By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore, and Other Stories

. Seventy years have come and gone since then, and there are but two or three men now living on the island who can speak of it with knowledge as a tale of "the olden days

of our men, had long before gone into the mountains to await Charlik and his fighting men, and their white friends. They-Letya and the Leassé people-made a trap for Charlik's men in the forest. Charlik himself was in the boats with the other white men. He wanted to see the people of Leassé and M?ut driven into the water, so that he might shoot at them with a new rifle which Késa or the other ship capt

men and the white men with them fell in it. They fell as a st

e outlet of the path to Leassé. This barrier was a half circle; the two ends touched the edge of the cliff, and the centre was hidden among the pandanus trees. On the top of this barrier the men of Leassé waited with loaded muskets; lower down on the ground we

love for Letya and his wife, and his two children, and great hate for Charlik. So we said, 'If this is death, it is death,' and every man went to his post-some to the barrier at the foot of the cliff, and some to the thicket of oap on the summit. Cerita, the wife of Letya the Englishman,

. He covered his face with a mat and waited. It was right for him to do this, for Letya was a great man; and his wife, although she was a foreigner, was an honoured woman. Therefore though Nená might not

lets only hit the heavy logs of the barrier, and Letya and our people killed them very easily by putting their muskets through the spaces. When the sailors saw their captain fall, they tried to run away, and the Lele warriors ran with them. But when they reached the path which led up between the cliff, it too was blocked, and many of them became jammed together between the walls, and these were all killed very easily-some with bullets, and some with big stones. Then those that were left ran round and found inside the trap, trying to get out. They were like rats in a cask, and our people kept killing them as they ran. Some of them-about thirty-did climb over, but all were killed, for when they jumped down on the other side our people were there waiting. At last four of the sailors made a big hole by tearing out two posts, and rushed o

beach. So they hid behind some rocks. Charlik was in the first boat; he was standing in the bow pointing out the way. When he came very close they all fired together, and Charlik's life was gone. He fell dead into the sea. Then the boats all turned seaward, and pulled hard for the ships. Then

white men, together with many other things. All his money he gave to his wife, and told her she must go away with the white men, who would take her back to her own people. To the head men he gave many valuab

at Ponapé, and there the tall man of the two-the officer-married Cerita. All this we learnt a year afterwards from the captain of a whal

ed Fath

nd South Pacific. I possessed, to some extent, the two latter qualifications; the former, much to my present and lasting regret, I did not. Nearly twenty-six years ago the vessel in which I sailed as supercargo was wrecked on Strong's Island, the eastern outlier of the fertile Caroline Archip

and South Pacific. More remarkable still, some of these fish had never before been seen by the inhabitants of the islands near which they were found. There were, he said, some five or six kinds, but they were all of the groper family. One of three which was brought on board was discovered floating on the surface when the ship was five miles off Tanna. A boat was lowered, but on getting up to it, the crew found they were unable to lift it from the water; it was, however, towed to the ship, hoisted on board, and cut into three parts, the whole of which were weighed, and reached over 300 lbs. In colour

as to take up my residence with one of the local traders, a Swiss named Frank Voliero, who was an ardent deep-sea fisherman, and whose catches were the envy and wonder of the wild and intractable natives among whom he lived; for he had excellent tackle, which enabled him to fish at depths seldom tried by the natives, who have no reason to go beyond sixty or eighty fathoms. In the long interval that had elapsed since my fishing days in the Carolines

sea fishing in the South Seas generally. When I was living on the little island of Nanomaga (one of the Ellice Group, situated about 600 miles to the north-west of Samoa), as the one resident trader, I found myself in-if I may use the term-a marine paradise, as far as fish

llice Group, is but little more than a richly-verdured sandbank, based upon a foundation of coral, and yielding nothing to its people but coconuts and a coarse species of taro, called puraka. The inhabitants, in their low-lying atolls, possess no running streams, no fertile soil, in which, as in the mountainous isles of

courage-a boat-header on a sperm whaler. Strong of arm and quick of eye, he was the very man to either throw the harpoon or deal the death-giving thrust or th

rmed fish, with a head of bony plates and teeth like a rip-saw-are of great size, and afford splendid sport, as they are game fighters and almost as powerful as a porpoise. They run to over 100 lbs., and yet are by no means a coarse fish. In the shallow water on the top of this mountain reef there are some eight or nine varieties of rock cod, none of which were of any great size; but far below, at a depth of from fifty to seventy fathoms, there were some truly monstrous fish of this species, and I and my missionary frie

ht wood, called pua , about fourteen inches in circumference. With the teacher and myself there usually went with us a third man, whose duty it was to keep the canoe head to wind, for anchoring in deep water in such a tiny craft was out of the

le canoe was forbidden by the kaupule (head men) as being too dangerous on account of the sharks, and so usually from ten to twenty canoes set out together. If one did come to grief through being swamped, or capsized by having the outrigger fouled by a shark, there was always assistance near at hand, and it rarely happene

ht in front of the village, we could lie in water as smooth as glass, and seventy fathoms in depth. Our bait was invariably flying-fish, freshly caught, or the tentacles of an octopus. My lines were of white American cotton, and

hospitality. It had been my suggestion to the teacher that he and I, who were unable to accompany the others, should try what we could do nearer home. The night was brilliantly starlight, and the sea as smooth as glass-so smooth that there was not even the faintest swell upon the reef. The trade wind was at rest, and not the faintest breath of air moved the foliage of the coco palms lining the white strip of beach. Now and then a splash or a sudden commotion in the water around us would denote that some hapless flying-fish had taken an aerial flight from a pursuing pala , or that a shark had seized

ne fast, and whipping up his paddle. "Don't give out any mor

ndward, and I knew that once the lahe'u succeeded in getting underneath the overhanging ledge of reef, there would be but little chance of our taking him except by diving, and diving on a moonless night under a reef, and freeing a fish from jagged branches of coral, is not a pleasant task, although an Ellice Islander does not much mind it. Finding that I could not possibly turn the fish, I asked Ioane what I should do. He told me to let go a few fathoms of li

and steering at the same time. "'Tis a strong fish, but he is man tonu (trul

poon which we always carried on the outrigger platform in case of meeting a turtle. Nearer and nearer came the great fish, till, with a splash of phosphorescent light and spray, he came to the surface, beating the water with his forked and bony tail, and still trying to get a chance for another downward run. Then Ioane, waiting his opportunity, sent the iron clean through him from side to side, and I sat down and watched, with a thrill of satisfactio

utu into the canoe. "There will be much talk over this to-morrow, for these people here are very conceited, and

l highly thought of by the natives, especially the latter. The lahe'u we hung up under the missionary's verandah, and at daylight I had the intense satisfaction of seeing

Tidal

months of the year. In the true winter months deep sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence of westerly winds, when, for days at a time, the Pacific is as smooth as a lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, which is a few miles over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed River on the north of New South Wales, the stranger may fairly revel not

abo Island. Here we would remain until the weather broke, and our crew would literally cover the deck with an extraordinary variety of fish in the course of a few hours. Then, at low tide, we could always fill a couple of cornsacks with excellent oysters, and get bucketfuls of large prawns by means of a scoop net improvised from a piece of mosquito netting; game,

hooting; if he is not he should avoid going there, for it is the dullest coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore, from the steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach, on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit down in comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and flathead. As soon as the tide turns, however, and is well on the ebb or flow, further fishing is impossible, for the river rushes out to sea with great velocity, and the incoming

pen to have his back turned seaward. Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as "Condon's Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the smartest young sportsmen-although only twelve years old-ever met with. Both were very small for their age, and I was always in doubt as to which was which. They were always delighted to come with me, and did not mind being soused by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag. Pippies are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch fish bait of any sort, although,

rce through it, and the ground is soft to our feet with the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath. No sound but the murmuring of the sea and the hoarse notes of countless gulls breaks the silence, for this side of the river is uninhabited, and its solitude disturbed only by some settler who has ridden down the coast to look for straying cattle, or by a fishing party from the town. Our boat, which we had hauled up and then tied to the tree, is now afloat, for the tide has risen, and the long stretches of

creepers. The intense solitude of the place, the motionless forest of lofty grey-boled swamp gums that encompassed it on all sides but one, and the wide stretch of river before it were calculated to inspire melancholy in any one but an ardent fisherman. Scarcely have we hauled our boat up on the

he fish swims, or rather darts, along the bottom with amazing rapidity. They love to lie along the banks a few feet from the shore, where, concealed in the sand, they can dart out upon and seize their prey in their enormous "gripsack" mouths. The approach of a boat or a person walking along the sand will cause them to at once speed like lightning into deep water, leaving behind them a wake of sand and mud which is washed off their backs in their flight. Still, although not a pleasing fish to look at, the flathead is of a delicious and delicate flavour. There are so

d, and take a turn of the line round it. As the largest flathead invariably dart upon the bait, and then make a bolt with it, this plan is a good one to follow, unless, of course, they are biting freely; in that ca

and an occasional "tailer" of 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. As the sun mounts higher the breeze dies away, the heat becomes very great, and we have frequent recourse to our water jar-in one case mixing it with whisky. Then the whiting cease to bite as suddenly as they have begun, and move off into deeper water. Just as we are debating as to whether we shall take the boat out into mid-stream, Twin Dick gives a yell as his stick is suddenly whipped out of the sand, and the loose line lying beside it rushes away into the water. But Dick is an old hand, and lets his fish hav

sh do not, and so, after disinterring our takes from the wet sand wherein we had buried them as caught to prevent them being spoilt by the sun, we get aboard again and pull across to the opposite bank of the river. Here, in much deeper water, about fifteen feet right under the clayey bank, we can see hundreds of fine bream, and now and then som

either by spearing or by the hand; for sometimes they are in such dense masses that they are unable to manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins of coastal towns hail their yearly advent with delight. They usually make their first appearance about the second week in November, and are always followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish, which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless ranks. Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in January by shoals of very large sea-mullet-blue-black backs, silvery bellies and sides, and yellow fins and tails. These, too, will not take a bait, but are caught in nets, and, if a steamer happens to be on the eve of leaving for Sydney, many hundreds of baskets are sent away; but they barely pay the cost of freight and commission, I believe. There are several varieties of sea-mullet, one or two of which will take the hook freely, and I have often caught them off the rocky coast of New South Wales with a rod when the sea has been smooth. The arrival of the big sea-mullet denotes that the season for jew-fish is at its height; and if the stranger to Australian waters wants exciting

t impossible to even get them alongside, and there is no help for it but either to cut the line or pull up anchor and land the creature on the shore. Even then the task of despatching one of these fish is no child's play on a dark night, for they lash their long tails about with such fury that a broken leg might be the result of coming too close. In the rivers of Northern Queensland the saw-fish attain

deep waters in deep harbours, such as Sydney, Jervis Bay, and Twofold Bay. This is quite a mistake, for in many of the rivers, twenty or more miles up from the sea, the writer and many other people have not only caught th

bite freely at a running bait- i.e., when a line is towed astern, and are very good when eaten quite fresh, but, like all of the mackerel tribe, rapidly deteriorate in a few hours after being caught. The majority of the coast settlers will not eat them, being under the idea that, as they are all but scaleless, they are "poisonous." This silly impression al

d in salt-water fishing in Australia, and are rather expensive. Those who do use a rod are usually satisfied with a bamboo-a very good rod it makes, too, although inconvenient to carry when travelling-but the generality of people use hand lines. And the visitor must not be persuaded

Gets Ano

brother. He was a kind-hearted man, who wanted to help Tom along in the world, and, therefore, was grieved when at the end of three weeks the latter came into Cooktown humping his swag, smoking a clay pipe, and looking exceedingly tired, dirty, and disreputable generally. However, all might have gone well even then had not Mrs. Aubrey Denison, the brother's wife, unduly interfered and lectured Tom on his "idle and diss

e characters of the people in the South Seas, and she quite understood why he wished to return there and re-associate with his vulgar and wicked companions. Now, she added, had he stuck bravely to work with the ducks, the Bank (she uttered the word "Bank" in the tone of reverence as one would say "The Almighty") would hav

d his judgment-"and you'll look like one before you're twenty-five. Don't you lecture me . I'm not your husband, thank Heaven above !

et Call , from which, after an exciting three weeks, he was dismissed for "general incompetency and wilful neglect of his duties." So with sorrow in his heart he had turned to the ever-resourceful sea again for a living. He worked his passage

both well known to and were on friendly terms with him, he felt pretty certain of getting a

d to get temporary employment by applying personally at the leading warehouses and merchants' offices. The first day he failed; also the second. On the third day the secretary of a milk company desired him to call again in three days. He did, and was then told by the manager that he "might have something" for him in a month or

n meals. But he was not despondent; the Susannah Booth , dear, comfortable old wave-puncher, beloved of hard-up super

endeavour to get a job on the wharves to drive one of the many steam winches

was a huge, dried bean-pod, about four feet long, and contained about a dozen large black beans, each about the size of a watch. He had seen these beans, after the kernels were scooped out, m

to his disgust found most of the shops closed

a man with a pale, gargoyle-like face, and unpleasant-looking

with some interest and ask

nded well, and was all the Latin he knew, having heard from his mother that a dissolute br

would-be vendor if he had any more. Tom said he hadn't. The locomotor ataxy , he remarke

ing it away contemptuously. "It's only a f

oyle-featured person only heard him with a snort of contempt. It was obvious he wouldn't buy it. So, sneeringly observing to the grocer

. After vainly tramping about for over two hours, he turned away towar

ted little shop an old man and a boy working at the cobbler trade. They had honest, intelligent faces, a

nonsense, for the old fellow had such a worn, kindly face, and his honest, searching eyes met hi

with a mumbling laugh like that of a pleased child. "I'll give you two shillin's for it. I suppose you want money badly, o

ancient gave him the two shillings. Bidding hi

good for his moral welfare," as his sister-in-law remarked, he sought out the old cobbler gentleman

was a little American barque lying alongside the Circular Quay, and some of the hands were bending on her head-sails. Tom sat down on the wharf stringer dangli

r a ship, y

ew the voice, last heard when the possessor of it was mate of th

u, Banniste

ung feller. Why, Tom Denison,

nstant, the mate coming to

e matter,

to

old pipe overboard, and take one of these cigars. The skipper will be on deck presently, and the s

ubrey, and flung his clay over the

o. We're from the Gilbert Is

your sup

r. I'll talk to him between then and now. He knows a lot about you. I'll tell him that since you left the Palestine you've been touring your native country to 'expand your mind.' She's Boston, as ugly as a brown stone jug, and highly intellectual. He's all right, and as good a sailor-man as ever trod a deck, but she's boss, runs the ship, and looks after the crew's morals. Thet's why

ng duck episode in North Queensland, was strolling about George Street with Bannister, and at peace with the world and himself. For the skipper's

hark's

came aft and reported two large sharks alongside. The mate at once dived below for his shark hook, while I tried to find a suitable bit of beef in the harness cask. Just as the mate

oking over the side, "there's quite a lot of 'em. I've neve

of yours just yet, Porter," he said to the mate. "I'm going to g

a hook, will th

see, sonny. Ever

they goo

examining his line, he cut off both hook and leaden sinker and bent on a small

r, pretty deep down, and at first I could not discern any pilot fish. The captain, however, made a cast and the hook dropped in the water, about fifty feet in the rear of the sharks; he let it sink for less than half a minute, and then began hauling in the line as quickly as possible, and at the same moment I saw some of the pilot fish quite distinctly-some swimmin

k he again lowered the hook. This time it had barely touched the surfac

ted clear of the gunwale. Then, in less than ten minutes-so eager were they to rush the hook the moment it struck the water-five more were jumping about upon the d

"hook" part in order to lash it to the shank are very small, and only very fine and strong cord, such as banana-fibre, can be used. However, while the irate captain was fussing over his task, the mate and I were watching the movements of the sharks and their little friends with the greatest interest, having promised the captain not to lower the shark hook till he had

for a few moments underneath the monster's belly, or pressing itself so closely against the creature's side that it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had never before seen these fish at such close quarters, and their extraordinary activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions was most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the sharks would cease moving, they would take up a position within a few inches of its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then swim under its belly and reappear at the tail, then slowly make their way along its back or sides to the hideous head again. Sometimes, either singly or all together, they would dart away on ei

owered his bait over the stern, having first passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four of the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller of the two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up alongside amidships struggled and lashed about so furiously that the big fellow c

emble the Samoans in appearance and language) were much impressed and terrified when they saw the pilot fish which had been caught, and told our crew that ours would be an unlucky ship-that we had done a dangerous and foolish thing. Their feeling on the subject was strong; for when I asked them if they would take two or three of the fish o

then he added gravely, "Talofa lava ia te outou i le vaa nei, ua lata mai ne aso malaia ma le

to kill a pilot fish meant direful misfortune. No sensible man, they asserted, would do

k, so noticeable when first caught, had now lost its brilliancy, and the four wide vertical black stripes on the sides had also become dulled, although the silvery belly was still as bright as a new dollar. The eyes were rather large for such a small fish, and all the fin

we had for breakfast some of Jack Shark's pilots-the most delicately-flavoured deep-sea fis

f the Equato

d South Pacific, I devoted much of my spare time-and I had plenty of it occasionally-to deep-

clear waters of the lagoon, among the breaking surf on the reef, or out in the blue depths of the ocean beyond. From morn till night the frail canoes of these semi-nude, brown-skinned, and fearless toilers of the sea may be seen by the voyager paddling swiftly over the rolling swell of the wide Pacific in chase of the bonito , or lying motionless upon the water, miles and miles away from the land, ground-fishing with lines a hundred fathoms long. Then, as the sun dips, the flare of torches will be seen along the sandy beaches as the night-seekers of flying-fish launch their canoes and urge them through the rolling surf beyond the reef, where, for perhaps three or four

e Group. The night must be windless and moonless, the latter condition being absolutely indispensable, although, curiously enough, the fish will take the hook on an ordinary starlight night. Time a

rs the purpose of a barb, being supplied by a small piece lashed horizontally across the top of the end of the curve. These peculiar wooden hooks are grown ; the roots of a tree called ngiia , whose wood is of great toughness, are watched when they protrude from a bank, and trained into the desired shape; specimens of these hooks may be seen in almost any ethnographical museum. To sink

roup, a trader on the atoll of Funafuti, having ever caught a palu , or, in fact, tried to catch one. But then I had such beautiful tackle that even the most skilled native fisherman had no chance when competing with me. My lines were of twenty-seven-strand white American cotton, as thick as a small goose-quill, and easily handled, never tangling or twisting like the native cinnet; and my hooks were the admiration and envy of all who saw them. They were of the "flatted" Kirby type, eyed, but with a curve in the shank, which was five inches in length, and as thick as a lead-pencil. I had bought these in Sydney, and dur

mpanions invariably let me lower first to test the depth, as with a two or three-pound lead my comparatively thin line took but little time in running out and touching bottom. A whole fl

e first palu brought to the surface. Sometimes a hungry shark will seize the outrigger in his jaws, or get foul of it, and upset the canoe, and a capsize under such circumstances is a serious matter indeed. For this reason the canoes are never far apart from each other; if one should be attacked or disabled by a sh

mming his body into a cleft or chasm of rock, and let the hook be torn from his jaws, which are soft, boneless, and glutinous. Once, however, he is dragged clear of the coral he seems to lose all heart; and, although he makes an occasional spurt, he grows weaker and weaker as he is dragged toward the surface, and when lifted into the canoe is apparently lifeless, his large eyes literally standing out of his head, and his stomach distended like a balloon. So enormous is the distention of the bladder that sometimes it will protrude from the mouth, and then

and the bones in the fin and tail are so soft and flexible that they may be bent into any shape, but when dried are of the appearance and consistency of gelatine. The length of the largest palu I have seen was five feet six inches, with a girth of about forty inches. This one was caught in about ninety fathoms of water; and when I opened the stomach I found it to

e skin changes to a dead black, and the flesh assumes the appearance of whale blubber. Generally, the fish is cooked in the usual native ground-oven as quickly as possible, care being taken to wrap it closely up in the broad leaves of the puraka plant-a species of gigantic taro-in order that none of

same peculiar characteristics, but of a somewhat different shape. I have fished for it without success at half a dozen places in Samoa, in New Britain, and New Ireland. But it is generally to be found about the coasts of any of the low-lying coral islan

good seaman, had no meteorological knowledge and succeeded in losing the ship, when lying at anchor, on Peru Island, in the Gilbert Group, ten days after leaving Nukufetau, simply through disregarding the local trader's advice to put to sea. Disastrous as was the i

re quickly made Island bruderschaft . During the three months I remained on Peru we had many fishing trips, and caught not less than fifty palu . The largest of these was evidently a patriarch, for although he was in rather poor condition he weighed 136 lbs. and was 6 feet 10 inches in length. Another, hooke

her southward among the Pacific Isles, flying-fish is the only bait they will take! Evidently, therefore, the palu , at the great depths in which it lives, is attracted by a brightly-hued fish whose habitat is on the surface of the ocean. Why this is so must be decided by ichthyologists, for there are no bright, silvery-scaled fish inhabiting the ocean

te of an island-trading schooner of which I was the supercargo, was landed at Arorai, in the Line Islands, unable t

tlantic, and whose recorded range is now enormously increased. The Escolar-to give it its Atlantic name-has been taken at depths as great as three and four hundred fathoms, but can

ly "Go

his new departure in the predatory habits of the "goanner"-which hitherto had confined his evil deeds to nocturnal visits to the fowl-yards-is stated to be the extermination of the opossum, which has driven the cunning reptile to seek for another source of food. And, as before the shooting of kangaroos, wallabies, and opossums was resorted to as a means of livelihood by hundreds of bushmen who had no other employment open to them, the young of these marsupials furnished the iguana with an ample

of the tidal rivers on the northern coast-both snakes and iguanas

n to the sandy beach, where we were to lash them together. Presently we came across a very heavy rail, about eight feet long, twelve inches in width, and two inches thick. It was no sooner up-ended than we saw half a dozen "bandy-bandies"-the smallest but most deadly of Australian snakes, not even excepting the death-adder-lying beneath! We gave a united yell of terror and fled as the black and yellow banded reptiles-none of which

seized the snake by its head, I imagine, for we could see the rest of its form twisting and turning about and enveloping the body of its capturer. In a

ishing with bamboo rods for mullet. We were standing, one on each side, of the rocky edges of a tiny little bay on the coast near Port Macquarie (New South Wa

on to the beach, and left them to kick about and coat themselves with the clean, white sand-which they did in such an artistic manner that on

young mullet, roasted on a glowing fire of honeysuckle cobs were, we knew, very nice. So, laying down our rods on the rocks, we wa

nt them on to a piece of fishing-line, baited each hook with a good-sized piece of octopus (our mullet bait), and suspended the line between two saplings, about three inches above the leaf-strewn ground. Then, feeling confident of the success of our murderous device, we finished the billy of tea and went back to our fishing. We caught a couple of dozen or more of fine mullet, each one weighing not less than 1-1/2 lbs.; and then the incoming tide with its sw

uous and scaly tails in agony as they sought to free their widely-opened jaws from the cruel hooks. One had two hooks in his mouth. He was the quietest of the lot, as he had less p

-"you ought to be ashamed of yourself for doing such a thing! You know well enough that we should never hurt a poor, h

h I crept round through

rs or sharks. Oh, my goodness, if you're so frightened, I'll come and do it myself." With that she clambered up

nstantly sought refuge on the tree trunks around them; but as each "goanner" selected his individual tree, and as they were still connected to ea

said my sister, weepingly. "I shall never

e in a dozen places; and with my bamboo fishing-rod disintegrated the combatants. They stood for a few second

nifa o

but intended sleeping that night at Laulii with some native friends who were to accompany me. With me was a young Manhiki half-caste named Allan Strickland; he was about twenty-two years of age and one of the most perfect specimens of athletic manhood in the South Pacific. [15] For six months we had been busine

ailed a picket who were stationed in the trenches on the opposite bank and asked them in a jocular manner not to fire at us while we were wading across. To our surpris

a canoe," added a young Manono chief whose family I kn

me to a hut on the bank at a spot regarded as neutral ground. Here we found some women and children and a canoe, and in less than five minutes we w

("'Tis five fathoms lo

a shudder. "It hath come to the mouth of the Vaivasa because it hath smelt

e left-hand bank of the river. "There must be a t?nifa cruising about, or el

alwart young natives from the little island of Manono-a lovely spot situated in the straits separating Upolo from Savaii. Placing our guns and bags in the care of one of the war

atter of fact it seldom exceeds ten feet, but its great girth, and its solitary, nocturnal habit of haunting the mouths of shallow streams has invested it even to the native mind with fictional powers of voracity and destruction. Yet, despite the exaggerated

asions, twice at the Vaisigago, and once at the mouth of the Mulivai, but I had never seen one caught, or even sufficiently exposed to give me an idea of its proportions. Many nativ

it would, when it had once sighted its prey, dart along under the water with great rapidity without causing a ripple. At a village in Savaii, a powerfully built woman who was incautiously bathing at the mouth of a stream was seized by one of these sharks

et in length and very wide across the head and shoulders. The water was clear and by the bright starlight they had discerned its movements very easily; once it came well into the river and remained stationary for some minutes, lying under about two feet of water. Some of the Manono men, hailing a picket of the enemy on the opposite bank of the river,

t?nifa had come. Springing to his feet, Li'o again hailed the enemy's picket on the other si

rrounded its body when it first appeared had now, owing to there being but a minor degree of phos phorus in the brackish water, given place to a dulled, sickly, greenish reflection, accentuated however by thin, vivid streaks, caused by the exudation from the gills of a streaming, viscid matter, common to some species of sharks, and giving it a truly terrifying and horrible appearance. Presently a couple of native

e cutter for our one shark hook-a hook which had done much execution among the sea prowlers. Although not of the largest size, being only ten inches in the shank, it was made of splendid steel,

e belly-portion of a freshly-killed pig (which the Manono people had commandeered from a bush village) was buoyed to piece of light pua wood to keep it from sinking, and then with twenty fathoms of brand-new whale line atta

hour-when we heard a warning yell fro

raight dart at the bait, and before we could free our end of the line it was as taut as an iron bar, and the creature, with the hook firmly fastened in his jaw, was ploughing t

ed, our beautiful hook, was gone! and with it two feet of the chain, whic

o me by the natives who witnessed the operations. Taking a piece of green bamboo, about four feet in length, he split from it two strips each an inch wide. The ends of these he then, after charring the points, sharpened carefully; then by great pressure he coiled them up into as small a compass as possible, keeping the whole in position by sewing the coil up in

ter. It was quickly swallowed. Then the second followed, and was also seized by the other t?

th would be dead. As soon as the dogs were digested, he said, the thin fish-skin would follow, the bamboo coil would fl

ur miles from the Vaivasa. It was examined by numbers of people, and presented an extremely interesting sight; one end of the bamboo spring was protruding over a foot f

same manner there was no reason to doubt; but probably

d the "

Islands and Samoa as soon as the captain came on board. At nine o'clock, as Bruce, the old, white-haired, Scotch mate, was pointing out to Mrs. Lac

aptain's boat

perience of general wickedness in the South Seas, thought he was in love with Mrs. Lacy, and that, before the barque reached Samoa, he would make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid was a serious mistake, and that he, Charles Otway, was the one man in the world whom she could

he owner's office and inquired about a passage t

make room on the Tucopia for two more passe

"I'm sick of carting these confounded missionaries about, Mr. Harry. Last trip we took two down to Tonga-beastly hymn-grinding pair, who wanted the hands to come aft every night to prayers, and playe

on so much side-the firm can't afford it. If you hadn't drunk so m

, like a billy-goat in stays? I don't care a damn if you load the schooner up to her maintop with sky-pilots and their dowdy w

missionaries; they're a cut above the usual breed. Man's a gentleman; woman's as sweet as a rosebud. Now look here, Otway; we give you a pr

n for Tonga-cabin on starboard side-fussy old cat, who is always telling me that she can distinctly hear Robertson's bad language on deck. But her brother is a good sort, and so I put up with her. Then there's Captain Burr, in the skipper's c

influence of the charming people with whom you associate. Just let me tell you this

m sick enough of it, now we are carrying passengers as well as cargo. I suppose the firm will be askin

ung friend-quite likely, i

l to people who worry the soul out of you, are always in the way at sea, and a beastly nuisance in port. Why,

at did

fa himself had not come to our help there would have been some shooting, and this firm could never have sent anoth

see, to unburden yourself of some of your bad temper. Sh

ecretary was carrying around. So oft went the skipper and I, letting the yams stand over till we returned; the barque was lying about a mile off the beach. Mataafa was very polite to us, and during the kava drinking I found out that he had about three hundred sovereigns, and wanted to see the Martini-Henrys we had on board. Of course I told him that it would be a serious business for the ship if he gave us away-imprisonment in a dreadful dungeon in Fiji, if not hanging at the yard-arm or a man-of-war-and the old cock winked his eye and laughed. Then, as time was valuable, we at once concocted a plan to get the rifles-fifty-ashore without making too much of a show. Well, among some of the women present there were two great swells, one was the taupo , or town maid, of Pala

vinegary face outside her state-room door. Thinking she would get over her tantrum in a few minutes, the mate invited the two Samoan ladies and the

he first thing she said was that she knew the kind of women they were, and what had brought them on board! How dared such brazen, shameless cattle come into the cabin! In

ur the whole lot of them were back on the beach, and came up to the chiefs house, where the skipper and myself were having a final drink of kava with old Mataafa and his faipule . [16] The face of the elder of the two women was blazing with anger, and then, pointing to

f. This explanation satisfied the chiefs, if not the women, and everything went on smoothly. And as it was then nearly dark, and I was determined that Mataafa should get his rifles, half a dozen of his men took us off in

will not again leave it in your present condition. Your conduct is simp

to see that she didn't come out again. Then we handed out the rifles through the stern-ports to the natives in the canoes, and sent them away rejoicing. And that's the end of the yarn, and

at the story, and Otway, with a mo

se people. I'll make room for the

e, I think, for a few months, and then going on

board to-morrow, and I'll show

and Mr. Charles Otway was vanquished by just

ia ," she said, in her soft, sweet voice, as she sank back in the deck-chair he placed before her. "My husba

the rail and regarding her with half-closed eyes; "as sweet and fair to look

iled into his; then she bent her head and regarded the deck with i

em that they could occupy it-he would make himself comfortable in the t

ment or two, and then reappeared on deck, full of energy, blasphemy, and anxiety to get under way. In less than an hour the smart bar

utset, liked him. First of all, he was not the usual style of travelling clergyman. He didn't say grace at meals, he smoked a pipe, drank whisky and brandy with Otway and Robertson, told rattling good stories, and displayed an immediat

very one. I can see that Captain Robertson

into an animated conversation, while the two De Boos girls, vivacious Samoan half-castes, attached themselves to his wife. Seated beside Otway was another passenger, an American skipper named Burr, who was going to Apia to take command of a vessel belonging to the same firm as the Tucopia . He was a silent, good-looking man of about sixty, and possessed of much caustic humour and a r

e day, as a protest, when Allen gave one of the crew an u

I prefer raising my foot. But it

s knew that they were in for a three-days' easterly gale; a few hours later it was decided to heave-to, as the sea had become dangerous, and the little vessel was straining badly. Just after this had been done, the gale set

second mate, who was standing near, talking

e gave

out

foc'scle to the level of the poop. In less than half a minute the galley, for'ard deck-house, long-boat, which was lying on the main hatch, and the port bulwarks had vanished, together with three poor seamen who were asleep in the deck-house. The fearful crash bro

or them?" Mrs. Lacy

her to go below, as it was not safe for her to remain on deck. She

?" he asked, as he saw th

e deck-house asleep ten minutes ago-now they are gone! Oh, isn't it d

captain's seat. He, too, only remained to drink a cup of coffee, then hurriedly went on dec

ou please," he said, "and tell t

fresh go

not to come on deck-say it is not safe. And if the old Weidermann girl hears the pumps, and gets inquisitive, tell her that a lot of water got int

'll see to her. How long h

fourteen inches in her, and it's as

is se

st go. Daresay we may give you a call in the course of the morni

you want me," wa

some little of which had got below through the fore-scuttle, but the greater portion, it was soon evident, was the result of a leak. The barque was a comparatively new

tes every half-hour, Otway, the American captain Burr, and Mr. Lacy al

smoke before resuming pumping. A quarter of an hour later the pumps choked. There were a hundred tons of coal in the lower hold, and some of the small of it had been drawn up. By the time the carpenter had them cleared the water had gained seven in

as this, in our condition; we should be pooped in less than five minutes. We shall have to take to the boats in another co

ey were all seated in the main cabin, an

ll have to abandon her. The men cannot keep on pumping much longer, now that we are three hands short. F

en the old priest opened his

ust bow to God's will, and trust to His guidance and protection

ats. And you must try and cheer up the ladies. Now I must leave you

"let my sister and myself and our servant help the men at the pump. Do ,

k you. Of course your help would be something; three fine lusty young women"-he tried to smile-"but it's too da

"and neither is Sukie-are you Sukie? Go on deck, captain, and Sukie and

d Father Roget. "Surely

eing on the lee side. Every now and then, as the barque took a heavy roll to windward, the water would flood her deck up to the workers' knees;

clamour of the wind and sea. Presently the two De Boos girls, Lacy, Father Roget, and Mina, came below to rest awhile, the water

d on his shoulder, "cannot I do something? Oh, Miss De Boos, I wish I we

ent. "Don't worry, little woman. You can't do anything-yes, you can, th

ast, as they revealed their shape under her soddened blouse, to Mrs. Lacy's fragile figure,

nd get some food for us all to eat. Mr. Otway told me to tell you and Miss Weidermann to eat something, as maybe we may no

s, bread, and some bottled beer, and some brandy for Father Roget and

Lacy, lend a hand here with the steward, and pass up our provisions to the second mate? The captain will be down in a minute, and will tell you ladies what clothing to get ready. For my part I'll be jolly glad if

ld Miss Weidermann plucked up heart a little as she saw him nonchalantly

e was now nearly three feet of water in the hold, and every one knew that the barque could not keep afloat much

our would perhaps make a great difference; and then as the two men were speaking a savage sea smote the Tucopia on the starboard bow, with such violence that she trembled in every timber, and

aned and look

sir," said the ol

l Allen and the others

by Captain Burr, Otway,

y man I know. There is now only one boat left, and you must take charge of her. You will have to take a big lot of

," said Burr in a lazy, drawling manner, "I do

do I, sa

id the carpenter, a litt

new you were men ," he said simply. "Come below and l

ath, "d'ye think I'm going to save my carcase and

ou are a married man and have children. None of us who are standing by the ship are married men. By God, my joker, if you don

squarely in the face an

it. The ship won't keep afloat another hour. Bu

hausted by his labour at the pumps, was still lying on the transom cushions, sleeping; the Rev. Lacy was seated at the tab

r Roget, and the ladies away with Mr. Allen in one of the boats. Allen is a man whom I rely upon. He'll bring you ashore safely. He's a bit rough in

knowledgment. Then he stood up stiff and star

as there is a meenister here, surely he will now offer up a prayer to the Almighty for those

tood with downcast eyes. The men looked at him expectantly; h

e spoke haltingly, and a flush dyed his smooth, clean-shaven face fr

e but secret respect for old Bruce's unobtrusive re

t poor old gentleman over there is too done up to stand on his feet. So will you please begin, sir. Steward, call the ladies. We can

of their cabins; and when the steward said that Mrs. Lacy felt too ill to leave her berth, her h

you lend me your church service-I do not want to go in

men knelt, the clergyman, with strong, unfaltering voice read the second of the prayers "To be

he living shall

face bore such an expression of calmness and content, that Otway, who five minutes before had been s

placed his hand on his shoulder, and as he spoke hi

meenister, have made supplication to Him, and He has heard. Dinna weep, lad

the others on deck, Otway alone

some brandy," said Lac

astonishment. Was the

contempt placed it before him without a word

ng-not a d--d bit,

randy for himself, and clinked his

our boats were aground in a creek, and some of our men got hit. I wasn't a bit scared of a smack from a bullet, but when I got a scratch on my hand from an arrow, I dropped in a blue funk, and acted like a cur. Knew it was poisoned, felt sur

tapped at the door of his wife's state-room. She opened it, and t

in another hour, another minute, I shall die happily with your arms round me. But, Will dear, there is a

her, and lifted her tremb

st yoursel

How can I rest when I think of how I have sinned, and how I

to do i

k cabin, and listened to you reading that prayer, my husband's face came before me-t

oman, don't think of what is past.

but when I heard you begin to read that prayer, my courage forsook me. I wanted to scream

I could not help myself; made me

y Lacy stepped out into the main

ws for you-we are making less water! The leak must be taking up in some way."

ou in a minute. Now I'm going below for a minute to tell the ladies, and mix you a bucket of grog. Shake her up, you,

square-built, merry faced native of Savage Island, who was stripp

n make pump suck dry if t

cking up a wooden bucket from under the fi

k is taken up and 'everything is lovely and the goose hangs high.' Up yo

deck, the captain stamped along the cabin i

d news, good news! Mrs. Lacy, cheer up, dear lady. The leak has taken up, and you can go on deck and see your husband working at

ut of their cabins, and Robertson shook hands with them, and lifting Sukie de Boos up between his two rough

him here. Sukie, my chick, you and Sarah get a couple of bottles of brandy

abin again, the old priest turned

English sailor. And now let us t

roughly unstrung, began to cry hysterically. She had at first detested Mrs. Lacy as being altogether too scandalously young and pretty for a clergyman's wife. Now she was ready to take her to her bosom (that is, to

grog, took it on deck, and serve

and as he drew up the iron rod

en inches

wer canvas now. She'll stand it. Mr. Lacy, and you Captain Burr, come aft and get into som

were, eagerly sprang aloft to repair damages and then spread more sail, Sarah and Susan de Boos hauling and pulling at the running gear from the deck below. They

warkless decks, now drying under a bright sun, was running before a warm, go

steward. Lacy, with Captain Burr, was pacing to and fro smoking his pipe, and laughing heartily at Sukie de Boos's attempts to make his wife smoke a cigare

sae many sweet, bonny faces will mak' us work a' the better. And how are ye now, Mrs. Lacy? Ah, the pink r

ust hae my way. Ye're a gude, brave man;" then he added i

air cheeks. Then he plucked the American captain by the sleeve and went below, and Sukie de Boos laughed loud

ay, come here, you horrid, dirty-faced, ragged creature! Go below and get a glass of port wine for Father Roget, a bottle

id the supercargo, who was i

he put his arms round her and kissed her vigorously. She retu

or I'll call out and invoke the protection of the clergy, above and below-

nchor inside Matautu Point just as the evening mists were closing

, came to bid Otway and the captain a brief farewell, before th

all to dine with us at the hotel the day after to-morrow. And perhaps you, too,

would not like him to so soon leave the Mission. But the bishop and his brothers at the Mission would lo

little gloved han

e indeed been most generous to us both. It was cruel of us to take your cabin and com

e into his vicious heart and v

up my cabin to strangers at first, and was a bit of a beast when Mr.

uch or more grog than he could himself; and when he heard that passionate, sobbing appeal, "Oh, Will, Will, how could you?" his better nature was stirred, and his fierce sensual desire

ards and meet some friends, a boat came alongside, and a man stepped on deck and inquired for the captain. As he followed Robe

t any one living in Samoa, unless he's a new-comer

ter the stewar

wishes to s

tioned him to a seat. The strange gentleman sat near the c

rrant for the arrest of Mr. Lacy, issued by the New Zeal

n. He nodded to the stran

asked inquiring

s, if he cares to do so. I don't see that your warrant holds any force here in Samoa. You can't execute it. There's no government here, no police,

mingled and studied insolence and politene

y, on a charge of stealing twenty thousand, five hundred pounds from the National Bank of Christchurch, of which he was manager. I belie

ing to enforce your dema

the table, looked insultingly at the de

rew back, alarm

s man," he said, "and it will go hard with any one who at

k, triumphant gla

u than a sheet of fly paper-Samoa is outside British jurisdiction. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific would not have endorsed such a fool of a document, and I'll report the mat

came deeply sympathetic with the detective, and Robertson, who kn

aptain and myself felt annoyed at your dictatorial manner, we are both sensible men, and will do all in our power to assist you. Our fi

ly through his half-closed eyelids, and wondering what that astute young gentleman w

my duty to my employers, and I know that this gentleman may be led into ve

their respective countries, and even if they were, there is no extradition treaty with the Samoan Islands, which is a country without a recognised government. Of course, Mr. O'Donovan, you are acting in good faith; but you have no more legal right nor the power to arrest a man in Samoa, than

all that Otway had said was absolute

to get this joker, and by blazes I mean to get him, and take him back with me to Ne

ou go and get your man? He's at Jo

il boat from San Francisco is not due here for another ten days. But I know that he hasn't taken hi

ck in his chai

you want to have some guns behind you to enforce it; and then his capture won't affect our custody of the money. If the Con

ell. "You said you

c, in Fiji, is the only man who could give you power to arrest the man and convey him to New Zealand, and the moment yo

ve made his

ds and chance the consequences. The

to the rack of Snider rifles around t

hot down before you can put foot on my deck. I've never seen

uneasily, then he

man, and you are business men, and I think we understand one another, eh? As you say, my warrant doesn't hold good here in Samoa. Bu

he skipper and myself,"

ou shall

he

e only a hundred and fifty pounds with

have to take care to be here before the

for that,

is wife," said O

yarn-she's not his wife! She bolted from her hu

u get on th

r the Islands in the Tucopia , and cabled over to us. We thought they had lit out

his smartness, and then after another drink or

s gone, Otway tu

tson, will you?" he asked-"I want

the responsi

an, and set to work by at once asking the second mate

aid Allen, fiv

e steward and help

t Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining luggage to the second mate and steward. Three small leath

. Don't make more noise than you can

of the brand of tobacco which he knew Lacy liked, and then filled the remaining space with pint bottles of champagne. Then he whipped up a sheet or two of letter paper an

hand, and heading the boat towards a small fore-and-aft schooner lying

ters of the harbour. The schooner showed no riding light on her forestay, but, on the after deck under the a

ck, just as the me

he shook hands with the supercargo. "Well, now, I was just wondering whether I'd go ashore and try and dr

old acquaintances, especially Le Brun, the mate. "But come below with me, Rev

ner's cabin, and at once produced a bot

t a little, then. Now, tell me, do you want

ss I

ready f

on a cruise among the Tokel

I can guarantee you that you will get five hundred pounds-if you will tak

they wan

ila or Hongkong, most

e mone

e alongside, and if you don't get five hundred sovereigns paid you when you have dropped S

ds of

es

e, Otway. Now, just

ur boat ready to go ashor

paper, and hurrie

you to a schooner. The captain's name is Revels. He expects you, and you can trust him. Have pledged him my word that you will give him ￡500 to land you at Manila or thereabouts; also that you will hand it to him as s

ready," s

ta's Hotel and ask to see Mr. Lacy. If he and his wife have gone out for a walk, you must follow them and give him the letter; but I feel pretty sure you'll find them on the verandah. Bring them off on board as quickly and as quietly as pos

Le Brun, a big, black-

good

two hands only, pushed off, a

e short so as

you lost your anchor and a few fathoms of chain it doesn't matter against five hundred sovereigns. The people on shore would be sure to hear the sound of the windlass pawls, and there's a man here from

stepped into his boat, which he ste

l's house he saw Mr. O'Donovan standing on the verandah talking to the Consul. He waved his hand to the

percargo's knowledge of certain transactions in connection with the sale of arms to natives, in which he (the Consul) had taken a leading and luc

e are at his mercy. But you shall have the four hundred pounds in the morning

f the business, any way," replied O'Donovan, wh

towards the hotel known as "John

undred sovs to-morrow or not? To tell you the exact truth, I have a fair

ou and the skipper will have your two hundred each before

. "Now we'll play a game or two at Joh

the harbour, shimmering under the starlight. They sat down on two cane lounges, and the supercargo's keen eye

d during the night in the schooner Solafanua . The Consul knew that Otway was at the bottom of the matter, but dared not say so, but O'Donovan, wh

ty sweep," he

sent him down. Allen picked him up, dumped hi

r her counter and looked for the leak. As the skipper had surmised, a butt-end had st

ministers has saved us," said

new that the good old man had he

n the Buf

he returned to Australia without discovering gold in the islands, he had kept one of the most interesting logs of a whaling cruise it has ever been my fortune to read. The master of the whaleship was Captain J.Y. Carpenter, a man who is well known and highly respected, not only in Sydney (where he now resides), but throughout the East Indies and China, where he had lived for over thirty years. And it was from Captain Carpenter who was one of the actors in this twice-told tragedy, that D--heard this story of

Victorious Army," and the Viceroy (Li Hung Chang) had taken up his quarters in Canton, and was sec

lying in the filthy river for about a week, when, one afternoon, a mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready to proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous experience of his estimable an

n. They were all well armed, and came off in a large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin intimated with a polite smile, was to be towed, if she was too heavy to be hoisted aboard. A couple of hands were put in her, and she was

ject of the steamer's mission. Their inquiries were met either with a mocking jest or downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who hitherto had preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat

d to his master, whispered tremblingly to him that the mandarin and the thirty braves were in quest of one of the Viceroy's most hated enemies-a noted le

on the skilful and expeditious manner in which he had navigated the steamer down the river

nt one, or two, or six days, you must keep your ship in the position I indicate as nearly as possible. You must avoid observation from the shore, you must be watchful, diligent, and patient, and, when you see my boat returning, you must make your engines work quickly, and come

thirty truculent "braves," with a Chinese pilot and the ever-smiling mandarin, got into her and pushed off for the shore. That they were all picked men, who

sun. Then, about seven o'clock in the morning, as the sea haze lifted, a look-out on the foreyard hailed the deck and said the boat was in sig

s-smiling face (which Carpenter and his offi

officers (who shall be honoured for countless ages in the future) have obeyed the behests which I have had the never-to-be-extinguished honour to convey from him to you. There is a

ey were worth, and I can imagine him giving a grumpy nod to the smiling minion of the Viceroy

ed on board, and was likely to impede the steamer's progress. Some of his braves could remain in her, and the i

darin smiled sweetly, and said that as speed was everything the most honourable navigator, whom he now had the privilege to address, and who was so soon to be distin

nd the bridge when the mandarin stayed him, and requested that a meal should be at once prepared in the cabin for the prisoner, who, he said, was somewhat exhausted, for his capture was only effected

callous to human suffering. Then he stepped along the deck towards the bridge just as two of the braves lifted the prisoner to his feet, which a third had freed from a thong of hide, bound so tightly around them that it had lit

three or four inches in height. His arms and naked chest were cut, bleeding and bruised, and a bamboo

contemptuous and yet so dignified his bearing, as he glanced at his guards when th

mouth would have smiled had it not been for the cruel gag. But twice

ysical suffering, the tender, woman-like resignation in the eyes which could yet smile into his

half a dozen "braves" stood guard at the door to prevent intrusion, whilst the gag was removed, and the victim of the Viceroy's vengeance was urged to eat. Whether he did so or not was never known, for half an hour afterwards he was removed to one of the state-rooms, where he was closely gu

river, and came to an anchor off the city at a place which was within half a mile of the Viceroy's residence. Th

iceroy that he, Kwang, his crawling dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, and supr

bowed his acknowledgments, and then sudde

the prisoner's name. His crime? He did not know. When was he to be tried? To-morrow. Then he rose and abruptly requested the ca

soner, closely guarded, and with his face cov

led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past the Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his capture, being particularly exasperated with him, not only for his courage in the field, and the influence he had wielded over the unfortunate Taepings, who were wiped out by Gordon and the Ever-Victorious Army, but also because he refused to accept Li H

the captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained but

st beauty, and magnificent proportions. Temples and other buildings of the most elaborate and artistic design and construction showed here and there amid a

path, paved with white marble slabs, and bordered with gaily-hued flowers. Suddenly they emerged upon a lovely s

le, and, as Carpenter approached, two of them silently stepped out of the cordo

seated in his chair of office. He r

r officers took such a deep and benevolent interest. I now fulfil that pro

ouched Carp

e said in

so as to fall upon the grass, lay what appeared at first sight to be a round bundle

the grim, silent guard, as he stepped up to the strange-looking bundle

e eyelids had been cut off, and only two dreadful, bloodied, glaring things of horror appealed mutely to God. The victim's knees had been dra

h the dreadful spectacle, Carpenter asked the

s," was t

moment the steamer arrived, and ten minutes after the signal was hoisted, the creature was

there he was taken to the fountain, where his eyelids were cut off, and then he was l

ed enemy die under slow and agonising torture. To attract the flies, honeyed water was applied to the prison

id genially, as he touched one of the dreadful eyeballs

penter, with quickened footsteps, passed through the cordo

wall, and a sigh of relief broke fro

IN THE

INTENDING

in the

INTENDING

ther in the South Seas is never very hot, and cloudless skies and a smooth sea may almost be relied upon from April until the end of July. At such places as Nukualofa, the little capital of the Tonga Islands, an excursion steamer will remain for perhaps forty hours; at Apia, in Samoa, forty-eight hours; and at Papeite, the capital of the French island of Tahiti, forty-eight hours. At the two latter places the traveller will be charmed by the lovely scenery, and disgusted by the squalid appearance of the natives; for within the last ten years great changes have occurred, and the native communities inhabiting the island ports, such as Apia and Papeite, have degenerated into the veriest loafers, spongers, and thieves. The appearance of a strange European in any of the env

ing from Sydney, which visits over forty islands in her cruise from Niué or Savage Island, ten days' steam from Sydney, to Jaluit in the Marshall Islands. But this particular cruise I would not recommend to any one in search of a variety of beautiful scenery, for nearly all of the islands visited are of the one type-low-lying sandy atolls, densely verdured with coco-palms, an

is not a large one-light clothing can be bought almost as cheaply in Samoa as in Sydney, a couple of guns with plenty of ammunition (for cartridges are shockingly dear in the Islands), a large and varied assortment of deep-sea tackle, a rod for fresh-water or reef fishing, and a good waterproof and rugs for camping out, as the early mornings are sometimes very chilly. And there is one other thing that is worth while t

y that very often it is not. Then, again, it is very easy to stow away in the trade box in the boat eight or ten pieces of good print, cut off in pieces of six fathoms (which is enough to make a woman's gown), about 30 lbs. of twist negrohead tobacco (twenty to thirty sticks to the pound), half a gross of lucifer matches, and such things as cotton, scissors, combs, &c., and powder, caps, and a bag of No. 3 shot for pigeon shooting. Now, this seems a lot of articles for a man to take on a short Samoan malaga (journey), but it is not, and for the ￡50 which it may cost for such an outfit (exclusive of the boat and crew's wages) the traveller will see more of the people and their mode of life, be more hospitably received, and spend a pleasanter time than if he were cruising about

tuila, and the Manua Group of three islands are too far to the windward to attempt in a small boat against the south-east trades.

village, eight miles further on. This is the deepest indentation in Samoa, except the famous Pāgo Pāgo Harbour on Tutuila, and the scenery is very beautiful. After leaving Fāgoloa, the open sea has to be taken, for there is now no barrier reef for ten miles, where it begins at Samusu village, to the towns of Aleipata and Lepā, two of the best in the group, and inhabited by cleanly and hospitable people. This is the weather point of Upol

roup, owing to the political influence wielded by the chiefly families who have always made it their home. A mile from Manono, and in the centre of the deep strait separating Upolu from Savaii, is a curiously picturesque spot, an isl

here-Palaulae, Salealua, Asaua, Matautu, and Safune. After making the round of Savaii, the boat has to make back to Manono, and then can pr

arty is made up. More than five-and-twenty years ago, when the writer was gaining his first experiences of Samoan life, it was his good fortune to be one of such a party, and a right merry time he had of it among the natives; for in those days, although th

rom his native land, in charge of a mission station in another part of Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often pompous and overbearing alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here he is far from the control and supervision of the white missionaries, who only visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt to curb any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse over his flock or interfere with any matter not strictly connected with his charge. So, in Samoa, the native teacher is generally a good fellow,

n Savaii, but they are exceedingly difficult to shoot and the country they frequent is fearfully rough. In some of the streams there are some very good fish, running up to 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. They bite eagerly at the ula or freshwater prawn, and are excellent eating; and yet, strange to say, very few of the white residents in the group even know of their existence. This applies also to deep-sea fishing; for although the deep water outside the reefs and the passages leading into the harbours teem with splendid fish, the residents of Apia are content to buy the wretched things brought to them by women who capture them in nets in the shallow water inside the reef. Once, during my stay on Manono, a young Manhiki half-caste and myself went out in our boat about a mile from the land, an

s tulafale, or "talking-man," accompanied by the leading citizens. The talking-man then makes a speech, welcoming the guests, and is by no means sparing of "buttery" phrases which indicate the intense delight, &c., of the inhabitants of the village at having the honoured privilege of entertaining such noble and distinguished visitors, &c. A suitable reply is made by the guests (through an interpreter, if no one among them can speak Samoan), and then follows a ceremonious brewing and drinking of kava. This is a most important function in Samoa, and to the stranger unaccustomed to the manner of making the beverage, the ordeal of drinking it is an exceedingly trying one. It is prepared as follows: The dried kava root is cut up in thin slices and handed to a number of young women, who m

d their knowledge and shrewdness is surprising. Should there be any white ladies present, the brown ones make much of them. The Samoans are a fine, handsome race, and the faces and figures of many of the young women are very attractive; but the practice of cutting off their long, flowing black hair, and allowing it to grow in a short

he birds are feeding on masa'oi and other berries; during the heat of the day they seldom leave their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard everywhere. In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii there is but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a thick layer of leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked beneath, and simply to breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is delightful. At certain times of the year the birds are very fat, and I have very often seen them literally burst when striking the ground after being shot in high trees. Their flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day. I may here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same species of pigeon is very often quite uneatable through feedi

tely, as long as they remain, and they remain until their curiosity-and avarice-is satisfied. A return present must be sent on the following day; for although Samoans designate every present of food or anything else made to a party of visitors as an "alofa"- i.e., a gift of love-this is but a hollow conventionalism, it being the time-honoured custom of the co

inhabit Apia and its immediate vicinity. The natives are an adaptive race, and suit their manners to their company, and there are always numbers of sponging men and paumotu (beach-women) ready to pander to the tastes of low whites who are willing to witness a lewd dance. But in most villages, situated away from the contaminating influences of the principal port, a native siva , or dance, is well worth witnessing, and the accompanying singing is very melodious. It is, however, true, that on important occasions, such as the marriage of a great chief, &c., that the dancing, decorous enough in the earlier stages of the evening, degenerates under the influence of excitement into an exhibition that provokes sorrow and disgust. And yet, curiously enough, the danc

air with impunity. Before setting out from Apia the services of a competent interpreter should be secured-a man who thoroughly understands the Samoan customs as well as the language. Plenty of reliable half-castes can always be found, any one of whom would be glad to engage for a very moderate payment. Too often the pleasures of such a trip as I have described have been marred by the interpreter's lack of t

re redeemed from savagery by Englishmen, and a taata Peretane (Englishman) is an ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities for visiting the different islands of the Society Group are very good, for there is quite a fleet of native and European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east to its north-west point is one of the most delightful trips imaginable. Then again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which c

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he white man's method of hauling in a heavy fish hand over

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related by the author in "By Reef and Palm" u

requently figured in the author's other tales of South Sea life, notabl

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en for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches the rolling surf, calls out Apo, la