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SOUTH SEA TALES
lost with Levy。 You are right； Tefara。 I have lost the pearl； and got nothing
for it。 Now let us sleep。〃
He held up his hand suddenly and listened。 From without came a noise；
as of one who breathed heavily and with pain。 A hand fumbled against the
mat that served for a door。
〃Who is there？〃 Mapuhi cried。
〃Nauri；〃 came the answer。 〃Can you tell me where is my son；
Mapuhi？〃
Tefara screamed and gripped her husband's arm。
〃A ghost！ she chattered。 〃A ghost！〃
Mapuhi's face was a ghastly yellow。 He clung weakly to his wife。
〃Good woman；〃 he said in faltering tones； striving to disguise his vice；
〃I know your son well。 He is living on the east side of the lagoon。〃
From without came the sound of a sigh。 Mapuhi began to feel elated。
He had fooled the ghost。
〃But where do you come from； old woman？〃 he asked。
〃From the sea；〃 was the dejected answer。
〃I knew it！ I knew it！〃 screamed Tefara； rocking to and fro。
〃Since when has Tefara bedded in a strange house？〃 came Nauri's
voice through the matting。
Mapuhi looked fear and reproach at his wife。 It was her voice that had
betrayed them。
〃And since when has Mapuhi； my son； denied his old mother？〃 the
voice went on。
〃No； no； I have notMapuhi has not denied you；〃 he cried。 〃I am not
Mapuhi。 He is on the east end of the lagoon； I tell you。〃
Ngakura sat up in bed and began to cry。 The matting started to shake。
〃What are you doing？〃 Mapuhi demanded。
〃I am coming in；〃 said the voice of Nauri。
One end of the matting lifted。 Tefara tried to dive under the blankets；
but Mapuhi held on to her。 He had to hold on to something。 Together；
struggling with each other； with shivering bodies and chattering teeth； they
gazed with protruding eyes at the lifting mat。 They saw Nauri； dripping
with sea water； without her ahu； creep in。 They rolled over backward from
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SOUTH SEA TALES
her and fought for Ngakura's blanket with which to cover their heads。
〃You might give your old mother a drink of water；〃 the ghost said
plaintively。
〃Give her a drink of water；〃 Tefara commanded in a shaking voice。
〃Give her a drink of water；〃 Mapuhi passed on the command to
Ngakura。
And together they kicked out Ngakura from under the blanket。 A
minute later； peeping； Mapuhi saw the ghost drinking。 When it reached out
a shaking hand and laid it on his； he felt the weight of it and was
convinced that it was no ghost。 Then he emerged； dragging Tefara after
him； and in a few minutes all were listening to Nauri's tale。 And when she
told of Levy； and dropped the pearl into Tefara's hand； even she was
reconciled to the reality of her mother…in…law。
〃In the morning；〃 said Tefara； 〃you will sell the pearl to Raoul for five
thousand French。〃
〃The house？〃 objected Nauri。
〃He will build the house；〃 Tefara answered。 〃He ways it will cost four
thousand French。 Also will he give one thousand French in credit； which is
two thousand Chili。〃
〃And it will be six fathoms long？〃 Nauri queried。
〃Ay；〃 answered Mapuhi； 〃six fathoms。〃
〃And in the middle room will be the octagon…drop…clock？〃
〃Ay； and the round table as well。〃
〃Then give me something to eat； for I am hungry；〃 said Nauri；
complacently。 〃And after that we will sleep； for I am weary。 And
tomorrow we will have more talk about the house before we sell the pearl。
It will be better if we take the thousand French in cash。 Money is ever
better than credit in buying goods from the traders。〃
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SOUTH SEA TALES
THE WHALE TOOTH
It was in the early days in Fiji； when John Starhurst arose in the
mission house at Rewa Village and announced his intention of carrying the
gospel throughout all Viti Levu。 Now Viti Levu means the 〃Great Land；〃 it
being the largest island in a group composed of many large islands； to say
nothing of hundreds of small ones。 Here and there on the coasts； living by
most precarious tenure； was a sprinkling of missionaries； traders； b 坈 he…
de…mer fishers； and whaleship deserters。 The smoke of the hot ovens arose
under their windows； and the bodies of the slain were dragged by their
doors on the way to the feasting。
The Lotu； or the Worship； was progressing slowly； and； often； in
crablike fashion。 Chiefs； who announced themselves Christians and were
welcomed into the body of the chapel； had a distressing habit of
backsliding in order to partake of the flesh of some favorite enemy。 Eat or
be eaten had been the law of the land； and eat or be eaten promised to
remain the law of the land for a long time to come。 There were chiefs；
such as Tanoa； Tuiveikoso； and Tuikilakila； who had literally eaten
hundreds of their fellow men。 But among these gluttons Ra Undreundre
ranked highest。 Ra Undreundre lived at Takiraki。 He kept a register of his
gustatory exploits。 A row of stones outside his house marked the bodies he
had eaten。 This row was two hundred and thirty paces long； and the stones
in it numbered eight hundred and seventy…two。 Each stone represented a
body。 The row of stones might have been longer； had not Ra Undreundre
unfortunately received a spear in the small of his back in a bush skirmish
on Somo Somo and been served up on the table of Naungavuli； whose
mediocre string of stones numbered only forty…eight。
The hard…worked； fever…stricken missionaries stuck doggedly to their
task； at times despairing； and looking forward for some special
manifestation； some outburst of Pentecostal fire that would bring a
glorious harvest of souls。 But cannibal Fiji had remained obdurate。 The
frizzle…headed man…eaters were loath to leave their fleshpots so long as the
harvest of human carcases was plentiful。 Sometimes； when the harvest was
too plentiful； they imposed on the missionaries by letting the word slip out
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SOUTH SEA TALES
that on such a day there would be a killing and a barbecue。 Promptly the
missionaries would buy the lives of the victims with stick tobacco；
fathoms of calico； and quarts of trade beads。 Natheless the chiefs drove a
handsome trade in thus disposing of their surplus live meat。 Also； they
could always go out and catch more。
It was at this juncture that John Starhurst proclaimed that he would
carry the Gospel from coast to coast of the Great Land； and that he would
begin by penetrating the mountain fastnesses of the headwaters of the
Rewa River。 His words were received with consternation。
The native teachers wept softly。 His two fellow missionaries strove to
dissuade him。 The King of Rewa warned him that the mountain dwellers
would surely kai…kai himkai…kai meaning 〃to eat〃and that he； the King
of Rewa； having become Lotu； would be put to the necessity of going to
war with the mountain dwellers。 That he could not conquer them he was
perfectly aware。 That they might come down the river and sack Rewa
Village he was likewise perfectly aware。 But what was he to do？ If John
Starhurst persisted in going out and being eaten； there would be a war that
would cost hundreds of lives。
Later in the day a deputation of Rewa chiefs waited upon John
Starhurst。 He heard them patiently； and argued patiently with them； though
he abated not a whit from his purpose。 To his fellow missionaries he
explained that he was not bent upon martyrdom； that the call had come for
him to carry the Gospel into Viti Levu； and that he was merely obeying the
Lord's wish。
To the traders who came and objected most strenuously of all； he said：
〃Your objections are valueless。 They consist