The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-31
The BEACH OF FALESA
he Narrative Of a South Sea Trader.
BY Robert Louis Stevenson.
0pgriek 1899, bp Rosev1 Bo,ds ssrenson,
@ CHAPTER v.


1sere pretty full. not only with preparations.
nut with argument My house was like mo-
IhanioS debating society. Una was so made
e 10 that shouldn't 60 into the bush by night.
br that n did. was never to come back
rain. You know her style Of arguing you've
& I'D specimen about Queen Victoria and the
evil; and leave you to fancy II was tired Of
Z d before dark.
AZ laat had o good idea what was the
nae OF casting my pearls before herr"
n thoughts some of her own chopped hay would
b .be likelier TO do the business.
tH''Tll tell you what then" said I. You Hsh
4 ept your Bible and I'll take that up along
\ nth me. That1l make me right"
She swore Bible was no use
That's Just your Kanaka Ignorance" said
Bring tho Bible out"
sf Die brought II. and turned to the title
4 paGe. where thought there would likely be
hpms English. and 80 there was. "Therel"
SXaidL Look at TINT! London: Printed for
4 ~ British and Foreign Bible Society. Black
n f5ars,' and tho date which I can't read. owing
y IT, being In these KS. There's no devil in
AL can look noar the Bible Society. Black
[fzk3Ars. Why you silly" said. "how do you
4 5leppose wo get along with our own aitus at
Il b9mss All Bible Society,""
g a think You no got any" said she. white
Ism. he tell mo you no got"
Sounds likely. don't itp" asked. why
a1tquid these islands oil be chock full OF them.
nd mono in Europe2"
& y Well you no got bread fruit" said she.
u j could have torn my hair. Now. look here.
.tSId lady" said !. you dry up. for I'm tired OF
you I'll take tho Bible. which'll put me as
se<rAtght as the mail. and that's the last word
y I've got,to say"
al The night fol! extraordinary dark. clouds
& ooming M with shutdown and overspreading
N1}ls not star showed; there was only an end
Hof q moon. and that not due before the small
4ours Round tho village. what with tho lights
y md the fires In the open houses. and tho
4 1crches OF many fishers moving on the reef. it
!; Kept 40 gay as an illumination. but the sea
{ md tho mountains and woods were all clean
gona. Isuppose 1t might be o'clock when
4 Took tho road laden like q donkey First there
AWas that Bible book as big as your head.
= which L had let myself In for by my own tom
y foolery. Then there was my gun. and knife.
Y and lantern. and patent matches. all neces-
DAyy. And then there was the real plant OF the
II AFFAIR In hand. a mortal weight OF gunpowder.
Z q pair OF dynamite fishing bombs, AMI two or
three pieces Of slow match that hau hauled
/ out OF the tin cases and spllced together the
4 best war could. for the match was only trade
\ stun. and man would be crazy that trusted
It. Altogether you see. I had the materials Of
~ pretty good blow up! Expense was nothing
IL me: wanted that thing done right
Ne long as was In the open. and had the
sIamA In my house to steer by, did we'll But
vnanN got to the path it fell so dark could
maze NO Roadway. walking into trees and
zswaarinA there. like man looking for the
matches ID his bedroom. 1knew it was risky
\ - iipbt my for my lantern would be visible
ali the vay ia the point Of the cape. and as no
ana vent therA after dark, it would be talked
/ shont ana comSto CASE ears. But what was
70 Az ! Il mad eleber tb give the business over
and Use caste with ifaea. or light up. take my
chat !. and get through the thing the smart,
: 1dtI was able. Il
As long a. was on the path walked hard ::
4 but when came to the black beach I had to
run. For the tide was now nearly flowed. and
{ 20 get through with my powder dry between
the surf and the steep hill. took all tho quick
y ness possessed. As 1t was. even the wash
caught me to the knees and came near fall
B ing on stone. AL this time the hurry was
IN. aud the tree air and smell Of the sea. kept
my spirits lively, but when was once in tho
bash and began to climb the path took it
\ easier The fearsomeness Of the wood had
I been good bit rubbed of for me by Master
/ Cases banjo strings and craven images: yet
thought 1t was dreary walk. and guessed.
I when the disciples went up there. they must be
badly scared. The light Of tho lantern. striking
oHaOuB Ill JueS6 JEuukbs uuu lOTH6Q DEaQCQ6B,
and twisted rope ends Of lianas made the
whole place. or all that you could see Of 1t. a
kind Of o puzzle Of turning shadows. They
csme to meet you. solid and quick like giants.
and then spun of and vanished: they hove up
over your head like clubs. and flew away into
I the night like birds. Tho floor OF the bush
glimmered with dead wood. the way the
match box used to shine after you had struck
Q lueifer. Big. cold drops fell on me from the
4 branches overhead like sweat There was no
!, wind TO mention; only little icy breath OF
" land breeze that stirred nothing. and tho
lhArpS were silent
khr0hgh the bush OF wild coooanuts. and came
ID visw OF the bogles on tho wall Mighty
aueer thor looked by the shining OF the Ian
tern. with their painted faces and shell eyes.
y end their clothes and their hair hanging. One
A1tey another I pulled them all up and piled
! 1hsm In bundle on the cellar roof SO rs they
might 90 TO glory with the rest Then chose
plsce behind one Of the big stones at the
entrance. buried my powder and the two shells.
and arranged my match along the passage.
end then had look at tho smoking head.
just TOR good-by. 1t was doing fne.
~Chesr up." says L You're booked"
. It was my first idea to light up and be get
ting homowsrd. for the darkness and the glim-
mer Of the dead wood and the shadows OF the
lantsrn made me lonely. But I knew whore
one Of the harps hung. 1t seemed o pity 1t
shouldn't 60 with the rest: and at the same
time couldn't holp letting on to myself that
was mortal tired OF my employment and would
like best to be at home and have tho door shut.
stopped out OF the cellar and argued 1t fore
and back. There was q sound OF the sea far
down below me on the coast; nearer hand not
slssf stirred: might have been the only lv-
lng creature this side OF Cape Horn. Well. as
] stood there thinking 1t seemed the bush
woke and became full Of little noises. Little
neises they were. and nothing to hurt:
bit Of orackle. bit Of a rush; but the
breath jumped right out Of me and my
throat went dry as a biscuit 1t wasn't Case
was afraid OF. which would have been COM
mon sense. never thought OF Case. What
took me az sharp as the colo was the old
wives tales-the devil-women and the man.
pisn II was the toss Of penny whether
should run. but got a purchase ON myself
and stepped out and held up the lantern like
= Sc<,n and lookad all round