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promising a case of tobacco to the one who succeeded。 Three kanakas he
threw； but was promptly thrown by a fourth； who； instead of receiving the
tobacco； got a bullet through his lungs。
And so began Bunster's reign on Lord Howe。 Three thousand people
lived in the principal village； but it was deserted； even in broad day； when
he passed through。 Men； women； and children fled before him。 Even the
dogs and pigs got out of the way； while the king was not above hiding
under a mat。 The two prime ministers lived in terror of Bunster； who never
discussed any moot subject； but struck out with his fists instead。
And to Lord Howe came Mauki； to toil for Bunster for eight long
years and a half。 There was no escaping from Lord Howe。 For better or
worse； Bunster and he were tied together。 Bunster weighed two hundred
pounds。 Mauki weighed one hundred and ten。 Bunster was a degenerate
brute。 But Mauki was a primitive savage。 While both had wills and ways
of their own。
Mauki had no idea of the sort of master he was to work for。 He had
had no warnings； and he had concluded as a matter of course that Bunster
would be like other white men； a drinker of much whiskey； a ruler and a
lawgiver who always kept his word and who never struck a boy
undeserved。 Bunster had the advantage。 He knew all about Mauki； and
gloated over the coming into possession of him。 The last cook was
suffering from a broken arm and a dislocated shoulder； so Bunster made
Mauki cook and general house…boy。
And Mauki soon learned that there were white men and white men。
On the very day the schooner departed he was ordered to buy a chicken
from Samisee； the native Tongan missionary。 But Samisee had sailed
across the lagoon and would not be back for three days。 Mauki returned
with the information。 He climbed the steep stairway （the house stood on
piles twelve feet above the sand）； and entered the living room to report。
The trader demanded the chicken。 Mauki opened his mouth to explain the
missionary's absence。 But Bunster did not care for explanations。 He struck
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out with his fist。 The blow caught Mauki on the mouth and lifted him into
the air。 Clear through the doorway he flew； across the narrow veranda；
breaking the top railing； and down to the ground。
His lips were a contused； shapeless mass； and his mouth was full of
blood and broken teeth。
〃That'll teach you that back talk don't go with me；〃 the trader shouted；
purple with rage； peering down at him over the broken railing。
Mauki had never met a white man like this； and he resolved to walk
small and never offend。 He saw the boat boys knocked about； and one of
them put in irons for three days with nothing to eat for the crime of
breaking a rowlock while pulling。 Then； too； he heard the gossip of the
village and learned why Bunster had taken a third wifeby force； as was
well known。 The first and second wives lay in the graveyard； under the
white coral sand； with slabs of coral rock at head and feet。 They had died；
it was said； from beatings he had given them。 The third wife was certainly
ill…used； as Mauki could see for himself。
But there was no way by which to avoid offending the white man who
seemed offended with life。 When Mauki kept silent； he was struck and
called a sullen brute。 When he spoke； he was struck for giving back talk。
When he was grave； Bunster accused him of plotting and gave him a
thrashing in advance； and when he strove to be cheerful and to smile； he
was charged with sneering at his lord and master and given a taste of stick。
Bunster was a devil。
The village would have done for him； had it not remembered the
lesson of the three schooners。 It might have done for him anyway； if there
had been a bush to which to flee。 As it was； the murder of the white men；
of any white man； would bring a man…of…war that would kill the offenders
and chop down the precious cocoanut trees。 Then there were the boat boys；
with minds fully made up to drown him by accident at the first opportunity
to capsize the cutter。 Only Bunster saw to it that the boat did not capsize。
Mauki was of a different breed； and escape being impossible while
Bunster lived； he was resolved to get the white man。 The trouble was that
he could never find a chance。 Bunster was always on guard。 Day and night
his revolvers were ready to hand。 He permitted nobody to pass behind his
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back； as Mauki learned after having been knocked down several times。
Bunster knew that he had more to fear from the good…natured； even sweet…
faced； Malaita boy than from the entire population of Lord Howe； and it
gave added zest to the programme of torment he was carrying out。 And
Mauki walked small； accepted his punishments； and waited。
All other white men had respected his tambos； but not so Bunster。
Mauki's weekly allowance of tobacco was two sticks。 Bunster passed
them to his woman and ordered Mauki to receive them from her hand。 But
this could not be； and Mauki went without his tobacco。 In the same way he
was made to miss many a meal； and to go hungry many a day。 He was
ordered to make chowder out of the big clams that grew in the lagoon。
This he could not do； for clams were tambo。 Six times in succession he
refused to touch the clams； and six times he was knocked senseless。
Bunster knew that the boy would die first； but called his refusal mutiny；
and would have killed him had there been another cook to take his place。
One of the trader's favorite tricks was to catch Mauki's kinky locks and
bat his head against the wall。 Another trick was to catch Mauki unawares
and thrust the live end of a cigar against his flesh。 This Bunster called
vaccination； and Mauki was vaccinated a number of times a week。 Once；
in a rage； Bunster ripped the cup handle from Mauki's nose； tearing the
hole clear out of the cartilage。
〃Oh； what a mug！〃 was his comment； when he surveyed the damage he
had wrought。
The skin of a shark is like sandpaper； but the skin of a ray fish is like a
rasp。 In the South Seas the natives use it as a wood file in smoothing down
canoes and paddles。 Bunster had a mitten made of ray fish skin。 The first
time he tried it on Mauki； with one sweep of the hand it fetched the skin
off his back from neck to armpit。 Bunster was delighted。 He gave his wife
a taste of the mitten； and tried it out thoroughly on the boat boys。 The
prime ministers came in for a stroke each； and they had to grin and take it
for a joke。
〃Laugh； damn you； laugh！〃 was the cue he gave。
Mauki came in for the largest share of the mitten。 Never a day passed
without a caress from it。 There were times when the loss of so much
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cuticle kept him awake at night； and often the half…healed surface was
raked raw afresh by the facetious Mr。 Bunster。 Mauki continued his patient
wait； secure in the knowledge that sooner or later his time would come。
And he knew just what he was going to do； down to the smallest detail；
when the time did come。
One morning Bunster got up in a mood for knocking seven bells out of
the universe。 He began on Mauki； and wound up on Mauki； in the interval
knocking down his wife and hammering all the boat boys。 At breakfast he
called the coffee slops and threw the scalding contents of the cup into
Mauki's face。 By ten o'clock Bunster was shivering with ague； and half an
hour later he was burning with fever。 It was no ordinary attack。 It quickly
became pernicious； and developed into black…water fever。 The days passed；
and he grew weaker and weaker； never leaving his bed。 Mauki waited
and watched； the while his skin grew intact once more。 He ordered the
boys to beach the cutter； scrub her bottom； and give her a general
overhauling。 They thought the order