omenedarraywhichverywellbecamehishandsomepersontostrutinacircleofadmirers，andbethenceforththecentreofphotography。ThushadMoipueffectedhisintroduction，asbyaccident，tothewhitestrangers，madeitafavourtodisplayhisfinery，andreducedhisrivaltoasecondaryROLEonthetheatreofthedisputedvillage。Paaaeuafelttheblow；and，withaspiritwhichweneverdreamedhecouldpossess，assertedhispriority。ItwasfoundimpossiblethatdaytogetaphotographofMoipualone；
forwheneverhestoodupbeforethecamerahissuccessorplacedhimselfunbiddenbyhisside，andgentlybutfirmlyheldtohisposition。Theportraitsofthepair，JacobandEsau，standingshouldertoshoulder，oneinhiscarefulEuropeandress，oneinhisbarbarictrappings，figurethepastandpresentoftheirisland。A
graveyardwithitshumblecrosseswouldbetheaptestsymbolofthefuture。
WeareallimpressedwiththebeliefthatMoipuhadplannedhiscampaignfromthebeginningtotheend。Itiscertainthathelostnotimeinpushinghisadvantage。Mr。Osbournewasinveigledtohishouse；variousgiftswerefishedoutofanoldsea-chest；
FatherOrenswascalledintoserviceasinterpreter，andMoipuformallyproposedto’makebrothers’withMata-Galahi-Glass-Eyes，-thenotveryeuphoniousnameunderwhichMr。OsbournepassedintheMarquesas。ThefeastofbrotherhoodtookplaceonboardtheCASCO。Paaaeuahadarrivedwithhisfamily，likeaplainman；andhispresents，whichhadbeennumerous，hadfollowedoneanother，atintervalsthroughseveraldays。Moipu，asiftomarkateverypointtheopposition，camewithacertainfeudalpomp，attendedbyretainersbearinggiftsofalldescriptions，fromplumesofoldmen’sbeardtolittle，pious，Catholicengravings。
Ihadmetthemanbeforethisinthevillage，anddetestedhimonsight；therewassomethingindescribablyraffishinhislooksandwaysthatraisedmygorge；andwhenman-eatingwasreferredto，andhelaughedalow，cruellaugh，partboastful，partbashful，likeoneremindedofsomedashingpeccadillo，myrepugnancewasmingledwithnausea。Thisisnoveryhumanattitude，noroneatallbecominginatraveller。And，seenmoreprivately，themanimproved。Somethingnegroidincharacterandfacewasstilldispleasing；buthisuglymouthbecameattractivewhenhesmiled，hisfigureandbearingwerecertainlynoble，andhiseyessuperb。
Inhisappreciationofjamsandpickles，inisdelightinthereverberatingmirrorsofthediningcabin，andconsequentendlessrepetitionofMoipusandMata-Galahis，heshowedhimselfengaginglyachild。AndyetIamnotsure；andwhatseemedchildishnessmayhavebeenrathercourtlyart。Hismannersstruckmeasbeyondthemark；theywererefinedandcaressingtothepointofgrossness，andwhenIthinkofthesereneabsent-mindednesswithwhichhefirststrolledinuponourparty，andthenrecallhimrunningonhandsandkneesalongthecabinsofas，pawingthevelvet，dippingintothebeds，andbleatingcommendatory’MITAIS’withexaggeratedemphasis，likesomeenormousover-manneredape，Ifeelthemoresurethatbothmusthavebeencalculated。AndIsometimeswondernext，ifMoipuwerequitealoneinthispoliteduplicity，andaskmyselfwhethertheCASCOwerequitesomuchadmiredintheMarquesasasourvisitorsdesiredustosuppose。
Iwillcompletethissketchofanincurablecannibalgrandeewithtwoincongruoustraits。Hisfavouritemorselwasthehumanhand，ofwhichhespeaksto-daywithanill-favouredlustfulness。Andwhenhesaidgood-byetoMrs。Stevenson，holdingherhand，viewingherwithtearfuleyes，andchantinghisfarewellimprovisationinthefalsettoofMarquesanhighsociety，hewroteuponhermindasentimentalimpressionwhichItryinvaintoshare。
PARTII：THEPAUMOTUS
CHAPTERI-THEDANGEROUSARCHIPELAGO-ATOLLSATADISTANCE
INtheearlymorningof4thSeptemberawhale-boatmannedbynativesdraggedusdownthegreenlaneoftheanchorageandroundthespoutingpromontory。Ontheshorelevelitwasahot，breathless，andyetcrystalmorning；buthighoverheadthehillsofAtuonawereallcowledincloud，andtheocean-riverofthetradesstreamedwithoutpause。Aswecrawledfromundertheimmediateshelteroftheland，wereachedatlastthelimitoftheirinfluence。Thewindfelluponoursailsinpuffs，whichstrengthenedandgrewmorecontinuous；presentlytheCASCOheeleddowntoherday’swork；thewhale-boat，quiteoutstripped，clungforanoisymomenttoherquarter；thestipulatedbread，rum，andtobaccowerepassedin；amomentmoreandtheboatwasinourwake，andourlatepilotswerecheeringourdeparture。
Thiswasthemoreinspiritingaswewereboundforscenessodifferent，andthoughonabriefvoyage，yetforanewprovinceofcreation。Thatwidefieldofocean，calledlooselytheSouthSeas，extendsfromtropictotropic，andfromperhaps123degreesW。to150degreesE。，aparallelogramofonehundreddegreesbyforty-
seven，wheredegreesarethemostspacious。Muchofitliesvacant，muchiscloselysownwithisles，andtheislesareoftwosorts。NodistinctionissocontinuallydweltuponinSouthSeatalkasthatbetweenthe’low’andthe’high’island，andthereisnonemorebroadlymarkedinnature。TheHimalayasarenotmoredifferentfromtheSahara。Ontheonehand，andchieflyingroupsoffromeighttoadozen，volcanicislandsriseabovethesea；fewreachanaltitudeoflessthan4000feet；oneexceeds13，000；theirtopsareoftenobscuredincloud，theyareallclothedwithvariousforests，allaboundinfood，andareallremarkableforpicturesqueandsolemnscenery。Ontheotherhand，wehavetheatoll；athingofproblematicoriginandhistory，thereputedcreatureofaninsectapparentlyunidentified；rudelyannularinshape；enclosingalagoon；rarelyextendingbeyondaquarterofamileatitschiefwidth；oftenrisingatitshighestpointtolessthanthestatureofaman-manhimself，theratandthelandcrab，itschiefinhabitants；notmorevariouslysuppliedwithplants；andofferingtotheeye，evenwhenperfect，onlyaringofglitteringbeachandverdantfoliage，enclosingandenclosedbythebluesea。
Innoquarteraretheatollssothicklycongregated，innonearetheysovariedinsizefromthegreatesttotheleast，andinnoneisnavigationsobesetwithperils，asinthatarchipelagothatwewerenowtothread。Thehugesystemofthetradesis，forsomereason，quiteconfoundedbythismultiplicityofreefs，thewindintermits，squallsarefrequentfromthewestandsouth-west，hurricanesareknown。Thecurrentsare，besides，inextricablyintermixed；deadreckoningbecomesafarce；thechartsarenottobetrusted；andsuchisthenumberandsimilarityoftheseislandsthat，evenwhenyouhavepickedoneup，youmaybenonethewiser。
Thereputationoftheplaceisconsequentlyinfamous；insuranceofficesexcludeitfromtheirfield，anditwasnotwithoutmisgivingthatmycaptainriskedtheCASCOinsuchwaters。I
believe，indeed，itisalmostunderstoodthatyachtsaretoavoidthisbafflingarchipelago；anditrequiredallmyinstances-andallMr。Otis’sprivatetasteforadventure-todeflectourcourseacrossitsmidst。
Forafewdayswesailedwithasteadytrade，andasteadywesterlycurrentsettingustoleeward；andtowardsundownoftheseventhitwassupposedweshouldhavesightedTakaroa，oneofCook’sso-
calledKingGeorgeIslands。Thesunset；yetawhilelongertheoldmoon-semi-brilliantherself，andwithasilverbelly，whichwashersuccessor-sailedamonggatheringclouds；she，too，desertedus；starsofeverydegreeofsheen，andcloudsofeveryvarietyofformdisputedthesub-lustrousnight；andstillwegazedinvainforTakaroa。Thematestoodonthebowsprit，histallgreyfigureslashingupanddownagainstthestars，andstill’nihilastrapraeterViditetundas。
Therestofusweregroupedattheportanchordavit，staringwithnolessassiduity，butwithfarlesshopeontheobscurehorizon。
Islandswebeheldinplenty，buttheywereof’suchstuffasdreamsaremadeon，’andvanishedatawink，onlytoappearinotherplaces；andbyandbynotonlyislands，butrefulgentandrevolvinglightsbegantostudthedarkness；lighthousesofthemindoroftheweariedopticnerve，solemnlyshiningandwinkingaswepassed。
Atlengththematehimselfdespaired，scrambledonboardagainfromhisunrestfulperch，andannouncedthatwehadmissedourdestination。Hewastheonlymanofpracticeinthesewaters，oursolepilot，shippedforthatendatTai-o-hae。IfhedeclaredwehadmissedTakaroa，itwasnotforustoquarrelwiththefact，but，ifwecould，toexplainit。Wehadcertainlyrundownoursouthing。Ourcantedwakeupontheseaandoursomewhatdrunken-
lookingcourseuponthechartbothtestifiedwithnolesscertaintytoanimpetuouswestwardcurrent。Wehadnochoicebuttoconcludewewereagainsetdowntoleeward；andthebestwecoulddowastobringtheCASCOtothewind，keepagoodwatch，andexpectmorning。
Isleptthatnight，aswasthenmysomewhatdangerouspractice，ondeckuponthecockpitbench。Astiratlastawokeme，toseealltheeasternheavendyedwithfaintorange，thebinnaclelampalreadydulledagainstthebrightnessoftheday，andthesteersmanleaningeagerlyacrossthewheel。’Thereitis，sir！’hecried，andpointedintheveryeyeballofthedawn。ForawhileIcouldseenothingbutthebluishruinsofthemorningbank，whichlayfaralongthehorizon，likemeltingicebergs。Thenthesunrose，piercedagapintheseDEBRISofvapours，anddisplayedaninconsiderableislet，flatasaplateuponthesea，andspikedwithpalmsofdisproportionedaltitude。
Sofar，sogood。Herewascertainlyanatoll；andwewerecertainlygotamongthearchipelago。Butwhich?Andwhere?TheislewastoosmallforeitherTakaroa：inallourneighbourhood，indeed，therewasnonesoinconsiderable，saveonlyTikei；andTikei，oneofRoggewein’sso-calledPerniciousIslands，seemedbesidethequestion。Atthatrate，insteadofdriftingtothewest，wemusthavefetchedupthirtymilestowindward。Andhowaboutthecurrent?Ithadbeensettingusdown，byobservation，allthesedays：bythedeflectionofourwake，itshouldbesettingusdownthatmoment。Whenhaditstopped?Whenhaditbegunagain?andwhatkindoftorrentwasthatwhichhadsweptuseastwardintheinterval?Tothesequestions，sotypicalofnavigationinthatrangeofisles，Ihavenoanswer。Suchwereatleastthefacts；Tikeiourislandturnedouttobe；anditwasourfirstexperienceofthedangerousarchipelago，tomakeourlandfallthirtymilesout。
ThesightofTikei，throwndirectagainstthesplendourofthemorning，robbedofallitscolour，anddeformedwithdisproportionedtreeslikebristlesonabroom，hadscarcepreparedustobemuchinlovewithatolls。LaterthesamedaywesawundermorefitconditionstheislandofTaiaro。LOSTINTHESEAispossiblythemeaningofthename。Anditwassowesawit；lostinblueseaandsky：aringofwhitebeach，greenunderwood，andtossingpalms，gem-likeincolour；ofafairy，ofaheavenlyprettiness。Thesurfranallaroundit，whiteassnow，andbrokeatonepoint，fartoseaward，onwhatseemsanunchartedreef。
Therewasnosmoke，nosignofman；indeed，theisleisnotinhabited，onlyvisitedatintervals。AndyetatraderMr。NariiSalmonwaswatchingfromtheshoreandwonderingattheunexpectedship。Ihavespentsincethenlongmonthsuponlowislands；Iknowthetediumoftheirundistinguisheddays；Iknowtheburdenoftheirdiet。Withwhateverenvywemayhavelookedfromthedeckonthesegreencoverts，itwaswithatenfoldgreaterthatMr。Salmonandhiscomradessawussteer，inourtrimship，toseaward。