Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-26

0IO 1t was Stanley Hicks and l that
divided the trade of the place, which
poor to middlng, with maybe couple of hundred
tons of copra year and as much pearl shell as the
natives cared to get 1t deep shell, you
derstand, and sometimes diver went down and never
up, and you could see him shmmerng down
below like the back of shark, dead door nail
Nobody would dive after that and whole year might
pass with the Kanakas still holding back unless there
church assessment call for something special
like sewing machine or a new boat. 1t averaged
anywhere from five tons to sixty and often, said,
nothing at all.
had got rooted in Rakahanga, and SO had Stanley
Hicks, and, though both had ideas of getting away
and often talked of 1t, didbeing like people
half asleep in featherbed, with life drifting
ticed and the wind rustlng in the palms, and
mer day so like another that one lost count of time alto
gether
Rakahanga nicer, friendlier finer looking people;
and when say they watered their copra us,
worked any of those heartbreaking boycotts to
bring prices down, you realize how much out of the
beaten track and how little they had yet learned
of civilization. They too simple and easygoing
for their good-and that's fact for they allowed
David the Tongan pastor to walk all over them which
he did right royal with his great fat naked feet and
when anything didn't please this here David nor the
deacons they stuck him her in the coral jail and
locked the door on him-or her, the might be,
and usually was.
WE were what might be called Republic having no
w King and being supposed to be ruled by the old
men, who met from time to time in wickerwork building
that looked more like giant clothes basket than any
thing resembling house. Yes Rakahanga indie
pendent country, and no flag flew us but
or would have if we had had one which we hadn't
0f Stanley and knew could not last like this
forever and the natives weren't unprepared for
our being annexed day by passing of war
though all hoped it would go with nobody
interfering with us nor pasng proclamations trees.
1t is all very fine to God Save the Queen "Vve
la Republque" at the bottom of a proclamation; but
Stanley and | knew it meant taxes and licenses and
penal servtude you did this failed to do that and
all those other blessings that served Pacific
island when one of the great Powers suddenly discovers
1t the map
Our Republic in than anything else;
for old David the missionary ruled the island with
rod of iron and crotchety and tyranniCa that
no Kanaka could call his soul his Every night
nine he stood out in front of his house and rang
handbel and then betde anyone who didn't go
to bed nstanter and shut up, matter if it in the
full of the moon and they in the middle of game OF
cards or Earning Soclable on an upturned boat!
One had to get up just military and autocratC.
And for dancingwhy the word itself could hardly
be said, let alone the actual thing, which the
Jail time and dose of the pastors whip thrown
frt make love, and the biggest crime of all
not to up handsome with church offerings when
they were demanded. If you will believe me- it was
crime to grie0e too much somebody died. the dead
person married. that IS and you of the oppo
site and not closely related
As | said before the natives so eaSygong that
they took it all lying down, and allowed this here David
to swell into regular despot though there must have
been coming two thousand of them, and him with
nothing but his bell and his whip and his big roaring
voice. Naturally he did not dare interfere with
white men; though Stanley and | toed the line
than liked for the sake of business and keeping clear
of his i'll will
THE only one who wasn't scared Of the old Tartar
and stood right up to him hulking big Fiian
named Peter Jones. Nobody knew how he came by
that name for there wasn't white drop in his BODY
he being unusually dark and powerful and full of the
old Nick and with mop OF hair on him like you never