Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-08-16

lin hs or 5vilitec teeth. or G deeCer rs
sect for his divine nature lie had
almost a mind -it was only Ula Way
not break the silence ell oined ucon
the gods toward Wo nen, and explain
this matter to her? Mo- the great
secret itself, OF course the secret on
which hung the Death and transmit
grafton Of Tux iIa-hiIa Oh, no; not
that one. The savage was far too
cunning in his generation to intruso
that final terrible Taboo % the ears o.
woman. Bat the reason why be
made all strangers horong. 4 woman
might surely be trusted with that :
especially ia. She was SO very
handsome. And she was always SO re-
sDectful to him.
wv ell. the fact OF it is " he answered,
laying his han1 on her neck, that
plump brown neck OF hers, under the
garland Of dracaena leaves, and strok-
ing voluptuously. the sailing gods who
happen upon this island from time to
time. are made korong bat hush. it
is taboo. He gazed round the hut
suspiciously. s'Are all the others
away" he asked, in frightened tone.
Fire and Water would Genolnce me
to all my people il once they found
had told taboo to a woman And as
for you. they would take you, because
you knew it, and would pull your flesh
from your bones with hot stone pine
81
Ula rose and looked about her at the
then she glided back. serpentine, and
threw herself, in st4tuesque
pose, on the native mat beside him.
1v,if1 N,sn how hn
cried, holding a bowl to his lips, and
wheedling him with her eyes. ''Kava
is good; 1t is fit for gods. It makes
them royalty drunk, as becomes great
deit:es. The spirits of our ancestors
dwell in the bowl; when you drink of
the lzava they mount by degrees into
your heart and head. They insp re
brave words. They give you thoughts
of heaven. Drink, my master, drink.
The Ruler of the Sun in Heaven is
thirstv."
She lay propped on one elbow, with
her face close to his, and offered him,
with brown, irresistible hand, the in
toxicating liquor. Tu-Klla-Kila took
the bowl and drank second time. It
was seldom ne allowed himself the
luxury of a second draught of that very
Supplying native intoxicant, for he
knew too well the danger Of insecure
ly guarding his sacred tree; but on
this particular occasion, as on SO many
others in the collective life of hui
mainly, ''the woman tempted him."
and he acted as she told him. He
drank it OF deep. 'Ha, ha, that is
goodn' he cried, smacking his lips.
THAT is drink fit for god. No
woman can make kava like you, Ula. -
He toyed with her arms and neck lazi
ly once more. you are the queen of
my wives, he went on, in dreamy
voice. 81 like you so we'll, that, plump
as you are, [ really believe, Ula, Lcould
never make up my mind to eat YOU"
''My lord is very gracious" Ula made
answer, in soft. low tone, pretending
to caress him. And for some minutes
more she continued to make much of
him in the fulsome strain of Polynesian
fattery.
At last the kava had clearly got into
Tu-Kila-Kila' head. The Ola bent
forward once more a2d again attacked
him. ''Now [ know you will tell me-"
she said, coaxingly, why you make
them KoTong. AS long as [ live will
never speak or hint it to any body any
where. And if I do why, the remedy
is near. | am your meat take me and
eat me-"
Even cannibals are human: and at
the touch Of her soft hand, Tu-Kila-
Kila gave way slowly. Il MADE them
KOrong," he answered, in rather thick
accents, because it is less dangerous
for me to make them SO than to choose
for the post from among our own
islanders. Sooner or later my day
must come; but can put it off best by
making my enemies out Of strangers
who arrive upon our island, and not out
OF those of my own household. All
Boupari men who have been initiated
know the terrible secret-they know
where lies the Death Of Tu-Kila-Kila.
The strangers who come to us from
the sun or the sea do not know it: and
therefore my life is safest with them.
So I make them Korong whenever I
can, to prolong my own days, and to
guard my secret"
''And the Death OF Tu-Kila-K ila?"
the woman whispered, very low, still
soothing his arm with her hand and
patting his cheek softly from time to
time with gentle, caressing motion.
''TelI me where does that live? Who
holds it in charge? Where is Tu-Kila-
Kila's great spirit laid by in safety? I
know it is in the tree; but where and
in what pa t OF it,"
TrrO RI r0NT,TNv-Fn !