The Great Taboo

ard, Felix Thurstan knew in his despair there was nothing for it no

r more powerful and dangerous mass, a shoal-water breaker. The Australasian had passed at that instant over a submerged coral-bar, quite deep enough, indeed, to let her cross its top without the slightest danger of grazing, but still raised so high toward the surface as to produce a considerable constant ground-swell, which broke in windy weather into huge s

breakers. Now that they found themselves in easier waters for a while, Felix began to strike out vigorously through the darkness for the shore. Holding up his companion with one hand, and swimming with all his might in the direction where a vag

sion. Four times the back-current sucked him under with its wild pull in the self-same way, and four times the return wave flung him up upon the beach again like a fragment of sea-weed. With frantic efforts Felix tried at first to cling still to Muriel-to save her from the irresistible force of that roaring surf-to snatch her from the open jaws of death by sheer struggling dint of thews and muscle. He might as well have tried to stem Niagara. The great waves, curling irresistibly in huge curves landward, caught either of them up by turns on their arched summits, and twisted them about remorseless

wn upon the sand or reef with all the crushing force of some enormous sledge-hammer. But after the fourth assault, Felix felt himself flung up high and dry by the wave, as one may sometimes see a bit of light reed or pith flung up some distance ahead by an advancing tide on the beach in England. In an instant he steadied himself and st

vel, and laid her gently down on a soft green bank of short tropical herbage, close to the edge of the coral. Then he bent over her once more, and listened eagerly

wo short hours since they had stood and looked out across

st important of all, a small metal box of wax vesta matches. Pouring a little whiskey into the cup of the flask, he held it eagerly to Muriel's lips. The fainting girl swallowed it automatically. Then Felix, stooping down, tried the matches against the box. They were unfortunately wet, but half an hou

ow lagoon of calm, still water. He walked some yards inland. From where he now stood, on the summit of the ridge, he could look either way, and by the faint reflected light of the stars, or the glare of the great pyre that burned on the central island, he could see down on one side to the ocean, with its fierce whit

htly to heaven on the central island; for he knew too well t

From the way they grew, even in that dim starlight

ently for his matches to dry. As soon as they were ready-and the warmth of the stone made them quickly inflammable-he struck a match on the box, and proceeded to light his fire by Muriel's side. As her cloth

tly; "I'm afraid it's a great deal worse than that

ention to a sudden blaze of flame upon the fringing reef, pointed with their dark forefingers and called out in surprise, "See, see, a fire on th

" he said at last, in his most deliberate manner, stroking his cheeks and chin contentedly with that plump round hand of his. "It is only the victims; the ne

s. "Oh, Tu-Kila-Kila!" the eldest among them said, making a profound reverence, "shall we swim across t

he juice of the kava. Am I not a great deity? Can I not do as I will? I frown, and the heavens thunder; I gnash my teeth, and the earth trembles. What is it to me if fresh victims come, or if they come not? Can I not make with a nod as many as I will of them?" He took up two fresh finger-bones, clean gnawed of their flesh, and knocked them together in a wild tune, carelessly. "If Tu-Kila-Kila chooses," he went on, tapping his chest

guesswork; and yet, Tu-Kila-Kil

ecame distinctly visible to the keen and practised eyes of the savages. "I see them? I see them; I see the victims!" the foremost worshipper exclaimed, rushing forward a little at the sight, and beside himself with supersti

ver a couple of spirits-mere ordinary spirits come ashore from the sun in a fiery boat-struck his godship as little short of childish. "Let them be," he answered, petulantly, crushing a blossom in his hand. "Let no man distu

moment's pause. Then Tu-Kila-Kila spoke in a loud voice again.

ly as the great god himself, clad in a long robe or cloak of yellow feathers, which sho

la-Kila," the lesser god made an

y sun to rise to-morrow morning, scorch up his flesh with your flame, and consume his bones to ash and cinder. If any woman go near them before

assent. "It is as Tu-Kila-Kila w

ice. "The King of Water!" he exclaimed, i

e of white albatross feathers, and with a girdle of nautilus shells inte

aid, bending his head, but not hi

whom I have brought from my home in the sun in a fiery ship, before I bid him to-morrow, overturn his canoe, and drown him in lagoon or spring or ocean. If any woman go near

save you: but for you, Tu-Kila-Kila, I haste to do your bidding. If any man disobey you, my billows

interposed, his hand playing on his

in haste, as if to appease his rising anger.

aten of human flesh. He has drunk of cocoanut rum and of new kava. He has brought back his sun on its way in the heavens. He has sent it messengers of fire to reinforce its strength. He has fetched from it messengers in turn with fresh fire to Boupari, fire not lighted from any e

r prostrate bodies. Tu-Kila-Kila, walking with unsteady steps over their half-naked forms, turned to his hut in a drunken booze. He walked over them with