The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18
A KING OF APEMAMA.
Continued from Page 81


ribbons, dresses, scents, tins OF salmon
the pride of the eye and the lust OF the
hesh-tempted them IN vain. Iney had
but the one indea-tobacco, the island cur
rency, tantamount 10 mlnted gold, re-
turned to share it, burthened, but reJolc-
ing; and late into the night, on the royal
terrace, were 70 be seen counting the
sticks by lamplight in the open air.
The king is no such economist. lie is
greedy OF things new and foreign. blouse
after house, chest after chest IN the palace
precinct is already crammed with clocks,
musical boxes, blue spectacles, umbrellas,
knitted waistcoats, bolts OF stuff, rides,
fowling pieces, medicines, European foods,
sewing machines, and, what Is more extra
ordinary. stoves; all that ever caught his
eve, tickled his appetite, pleased him tor
its use, or puzzl ed him with its apparent
inutility. And still his greed is unaoated.
He is possessed by the seven devils of the
collector. He hears thing spoken OF,
and a shadow comes on his face. II
think no got him." he will say; and the
treasures he has seem worthless IN COM
parison If q ship be bound for
Apemama the merchant racks his brain to
hit upon some novelty. This ne leaves
carelessly in the main cabin or partly con-
ceals in his own berth, so that the king
shall spy it for himself. "How much
you want?' inquiries Tembinok', passing
aiu pOlHllnS. No, Mig IIldG tOO oCdir
returns the trader. 81 think l ike him,
says the king. This was bowl of gold
fish. On another occasion it was scented
soap. NO, king, that cost too much,
said the trader; 100 good for kanaka.
How much you got? | take him ali,
replied his majesty, and became the lord
OF seventeen boxes at 81 cake. Or, again,
the merchant feigns the article is not for
sale, is private property, an heirloom or
gift, and the trick infallibly sue
ceeds. Thwart the king and you
hold him. His autocratic nature rears
at the affront of opposition. He accepts
1t as challenge; sets his teeth like a
hunter going at fence, and with no mark
OF emotion, scarce of interest, stolidly
piles up the price. Thus, for instance, he
took fancy to my wife's dressing bag,
thing entirely useless to the man and
sadly battered by years of service. Early
one forenoon he came to our house, sat
down, and abruptly offered to purchase it.
told him | sold nothing, and the bag at
any rate was present from friend; but
he was acquainted with these pretexts
from of old. and knew what they were
worth and how to meet them. Adopting
what l believe is called 1.-THE object
method" he drew out bag of English
gold-soverigns and half soverigns-and
began to lay them one by one
In silence on the table, at each fresh
piece reading our faces with a look. In
vain l continued to protest I was no
trader; he deigned not TO reply. There
must have been twenty pounds on the
table. he was still going on, and irritation
had begun to mingle with our embarrass-
ment when happy idea came to our de-
livery. Since his majesty thought so
much of the bag, we said, We must beg him
to accept it as present. 1t was the most
surprising turn in Tembinok's experience
a 10 hGf isfa
was unmannerly; hung his head awhile in
silence; then, lifting up sheepish coun-
tenance, 81 'shamed." said the tyrant. 1t
was the first and the last time we heard
him own to flaw in his behavior. Half
an hour afterward he sent US a camphor-
wood chest, worth only few dollars-but
then heaven knows what Tembinok' had
paid for it.
Cunning by nature and versed for forty
years IN the government of men, it must
not be supposed that he is cheated blindly
or has resigned himself without resistance
TO be the milk cow of the passing trader
His efforts have been even heroic. Like
Nakaeia, of Maxim, he has owned schoon-
ers. More fortunate than Nakaeia, he has
found captains. Ships of his have sailed
as far as the colonies. He has trafiicked
direct, In his own bottom, with New Zea-
land. And even so. even there the world
enveloping dishonesty of the white man
confronted him; bis profit melted, his ship
returned in debt, the money for the insur-
ance was embezZled and when the Coronet
came TO be lost he was astonished to find
he had lost all. At this he dropped his
weapons, owned he might as hopefully
wrestle with the winds OF heaven, and,
like an experienced sheep, submitted his
fleece thenceforward TO the shearers. He
is the last man in the world TO waste
anger on the incurable; he accepts it with
raol -
he deals with than certain decency of
moderation; drives as good bargain as
he can, and when he considers he is more
than usually swindled, writes it in his
memory against the merchants name. He
once ran over to me list of captains and
supercargoes with whom he had done
business CHASING them under three heads:
Gle cheat a Gtty," "He cheat plenty"
and II think he cheat too much"
For the first two classes he expressed
perfect liberation; sometimes, but not al
ways, for the third. l could name one
merchant who used never to be at the
pains to resist Apemama. | was present
when another was turned about his busi-
ness, and was the means, having con-
siderable influence ever since the bag, of
patching the dispute. Even on the day of
our arrival there was like to have been a
hitch with Captain Reid, the ground of
which is perhaps worth recital. Among
goods exported specially for Tembinok'
there is beverage know and labeled as
Hennessy's brandy. 1t is neither Hen
messy nor even brandy; is about the color
of sherry, but is not sherry; tastes of
Kirsch, and yet neither is it Kirsch. The
king, at least, has grown used to this amaz-
ing brand, and rather prides himself upon
the taste; and any substitution Is
double offence, being at once to cheat
him and TO cast doubt upon his palate.
A similar weakness is to be observed in all
connoisseurs. Now the last case sold by
the Equator was found to contain differ
ent, and | would fondly fancy superior
distillation; and the conversation opened
very black for Captain Reid. But Tenn
binok' is a moderate man. He was re-
minded and admitted that all men are La
bic to error, even himself; accepted the
principle that a fault handsomely ac-
knowledged should be condoned; and
"Tuppoti (suppose) | intake, YOU 'peakee
me, Tuppoti you intake, 'peakee you.
Mo'betta"
After dinner and supper in the cabin. a
glass or two of "Hennetti"-the genuine
article this time, with the Kirsch bouquet
and five hours lounging on the trade
room counter, royalty embarked for home.
Three tacks grounded the boat before the
palace; the wives were carried ashore on
the backs of vassals; Tembinok' stepped
on rallied platform like a steamers
gangway, and was borne shoulder high
through the shadows, up the beach, and
by an inclined plane paved with pebbles TO
the glazing terrace where he dwells.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
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