south sea tales-第6部分

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fishers；　and　whaleship　deserters。　The　smoke　of　the　hot　ovens　arose　under　their

windows；　and　the　bodies　of　the　slain　were　dragged　by　their　doors　on　the　way　to

the　feasting。



The　Lotu；　or　the　Worship；　was　progressing　slowly；　and；　often；　in　crablike

fashion。　Chiefs；　who　announced　themselves　Christians　and　were　welcomed　into

the　body　of　the　chapel；　had　a　distressing　habit　of　backsliding　in　order　to

partake　of　the　flesh　of　some　favorite　enemy。　Eat　or　be　eaten　had　been　the　law

of　the　land；　and　eat　or　be　eaten　promised　to　remain　the　law　of　the　land　for　a

long　time　to　come。　There　were　chiefs；　such　as　Tanoa；　Tuiveikoso；　and

Tuikilakila；　who　had　literally　eaten　hundreds　of　their　fellow　men。　But　among

these　gluttons　Ra　Undreundre　ranked　highest。　Ra　Undreundre　lived　at　Takiraki。

He　kept　a　register　of　his　gustatory　exploits。　A　row　of　stones　outside　his

house　marked　the　bodies　he　had　eaten。　This　row　was　two　hundred　and　thirty

paces　long；　and　the　stones　in　it　numbered　eight　hundred　and　seventy…two。　Each

stone　represented　a　body。　The　row　of　stones　might　have　been　longer；　had　not　Ra

Undreundre　unfortunately　received　a　spear　in　the　small　of　his　back　in　a　bush

skirmish　on　Somo　Somo　and　been　served　up　on　the　table　of　Naungavuli；　whose

mediocre　string　of　stones　numbered　only　forty…eight。



The　hard…worked；　fever…stricken　missionaries　stuck　doggedly　to　their　task；　at

times　despairing；　and　looking　forward　for　some　special　manifestation；　some

outburst　of　Pentecostal　fire　that　would　bring　a　glorious　harvest　of　souls。　But

cannibal　Fiji　had　remained　obdurate。　The　frizzle…headed　man…eaters　were　loath

to　leave　their　fleshpots　so　long　as　the　harvest　of　human　carcases　was

plentiful。　Sometimes；　when　the　harvest　was　too　plentiful；　they　imposed　on　the

missionaries　by　letting　the　word　slip　out　that　on　such　a　day　there　would　be　a

killing　and　a　barbecue。　　Promptly　the　missionaries　would　buy　the　lives　of　the

victims　with　stick　tobacco；　fathoms　of　calico；　and　quarts　of　trade　beads。　

Natheless　the　chiefs　drove　a　handsome　trade　in　thus　disposing　of　their　surplus

live　meat。　Also；　they　could　always　go　out　and　catch　more。



It　was　at　this　juncture　that　John　Starhurst　proclaimed　that　he　would　carry　the

Gospel　from　coast　to　coast　of　the　Great　Land；　and　that　he　would　begin　by

penetrating　the　mountain　fastnesses　of　the　headwaters　of　the　Rewa　River。　His

words　were　received　with　consternation。



The　native　teachers　wept　softly。　His　two　fellow　missionaries　strove　to

dissuade　him。　The　King　of　Rewa　warned　him　that　the　mountain　dwellers　would

surely　kai…kai　himkai…kai　meaning　〃to　eat〃and　that　he；　the　King　of　Rewa；

having　become　Lotu；　would　be　put　to　the　necessity　of　going　to　war　with　the

mountain　dwellers。　　That　he　could　not　conquer　them　he　was　perfectly　aware。

That　they　might　come　down　the　river　and　sack　Rewa　Village　he　was　likewise

perfectly　aware。　But　what　was　he　to　do？　If　John　Starhurst　persisted　in　going

out　and　being　eaten；　there　would　be　a　war　that　would　cost　hundreds　of　lives。



Later　in　the　day　a　deputation　of　Rewa　chiefs　waited　upon　John　Starhurst。　He

heard　them　patiently；　and　argued　patiently　with　them；　though　he　abated　not　a

whit　from　his　purpose。　To　his　fellow　missionaries　he　explained　that　he　was　not

bent　upon　martyrdom；　that　the　call　had　come　for　him　to　carry　the　Gospel　into

Viti　Levu；　and　that　he　was　merely　obeying　the　Lord's　wish。



To　the　traders　who　came　and　objected　most　strenuously　of　all；　he　said：　〃Your

objections　are　valueless。　They　consist　merely　of　the　damage　that　may　be　done

your　businesses。　You　are　interested　in　making　money；　but　I　am　interested　in

saving　souls。　The　heathen　of　this　dark　land　must　be　saved。〃



John　Starhurst　was　not　a　fanatic。　He　would　have　been　the　first　man　to　deny　the

imputation。　He　was　eminently　sane　and　practical。



He　was　sure　that　his　mission　would　result　in　good；　and　he　had　private　visions

of　igniting　the　Pentecostal　spark　in　the　souls　of　the　mountaineers　and　of

inaugurating　a　revival　that　would　sweep　down　out　of　the　mountains　and　across

the　length　and　breadth　of　the　Great　Land　from　sea　to　sea　and　to　the　isles　in

the　midst　of　the　sea。　There　were　no　wild　lights　in　his　mild　gray　eyes；　but

only　calm　resolution　and　an　unfaltering　trust　in　the　Higher　Power　that　was

guiding　him。



One　man　only　he　found　who　approved　of　his　project；　and　that　was　Ra　Vatu；　who

secretly　encouraged　him　and　offered　to　lend　him　guides　to　the　first　foothills。

John　Starhurst；　in　turn；　was　greatly　pleased　by　Ra　Vatu's　conduct。　From　an

incorrigible　heathen；　with　a　heart　as　black　as　his　practices；　Ra　Vatu　was

beginning　to　emanate　light。　He　even　spoke　of　becoming　Lotu。　　True；　three　years

before　he　had　expressed　a　similar　intention；　and　would　have　entered　the　church

had　not　John　Starhurst　entered　objection　to　his　bringing　his　four　wives　along

with　him。　Ra　Vatu　had　had　economic　and　ethical　objections　to　monogamy。

Besides；　the　missionary's　hair…splitting　objection　had　offended　him；　and；　to

prove　that　he　was　a　free　agent　and　a　man　of　honor；　he　had　swung　his　huge　war

club　over　Starhurst's　head。　Starhurst　had　escaped　by　rushing　in　under　the　club

and　holding　on　to　him　until　help　arrived。　But　all　that　was　now　forgiven　and

forgotten。　Ra　Vatu　was　coming　into　the　church；　not　merely　as　a　converted

heathen；　but　as　a　converted　polygamist　as　well。　He　was　only　waiting；　he

assured　Starhurst；　until　his　oldest　wife；　who　was　very　sick；　should　die。



John　Starhurst　journeyed　up　the　sluggish　Rewa　in　one　of　Ra　Vatu's　canoes。　This

canoe　was　to　carry　him　for　two　days；　when；　the　head　of　navigation　reached；　it

would　return。　Far　in　the　distance；　lifted　into　the　sky；　could　be　seen　the

great　smoky　mountains　that　marked　the　backbone　of　the　Great　Land。　All　day　John

Starhurst　gazed　at　them　with　eager　yearning。



Sometimes　he　prayed　silently。　At　other　times　he　was　joined　in　prayer　by　Narau；

a　native　teacher；　who　for　seven　years　had　been　Lotu；　ever　since　the　day　he　had

been　saved　from　the　hot　oven　by　Dr。　James　Ellery　Brown　at　the　trifling　expense

of　one　hundred　sticks　of　tobacco；　two　cotton　blankets；　and　a　large　bottle　of

painkiller。　At　the　last　moment；　after　twenty　hours　of　solitary　supplication

and　prayer；　Narau's　ears　had　heard　the　call　to　go　forth　with　John　Starhurst　on

the　mission　to　the　mountains。



〃Master；　I　will　surely　go　with　thee；〃　he　had　announced。



John　Starhurst　had　hailed　him　with　sober　delight。　Truly；　the　Lord　was　with　him

thus　to　spur　on　so　broken…spirited　a　creature　as　Narau。



〃I　am　indeed　without　spirit；　the　weakest　of　the　Lord's　vessels；〃　Narau

explained；　the　first　day　in　the　canoe。



〃You　should　have　faith；　stronger　faith；〃　the　missionary　chided　him。



Another　canoe　journeyed　up　the　Rewa　that　day。　But　it　journeyed　an　hour　astern；

and　it　took　care　not　to　be　seen。　This　canoe　was　also　the　property　of　Ra　Vatu。

In　it　was　Erirola；　Ra　Vatu's　first　cousin　and　trusted　henchman；　and　in　the

small　basket　that　never　left　his　hand　was　a　whale　tooth。　It　was　a　magnificent

tooth；　fully　six　inches　long；　beautifully　proportioned；　the　ivory　turned

yellow　and　purple　with　age。　This　tooth　was　likewise　the　property　of　Ra　Vatu；

and　in　Fiji；　when　such　a　tooth　goes　forth；　things　usually　happen。　For　this　is

the　virtue　of　the　whale　tooth：　Whoever　accepts　it　cannot　refuse　the　request

that　may　accompany　it　or　follow　it。　The　request　may　be　anything　from　a　human

life　to　a　tribal　alliance；　and　no　Fijian　is　so　dead　to　honor　as　to　deny　the

request　when　once　the　tooth　has　been　accepted。　　Sometimes　the　request　hangs

fire；　or　the　fulfilment　is　delayed；　with　untoward　consequences。



High　up　the　Rewa；　at　the　village　of　a　chief；　Mongondro　by　name；　John　Starhurst

rested　at　the　end　of　the　second　day　of　the　journey。　In　the　morning；　attended

by　Narau；　he　expected　to　start　on　foot　for　the　smoky　mountains　that　were　now

green　and　velvety　with　nearness。　Mongondro　was　a　sweet…tempered；　mild…mannered

little　old　chief；　short…sighted　and　afflicted　with　elephantiasis；　and　no

longer　inclined　toward　the　turbulence　of　war。　He　received　the　missionary　with

warm　hospitality；　gave　him　food　from　his　own　table；　and　even　discussed

religious　matters　with　him。　Mongondro　was　of　an　inquiring　bent　of　mind；　and

pleased　John　Starhurst　greatly　by　asking　him　to　account　for　the　existence　and

beginning　of　things。　When　the　missionary　had　finished　his　summary　of　the

Creation　according　to　Genesis；　he　saw　that　Mongondro　was　deeply　affected。　The

little　old　chief　smoked　silently　for　some　time。　　Then　he　took　the　pipe　from

his　mouth　and　shook　his　head　sadly。



〃It　cannot　be；〃　he　said。　〃I；　Mongondro；　in　my　youth；　was　a　good　workman　with

the　adze。　Yet　three　months　did　it　take　me　to　make　a　canoea　small　canoe；　a

very　small　canoe。　And　you　say　that　all　this　land　and　water　was　made　by　one

man〃



〃Nay；　was　made　by　one　God；　the　only　true　God；〃　the　missinary　interrupted。



〃It　is　the　same　thing；〃　Mongondro　went　on；　〃that　all　the　land　and　all　the

water；　the　trees；　the　fish；　and　bush　and　mountains；　the　sun；　the　moon；　and　the

stars；　were　made　in　six　days！　No；　no。　I　tell　you　that　in　my　youth　I　was　an

able　man；　yet　did　it　require　me　three　months　for　one　small　canoe。　It　is　a

story　to　frighten　children　with；　but　no　man　can　believe　it。〃



〃I　am　a　man；〃　the　missionary　said。



〃True；　you　are　a　man。　But　it　is　not　given　to　my　dark　understanding　to　know

what　you　believe。〃



〃I　tell　you；　I　do　believe　that　everything　was　made　in　six　days。〃



〃So　you　say；　so　you　say；〃　the　old　cannibal　murmured　soothingly。



It　was　not　until　after　John　Starhurst　and　Narau　had　gone　off　to　bed　that

Erirola　crept　into　the　chief's　house；　and；　after　diplomatic　speech；　handed　the

whale　tooth　to　Mongondro。



The　old　chief　held　the　tooth　in　his　hands　for　a　long　time。　It　was　a　beautiful

tooth；　and　he　yearned　for　it。　Also；　he　divined　the　request　that　must　accompany

it。　〃No；　no；　whale　teeth　were　beautiful；〃　and　his　mouth　watered　for　it；　but　he

passed　it　back　to　Erirola