按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
her in canoes； bringing strings of cocoanuts； fowls； and pigs； to trade。 But
when we were alongside； many canoes of us； the men on board began to
shoot us with rifles； and as we paddled away I saw the mate who had gone
to sea in the little boat spring upon the rail and dance and yell； Yah！ Yah！
Yah！'
〃That afternoon they landed from the schooner in three small boats
filled with white men。 They went right through the village； shooting every
man they saw。 Also they shot the fowls and pigs。 We who were not killed
got away in canoes and paddled out into the lagoon。 Looking back； we
could see all the houses on fire。 Late in the afternoon we saw many
canoes coming from Nihi； which is the village near the Nihi Passage in the
northeast。 They were all that were left； and like us their village had been
56
… Page 57…
SOUTH SEA TALES
burned by a second schooner that had come through Nihi Passage。
〃We stood on in the darkness to the westward for Pauloo； but in the
middle of the night we heard women wailing and then we ran into a big
fleet of canoes。 They were all that were left of Pauloo； which likewise was
in ashes； for a third schooner had come in through the Pauloo Passage。
You see； that mate； with his black boys； had not been drowned。 He had
made the Solomon Islands； and there told his brothers of what we had
done in Oolong。 And all his brothers had said they would come and punish
us； and there they were in the three schooners； and our three villages were
wiped out。
〃And what was there for us to do？ In the morning the two schooners
from windward sailed down upon us in the middle of the lagoon。 The trade
wind was blowing fresh； and by scores of canoes they ran us down。 And
the rifles never ceased talking。 We scattered like flying fish before the
bonita； and there were so many of us that we escaped by thousands； this
way and that； to the islands on the rim of the atoll。
〃And thereafter the schooners hunted us up and down the lagoon。 In
the nighttime we slipped past them。 But the next day； or in two days or
three days； the schooners would be coming back； hunting us toward the
other end of the lagoon。 And so it went。 We no longer counted nor
remembered our dead。 True； we were many and they were few。 But what
could we do？ I was in one of the twenty canoes filled with men who were
not afraid to die。 We attacked the smallest schooner。 They shot us down
in heaps。 They threw dynamite into the canoes； and when the dynamite
gave out； they threw hot water down upon us。 And the rifles never ceased
talking。 And those whose canoes were smashed were shot as they swam
away。 And the mate danced up and down upon the cabin top and yelled；
〃Yah！ Yah！ Yah！'
〃Every house on every smallest island was burned。 Not a pig nor a
fowl was left alive。 Our wells were defiled with the bodies of the slain； or
else heaped high with coral rock。 We were twenty…five thousand on
Oolong before the three schooners came。 Today we are five thousand。
After the schooners left； we were but three thousand； as you shall see。
〃At last the three schooners grew tired of chasing us back and forth。 So
57
… Page 58…
SOUTH SEA TALES
they went； the three of them； to Nihi； in the northeast。 And then they drove
us steadily to the west。 Their nine boats were in the water as well。 They
beat up every island as they moved along。 They drove us； drove us； drove
us day by day。 And every night the three schooners and the nine boats
made a chain of watchfulness that stretched across the lagoon from rim to
rim； so that we could not escape back。
〃They could not drive us forever that way； for the lagoon was only so
large； and at last all of us that yet lived were driven upon the last sand
bank to the west。 Beyond lay the open sea。 There were ten thousand of
us； and we covered the sand bank from the lagoon edge to the pounding
surf on the other side。 No one could lie down。 There was no room。 We
stood hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder。 Two days they kept us there； and
the mate would climb up in the rigging to mock us and yell； Yah！ Yah！
Yah！' till we were well sorry that we had ever harmed him or his schooner
a month before。 We had no food； and we stood on our feet two days and
nights。 The little babies died； and the old and weak died； and the wounded
died。 And worst of all； we had no water to quench our thirst； and for two
days the sun beat down on us； and there was no shade。 Many men and
women waded out into the ocean and were drowned； the surf casting their
bodies back on the beach。 And there came a pest of flies。 Some men swam
to the sides of the schooners； but they were shot to the last one。 And we
that lived were very sorry that in our pride we tried to take the schooner
with the three masts that came to fish for beche…de…mer。
〃On the morning of the third day came the skippers of the three
schooners and that mate in a small boat。 They carried rifles； all of them；
and revolvers； and they made talk。 It was only that they were weary of
killing us that they had stopped； they told us。 And we told them that we
were sorry； that never again would we harm a white man； and in token of
our submission we poured sand upon our heads。 And all the women and
children set up a great wailing for water； so that for some time no man
could make himself heard。 Then we were told our punishment。 We must
fill the three schooners with copra and beche…de…mer。 And we agreed； for
we wanted water； and our hearts were broken； and we knew that we were
children at fighting when we fought with white men who fight like hell。
58
… Page 59…
SOUTH SEA TALES
And when all the talk was finished； the mate stood up and mocked us； and
yelled； Yah！ Yah！ Yah！' After that we paddled away in our canoes and
sought water。
〃And for weeks we toiled at catching beche…de…mer and curing it； in
gathering the cocoanuts and turning them into copra。 By day and night the
smoke rose in clouds from all the beaches of all the islands of Oolong as
we paid the penalty of our wrongdoing。 For in those days of death it was
burned clearly on all our brains that it was very wrong to harm a white
man。
〃By and by； the schooners full of copra and beche…de…mer and our trees
empty of cocoanuts； the three skippers and that mate called us all together
for a big talk。 And they said they were very glad that we had learned our
lesson； and we said for the ten…thousandth time that we were sorry and that
we would not do it again。 Also； we poured sand upon our heads。 Then the
skippers said that it was all very well； but just to show us that they did not
forget us； they would send a devil…devil that we would never forget and
that we would always remember any time we might feel like harming a
white man。 After that the mate mocked us one more time and yelled； Yah！
Yah！ Yah！' Then six of our men； whom we thought long dead； were put
ashore from one of the schooners； and the schooners hoisted their sails and
ran out through the passage for the Solomons。
〃The six men who were put ashore were the first to catch the devil…
devil the skippers sent back after us。〃
〃A great sickness came；〃 I interrupted； for I recognized the trick。 The
schooner had had measles on board； and the six prisoners had been
deliberately exposed to it。
〃Yes； a great sickness；〃 Oti went on。 〃It was a powerful devil…devil。
The oldest man had never heard of the like。 Those of our priests that yet
lived we killed because they could not overcome the devil…devil。 The
sickness spread。 I have said that there were ten thousand of us that stood
hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder on the sandbank。 When the sickness
left us； there were three thousand yet alive。 Also； having made all our
cocoanuts into copra； there was a famine。
〃That fella trader；〃 Oti concluded； 〃he like 'm that much dirt。 He like