south sea tales-第15章

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together　we　ranged　the　Pacific　from　Hawaii　to　Sydney　Head；　and　from　Torres

Straits　to　the　Galapagos。　We　blackbirded　from　the　New　Hebrides　and　the　Line

Islands　over　to　the　westward　clear　through　the　Louisades；　New　Britain；　New

Ireland；　and　New　Hanover。　We　were　wrecked　three　timesin　the　Gilberts；　in　the

Santa　Cruz　group；　and　in　the　Fijis。　And　we　traded　and　salved　wherever　a　dollar

promised　in　the　way　of　pearl　and　pearl　shell；　copra；　beche…de…mer；　hawkbill

turtle　shell；　and　stranded　wrecks。



It　began　in　Papeete；　immediately　after　his　announcement　that　he　was　going　with

me　over　all　the　sea；　and　the　islands　in　the　midst　thereof。　There　was　a　club　in

those　days　in　Papeete；　where　the　pearlers；　traders；　captains；　and　riffraff　of

South　Sea　adventurers　forgathered。　The　play　ran　high；　and　the　drink　ran　high；

and　I　am　very　much　afraid　that　I　kept　later　hours　than　were　becoming　or

proper。　No　matter　what　the　hour　was　when　I　left　the　club；　there　was　Otoo

waiting　to　see　me　safely　home。



At　first　I　smiled；　next　I　chided　him。　Then　I　told　him　flatly　that　I　stood　in

need　of　no　wet…nursing。　After　that　I　did　not　see　him　when　I　came　out　of　the

club。　Quite　by　accident；　a　week　or　so　later；　I　discovered　that　he　still　saw　me

home；　lurking　across　the　street　among　the　shadows　of　the　mango　trees。　What

could　I　do？　I　know　what　I　did　do。



Insensibly　I　began　to　keep　better　hours。　On　wet　and　stormy　nights；　in　the

thick　of　the　folly　and　the　fun；　the　thought　would　persist　in　coming　to　me　of

Otoo　keeping　his　dreary　vigil　under　the　dripping　mangoes。　Truly；　he　made　a

better　man　of　me。　Yet　he　was　not　strait…laced。　And　he　knew　nothing　of　common

Christian　morality。　All　the　people　on　Bora　Bora　were　Christians；　but　he　was　a

heathen；　the　only　unbeliever　on　the　island；　a　gross　materialist；　who　believed

that　when　he　died　he　was　dead。　He　believed　merely　in　fair　play　and　square

dealing。　Petty　meanness；　in　his　code；　was　almost　as　serious　as　wanton

homicide；　and　I　do　believe　that　he　respected　a　murderer　more　than　a　man　given

to　small　practices。



Concerning　me；　personally；　he　objected　to　my　doing　anything　that　was　hurtful

to　me。　Gambling　was　all　right。　He　was　an　ardent　gambler　himself。　But　late

hours；　he　explained；　were　bad　for　one's　health。　He　had　seen　men　who　did　not

take　care　of　themselves　die　of　fever。　He　was　no　teetotaler；　and　welcomed　a

stiff　nip　any　time　when　it　was　wet　work　in　the　boats。　On　the　other　hand；　he

believed　in　liquor　in　moderation。　He　had　seen　many　men　killed　or　disgraced　by

square…face　or　Scotch。



Otoo　had　my　welfare　always　at　heart。　He　thought　ahead　for　me；　weighed　my

plans；　and　took　a　greater　interest　in　them　than　I　did　myself。　At　first；　when　I

was　unaware　of　this　interest　of　his　in　my　affairs；　he　had　to　divine　my

intentions；　as；　for　instance；　at　Papeete；　when　I　contemplated　going　partners

with　a　knavish　fellow…countryman　on　a　guano　venture。　I　did　not　know　he　was　a

knave。　Nor　did　any　white　man　in　Papeete。　Neither　did　Otoo　know；　but　he　saw　how

thick　we　were　getting；　and　found　out　for　me；　and　without　my　asking　him。　Native

sailors　from　the　ends　of　the　seas　knock　about　on　the　beach　in　Tahiti；　and

Otoo；　suspicious　merely；　went　among　them　till　he　had　gathered　sufficient　data

to　justify　his　suspicions。　Oh；　it　was　a　nice　history；　that　of　Randolph　Waters。

I　couldn't　believe　it　when　Otoo　first　narrated　it；　but　when　I　sheeted　it　home

to　Waters　he　gave　in　without　a　murmur；　and　got　away　on　the　first　steamer　to

Aukland。



At　first；　I　am　free　to　confess；　I　couldn't　help　resenting　Otoo's　poking　his

nose　into　my　business。　But　I　knew　that　he　was　wholly　unselfish；　and　soon　I　had

to　acknowledge　his　wisdom　and　discretion。　He　had　his　eyes　open　always　to　my

main　chance；　and　he　was　both　keen…sighted　and　far…sighted。　In　time　he　became

my　counselor；　until　he　knew　more　of　my　business　than　I　did　myself。　　He　really

had　my　interest　at　heart　more　than　I　did。　'mine　was　the　magnificent

carelessness　of　youth；　for　I　preferred　romance　to　dollars；　and　adventure　to　a

comfortable　billet　with　all　night　in。　So　it　was　well　that　I　had　some　one　to

look　out　for　me。　I　know　that　if　it　had　not　been　for　Otoo；　I　should　not　be　here

today。



Of　numerous　instances；　let　me　give　one。　I　had　had　some　experience　in

blackbirding　before　I　went　pearling　in　the　Paumotus。　Otoo　and　I　were　on　the

beach　in　Samoawe　really　were　on　the　beach　and　hard　agroundwhen　my　chance

came　to　go　as　recruiter　on　a　blackbird　brig。　Otoo　signed　on　before　the　mast；

and　for　the　next　half…dozen　years；　in　as　many　ships；　we　knocked　about　the

wildest　portions　of　Melanesia。　Otoo　saw　to　it　that　he　always　pulled　stroke…oar

in　my　boat。　Our　custom　in　recruiting　labor　was　to　land　the　recruiter　on　the

beach。　The　covering　boat　always　lay　on　its　oars　several　hundred　feet　off

shore；　while　the　recruiter's　boat；　also　lying　on　its　oars；　kept　afloat　on　the

edge　of　the　beach。　When　I　landed　with　my　trade　goods；　leaving　my　steering

sweep　apeak；　Otoo　left　his　stroke　position　and　came　into　the　stern　sheets；

where　a　Winchester　lay　ready　to　hand　under　a　flap　of　canvas。　The　boat's　crew

was　also　armed；　the　Sniders　concealed　under　canvas　flaps　that　ran　the　length

of　the　gunwales。



While　I　was　busy　arguing　and　persuading　the　woolly…headed　cannibals　to　come

and　labor　on　the　Queensland　plantations　Otoo　kept　watch。　And　often　and　often

his　low　voice　warned　me　of　suspicious　actions　and　impending　treachery。

Sometimes　it　was　the　quick　shot　from　his　rifle；　knocking　a　nigger　over；　that

was　the　first　warning　I　received。　And　in　my　rush　to　the　boat　his　hand　was

always　there　to　jerk　me　flying　aboard。　Once；　I　remember；　on　SANTA　ANNA；　the

boat　grounded　just　as　the　trouble　began。　The　covering　boat　was　dashing　to　our

assistance；　but　the　several　score　of　savages　would　have　wiped　us　out　before　it

arrived。　Otoo　took　a　flying　leap　ashore；　dug　both　hands　into　the　trade　goods；

and　scattered　tobacco；　beads；　tomahawks；　knives；　and　calicoes　in　all

directions。



This　was　too　much　for　the　woolly…heads。　While　they　scrambled　for　the

treasures；　the　boat　was　shoved　clear；　and　we　were　aboard　and　forty　feet　away。

And　I　got　thirty　recruits　off　that　very　beach　in　the　next　four　hours。



The　particular　instance　I　have　in　mind　was　on　Malaita；　the　most　savage　island

in　the　easterly　Solomons。　The　natives　had　been　remarkably　friendly；　and　how

were　we　to　know　that　the　whole　village　had　been　taking　up　a　collection　for

over　two　years　with　which　to　buy　a　white　man's　head？　The　beggars　are　all

head…hunters；　and　they　especially　esteem　a　white　man's　head。　The　fellow　who

captured　the　head　would　receive　the　whole　collection。　　As　I　say；　they　appeared

very　friendly；　and　on　this　day　I　was　fully　a　hundred　yards　down　the　beach　from

the　boat。　Otoo　had　cautioned　me；　and；　as　usual　when　I　did　not　heed　him；　I　came

to　grief。



The　first　I　knew；　a　cloud　of　spears　sailed　out　of　the　mangrove　swamp　at　me。　At

least　a　dozen　were　sticking　into　me。　I　started　to　run；　but　tripped　over　one

that　was　fast　in　my　calf；　and　went　down。　The　woolly…heads　made　a　run　for　me；

each　with　a　long…handled；　fantail　tomahawk　with　which　to　hack　off　my　head。　

They　were　so　eager　for　the　prize　that　they　got　in　one　another's　way。　In　the

confusion；　I　avoided　several　hacks　by　throwing　myself　right　and　left　on　the

sand。



Then　Otoo　arrivedOtoo　the　manhandler。　In　some　way　he　had　got　hold　of　a　heavy

war　club；　and　at　close　quarters　it　was　a　far　more　efficient　weapon　than　a

rifle。　He　was　right　in　the　thick　of　them；　so　that　they　could　not　spear　him；

while　their　tomahawks　seemed　worse　than　useless。　He　was　fighting　for　me；　and

he　was　in　a　true　Berserker　rage。　The　way　he　handled　that　club　was　amazing。



Their　skulls　squashed　like　overripe　oranges。　It　was　not　until　he　had　driven

them　back；　picked　me　up　in　his　arms；　and　started　to　run；　that　he　received　his

first　wounds。　He　arrived　in　the　boat　with　four　spear　thrusts；　got　his

Winchester；　and　with　it　got　a　man　for　every　shot。　Then　we　pulled　aboard　the

schooner；　and　doctored　up。



Seventeen　years　we　were　together。　He　made　me。　I　should　today　be　a　supercargo；

a　recruiter；　or　a　memory；　if　it　had　not　been　for　him。



〃You　spend　your　money；　and　you　go　out　and　get　more；〃　he　said　one　day。　〃It　is

easy　to　get　money　now。　But　when　you　get　old；　your　money　will　be　spent；　and　you

will　not　be　able　to　go　out　and　get　more。　I　know；　master。　I　have　studied　the

way　of　white　men。　On　the　beaches　are　many　old　men　who　were　young　once；　and　who

could　get　money　just　like　you。　Now　they　are　old；　and　they　have　nothing；　and

they　wait　about　for　the　young　men　like　you　to　come　ashore　and　buy　drinks　for

them。



〃The　black　boy　is　a　slave　on　the　plantations。　He　gets　twenty　dollars　a　year。

He　works　hard。　The　overseer　does　not　work　hard。



He　rides　a　horse　and　watches　the　black　boy　work。　He　gets　twelve　hundred

dollars　a　year。　I　am　a　sailor　on　the　schooner。　I　get　fifteen　dollars　a　month。

That　is　because　I　am　a　good　sailor。　I　work　hard。　The　captain　has　a　double

awning；　and　drinks　beer　out　of　long　bottles。　I　have　never　seen　him　haul　a　rope

or　pull　an　oar。　He　gets　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　month。　I　am　a　sailor。

He　is　a　navigator。　'master；　I　think　it　would　be　very　good　for　you　to　know

navigation。〃



Otoo　spurred　me　on　to　it。　He　sailed　with　me　as　second　mate　on　my　first

schooner；　and　he　was　far　prouder　of　my　command　than　I　was　myself。　Later　on　it

was：



〃The　captain　is　well　paid；　master；　but　the　ship　is　in　his　keeping；　and　he　is

never　free　from　the　burden。　It　is　the　owner　who　is　better　paidthe　owner　who

sits　ashore　with　many　servants　and　turns　his　money　over。〃



〃True；　but　a　schooner　costs　five　thousand　dollarsan　old　schooner　at　that；〃　I

objected。　〃I　should　be　an　old　man　before　I　saved　five　thousand　dollars。〃



〃There　be　short　ways　for　white　men　to　make　money；〃　he　went　on；　pointing　ashore

at　the　cocoanut…fringed　beach。



We　were　in　the　Solomons　at　the　time；　picking　up　a　cargo　of　ivory　nuts　along

the　east　coast　of　Guadalcanar。



〃Between　this　river　mouth　and　the　next　it　is　two　miles；〃　he　said。



〃The　flat　land　runs　far　back。　It　is　worth　nothing　now。　Next　yearwho

knows？or　the　year　after；　men　will　pay　much　money　for　that　land。　The

anchorage　is　good。　Big　steamers　can　lie　close　up。　You　can　buy　the　land　four

miles　deep　from　the　old　chief　for　ten　thousand　sticks　of　tobacco；　ten　bottles

of　square…face；　and　a　Snider；　which　will　cost　you；　maybe；　one　hundred　dollars。

Then　you　place　the　deed　with　the　commissioner；　and　the　next　year；　or　the　year

after；　you　sell　and　become　the　owner　of　a　ship。〃



I　followed　his　lead；　and　his　words　came　true；　though　in　three　years；　instead

of　two。　Next　came　the　grasslands　deal　on　Guadalcanartwenty　thousand　acres；

on　a　governmental　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　years'　lease　at　a　nominal　sum。

I　owned　the　lease　for　precisely　ninety　days；　when　I　sold　it　to　a　company　for

half　a　fortune。　Always　it　was　Otoo　who　looked　ahead　and　saw　the　opportunity。

He　was　responsible