Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-06-14
81 GRANT.AL1EN9


protected the castaways like an in
tangible wall from all outer interior
ence. Within this impalpable ring
fence they were absolutely safe from
all rude intrusion, save that of the two
Shadows, who waited upon them, day
and night, with unfailing willingness.
In other respects, considering the
circumstances, their life was an easy
one. The natives brought them freely
of their simple store-yam, taro,
breadfruit, and cocoanuts, with plenty
of fish. crabs, and Holsters, as well as
eggs by the basketful and even some
times chickens. They required no pay
beyond q nod and smile, and went
away happy at those slender recogni-
tions. Felix discovered. in fact, that
they had got into region where the
arid CONGRATULATIONS OF political econ
omy do not apply: where Adam Smith
is unread and Mill neglected.: where
the supply and demand readjust them
selves continuously by simpler and
more generous principles than the
familiar European one of 1.-THE higgling
of the market"
The people. too, though utter saw
ages, were not in their own way alto
gether unpleasing. 1t was their Gus
toms and superstitions, rather than
themselves. that were so cruel and
horrible. Personally. they seemed for
the most part mple-minded and good
natured creatures. At first, indeed,
Muriel was afraid to venture for step
beyond the precincts of their own
huts: and it was long before she could
make uD her mind to go alone through
the Jungle paths with Mali, unaccom-
panied by Felix. But by degrees she
learned that she could walk by herself
! of course, with the inevitable Shadow
ever by her side) over the whole
| island and meet everywhere with
nothing from men, women, and chill
dren but the utmost respect and grac-
| ious courtesy. The young lads. as she
| passed, would stand aside from the
| path, with downcast eyes. and let her
go by with all the politeness OF chival-
rous English gentlemen. The ola men
would raise their eyes, but cross their
hands on their breasts, and stand mo-
tionless for few minutes till she got
| almost out of sight. The women would
| bring their pref brown babies for the
fair English lady to admire or to pat
ON the head: and when Muriel now and
| again stopped down to careSs some fat
llUbiC Idh1u NIllials III VIC uuSU
outside the hut. with true tropical
| laziness, the mothers would run up at
| the sight with delight and 10Y, and
throw themselves down in ecstacics of
gratitude for the notice she had taken
of their favored little ones. "The gods
of heaven" they would say, with every
sign of pleasure, "have looked grac-
iously upon our Unaloa."
At first Felix and Muriel were mainly
struck with the politcness and defer
ence which the natives displayed to-
ward them. But after u time Folk ut
least began to observe, behind it all,
| that u certain amount Of affection, and
even Of something like commiseration
DIS we'll, seemed to be mingled with the
respect and reverence shOwered upon
,, them by their hosts. The woman. es-
pecially, were often evidently touched
! by Muriel's innocence and beauty. AS
she walked past their huts with her
light, girlish tread, they would come
forth shyly, bowling many times as they
approached, and offer her u long spray
of lowering hibiscus, or pretty gar
land Of crimson ti-leaves, saying at the
same time. many times over. in their
own tongue, "Rcceive it, Korong: re-
ccive 1t. Queen of the Clouds. You
are good. You are kind. You are IL
daughter of the sun. We are glad you
have como to us. y
A young girl soon makes herself at
homo anywhere, and Muriel pro-
tccUed alike by her native innocence,
and by the invisible cloak of Polyne-
sian taboo, quickly learned to UNDER
stand and to sympathizo with these
poor dusky mothers. One morning,
some weeks after their arrival, she
passed down the main street of the
village, accompanied by Felix and
their two attendants, and reached the
marae --thc open forum or place of pub
lie assembly which stood in its midst;
a circular platform, surrounded by
bread-iruit trees, under whose broad,
cool shade the people We're sitting in
little groups, and talking together.
They were dressed in the regular old
time festive costume OF Polynesia, for
Boupari, being Il small and remote
island, to insignificant to be visited by
European ships, retained still all its
aboriginal! Eeathcn manners and GUS
toms. The sight was. indeed, q curl
oas and picturesque one. The girls,
large-limbed, soft-sllinned. and with
delicately rounded figures, sat on the
SIoltilu, ltuS ulAs anu ttlhiLS,
with their knees crossed I'M
der them; their wrists We're encinc-
tured with girdles of dark-red dracoena
leaves, their swelling bosoms half con-
cealed, half accumulated by hanging
nocklets of flowers. Their beautiful
brown arms and shoulders were bare
throughout: their long, black hair was
gracefully twined and knotted with
bri0ht scarlet flowers The men
strong ana stalwart, sat behind on
short stools or lounged on the but
tressed roots Of the bread-fruit trees,
clad like the women in narrow waist
belts of the long red dracoena leaves,
with necklets of sharks teeth, pendent
chain of pearly shells, warriors cap
on their well-shaped heads, and an
armiet of native beans, arranged be-
l,,. a.a,. .a,.a,,,,i tn