The Great Taboo

escended in torrents; at sunrise it ceased, and a bright blue v

marked the taboo round Felix and Muriel's huts. They came with more baskets of fruit and eggs. Humbly saluting three times as they drew near,

zed and frightened way, looking out of th

concerned, bustling about in the hut. "Missy want to wash him face and h

relessly to one of the native girls just outside, who drew near the line at the summons, with

delay the girl darted off at the top of her speed, and soon returned with a large calabash ful

d than otherwise that Mali hadn't left her. It was something in these dire s

heard long before in Queensland. "Me missy's Shadow. That great Taboo. If me go away out of missy's sight, very big

an life was held very

up

by a rough shell comb which Mali had provided for her. Then she breakfasted, not ill, off eggs and

lish gentleman and the strange savage surroundings in which they both now found themselves. Civilization is an attribute of communities; we necessarily leave it behind when we find ourselve

all that was dearest and best in England), a curious noise, as of a discordant drum or tom-tom, beaten in a sort of recurrent tune, was heard toward the hills; and at its very first sound

for Muriel had already explained to him how the girl ha

come," she answered, all breathless. "No blackfellow look at him. Burn bl

ath, and no less tremulously. "We dare not look upon his face lest he burn us to ashes. He

on to the open space in front of the huts to meet the man-god. She followed h

er, came a sort of hollow square of chiefs or warriors, surrounding with fan-palms a central object all shrouded from the view with the utmost precaution. This central object was covered with a huge regal umbrella, from whose edge hung rows of small nautilus and other shells, so as to form a kind of screen, like the Japanese portières now so common in English

o supporters, came forward boldly. Felix noticed that they crossed without scruple the thick white line of sand which all the other natives so carefully respected. The man within the umbrella drew aside

"and you too, O Queen of the Clouds; you have done right bravely. We have all acquitted ourselves as our people would wish. We have made our showers to descend abundantly from

ined in the night,"

struck an attitude. The man was clearly bursting with spiritual pride. He knew himself to be a god, and was filled with the insolence of his supernatural power. "See, my people," he cried, holding up his hands, palm outward, in his accustomed god-

Life to all the host of the gods," they cried, "you are indeed a mighty one. Weigher of t

you new gods, great spirits from the sun, fetchers of fire from my bright home in the heavens? And have

," the chiefs echoed, sub

heatrical magnificence. "Did I not declare the other Queen of the Clouds in Heaven? And have I not caused them to brin

the chiefs responded, once

th my ministers," he said, grandiloquently. "Fire and Water, wait you here outside while I enter and

crouching in terror among the native mats. As the god tried to enter, the two cowering wretches set up a loud shout, "Taboo! Taboo! Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!" Tu-Kila-Kila retreated with a contemptuo

wered, with a nod, concealing his disgu

-Kila answered, and wal

e and deemed it best to

steely gray eye; "we three are all gods. We who are in heaven need have no secrets from one another. Tell me the truth; did you really come to us direc

as few words as possible,

reat bravado, "It was I who made the big wave wash your sister overboard. I sent

thinking it worth while to contradict him

u know how to make it burst out like lightning at will. My people have seen it. They tell me the wonder. I wish to see it too. We are all gods here; w

aid, taking the vesta in his own hand as it burned, and examining it closely. "I have heard of this before, but I have never seen it. You are inde

that at that lady-god or no god, I'll drive this knife straight up to the handle in your heart, though your people kill me for it afterward ten thousand times over. I am not afraid of you. These savages m

ore powerful with their weapons than even he was. Besides, a man who could draw down fire from heaven with a piece of wax and a little metal box might surely wither him to ashes, if he would, as he stood before him. The very fact that Felix bearded him thus openly to his face astonished and somewhat terrified the superstitious savage. Everybody else on the island was afraid of him; then certainly a man who was not afraid must be the

ix answered, unable to conceal his loa

an agony of fear at the savage's bl

ink he's afraid of us. He's going t

er somewhat rudely toward Muriel. "Has she no voice but this,

r to the speech of the brown men of Polynesia as the sun in the heavens is superior to the light of a candlenut. But she can't speak the wretched tongue of you Boupari cannibals. I thank Heaven she can't, for it s

s Taboo-the custom and superstition handed down from his ancestors, These strangers were Korong; he dare not touch them, except in the way and manner and time appointed by custom. If

oor, he said, with his grand affable manner to his chiefs around, "I have spoken with the gods, my ministers, withi

Kila to his temple home. Let us escort the lord of the divine umbrella. Wherever he is, there trees and plants put forth green leav

r, terrified Muriel, "I've sent the w