Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-07

parent depression. He promised to exert
his influence with the king, and suddenly
inquired if we had any bunting on board
l replied in the affirmative, and we both
went into the trade house to inspect the
stock. The great writer seated himself and
explained the reason of his wants. He
told me that the kings ancestral history
was interviewer with the legends and my
thology of the island. His pedigree was
the theme of long native song, which
had been sung and translated for his
amusement and edificatfon that day. After
recounting the battles and victories which
seated his dynasty, it referred to the origin
of his noble house. A high princess of
Apemama had fallen in love with the Shark
king of the ocean, and from their union
sprang the royal line of Tenn Binoka.
Raising the Standard.
The simple beauty of the tradition. the
poetry and romance of the legend. had
deeply impre ssed the great writer. and to
commemorate 1t he resolved to design a
flag for TEN Binoka's island kingdom. The
design YVES the work of Mr. Strong, and
the flag was to be similar to the French
tricolcr. surcharged lengthwise with
black shark. Besides being striking and
original, it would become an emblem of
kingly authority and a souvenir of the
simple story of his ancestry. l measured
off the bunting necessary and asked Ste
venson to accept it as present. He did
50, and in the second dog watch Mrs.
Strong's deft fingers put the finishing touch
to the ensign of Apemama's autonomy and
Tenn Binoka's sovereignty.
The climate of the line islands is such
that the early part of the morning is the
only time when exertiCn or energy of any
kind is possible, SO that at 6 o'clock next
morning, when the equator party, head
ed by Stevenson and his wife and accom-
panied by our captain and myself. arrived
at the kings bungalow, We found the royal
household alive and astir. Tenn Binoka
was tatng a peculiar kind of shell fish
Oh
with raspberry sirup and gin.
Stevenson explained. through Johnny. the
nature of his visit, and asked the honor
of raising the standard. TEN Binoka was
flattered. Smiles fairly rippled over his
broad face. and his good humor found vent
by forcing his matutinal EYE opener
down our unwilling threats. His retainers
were maSSed around the HagStaf, which
until then had merely been used to signal
the various vessels that might bring up
by CHARGE iii his lagoon.
The flag was rolled in a tight ball and
to the masthead. The kings rifemen
were turned out, the camera was adjusted
and focused. TEN Binoka removed mis-
smoke-tinted goggles and lifted his sun
Stevenson unfurled the royal standard and
an inpromDtu feu de joie burst from The
guns OF Tenn Binoka's guard.
Royal Gratitude.
The autocrat of Apemama was a differ
ent being at that moment; his reserve dis
appeared, he shook hands with all the
dematon present, and in the height of
the hilarity 1 preached the delicate sub
ject of trade. bargain was struck I'm
mediately, and orders were issued to mis-
storekeepers. Captain Gadegad hurried
aboard TO prepare for the cargo, while
stayed to enjoy the general jubilee that
was progressing. Tenn .Binoka insisted OH
the Equator party staying ashore, and
gave orders to build village for their re-
Ception close TO the palace Inside of eight
hours fifteen houses were erected, the bed
ding and furniture of the schooner were
brought ashore. and special levy of re-
tainers made for Stevenson and his peo-
pie. l believe that fully fifty people were
placed at the disposal of the author sad
his party. Mr.. Stevenson called his viii
l2ge Equatorvlle and delighted the natives
by assuming their dress and sitting on his
Nat with both legs crossed under him.
He drafted a scheme for the confedera-
ton of the whole group under the paternal
sovereignty of Tenn Binoka. who subse-
quently negotiated in Sydney for the pur-
chase of the steamer Helen Nicoll with
which he intended to carry out Mr. Steven
sons plans. The Equator party were hon
oreo in every way by the king and all his
subjects were ordered to give Difference and
homage to the author and his family
+ In The meantime we had nearly emitted
the kings copra houses, and were jubiant
over the turn our luck had taken. We
were Wind-bound for a few days. and
seized the opportunity to visit EQUATOR
Vlile ana pay my respects to Stevenson and
settle accounts with the king Every one
was smoking cigarettes. The girls car
ried them in snug little bundles behind
their ears in much the same way that a
city clerk carries his pen. The men smoked
them because they were more pleasant
than the heavy trade pipes. l received an
order from the king for a supply of rice
paper and Turkish tobacco. Mr.. Stevenson
enjoyed the situation immensely and con-
sidered it capital joke.
klng Tenn Binoka died in 1891 while ac-
lively engaged preparing for the conquest
Oh the surrounding islands. His dominions
were placed under a British protectorate
Iii 1892, when the Gilbert and ElIice groups
became part of the British empire Poor
TEN Binoka! 1t was possibly best that
he should die before the scepter was wrest-
ed from the dynasty of the Shark
PALANI PAAKIkI
Mnsuuffn RIessiu~s