Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-07-26
81 GRa.NT.ALlN9


Republican, Socialist, Communist
have been elevated against my will to
the honors Of royalty. That is my con-
dition, and it matters but little to me,
for | know not when the end may come:
and we can but die once. how or where,
what matte rs? Meanwhile, [ have my
distractions, my little agreements
gardens, my music, ny birds. my ma
tive friends, my coquetteries, my
aviary. AS King OF the Birds. [ keep
a small collection of my subjects in the
living form, not unworthy OF scien-
tifc eye. Monsieur is no ornithologist?
All, no, | thought not. Well, for me,
it matters little: my time is long But
for you and Mademoiselle, who are
both Korong-" He paused signif-
cantly.
What happens then, to those who
are Korong?" Felix asked, with a
lump in his throat-not for himself
but for Muriel.
The Frenchman looked at him with
a doubtful look. 'Monsicur," he said,
after a pause, 81 hardly know how to
break the truth to you properly. You
are now to the island, and do not yet
understand these savages. 1t is so ter
rible fate. SO deadly. So certain.
Compose your mind to hear the worst.
And remember that the worst is very
terrible"
Felix's blood froze within him: but
he answered brayely ali the same, II
think | have guessed it myself already
The KOrong are offered as human sac
ritices to Tu-kila-kila."
THAT is nearly So" his new friend
replied, with Il solemn nod of his head.
x npnno, i. hound tn Hin
his time comes Your time will de-
pend on the particular date when you
were admitted to heaven"
Felix reflected a moment. Git was
on the 10Th of last month";" he an
swered, shortly.
Very we'll" M. Peyron replied,
after a brief calculation "You have
just six months in all to live from that
date. They will offer you up by Tu-
Kila-Kila's hut the day the run reaches
the summer solstice.''
But why did they make us gods
then?' Felix iaterposed, with trem-
ulous lips. "Why treat us with such
honors anwhile, if they m can in the
end to kill us?''
He received his sentence Of death
with greater calmness than the French
man had expected. "Monsieur," the
older arrival answered, with reflect
i've air, there comes in the mystery.
II we could solve that, we could find
out also the way of escape, for you.
For their is away Of escape for every
Korong: know it well; [ gather it
from all the natives say; it is q part of
their mysteries; Bat what it may be,
| have hitherto, in spite of all my et-
forts, failed to discover. All do know
is this; Tu-Kila- Kila hates and breads
in his heart every Korong that is ele-
waited to Heaven, and would do any
thing if he dared. to get rid OF him
quietly. But he doesn' t dare. because
he is bound hand foot himself, too. by
tatoos innumerable. Taboois the real
god and king OF Boupari. All the is
land alike bows down to it and wor-
ships it"
''aave you ever known Korongs
killed." Felix asked once more, tremp-
ling.
Yes, monsieur Many of them,
alas. And this IS what happens. When
the korong's time is come, as these
creatures say, either on the summer
or winter solstice, he is bound with
native ropes, and carried up so pin
toned to Tu-kila Kila S temple. IN the
time before this man was Tu-kila-Kila,
[ remem ber-"
''Stop," relix cried. II don't un.
derstand. Has there been more than
one Tukila Kila:"
why, yes the Frenchman an
the mystery comes in again. We have
always among US one Iu-kila-Kila or
another. He is a sort Of Pope, or
grand lama, voyez-yous? No sooner is
the last god dead than another god
succeeds him and takes his name, Or
rather his title This young man who
now holds the place was known orig
inally as Lavita, the son of Sami But
what is moe curioGs still, the island
ers always ,reat the new god as if he
were precisely the seltsame person as
the the old one. So far as [ have been
able to understand their theology. they
believe in a sort OF RECONSIDERATION Of
souls. The soul of the Tu-ki!a-kila
who is just dead passes into and ami
mates the body Of the Tu-kila-kila
who succeeds to the Office. Thus they
speak as though Tu-Kila-kiIa were a
continuous existence: and the god of
the moment, himself will often refer
to events which occurred to him, as he
says, d hundred years ago or more,
but which he really knows, of course,
only by the persistent tradition of the
islanders. They are very curious
people, these fouEarese. But what
would you have? Among savages, one
expects things to be as among savages
Felix drew quiet sigh. 1t was GER
tain that on the island of Boupari that
expectation. at least, was never doomed
to disappointment. And when Ko-
rong is taken to -kila-Kila S temple,
he asked, continuing the subject of
most immediate interest, what hap
pens next to him."
Monsieur" the Frenchman an
swered, Il hardly know whether do
rig hit Or not to say the truth to you.
Each korong is god for one season
only: when the year renews itself, as
the savages believe, by change of
season. then a new korong must be
chosen by Heaven to fill the place of
the old ones who are to be sacrificed.
This they do in order that the seasons
/ r~a,h N-irnpnlJS rs