Theygotherrighted，andthoughshewasstillfullofwaterputthechildonboard。Themainsailhadbeencarriedaway，butthejibstilldrewhersluggishlyalong，andFrancoisandthewomanswamasternandworkedtherudderwiththeirhands。Thecoldwascruel；thefatigue，astimewenton，becameexcessive；andinthatpreserveofsharks，fearhuntedthem。Againandagain，Francois，thehalf-breed，wouldhavedesistedandgonedown；butthewoman，wholebloodofanamphibiousrace，stillsupportedhimwithcheerfulwords。IamremindedofawomanofHawaiiwhoswamwithherhusband，Idarenotsayhowmanymiles，inahighsea，andcameashoreatlastwithhisdeadbodyinherarms。Itwasaboutfiveintheevening，afterninehours’swimming，thatFrancoisandhiswifereachedlandatRotoava。Thegallantfightwaswon，andinstantlythemorechildishsideofnativecharacterappears。Theyhadsupped，andtoldandretoldtheirstory，drippingastheycame；
　　thefleshofthewoman，whomMrs。Stevensonhelpedtoshift，wascoldasstone；andFrancois，havingchangedtoadrycottonshirtandtrousers，passedtheremainderoftheeveningonmyfloorandbetweenopendoorways，inathoroughdraught。YetFrancois，thesonofaFrenchfather，speaksexcellentFrenchhimselfandseemsintelligent。
　　Itwasourfirstideathatthecatechist，truetohisevangelicalvocation，wasclothingthenakedfromhissuperfluity。ThenitcameoutthatFrancoiswasbutdealingwithhisown。Theclotheswerehis，sowasthechest，sowasthehouse。Francoiswasinfactthelandlord。YetyouobservehehadhungbackontheverandahwhileTanieratriedhis’prenticehanduponthelocks：andevennow，whenhistruecharacterappeared，theonlyusehemadeoftheestatewastoleavetheclothesofhisfamilydryingonthefence。
　　Tanierawasstillthefriendofthehouse，stillfedthepoultry，stillcameaboutusonhisdailyvisits，Francois，duringtheremainderofhisstay，holdingbashfullyaloof。Andtherewasstrangermatter。SinceFrancoishadlostthewholeloadofhiscutter，thehalftonofcopra，anaxe，bowls，knives，andclothes-
　　sincehehadinamannertobegintheworldagain，andhisnecessaryflourwasnotyetboughtorpaidfor-Iproposedtoadvancehimwhatheneededontherent。Tomyenduringamazementherefused，andthereasonhegave-ifthatcanbecalledareasonwhichbutdarkenscounsel-wasthatTanierawashisfriend。Hisfriend，youobserve；nothiscreditor。Iinquiredintothat，andwasassuredthatTaniera，anexileinastrangeisle，mightpossiblybeindebthimself，butcertainlywasnoman’screditor。
　　Veryearlyonemorningwewereawakenedbyabustlingpresenceintheyard，andfoundourcamphadbeensurprisedbyatall，leanoldnativelady，dressedinwhatwereobviouslywidow’sweeds。Youcouldseeataglanceshewasanotablewoman，ahousewife，sternlypractical，alivewithenergy，andwithfinepossibilitiesoftemper。Indeed，therewasnothingnativeaboutherbuttheskin；
　　andthetypeabounds，andiseverywhererespected，nearerhome。Itdidusgoodtoseeherscourthegrounds，examiningtheplantsandchickens；watering，feeding，trimmingthem；takingangry，purpose-
　　likepossession。Whenshenearedthehouseoursympathyabated；
　　whenshecametothebrokenchestIwishedIwereelsewhere。Wehadscarceawordincommon；butherwholeleanbodyspokeforherwithindignanteloquence。’Mychest！’itcried，withastressonthepossessive。’Mychest-brokenopen！Thisisafinestateofthings！’Ihastenedtolaytheblamewhereitbelonged-onFrancoisandhiswife-andfoundIhadmadethingsworseinsteadofbetter。Sherepeatedthenamesatfirstwithincredulity，thenwithdespair。Awhilesheseemedstunned，nextfelltodisembowellingthebox，pilingthegoodsonthefloor，andvisiblycomputingtheextentofFrancois’sravages；andpresentlyaftershewasobservedinhighspeechwithTaniera，whoseemedtohanganearlikeonereproved。
　　Here，then，byallknownmarks，shouldbemyland-ladyatlast；
　　herewaseverycharacteroftheproprietorfullydeveloped。ShouldInotapproachheronthestilldependingquestionofmyrent?I
　　carriedthepointtoanadviser。’Nonsense！’hecried。’That’stheoldwoman，themother。Itdoesn’tbelongtoher。Ibelievethat’sthemanthehousebelongsto，’andhepointedtooneofthecolouredphotographsonthewall。OnthisIgaveupalldesireofunderstanding；andwhenthetimecameformetoleave，inthejudgment-hallofthearchipelago，andwiththeawfulcountenanceoftheactingGovernor，IdulypaidmyrenttoTaniera。Hewassatisfied，andsowasI。Butwhathadhetodowithit?Mr。
　　Donat，actingmagistrateandamanofkindredblood，couldthrownolightuponthemystery；aplainprivateperson，withatasteforletters，cannotbeexpectedtodomore。
　　CHAPTERIV-TRAITSANDSECTSINTHEPAUMOTUS
　　THEMOSTcarelessreadermusthaveremarkedachangeofairsincetheMarquesas。Thehouse，crowdedwitheffects，thebustlinghousewifecountingherpossessions，theserious，indoctrinatedislandpastor，thelongfightforlifeinthelagoon：herearetraitsofanewworld。IreadinapamphletIwillnotgivetheauthor’snamethattheMarquesanespeciallyresemblesthePaumotuan。Ishouldtakethetworaces，thoughsonearinneighbourhood，tobeextremesofPolynesiandiversity。TheMarquesaniscertainlythemostbeautifulofhumanraces，andoneofthetallest-thePaumotuanaveragingagoodinchshorter，andnotevenhandsome；theMarquesanopen-handed，inert，insensibletoreligion，childishlyself-indulgent-thePaumotuangreedy，hardy，enterprising，areligiousdisputant，andwithatraceoftheasceticcharacter。
　　Yetafewyearsago，andthepeopleofthearchipelagowerecraftysavages。Theirislesmightbecalledsirens’isles，notmerelyfromtheattractiontheyexertedonthepassingmariner，butfromtheperilsthatawaitedhimonshore。Eventothisday，incertainoutlyingislands，dangerlingers；andthecivilizedPaumotuandreadstolandandhesitatestoaccosthisbackwardbrother。But，exceptinthese，to-daytheperilisamemory。Whenourgenerationwereyetinthecradleandplayroomitwasstillalivingfact。
　　Between1830and1840，Hao，forinstance，wasaplaceofthemostdangerousapproach，whereshipswereseizedandcrewskidnapped。
　　Aslateas1856，theschoonerSARAHANNsailedfromPapeeteandwasseennomore。Shehadwomenonboard，andchildren，thecaptain’swife，anursemaid，ababy，andthetwoyoungsonsofaCaptainStevenontheirwaytothemainlandforschooling。Allweresupposedtohaveperishedinasquall。Ayearlater，thecaptainoftheJULIA，coastingalongtheislandvariouslycalledBligh，Lagoon，andTematangisawarmednativesfollowthecourseofhisschooner，cladinmany-colouredstuffs。Suspicionwasatoncearoused；themotherofthelostchildrenwasprofuseofmoney；andoneexpeditionhavingfoundtheplacedeserted，andreturnedcontentwithfiringafewshots，sheraisedandherselfaccompaniedanother。Noneappearedtogreetortoopposethem；theyroamedawhileamongabandonedhutsandemptythickets；thenformedtwopartiesandsetforthtobeat，fromendtoend，thepandanusjungleoftheisland。Onemanremainedalonebythelanding-place-
　　Teina，achiefofAnaa，leaderofthearmednativeswhomadethestrengthoftheexpedition。Nowthathiscomradesweredepartedthiswayandthat，ontheirlaboriousexploration，thesilencefellprofound；andthissilencewastheruinoftheislanders。AsoundofstonesrattlingcaughttheearofTeina。Helooked，thinkingtoperceiveacrab，andsawinsteadthebrownhandofahumanbeingissuefromafissureintheground。Ashoutrecalledthesearchpartiesandannouncedtheirdoomtotheburiedcaitiffs。Inthecavebelow，sixteenwerefoundcrouchingamonghumanbonesandsingularandhorridcuriosities。Onewasaheadofgoldenhair，supposedtobearelicofthecaptain’swife；anotherwashalfofthebodyofaEuropeanchild，sun-driedandstuckuponastick，doubtlesswithsomedesignofwizardry。
　　ThePaumotuaniseagertoberich。Hesaves，grudges，buriesmoney，fearsnotwork。Foradollareach，twonativespassedthehoursofdaylightcleaningourship’scopper。Itwasstrangetoseethemsoindefatigableandsomuchateaseinthewater-
　　workingattimeswiththeirpipeslighted，thesmokerattimessubmergedandonlytheglowingbowlabovethesurface；itwasstrangerstilltothinktheywerenextcongenerstotheincapableMarquesan。ButthePaumotuannotonlysaves，grudges，andworks，hestealsbesides；or，tobemoreprecise，heswindles。Hewillneverdenyadebt，heonlyfleeshiscreditor。Heisalwayskeenforanadvance；sosoonashehasfingeredithedisappears。Heknowsyourship；sosoonasitnearsoneisland，heisofftoanother。Youmaythinkyouknowhisname；hehasalreadychangedit。Pursuitinthatinfinityofisleswerefruitless。Theresultcanbegiveninanutshell。IthasbeenactuallyproposedinaGovernmentreporttosecuredebtsbytakingaphotographofthedebtor；andtheotherdayinPapeetecreditsonthePaumotustotheamountofsixteenthousandpoundsweresoldforlessthanforty-
　　QUATRECENTMILLEFRANCSPOURMOINSDEMILLEFRANCS。Evenso，thepurchasewasthoughthazardous；andonlythemanwhomadeitandwhohadspecialopportunitiescouldhavedaredtogivesomuch。
　　ThePaumotuanissincerelyattachedtothoseofhisownbloodandhousehold。Atouchingaffectionsometimesuniteswifeandhusband。
　　Theirchildren，whiletheyarealive，completelyrulethem；aftertheyaredead，theirbonesortheirmummiesareoftenjealouslypreservedandcarriedfromatolltoatollinthewanderingsofthefamily。IwastoldthereweremanyhousesinFakaravawiththemummyofachildlockedinasea-chest；afterIheardit，Iwouldglancealittlejealouslyatthosebymyownbed；inthatcupboard，also，itwaspossibletherewasatinyskeleton。
　　Theraceseemsinafairwaytosurvive。Fromfifteenislands，whoserollsIhadoccasiontoconsult，Ifoundaproportionof59
　　birthsto47deathsfor1887。Droppingthreeoutofthefifteen，thereremainedfortheothertwelvethecomfortableratioof50
　　birthsto32deaths。LonghabitsofhardshipandactivitydoubtlessexplainthecontrastwithMarquesanfigures。ButthePaumotuandisplays，besides，acertainconcernforhealthandtherudimentsofasanitarydiscipline。Publictalkwiththesefree-
　　spokenpeopleplaysthepartoftheContagiousDiseasesAct；in-
　　comerstofreshislandsanxiouslyinquireifallbewell；andsyphilis，whencontracted，issuccessfullytreatedwithindigenousherbs。LiketheirneighboursofTahiti，fromwhomtheyhaveperhapsimbibedtheerror，theyregardleprosywithcomparativeindifference，elephantiasiswithdisproportionatefear。But，unlikeindeedtotheTahitian，theiralarmputsontheguiseofself-defence。Anyonestrickenwiththispainfulanduglymaladyisconfinedtotheendsofvillages，deniedtheuseofpathsandhighways，andcondemnedtotransporthimselfbetweenhishouseandcoco-patchbywateronly，hisveryfootprintbeingheldinfectious。