THE NOVELIST

Otago Witness, Issue 3801, 18 January 1927, Page 62

THE NOVELIST

A PACIFIC ADVENTURE.

By

FRANK H. BODLE

(A New Zealand Author.) (Copyright.—For the Witness.)

SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I.—Professor Julius Sherwin, ready to start in his. schooner on a voyage of scientific exploration among the Pacific Islands, hears that his appointed companion is ill and unable to come. Rather than delay, he appoints Brian Carroll, an enthusiastic young ethnologist, in his friend’s stead, and, accompanied by his prstty daughter Kitty and Rawiri, his Maori servant, sets .off.

CHAPTER - ll.—The party arrives at an island in the Pacific forsaken of life and shunned by neighbouring tribes. When seeking to remove the top of an altar erseted to the sun-god and bearing ancient writings, the professor -breaks his leg and is rendered incapable of taking advantage of the flight of steps the top had concealsd. CHAPTER 111. —In spite of Rawiri’s warning that to descend is dangerous, Brian goes down the steps, but is recalled in a short while by Kitty, who has premonition of disaster, and cannot bear to be left alone. The sight of three strange lights near the altar, however, dstermines him to try again, and, accompanied by Rawiri, he sets off on a tour of investigation in the darkness.

CHAPTER IV.—ln ths bowels of the earth they come upon an old man, like a white Polynesian, who dies in their arms. Rawiri is inspired by the last whispered words he muttered, and informs Brian that if they cross the underground river which is flowing beside them, they will come to a nation of people who havs never seen the sun. While swimming, however, they are caught up by a terrific current, and are helplessly carried over a waterfall into a place of green light. Brian, before losing consciousness, is aware that fie is in the grip of a giant eel. CHAPTER V.—He awakes to find himself in the presence of strange white men who speak in a way which Rawiri (whose leg has been broken in the fall) ‘is able to understand. Rawiri asks the head man, Rikatu, that they be taken to the king, and that his hurts be attended to, whereupon they are placed on a metal trolley with four ot the men, and go further downwards, emerging at last in a town which, with its boiling pools, bubbling muds, clouds of sulphur and a geyser, looks like an underground Rotorua. A hideous old crone, Tiwa. attempts to have the strangers cast into the boiling pool, but is not heeded. CHAPTER Vl.—On their way to the temple, Brian and Rawiri are pressed upon by a large crowd of people, whom a collection of soldiers keep in order with pikes. In the onrush of the soldiers, a girl is trampled underfoot. The crowd intend to leave her, but Rawiri, frightening them with a shot from his revolver, makes the doctor attend to her hurts before his own are seen to. When, later, Brian and Rawiri are resting in a cell, Hira, the girl, sends secret word to them by her cousin that they are to beware of Tuhi the Tohunga, the wrinkled old priest, and not to anger the Daughter of Light.’

CHAPTER Vll.—During the night Brian is wakened to find his head being caressed by a strange and beautiful woman, who departs after signing to him to make no noise. In the morning Tuhi the Tohunga visits them, listens to their story about the land of the Sun or Ra. and then, in anger, warns them to say nothing about it to the people lest it discontent them. After he has left them in order to tell the Daughter of Light about their tale, the sentry creeps in to say that he has eavesdropped, and believes that what the strangers tell of is time.

CHAPTER Vlll.—Rikatu comes to take the strangers on a tour of inspection. While they are watching some slaves handling molten copper in a volcanically-fired foundry, a riot breaks out, and the slaves, mad with frenzy, slaughter their guards and disappear. Brian and Rawiri are taken from the scene by a guard, and Brian demands to be allowed to see the Daughter of Light, .though Rawiri warns him that if she is angry things will go ill with them.

CHAPTER IX.—They go out to find tho people in tumult, wondering which of them are to taks the places of the dead -slaves. A iMsterious voice, however, booms an order, and, their superstitions appealed to, the crowd melts away. Brian »and Rawiri force their way into the presence of the Daughter of Light, who is raging at her discomforted ministers, included among whom is Tuhi the Tohunga, and Brian, struck by the humpur of the oituation, suddenly bursts out laughing. At this point a strange, misshapen messenger appears with the news that on the word of Hika, a priest whom Tuhi had banished, he knows of a land beyond this one —a land of darkness where' water drops from overhead, not the land of Ra certainly, but one naaring it.. Brian, remembering the lights round the altar and the fact that it was a stormy night when they had been seen, thinks he understands. The Daughter of Light orders the room to be cleared of all save Brian and Rawiri. CHAPTER X.—THE TEMPTRESS. The last footfall died away in the distance. Again the woman leaned forward in her seat, and questioned Brian’s troubled face. “These priests be trouble-makers all,” she said wearily at length. ‘‘They dispute endlessly and to no purpose, till those who must listen are dazed. ‘Only the things we see_ and touch and use are real ;• the rest hope-bred imaginings,’ says one. ‘These be but dreams, wild phantoms; the truth, the reality, lies in our hearts, and in that bright land whence our fathers came, whither we all must go,*

OUTER DARKNESS.

says another.. To prove their beliefs they fight, and some are slain, and the loser goes to the forges, and at last out into the darkness. Now he sends message back, and the old dispute begins all over again. Tell me, white stranger, with the clear eyes and hair like the leaping flame, how does it go in your land ? But first your name?” ’ “Brian.”

“Periani, Periani,” she tried it several times, but could get no nearer than at the first attempt. “In your land, did men ever quarrel over sacred things? Did ever battle and blood flow follow disputes concerning matters of religion?” “I greatly fear that it was ever so in every land.’’ Brian spoke slowly, so that Rawiri might follow and translate. ‘Though now there is less bitterness and little bloodshed, men still dispute!” “But why? How can that be?” the woman asked eagerly. “You come, so Tuhi said you told him, from the Land of Ra itself, where, you said, there is brightness, food, and warmth for all. If that b > so, then all must know that the things around are real. How, then, can there be any dispute, Periani?” Brian frowned in perplexity. He was no theologian, and in any case this woman ■would never understand the. clash of warring faiths. He decided to refer to the difference between science and religion, essentially the same above and below ground, the variance between knowledge and hope, between the prophets of the seen and of the unseen.

“Truly we come from the bright Land of Ra, lady, where there is brightness, warmth, and fbod. Yet we, too, have the same quarrel between the priests of knowledge and those of hope,” he answered, after some thought. - -< ■ “But how can that be, since with you hope has been realised ?” Suddenly the woman rose, walked to the edge of the dais. She seated herself on the topmost step, and motioned to Brian to be seated at her side. Rawiri stood facing the pair, and, noting honest relief that he, too, had noj, been invited to sit, Brian forbore to raise the question. ‘‘How can that be. Periani, since you dwell, in the land of hope, where all is beautiful?” the woman repeated, genuinely perplexed. “ The wise men say that there is a still better land where the spirits of men live on after death,” Brian answered simply. “ There be other wise men who say, as does Tuhi with you, that Ra, the sun, and the host of little suns in the heavens, the land, the water, all those things they see, are the realities, tlie rest but dreams.”

“ And men and women dream of this land that ii better 1 than the so-called beautiful land of Ra? ’ Are they not satisfied ? Is there not food enough ? Why should they desire a better place?”

“ It is a better land than this,” said Brian emphatically. “ But ”■ “Have all your people ample food?” “ There is food enough. And yet ; ” “Ha! I see,” said the woman smiling. “There be those who have too much, and some not enough. Is that not so, Periani ? ’’

“ That is in some sense true,” Brian admitted grudgingly. “ And those who have not enough dream of this better lanjJ where all will be well, even as soifte do here, thinking of your country. Tell me now how is it with you. Do those who have deal kirdly with those who have not? Of their plenty, do they stop the mouth of famine, cure the sick, and provide homes for all ? ”

“ There be many who do these things, but ”

The woman laughed up at him.' “ And there be many who do not,” she finished. “ Truly I think your land is little different from our, Periani. Yet thete is still much that I would learn. Tell me of your-work. You have slaves who do the hard things for you, who sweat at the forges, till the soil and mill the grain ? ” “ Men do these things,” said Brian uncomfortably; “ but they are not slaves. They toil, yes, but they are free; they come and go as it pleases them.” “ That I cannot understand.” The woman thought deeply. “ These free men of yours now, let nje understand about them. If they choose not to go to the forges will those who have the food feed them ? ” “ No, they must work.” “ And if they do this very hard work they receive an abundance of food and all else that is good ? ” “ No. That is not so,” Brian answered unwillingly. “ They ” “ Then how are they better than our slaves, Periani?” “ They are not slaves, but free men,”

Ujßy aie only to work or starve,” said ti«e woman smiling again. “ They are slaves who hope for a better land, or so you tell me. You have an ariki, a great -ffiief.”

Wa have a king who rules through a council of vise men, named by the people themselves, those whom you call* slaves. Any man, however humble, may be chosen to sit among these elders.” “ That is a happy thought,” exclaimed the woman greatly interested; “a very great thought—and still there be those who have plenty and those who starve ? ” “ These things' work slowly,”* Brian replied. “ Once, not so very long ago, little children were made to do very hard work; that is almost done with now. They make things easier—slowly. Steadily the world is made better for the men who have not —as you name them.”

‘ And less easy for those who have, Periani?”

“ Maybe. But still they have much.” The Daughter of Light leaned closer to the white man. She placed a hand upon his shoulder, and her eyes searched his eyes. Rawiri was Brian’s mouthpiece, but for her ~t that moment he had no real existence.

“ Periani,’ what you say that I believe,” she murmured so softly that Rawiri had to stoop forward to catch her words. “ I believe, because as you tell, yours is a real land, and not one born of a sick fancy. It has, I believe, light and warmth .and many things we lack. Doubtless, too, my people came from there in ancient times, and yet, despite all these things, it is not the land their fancy seeks.” She paused a moment. “ But it is a fairer, happier place than this,”. Brian insisted. “A far better place for all 'yoiir people than this sad land where now they dwell.” She waved him to silence. “ Doubtless its seeming may be fairer,” she admitted quietly; “ and yet your realities are little different from ours. Listen to me and judge my words with care. Long, long ago, so say our legends, my people ruled in this land of Ra, and now, I think, the story may be true. We had grains and fruits, and tribute came to us from far peoples, say the old tales. My folk were warriors, and conquered many distant, tribes, who were set to work for us so that we had abundant food. How now if you led us to this land of Ra, as .1 think you could—l have not Tuhi’s doubts, you see —would we still be a great people? We have some skill and many fighting men. Woul<| we, too, have to starve in the plenty of Ra, or, maybe, might we conquer the,' land ? ” “ No,” Brian replied. “Your folk would be a very little one in the midst of many mighty peoples. It would be madness to (beam of fighting. There would be work that you could do, but yo t could not conquer. Yet it would be a far easier life than you live here.”

“In this land, as in yours, there are two sorts of folk,” the woman went on swiftly. “ Two only, Periani—those who rule and those who serve.'-If we go to your land.of Ra we may not rule, you say. Then we must serve.' And my people are tired of service, and I am used to rule. Your bright land of Ra grows a little dim to me, and greatly do I doubt that mv people would be satisfied.”

“How can you tell until you have seen this world of mine?” Brian said quickly. “One thing seems very clear to me—this land of yours is a very cruel place.” The woman raised her eyebrows. “And your’s so very kind.” she mocked, “It is a far less cruel place than this,” Brian insisted.

“Where men go to the Forges because none compel save famine, where till recently, little children toiled, so you said, and where many dream of a happier land? Trulv/a kindiv country, Periani.” “Listen, lady,” Brian said desperately; “it is in truth a fairer world than this, and kinder, and because o' its very brightness, men and women dream of a still better land. It might fall shrrt of your people’s dreams, but it would be far better than their realities here. Let us put it to the test. I make offer to you now. Come with me yourself or send someone you can trust, and we will lead you or him to this land of Ra—it is but a short journey—and you shall learn the difference between my land and yours, and which shall be the better for your people.” The woman rose and slowly paced across the dais, her hands clasped tightly hi fere her, her head bent low •’-> thought. She came to a halt behind Brian. Her hands unclasped and rested on his head, lightly yet tenderly. “And to you, I, also make offer. She spoke very quietly, yet with an earnestness that made every word clear. “You have the wisdom of your world and see its wrongs. I have the knowledge that my people have won through bitter suffering. Let us unite these things and together rule my folk with wisdom, so that th fir murmuring shall cease. In your own land, so says your brown companion, you are a great man, but you have not yet set right the things of which j’ou spoke. Stay then with me and my people and use my power so that all shall be happy and no more will any murmur. Set right the things that you see wrong with us and make life easier for all, if that can be done without weakening our rule. Think, Periani,. how much there is that you could do for u's here, far, far more than if you led us to the light—to swear for aliens or to starve? No, No! Do not answer yet; there is more I would say. Your homeland is fair yon say, but remember that this land of mine is not so ill to me. Much have my people won in

this seemingly so unkind a place. The stored light, the gleaming specks of earthy stuff that united make little suns, whose radiance burns the skin and lifts our grain with gladness out of the moistened soil. These things will I show’ you. We can fashion more suns, more fields, so that famine ceases. We could have chosen such a council of elders as that of which you spoke, to make laws for wise government and good conduct. And we two, who would be above the law, would together see that ill came to none. These things offer I, the Daughter of Light, who never before has done other than command. And now, I offer this with humbleness and for the good of all my people.” Now Brian, too, rose and stood before the beautiful woman of the throne, who bent before him in unaccustomed humility. He looked at her and thought of Kitty, whom he loved and longed for. His thoughts could not be uttered; hardly they dared to form in the inmost recesses of his heart. For so much, so very much w r as at stake, not only for himself and Kitty, but for all this brooding "unhappy people of the underw’orld, that he realised that he must temporise. He knotted his fists and thought, while the woman watched him through veiled eyes. “Ain I, then, so ill-pleasing in your sight that you should look so gloomy,” the woman broke out suddenly, when the silence had lengthened. “Nay, lady; you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” Brian answered, earnestly, “but the honour is so great, the task you set so very difficult, that I would think upon it. Hasty thought and swift speech lead not always wisely and above all things I desire wisdom, so that I may serve you and your people for your best good.”

“Together we can do much,” she whispered, and took a step towards hira. Brian came to a decision and squared his shoulders. “Lady,” he said slowly, searching for the right W'ords, “these plans of yours do me great honour. But if they would succeed, they must be firmly built on knowledge, and as yet I know so little of the life you and your people lead. There might be happiness for you and for me, but whether for your people or not I could not say till I know more. Therefore I must go amongst them, must talk with them, so that I may fairly judge. Even now there is fighting towards the river, and men are killing and being killed. There is no happiness in that: it is an evil thing, and can do no good to any man or woman. This is my plan. Get me go amongst them; try* to stop the war, and see if it be possible to bring happiness to this now gloomy place.” “And if it be?” “Then I will come to you and do what you will.”

“And in the meantime you will -tell them of your land of Ra?” the woman asked doubtfully. “In the meantime, and till I am satisfied that there is no happiness for them here, I talk not of my land to any man."* “Those are fair words, Periani, though if thy mood were a thought less cautious it would not displease me.” The woman smiled a little wryly. “Yet you are wise, and I agree. * More than* that, I will do what no Ariki has done before in all memory. I, the ruler, will walk with you among the people, even to the fighting. The hunchback shall be brought with us, and first of all and as a foretaste of the power that shall be yours, with my voice shall you bid the fighting cease. Come, let us go at once!” °

CHAPTER XI.—OUT OF THE DARKNESS.

The woman stepped back to the throne and touched a copper gong that hung beside it. Swiftly girls appeared and were soon scurrying about at the bidding of their mistress. Over her white shoulders they east a cloak of curly brown hair, almost of the texture of wool. In her hair they tied a single bird’s feather, and when he saw this, Brian stepped forward in considerable excitement.

is thy thought, Periani ?” the woman Usked, smiling. She was entirely aware of her own beauty, and noted with satisfaction the effect *that this adornment had upon the white stranger. “That feather,” Brian muttered. “It is from the frigate bird.” He pointed to the ornament in her hair.

‘ I do not know these words,” the woman murmured. “This Ariki-plume is a god gift from of old, that only the ruler may wear.”

“It conies from the upper world—from that land of Ra of which we talked,” Brian exclaimed. “It is from the wiim of a bird—a thing that flies in the air.” That I do not know,” the woman answered doubtfully. Her voice took on a note of proud tenderness that Brian sensed before her words were translated. “My father and his father’s father have held and worn this on very great occasions. This, Periani, when Igo forth with you is such a time.”

“And the mantle, lady?” Brian questioned curiously. “Is that, too, an heirloom from your ancestors ?” She was not displeased, as Brian feared she might be, with this curiosity of his. Women of all ages and every land, even those who scorn too bold a scrutiny of their faces, welcome the endorsement of their good taste that Hs told in the admiration their garments. The woman laughed musically. “Ah! no, Periani,” she answered lightly, “this ig the dogskin that was given’ at my birth. There be very few of these sacred dogs left now, and only the ruling Ariki and

those she greatly honours may wear them.” A though struck her, and she gave an order to one of the girls, who slipped hastily out of the room. She returned almost immediately, bearing another dogskin cloak, and leading by a copper chain a long, low dog, not dissimilar to the modern dachshund. Brian was keenly interested in this survival of the ancient fauna. His studies had made him familiar with the spirited hunting scenes depicted on many Peruvian vases of pre-Inca days, and he felt certain that the animal he now saw strolling along with lolling tongue was of the same breed as the hunting doo's of old Peru. It was to that land according to Maori legend* Brian thought, that the demi-god Maui travelled to meet his great ancestress. It would appear that this waddling dog was a confirmation. of the old legend, a living link connecting the Polynesians with ancient America.

The woman received the cloak from the girl and, stepping close to him, placed it around Brian’s . shoulders. “ This give I to you, Periani,” she said with a tender dignity that well became Jiei, . as a sign to all men that you are a chief among the chiefs of the Mauri, and he who harms you must answer for his deed to the Ariki herself.”

“ You do me very great honour, lady,” Brian replied uneasily. He felt himself being hurried, rather too swiftly, in a direction he did not wish to travel, yet felt that he could make no protest. When the heart has been given it 'is joy to give lesser gifts,” the woman quoted from an old proverb as she clasped the cloak’s gold catch at his throat. With calm confidence she took his left hand, adding, “ Come, Periani, and you who are his mouth, let us set forth.” .One of the waiting girls ran to the back of the recess and pressed a hidden catch. A portion of the curving wall swung easily back, letting them out on to a balcony overlooking a wide shaft. Glancing down with some distaste (for he imagined it to be a grim sacrificial well such as were common among the Mayas of Central America) Brian saw, far below, a pool of dancing water from which rose puffs of steam. A carved balustrade surrounded the circular shaft except at one spot ■where, an out-jutting platform suggested the place from which’, Brian thought with a shudder, hapless human victims to jump. This is my bathing pool,” the woman said carelessly. “ That is the jumping platform.” ' - Brian lopked utterly incredulous, for the water was so very far below. Seeing the astonishment in his face the woman laughed, and beckoned to one of the girls who had followed them. “ Here, Ripa,” she cried lightly; “jump iff.” Without a trace of fear or any hesitation the girl addressed slipped off her straw skirt, and stood naked on the platform. She poised gracefully on .the brink of the abyss, no whit abashed £hat two strangers stared, fascinated, at her, waved a hand to each in turn, then shot outward and down. Over and over she whirled in her swift descent. Brian and Rawiri leaning breathless over the balustrade felt hopelessly certain that she must be killed, but she drove through the steam, head down, and cut the water as cleanly as a knife. She cam- to the surface, and shaking the water from her eyes swam to the side of the pool. Then the men noticed long metal rope with many loops that crawled up the side of the pit. The water nymph, far _below, seized one of these loops, a foot found another, and she was lifted up, up by some unseen -power that wound the long cable in.

“ And you, too, attempt this great dive ? ” Brian asked in amazement.

“It is nothing,” said the woman easily. “It shall teach you how to do it. When we have returned, and you have fed and rested, you shall see me do it, as the girl did, not once, but many times. And then—if you dare—we shall jump together.”

Steadily the diving girl rose, and as she came ' nearer Brian’s discomfort mounted. He was not a coward, but he did not at all like the thought of jumping down that great shaft, alone or with anyone else. Still less did it appeal to him to make the plunge —as was evidently: expected of him—in the costume that Apollo would have chosen for such an occasion. These people, he thought, had no convention or modesty, though even as he blushed hotly, lie had to admit that they had perfect; figures. The girl’s head rose beside the platform; she slipped from the sling and, still dripping, ran across to Brjan. Laughing up. in his half-averted face she dropped on one knee before him, anil pulled his hands to rest on her wet head. “ I am the slave of him who wears the sacred skin upon his shoulders,” Rawiri translated, aiid with a certain gusto added, sotto voce, “Py korry, Brian, all the ladies seem to like you a’right.” (To be continued.)

—-• “And riding upon the west wind Maui •went to seek his great ancestress, ‘The Farthest Bounds of Earth.’ ” —Maori tradi- ■>■ tion.