Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08

~ Paul MayouZer, Osa ana
wv sailed from Vac to Male
kula, the island of the
Big Numbers savages.
We coasted along so close to the
shore that we could plainly see
groups Of natives, who watched us
and sometimes followed us for a DIS
lance along the beach TO see Where
we would land
We anchored III Malua Bay,
stones throw from shore Ihat was
a night typical of the South seas.
The moon was visible for only ie"
seconds at a time, when II uouseu
from behind thick, drifting clouds
and drenched everything with light
almost as bright as day. Our oiach
crew huddled in the bow or the poat
We sat with our guns beside US oh
the shore we could clearly make out
the forms of savaSes squattlns
around their campfire. From the DIS
tence We could hear the deep tones
Of the conch- shell boo-boos. The sea
rolled upon the beach With Il heaNE'
s,eepy purring. In the dark pluc
waters below US we could see sharks
moving about, leaving trails OF phoS-
phorus. The savages began a Wierd
dance. their grotesque forms slihou
cited against the sky. The SOUND OF
their chanting brought me what osd
calls the South Sea feeling.
don't know how TO describe it. But
II IS the thing that makes me always
want 10 go back.
Tho pex+ morning we went ashore
I'm two boats, Paul, Osa and myself In
one. with one boy TO pull, and TOUR
armed boys in another boat TO cover
ms We landed on the beach and even
walked up TO the small river that
emptied into the bay; but we kept
our guns handy and the covering
boat was watching closely.
We had not been ashore long when
o -roup of natives emerged from the
hush and walked toward US. We hur-
r;nd 70 the boat and showed off We
bobbed along the shore all afternoon
while Paul tried TO get recruits.
About fifty armed savages wandered
up and down, coaXins US IN t.oSei'
hr, ON account of Osa l would not
risk landing
A. shutdown we returned 10 the
cutter. We could hear the SaN"seS
,houtinr as they went back into the
hills.
>I,out noon next day, our two other
vessels arrived. One was sailed p9
Perrole. another French recrulter' aht
the other by a young man. nan
Samoan and half English. whose
narae was Stephens. We now mad
twenty-six armed and experienced
natives. four white men and osa. IN
.,oad OF traIersing the island, de-
cidcd to sail completely around, land
ing at different points from which
could strike inland to visit the
tribes.
II was with q feeling OF confidence
that 7 sailed into Tanemarou pay
from which we first entered Maya
pate's territory. Sweeping around
us was the broad beach across when
we had run for our lives before. In
fine yellow sand it spread away from
the waters edge for about nun
dred yards to the dark fringe OF
Jungle. The darl: hills rose about
the jungle i'll green slopes notified
with brown.
Paul suggested that We go ashore.
Osa and followed him into the
boat and We pulled for the beach
followed by the small boats from the
other cutters. AS we landed. about
twenty armed savages suddenly ap-
peared and came walking boldly to-
ward us. AS the band drew nearer.
began TO feel that, in a sense, they
were my people. They had encir-
cled the globe with me, and in the
comfortable surroundings of great
theaters had stood naked and ter
riblc before thousands of civilized
people. 1 had made their faces
familiar in all parts Of the world.
Suddenly the figure at their head
stood out like u "fade-in.
II was Nagapate.
x Z. :; K