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Jesuitical indeed。 Not one word did he breathe of his dark plans
to me； and still less to Bickley。 He just went on with his
teaching； lamenting from time to time the stumbling…block of the
idol and expressing wonder as to how it might be circumvented by
a change in the hearts of the islanders； or otherwise。 Sad as it
is to record； in fact； dear old Bastin went as near to telling a
fib in connection with this matter as I suppose he had ever done
in his life。 It happened thus。 One day Bickley's sharp eye caught
sight of Bastin walking about with what looked like a bottle of
whisky in his pocket。
〃Hallo； old fellow；〃 he said； 〃has the self…denying ordinance
broken down？ I didn't know that you took pegs on the sly；〃 and he
pointed to the bottle。
〃If you are insinuating； Bickley； that I absorb spirits
surreptitiously； you are more mistaken than usual； which is
saying a good deal。 This bottle contains； not Scotch whisky but
paraffin； although I admit that its label may have misled you；
unintentionally； so far as I am concerned。〃
〃What are you going to do with the paraffin？〃 asked Bickley。
Bastin coloured through his tan and replied awkwardly：
〃Paraffin is very good to keep away mosquitoes if one can stand
the smell of it upon one's skin。 Not that I have brought it here
with that sole object。 The truth is that I am anxious to
experiment with a lamp of my own design madeumof native
wood；〃 and he departed in a hurry。
〃When next old Bastin wants to tell a lie；〃 commented Bickley；
〃he should make up his mind as to what it is to be； and stick to
it。 I wonder what he is after with that paraffin？ Not going to
dose any of my patients with it； I hope。 He was arguing the other
day that it is a great remedy taken internally； being quite
unaware that the lamp variety is not used for that purpose。〃
〃Perhaps he means to swallow some himself； just to show that he
is right；〃 I suggested。
〃The stomach…pump is at hand；〃 said Bickley； and the matter
dropped。
Next morning I got up before it was light。 Having some
elementary knowledge of the main facts of astronomy； which
remained with me from boyhood when I had attended lectures on the
subject； which I had tried to refresh by help of an encyclopedia
I had brought from the ship； I wished to attempt to obtain an
idea of our position by help of the stars。 In this endeavour； I
may say； I failed absolutely； as I did not know how to take a
stellar or any other observation。
On my way out of our native house I observed； by the lantern I
carried； that the compartment of it occupied by Bastin was empty；
and wondered whither he had gone at that hour。 On arriving at my
observation…post； a rocky eminence on open ground； where； with
Tommy at my side； I took my seat with a telescope； I was
astonished to see or rather to hear a great number of the natives
walking past the base of the mound towards the bush。 Then I
remembered that some one； Marama； I think； had informed me that
there was to be a great sacrifice to Oro at dawn on that day。
After this I thought no more of the matter but occupied myself in
a futile study of the heavenly bodies。 At length the dawn broke
and put a period to my labours。
Glancing round me before I descended from the little hill； I
saw a flame of light appear suddenly about half a mile or more
away among those trees which I knew concealed the image of Oro。
On this personally I had never had the curiosity to look； as I
knew that it was only a hideous idol stuck over with feathers and
other bedizenments。 The flame shot suddenly straight into the
still air and was followed a few seconds later by the sound of a
dull explosion； after which it went out。 Also it was followed by
something elsea scream of rage from an infuriated mob。
At the foot of the hill I stopped to wonder what these sounds
might mean。 Then of a sudden appeared Bickley； who had been
attending some urgent case； and asked me who was exploding
gunpowder。 I told him that I had no idea。
〃Then I have；〃 he answered。 〃It is that ass Bastin up to some
game。 Now I guess why he wanted that paraffin。 Listen to the row。
What are they after？〃
〃Sacrificing Bastin； perhaps；〃 I replied； half in jest。 〃Have
you your revolver？〃
He nodded。 We always wore our pistols if we went out during the
dark hours。
〃Then perhaps we had better go to see。〃
We started； and had not covered a hundred yards before a girl；
whom I recognised as one of Bastin's converts； came flying
towards us and screaming out； 〃Help！ Help！ They kill the Bellower
with fire！ They cook him like a pig！〃
〃Just what I expected；〃 said Bickley。
Then we ran hard； as evidently there was no time to lose。 While
we went I extracted from the terrified girl； whom we forced to
show us the way； that as the sacrifice was about to be offered
Bastin had appeared； and； 〃making fire；〃 applied it to the god
Oro； who instantly burst into flame。 Then he ran back； calling
out that the devil was dead。 As he did so there was a loud
explosion and Oro flew into pieces。 His burning head went a long
way into the air and； falling on to one of the priests； killed
him。 Thereon the other priests and the people seized the Bellower
and made him fast。 Now they were engaged in heating an oven in
which to put him to cook。 When it was ready they would eat him in
honour of Oro。
〃And serve him right too！〃 gasped Bickley； who； being stout；
was not a good runner。 〃Why can't he leave other people's gods
alone instead of blowing them up with gunpowder？〃
〃Don't know；〃 I answered。 〃Hope we shall get there in time！〃
〃To be cooked and eaten with Bastin！〃 wheezed Bickley； after
which his breath gave out。
As it chanced we did； for these stone ovens take a long time to
heat。 There by the edge of his fiery grave with his hands and
legs bound in palm…fibre shackles； stood Bastin； quite unmoved；
smiling indeed； in a sort of seraphic way which irritated us both
extremely。 Round him danced the infuriated priests of Oro； and
round them； shrieking and howling with rage； was most of the
population of Orofena。 We rushed up so suddenly that none tried
to stop us； and took our stand on either side of him； producing
our pistols as we did so。
〃Thank you for coming；〃 said Bastin in the silence which
followed； 〃though I don't think it is the least use。 I cannot
recall that any of the early martyrs were ever roasted and eaten；
though； of course； throwing them into boiling oil or water was
fairly common。 I take it that the rite is sacrificial and even in
a low sense； sacramental； not merely one of common cannibalism。〃
I stared at him； and Bickley gasped out：
〃If you are to be eaten； what does it matter why you are
eaten？〃
〃Oh！〃 replied Bastin； 〃there is all the difference in the
world； though it is one that I cannot expect you to appreciate。
And now please be quiet as I wish to say my prayers。 I imagine