The San Francisco call., 1897-12-26
NEW YEARS DAY
IN THE TROPICS,

We sat on the tool bench in the boat
house, a mere open shed, while the
wind blew and the rain poured down
on the thatched roof overhead.
It was stormy weather, and in the
tropics stormy weather means some
thing, for one never knows when it is
going to develop into a real hurricane
Outside in the open bay which formed
the only harbor the place could boast
great seas came tumbling in from
the southwark. No boat could put
out in such weather, and the little
schooner which had landed us the day
before had long since fed for shelter to
the lee of the island.
Plainly there was no getting away
in any direction, so we sat dangling our
legs from the bench, discussing idly
the boat which Crooked nec1ed Jim,
a carpenter as we'll as a trader, was
building. Also we wished SOrrOWfully
that we could get something to drink
for the village was in terribly dry
state The two traders who constituted
the sole white population had long
since consumed their stock of liquor,
having, as was the custom in those
parts, helped one another generously
over the task.
Then Blind Tom, feeling his way eau
tiOusly with a stick, came along and
cheered US by the production Of a piece
of kava root. Further he enlivened the
conversation by a string of oaths which
may with propriety be omitted here.
Toms conversation was always free
and plentiful, as became an old-t time
beachcomber.
The two cronies. as they squatted
there by the finished boat, drink
ing great draughts of muddy looking
kava, made about as ugly a picture as
could we'll be imagined. They were au-
thentic specimens of the genus beach
comber, a race which is fast fading in
to oblivion, and samples of which are
only to be met with in such out of the
way parts as the little island on which
I was stranded. Civilization has proved
too much for the beachcomber, and,
though he generally lives to a ripe old
age, when he dies there is no one to re-
place him. He came from the Lord
knows where to this hapy land of
fa'atali, the native word for wait or
don't be in a hurry.
To inquire where these two, Crooked
necked Jim and Blind Tom, came from
would have been a gross breach of ISL
and etiquette. At the best they might
have been deserters from an American
whaler, at the worst escaped convicts
from one of the Australian colonies
Therefore it was not wise to ask ques-
tions. All that was known was that
from time immemorial they had dwelt
on this lonely isle, trading for rival
Apia merchants, and yet maintaining
between themselves an unbroken
friendship.
CroOked-necked Bill admitted having
been a sailor. and accounted for his
twisted neck by an unlucky fall down
hatchwaY. Blind Tom, who had lost
his sight from overmuch drinking of
. green kava, was more reticent though
he seemed to have been everywhere and
done everything, and possessed an in
exhaustible fund Of stories, which he
would reel off at the slightest provoca-
ton.
Thus, when I happened to ask what
preparations they were making to cele-
brate the approaching New Year Tom
was ready with an appropriate tale.
1--WE don't keep New Year much
here" he replied, "at least not nova
days. But there was a time. Remem-
Der that port Of yours, Jim?"
Should think did," replied the usu-
ally silent Jim, chuckling at the recol-
lection, "and the tool box, YOU old
swindler.''
1t was Toms turn to laugh now, and
the two worthless Joined in until tears
streamed down their weather beaten
cheeks.
Tell me about 1t, Tom" asked.
"It must be a good joke if it makes you
laugh that way"
Well" said Tom, "candidly it was.
You see we took turns to swindIe each
other, and that's why we both enjoy
the thing so much. We were not al
ways such good friends as we are
now"
That's So put in Jim; I'VE two had
a tough fight of it at first"
1t was this way" continued Tom.
II was here some time before Jim, and
having had the island all to myself for
years didn't like to see an intruder, IA
I called him, step in.
81 thought at first 1 would make the
place too warm for Jim, but he met
me every time, and the way we sacri-
feed our trade goods makes me shud-
der. The natives had a good chance
while it lasted, for lava-lavas was fly