The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-10-03
BY GOvERNEUR NORRIS.


village, and a good natured young
chap named Graves had charge of
Il. He WAS an outstanding, clean
cut fellow. Don, who dislfkes
Lanything Polynesian or Melane-
sian. took to him at once. He gave
us lunch ON the porch, and be-
cause he had not seen a white man
for two months, or a Iiver-and-
white dog for two years, he told
us the entire story of his young
life and plans for the future
thrown in.
The future was very simple.
There was a girl coming out to
him from the states by the next
steamer but one; the captain of
that steamer would join them to-
gether in holy wedlock, and after
that the Lord would provide.
He led the way to his bedroom,
and stood in silent rapture before
, large photograph that leaned
against the wall over his dressing
table.
The uusal cable agent" / said.
keeps from going mad by having
a dog or cat or some pet or other
to talk to. But l can understand
a photograph like this being all
sufficient to any man-even If he
had never seen the original. AL
low me to shake hands with you"
You haven't asked me my bust
ness in these parts" | said, but
I'll tell you. I'm collecting grasses
for the Bronx Botanical Garden"
Then, by Jove." said Graves,
''you have certainly come to the
right place. Grass. The place is
all grass; there are fifty kinds
right around my house here"
i've noticed only eighteen" l
said, but that isn't the point. The
point is: when do the Datengo
Island grasses begin to go to
seed?" And ! smiled.
You think you've got me
stumped, don't your" he said.
THAT a mere cable agent wouldn't
notice such things. Well. that
grass there" and he pointed g.
beach nut we call it's the first
TO ripen seed. and, as far as
know, it does 1t just six weeks
from now"
In that case" | said, expect
me back"
Anything I can do to help you
while you're gone? I've got loads
of spare time"
IF you knew anything about
grasses"
Il don't. But I'll blow back
into the interior and look around.
I've been meaning to right along,
Just for fun. But | can never get
any of them to go with me-"
THE natives?"
Eyes. Poor lot. They're COM
hitting race suicide as fast as
they can. There are more wooden
gods than people in Batengo vii
lage. and the superstition's so
thick you could cut it with a
knife"
They say that If you go back
there In the grass something aw-
full will happen to you"
"As what?" l asked.
"The last man to try it," said
Graves, "in the memory of the
Oldest inhabitant, was a woman.
When they found her she was all
black and swollen-at least that's
what they say. Something had
bitten her Just above the ankle.
Nonsense" l said, there are
no snakes in the whole Batengo
group.
They didn't say II was a
snake" said Graves. They said
the marks of the bite were like
those that would be made by the
teeth of a very 1ittle-child."
Five weeks later I was once
more coasting along the wavering
hills of Batengo island, with a
sharp eye out for a first sight of
the cable station and Graves. And
when at last we rounded on the
cable station l let off both barrels
The salute brought Graves out
of his house
Even at that distance I detected
a something irresolute in his man
ner.
That's funny" I said to Don
"He's coming to meet us in spite
of the fact that he'd much rather
not Oh, WE'LL
| left the schooner while she
was still under way, and reached
the beach before Graves came up
There were too many strange
brown men to suit Don, and he
kept very close to my legs. When
Graves arrived the natives fell
away from him as IL he had been
a Ieper. He wore a sort of stekly
smile, and when he spoke the dog
stiffened his legs and growled
menacingly.
My dear fellow" I said, what
the devil is the NATTER"
Graves looked to right and left
and the islanders shrank still
farther away from him.
You can see for yourself, ne
said CURLY. "I'm taboo"
I've been back there in the
grass" he said. and because
because nothing happened to me
I'm taboo"
rs that ali7"
As far as they know-yes.
Welt" said I, my business
will take me back there for days
at q time, 50 I'll be taboo, too
Then thereTI be two of us. DID
you find any curious grasses for