下载辰思小说免费APP
THEkingdomofTebureimoaincludestwoislands，GreatandLittleMakin；sometwothousandsubjectspayhimtribute，andtwosemi-
independentchieftainsdohimqualifiedhomage。Theimportanceoftheofficeismeasuredbytheman；hemaybeanobody，hemaybeabsolute；andbothextremeshavebeenexemplifiedwithinthememoryofresidents。
OnthedeathofkingTetimararoa，Tebureimoa’sfather，Nakaeia，theeldestson，succeeded。Hewasafellowofhugephysicalstrength，masterful，violent，withacertainbarbaricthriftandsomeintelligenceofmenandbusiness。Aloneinhisislands，itwashewhodealtandprofited；hewastheplanterandthemerchant；andhissubjectstoiledforhisbehoofinservitude。Whentheywroughtlongandwelltheirtaskmasterdeclaredaholiday，andsuppliedandsharedageneraldebauch。Thescaleofhisprovidingwasattimesmagnificent；sixhundreddollars’worthofginandbrandywassetforthatonce；thenarrowlandresoundedwiththenoiseofrevelry：
anditwasacommonthingtoseethesubjects(staggeringthemselves)paradetheirdrunkensovereignonthefore-hatchofawreckedvessel，kingandcommonshowlingandsingingastheywent。
AtawordfromNakaeia’smouththerevelended；Makinbecameoncemoreanisleofslavesandofteetotalers；andonthemorrowallthepopulationmustbeontheroadsorinthetaro-patchestoilingunderhisbloodshoteye。
ThefearofNakaeiafilledtheland。Noregularityofjusticewasaffected；therewasnotrial，therewerenoofficersofthelaw；itseemstherewasbutonepenalty，thecapital；anddaylightassaultandmidnightmurderweretheformsofprocess。Thekinghimselfwouldplaytheexecutioner：andhisblowsweredealtbystealth，andwiththehelpandcountenanceofnonebuthisownwives。Thesewerehisoarswomen；onethatcaughtacrab，heslewincontinentlywiththetiller；thusdisciplined，theypulledhimbynighttothesceneofhisvengeance，whichhewouldthenexecutealoneandreturnwell-pleasedwithhisconnubialcrew。Theinmatesoftheharemheldastationhardforustoconceive。Beastsofdraught，anddrivenbythefearofdeath，theywereyetimplicitlytrustedwiththeirsovereign’slife；theywerestillwivesandqueens，anditwassupposedthatnomanshouldbeholdtheirfaces。Theykilledbythesightlikebasilisks；achanceviewofoneofthoseboatwomenwasacrimetobewipedoutwithblood。InthedaysofNakaeiathepalacewasbesetwithsometallcoco-palmswhichcommandedtheenclosure。Itchancedoneevening，whileNakaeiasatbelowatsupperwithhiswives，thattheownerofthegrovewasinatree-topdrawingpalm-treewine；itchancedthathelookeddown，andthekingatthesamemomentlookingup，theireyesencountered。
Instantflightpreservedtheinvoluntarycriminal。Butduringtheremainderofthatreignhemustlurkandbehidbyfriendsinremotepartsoftheisle；Nakaeiahuntedhimwithoutremission，althoughstillinvain；andthepalms，accessoriestothefact，wereruthlesslycutdown。Suchwastheidealofwifelypurityinanislewherenubilevirginswentnakedasinparadise。AndyetscandalfounditswayintoNakaeia’swell-guardedharem。Hewasatthattimetheownerofaschooner，whichheusedforapleasure-
house，lodgingonboardasshelayanchored；andthitheronedayhesummonedanewwife。Shewasonethathadbeensealedtohim；thatistosay(Ipresume)，thathewasmarriedtohersister，forthehusbandofaneldersisterhasthecallofthecadets。Shewouldbearrayedfortheoccasion；shewouldcomescented，garlanded，deckedwithfinematsandfamilyjewels，formarriage，asherfriendssupposed；fordeath，asshewellknew。’Tellmetheman’sname，andIwillspareyou，’saidNakaeia。Butthegirlwasstaunch；sheheldherpeace，savedherloverandthequeensstrangledherbetweenthemats。
Nakaeiawasfeared；itdoesnotappearthathewashated。Deedsthatsmelltousofmurderworetohissubjectsthereverendfaceofjustice；hisorgiesmadehimpopular；nativestothisdayrecallwithrespe
