The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-14

store OF strsngs and actual experisnos
no has drawn the material for many tale
mat Whatever they may lack In quality
.nat u purely literary, have that vigor and
freshness that stamp them - the work
OF one who writes Of what he knows. OF
oourss. the old Island days are dead to-day
andfair romance has flown. Cable stations,
ooahng harbors and the calling OF the ocean
steamers are gradually making the South
raoino a. prosaio a. lower Broadway or
a modern manufacturing town. But Mr..
becke writes Of the days when the Poly
nesian was comparatively untouched by
civilization and the trader. the beach,
oomber or the wandering whaler might
nsnt and drink square gin and make love
and moderate amount Of money without
fear or favor.
His latest book. Tho Strange Adven-
lures Of James shervinton and other
STORIES u. B. Uppincott Company. is
IN MS accustomed manner. No novel In
the true sense OF the term. but . series Of
rating good and interesting yarns, with
much OF actually blended with their fiction.
yarns OF the halcyon days Of the COS
and TO-, when. a. no says, 'the Pacific
was not - now, patrolled by men-of-war
from lovely Pylstaart, in the Friendlies, to
the iow-lyins, PARKWAY Marshal,s and
the coral lagoons Of the Northwest; when
the Queensland schooners ran full Niger
cargoes TO Bundaberg, Maryborough and
Port Maokay: whom the Government agents.
drunk nine days out Of ten, did a. much
recruiting As the recruiters themselves,
and drew-even as they may draw to-day
humping bonuses from the planters SUB
rosa! In those days the nieger-catching
meet from the Hawaiian Islands cruised
right away south to palm-clad Arorai. in
the Line Islands, or ran the Queensland
ships close in the business. They came
down from Honolulu In ballast trim, save
for the liquor and firearms, and went back
full OF sweating pass OF back haired.
copper-colored Line Islanders, driven be-
low at dark to take their chance of being
smothered II 1t came on to blow.
Merry times, indeed. had those who
ran the labor vessels then In the trade,
when Queensland rivalled the Hawaiian
lslands In the exciting business Of black
birding, and whom Capt. william Henry
Hayes Of Cleveland, Ohio. Q. 8. A.-vul-
carly called Bully Hayes-came twice a
year to fair Samoa with full oargoes Of
oil, copra and brown-skinned Kanakas
all obtained on the stalwart captains Pc
culiar tirne-payment system.'
Quite . gentlemanly sort Of pirate this
same Bully Hayes seems to have been,
according to this latest account Of him
His body was thrown to the sharks among
tho lagoons Of the Marshall group some
years ago. Mr.. Beoke, who sailed with
him and knew him probably better than
any one now alive, attempts TO rescue his
memory from much undeserved obloquy
Many fanciful tales were told and printed
Of terrible massacrcs he perpetrated among
the islands; but these massacres, says
Mr.. Becke. were purely apocryphal and
only worthy Of appearing-as they did
In the hrst plaoe-in an unreliable daily
paper in San Francisco.
He was at least q cheerful rufYian and
would sail gsyly into port at Sydney or
Melbourne or among the islands, spend his
money royalty. make love to any OF the
ladies that were IN sight, and after playing
the devil generally, set OF to China or to
some destination unannounced, neglect
ing to attend to many little financial matters
IN connection with the refittlng Of his ship
and leaving the affections OF q number Of
disconsolate beauties In a very bad state
Of rspaar.' He u known to have COM
mitted several murders, and piracy, theft
and every known form Of maritime swindllns
provided him with the where withal for
his periodical sprees; but he seems to
have bean brave and capable of kindly
act upon occasion, and he was not without
certain sense Of humor. His master
passion was . fondness for the society Of
the dusky island beauties, Of whom he
always had . number in his train or sta
toned at his different ports OF call. II
was his amiable custom to endow the time
expired members Of his harem with Pc
culiar and characteristically written testi-
monials, much a. the modern house mis-
tress would give a certificate OF character
to departing maid. Some OF these docu-
ments are still extant; and In the Carolines
and the Pelews. when whale ships were
plentiful and prosperous. the girls pre-
served them by cumming the paper on a
piece OF pandanus leaf. bordered with
devices In bead work. When fresh ship
arrived they would bind them around
their foreheads. where. we are told. .they
were always read with deep interest by
the Understanding skippers and mates
and the after guard generally Here is
q specimen Of one OF the amisble pirates
certificates:
TO ALL WHOM IT NAT coscERSi
!. william H. Hayes. hereby csrtify that
the bearer 81 this. Marutahina Of vahitshi.
was with me- for four or i've non'hs. and !
eau confidently say that ] can recommend
her 90 any one In need Of an active young
wife. general help. or 10 do chores Sine il
vry good girl and the sole support Of bsr
mother
Certainly q mos, reprei,ensible humoris'
thls-snd the stern moralis' may find con-
frmAii0n Of the eternal fitness ~ things
IN the fac, that lac cams 10 IN untimsly
end The Illustrations 10 this volume are
calculated "a oauss pain and 10 inspire ln
this discriminating a wish tina, ,h. arts,
nigh, h,ms~h take Ia piracy some other
~ tbs Ices heihoas forms of sr
4 nsssslss esssnes.
In 'hssim Gorky. his iAfs and Wit
lnss' mo laSs. PhiiliI- a Col. No D .
I.ili..n a.s l.fatt.s..d An lutsfesflAs and