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boys to beach the cutter； scrub her bottom； and give her a general
overhauling。 They thought the order emanated from Bunster； and they
obeyed。 But Bunster at the time was lying unconscious and giving no
orders。 This was Mauki's chance； but still he waited。
When the worst was past； and Bunster lay convalescent and conscious；
but weak as a baby； Mauki packed his few trinkets； including the china
cup handle； into his trade box。 Then he went over to the village and
interviewed the king and his two prime ministers。
〃This fella Bunster； him good fella you like too much？〃 he asked。
They explained in one voice that they liked the trader not at all。 The
ministers poured forth a recital of all the indignities and wrongs that had
been heaped upon them。 The king broke down and wept。 Mauki
interrupted rudely。
〃You savve meme big fella marster my country。 You no like m this
fella white marster。 Me no like m。 Plenty good you put hundred cocoanut；
two hundred cocoanut； three hundred cocoanut along cutter。 Him finish；
you go sleep m good fella。 Altogether kanaka sleep m good fella。 Bime by
big fella noise along house； you no savve hear m that fella noise。 You
altogether sleep strong fella too much。〃
In like manner Mauki interviewed the boat boys。 Then he ordered
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Bunster's wife to return to her family house。 Had she refused； he would
have been in a quandary； for his tambo would not have permitted him to
lay hands on her。
The house deserted； he entered the sleeping room； where the trader lay
in a doze。 Mauki first removed the revolvers； then placed the ray fish
mitten on his hand。 Bunster's first warning was a stroke of the mitten that
removed the skin the full length of his nose。
〃Good fella； eh？〃 Mauki grinned； between two strokes； one of which
swept the forehead bare and the other of which cleaned off one side of his
face。 〃Laugh； damn you； laugh。〃
Mauki did his work throughly； and the kanakas； hiding in their houses；
heard the 〃big fella noise〃 that Bunster made and continued to make for an
hour or more。
When Mauki was done； he carried the boat compass and all the rifles
and ammunition down to the cutter； which he proceeded to ballast with
cases of tobacco。 It was while engaged in this that a hideous； skinless
thing came out of the house and ran screaming down the beach till it fell in
the sand and mowed and gibbered under the scorching sun。 Mauki looked
toward it and hesitated。 Then he went over and removed the head； which
he wrapped in a mat and stowed in the stern locker of the cutter。
So soundly did the kanakas sleep through that long hot day that they
did not see the cutter run out through the passage and head south； close…
hauled on the southeast trade。 Nor was the cutter ever sighted on that long
tack to the shores of Ysabel； and during the tedious head…beat from there
to Malaita。 He landed at Port Adams with a wealth of rifles and tobacco
such as no one man had ever possessed before。 But he did not stop there。
He had taken a white man's head； and only the bush could shelter him。
So back he went to the bush villages； where he shot old Fanfoa and half a
dozen of the chief men； and made himself the chief over all the villages。
When his father died； Mauki's brother ruled in Port Adams； and joined
together； salt…water men and bushmen； the resulting combination was the
strongest of the ten score fighting tribes of Malaita。
More than his fear of the British government was Mauki's fear of the
all…powerful Moongleam Soap Company； and one day a message came up
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to him in the bush； reminding him that he owed the Company eight and
one…half years of labor。 He sent back a favorable answer； and then
appeared the inevitable white man； the captain of the schooner； the only
white man during Mauki's reign； who ventured the bush and came out
alive。 This man not only came out； but he brought with him seven hundred
and fifty dollars in gold sovereignsthe money price of eight years and a
half of labor plus the cost price of certain rifles and cases of tobacco。
Mauki no longer weighs one hundred and ten pounds。 His stomach is three
times its former girth； and he has four wives。 He has many other things
rifles and revolvers； the handle of a china cup； and an excellent collection
of bushmen's heads。 But more precious than the entire collection is
another head； perfectly dried and cured； with sandy hair and a yellowish
beard； which is kept wrapped in the finest of fibre lava…lavas。 When Mauki
goes to war with villages beyond his realm； he invariably gets out this
head； and alone in his grass palace； contemplates it long and solemnly。 At
such times the hush of death falls on the village； and not even a
pickaninny dares make a noise。 The head is esteemed the most powerful
devil…devil on Malaita； and to the possession of it is ascribed all of
Mauki's greatness。
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〃YAH！ YAH！ YAH！〃
He was a whiskey…guzzling Scotchman； and he downed his whiskey
neat； beginning with his first tot punctually at six in the morning； and
thereafter repeating it at regular intervals throughout the day till bedtime；
which was usually midnight。 He slept but five hours out of the twenty…
four； and for the remaining nineteen hours he was quietly and decently
drunk。 During the eight weeks I spent with him on Oolong Atoll； I never
saw him draw a sober breath。 In fact； his sleep was so short that he never
had time to sober up。 It was the most beautiful and orderly perennial drunk
I have ever observed。
McAllister was his name。 He was an old man； and very shaky on his
pins。 His hand trembled as with a palsy； especially noticeable when he
poured his whiskey； though I never knew him to spill a drop。 He had been
twenty…eight years in Melanesia； ranging from German New Guinea to the
German Solomons； and so thoroughly had he become identified with that
portion of the world； that he habitually spoke in that bastard lingo called
〃bech…de…mer。〃 Thus； in conversation with me； SUN HE COME UP meant
sunrise； KAI…KAI HE STOP meant that dinner was served； and BELLY
BELONG ME WALK ABOUT meant that he was sick at his stomach。 He
was a small man； and a withered one； burned inside and outside by ardent
spirits and ardent sun。 He was a cinder； a bit of a clinker of a man； a little
animated clinker； not yet quite cold； that moved stiffly and by starts and
jerks like an automaton。 A gust of wind would have blown him away。 He
weighed ninety pounds。
But the immense thing about him was the power with which he ruled。
Oolong Atoll was one hundred and forty miles in circumference。 One
steered by compass course in its lagoon。 It was populated by five thousand
Polynesians； all strapping men and women； many of them standing six feet
in height and weighing a couple of hundred pounds。 Oolong was two
hundred and fifty miles from the nearest land。 Twice a year a little
schooner called to collect copra。 The one white man on Oolong was
McAllister； petty trader and unintermittent guzzler； and he ruled Oolong
and its six thousand savages with an iron hand。 He said come； and they
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came； go； and they went。 They never questioned his will nor judgment。 He
was cantankerous as only an aged Scotchman can be； and interfered
continually in their personal affairs。 When Nugu； the king's daughter；
wanted to marry Haunau from the other end of the atoll； her father said yes；
but McAllister said no； and the marriage never came off。 When the king
wanted to buy a certain islet in the lagoon from the chief priest； McAllister
said