Fe’efe’e，beingacreatureofmarshesandthesequelofmalarialfever，isnotoriginalinatolls。OnthesingleisleofMakatea，wherethelagoonisnowamarsh，thediseasehasmadeahome。Manysuffer；theyareexcludedifMr。Wilmotberightfrommuchofthecomfortofsociety；anditisbelievedtheytakeasecretvengeance。Thedefectionsofthesickareconsideredhighlypoisonous。Earlyinthemorning，itisnarrated，agedandmaliciouspersonscreepintothesleepingvillage，andstealthilymakewateratthedoorsofthehousesofyoungmen。Thustheypropagatedisease；thustheybreatheonandobliteratecomelinessandhealth，theobjectsoftheirenvy。Whetherhorridfactormoreabominablelegend，itequallydepictsthatsomethingbitterandenergeticwhichdistinguishesPaumotuanman。
　　Thearchipelagoisdividedbetweentwomainreligions，CatholicandMormon。Theyfronteachotherproudlywithafalseairofpermanence；yetarebutshapes，theirmembershipinaperpetualflux。TheMormonattendsmasswithdevotion：theCatholicsitsattentiveataMormonsermon，andto-morroweachmayhavetransferredallegiance。OnemanhadbeenapillaroftheChurchofRomeforfifteenyears；hiswifedying，hedecidedthatmustbeapoorreligionthatcouldnotsaveamanhiswife，andturnedMormon。Accordingtooneinformant，Catholicismwasthemorefashionableinhealth，butontheapproachofsicknessitwasjudgedprudenttosecede。AsaMormon，therewerefivechancesoutofsixyoumightrecover；asaCatholic，yourhopesweresmall；andthisopinionisperhapsfoundedonthecomfortableriteofunction。
　　WeallknowwhatCatholicsare，whetherinthePaumotusorathome。
　　ButthePaumotuanMormonseemedaphenomenonapart。Hemarriesbuttheonewife，usestheProtestantBible，observesProtestantformsofworship，forbidstheuseofliquorandtobacco，practisesadultbaptismbyimmersion，andaftereverypublicsin，rechristensthebackslider。IadvisedwithMahinui，whomIfoundwellinformedinthehistoryoftheAmericanMormons，andhedeclaredagainsttheleastconnection。’POURMOI，’saidhe，withafinecharity，’LES
　　MORMONSICIUNPETITCATHOLIQUES。’SomemonthslaterIhadanopportunitytoconsultanorthodoxfellow-countryman，anolddissentingHighlander，longsettledinTahiti，butstillbreathingoftheheatherofTiree。’WhydotheycallthemselvesMormons?’I
　　asked。’Mydear，andthatismyquestion！’heexclaimed。’ForbyallthatIcanhearoftheirdoctrine，Ihavenothingtosayagainstit，andtheirlife，itisabovereproach。’Andforallthat，Mormonstheyare，butoftheearliersowing：theso-calledJosephites，thefollowersofJosephSmith，theopponentsofBrighamYoung。
　　Grant，then，theMormonstobeMormons。Freshpointsatoncearise：WhataretheIsraelites?andwhattheKanitus?ForalongwhilebackthesecthadbeendividedintoMormonsproperandso-
　　calledIsraelites，Inevercouldhearwhy。AfewyearssincetherecameavisitingmissionaryofthenameofWilliams，whomadeanexcellentcollection，andretired，leavingfreshdisruptionimminent。SomethingirregularasIwastoldinhiswayof’openingtheservice’hadraisedpartisansandenemies；thechurchwasoncemorerentasunder；andanewsect，theKanitu，issuedfromthedivision。SincethenKanitusandIsraelites，liketheCameroniansandtheUnitedPresbyterians，havemadecommoncause；
　　andtheecclesiasticalhistoryofthePaumotusis，forthemoment，uneventful。Therewillbemoredoingbeforelong，andtheseislesbidfairtobetheScotlandoftheSouth。TwothingsIcouldneverlearn。ThenatureoftheinnovationsoftheRev。Mr。Williamsnonewouldtellme，andofthemeaningofthenameKanitunonehadaguess。ItwasnotTahitian，itwasnotMarquesan；itformednopartofthatancientspeechofthePaumotus，nowpassingswiftlyintoobsolescence。Oneman，apriest，Godblesshim！saiditwastheLatinforalittledog。IhavefounditsinceasthenameofagodinNewGuinea；itmustbeaboldermanthanIwhoshouldhintataconnection。Here，then，isasingularthing：abrand-newsect，arisingbypopularacclamation，andanonsensewordinventedforitsname。
　　Thedesignofmysteryseemsobvious，andaccordingtoaveryintelligentobserver，Mr。MageeofMangareva，thiselementofthemysteriousisachiefattractionoftheMormonChurch。ItenjoyssomeofthestatusofFreemasonryathome，andthereisfortheconvertsomeoftheexhilarationofadventure。Otherattractionsarecertainlyconjoined。Perpetualrebaptism，leadingtoasuccessionofbaptismalfeasts，isfound，bothfromthesocialandthespiritualside，apleasingfeature。Moreimportantisthefactthatallthefaithfulenjoyoffice；perhapsmoreimportantstill，thestrictnessofthediscipline。’Thevetoonliquor，’saidMr。
　　Magee，’bringsthemplentymembers。’Thereisnodoubttheseislandersarefondofdrink，andnodoubttheyrefrainfromtheindulgence；aboutonafeast-day，forinstance，maybefollowedbyaweekoramonthofrigoroussobriety。Mr。WilmotattributesthistoPaumotuanfrugalityandtheloveofhoarding；itgoesfardeeper。IhavementionedthatImadeafeastonboardtheCASCO。
　　Towashdownship’sbreadandjam，eachguestwasgiventhechoiceofrumorsyrup，andoutofthewholenumberonlyonemanvoted-
　　inadefianttone，andamidshoutsofmirth-for’Trum’！Thiswasinpublic。Ihadthemeannesstorepeattheexperiment，wheneverI
　　hadachance，withinthefourwallsofmyhouse；andthreeatleast，whohadrefusedatthefestival，greedilydrankrumbehindadoor。Buttherewereothersthoroughlyconsistent。Isaidthevirtuesoftheracewerebourgeoisandpuritan；andhowbourgeoisisthis！howpuritanic！howScottish！andhowYankee！-thetemptation，theresistance，thepublichypocriticalconformity，thePharisees，theHolyWillies，andthetruedisciples。WithsuchapeoplethepopularityofanasceticChurchappearslegitimate；inthesestrictrules，inthisperpetualsupervision，theweakfindtheiradvantage，thestrongacertainpleasure；andthedoctrineofrebaptism，acleanbillandafreshstart，willcomfortmanystaggeringprofessors。
　　Thereisyetanothersect，orwhatiscalledasect-nodoubtimproperly-thatoftheWhistlers。DuncanCameron，soclearinfavouroftheMormons，wasnolessloudincondemnationoftheWhistlers。YetIdonotknow；Istillfancythereissomeconnection，perhapsfortuitous，probablydisavowed。HereatleastaresomedoingsinthehouseofanIsraeliteclergymanorprophet
　　intheislandofAnaa，ofwhichIamequallysurethatDuncanwoulddisclaimandtheWhistlershailthemforanimitationoftheirown。
　　Myinformant，aTahitianandaCatholic，occupiedonepartofthehouse；theprophetandhisfamilylivedintheother。NightafternighttheMormons，intheoneend，heldtheireveningsacrificeofsong；nightafternight，intheother，thewifeoftheTahitianlayawakeandlistenedtotheirsingingwithamazement。Atlengthshecouldcontainherselfnolonger，wokeherhusband，andaskedhimwhatheheard。’Ihearseveralpersonssinginghymns，’saidhe。
　　’Yes，’shereturned，’butlistenagain！Doyounothearsomethingsupernatural?’Hisattentionthusdirected，hewasawareofastrangebuzzingvoice-andyethedeclareditwasbeautiful-
　　whichjustlyaccompaniedthesingers。Thenextdayhemadeinquiries。’Itisaspirit，’saidtheprophet，withentiresimplicity，’whichhaslatelymadeapracticeofjoiningusatfamilyworship。’Itdidnotappearthethingwasvisible，andlikeotherspiritsraisednearerhomeinthesedegeneratedays，itwasrudelyignorant，atfirstcouldonlybuzz，andhadonlylearnedoflatetobearapartcorrectlyinthemusic。
　　TheperformancesoftheWhistlersaremorebusiness-like。Theirmeetingsareheldpubliclywithopendoors，allbeing’cordiallyinvitedtoattend。’Thefaithfulsitabouttheroom-accordingtooneinformant，singinghymns；accordingtoanother，nowsingingandnowwhistling；theleader，thewizard-letmerathersay，themedium-sitsinthemidst，envelopedinasheetandsilent；andpresently，fromjustabovehishead，orsometimesfromthemidstoftheroof，anaerialwhistlingproceeds，appallingtotheinexperienced。This，itappears，isthelanguageofthedead；itspurportistakendownprogressivelybyoneoftheexperts，writing，Iwastold，’asfastasatelegraphoperator’；andthecommunicationsareatlastmadepublic。Theyareofthebaldesttriviality；aschooneris，perhaps，announced，someidlegossipreportedofaneighbour，orifthespiritshallhavebeencalledtoconsultationonacaseofsickness，aremedymaybesuggested。Oneofthese，immersioninscaldingwater，notlongagoprovedfataltothepatient。Thewholebusinessisverydreary，verysilly，andveryEuropean；ithasnoneofthepicturesquequalitiesofsimilarconjurationsinNewZealand；itseemstopossessnokernelofpossiblesense，likesomethatIshalldescribeamongtheGilbertislanders。YetIwastoldthatmanyhardy，intelligentnativeswereinveterateWhistlers。’LikeMahinui?’Iasked，willingtohaveastandard；andIwastold’Yes。’WhyshouldIwonder?Menmoreenlightenedthanmyconvict-catechistsitdownathometofolliesequallysterileanddull。
　　Themediumissometimesfemale。Itwasawoman，forinstance，whointroducedthesepracticesonthenorthcoastofTaiarapu，tothescandalofherownconnections，herbrother-in-lawinparticulardeclaringshewasdrunk。ButwhatshockedTahitimightseemfitenoughinthePaumotus，themoresoascertainwomentherepossess，bythegiftofnature，singularandusefulpowers。Theysaytheyarehonest，well-intentionedladies，someofthemembarrassedbytheirweirdinheritance。Andindeedthetroublecausedbythisendowmentissogreat，andtheprotectionaffordedsoinfinitesimallysmall，thatIhesitatewhethertocallitagiftorahereditarycurse。Youmayrobthislady’scoco-patch，stealhercanoes，burndownherhouse，andslayherfamilyscatheless；butonethingyoumustnotdo：youmustnotlayahanduponhersleeping-mat，oryourbellywillswell，andyoucanonlybecuredbytheladyorherhusband。Hereisthereportofaneye-witness，Tasmanianborn，educated，amanwhohasmademoney-certainlynofool。In1886hewaspresentinahouseonMakatea，wheretwoladsbegantoskylarkonthemats，andwereIthinkejected。
　　Instantlyafter，theirbelliesbegantoswell；painstookholdonthem；allmannerofislandremedieswereexhibitedinvain，andrubbingonlymagnifiedtheirsufferings。Themanofthehousewascalled，explainedthenatureofthevisitation，andpreparedthecure。Acocoa-nutwashusked，filledwithherbs，andwithalltheceremoniesofalaunch，andtheutteranceofspellsinthePaumotuanlanguage，committedtothesea。Fromthatmomentthepainsbegantogrowmoreeasyandtheswellingtosubside。Thereadermaystare。Icanassurehim，ifhemovedmuchamongoldresidentsofthearchipelago，hewouldbedriventoadmitonethingoftwo-eitherthatthereissomethingintheswollenbelliesornothingintheevidenceofman。
　　Ihavenotmetthesegiftedladies；butIhadanexperienceofmyown，forIhaveplayed，foronenightonly，thepartofthewhistlingspirit。Ithadbeenblowingwearilyallday，butwiththefallofnightthewindabated，andthemoon，whichwasthenfull，rolledinaclearsky。Wewentsouthwarddowntheislandonthesideofthelagoon，walkingthroughlong-drawnforestaislesofpalm，andonafloorofsnowysand。Nolifewasabroad，norsoundoflife；tillinaclearpartoftheislewespiedtheembersofafire，andnotfaroff，inadarkhouse，heardnativestalkingsoftly。Tositwithoutalight，evenincompany，andundercover，isforaPaumotuanasomewhathazardousextreme。Thewholescene-
　　thestrongmoonlightandcrudeshadowsonthesand，thescatteredcoals，thesoundofthelowvoicesfromthehouse，andthelapofthelagoonalongthebeach-putmeIknownothowonthoughtsofsuperstition。Iwasbarefoot，Iobservedmystepswerenoiseless，anddrawingneartothedarkhouse，butkeepingwellinshadow，begantowhistle。’TheHeavingoftheLead’wasmyair-noverytragicpiece。Withthefirstnotetheconversationandallmovementceased；silenceaccompaniedmewhileIcontinued；andwhenIpassedthatwayonmyreturnIfoundthelampwaslightedinthehouse，butthetongueswerestillmute。Allnight，asInowthink，thewretchesshiveredandweresilent。Forindeed，IhadnoguessatthetimeatthenatureandmagnitudeoftheterrorsIinflicted，orwithwhatgrislyimagesthenotesofthatoldsonghadpeopledthedarkhouse。
　　CHAPTERV-APAUMOTUANFUNERAL
　　NO，Ihadnoguessofthesemen’sterrors。YetIhadreceivederethatahint，ifIhadunderstood；andtheoccasionwasafuneral。