The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-12-26

OWNED this in o few minutes talk, ]
also made certain that when it came to
b question Of taxing sides against the
authority OF the high-priests, they
could not be relied upon at all. Every
man seemed to he crazy in his infat.
uated worship of Pele.
There was place for me at one side
Of the rnde table, and at the sign from
my guide I took it,
"You are welcome here, successor
of Lowai," said an aged fool who sal
It the head OF the table. "Pele has
sot many worshipers of your color.
You will be great priest"
81 am glad you think SO" I replied
In the native tongue. ~ shall en-.
deavor to please Pele. But why am !
always called the successor Of Lowai:
DO I have no name?"
"N,t for o year." replied he who
seemed to be the chief among these
lower priests. "For one year you are
on trial. During that time you are
known to us only as the successor Of
Lowai, who was good and true
priest, although he spent but little
time here. After the year, If you
have proven faithful, Sru Kaumai and
the high-priests accept you, you will
receive O name. You may keep the
one you had in Honolulu or may take
new one."
"Cireat is Pelc!" said one Of the
"brethren. "Will you have some
"poi?"
There were no spoons nor forks
among the priests, so l dipped into
the great dish of taro-root with my
hands and gulped down the stuff the
best could. It was nauseating, eat
ing in this way; bit it was that or
starve, and q man will do great
many unpleasant things rather than
die. Then we had cocoa in rude,
wooden mugs, without milk, but with
plenty OF sugar. Aud the center OF
the table was piled high with bananas.
"Where do you obtain supplies?" I
asked, drinking from my wooden
bowl.
"We have many ways" replied o
priest near me. "Oue of Us may at
my time be sent to Kannakakai to
buy food. Then we have priests
VINO, like Lowai, do not live here, but
come ut regular times to worship Pele
md bring offerings from tho people. "
"Have we any followers OF Pele who
Ire not priests?" J asked.
The brother who sat next to me
,pencd his eyes wide in surprise al
NY gross ignorance.
"Tke worshipers of Pele are many,
ind reach around the world" he
said.
"True, Lowai told me that" I said.
riding little untruth to what the old
villain had really told me; "but he did
not say how many. Hew many peo-
| pie in the world worship Pele?"
ga hundred Million" solemnly re-
Piled my neighbor at the feast.
I nearly smiled at the figures. Had
done do, the act might have been
htal. By plunging my nose into my
big cocoa cup and swallowing the blaci
hixture, concealed the look of in.
sredulity that came into my face in
lpite of me.
Glow do you get to Kannakskai
when you are sent after food" ]
asked.
"We wait for Patua, the fisherman,
to come for US in his boat"
SIS Patua o priest?"
"He is member OF Kammilouk'
lnilirawai."
$50, then, he is one of us?"
"Did you not know it?" asked the
.hief among them fiercely. "Elss
how did you come among hs?"
I was on dangerous ground and
FASTENED to right myselr.
"True, Patua is true follower, for
lis ring met mine, and the spirit o!
Pele was felt in me-"
Thus confidence was restored, and
ne finished the feast,
Before wo left the table the as-
,embled priests went through form
If praise to Pele, consisting Of much
bowing and groaning, and We were
ree for the time to go where we WOULD.
I was stiff from sitting on the rough,
! wooden benches that served for chairs,
ind when I got into the air again I
walked rapidly up and down the
edge to get the kinks out OF my
pints.
Seeing q fellow-priest standing
ilone, gazing into the lake, I spoke to
him.