south sea tales(南海传说)-第8章
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mind that you will be clubbed this day。〃
The Buli nodded to one of his big mountaineers； who stepped forward；
swinging a club。 Narau bolted into the nearest house； seeking to hide
among the woman and mats； but John Starhurst sprang in under the club
and threw his arms around his executioner's neck。 From this point of
vantage he proceeded to argue。 He was arguing for his life； and he knew it；
but he was neither excited nor afraid。
〃It would be an evil thing for you to kill me；〃 he told the man。 〃I
have done you no wrong； nor have I done the Buli wrong。〃
So well did he cling to the neck of the one man that they dared not
strike with their clubs。 And he continued to cling and to dispute for his life
with those who clamored for his death。
〃I am John Starhurst；〃 he went on calmly。 〃I have labored in Fiji for
three years； and I have done it for no profit。 I am here among you for good。
Why should any man kill me？ To kill me will not profit any man。〃
The Buli stole a look at the whale tooth。 He was well paid for the deed。
The missionary was surrounded by a mass of naked savages； all
struggling to get at him。 The death song； which is the song of the oven；
was raised； and his expostulations could no longer be heard。 But so
cunningly did he twine and wreathe his body about his captor's that the
death blow could not be struck。 Erirola smiled； and the Buli grew angry。
〃Away with you！〃 he cried。 〃A nice story to go back to the coasta
dozen of you and one missionary； without weapons； weak as a woman；
overcoming all of you。〃
〃Wait； O Buli；〃 John Starhurst called out from the thick of the scuffle；
〃and I will overcome even you。 For my weapons are Truth and Right； and
no man can withstand them。〃
〃Come to me； then；〃 the Buli answered； 〃for my weapon is only a poor
miserable club； and； as you say； it cannot withstand you。〃
The group separated from him； and John Starhurst stood alone； facing
the Buli； who was leaning on an enormous； knotted warclub。
〃Come to me； missionary man； and overcome me；〃 the Buli
challenged。
〃Even so will I come to you and overcome you；〃 John Starhurst made
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answer； first wiping his spectacles and settling them properly； then
beginning his advance。
The Buli raised the club and waited。
〃In the first place； my death will profit you nothing；〃 began the
argument。
〃I leave the answer to my club；〃 was the Buli's reply。
And to every point he made the same reply； at the same time watching
the missionary closely in order to forestall that cunning run…in under the
lifted club。 Then； and for the first time； John Starhurst knew that his death
was at hand。 He made no attempt to run in。 Bareheaded； he stood in the
sun and prayed aloudthe mysterious figure of the inevitable white man；
who； with Bible； bullet； or rum bottle； has confronted the amazed savage
in his every stronghold。 Even so stood John Starhurst in the rock fortress
of the Buli of Gatoka。
〃Forgive them； for they know not what they do；〃 he prayed。 〃O Lord！
Have mercy upon Fiji。 Have compasssion for Fiji。 O Jehovah； hear us for
His sake； Thy Son； whom Thou didst give that through Him all men might
also become Thy children。 From Thee we came； and our mind is that to
Thee we may return。 The land is dark； O Lord； the land is dark。 But Thou
art mighty to save。 Reach out Thy hand； O Lord； and save Fiji； poor
cannibal Fiji。〃
The Buli grew impatient。
〃Now will I answer thee；〃 he muttered； at the same time swinging his
club with both hands。
Narau； hiding among the women and the mats； heard the impact of the
blow and shuddered。 Then the death song arose； and he knew his beloved
missionary's body was being dragged to the oven as he heard the words：
〃Drag me gently。 Drag me gently。〃
〃For I am the champion of my land。〃
〃Give thanks！ Give thanks！ Give thanks！〃
Next； a single voice arose out of the din； asking：
〃Where is the brave man？〃
A hundred voices bellowed the answer：
〃Gone to be dragged into the oven and cooked。〃
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〃Where is the coward？〃 the single voice demanded。
〃Gone to report！〃 the hundred voices bellowed back。 〃Gone to report！
Gone to report！〃
Narau groaned in anguish of spirit。 The words of the old song were
true。 He was the coward； and nothing remained to him but to go and
report。
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MAUKI
He weighed one hundred and ten pounds。 His hair was kinky and
negroid； and he was black。 He was peculiarly black。 He was neither blue…
black nor purple…black； but plum…black。 His name was Mauki； and he was
the son of a chief。 He had three tambos。 Tambo is Melanesian for taboo；
and is first cousin to that Polynesian word。 Mauki's three tambos were as
follows： First； he must never shake hands with a woman； nor have a
woman's hand touch him or any of his personal belongings； secondly； he
must never eat clams nor any food from a fire in which clams had been
cooked； thirdly； he must never touch a crocodile； nor travel in a canoe that
carried any part of a crocodile even if as large as a tooth。
Of a different black were his teeeth； which were deep black； or；
perhaps better； LAMP…black。 They had been made so in a single night； by
his mother； who had compressed about them a powdered mineral which
was dug from the landslide back of Port Adams。 Port Adams is a salt…
water village on Malaita； and Malaita is the most savage island in the
Solomonsso savage that no traders or planters have yet gained a foothold
on it； while； from the time of the earliest b 坈 he…de…mer fishers and
sandalwood traders down to the latest labor recruiters equipped with
automatic rifles and gasolene engines； scores of white adventurers have
been passed out by tomahawks and soft…nosed Snider bullets。 So Malaita
remains today； in the twentieth century； the stamping ground of the labor
recruiters； who farm its coasts for laborers who engage and contract
themselves to toil on the plantations of the neighboring and more civilized
islands for a wage of thirty dollars a year。 The natives of those neighboring
and more civilized islands have themselves become too civilized to work
on plantations。
Mauki's ears were pierced； not in one place； nor two places； but in a
couple of dozen places。 In one of the smaller holes he carried a clay pipe。
The larger holes were too large for such use。 The bowl of the pipe would
have fallen through。 In fact； in the largest hole in each ear he habitually
wore round wooden plugs that were an even four inches in diameter。
Roughly speaking； the circumference of said holes was twelve and one…
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half inches。 Mauki was catholic in his tastes。 In the various smaller holes
he carried such things as empty rifle cartridges； horseshoe nails； copper
screws； pieces of string； braids of sennit； strips of green leaf； and； in the
cool of the day； scarlet hibiscus flowers。 From which it will be seen that
pockets were not necessary to his well…being。 Besides； pockets were
impossible； for his only wearing apparel consisted of a piece of calico
several inches wide。 A pocket knife he wore in his hair； the blade snapped
down on a kinky lock。 His most prized possession was the handle of a
china cup； which he suspended from a ring of turtle…shell； which； in turn；
was passed through the partition…cartilage of his nose。
But in spite of embellishments； Mauki had a nice face。 It was really a
pretty face； viewed by any standard； and for a Melanesian it was a
remarkably good…looking face。 Its one fault was its lack of strength。 It was
softly effeminate； almost girlish。 The features were small； regular； and
delicate。 The chin was weak； and the mouth was weak。 There was no
strength nor character in the jaws； forehead； and nose。 In the eyes only
could be caught any hint of the unknown quantities that were so large a
part of his make…up and that other persons could not understand。 These
unknown quantities were pluck； pertinacity； fearlessness； imagination； and
cunning； and when they found expression in some consistent and striking
action； those about him were astounded。
Mauki's father was chief over the village at Port Adams； and thus； by
birth a salt…water man； Mauki was half amphibian。 He knew the way of the
fishes and oysters； and the reef was an open book to him。 Canoes； also； he
knew。 He learned to swim when he was a year old。 At seven years he
could hold his breath a full minute and swim straight down to bottom
through thirty feet of water。 And at seven years he was stolen by the
bushmen； who cannot even swim and who are afraid of salt water。
Thereafter Mauki saw the sea only from a distance； through rifts in the
jungle and from open spaces on the high mountain sides。 He became the
slave of old Fanfoa； head chief over a score of scattered bush…villages on
the range…lips of Malaita； the smoke of which； on calm mornings； is about
the only evidence the seafaring white men have of the teeming interior
population。 For the whites do not penetrate Malaita。 They tried it once； in
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the days when the se
