The sun., 1891-05-10

OF battle. Now these reports have certainly
Significance; IL Is not hard to trace them to
political Rrumblers or to read in them threat
OF coming trouble; from that merely human
side find them orninous myself. But 1t was
the spiritual side OF their Significance
that was discussed In secret council by
my rulers l shall best derict this
mingled habit OF the Polynesian mind by two
connected instances ! once lived In Q village.
the name OF which do not mean To tell. Tho
chief and his sister were persons perfectly in
telligent: eentlefolk. apt Of speech. The sister
was very religious. great churchgoer. ono
that used to reprove me II stayed away.
found aiterward that she privately worshipped
shark. The chief himself was somewhat OF a
FREQ thinker; mt the least. a la,itudinarian: ho
was man besides filed with European knowl.
edge and omplishments: Of an impassive.
ironical habit; and should as soon have ex-
pected superstition In Mr.. Herbert SPENCER
Hear the sequel had discovered by unmis-
taxable signs that they buried too shallow In
the village graveyard, and took my friend. rs
tho responsible authority. to task. There is
something wrong about your graveyard" said
I. which you must attond to or 1t may have
very bad results" Something wrong2 What
is IT," he asked. with an emotion that sur
rrsed me. II you care to 20 along there any
evening about 0 O'Clock you can 500 for your
SELF" said L He stepped backward. "A
ghostI" he cried.
In short, In tho whole field OF the South Seas.
there is not one to blame another. Half
blood and whole. pious aud debauched. INTEL
ligent and dull. oil men believe in ghosts. all
mon combine With their recent Christianity
fear. and q lingering faith in the old island
deittes. So. In Europe. the gods OF Olympus
slowly dwindled into village bogies: SO to-day,
tha $hoo okoer{pnl III t0l,1 0,dA 10
tho eye Of the Free Church divine to lay an Of
ferlnR by saorsd we'll.
l try to doSl With the whole matter hero be-
cause OF q particular quality In Paumotuan
superstitions. 1t Is true heard them told by
q man with a Centus for such narrations. Close
about our evening lamp. within tho sound
Of tho island surf. we hung ON his words.
thrilling. The reader In far other scenes.
must listen close for the faint echo.
This bundle okwlerd stories spranR from the
burial and the womnn's selfish conjuration. I
was dissatisfied with what heard. harped
upon questions and struck at last this vein OF
metal 1t IA from sundown to about four In
the morning that the kinsfolk camp upon the
grave: and these are the hours OF tho spirits
wanderinRs. At any time Of the niGht-it may
be earlier. It may be latsr-a sound 10 to be
heard below. which Is the noise Of his liberia
tion: at four sharp. another and louder
marks the instant OF the reimprisonment: be-
tween whilss. he goes his malignant rounds.
did you ever see an evil spirit p was once
asked of Paumotuan. Once" Under
what form?" 1T was in tho form Of crane"
And how did you know that crane to be
q spirit?' was asked. II will tell you" he
answered: and this was the purport of his in
conclusive narrative. His father bad been
dead nearly fortnight: others had wearied OF
the watch: and as the sun was setting. he
found himself by tho grave alone. 1t was not
yet dark. rather tho hour OF the aftergl0w.
when he was aware Of . snow-white crane
upon the coral mound: presently more cranes
came. some white. some black: then the cranes
vanished. and he saw In their place white
cat to which :here was silently Joined Q Grest
company OF cats OF essrJ hue conceivable:
then thess. also disspssassdisnd he was loft
This was an auodyne appearance. Take In
stead the experience Of Rua-s- s-MariteranRi on
tho Isle OF Katiu. He had need for some
pandsnus. and crossed the isle to the sea
beach. where 1t chiefly nourishes. Tho day
was STILL and Rua was surprised to hear
crashing sound among the thickets and then
tho fall OF considerable tree. Hero must be
some one building canoe: and he entered the
margin Of tho wood to md and pass tho time
Of day with this chance neighbor. Tho crash
ing sounded more at hand; and then he was
aware Of something drawing swiftly near
among tho treetops. It swung BY its heels
downward. like an ape, % that its hands wore
free for murder: It depended safely by the
slightest twigs: the speed OF its coming was