The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-24
THE BEACH OF FALESA.
The Narrative Of q South Sea Trader.
BY Robert Louis Stevenson.



pEvIL-woRKs.
Well. this kind Of talk put In the evening.
which was the best OF It: but, OF course. It
didn't change my notion. and the next day
with my gun and good knife set of upon
voyage Of discovery. made as near as I could
for the place whore had seen Case come out.
for II 1t was true he had some kind OF estab-
lishment in the bush reckoned should find
q path. Tho beginning OF the desert was
marked OF bya wall. to call IL 80. for It was
more OF long mound Of stonea They say 1t
reaches right across the island. but how they
know 1t is another question. for I doubt II any
one has made tho journey in a hundred
years. the natives sticking chiefly to the
sea and their little colonies along the coast:
and that part being mortal high and steep and
full OF cliffs up to the west side OF the wall. the
ground has been cleared and there are cocoa
palms and mummy apples and guavas. and
lots OF sensitive. Just across tho bush begins
outright: high bush at that. trees going up
like the masts Of ships, and ropes Of Llama
hanging down like ships rigging. and nasty
orchids growing in the forks like funguses.
The ground whore there was no underwood
looked to be heap Of boulders. I saw many
green pigeons which might have shot only
was there with different idea. A number OF
butterflies Topped up and down along the
ground like dead leaves: sometimes I would
hear bird calling, sometimes the wind over
head. and always the sea along the coast.
But the queerness OF the place it's more difi-
cult to tell Of. unless to one who has been alone
in the high bush himself. The brightest kind
OF q day 1t is always dim down there. A man
can SEQ to the end OF nothing: whichever way
he looks the wood shuts up. ono bough folding
with another like the fingers OF your hand;
md 1vhnpovor ho listapa ha honra aIwaya
something new-men talking. children laugh
ing. the stroke Of an axe far way ahead Of
him. and sometimes sort OF quick. steslthy
scurry near at hand that makes him Jump and
look to his weapons. It's all very we'll for him
to tell himself that he's alone. bar trees and
birds: he can't make out to believe it.: which,
ever way no turns. the whole place seems to be
alive and looking on. Don't think 1t was Uma's
yarns that put me out; don't value native
talk fourpenny piece: it's thing that's
natural in the bush. and that's the end OF it
As got near tho top OF the hill. for the
ground OF the wood goes up in this place steep
as q ladder. the wind began to sound straight
on. and the leaves to toss and switch open and
let in tho sun. This suited mo better; 1t was
the same noise all the time. and nothing to
startle. Well. I had got to place where there
was an underwood Of what they call wild
cocoanut-mighty pretty with its scarlet fruits
when there came o sound Of singing in the
wind that thought had never heard the like
Of 1t was all very fine to tell myself twas
the branches: I know better. It was all
very fine to tell myself it was q
bird: I know never q bird that sang like
that It rose and swelled and died away
and swelled again: and now I thought 1t
was like some one weeping. only prettier: and
now 1 thought 1t was like harps; and there
was one thing made sure OF. It was sight
too sweet to be wholesome in a place like that.
You may laugh II you like: but declare
called to mind the six young ladies that came.
with their scarlet necklaces. out OF the cave at
Fanga-anaana, and wondered II they sang
like that. We laugh at the natives and their
superstitions: but see how many traders take
them up. splendidly educated white men. that
have been bookkeepers (some Of them) and
clerks In the old country. It's my belief q su-
perstition grows up in place like the differ
ent kind Of weeds: and Us stood there and
listened to that waiting twittered In my shoes.
You may call me coward to be frightened:
Thought myself brave enough to go on ahead.
But l went mighty carefully. with my gun
cooked. spying all about me like q hunter.
fully expecting to see handsome young
woman sitting somewhere In the bush. and
fully determined III did to try her with q
charge OF DUCK Shot. Anu sure enough n8u
not gone far when I met with a queer thing.
The wind came on the top OF the wood In q
strong puff. the leaves in front Of me hurst
open. and saw for second something hang
ing in tree. 1t was gone in a wink. the puff
blowing by and the leaves closing. I
tell you the truth. I had made up
my mind to see an nhu: and II the
thing had looked like o pig or woman.
1t wouldn't have given me the same turn.
The trouble was that 1t seemed kind OF square.
and the idea OF a square thing that was alive
and sang knocked me SICK ana slllY. must
have stood quite while: and made pretty
certain it was right out OF the same tree that
the singing came. Then began to come to
myself bit.
WELL says l. III this Is really 80. II this Is
place where there are SQUARE things that
sing, I'm gone up any way. Let's have my fun
for my money.
But thought might as well take the on
chance OF q prayer being any good: so
pumped on my knees and prayed out loud;
and all the time was praying the strange