’SouthSeaMerchants’isthetitletheyprefer。’Weareallsailorshere’-’Merchants，ifyouplease’-’SOUTHSEAMerchants，’-
　　wasapieceofconversationendlesslyrepeated，thatneverseemedtoloseinsavour。Wefoundthematalltimessimple，genial，gay，gallant，andobliging；and，acrosssomeintervaloftime，recallwithpleasurethetradersofButaritari。Therewasoneblacksheepindeed。Itellofhimherewherehelived，againstmyrule；forinthiscaseIhavenomeasuretopreserve，andthemanistypicalofaclassofruffiansthatoncedisgracedthewholefieldoftheSouthSeas，andstilllingerintherarelyvisitedislesofMicronesia。Hehadthenameonthebeachof’aperfectgentlemanwhensober，’butIneversawhimotherwisethandrunk。ThefewshockingandsavagetraitsoftheMicronesianhehassingledoutwiththeskillofacollector，andplantedinthesoilofhisoriginalbaseness。Hehasbeenaccusedandacquittedofatreacherousmurder；andhassinceboastfullyownedit，whichinclinesmetosupposehiminnocent。Hisdaughterisdefacedbyhiserroneouscruelty，foritwashiswifehehadintendedtodisfigure，andinthedarknessofthenightandthefrenzyofcoco-
　　brandy，fastenedonthewrongvictim。Thewifehassincefledandharboursinthebushwithnatives；andthehusbandstilldemandsfromdeafearsherforciblerestoration。Thebestofhisbusinessistomakenativesdrink，andthenadvancethemoneyforthefineuponalucrativemortgage。’Respectforwhites’istheman’sword：
　　’Whatisthematterwiththisislandisthewantofrespectforwhites。’OnhiswaytoButaritari，whileIwasthere，hespiedhiswifeinthebushwithcertainnativesandmadeadashtocaptureher；whereupononeofhercompanionsdrewaknifeandthehusbandretreated：’Doyoucallthatproperrespectforwhites?’hecried。
　　Atanearlystageoftheacquaintanceweprovedourrespectforhiskindofwhitebyforbiddinghimourenclosureunderpainofdeath。
　　ThenceforthhelingeredoftenintheneighbourhoodwithIknewnotwhatsenseofenvyordesignofmischief；hiswhite，handsomefacewhichIbeheldwithloathinglookedinuponusatallhoursacrossthefence；andonce，fromasafedistance，heavengedhimselfbyshoutingareconditeislandinsult，tousquiteinoffensive，onhisEnglishlipsincrediblyincongruous。
　　Ourenclosure，roundwhichthiscompositeofdegradationswandered，wasofsomeextent。Inonecornerwasatrelliswithalongtableofroughboards。HeretheFourthofJulyfeasthadbeenheldnotlongbeforewithmemorableconsequences，yettobesetforth；herewetookourmeals；hereentertainedtoadinnerthekingandnotablesofMakin。Inthemidstwasthehouse，withaverandahfrontandback，andthreeisroomswithin。Intheverandahweslungourman-of-warhammocks，workedtherebyday，andsleptatnight。Withinwerebeds，chairs，aroundtable，afinehanginglamp，andportraitsoftheroyalfamilyofHawaii。QueenVictoriaprovesnothing；KalakauaandMrs。Bishoparediagnostic；andthetruthiswewerethestealthytenantsoftheparsonage。OnthedayofourarrivalMakawasaway；faithlesstrusteesunlockedhisdoors；andthedearrigorousman，theswornfoeofliquorandtobacco，returnedtofindhisverandahlitteredwithcigarettesandhisparlourhorriblewithbottles。Hemadebutonecondition-ontheroundtable，whichheusedinthecelebrationofthesacraments，hebeggedustorefrainfromsettingliquor；inallelsehebowedtotheaccomplishedfact，refusedrent，retiredacrossthewayintoanativehouse，and，plyinginhisboat，beattheremotestquartersoftheisleforprovender。Hefounduspigs-Icouldnotfancywhere-nootherpigswerevisible；hebroughtusfowlsandtaro；whenwegaveourfeasttothemonarchandgentry，itwashewhosuppliedthewherewithal，hewhosuperintendedthecooking，hewhoaskedgraceattable，andwhentheking’shealthwasproposed，healsostartedthecheeringwithanEnglishhip-hip-hip。Therewasneveramorefortunateconception；theheartofthefattedkingexultedinhisbosomatthesound。
　　Takehimforallinall，IhaveneverknownamoreengagingcreaturethanthisparsonofButaritari：hismirth，hiskindness，hisnoble，friendlyfeelings，brimmedfromthemaninspeechandgesture。Helovedtoexaggerate，toactandoveractthemomentarypart，toexercisehislungsandmuscles，andtospeakandlaughwithhiswholebody。Hehadthemorningcheerfulnessofbirdsandhealthychildren；andhishumourwasinfectious。Wewerenextneighboursandmetdaily，yetoursalutationslastedminutesatastretch-shakinghands，slappingshoulders，caperinglikeapairofMerry-Andrews，laughingtosplitoursidesuponsomepleasantrythatwouldscarceraiseatitterinaninfant-school。Itmightbefiveinthemorning，thetoddy-cuttersjustgoneby，theroadempty，theshadeoftheislandlyingfaronthelagoon：andtheebullitioncheeredmefortheday。
　　YetIalwayssuspectedMakaofasecretmelancholy-thesejubilantextremescouldscarcebeconstantlymaintained。Hewasbesideslong，andlean，andlined，andcorded，andatriflegrizzled；andhisSabbathcountenancewasevensaturnine。Onthatdaywemadeaprocessiontothechurch，orasImustalwayscallitthecathedral：Makaablotonthehotlandscapeintallhat，blackfrock-coat，blacktrousers；underhisarmthehymn-bookandtheBible；inhisface，areverentgravity：-besidehimMaryhiswife，aquiet，wise，andhandsomeelderlylady，seriouslyattired：-
　　myselffollowingwithsingularandmovingthoughts。Longbefore，tothesoundofbellsandstreamsandbirds，throughagreenLothianglen，IhadaccompaniedSundaybySundayaministerinwhosehouseIlodged；andthelikeness，andthedifference，andtheseriesofyearsanddeaths，profoundlytouchedme。Inthegreat，dusky，palm-treecathedralthecongregationrarelynumberedthirty：
　　themenononeside，thewomenontheother，myselfpostedforaprivilegeamongstthewomen，andthesmallmissionarycontingentgatheredclosearoundtheplatform，wewerelostinthatroundvault。Thelessonswerereadantiphonally，theflockwascatechised，ablindyouthrepeatedweeklyalongstringofpsalms，hymnsweresung-Ineverheardworsesinging，-andthesermonfollowed。TosayIunderstoodnothingwereuntrue；therewerepointsthatIlearnedtoexpectwithcertainty；thenameofHonolulu，thatofKalakaua，thewordCap’n-man-o’-wa’，thewordship，andadescriptionofastormatsea，infalliblyoccurred；andIwasnotseldomrewardedwiththenameofmyownSovereigninthebargain。Therestwasbutsoundtotheears，silenceforthemind：
　　aplainexpanseoftedium，renderedunbearablebyheat，ahardchair，andthesightthroughthewidedoorsofthemorehappyheathenonthegreen。Sleepbreathedonmyjointsandeyelids，sleephummedinmyears；itreignedinthedimcathedral。Thecongregationstirredandstretched；theymoaned，theygroanedaloud；theyyawneduponasingingnote，asyoumaysometimeshearadogwhenhehasreachedthetragicbitterestofboredom。Invainthepreacherthumpedthetable；invainhesingledandaddressedbynameparticularhearers。Iwasmyselfperhapsamoreeffectiveexcitant；andatleasttooneoldgentlemanthespectacleofmysuccessfulstrugglesagainstsleep-andIhopetheyweresuccessful-cheeredtheflightoftime。He，whenhewasnotcatchingfliesorplayingtricksuponhisneighbours，gloatedwithafixed，truculenteyeuponthestagesofmyagony；andonce，whentheservicewasdrawingtowardsaclose，hewinkedatmeacrossthechurch。
　　Iwriteoftheservicewithasmile；yetIwasalwaysthere-
　　alwayswithrespectforMaka，alwayswithadmirationforhisdeepseriousness，hisburningenergy，thefireofhisrousedeye，thesincereandvariousaccentsofhisvoice。Toseehimweeklyfloggingadeadhorseandblowingacoldfirewasalessoninfortitudeandconstancy。Itmaybeaquestionwhetherifthemissionwerefullysupported，andhewassetfreefrombusinessavocations，moremightnotresult；Ithinkotherwisemyself；I
　　thinknotneglectbutrigourhasreducedhisflock，thatrigourwhichhasonceprovokedarevolution，andwhichto-day，inamansolivelyandengaging，amazesthebeholder。Nosong，nodance，notobacco，noliquor，noalleviativeoflife-onlytoilandchurch-
　　going；sosaysavoicefromhisface；andthefaceisthefaceofthePolynesianEsau，butthevoiceisthevoiceofaJacobfromadifferentworld。AndaPolynesianatthebestmakesasingularmissionaryintheGilberts，comingfromacountryrecklesslyunchastetooneconspicuouslystrict；fromaracehag-riddenwithbogiestoonecomparativelyboldagainsttheterrorsofthedark。
　　Thethoughtwasstampedonemorninginmymind，whenIchancedtobeabroadbymoonlight，andsawallthetownlightless，butthelampfaithfullyburningbythemissionary’sbed。Itrequiresnolaw，nofire，andnoscoutingpolice，towithholdMakaandhiscountrymenfromwanderinginthenightunlighted。
　　CHAPTERIV-ATALEOFATAPU
　　ONthemorrowofourarrivalSunday，14thJuly1889ourphotographerswereearlystirring。Oncemorewetraversedasilenttown；manywereyetabedandasleep；somesatdrowsilyintheiropenhouses；therewasnosoundofintercourseorbusiness。Inthathourbeforetheshadows，thequarterofthepalaceandcanalseemedlikealanding-placeintheARABIANNIGHTSorfromtheclassicpoets；herewerethefitdestinationofsome’faeryfrigot，’heresomeadventurousprincemightstepashoreamongnewcharactersandincidents；andtheislandprison，whereitfloatedontheluminousfaceofthelagoon，mighthavepassedfortherepositoryoftheGrail。Insuchascene，andatsuchanhour，theimpressionreceivedwasnotsomuchofforeigntravel-ratherofpastages；itseemednotsomuchdegreesoflatitudethatwehadcrossed，ascenturiesoftimethatwehadre-ascended；leaving，bythesamesteps，homeandto-day。Afewchildrenfollowedus，mostlynude，allsilent；intheclear，weedywatersofthecanalsomesilentdamselswaded，baringtheirbrownthighs；andtooneofthemaniap’sbeforethepalacegatewewereattractedbyalowbutstirringhumofspeech。
　　Theovalshedwasfullofmensittingcross-legged。Thekingwasthereinstripedpyjamas，hisrearprotectedbyfourguardswithWinchesters，hisairandbearingmarkedbyunwontedspiritanddecision；tumblersandblackbottleswenttheround；andthetalk，throughoutloud，wasgeneralandanimated。Iwasinclinedatfirsttoviewthisscenewithsuspicion。Butthehourappearedunsuitableforacarouse；drinkwasbesidesforbiddenequallybythelawofthelandandthecanonsofthechurch；andwhileIwasyethesitating，theking’srigorousattitudedisposedofmylastdoubt。Wehadcome，thinkingtophotographhimsurroundedbyhisguards，andatthefirstwordofthedesignhispietyrevolted。Wewereremindedoftheday-theSabbath，inwhichthoushalttakenophotographs-andreturnedwithafleainourear，bearingtherejectedcamera。
　　Atchurch，alittlelater，Iwasstrucktofindthethroneunoccupied。SoniceaSabbatarianmighthavefoundthemeanstobepresent；perhapsmydoubtsrevived；andbeforeIgothometheyweretransformedtocertainties。Tom，thebar-keeperoftheSANSSOUCI，wasinconversationwithtwoemissariesfromthecourt。The’keen，’theysaid，wanted’din，’failingwhich’perandi。’Nodin，wasTom’sreply，andnoperandi；but’pira’iftheypleased。Itseemstheyhadnouseforbeer，anddepartedsorrowing。
　　’Why，whatisthemeaningofallthis?’Iasked。’Istheislandonthespree?’