andasmallclosedhouse。AmatwasspreadnearbyforTembinok’；
　　herehesatsuperintending，incardinalred，apithhelmetonhishead，ameerschaumpipeinhismouth，awifestretchedathisbackwithcustodyofthematchesandtobacco。Twentyorthirtyfeetinfrontofhimthebulkoftheworkerssquattedontheground；someofthebushheresurvivedandinthisthecommonssatnearlytotheirshoulders，andpresentedonlyanarcofbrownfaces，blackheads，andattentiveeyesfixedonhismajesty。Longpausesreigned，duringwhichthesubjectsstaredandthekingsmoked。
　　ThenTembinok’wouldraisehisvoiceandspeakshrillyandbriefly。
　　Therewasneveraresponseinwords；butifthespeechwerejesting，therecamebywayofanswerdiscreet，obsequiouslaughter-suchlaughteraswehearinschoolrooms；andifitwerepractical，thesuddenuprisinganddepartureofthesquad。Twicetheysodisappeared，andreturnedwithfurtherelementsofthecity：asecondhouseandasecondmaniap’。Itwassingulartospy，faroffthroughthecocostems，thesilentoncomingofthemaniap’，atfirstitseemedswimmingspontaneouslyintheair-
　　butonanearerviewbetrayingundertheeavesmanyscoreofmovingnakedlegs。Inalltheaffairservileobediencewasnolessremarkablethanserviledeliberation。Theganghadheremusteredbythenoteofadeadlyweapon；themanwholookedonwastheunquestionedmasteroftheirlives；andexceptforcivility，theybestirredthemselveslikesomanyAmericanhotelclerks。Thespectatorwasawareofanunobtrusiveyetinvincibleinertia，atwhichtheskipperofatradingdandymighthavetornhishair。
　　Yettheworkwasaccomplished。Bydusk，whenhismajestywithdrew，thetownwasfoundedandcomplete，anewandruderAmphionhavingcalleditfromnothingwiththreecracksofarifle。Andthenextmorningthesameconjurerobligeduswithafurthermiracle：amysticrampartfencingus，sothatthepathwhichranbyourdoorsbecamesuddenlyimpassable，theinhabitantswhohadbusinessacrosstheislemustfetchawidecircuit，andwesatinthemidstinatransparentprivacy，seeing，seen，butunapproachable，likebeesinaglasshive。Theoutwardandvisiblesignofthisglamourwasnomorethanafewraggedcoco-leafgarlandsroundthestemsoftheoutlyingpalms；butitssignificancereposedonthetremendoussanctionofthetapuandthegunsofTembinok’。
　　Wemadeourfirstmealthatnightintheimprovisedcity，whereweweretostaytwomonths，andwhich-sosoonaswehaddonewithit-wastovanishinadayasitappeared，itselementsreturningwhencetheycame，thetapuraised，thetrafficonthepathresumed，thesunandthemoonpeeringinvainbetweenthepalm-treesforthebygonework，thewindblowingoveranemptysite。Yettheplace，whichisnowonlyanepisodeinsomememories，seemedtohavebeenbuilt，andtobedestinedtoendure，foryears。Itwasabusyhamlet。Oneofthemaniap’swemadeourdining-room，onethekitchen。Thehouseswereservedforsleeping。TheywereontheadmirableApemamaplan：outandawaythebesthouseintheSouthSeas；standingsomethreefeetabovethegroundonposts；thesidesofwovenflaps，whichcanberaisedtoadmitlightandair，orloweredtoshutoutthewindandtherain：airy，healthy，clean，andwatertight。Wehadahenofaremarkablekind：almostuniqueinmyexperience，beingahenthatoccasionallylaideggs。Notfaroff，Mrs。Stevensontendedagardenofsaladandshalots。Thesaladwasdevouredbythehen-whichwasherbane。Theshalotswereservedoutaleafatatime，andwelcomedandrelishedlikepeaches。Toddyandgreencocoa-nutswerebroughtusdaily。Weoncehadapresentoffishfromtheking，andonceofaturtle。
　　Sometimesweshotso-calledploveralongontheshore，sometimeswildchickeninthebush。Therestofourdietwasfromtins。
　　Ouroccupationswereveryvarious。Whilesomeofthepartywouldbeawaysketching，Mr。OsbourneandIhammeredawayatanovel。WereadGibbonandCarlylealoud；weblewonflageolets，westrummedonguitars；wetookphotographsbythelightofthesun，themoon，andflash-powder；sometimesweplayedcards。Pot-huntingengagedapartofourleisure。Ihavemyselfpassedafternoonsintheexcitingbutinnocuouspursuitofwingedanimalswitharevolver；
　　anditwasfortunatetherewerebettershotsoftheparty，andfortunatethekingcouldlendusamoresuitableweapon，intheformofanexcellentfowling-piece，oroursparediethadbeensparerstill。
　　Nightwasthetimetoseeourcity，afterthemoonwasup，afterthelampswerelighted，andsolongasthefiresparkledinthecook-house。Wesufferedfromaplagueoffliesandmosquitoes，comparabletothatofEgypt；ourdinner-tablelent，likeallourfurniture，bythekingmustbeenclosedinatentofnetting，ourcitadelandrefuge；andthisbecameallluminous，andbulgedandbeaconedundertheeaves，liketheglobeofsomemonstrouslampunderthemarginofitsshade。Ourcabins，thesidesbeingproppedatavarietyofinclinations，spelledoutstrange，angularpatternsofbrightness。Inhisroofedandopenkitchen，AhFuwastobeseenbylampandfirelight，dabblingamongpots。Overall，therefellintheseasonanextraordinarysplendourofmellowmoonshine。
　　Thesandsparkledaswiththedustofdiamonds；thestarshadvanished。Atintervals，aduskynight-bird，slowandlowflying，passedinthecolonnadeofthetreestemsandutteredahoarsecroakingcry。
　　CHAPTERIII-THEKINGOFAPEMAMA：THEPALACEOFMANYWOMEN
　　THEpalace，orratherthegroundwhichitincludes，isseveralacresinextent。Aterraceenclosesittowardthelagoon；onthesideoftheland，apalisadewithseveralgates。Thesearescarceintendedfordefence；aman，ifhewerestrong，mighteasilypluckdownthepalisade；heneednotbespeciallyactivetoleapfromthebeachupontheterrace。Thereisnoparadeofguards，soldiers，orweapons；thearmouryisunderlockandkey；andtheonlysentinelsarecertaininconspicuousoldwomenlurkingdayandnightbeforethegates。Byday，thesecroneswereoftenengagedinboilingsyruporthelikehouseholdoccupation；bynight，theylayambushedintheshadoworcrouchedalongthepalisade，fillingtheofficeofeunuchstothisharem，soleguardsuponatyrantlife。
　　Femalewardensmadeafitoutpostforthispalaceofmanywomen。
　　Ofthenumberoftheking’swivesIhavenoguess；andbutalooseideaoftheirfunction。Hehimselfdisplayedembarrassmentwhentheywerereferredtoashiswives，calledthemhimself’mypamily，’andexplainedtheywerehis’cutcheons’-cousins。Wedistinguishedfourofthecrowd：theking’smother；hissister，agrave，trenchantwoman，withmuchofherbrother’sintelligence；
　　thequeenproper，towhomandtowhomalonemywifewasformallypresented；andthefavouriteofthehour，apretty，gracefulgirl，whosatwiththekingdaily，andoncewhenheshedtearsconsoledhimwithcaresses。Iamassuredthatevenwithherhisrelationsareplatonic。Inthebackgroundfiguredamultitudeofladies，thelean，theplump，andtheelephantine，someinsacquefrocks，someinthehairbreadthRIDI；high-bornandlow，slaveandmistress；
　　fromthequeentothescullion，fromthefavouritetothescraggysentriesatthepalisade。Notalloftheseofcourseareof’mypamily，’-manyaremereattendants；yetasurprisingnumbersharedtheresponsibilityoftheking’strust。Thesewerekey-bearers，treasurers，wardensofthearmoury，thenapery，andthestores。
　　Eachknewanddidherparttoadmiration。Shouldanythingberequired-aparticulargun，perhaps，oraparticularboltofstuff，-therightqueenwassummoned；shecamebringingtherightchest，openeditintheking’spresence，anddisplayedherchargeinperfectpreservation-theguncleanedandoiled，thegoodsdulyfolded。Withoutdelayorhaste，andwiththeminimumofspeech，thewholegreatestablishmentturnedonwheelslikeamachine。
　　NowherehaveIseenordermorecompleteandpervasive。AndyetI
　　wasalwaysremindedofNorsetalesoftrollsandogreswhokepttheirheartsburiedinthegroundforthemeresafety，andmustconfidethesecrettotheirwives。FortheseweaponsarethelifeofTembinok’。Hedoesnotaimatpopularity；butdrivesandbraveshissubjects，withasimplicityofdominationwhichitisimpossiblenottoadmire，hardnottosympathisewith。Shouldoneoutofsomanyprovefaithless，shouldthearmourybesecretlyunlocked，shouldthecroneshavedozedbythepalisadeandtheweaponsfindtheirwayunseenintothevillage，revolutionwouldbenearlycertain，deaththemostprobableresult，andthespiritofthetyrantofApemamaflittorejoinhispredecessorsofMarikiandTapituea。Yetthosewhomhesotrustsareallwomen，andallrivals。
　　Thereisindeedaministryandstaffofmales：cook，steward，carpenter，andsupercargoes：thehierarchyofaschooner。Thespies，’hismajesty’sdailypapers，’aswecalledthem，comeeverymorningtoreport，andgoagain。Thecookandstewardareconcernedwiththetableonly。Thesupercargoes，whosebusinessitistokeeptallyofthecopraatthreepoundsamonthandapercentage，arerarelyinthepalace；andtwoatleastareintheotherislands。Thecarpenter，indeed，shrewdandjollyoldRubam-
　　query，Reuben?-promotedonmylastvisittothegreaterdignityofgovernor，isdailypresent，altering，extending，embellishing，pursuingtheendlessseriesoftheking’sinventions；andhismajestywillsometimespassanafternoonwatchingandtalkingwithRubamathiswork。Butthemalesarestilloutsiders；noneseemstobearmed，noneisentrustedwithakey；bydusktheyareallusuallydepartedfromthepalace；andtheweightofthemonarchyandofthemonarch’slifereposesunsharedonthewomen。
　　Hereisahouseholdunlike，indeed，tooneofours；moreunlikestilltotheOrientalharem：thatofanelderlychildlessman，hisdaysmenaced，dwellingaloneamidabevyofwomenofallages，ranks，andrelationships，-themother，thesister，thecousin，thelegitimatewife，theconcubine，thefavourite，theeldestborn，andsheofyesterday；he，intheirmidst，theonlymaster，theonlymale，thesoledispenserofhonours，clothes，andluxuries，thesolemarkofmultitudinousambitionsanddesires。IdoubtifyoucouldfindamaninEuropesoboldastoattemptthispieceoftactandgovernment。AndseeminglyTembinok’himselfhadtroubleinthebeginning。Ihearofhimshootingatawifeforsomelevityonboardaschooner。Another，onsomemoreseriousoffence，heslewoutright；heexposedherbodyinanopenbox，andtomakethewarningmorememorablesufferedittoputrefybeforethepalacegate。Doubtlesshisgrowingyearshavecometohisassistance；foruponsolargeascaleitismoreeasytoplaythefatherthanthehusband。Andto-day，atleasttotheeyeofastranger，allseemstogosmoothly，andthewivestobeproudoftheirtrust，proudoftheirrank，andproudoftheircunninglord。
　　Iconceivedtheymaderatheraherooftheman。Apopularmasterinagirls’schoolmight，perhaps，offerafigureofhispreponderatingstation。Butthenthemasterdoesnoteat，sleep，live，andwashhisdirtylineninthemidstofhisadmirers；heescapes，hehasaroomofhisown，heleadsaprivatelife；ifhehadnothingelse，hehastheholidays，andthemoreunhappyTembinok’isalwaysonthestageandonthestretch。
　　Inallmycomingandgoing，Ineverheardhimspeakharshlyorexpresstheleastdispleasure。Anextreme，ratherheavy，benignity-thebenignityofonesuretobeobeyed-markedhisdemeanour；sothatIwasattimesremindedofSamualRichardsoninhiscircleofadmiringwomen。Thewivesspokeupandseemedtovolunteeropinions，likeourwivesathome-or，say，likedotingbutrespectableaunts。Altogether，Iconcludethatheruleshisseragliomuchmorebyartthanterror；andthosewhogiveadifferentaccountandwhohavenoneofthemenjoyedmyopportunitiesofobservationperhapsfailedtodistinguishbetweendegreesofrank，between’mypamily’andthehangers-on，laundresses，andprostitutes。