south sea tales(南海传说)-第21章
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overboard。〃
Captain Hansen regarded Bertie with unblinking； lack…luster eyes。
〃II thought〃 Bertie was beginning。
〃Shots？〃 said Captain Hansen； dreamily。 〃Shots？ Did you hear any
shots； Mr。 Jacobs？〃
〃Not a shot；〃 replied Mr。 Jacobs。
The skipper looked at his guest triumphantly； and said：
〃Evidently an accident。 Let us go down； Mr。 Arkwright； and finish
dinner。〃
Bertie slept that night in the captain's cabin； a tiny stateroom off the
main cabin。 The for'ard bulkhead was decorated with a stand of rifles。
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Over the bunk were three more rifles。 Under the bunk was a big drawer；
which； when he pulled it out； he found filled with ammunition； dynamite；
and several boxes of detonators。 He elected to take the settee on the
opposite side。 Lying conspicuously on the small table； was the Arla's log。
Bertie did not know that it had been especially prepared for the occasion
by Captain Malu； and he read therein how on September 21； two boat's
crew had fallen overboard and been drowned。 Bertie read between the
lines and knew better。 He read how the Arla's whale boat had been
bushwhacked at Su'u and had lost three men； of how the skipper
discovered the cook stewing human flesh on the galley fireflesh
purchased by the boat's crew ashore in Fui； of how an accidental discharge
of dynamite； while signaling； had killed another boat's crew； of night
attacks； ports fled from between the dawns； attacks by bushmen in
mangrove swamps and by fleets of salt…water men in the larger passages。
One item that occurred with monotonous frequency was death by
dysentery。 He noticed with alarm that two white men had so diedguests；
like himself； on the Arla。
〃I say； you know；〃 Bertie said next day to Captain Hansen。 〃I've been
glancing through your log。〃
The skipper displayed quick vexation that the log had been left lying
about。
〃And all that dysentery； you know； that's all rot； just like the accidental
drownings；〃 Bertie continued。 〃What does dysentery really stand for？〃
The skipper openly admired his guest's acumen； stiffened himself to
make indignant denial； then gracefully surrendered。
〃You see； it's like this； Mr。 Arkwright。 These islands have got a bad
enough name as it is。 It's getting harder every day to sign on white men。
Suppose a man is killed。 The company has to pay through the nose for
another man to take the job。 But if the man merely dies of sickness； it's all
right。 The new chums don't mind disease。 What they draw the line at is
being murdered。 I thought the skipper of the Arla had died of dysentery
when I took his billet。 Then it was too late。 I'd signed the contract。〃
〃Besides；〃 said Mr。 Jacobs； 〃there's altogether too many accidental
drownings anyway。 It don't look right。 It's the fault of the government。 A
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white man hasn't a chance to defend himself from the niggers。〃
〃Yes； look at the Princess and that Yankee mate；〃 the skipper took up
the tale。 〃She carried five white men besides a government agent。 The
captain； the agent； and the supercargo were ashore in the two boats。 They
were killed to the last man。 The mate and boson； with about fifteen of
the crewSamoans and Tonganswere on board。 A crowd of niggers came
off from shore。 First thing the mate knew； the boson and the crew were
killed in the first rush。 The mate grabbed three cartridge belts and two
Winchesters and skinned up to the cross…trees。 He was the sole survivor；
and you can't blame him for being mad。 He pumped one rifle till it got so
hot he couldn't hold it； then he pumped the other。 The deck was black with
niggers。 He cleaned them out。 He dropped them as they went over the
rail； and he dropped them as fast as they picked up their paddles。 Then
they jumped into the water and started to swim for it； and being mad； he
got half a dozen more。 And what did he get for it？〃
〃Seven years in Fiji；〃 snapped the mate。
〃The government said he wasn't justified in shooting after they'd taken
to the water；〃 the skipper explained。
〃And that's why they die of dysentery nowadays；〃 the mate added。
〃Just fancy；〃 said Bertie； as he felt a longing for the cruise to be over。
Later on in the day he interviewed the black who had been pointed out
to him as a cannibal。 This fellow's name was Sumasai。 He had spent three
years on a Queensland plantation。 He had been to Samoa； and Fiji； and
Sydney； and as a boat's crew had been on recruiting schooners through
New Britain； New Ireland； New Guinea； and the Admiralties。 Also； he was
a wag； and he had taken a line on his skipper's conduct。 Yes； he had eaten
many men。 How many？ He could not remember the tally。 Yes； white men；
too； they were very good； unless they were sick。 He had once eaten a sick
one。
〃My word！〃 he cried； at the recollection。 〃Me sick plenty along him。
'my belly walk about too much。〃
Bertie shuddered； and asked about heads。 Yes； Sumasai had several
hidden ashore； in good condition； sun…dried； and smoke…cured。 One was of
the captain of a schooner。 It had long whiskers。 He would sell it for two
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quid。 Black men's heads he would sell for one quid。 He had some
pickaninny heads； in poor condition； that he would let go for ten bob。
Five minutes afterward； Bertie found himself sitting on the
companionway…slide alongside a black with a horrible skin disease。 He
sheered off； and on inquiry was told that it was leprosy。 He hurried below
and washed himself with antiseptic soap。 He took many antiseptic washes
in the course of the day； for every native on board was afflicted with
malignant ulcers of one sort or another。
As the Arla drew in to an anchorage in the midst of mangrove swamps；
a double row of barbed wire was stretched around above her rail。 That
looked like business； and when Bertie saw the shore canoes alongside；
armed with spears； bows and arrows； and Sniders； he wished more
earnestly than ever that the cruise was over。
That evening the natives were slow in leaving the ship at sundown。 A
number of them checked the mate when he ordered them ashore。 〃Never
mind； I'll fix them；〃 said Captain Hansen； diving below。
When he cam back； he showed Bertie a stick of dynamite attached to a
fish hook。 Now it happens that a paper…wrapped bottle of chlorodyne with
a piece of harmless fuse projecting can fool anybody。 It fooled Bertie； and
it fooled the natives。 When Captain Hansen lighted the fuse and hooked
the fish hook into the tail end of a native's loin cloth； that native was
smitten with so an ardent a desire for the shore that he forgot to shed the
loin cloth。 He started for'ard； the fuse sizzling and spluttering at his rear；
the natives in his path taking headers over the barbed wire at every jump。
Bertie was horror…stricken。 So was Captain Hansen。 He had forgotten his
twenty…five recruits； on each of which he had paid thirty shillings advance。
They went over the side along with the shore…dwelling folk and followed
by him who trailed the sizzling chlorodyne bottle。
Bertie did not see the bottle go off； but the mate opportunely
discharging a stick of real dynamite aft where it would harm nobody；
Bertie would have sworn in any admiralty court to a nigger blown to
flinders。 The flight of the twenty…five recruits had actually cost the Arla
forty pounds； and； since they had taken to the bush； there was no hope of
recovering them。 The skipper and his mate proceeded to drown their
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sorrow in cold tea。
The cold tea was in whiskey bottles； so Bertie did not know it was cold
tea they were mopping up。 All he knew was that the two men got very
drunk and argued eloquently and at length as to whether the exploded
nigger should be reported as a case of dysentery or as an accidental
drowning。 When they snored off to sleep； he was the only white man left；
and he kept a perilous watch till dawn； in fear of an attack from shore and
an uprising of the crew。
Three more days the Arla spent on the coast； and three more nights the
skipper and the mate drank overfondly of cold tea； leaving Bertie to keep
the watch。 They knew he could be depended upon； while he was equally
certain that if he lived； he would report their drunken conduct to Captain
Malu。 Then the Arla dropped anchor at Reminge Plantation； on
Guadalcanar； and Bertie landed on the beach with a sigh of relief and
shook hands with the manager。 'mr。 Harriwell was ready for him。
〃Now you mustn't be alarmed if some of our fellows seem downcast；〃
Mr。 Harriwell said； having drawn him aside in confidence。 〃There's been
talk of an outbreak； and two or three suspicious signs I'm willing to admit；
but personally I think it's all poppycock。〃
〃Howhow many blacks have you on the plantation？〃 Bertie asked；
with a sinking heart。
〃We're working four hundred just now；〃 replied Mr。 Harriwell；
cheerfully； but the three of us； with you； of course； and the skipper and
mate of the Arla； can handle them all right。〃
Bertie turned to meet one McTavish； the storekeeper； who scarcely
acknowledged the introduction； such was his eagerness to present his
resignation。
〃It being that I'm a married man； Mr。 Harriwell； I can't very we
