south sea tales(南海传说)-第12章
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More than his fear of the British government was Mauki's fear of the
all…powerful Moongleam Soap Company； and one day a message came up
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to him in the bush； reminding him that he owed the Company eight and
one…half years of labor。 He sent back a favorable answer； and then
appeared the inevitable white man； the captain of the schooner； the only
white man during Mauki's reign； who ventured the bush and came out
alive。 This man not only came out； but he brought with him seven hundred
and fifty dollars in gold sovereignsthe money price of eight years and a
half of labor plus the cost price of certain rifles and cases of tobacco。
Mauki no longer weighs one hundred and ten pounds。 His stomach is three
times its former girth； and he has four wives。 He has many other things
rifles and revolvers； the handle of a china cup； and an excellent collection
of bushmen's heads。 But more precious than the entire collection is
another head； perfectly dried and cured； with sandy hair and a yellowish
beard； which is kept wrapped in the finest of fibre lava…lavas。 When Mauki
goes to war with villages beyond his realm； he invariably gets out this
head； and alone in his grass palace； contemplates it long and solemnly。 At
such times the hush of death falls on the village； and not even a
pickaninny dares make a noise。 The head is esteemed the most powerful
devil…devil on Malaita； and to the possession of it is ascribed all of
Mauki's greatness。
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〃YAH！ YAH！ YAH！〃
He was a whiskey…guzzling Scotchman； and he downed his whiskey
neat； beginning with his first tot punctually at six in the morning； and
thereafter repeating it at regular intervals throughout the day till bedtime；
which was usually midnight。 He slept but five hours out of the twenty…
four； and for the remaining nineteen hours he was quietly and decently
drunk。 During the eight weeks I spent with him on Oolong Atoll； I never
saw him draw a sober breath。 In fact； his sleep was so short that he never
had time to sober up。 It was the most beautiful and orderly perennial drunk
I have ever observed。
McAllister was his name。 He was an old man； and very shaky on his
pins。 His hand trembled as with a palsy； especially noticeable when he
poured his whiskey； though I never knew him to spill a drop。 He had been
twenty…eight years in Melanesia； ranging from German New Guinea to the
German Solomons； and so thoroughly had he become identified with that
portion of the world； that he habitually spoke in that bastard lingo called
〃bech…de…mer。〃 Thus； in conversation with me； SUN HE COME UP meant
sunrise； KAI…KAI HE STOP meant that dinner was served； and BELLY
BELONG ME WALK ABOUT meant that he was sick at his stomach。 He
was a small man； and a withered one； burned inside and outside by ardent
spirits and ardent sun。 He was a cinder； a bit of a clinker of a man； a little
animated clinker； not yet quite cold； that moved stiffly and by starts and
jerks like an automaton。 A gust of wind would have blown him away。 He
weighed ninety pounds。
But the immense thing about him was the power with which he ruled。
Oolong Atoll was one hundred and forty miles in circumference。 One
steered by compass course in its lagoon。 It was populated by five thousand
Polynesians； all strapping men and women； many of them standing six feet
in height and weighing a couple of hundred pounds。 Oolong was two
hundred and fifty miles from the nearest land。 Twice a year a little
schooner called to collect copra。 The one white man on Oolong was
McAllister； petty trader and unintermittent guzzler； and he ruled Oolong
and its six thousand savages with an iron hand。 He said come； and they
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came； go； and they went。 They never questioned his will nor judgment。 He
was cantankerous as only an aged Scotchman can be； and interfered
continually in their personal affairs。 When Nugu； the king's daughter；
wanted to marry Haunau from the other end of the atoll； her father said yes；
but McAllister said no； and the marriage never came off。 When the king
wanted to buy a certain islet in the lagoon from the chief priest； McAllister
said no。 The king was in debt to the Company to the tune of 180；000
cocoanuts； and until that was paid he was not to spend a single cocoanut
on anything else。
And yet the king and his people did not love McAllister。 In truth； they
hated him horribly； and； to my knowledge； the whole population； with the
priests at the head； tried vainly for three months to pray him to death。 The
devil…devils they sent after him were awe…inspiring； but since McAllister
did not believe in devil…devils； they were without power over him。 With
drunken Scotchmen all signs fail。 They gathered up scraps of food which
had touched his lips； an empty whiskey bottle； a cocoanut from which he
had drunk； and even his spittle； and performed all kinds of deviltries over
them。 But McAllister lived on。 His health was superb。 He never caught
fever； nor coughs nor colds； dysentery passed him by； and the malignant
ulcers and vile skin diseases that attack blacks and whites alike in that
climate never fastened upon him。 He must have been so saturated with
alcohol as to defy the lodgment of germs。 I used to imagine them falling to
the ground in showers of microscopic cinders as fast as they entered his
whiskey…sodden aura。 No one loved him； not even germs； while he loved
only whiskey； and still he lived。
I was puzzled。 I could not understand six thousand natives putting up
with that withered shrimp of a tyrant。 It was a miracle that he had not died
suddenly long since。 Unlike the cowardly Melanesians； the people were
high…stomached and warlike。 In the big graveyard； at head and feet of the
graves； were relics of past sanguinary historyblubber…spades； rusty old
bayonets and cutlasses； copper bolts； rudder…irons； harpoons； bomb guns；
bricks that could have come from nowhere but a whaler's trying…out
furnace； and old brass pieces of the sixteenth century that verified the
traditions of the early Spanish navigators。 Ship after ship had come to
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grief on Oolong。 Not thirty years before； the whaler BLENNERDALE；
running into the lagoon for repair； had been cut off with all hands。 In
similar fashion had the crew of the GASKET； a sandalwood trader；
perished。 There was a big French bark； the TOULON； becalmed off the
atoll； which the islanders boarded after a sharp tussle and wrecked in the
Lipau Passage； the captain and a handful of sailors escaping in the
longboat。 Then there were the Spanish pieces； which told of the loss of
one of the early explorers。 All this； of the vessels named； is a matter of
history； and is to be found in the SOUTH PACIFIC SAILING
DIRECTORY。 But that there was other history； unwritten； I was yet to
learn。 In the meantime I puzzled why six thousand primitive savages let
one degenerate Scotch despot live。
One hot afternoon McAllister and I sat on the veranda looking out
over the lagoon； with all its wonder of jeweled colors。 At our backs； across
the hundred yards of palm…studded sand； the outer surf roared on the reef。
It was dreadfully warm。 We were in four degree south latitude and the sun
was directly overhead； having crossed the Line a few days before on its
journey south。 There was no windnot even a catspaw。 The season of the
southeast trade was drawing to an early close； and the northwest monsoon
had not yet begun to blow。
〃They can't dance worth a damn；〃 said McAllister。
I had happened to mention that the Polynesian dances were superior to
the Papuan； and this McAllister had denied； for no other reason than his
cantankerousness。 But it was too not to argue； and I said nothing。
Besides； I had never seen the Oolong people dance。
〃I'll prove it to you；〃 he announced； beckoning to the black New
Hanover boy； a labor recruit； who served as cook and general house
servant。 〃Hey； you； boy； you tell 'm one fella king come along me。〃
The boy departed； and back came the prime minister； perturbed； ill at
ease； and garrulous with apologetic explanation。 In short； the king slept；
and was not to be disturbed。
〃King he plenty strong fella sleep；〃 was his final sentence。
McAllister was in such a rage that the prime minister incontinently
fled； to return with the king himself。 They were a magnificent pair； the
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king especially； who must have been all of six feet three inches in height。
His features had the eagle…like quality that is so frequently found in those
of the North American Indian。 He had been molded and born to rule。 His
eyes flashed as he listened； but right meekly he obeyed McAllister's
command to fetch a couple of hundred of the best dancers； male and
female； in the village。 And dance they did； for two mortal hours； under that
broiling sun。 They did not love him for it； and little he cared； in the end
dismissing them with abuse and sneers。
The abject servility of those magnificent savages was terrifying。 How
could it be？ What was the secret of his rule？ More and more I puzzled as
the days went by； and though I observed perpetual examples of his
undisputed sovereignt
