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；

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