foundthatshealsowasdandifiedfortheoccasion。AndthetwocasesstandaloneinmyexperienceofSouthSeatraders。
Wehadonboardafamilyofnativetourists，fromthegrandsiretothebabeinarms，tryingagainstanextraordinaryseriesofill-
lucktoregaintheirnativeislandofPeru。Fivetimesalreadytheyhadpaidtheirfareandtakenship；fivetimestheyhadbeendisappointed，droppedpennilessuponstrangeislands，orcarriedbacktoButaritari，whencetheysailed。Thislastattempthadbeennobetter-starred；theirprovisionswereexhausted。Peruwasbeyondhope，andtheyhadcheerfullymadeuptheirmindstoafreshstageofexileinTapitueaorNonuti。Withthisslantofwindtheirrandomdestinationbecameoncemorechanged；andliketheCalendar’spilot，whenthe’blackmountains’hoveinview，theychangedcolourandbeatupontheirbreasts。Theircamp，whichwasondeckintheship’swaist，resoundedwithcomplaint。Theywouldbesettowork，theymustbecomeslaves，escapewashopeless，theymustliveandtoilanddieinApemama，inthetyrant’sden。Withthissortoftalktheysogreatlyterrifiedtheirchildren，thatoneabighulkingboymustatlastbetornscreamingfromtheschooner’sside。Andtheirfearswerewhollygroundless。Ihavelittledoubttheywerenotsufferedtobeidle；butIcanvouchforitthattheywerekindlyandgenerouslyused。For，thematterofayearlater，IwasoncemoreshipmatewiththeseinconsistentwanderersonboardtheJANETNICOLL。TheirfarewaspaidbyTembinok’；theywhohadgoneashorefromtheEQUATORdestitute，reappearedupontheJANETwithnewclothes，ladenwithmatsandpresents，andbringingwiththemamagazineoffood，onwhichtheylivedlikefighting-cocksthroughoutthevoyage；Isawthematlengthrepatriated，andImustsaytheyshowedmoreconcernonquittingApemamathandelightatreachinghome。
WeenteredbythenorthpassageSunday，September1st，dodgingamongshoals。Itwasadayoffierceequatorialsunshine；butthebreezewasstrongandchill；andthemate，whoconnedtheschoonerfromthecross-trees，returnedshiveringtothedeck。Thelagoonwasthickwithmany-tintedwavelets；acontinuousroaringoftheouterseaoverhungtheanchorage；andthelong，hollowcrescentofpalmruffledandsparkledinthewind。Oppositeourberththebeachwasseentobesurmountedforsomedistancebyaterraceofwhitecoralsevenoreightfeethighandcrownedinturnbythescatteredandincongruousbuildingsofthepalace。Thevillageadjoinsonthesouth，aclusterofhigh-roofedmaniap’s。Andvillageandpalaceseemeddeserted。
Wewerescarceyetmoored，however，beforedistantandbusyfiguresappeareduponthebeach，aboatwaslaunched，andacrewpulledouttousbringingtheking’sladder。Tembinok’hadonceanaccident；