Suchwasthefact。Onthe4thofJulyafeasthadbeenmade，andtheking，atthesuggestionofthewhites，hadraisedthetapuagainstliquor。Thereisaproverbabouthorses；itscarceappliestothesuperioranimal，ofwhomitmayberathersaid，thatanyonecanstarthimdrinking，notanytwentycanprevailonhimtostop。
Thetapu，raisedtendaysbefore，wasnotyetre-imposed；fortendaysthetownhadbeenpassingthebottleorlyingaswehadseenittheafternoonbeforeinhoggishsleep；andtheking，movedbytheOldMenandhisownappetites，continuedtomaintaintheliberty，tosquanderhissavingsonliquor，andtojoininandleadthedebauch。Thewhitesweretheauthorsofthiscrisis；itwasupontheirownproposalthatthefreedomhadbeengrantedatthefirst；andforawhile，intheinterestsoftrade，theyweredoubtlesspleaseditshouldcontinue。Thatpleasurehadnowsometimeceased；thebouthadbeenprolongeditwasconceded
unduly；anditnowbegantobeaquestionhowitmightconclude。
HenceTom’srefusal。Yetthatrefusalwasavowedlyonlyforthemoment，anditwasavowedlyunavailing；theking’sforagers，deniedbyTomattheSANSSOUCI，wouldbesuppliedatTHELANDWELIVEIN
bythegobblingMr。Williams。
Thedegreeoftheperilwasnoteasytomeasureatthetime，andI
aminclinedtothinknowitwaseasytoexaggerate。Yettheconductofdrunkardsevenathomeisalwaysmatterforanxiety；andathomeourpopulationsarenotarmedfromthehighesttothelowestwithrevolversandrepeatingrifles，neitherdowegoonadebauchbythewholetownful-andImightrathersay，bythewholepolity-king，magistrates，police，andarmyjoininginonecommonsceneofdrunkenness。Itmustbethoughtbesidesthatwewerehereinbarbarousislands，rarelyvisited，latelyandpartlycivilised。
Firstandlast，areallyconsiderablenumberofwhiteshaveperishedintheGilberts，chieflythroughtheirownmisconduct；andthenativeshavedisplayedinatleastoneinstanceadispositiontoconcealanaccidentunderabutchery，andleavenothingbutdumbbones。Thislastwasthechiefconsiderationagainstasuddenclosingofthebars；thebar-keepersstoodintheimmediatebreachanddealtdirectwithmadmen；toosurlyarefusalmightatanymomentprecipitateablow，andtheblowmightprovethesignalforamassacre。
MONDAY，15th-Atthesamehourwereturnedtothesamemuniap’。
Kummelofalldrinkswasservedintumblers；inthemidstsatthecrownprince，afattedyouth，surroundedbyfreshbottlesandbusilyplyingthecorkscrew；andking，chief，andcommonsshowedtheloosemouth，theuncertainjoints，andtheblurredandanimatedeyeoftheearlydrinker。Itwasplainwewereimpatientlyexpected；thekingretiredwithalacritytodress，theguardsweredespatchedaftertheiruniforms；andwewerelefttoawaittheissueofthesepreparationswithashedfuloftipsynatives。TheorgiehadproceededfurtherthanonSunday。Thedaypromisedtobeofgreatheat；itwasalreadysultry，thecourtierswerealreadyfuddled；andstillthekummelcontinuedtogoround，andthecrownprincetoplaybutler。FlemishfreedomfolloweduponFlemishexcess；andafunnydog，ahandsomefellow，gailydressed，andwithafullturbanoffrizzedhair，delightedthecompanywithahumorouscourtshipofaladyinamannernottobedescribed。Itwasourdiversion，inthistimeofwaiting，toobservethegatheringoftheguards。TheyhaveEuropeanarms，Europeanuniforms，andtotheirsorrowEuropeanshoes。WesawonewarriorlikeMarsinthearticleofbeingarmed；twomenandastalwartwomanwerescarcestrongenoughtoboothim；andafterasingleappearanceonparadethearmyiscrippledforaweek。
Atlast，thegatesundertheking’shouseopened；thearmyissued，onebehindanother，withgunsandepaulettes；thecoloursstoopedunderthegateway；majestyfollowedinhisuniformbedizenedwithgoldlace；majesty’swifecamenextinahatandfeathers，andanampletrainedsilkgown；theroyalimpssucceeded；therestoodthepageantryofMakinmarshalledonitschosentheatre。Dickensmighthavetoldhowserioustheywere；howtipsy；howthekingmeltedandstreamedunderhiscockedhat；howhetookstationbythelargerofhistwocannons-austere，majestic，butnottrulyvertical；howthetroopshuddled，andwerestraightenedout，andclubbedagain；
howtheyandtheirfirelocksrakedatvariousinclinationslikethemastsofships；andhowanamateurphotographerreviewed，arrayed，andadjustedthem，toseehisdispositionschangebeforehereachedthecamera。
Thebusinesswasfunnytosee；Idonotknowthatitisgracefultolaughat；andourreportofthesetransactionswasreceivedonourreturnwiththeshakingofgraveheads。
Thedayhadbegunill；elevenhoursdividedusfromsunset；andatanymoment，onthemosttriflingchance，thetroublemightbegin。
TheWightmancompoundwasinamilitarysenseuntenable，commandedonthreesidesbyhousesandthickbush；thetownwascomputedtocontainoverathousandstandofexcellentnewarms；andretreattotheships，inthecaseofanalert，wasarecoursenottobethoughtof。OurtalkthatmorningmusthavecloselyreproducedthetalkinEnglishgarrisonsbeforetheSepoymutiny；thesturdydoubtthatanymischiefwasinprospect，thesurebeliefthatshouldanycometherewasnothingleftbuttogodownfighting，thehalf-
amused，half-anxiousattitudeofmindinwhichwewereawaitingfreshdevelopments。
Thekummelsoonranout；wewerescarcereturnedbeforethekinghadfollowedusinquestofmore。Mr。Corpsewasnowdivestedofhismoreawfulattitude，thelawlessbulkofhimagainencasedinstripedpyjamas；aguardsmanbroughtuptherearwithhisrifleatthetrail：andhismajestywasfurtheraccompaniedbyaRarotonganwhalermanandtheplayfulcourtierwiththeturbanoffrizzedhair。
Therewasneveramorelivelydeputation。Thewhalermanwasgapingly，tearfullytipsy：thecourtierwalkedonair；thekinghimselfwasevensportive。SeatedinachairintheRicks’
sitting-room，heborethebruntofourprayersandmenacesunmoved。
Hewasevenrated，pliedwithhistoricinstances，threatenedwiththemen-of-war，orderedtorestorethetapuonthespot-andnothingintheleastaffectedhim。Itshouldbedoneto-morrow，hesaid；to-dayitwasbeyondhispower，to-dayhedurstnot。’Isthatroyal?’criedindignantMr。Rick。No，itwasnotroyal；hadthekingbeenofaroyalcharacterweshouldourselveshaveheldadifferentlanguage；androyalornot，hehadthebestofthedispute。Thetermsindeedwerehardlyequal；forthekingwastheonlymanwhocouldrestorethetapu，buttheRickswerenottheonlypeoplewhosolddrink。Hehadbuttoholdhisgroundonthefirstquestion，andtheyweresuretoweakenonthesecond。A
littlestruggletheystillmadeforthefashion’ssake；andthenoneexceedinglytipsydeputationdeparted，greatlyrejoicing，acaseofbrandywheelingbesidetheminabarrow。TheRarotonganwhomIhadneverseenbeforewrungmebythehandlikeamanboundonafarvoyage。’Mydearfrien’！’hecried，’good-bye，mydearfrien’！’-tearsofkummelstandinginhiseyes；thekinglurchedashewent，thecourtierambled，-astrangepartyofintoxicatedchildrentobeentrustedwiththatbarrowfulofmadness。
Youcouldneversaythetownwasquiet；allmorningtherewasafermentintheair，anaimlessmovementandcongregationofnativesinthestreet。Butitwasnotbeforehalf-pastonethatasuddenhubbubofvoicescalledusfromthehouse，tofindthewholewhitecolonyalreadygatheredonthespotasbyconcertedsignal。TheSANSSOUCIwasoverrunwithrabble，thestairandverandahthronged。Fromallthesethroatsaninarticulatebabblingcrywentupincessantly；itsoundedlikethebleatingofyounglambs，butangrier。IntheroadhisroyalhighnesswhomIhadseensolatelyinthepartofbutlerstoodcryinguponTom；onthetopstep，tossedinthehurly-burly，Tomwasshoutingtotheprince。Yetawhilethepackswayedaboutthebar，vociferous。Thencameabrutalimpulse；themobreeled，andreturned，andwasrejected；thestairshowedastreamofheads；andthereshotintoview，throughthedisbandingranks，threemenviolentlydraggingintheirmidstafourth。Byhishairandhishands，hisheadforcedaslowashisknees，hisfaceconcealed，hewaswrenchedfromtheverandahandwhiskedalongtheroadintothevillage，howlingashedisappeared。
Hadhisfacebeenraised，weshouldhaveseenitbloodied，andthebloodwasnothisown。Thecourtierwiththeturbanoffrizzedhairhadpaidthecostsofthisdisturbancewiththelowerpartofoneear。
Sothebrawlpassedwithnoothercasualtythanmightseemcomictotheinhumane。Yetwelookedroundonseriousfacesand-afactthatspokevolumes-Tomwasputtinguptheshuttersonthebar。
Custommightgoelsewhere，Mr。Williamsmightprofitashepleased，butTomhadhadenoughofbar-keepingforthatday。Indeedtheeventhadhungonahair。Amanhadsoughttodrawarevolver-onwhatquarrelIcouldneverlearn，andperhapshehimselfcouldnothavetold；oneshot，whentheroomwassocrowded，couldscarcehavefailedtotakeeffect；wheremanywerearmedandalltipsy，itcouldscarcehavefailedtodrawothers；andthewomanwhospiedtheweaponandthemanwhoseizeditmayverywellhavesavedthewhitecommunity。
Themobinsensiblymeltedfromthescene；andfortherestofthedayourneighbourhoodwasleftinpeaceandagooddealinsolitude。Butthetranquillitywasonlylocal；DINandPERANDI
stillflowedinotherquarters：andwehadonemoresightofGilbertIslandviolence。Inthechurch，wherewehadwanderedphotographing，wewerestartledbyasuddenpiercingoutcry。Thescene，lookingforthfromthedoorsofthatgreathallofshadow，wasunforgettable。Thepalms，thequaintandscatteredhouses，theflagoftheislandstreamingfromitstallstaff，glowedwithintolerablesunshine。Inthemidsttwowomenrolledfightingonthegrass。Thecombatantswerethemoreeasytobedistinguished，becausetheonewasstrippedtotheRIDIandtheotherworeaholokusacqueofsomelivelycolour。Thefirstwasuppermost，herteethlockedinheradversary’sface，shakingherlikeadog；
theotherimpotentlyfoughtandscratched。Soforamomentwesawthemwallowandgrappletherelikevermin；thenthemobclosedandshutthemin。
Itwasaseriousquestionthatnightifweshouldsleepashore。
Butweweretravellers，folkthathadcomefarinquestoftheadventurous；onthefirstsignofanadventureitwouldhavebeenasingularinconsistencytohavewithdrawn；andwesentonboardinsteadforourrevolvers。MindfulofTaahauku，Mr。Rick，Mr。
Osbourne，andMrs。Stevensonheldanassaultofarmsonthepublichighway，andfiredatbottlestotheadmirationofthenatives。
CaptainReidoftheEQUATORstayedonshorewithustobeathandincaseoftrouble，andweretiredtobedattheaccustomedhour，agreeablyexcitedbytheday’sevents。Thenightwasexquisite，thesilenceenchanting；yetasIlayinmyhammocklookingonthestrongmoonshineandthequiescentpalms，oneuglypicturehauntedmeofthetwowomen，thenakedandtheclad，lockedinthathostileembrace。Theharmdonewasprobablynotmuch，yetIcouldhavelookedondeathandmassacrewithlessrevolt。Thereturntotheseprimevalweapons，thevisionofman’sbeastliness，ofhisferality，shockedinmeadeepersensethanthatwithwhichwecountthecostofbattles。Thereareelementsinourstateandhistorywhichitisapleasuretoforget，whichitisperhapsthebetterwisdomnottodwellon。Crime，pestilence，anddeathareintheday’swork；