第10章

Ihadoccasiontoseemuchofthisexcellentman。HesailedwithusfromTai-o-haetoHiva-oa，adeadbeatofninetymilesagainstaheavysea。Itwaswhatiscalledagoodpassage，andafeatherintheCASCO’Scap；butamongthemostmiserablefortyhoursthatanyoneofushadeverpassed。Wewereswungandtossedtogetherallthattimelikeshotinastagethunder-box。Thematewasthrowndownandhadhisheadcutopen；thecaptainwassickondeck；thecooksickinthegalley。Ofallourpartyonlytwosatdowntodinner。Iwasone。IownthatIfeltwretchedly；andIcanonlysayoftheother，whoprofessedtofeelquitewell，thatshefledatanearlymomentfromthetable。ItwasinthesecircumstancesthatweskirtedthewindwardshoreofthatindescribableislandofUa-pu；viewingwithdizzyeyesthecoves，thecapes，thebreakers，theclimbingforests，andtheinaccessiblestoneneedlesthatsurmountthemountains。Theplacepersists，inadarkcornerofourmemories，likeapieceofthesceneryofnightmares。Theendofthisdistressfulpassage，whereweweretolandourpassengers，wasinasimilarveinofroughness。ThesurfranhighonthebeachatTaahauku；theboatbroached-toandcapsized；andallhandsweresubmerged。Onlythebrotherhimself，whowaswellusedtotheexperience，skippedashore，bysomemiracleofagility，withscarceasprinkling。Thenceforward，duringourstayatHiva-oa，hewasourciceroneandpatron；introducingus，takingusexcursions，servingusineveryway，andmakinghimselfdailymorebeloved。

MichelBlanchadbeenacarpenterbytrade；hadmademoneyandretired，supposinghisactivedaysquiteover；anditwasonlywhenhefoundidlenessdangerousthatheplacedhiscapitalandacquirementsattheserviceofthemission。Hebecametheircarpenter，mason，architect，andengineer；addedsculpturetohisaccomplishments，andwasfamousforhisskillingardening。Heworeanenviableairofhavingfoundaportfromlife’scontentionsandlyingtherestronglyanchored；wentabouthisbusinesswithajollysimplicity；complainedofnolackofresults-perhapsshylythinkinghisownstatuaryresultenough；andwasaltogetherapatternofthemissionarylayman。

CHAPTERVIII-THEPORTOFENTRY

THEport-themart，thecivilandreligiouscapitaloftheserudeislands-iscalledTai-o-hae，andliesstrungalongthebeachofaprecipitousgreenbayinNuka-hiva。Itwasmidwinterwhenwecamethither，andtheweatherwassultry，boisterous，andinconstant。

Nowthewindblewsquallyfromthelanddowngapsofsplinteredprecipice；now，betweenthesentinelisletsoftheentry，itcameingustsfromseaward。Heavyanddarkcloudsimpendedonthesummits；therainroaredandceased；thescuppersofthemountaingushed；andthenextdaywewouldseethesidesoftheamphitheatrebeardedwithwhitefalls。Alongthebeachthetownshowsathinfileofhouses，mostlywhite，andallensconcedinthefoliageofanavenueofgreenpuraos；apiergivesaccessfromtheseaacrossthebeltofbreakers；totheeastwardtherestands，onaprojectingbushyhill，theoldfortwhichisnowthecalaboose，orprison；

eastwardstill，aloneinagarden，theResidencyfliesthecoloursofFrance。JustoffCalabooseHill，thetinyGovernmentschoonerridesalmostpermanentlyatanchor，markseightbellsinthemorning(thereorthereabout)withtheunfurlingofherflag，andsalutesthesettingsunwiththereportofamusket。

Heredwelltogether，andsharethecomfortsofaclub(whichmaybeenumeratedasabilliard-board，absinthe，amapoftheworldonMercator’sprojection，andoneofthemostagreeableverandahsinthetropics)，ahandfulofwhitesofvaryingnationality，mostlyFrenchofficials，GermanandScottishmerchantclerks，andtheagentsoftheopiummonopoly。Therearebesidesthreetavern-

keepers，theshrewdScotwhorunsthecottongin-mill，twowhiteladies，andasprinklingofpeople’onthebeach’-aSouthSeaexpressionforwhichthereisnoexactequivalent。Itisapleasantsociety，andahospitable。Butoneman，whowasoftentobeseenseatedonthelogsatthepier-head，meritsawordforthesingularityofhishistoryandappearance。Longago，itseems，hefellinlovewithanativelady，aHighChiefessinUa-pu。She，onbeingapproached，declaredshecouldnevermarryamanwhowasuntattooed；itlookedsonaked；whereupon，withsomegreatnessofsoul，ourheroputhimselfinthehandsoftheTahukus，and，withstillgreater，persevereduntiltheprocesswascomplete。Hehadcertainlytobearagreatexpense，fortheTahukuwillnotworkwithoutreward；andcertainlyexquisitepain。Kooamua，highchiefashewas，andoneoftheoldschool，wasonlyparttattooed；hecouldnot，hetolduswithlivelypantomime，endurethetorturetoanend。Ourenamouredcountrymanwasmoreresolved；hewastattooedfromheadtofootinthemostapprovedmethodsoftheart；

andatlastpresentedhimselfbeforehismistressanewman。Theficklefaironecouldneverbeholdhimfromthatdayexceptwithlaughter。Formypart，Icouldneverseethemanwithoutakindofadmiration；ofhimitmightbesaid，ifeverofany，thathehadlovednotwisely，buttoowell。

TheResidencystandsbyitself，CalabooseHillscreeningitfromthefringeoftownalongthefurtherbay。Thehouseiscommodious，withwideverandahs；alldayitstandsopen，backandfront，andthetradeblowscopiouslyoveritsbarefloors。Onaweek-daythegardenoffersasceneofmostuntropicalanimation，halfadozenconvictstoilingtherecheerfullywithspadeandbarrow，andtouchinghatsandsmilingtothevisitorlikeoldattachedfamilyservants。OnSundaythesearegone，andnothingtobeseenbutdogsofallranksandsizespeacefullyslumberingintheshadygrounds；forthedogsofTai-o-haeareverycourtly-minded，andmaketheseatofGovernmenttheirpromenadeandplaceofsiesta。

Infrontandbeyond，astripofgreendownlosesitselfinalowwoodofmanyspeciesofacacia；anddeepinthewoodaruinouswallenclosesthecemeteryoftheEuropeans。EnglishandScottishsleepthere，andScandinavians，andFrenchMAITRESDEMANOEUVRESandMAITRESOUVRIERS：minglingaliendust。Backinthewoods，perhaps，theblackbird，or(astheycallhimthere)theislandnightingale，willbesinginghomestrains；andtheceaselessrequiemofthesurfhangsontheear。Ihaveneverseenaresting-

placemorequiet；butitwasalongthoughthowfarthesesleepershadalltravelled，andfromwhatdiversehomestheyhadsetforth，toliehereintheendtogether。

Onthesummitofitspromontoryhill，thecalaboosestandsalldaywithdoorsandwindow-shuttersopentothetrade。Onmyfirstvisitadogwastheonlyguardianvisible。He，indeed，rosewithanattitudesomenacingthatIwasgladtolayhandsonanoldbarrel-hoop；andIthinktheweaponmusthavebeenfamiliar，forthechampioninstantlyretreated，andasIwanderedroundthecourtandthroughthebuilding，Icouldseehim，withacoupleofcompanions，humblydodgingmeaboutthecorners。Theprisoners’

dormitorywasaspacious，airyroom，devoidofanyfurniture；itswhitewashedwallscoveredwithinscriptionsinMarquesanandrudedrawings：oneofthepier，notbadlydone；oneofamurder；

severalofFrenchsoldiersinuniform。TherewasonelegendinFrench：’JEN’EST’(sic)’PASLESOU。’Fromthisnoontidequietudeitmustnotbesupposedtheprisonwasuntenanted；thecalabooseatTai-o-haedoesagoodbusiness。ButsomeofitsoccupantsweregardeningattheResidency，andtherestwereprobablyatworkuponthestreets，asfreeasourscavengersathome，althoughnotsoindustrious。Ontheapproachofeveningtheywouldbecalledinlikechildrenfromplay；andtheharbour-master(whoisalsothejailer)wouldgothroughtheformoflockingthemupuntilsixthenextmorning。Shouldaprisonerhaveanycallintown，whetherofpleasureoraffairs，hehasbuttounhookthewindow-shutters；andifheisbackagain，andtheshutterdecentlyreplaced，bythehourofcallonthemorrow，hemayhavemettheharbour-masterintheavenue，andtherewillbenocomplaint，farlessanypunishment。Butthisisnotall。ThecharmingFrenchResident，M。Delaruelle，carriedmeonedaytothecalabooseonanofficialvisit。Inthegreencourt，averyraggedgentleman，hislegsdeformedwiththeislandelephantiasis，salutedussmiling。

’Oneofourpoliticalprisoners-aninsurgentfromRaiatea，’saidtheResident；andthentothejailer：’IthoughtIhadorderedhimanewpairoftrousers。’Meanwhilenootherconvictwastobeseen-’EHBIEN，’saidtheResident，’OUSONTVOSPRISONNIERS?’

’MONSIEURLERESIDENT，’repliedthejailer，salutingwithsoldierlyformality，’COMMEC’ESTJOURDEFETE，JELESAILAISSEALLERALA

CHASSE。’Theywerealluponthemountainshuntinggoats！

Presentlywecametothequartersofthewomen，likewisedeserted-

’OUSONTVOSBONNESFEMMES?’askedtheResident；andthejailercheerfullyresponded：’JECROIS，MONSIEURLERESIDENT，QU’ELLES

SONTALLEESQUELQUEPARTFAIREUNEVISITE。’IthadbeenthedesignofM。Delaruelle，whowasmuchinlovewiththewhimsicalitiesofhissmallrealm，toelicitsomethingcomical；butnotevenheexpectedanythingsoperfectasthelast。TocompletethepictureofconvictlifeinTai-o-hae，itremainstobeaddedthatthesecriminalsdrawasalaryasregularlyasthePresidentoftheRepublic。Tensousadayistheirhire。Thustheyhavemoney，food，shelter，clothing，and，Iwasabouttowrite，theirliberty。

TheFrencharecertainlyagood-naturedpeople，andmakeeasymasters。TheyarebesidesinclinedtoviewtheMarquesanswithaneyeofhumorousindulgence。’Theyaredying，poordevils！’saidM。

Delaruelle：’themainthingistoletthemdieinpeace。’Anditwasnotonlywellsaid，butIbelieveexpressedthegeneralthought。Yetthereisanotherelementtobeconsidered；fortheseconvictsarenotmerelyuseful，theyarealmostessentialtotheFrenchexistence。Withapeopleincurablyidle，dispiritedbywhatcanonlybecalledendemicpestilence，andinflamedwithill-

feelingagainsttheirnewmasters，crimeandconvictlabourareagodsendtotheGovernment。

Theftispracticallythesolecrime。Originallypettypilferers，themenofTai-o-haenowbegintoforcelocksandattackstrong-

boxes。Hundredsofdollarshavebeentakenatatime；though，withthatredeemingmoderationsocommoninPolynesiantheft，theMarquesanburglarwillalwaystakeapartandleaveapart，sharing(sotospeak)withtheproprietor。IfitbeChiliancoin-theislandcurrency-hewillescape；ifthesumisingold，Frenchsilver，orbank-notes，thepolicewaituntilthemoneybeginstocomeincirculation，andtheneasilypickouttheirman。Andnowcomestheshamefulpart。InplainEnglish，theprisoneristortureduntilheconfessesand(ifthatbepossible)restoresthemoney。Tokeephimalone，dayandnight，intheblackhole，istoinflictontheMarquesantortureinexpressible。Evenhisrobberiesarecarriedonintheplaindaylight，undertheopensky，withthestimulusofenterprise，andthecountenanceofanaccomplice；histerrorofthedarkisstillinsurmountable；conceive，then，whatheenduresinhissolitarydungeon；conceivehowhelongstoconfess，becomeafull-fledgedconvict，andbeallowedtosleepbesidehiscomrades。WhilewewereinTai-o-haeathiefwasunderprevention。

Hehadenteredahouseabouteightinthemorning，forcedatrunk，andstolenelevenhundredfrancs；andnow，underthehorrorsofdarkness，solitude，andabedevilledcannibalimagination，hewasreluctantlyconfessingandgivinguphisspoil。Fromonecache，whichhehadalreadypointedout，threehundredfrancshadbeenrecovered，anditwasexpectedthathewouldpresentlydisgorgetherest。Thiswouldbeuglyenoughifitwereall；butIamboundtosay，becauseitisamattertheFrenchshouldsetatrest，thatworseiscontinuallyhinted。Iheardthatonemanwaskeptsixdayswithhisarmsboundbackwardroundabarrel；anditistheuniversalreportthateverygendarmeintheSouthSeasisequippedwithsomethinginthenatureofathumbscrew。Idonotknowthis。

Ineverhadthefacetoaskanyofthegendarmes-pleasant，intelligent，andkindlyfellows-withwhomIhavebeenintimate，andwhosehospitalityIhaveenjoyed；andperhapsthetalereposes(asIhopeitdoes)onamisconstructionofthatingeniouscat’s-