foundthatshealsowasdandifiedfortheoccasion。AndthetwocasesstandaloneinmyexperienceofSouthSeatraders。
　　Wehadonboardafamilyofnativetourists，fromthegrandsiretothebabeinarms，tryingagainstanextraordinaryseriesofill-
　　lucktoregaintheirnativeislandofPeru。Fivetimesalreadytheyhadpaidtheirfareandtakenship；fivetimestheyhadbeendisappointed，droppedpennilessuponstrangeislands，orcarriedbacktoButaritari，whencetheysailed。Thislastattempthadbeennobetter-starred；theirprovisionswereexhausted。Peruwasbeyondhope，andtheyhadcheerfullymadeuptheirmindstoafreshstageofexileinTapitueaorNonuti。Withthisslantofwindtheirrandomdestinationbecameoncemorechanged；andliketheCalendar’spilot，whenthe’blackmountains’hoveinview，theychangedcolourandbeatupontheirbreasts。Theircamp，whichwasondeckintheship’swaist，resoundedwithcomplaint。Theywouldbesettowork，theymustbecomeslaves，escapewashopeless，theymustliveandtoilanddieinApemama，inthetyrant’sden。Withthissortoftalktheysogreatlyterrifiedtheirchildren，thatoneabighulkingboymustatlastbetornscreamingfromtheschooner’sside。Andtheirfearswerewhollygroundless。Ihavelittledoubttheywerenotsufferedtobeidle；butIcanvouchforitthattheywerekindlyandgenerouslyused。For，thematterofayearlater，IwasoncemoreshipmatewiththeseinconsistentwanderersonboardtheJANETNICOLL。TheirfarewaspaidbyTembinok’；theywhohadgoneashorefromtheEQUATORdestitute，reappearedupontheJANETwithnewclothes，ladenwithmatsandpresents，andbringingwiththemamagazineoffood，onwhichtheylivedlikefighting-cocksthroughoutthevoyage；Isawthematlengthrepatriated，andImustsaytheyshowedmoreconcernonquittingApemamathandelightatreachinghome。
　　WeenteredbythenorthpassageSunday，September1st，dodgingamongshoals。Itwasadayoffierceequatorialsunshine；butthebreezewasstrongandchill；andthemate，whoconnedtheschoonerfromthecross-trees，returnedshiveringtothedeck。Thelagoonwasthickwithmany-tintedwavelets；acontinuousroaringoftheouterseaoverhungtheanchorage；andthelong，hollowcrescentofpalmruffledandsparkledinthewind。Oppositeourberththebeachwasseentobesurmountedforsomedistancebyaterraceofwhitecoralsevenoreightfeethighandcrownedinturnbythescatteredandincongruousbuildingsofthepalace。Thevillageadjoinsonthesouth，aclusterofhigh-roofedmaniap’s。Andvillageandpalaceseemeddeserted。
　　Wewerescarceyetmoored，however，beforedistantandbusyfiguresappeareduponthebeach，aboatwaslaunched，andacrewpulledouttousbringingtheking’sladder。Tembinok’hadonceanaccident；
　　hasfearedeversincetoentrusthispersontotherottenchandleryofSouthSeatraders；anddevisedinconsequenceaframeofwood，whichisbroughtonboardashipassoonassheappears，andremainslashedtohersideuntilsheleave。Theboat’screw，havingappliedthisengine，returnedatoncetoshore。Theymightnotcomeonboard；neithermightweland，ornotwithoutdangerofoffence；thekinggivingpratiqueinperson。Anintervalfollowed，duringwhichdinnerwasdelayedforthegreatman-thepreludeoftheladder，givingussomenotionofhisweightybodyandsensible，ingeniouscharacter，hadhighlywhettedourcuriosity；anditwaswithsomethinglikeexcitementthatwesawthebeachandterracesuddenlyblackenwithattendantvassals，thekingandpartyembark，theboataman-of-wargigcomeflyingtowardsusdeadbeforethewind，andtheroyalcoxswainlayuscleverlyaboard，mounttheladderwithajealousdiffidence，anddescendheavilyondeck。
　　Notlongagohewasovergrownwithfat，obscuredtoview，andaburthentohimself。Captainsvisitingtheislandadvisedhimtowalk；andthoughitbrokethehabitsofalifeandthetraditionsofhisrank，hepractisedtheremedywithbenefit。Hiscorpulenceisnowportable；youwouldcallhimlustyratherthanfat；buthisgaitisstilldull，stumbling，andelephantine。Heneitherstopsnorhastens，butgoesabouthisbusinesswithanimplacabledeliberation。Wecouldneverseehimandnotbestruckwithhisextraordinarynaturalmeansforthetheatre：abeakedprofilelikeDante’sinthemask，amaneoflongblackhair，theeyebrilliant，imperious，andinquiring：forcertainparts，andtoonewhocouldhaveusedit，thefacewasafortune。Hisvoicematcheditwell，beingshrill，powerful，anduncanny，withanotelikeasea-bird’s。
　　Wheretherearenofashions，nonetosetthem，fewtofollowthemiftheywereset，andnonetocriticise，hedresses-asSirCharlesGrandisonlived-’tohisownheart。’Nowhewearsawoman’sfrock，nowanavaluniform；nowandmoreusuallyfiguresinamasqueradecostumeofhisowndesign：trousersandasingularjacketwithshirttails，thecutandfitwonderfulforislandworkmanship，thematerialalwayshandsome，sometimesgreenvelvet，sometimescardinalredsilk。Thismasqueradebecomeshimadmirably。Inthewoman’sfrockhelooksominousandweirdbeyondbelief。Iseehimnowcomepacingtowardsmeinthecruelsun，solitary，afigureoutofHoffmann。
　　Avisitonboardship，suchasthatatwhichwenowassisted，makesachiefpartandbyfarthechiefdiversionofthelifeofTembinok’。Heisnotonlythesoleruler，heisthesolemerchantofhistriplekingdom，Apemama，Aranuka，andKuria，well-plantedislands。Thetarogoestothechiefs，whodivideastheypleaseamongtheirimmediateadherents；butcertainfish，turtles-whichaboundinKuria，-andthewholeproduceofthecoco-palm，belongexclusivelytoTembinok’。’A’cobraberongme，’observedhismajestywithawaveofhishand；andhecountsandsellsitbythehouseful。’Yougotcopra，king?’Ihaveheardatraderask。’I
　　gottwo，threeoutches，’hismajestyreplied：’Ithinkthree。’
　　HencethecommercialimportanceofApemama，thetradeofthreeislandsbeingcentredthereinasinglehand；henceitisthatsomanywhiteshavetriedinvaintogainortopreserveafooting；
　　henceshipsareadorned，cookshavespecialorders，andcaptainsarraythemselvesinsmiles，togreettheking。Ifhebepleasedwithhiswelcomeandthefarehemaypassdaysonboard，and，everyday，andsometimeseveryhour，willbeofprofittotheship。Heoscillatesbetweenthecabin，whereheisentertainedwithstrangemeats，andthetrade-room，whereheenjoysthepleasuresofshoppingonascaletomatchhisperson。Afewobsequiousattendantssquatbythehousedoor，awaitinghisleastsignal。Intheboat，whichhasbeensufferedtodropastern，oneortwoofhiswivesliecoveredfromthesunundermats，tossedbytheshortseaofthelagoon，andenduringagoniesofheatandtedium。Thisseverityisnowandthenrelaxedandthewivesallowedonboard。
　　Threeorfourwerethusfavouredonthedayofourarrival：
　　substantialladiesairilyattiredinRIDIS。Eachhadashareofcopra，herPECULIUM，todisposeofforherself。Thedisplayinthetrade-room-hats，ribbbons，dresses，scents，tinsofsalmon-theprideoftheeyeandthelustoftheflesh-temptedtheminvain。
　　Theyhadbuttheoneidea-tobacco，theislandcurrency，tantamounttomintedgold；returnedtoshorewithit，burthenedbutrejoicing；andlateintothenight，ontheroyalterrace，weretobeseencountingthesticksbylamplightintheopenair。
　　Thekingisnosucheconomist。Heisgreedyofthingsnewandforeign。Houseafterhouse，chestafterchest，inthepalaceprecinct，isalreadycrammedwithclocks，musicalboxes，bluespectacles，umbrellas，knittedwaistcoats，boltsofstuff，tools，rifles，fowling-pieces，medicines，Europeanfoods，sewing-machines，and，whatismoreextraordinary，stoves：allthatevercaughthiseye，tickledhisappetite，pleasedhimforitsuse，orpuzzledhimwithitsapparentinutility。Andstillhislustisunabated。Heispossessedbythesevendevilsofthecollector。Hehearsathingspokenof，andashadowcomesonhisface。’IthinkInogothim，’hewillsay；andthetreasureshehasseemworthlessincomparison。IfashipbeboundforApemama，themerchantrackshisbraintohituponsomenovelty。Thisheleavescarelesslyinthemaincabinorpartlyconcealsinhisownberth，sothatthekingshallspyitforhimself。’Howmuchyouwant?’inquiresTembinok’，passingandpointing。’No，king；thattoodear，’returnsthetrader。’IthinkIlikehim，’saystheking。Thiswasabowlofgold-fish。Onanotheroccasionitwasscentedsoap。’No，king；
　　thatcosttoomuch，’saidthetrader；’toogoodforaKanaka。’
　　’Howmuchyougot?Itakehimall，’repliedhismajesty，andbecamethelordofseventeenboxesattwodollarsacake。Oragain，themerchantfeignsthearticleisnotforsale，isprivateproperty，anheirloomoragift；andthetrickinfalliblysucceeds。
　　Thwartthekingandyouholdhim。Hisautocraticnaturerearsattheaffrontofopposition。Heacceptsitforachallenge；setshisteethlikeahuntergoingatafence；andwithnomarkofemotion，scarceevenofinterest，stolidlypilesuptheprice。Thus，foroursins，hetookafancytomywife’sdressing-bag，athingentirelyuselesstotheman，andsadlybatteredbyyearsofservice。Earlyoneforenoonhecametoourhouse，satdown，andabruptlyofferedtopurchaseit。ItoldhimIsoldnothing，andthebagatanyratewasapresentfromafriend；buthewasacquaintedwiththesepretextsfromofold，andknewwhattheywereworthandhowtomeetthem。AdoptingwhatIbelieveiscalled’theobjectmethod，’hedrewoutabagofEnglishgold，sovereignsandhalf-sovereigns，andbegantolaythemonebyoneinsilenceonthetable；ateachfreshpiecereadingourfaceswithalook。InvainIcontinuedtoprotestIwasnotrader；hedeignednottoreply。
　　Theremusthavebeentwentypoundsonthetable，hewasstillgoingon，andirritationhadbeguntominglewithourembarrassment，whenahappyideacametoourdelivery。Sincehismajestythoughtsomuchofthebag，wesaid，wemustbeghimtoacceptitasapresent。ItwasthemostsurprisingturninTembinok’sexperience。
　　Heperceivedtoolatethathispersistencewasunmannerly；hunghisheadawhileinsilence；then，liftingupasheepishcountenance，’I’shamed，’saidthetyrant。Itwasthefirstandthelasttimeweheardhimowntoaflawinhisbehaviour。Halfanhourafterhesentusacamphor-woodchestworthonlyafewdollars-butthenheavenknowswhatTembinok’hadpaidforit。
　　Cunningbynature，andversedforfortyyearsinthegovernmentofmen，itmustnotbesupposedthatheischeatedblindly，orhasresignedhimselfwithoutresistancetobethemilch-cowofthepassingtrader。Hiseffortshavebeenevenheroic。LikeNakaeiaofMakin，hehasownedschooners。MorefortunatethanNakaeia，hehasfoundcaptains。Shipsofhishavesailedasfarastothecolonies。Hehastraffickeddirect，inhisownbottoms，withNewZealand。Andevenso，eventhere，theworld-envelopingdishonestyofthewhitemanpreventedhim；hisprofitmelted，hisshipreturnedindebt，themoneyfortheinsurancewasembezzled，andwhentheCORONETcametobelost，hewasastonishedtofindhehadlostall。Atthishedroppedhisweapons；ownedhemightashopefullywrestlewiththewindsofheaven；andlikeanexperiencedsheep，submittedhisfleecethenceforwardtotheshearers。Heisthelastmanintheworldtowasteangerontheincurable；acceptsitwithcynicalcomposure；asksnomoreinthosehedealswiththanacertaindecencyofmoderation；drivesasgoodabargainashecan；andwhenheconsidersheismorethanusuallyswindled，writesitinhismemoryagainstthemerchant’sname。Heonceranovertomealistofcaptainsandsupercargoeswithwhomhehaddonebusiness，classingthemunderthreeheads：’Hecheatalitty’-
　　’Hecheatplenty’-and’Ithinkhecheattoomuch。’Forthefirsttwoclassesheexpressedperfecttoleration；sometimes，butnotalways，forthethird。Iwaspresentwhenacertainmerchantwasturnedabouthisbusiness，andwasthemeanshavingaconsiderableinfluenceeversincethebagofpatchingupthedispute。EvenonthedayofourarrivaltherewasliketohavebeenahitchwithCaptainReid：thegroundofwhichisperhapsworthrecital。AmonggoodsexportedspeciallyforTembinok’thereisabeverageknownandlabelledasHennessy’sbrandy。ItisneitherHennessy，norevenbrandy；isaboutthecolourofsherry，butisnotsherry；