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McAllister immediately sent for the man； took the shells from him； and turned
them over to me。 Fifty sticks were all he permitted me to pay for them。 The
man accepted the tobacco and seemed overjoyed at getting off so easily。 As for
me； I resolved to keep a bridle on my tongue in the future。 And still I mulled
over the secret of McAllister's power。 I even went to the extent of asking him
directly； but all he did was to cock one eye； look wise； and take another
drink。
One night I was out fishing in the lagoon with Oti； the man who had been
mulcted of the cowries。 Privily； I had made up to him an additional hundred
and fifty sticks； and he had come to regard me with a respect that was almost
veneration； which was curious； seeing that he was an old man； twice my age at
least。
〃What name you fella kanaka all the same pickaninny？〃 I began on him。 〃This
fella trader he one fella。 You fella kanaka plenty fella too much。 You fella
kanaka just like 'm dogplenty fright along that fella trader。 He no eat you；
fella。 He no get 'm teeth along him。 What name you too much fright？〃
〃S'pose plenty fella kanaka kill m？〃 he asked。
〃He die；〃 I retorted。 〃You fella kanaka kill 'm plenty fella white man long
time before。 What name you fright this fella white man？〃
〃Yes； we kill 'm plenty；〃 was his answer。 〃My word！ Any amount！ Long time
before。 One time； me young fella too much； one big fella ship he stop outside。
Wind he no blow。 Plenty fella kanaka we get 'm canoe； plenty fella canoe； we
go catch 'm that fella ship。 My wordwe catch 'm big fella fight。 Two； three
white men shoot like hell。 We no fright。 We come alongside； we go up side；
plenty fella； maybe I think fifty…ten （five hundred）。 One fella white Mary
（woman） belong that fella ship。 Never before I see 'm white Mary。 Bime by
plenty white man finish。 One fella skipper he no die。 Five fella； six fella
white man no die。 Skipper he sing out。 Some fella white man he fight。 Some
fella white man he lower away boat。 After that； all together over the side
they go。 Skipper he sling white Mary down。 After that they washee （row） strong
fella plenty too much。 Father belong me； that time he strong fella。 He throw
'm one fella spear。 That fella spear he go in one side that white Mary。 He no
stop。 My word； he go out other side that fella Mary。 She finish。 Me no
fright。 Plenty kanaka too much no fright。〃
Old Oti's pride had been touched； for he suddenly stripped down his lava…lava
and showed me the unmistakable scar of a bullet。 Before I could speak； his
line ran out suddenly。 He checked it and attempted to haul in； but found that
the fish had run around a coral branch。 Casting a look of reproach at me for
having beguiled him from his watchfulness； he went over the side； feet first；
turning over after he got under and following his line down to bottom。 The
water was ten fathoms。 I leaned over and watched the play of his feet； growing
dim and dimmer； as they stirred the wan phosphorescence into ghostly fires。
Ten fathomssixty feetit was nothing to him； an old man； compared with the
value of a hook and line。 After what seemed five minutes； though it could not
have been more than a minute； I saw him flaming whitely upward。 He broke
surface and dropped a ten pound rock cod into the canoe； the line and hook
intact； the latter still fast in the fish's mouth。
〃It may be；〃 I said remorselessly。 〃You no fright long ago。 You plenty fright
now along that fella trader。〃
〃Yes； plenty fright；〃 he confessed； with an air of dismissing the subject。 For
half an hour we pulled up our lines and flung them out in silence。 Then small
fish…sharks began to bite； and after losing a hook apiece； we hauled in and
waited for the sharks to go their way。
〃I speak you true；〃 Oti broke into speech； 〃then you savve we fright now。〃
I lighted up my pipe and waited； and the story that Oti told me in atrocious
bech…de…mer I here turn into proper English。 Otherwise； in spirit and order of
narrative； the tale is as it fell from Oti's lips。
〃It was after that that we were very proud。 We had fought many times with the
strange white men who live upon the sea； and always we had beaten them。 A few
of us were killed； but what was that compared with the stores of wealth of a
thousand thousand kinds that we found on the ships？ And then one day； maybe
twenty years ago； or twenty…five； there came a schooner right through the
passage and into the lagoon。 It was a large schooner with three masts。 She had
five white men and maybe forty boat's crew； black fellows from New Guinea and
New Britain； and she had come to fish beche…de…mer。 She lay at anchor across
the lagoon from here； at Pauloo； and her boats scattered out everywhere；
making camps on the beaches where they cured the beche…de…mer。 This made them
weak by dividing them； for those who fished here and those on the schooner at
Pauloo were fifty miles apart； and there were others farther away still。
〃Our king and headmen held council； and I was one in the canoe that paddled
all afternoon and all night across the lagoon； bringing word to the people of
Pauloo that in the morning we would attack the fishing camps at the one time
and that it was for them to take the schooner。 We who brought the word were
tired with the paddling； but we took part in the attack。 On the schooner were
two white men； the skipper and the second mate； with half a dozen black boys。
The skipper with three boys we caught on shore and killed； but first eight of
us the skipper killed with his two revolvers。 We fought close together； you
see； at hand grapples。
〃The noise of our fighting told the mate what was happening； and he put food
and water and a sail in the small dingy； which was so small that it was no
more than twelve feet long。 We came down upon the schooner； a thousand men；
covering the lagoon with our canoes。 Also； we were blowing conch shells；
singing war songs； and striking the sides of the canoes with our paddles。 What
chance had one white man and three black boys against us？ No chance at all；
and the mate knew it。
〃White men are hell。 I have watched them much； and I am an old man now； and I
understand at last why the white men have taken to themselves all the islands
in the sea。 It is because they are hell。 Here are you in the canoe with me。
You are hardly more than a boy。 You are not wise； for each day I tell you many
things you do not know。 When I was a little pickaninny； I knew more about fish
and the ways of fish than you know now。 I am an old man； but I swim down to
the bottom of the lagoon； and you cannot follow me。 What are you good for；
anyway？ I do not know； except to fight。 I have never seen you fight； yet I
know that you are like your brothers and that you will fight like hell。 Also；
you are a fool； like your brothers。 You do not know when you are beaten。 You
will fight until you die； and then it will be too late to know that you are
beaten。
〃Now behold what this m