south sea tales-第6章

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Besides；　the　missionary's　hair…splitting　objection　had　offended　him；　and；　to

prove　that　he　was　a　free　agent　and　a　man　of　honor；　he　had　swung　his　huge　war

club　over　Starhurst's　head。　Starhurst　had　escaped　by　rushing　in　under　the　club

and　holding　on　to　him　until　help　arrived。　But　all　that　was　now　forgiven　and

forgotten。　Ra　Vatu　was　coming　into　the　church；　not　merely　as　a　converted

heathen；　but　as　a　converted　polygamist　as　well。　He　was　only　waiting；　he

assured　Starhurst；　until　his　oldest　wife；　who　was　very　sick；　should　die。



John　Starhurst　journeyed　up　the　sluggish　Rewa　in　one　of　Ra　Vatu's　canoes。　This

canoe　was　to　carry　him　for　two　days；　when；　the　head　of　navigation　reached；　it

would　return。　Far　in　the　distance；　lifted　into　the　sky；　could　be　seen　the

great　smoky　mountains　that　marked　the　backbone　of　the　Great　Land。　All　day　John

Starhurst　gazed　at　them　with　eager　yearning。



Sometimes　he　prayed　silently。　At　other　times　he　was　joined　in　prayer　by　Narau；

a　native　teacher；　who　for　seven　years　had　been　Lotu；　ever　since　the　day　he　had

been　saved　from　the　hot　oven　by　Dr。　James　Ellery　Brown　at　the　trifling　expense

of　one　hundred　sticks　of　tobacco；　two　cotton　blankets；　and　a　large　bottle　of

painkiller。　At　the　last　moment；　after　twenty　hours　of　solitary　supplication

and　prayer；　Narau's　ears　had　heard　the　call　to　go　forth　with　John　Starhurst　on

the　mission　to　the　mountains。



〃Master；　I　will　surely　go　with　thee；〃　he　had　announced。



John　Starhurst　had　hailed　him　with　sober　delight。　Truly；　the　Lord　was　with　him

thus　to　spur　on　so　broken…spirited　a　creature　as　Narau。



〃I　am　indeed　without　spirit；　the　weakest　of　the　Lord's　vessels；〃　Narau

explained；　the　first　day　in　the　canoe。



〃You　should　have　faith；　stronger　faith；〃　the　missionary　chided　him。



Another　canoe　journeyed　up　the　Rewa　that　day。　But　it　journeyed　an　hour　astern；

and　it　took　care　not　to　be　seen。　This　canoe　was　also　the　property　of　Ra　Vatu。

In　it　was　Erirola；　Ra　Vatu's　first　cousin　and　trusted　henchman；　and　in　the

small　basket　that　never　left　his　hand　was　a　whale　tooth。　It　was　a　magnificent

tooth；　fully　six　inches　long；　beautifully　proportioned；　the　ivory　turned

yellow　and　purple　with　age。　This　tooth　was　likewise　the　property　of　Ra　Vatu；

and　in　Fiji；　when　such　a　tooth　goes　forth；　things　usually　happen。　For　this　is

the　virtue　of　the　whale　tooth：　Whoever　accepts　it　cannot　refuse　the　request

that　may　accompany　it　or　follow　it。　The　request　may　be　anything　from　a　human

life　to　a　tribal　alliance；　and　no　Fijian　is　so　dead　to　honor　as　to　deny　the

request　when　once　the　tooth　has　been　accepted。　　Sometimes　the　request　hangs

fire；　or　the　fulfilment　is　delayed；　with　untoward　consequences。



High　up　the　Rewa；　at　the　village　of　a　chief；　Mongondro　by　name；　John　Starhurst

rested　at　the　end　of　the　second　day　of　the　journey。　In　the　morning；　attended

by　Narau；　he　expected　to　start　on　foot　for　the　smoky　mountains　that　were　now

green　and　velvety　with　nearness。　Mongondro　was　a　sweet…tempered；　mild…mannered

little　old　chief；　short…sighted　and　afflicted　with　elephantiasis；　and　no

longer　inclined　toward　the　turbulence　of　war。　He　received　the　missionary　with

warm　hospitality；　gave　him　food　from　his　own　table；　and　even　discussed

religious　matters　with　him。　Mongondro　was　of　an　inquiring　bent　of　mind；　and

pleased　John　Starhurst　greatly　by　asking　him　to　account　for　the　existence　and

beginning　of　things。　When　the　missionary　had　finished　his　summary　of　the

Creation　according　to　Genesis；　he　saw　that　Mongondro　was　deeply　affected。　The

little　old　chief　smoked　silently　for　some　time。　　Then　he　took　the　pipe　from

his　mouth　and　shook　his　head　sadly。



〃It　cannot　be；〃　he　said。　〃I；　Mongondro；　in　my　youth；　was　a　good　workman　with

the　adze。　Yet　three　months　did　it　take　me　to　make　a　canoea　small　canoe；　a

very　small　canoe。　And　you　say　that　all　this　land　and　water　was　made　by　one

man〃



〃Nay；　was　made　by　one　God；　the　only　true　God；〃　the　missinary　interrupted。



〃It　is　the　same　thing；〃　Mongondro　went　on；　〃that　all　the　land　and　all　the

water；　the　trees；　the　fish；　and　bush　and　mountains；　the　sun；　the　moon；　and　the

stars；　were　made　in　six　days！　No；　no。　I　tell　you　that　in　my　youth　I　was　an

able　man；　yet　did　it　require　me　three　months　for　one　small　canoe。　It　is　a

story　to　frighten　children　with；　but　no　man　can　believe　it。〃



〃I　am　a　man；〃　the　missionary　said。



〃True；　you　are　a　man。　But　it　is　not　given　to　my　dark　understanding　to　know

what　you　believe。〃



〃I　tell　you；　I　do　believe　that　everything　was　made　in　six　days。〃



〃So　you　say；　so　you　say；〃　the　old　cannibal　murmured　soothingly。



It　was　not　until　after　John　Starhurst　and　Narau　had　gone　off　to　bed　that

Erirola　crept　into　the　chief's　house；　and；　after　diplomatic　speech；　handed　the

whale　tooth　to　Mongondro。



The　old　chief　held　the　tooth　in　his　hands　for　a　long　time。　It　was　a　beautiful

tooth；　and　he　yearned　for　it。　Also；　he　divined　the　request　that　must　accompany

it。　〃No；　no；　whale　teeth　were　beautiful；〃　and　his　mouth　watered　for　it；　but　he

passed　it　back　to　Erirola　with　many　apologies。



。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　　。



In　the　early　dawn　John　Starhurst　was　afoot；　striding　along　the　bush　trail　in

his　big　leather　boots；　at　his　heels　the　faithful　Narau；　himself　at　the　heels

of　a　naked　guide　lent　him　by　Mongondro　to　show　the　way　to　the　next　village；

which　was　reached　by　midday。　Here　a　new　guide　showed　the　way。　A　mile　in　the

rear　plodded　Erirola；　the　whale　tooth　in　the　basket　slung　on　his　shoulder。　For

two　days　more　he　brought　up　the　missionary's　rear；　offering　the　tooth　to　the

village　chiefs。　But　village　after　village　refused　the　tooth。　It　followed　so

quickly　the　missionary's　advent　that　they　divined　the　request　that　would　be

made；　and　would　have　none　of　it。



They　were　getting　deep　into　the　mountains；　and　Erirola　took　a　secret　trail；

cut　in　ahead　of　the　missionary；　and　reached　the　stronghold　of　the　Buli　of

Gatoka。　Now　the　Buli　was　unaware　of　John　Starhurst's　imminent　arrival。　Also；

the　tooth　was　beautifulan　extraordinary　specimen；　while　the　coloring　of　it

was　of　the　rarest　order。　The　tooth　was　presented　publicly。　The　Buli　of　Gatoka；

seated　on　his　best　mat；　surrounded　by　his　chief　men；　three　busy　fly…brushers

at　his　back；　deigned　to　receive　from　the　hand　of　his　herald　the　whale　tooth

presented　by　Ra　Vatu　and　carried　into　the　mountains　by　his　cousin；　Erirola。　A

clapping　of　hands　went　up　at　the　acceptance　of　the　present；　the　assembled

headman；　heralds；　and　fly…brushers　crying　aloud　in　chorus：



〃A！　woi！　woi！　woi！　A！　woi！　woi！　woi！　A　tabua　levu！　woi！　　woi！　A　mudua；　mudua；

mudua！'



〃Soon　will　come　a　man；　a　white　man；〃　Erirola　began；　after　the　proper　pause。

〃He　is　a　missionary　man；　and　he　will　come　today。　　Ra　Vatu　is　pleased　to　desire

his　boots。　He　wishes　to　present　them　to　his　good　friend；　Mongondro；　and　it　is

in　his　mind　to　send　them　with　the　feet　along　in　them；　for　Mongondro　is　an　old

man　and　his　teeth　are　not　good。　Be　sure；　O　Buli；　that　the　feet　go　along　in　the

boots。　As　for　the　rest　of　him；　it　may　stop　here。〃



The　delight　in　the　whale　tooth　faded　out　of　the　Buli's　eyes；　and　he　glanced

about　him　dubiously。　Yet　had　he　already　accepted　the　tooth。



〃A　little　thing　like　a　missionary　does　not　matter；〃　Erirola　prompted。



〃No；　a　little　thing　like　a　missionary　does　not　matter；〃　the　Buli　answered；

himself　again。　〃Mongondro　shall　have　the　boots。　Go；　you　young　men；　some　three

or　four　of　you；　and　meet　the　missionary　on　the　trail。　Be　sure　you　bring　back

the　boots　as　well。〃



〃It　is　too　late；〃　said　Erirola。　〃Listen！　He　comes　now。〃



Breaking　through　the　thicket　of　brush；　John　Starhurst；　with　Narau　close　on　his

heels；　strode　upon　the　scene。　The　famous　boots；　having　filled　in　wading　the

stream；　squirted　fine　jets　of　water　at　every　step。　Starhurst　looked　about　him

with　flashing　eyes。　　Upborne　by　an　unwavering　trust；　untouched　by　doubt　or

fear；　he　exulted　in　all　he　saw。　He　knew　that　since　the　beginning　of　time　he

was　the　first　white　man　ever　to　tread　the　mountain　stronghold　of　Gatoka。



The　grass　houses　clung　to　the　steep　mountain　side　or　overhung　the　rushing

Rewa。　On　either　side　towered　a　mighty　precipice。　At　the　best；　three　hours　of

sunlight　penetrated　that　narrow　gorge。　No　cocoanuts　nor　bananas　were　to　be

seen；　though　dense；　tropic　vegetation　overran　everything；　dripping　in　airy

festoons　from　the　sheer　lips　of　the　precipices　and　running　riot　in　all　the

crannied　ledges。　At　the　far　end　of　the　gorge　the　Rewa　leaped　eight　hundred

feet　in　a　single　span；　while　the　atmosphere　of　the　rock　fortress　pulsed　to　the

rhythmic　thunder　of　the　fall。



From　the　Buli's　house；　John　Starhurst　saw　emerging　the　Buli　and　his　followers。



〃I　bring　you　good　tidings；〃　was　the　missionary's　greeting。



〃Who　has　sent　you？〃　the　Buli　rejoined　quietly。



〃God。〃



〃It　is　a　new　name　in　Viti　Levu；〃　the　Buli　grinned。　〃Of　what　islands；　villages；

or　passes　may　he　be　chief？〃



〃He　is　the　chief　over　all　islands；　all　villages；　all　passes；〃　John　Starhurst

answered　solemnly。　〃He　is　the　Lord　over　heaven　and　earth；　and　I　am　come　to

bring　His　word　to　you。〃



〃Has　he　sent　whale　teeth？〃　was　the　insolent　query。



〃No；　but　more　precious　than　whale　teeth　is　the〃



〃It　is　the　custom；　between　chiefs；　to　send　whale　teeth；〃　the　Buli　interrupted。



〃Your　chief　is　either　a　niggard；　or　you　are　a　fool；　to　come　empty…handed　into

the　mountains。　Behold；　a　more　generous　than　you　is　before　you。〃



So　saying；　he　showed　the　whale　tooth　he　had　received　from　Erirola。



Narau　groaned。



〃It　is　the　whale　tooth　of　Ra　Vatu；〃　he　whispered　to　Starhurst。　　〃I　know　it

well。　Now　are　we　undone。〃



〃A　gracious　thing；〃　the　missionary　answered；　passing　his　hand　through　his　long

beard　and　adjusting　his　glasses。　〃Ra　Vatu　has　arranged　that　we　should　be　well

received。〃



But　Narau　groaned　again；　and　backed　away　from　the　heels　he　had　dogged　so

faithfully。



〃Ra　Vatu　is　soon　to　become　Lotu；〃　Starhurst　explained；　〃and　I　have　come

bringing　the　Lotu　to　you。〃



〃I　want　none　of　your　Lotu；〃　said　the　Buli；　proudly。　〃And　it　is　in　my　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