is

in　his　mind　to　send　them　with　the　feet　along　in　them；　for　Mongondro　is　an　old

man　and　his　teeth　are　not　good。　Be　sure；　O　Buli；　that　the　feet　go　along　in　the

boots。　As　for　the　rest　of　him；　it　may　stop　here。〃



The　delight　in　the　whale　tooth　faded　out　of　the　Buli's　eyes；　and　he　glanced

about　him　dubiously。　Yet　had　he　already　accepted　the　tooth。



〃A　little　thing　like　a　missionary　does　not　matter；〃　Erirola　prompted。



〃No；　a　little　thing　like　a　missionary　does　not　matter；〃　the　Buli　answered；

himself　again。　〃Mongondro　shall　have　the　boots。　Go；　you　young　men；　some　three

or　four　of　you；　and　meet　the　missionary　on　the　trail。　Be　sure　you　bring　back

the　boots　as　well。〃



〃It　is　too　late；〃　said　Erirola。　〃Listen！　He　comes　now。〃



Breaking　through　the　thicket　of　brush；　John　Starhurst；　with　Narau　close　on　his

heels；　strode　upon　the　scene。　The　famous　boots；　having　filled　in　wading　the

stream；　squirted　fine　jets　of　water　at　every　step。　Starhurst　looked　about　him

with　flashing　eyes。　　Upborne　by　an　unwavering　trust；　untouched　by　doubt　or

fear；　he　exulted　in　all　he　saw。　He　knew　that　since　the　beginning　of　time　he

was　the　first　white　man　ever　to　tread　the　mountain　stronghold　of　Gatoka。



The　grass　houses　clung　to　the　steep　mountain　side　or　overhung　the　rushing

Rewa。　On　either　side　towered　a　mighty　precipice。　At　the　best；　three　hours　of

sunlight　penetrated　that　narrow　gorge。　No　cocoanuts　nor　bananas　were　to　be

seen；　though　dense；　tropic　vegetation　overran　everything；　dripping　in　airy

festoons　from　the　sheer　lips　of　the　precipices　and　running　riot　in　all　the

crannied　ledges。　At　the　far　end　of　the　gorge　the　Rewa　leaped　eight　hundred

feet　in　a　single　span；　while　the　atmosphere　of　the　rock　fortress　pulsed　to　the

rhythmic　thunder　of　the　fall。



From　the　Buli's　house；　John　Starhurst　saw　emerging　the　Buli　and　his　followers。



〃I　bring　you　good　tidings；〃　was　the　missionary's　greeting。



〃Who　has　sent　you？〃　the　Buli　rejoined　quietly。



〃God。〃



〃It　is　a　new　name　in　Viti　Levu；〃　the　Buli　grinned。　〃Of　what　islands；　villages；

or　passes　may　he　be　chief？〃



〃He　is　the　chief　over　all　islands；　all　villages；　all　passes；〃　John　Starhurst

answered　solemnly。　〃He　is　the　Lord　over　heaven　and　earth；　and　I　am　come　to

bring　His　word　to　you。〃



〃Has　he　sent　whale　teeth？〃　was　the　insolent　query。



〃No；　but　more　precious　than　whale　teeth　is　the〃



〃It　is　the　custom；　between　chiefs；　to　send　whale　teeth；〃　the　Buli　interrupted。



〃Your　chief　is　either　a　niggard；　or　you　are　a　fool；　to　come　empty…handed　into

the　mountains。　Behold；　a　more　generous　than　you　is　before　you。〃



So　saying；　he　showed　the　whale　tooth　he　had　received　from　Erirola。



Narau　groaned。



〃It　is　the　whale　tooth　of　Ra　Vatu；〃　he　whispered　to　Starhurst。　　〃I　know　it

well。　Now　are　we　undone。〃



〃A　gracious　thing；〃　the　missionary　answered；　passing　his　hand　through　his　long

beard　and　adjusting　his　glasses。　〃Ra　Vatu　has　arranged　that　we　should　be　well

received。〃



But　Narau　groaned　again；　and　backed　away　from　the　heels　he　had　dogged　so

faithfully。



〃Ra　Vatu　is　soon　to　become　Lotu；〃　Starhurst　explained；　〃and　I　have　come

bringing　the　Lotu　to　you。〃



〃I　want　none　of　your　Lotu；〃　said　the　Buli；　proudly。　〃And　it　is　in　my　mind　that

you　will　be　clubbed　this　day。〃



The　Buli　nodded　to　one　of　his　big　mountaineers；　who　stepped　forward；　swinging

a　club。　Narau　bolted　into　the　nearest　house；　seeking　to　hide　among　the　woman

and　mats；　but　John　Starhurst　sprang　in　under　the　club　and　threw　his　arms

around　his　executioner's　neck。　From　this　point　of　vantage　he　proceeded　to

argue。　He　was　arguing　for　his　life；　and　he　knew　it；　but　he　was　neither　excited

nor　afraid。



〃It　would　be　an　evil　thing　for　you　to　kill　me；〃　he　told　the　man。　　〃I　have　done

you　no　wrong；　nor　have　I　done　the　Buli　wrong。〃



So　well　did　he　cling　to　the　neck　of　the　one　man　that　they　dared　not　strike

with　their　clubs。　And　he　continued　to　cling　and　to　dispute　for　his　life　with

those　who　clamored　for　his　death。



〃I　am　John　Starhurst；〃　he　went　on　calmly。　〃I　have　labored　in　Fiji　for　three

years；　and　I　have　done　it　for　no　profit。　I　am　here　among　you　for　good。　Why

should　any　man　kill　me？　To　kill　me　will　not　profit　any　man。〃



The　Buli　stole　a　look　at　the　whale　tooth。　He　was　well　paid　for　the　deed。



The　missionary　was　surrounded　by　a　mass　of　naked　savages；　all　struggling　to

get　at　him。　The　death　song；　which　is　the　song　of　the　oven；　was　raised；　and　his

expostulations　could　no　longer　be　heard。　But　so　cunningly　did　he　twine　and

wreathe　his　body　about　his　captor's　that　the　death　blow　could　not　be　struck。

Erirola　smiled；　and　the　Buli　grew　angry。



〃Away　with　you！〃　he　cried。　〃A　nice　story　to　go　back　to　the　coasta　dozen　of

you　and　one　missionary；　without　weapons；　weak　as　a　woman；　overcoming　all　of

you。〃



〃Wait；　O　Buli；〃　John　Starhurst　called　out　from　the　thick　of　the　scuffle；　〃and

I　will　overcome　even　you。　For　my　weapons　are　Truth　and　Right；　and　no　man　can

withstand　them。〃



〃Come　to　me；　then；〃　the　Buli　answered；　〃for　my　weapon　is　only　a　poor　miserable

club；　and；　as　you　say；　it　cannot　withstand　you。〃



The　group　separated　from　him；　and　John　Starhurst　stood　alone；　facing　the　Buli；

who　was　leaning　on　an　enormous；　knotted　warclub。



〃Come　to　me；　missionary　man；　and　overcome　me；〃　the　Buli　challenged。



〃Even　so　will　I　come　to　you　and　overcome　you；〃　John　Starhurst　made　answer；

first　wiping　his　spectacles　and　settling　them　properly；　then　beginning　his

advance。



The　Buli　raised　the　club　and　waited。



〃In　the　first　place；　my　death　will　profit　you　nothing；〃　began　the　argument。



〃I　leave　the　answer　to　my　club；〃　was　the　Buli's　reply。



And　to　every　point　he　made　the　same　reply；　at　the　same　time　watching　the

missionary　closely　in　order　to　forestall　that　cunning　run…in　under　the　lifted

club。　Then；　and　for　the　first　time；　John　Starhurst　knew　that　his　death　was　at

hand。　He　made　no　attempt　to　run　in。　Bareheaded；　he　stood　in　the　sun　and　prayed

aloudthe　mysterious　figure　of　the　inevitable　white　man；　who；　with　Bible；

bullet；　or　rum　bottle；　has　confronted　the　amazed　savage　in　his　every

stronghold。　Even　so　stood　John　Starhurst　in　the　rock　fortress　of　the　Buli　of

Gatoka。



〃Forgive　them；　for　they　know　not　what　they　do；〃　he　prayed。　〃O　Lord！　Have　mercy

upon　Fiji。　Have　compasssion　for　Fiji。　O　Jehovah；　hear　us　for　His　sake；　Thy

Son；　whom　Thou　didst　give　that　through　Him　all　men　might　also　become　Thy

children。　From　Thee　we　came；　and　our　mind　is　that　to　Thee　we　may　return。　The

land　is　dark；　O　Lord；　the　land　is　dark。　But　Thou　art　mighty　to　save。　　Reach

out　Thy　hand；　O　Lord；　and　save　Fiji；　poor　cannibal　Fiji。〃



The　Buli　grew　impatient。



〃Now　will　I　answer　thee；〃　he　muttered；　at　the　same　time　swinging　his　club　with

both　hands。



Narau；　hiding　among　the　women　and　the　mats；　heard　the　impact　of　the　blow　and

shuddered。　Then　the　death　song　arose；　and　he　knew　his　beloved　missionary's

body　was　being　dragged　to　the　oven　as　he　heard　the　words：



〃Drag　me　gently。　Drag　me　gently。〃



〃For　I　am　the　champion　of　my　land。〃



〃Give　thanks！　Give　thanks！　Give　thanks！〃



Next；　a　single　voice　arose　out　of　the　din；　asking：



〃Where　is　the　brave　man？〃



A　hundred　voices　bellowed　the　answer：



〃Gone　to　be　dragged　into　the　oven　and　cooked。〃



〃Where　is　the　coward？〃　the　single　voice　demanded。



〃Gone　to　report！〃　the　hundred　voices　bellowed　back。　〃Gone　to　report！　Gone　to

report！〃



Narau　groaned　in　anguish　of　spirit。　The　words　of　the　old　song　were　true。　He

was　the　coward；　and　nothing　remained　to　him　but　to　go　and　report。







MAUKI



He　weighed　one　hundred　and　ten　pounds。　His　hair　was　kinky　and　negroid；　and　he

was　black。　He　was　peculiarly　black。　He　was　neither　blue…black　nor

purple…black；　but　plum…black。　His　name　was　Mauki；　and　he　was　the　son　of　a

chief。　He　had　three　tambos。　　Tambo　is　Melanesian　for　taboo；　and　is　first

cousin　to　that　Polynesian　word。　Mauki's　three　tambos　were　as　follows：　First；

he　must　never　shake　hands　with