by Louis Becke
CHAPTER II
When I first landed on Tarawa, this man, whose name was Krause,according to the usual custom among us traders, called to see me. Hewas a big, broad-shouldered, good-looking fellow, and certainly was verycivil and obliging to me in many ways, although I was an "opposition"trader; and a new man is never welcome from a business point of view,no matter how much he may be liked for social reasons, especially inthe God-forsaken Equatorial Pacific, where whilst your fellow-traderis ready to share his last bottle of grog and his last tin of beef withyou, he is anxious to cut your throat from a business point of view.Krause, however, did not seem to--and I honestly believe did notactually--entertain any ill-feeling towards me as a rival trader,although I was landed on the island with such a stock of new trade goodsthat he must at once have recognised the fact that my advent would dohim serious injury, inasmuch as his employers (the big German tradingfirm in Hamburg) had not sent him any fresh stock for six months. Likemost Germans of any education whom one meets in the South Seas, oranywhere else, he was a good native linguist, though, like all hiscountrymen, he did not _understand_ natives like Englishmen or Americansunderstand wild races. He had no regard nor sympathy for them, andlooked upon even the highly intelligent Polynesian peoples with whomhe had had much dealing as mere "niggers"--to study whose feelings,sentiments, opinions or religious belief, was beneath the considerationof an European. But although he thus despised the natives generally fromone end of the Pacific to the other, he had enough sense to keep hisopinions reasonably well to himself, only expressing his contempt forthem to his fellow traders, or to any other white men with whom he camein contact.
Sailing across the lagoon to his station 028]
A few weeks after my arrival on the island I paid him a visit, sailingacross the lagoon to his station in my whaleboat. On reaching hisplace I found that he was away from home on a trip to one of his minoroutlying stations, and would not return till the evening. Somewhatdisappointed at missing him, I got out of my boat with the intention ofat least resting in one of the native huts for half an hour, so as to beout of the intense heat and glare of a torrid sun, when one of Krause'sservants came down and said that the trader's wife would be glad if Iwould come to her husband's station and there await his return.
Glad to accept the invitation, for I was weak and tired out from fever,and ready to lie down almost anywhere out of the sun, I walked wearilyalong the beach and entered the house.
To my intense surprise, there came to meet me at the door, not theusual style of native wife one generally sees in most traders' houses--agood-looking young woman with a flaming blouse, and more flamingskirt of hideously coloured print, and fingers covered with heavy goldrings--but a slenderly-built pale-complexioned woman of apparentlythirty years of age, dressed in a light yellow muslin gown, such as thePortuguese ladies of Macao and the Mariana Islands wear. The moment Isaw her I knew that she had but a very slight strain of native blood inher veins, and when she spoke her voice sounded very sweet and refined.
"Will you not come inside and rest, sir?" she said in English. "Myhusband is away, and will not be back until about sunset; he will bevery disappointed to have missed you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Krause," I replied; "I think I must accept yourinvitation, as I feel a bit shaky, and it has been so very hot crossingthe lagoon." "Very, very hot, indeed, Mr. Sherry," she said, as shemotioned me to enter the front room; "and I know what malarial fever is;for I once lived at Agana, in Guam, and have seen many people who havecome there from the Philippine Islands to recruit. Now, lie down thereon that cane lounge, beside the open window, and let me bring yousomething to drink--something cool. What would you like? There is lagerbeer, there is very cold water from a canvas water-bag, and there issome hock."
I gratefully took a long drink of the cold water, and then, instead oflying down, seated myself in a wide cane chair, and began to talk to myhostess, who sat on the lounge a few feet away, and now that I hadan opportunity of closer observation, I saw that she was--despite herpallor and worn appearance--a woman of the very greatest beauty andgrace.
It was so long since I had even talked to a white woman, even of thecommonest class, that I could not but be insensibly attracted to her,and when in a few minutes she smiled at something I said about mylonging to get away to Samoa, even if I had to sail there alone inmy whaleboat, the faint flush that tinged her cheek seemed to sotransfigure her that she looked like a girl of nineteen or twenty.She talked to me for nearly an hour, and I noticed that although weconversed principally about the Line Islands, and the natives, andof our few white neighbours scattered throughout the group, and theiridiosyncrasies--humorous and otherwise--she hardly ever mentioned herhusband's name, except when I asked her some direct question concerninghim, such as the number of his outlying stations, was he fond of fishingor shooting, etc.
In some way I came to the conclusion that she was an unhappy woman asfar as her relations with her husband went; and without the slightestreason whatever to guide me to such an inference, felt that he, and notshe, was to blame; and even as we talked, there was unconsciously takingpossession of me a dislike to a man from whom I had experienced nothingbut civility and kindness. Just as she was leaving the room to attendto her household duties, the man Tematau came to the door, carrying astring of freshly-husked young drinking coco-nuts. At a sign from hismistress, he opened one and brought it to me, and then leaving a fewbeside my chair, took the remainder down to my boat's crew.
The man Tematau came to the door 032]
"That is Tematau, my husband's head boatman," said my hostess in hersoft tones, as she watched him walking down to the beach; "he is sodifferent from these noisy, quarrelsome Tarawa people, that I am alwaysglad to have him about the house when he is not wanted in the boats. Heis so quick, and yet so quiet."
"I thought he did not look like a Tarawa native," I said, "and I sawthat he is tattooed like a Samoan."
"He has lived in Samoa for a great many years, and is very proud of thattattooing, I am sure. He is a native of Danger Island, a long way tothe south-east of this group, and came here about a year ago with a girlnamed Niabon." She hesitated a little. "I suppose you have not heard ofher?"
"No, I have not. Who is she?"
"They--that is, the natives generally, and some of the whites aswell--call her 'the Danger Island witch woman.'"
"Oh, yes," I exclaimed, "I _have_ heard of the 'witch woman,' but thatwas when I was trading at Gallic Harbour on Admiralty Island. There wasa poor fellow there, Hairy Willard, who was dying of poison given himby some chief, and I remember quite well his wife, who was a Tahitian,telling me that if the witch woman of Danger Island was near she wouldquickly render the poison innocuous."
Mrs. Krause's dark eyes lit up with undoubted pleasure--"I must tell herthat--"
"Is she living on Tarawa, then?"
"Yes, in this village, and she is in the house at this moment. She wouldlike to speak to you. Do you mind her coming in?" "Indeed, I shall bevery pleased." My hostess stood at the table for a few moments, withher face averted from me. Then she turned and spoke to me, and to myastonishment I saw that she was struggling hard to suppress her tears. Irose and led her to a seat.
"You are not well, Mrs. Krause," I said. "Sit down, and let me call oneof your servants."
"No, please do not do that, Mr. Sherry. But I will sit down, and--and Ishould like to ask you a question."
She was trembling as she spoke, but suddenly whipped out herhandkerchief, dried her tears, and sat up erect.
"Mr. Sherry, you are an Englishman, or an American--I do not knowwhich--but I am sure that you are a gentleman and will truthfully answerthe question I ask. Will you not?"
"I will, indeed, if it is in my power to do so," I replied earnestly.
She placed her hand on mine and looked at me steadily.
"Mr. Sherry, you and I have been talking on various matters for morethan an hour. Have I, in your opinion, given you the impression thatI am mentally deranged? Lo
ok at me. Tell me--for I am an unhappy,heartbroken woman, whose life for two years has been a daily torture andmisery--what you _do_ think. Sometimes I imagine that what my husbandsays _may_ be true--and then I collapse and wish I were dead."
"What does he say, Mrs. Krause?"
"He says that I am mad, and he says it so persistently that--oh, Mr.Sherry, I feel that before long I _shall_ go mad in reality. It is onlythis woman Niabon who sustains me. But for her I should have run outalong the reef and drowned myself a year ago. Now, tell me, Mr. Sherry,do you think it possible that owing to the continuous strain upon mementally and physically--for I am really very weak, and had a longillness two years ago when my baby was born--that my mind has becomeunhinged in any way?"
"I think, Mrs. Krause," I said slowly and very emphatically, "that yourhusband himself must be mad."
She wept silently, and then, again averting her face, looked away fromme towards the wide expanse of the lagoon, gleaming hot and silveryunder a blazing sun.
"I wish that what you say were true, Mr. Sherry," she said presently,trying bravely to suppress her tears, "and that my husband were indeedmad."
She rose, extended her hand to me, and tried to smile.
"You will think that I am a very silly woman, Mr. Sherry. But I am notat all strong, and you must forgive me. Now I must leave you."
"But am I not to see the famous witch woman, Mrs. Krause?" I said halfjestingly.
"Oh, yes. She shall come to you presently. And you will like her, Mr.Sherry, I am sure. To me she been been the kindest, kindest friend."Then she paused awhile, but resumed in a nervous, hesitating manner,"Niaban is sometimes a little strange in her manner, so--so you most notmind all that she may say or do."
I assured her that I should be most careful to avoid giving any offenceto the woman. She thanked me earnestly, and then said she would findNiabon and bring or send her to me.
Just as she went out I heard some one tapping at the latticed windownear which I was sitting. Looking out, I saw the face of the manTematau, who was standing outside.
"May I come in and speak with thee, gentleman?" he said in Samoan.
"Enter, and welcome."
He stepped round to the front door, and as he entered I saw that he hadstripped to the waist; his hair was dressed in the Samoan fashion, andin his hand he carried a small, finely-plaited mat. In an instant Irecognised that he was paying me a visit of ceremony, according toSamoan custom, so instead of rising and shaking hands with him, I keptmy seat and waited for him to approach.
Stepping slowly across the matted floor, with head and shoulders bent,he placed the mat (his offering) at my feet, and then withdrew to theother side of the room, and, seating himself cross-legged, he inquiredafter my health, etc., and paid me the usual compliments.
As he spoke in Samoan, I, of course, replied in the same language,thanked him for his call, and requested him to honour me at my own placeby a visit.
Then, to my surprise, instead of retiring with the usual Samoancompliments, he bent forward, and, fixing his deep-set, gloomy eyes onmine, he said slowly--
"Master, I shall be a true man to thee when we are together upon thedeep sea in thy boat."
"Why dost thou call me 'master'?" I said quickly, "and when and whitherdo thee and I travel together?" "I call thee 'master' because I am thyservant, but when and whither we go upon the far sea I know not."
Then he rose, saluted me as if I were King Malietoa of Samoa himself,and retired without uttering another word.
"This is a curious sort of a household," I thought. "The mistress, whois sane enough, is told by her husband that she is mad, and fears shewill lose her reason; a native who tells me that I am to be his masterand travel with him on the deep sea, and a witch woman, whom I have yetto see, on the premises. I wonder what sort of a crank _she_ is?"
I was soon to know, for in a few moments she came in, and instead ofcoming up to me and shaking hands in the usual Line Island fashion, asI expected she would do, she did precisely as my first visitor haddone--greeted me in Samoan, formally and politely, as if I were a greatchief, and then sat silent, awaiting me to speak.
Addressing her in the same stilted, highly complimentary language thatshe had used to me, I inquired after her health, etc., and then askedher how long she had been on the island.
She answered me in a somewhat abrupt manner, "I came here with Tematauabout the time that the white lady Lucia and her husband came. Tematauis of the same family as myself. And it is of the blood ties between usthat we remain together, for we are the last of many."
"It is good that it is so," I said, for want of something better to say,for her curious eyes never left my face for an instant. "It would behard indeed that when but two of the same blood are left they shouldseparate or be separated."
"We shall be together always," she replied, "and death will come to ustogether."
Then she rose, walked quickly to the open door, glanced outside to seeif any one was about, and returned to me and placed her hand on mine.
"This man Krause is a devil. He seeks his wife's death because ofanother woman in his own country. He hath tried to poison her, and thepoison still rankles in her blood. That is why she is so white of faceand frail of body. And now she will neither eat nor drink aught but thatof which I first eat or drink myself."
"How know you of this?"
"I know it well," she answered impressively, "and the man would kill meif he could by poison, as he hath tried to kill his wife. But poisoncan do me no harm. And he hateth but yet is afraid of me, for he knoweththat I long since saw the murder in his heart."
"These are strange things to say, Niabon. Beware of an unjust accusationwhen it comes to the too ready tongue."
She laughed scornfully. "No lie hath ever fouled mine. I tell theeagain, this man is a devil, and has waited for a year past to see hiswife die, for he married her according to the laws of England, andcannot put her away as he could do had he married her according to thenative custom."
"Who hath told thee of these marriage laws of England?" I asked.
"What does it matter who hath told me?" she asked sharply. "Is not whatI say true?"
"It is true," I said.
"Ay, it is true. And it is true also that she and thee and the manTematau and I shall together look death in the face upon the wide sea.And is not thy boat ready?"
Her strange, mysterious eyes as she spoke seemed to me--a physicallyweak but still mentally strong man at the moment--to have in themsomething weird, something that one could not affect either to ignore ordespise. What could this woman know of my desire to leave the island inmy boat? What could the man Tematau know of it? Never had I spokenof such an intention to any person, and I knew that, even in my worstattacks of fever and ague, I had never been delirious in the slightestdegree. A sudden resentment for the moment took possession of me, and Ispoke angrily.
"What is all this silly talk? What have I to do with thee, and for whatshould my boat be ready?"
"Be not angry with them, Simi, for there is nought but goodwill towardthee in my heart. See, wouldst have me cure the hot fever that makes theblood in thy veins to boil even now?"
"No," I said sullenly, "I want none of thy foolish charms or medicines.Dost think I am a fool?"
"Nay," and she looked at me so wistfully that I at once repented of myharsh manner--"nay, indeed, Simi. Thou art a man strong in thy mind, andshall be strong in thy body if thou wouldst but let me give thee----"
"No more, woman," I said roughly. "Leave me. I want none of thymedicines, I say again."
"Thy wish is my law," she said gently, "but, ere I leave thee, I praythee that in a little way thou wilt let me show thee that I _do_ meanwell to thee."
I laughed, and asked her what medicine or charm she desired toexperiment with upon me.
"No medicine, and no charm," she answered. "But I know that becauseof many things thy mind and thy body alike suffer pain, and that sleepwould be good for thee. And I can give thee sleep--strong, dre
amlesssleep that, when thou awakenest, will make thee feel strong in thy bodyand softer in thy now angry heart to Niabon."
"If you can make me sleep now, I'll give you twenty dollars," I said inmy English fashion.
She took no notice of my rude and clumsy remark, though she had goodreason to be offended.
"Simi," she said, "shall I give thee sleep?"
"Ay," I replied, "give me sleep till the master of this house returns."
She rose and bent over me, and then I noticed for the first time that,instead of being about thirty-five or forty years of age, as I hadjudged her to be by her hard, clear features and somewhat "bony"appearance externally, she could not be more than five-and-twenty, oreven younger.
She placed her right hand on my forehead, and held my right hand in herown.
"Sleep," she said--"sleep well and dreamlessly, man with the strong willto accomplish all that is before thee. Sleep."
Her hand passed caressingly oyer my face, and in a few minutes I_was_ asleep, and slept as I had not slept for many weeks past. When Iawakened at sunset I felt more refreshed and vigorous than I had beenfor many months.
Met me with outstretched hand 042]
Krause had just returned in his boat, and met me with outstretched hand.His welcome was, I thought, unnecessarily effusive, and, declining hispressing invitation to remain for the night, I left, after remaining anhour or so longer. I noticed that immediately Krause arrived the girlNiabon disappeared, and did not return.
That was my first meeting with her, and I did not see her again till theevening of the storm, when she brought Tematau to me.