IN THE OPIUM DAYS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 7, 15 February 1908, Page 39

IN THE OPIUM DAYS

A TALE OF HONOLULU, By

HENRY W. KINNEY

PANG CHONG, the owner of all worth having in the valley of Wainui, lord of the broad, green rice fields and banana patches, possessor" of the only store, and master in a general way of all he beheld, was disturbed. For several years he had enjoyed the exclusive control of the selling of opium in Wainiu and its vicinity. The market was excellent. Tn Harry, the purser of the steamer Molokai, which made occasional calls at the valley landing, a trustworthy man had been found to bring the dangerous contraband from Honolulu. The police of Wainiu consisted of Moses, a rotund half-white, who was too friendly to disturb business. Pang Chong was on the high road to golden affluence when— In a secluded spot of the garden, where an opening in the hau thicket afforded a view of the green fields, the white stretch of sand beach and the oceain beyond, where the Molokai’s plump hull wallowed in the swell, Pang Chong put the situation to his daughter, his only child with his Hawaiian wife. “I no can,” he concluded. “I have hundred tins in Honolulu, Hong Kong Number One. I want him bad, I tell you. I think you fix him. You speak Harry when he come to-night see you. Tell him Moses like make trouble for him, but s’nose he no bring opium, he no can get you. So I give you Moses. Sure now, you no forget!” A few hours later, Ah Moy and Harry met in a corner of the garden, where the dense thicket hid them, while before them the river, sparkling in the moonlight, glided on to the sea. The crickets made soft music in the grass, the frogs in the rice fields beyond fell in with their deep bass, from a house somewhere across the fields came the faint sound of a guitar, and through it all murmured the soft breeze in the trees and the dull sound of the surf on the beach. Ah Moy sat on the grass, listlessly striking soft chords on her guitar. Tiie purser lay on his back, gazing into the girl’s black eyes and the deep dark sky beyond. Suddenly the guitar stopped. “Harry, papa wants you to get a hundred tins for him next trip.” “I know; he told me. Why do you talk about it?” Ah Moy had never before shown any interest in Pang Chong’s shady little deals. “Did papa tell you about Moses?” “No.. What?” “Moses wants to marry me. He says he will make trouble for the opium if I don’t marry him. Papa is afraid.” “Oh! So Moses wants to marry you. sweetness? Shows good taste, doesn’t he, the beggar! And he wants to make trouble? Moses can go to Halifax. You tell papa that." “Yes, but papa says ” “What does papa say?” “If you can’t bring the stuff next time—if Moses catches it—then—then you can t have me.” The purser got on his feet. His hand caught Ah Moy’s shoulder and turned her face up against his. “Ar.d what do you say. Ah Moy?” “Harry,” her arm crept around his neck, “I love you. I want you for me. You are the only one I will ever love. But papa has been very good tn me. He sent me to the convent and made me learn.” “What about Moses? If I don’t get the stuff through, then you marry him? Answer me. Ah Moy, will you marry the half-white if Pm caught.?” “No. Harry. I think I die.” Ah Moy’s dark eyes shone with tears

as the purser pressed his face to hers and kissed her long and passionately. “Very well, Ah Moy,” he said. “You tell papa he can make ready for our wsdding next week. He will get the dope.” From the thicket behind rose a dark head slowly but cautiously. “The devil he will,” whispered Moses. A week later Ah Moy and Harry again met in the garden. Out in the bay the Molokai had noisily rattled her anchor to the bottom, and was preparing for a night’s rest. “O Harry, have you got the stuff?” Ah Moy’s big dark eyes looked up anxiously into his. “Of course I have, love. See, I brought one tin as a sample to the old man.” Tiie purser produced one of the contraband tins, t-ong immunity had made him careless. “See, Hong Kong Number One. 1 guess papa will be tickled, eh? Ninetynine more little tins aboard. Look at this fat little fellow.” . The branches cracked in the thicket behind the purser. A big brown hand shot out from behind and snatched the tin. The purser jumped for the thicket. I hep.lie sa.w Tha t'the policeman was accomoanied by/Tavo dfa’waiiank. He turned 'immediately and ran for' the shore. There he : eaught the Molrikrfi’s boat and soon reached the steamer in' safety. Half an hour after the purser's arrival on board the Molokai,-Moses camo alongside in a canoe manned by his friends. The Molokai lay dark and silent, heaving easily up and down on the long, smooth swells. ' Outside of a sleepy light forward, the steamer looked absolutely abandoned. The men in the canoe tied on and Moses hailed the invisible being.) on board. After much waste of breath a sullen Portuguese quartermaster leaned over the rail and desired to' know what he in the canoe Wanted. “Is the purser on board? I wan! him. Send him. lam officer,” yelled Moses. The quartermaster told Moses what he thought of him. briefly, but not without imaginative expression. Presently he vanished into the darkness. Moses’ friends decided that it was best to go home. It was cold on the water, and they did not feel well. Now’ they would row' ashore. Promises of glory anl reward were without avail. The unambitious crew told Moses to attend to his own work. They were respectable men and wanted to go home. He could stay on the steamer if he liked. The spirit of bravado moved the officer at this. He would stay on the steamer and capture all the glory and opium for himself. The transfer of the officer from the low' canoe to the steamer’s deck was difficult, but by clinging to a rope and by the aid of strenuous pushing from his friends below, he finally landed on the deck. Standing by the rail. Moses waved good-by to his friends, wdio cheered him and started an uneven course for shore. Moses began the search of the vessel with zeal. He found a cabin labelled “Captain.” and called his mission through the slats of the door. A deep voice from the darkness told him that he, the voice, would break the head of him or any other drunken kanaka who disturbed his night’s sleep while the packet was at anchor. When Moses in a similar manner addressed the mate’s door, he was told to go to a far and distant clime. The chief engineer, when appealed to. wanted, with fine sarcasm, to know if Moses had bought the steamer or only

chartered it. Even the Chinese steward waxed wroth and expressed his feelings candidly, making up in force of expression what he lacked in vocabulary. The search had begun to lose considerable of its interest to Moses when he arrived at the door of the assistant engineer and wearily stated his errand. The assistant had the name of being a special chum of the purser, but on this occasion he showed a, shameful desire to get his friend into trouble. With great readiness he agreed to direct the officer’s search, and volunteered every assistance. At this unexpected success hope rose again in Moses* breast. Ihe assistant began by telling Moses how important it was that every nook and cranny should be searched. There were a great many places in a ship where a man might hide. Therefore no stone should be left unturned. The fo’c’sle was not a sweet place to search, and chain locker was not attractive. The forward deck was occupied by a few score hogs, which objected noisily to having their sleep disturbed. While Moses was looking behind water casks and poi barrels, and peering on all fours under the tarpaulin. the*porkers, aroused to bustling activity, rubbed against him, bumped against him, and without malice took him to themselves as a brother and playmate. Many places were ransacked dndef the careful direction of the assistant, who opened Moses’ untutored eye to the great number of unpleasant placed which even a four-hundred-ton island steamer has space to contain. The engine room was kept to the last. Having just impressed upon the officer the magnitude of the privilege of enter ing this sanctum, the assistant took him down the greasy steps. On the way down he absent mindedly guided the officer’s hand to a copper pipe which ran close to the handrail. Copper steam pipes have the unpleasant peculiarity that, when hot. they take to themselves such skin as comes within their touch. Moses howled with pain, but was told as consolation that much worse things happened every minute in an engine room. Moses was guided into the shaft alley with tiie hope held out to him by the engineer that the purser might be found at the stern gland. He crept painfully on all fours along the polished shaft, which, he ever afterward believed, was a piece of machinery that had to be kept constantly soaked in oil. Had he been able to turn he might have seen the assistant, who followed him closely, taking great pains at decorating him with the contents of an oil can. and would have known that the 11. S. S. Co. does not waste oil in that way and pay 12 per cent per annum at the same time. Returning from the shaft alley, Moses invaded the coal bunkers. The engineer dared not hold a light into the bunkers, so Moses had to conduct his investigation by sense of touch. The grime of the coal stuck to the oil on his uniform, and the coal dust got into his mouth, eyes and ears. Still the officer persisted until no corner had been left unsearched. Having been disappointed in the cod bunkers, the assistant felt convinced that success would meet the oflicer in the fire-room bilges. As a matter of fact, he thought, this place would redly be the very one which the purser won) 1 select to hide in. The assistant obligingly pulled up a trap door and indicated to Moses the entrance. The darkness beneath him was uninviting, and the bilge water slapping against the sides with an oily swash, as the vessel rolled. tilled him with appiehension However, the assistant was convinced that the purser must be there. LLo

even thought he heard someone breathing between the swashes of the water. The officer screwed up his courage and descended into the uninviting hole, lie Lent double in the narrow space, and peered into the darkness. Suddenly a bang caused him to start. The shaft of light from the trapdoor disappeared. The assistant had closed it. The guide went to his Toom, where he notified the purser, who had been slumbering peacefully in the upper bunk, that the coast was clear. The captain and the chief engineer were roused, and a counsel of w-arwas held in the saloon. As a result the Molokai weighed anchor and headed her broad nose for the open sea. As early dawn tinged the greyness of the sea and sky with streaks of pink, the chief engineer, whose watch it was in the engine-room, had the firemen open the trap-door to the bilges. Instantly a black head appeared in the opening, followed by an equally blaek form,which elainbered up on the fire-room floor, where it remained forming the centre of a pool of inky water which rapidly gathred round it. The Chinese firemen, who had not been let into the secret, fled with yells when the balck apparition showed itself. The chief, called by the turmoil, appeared almost as surprised as the firemen. For several minutes he stared silently at the black genie of the bilges. Then he ordered him on deck. When Moses had reached the deck the captain and the mate were called to behold the chief’s find. In the eold, gray dawn, with the lead-coloured sea all around and the mountains of the island looming up in a distant haze, Moses felt thoroughly uncomfortable, lie was not cheered much later. The captain appeared on deck in his mourning uniform, consisting mainly of pyjamas, Chinese slippers and a brassbound, cap. At the first sight of Moses he was caused to retire behind a ventilator, where he remained some little time. The mate hid his face behind his broad palm. Presently the captain reappeared, his complexion having a decided pink tinge. “ Chief,” he said with quite unnecessary severity, “what is this—this—this disgraceful exhibition ? ” " Don’t know, sir,” answered'the chief. “ Found it in the fire-room bilges. Don’t know where it came from. It is very dirty. Maybe if it was scraped, we might .see what it is.” Smeared with oil, coated with dust, and soused from head to foot in bilge water, - Moses appeared to justify the chief’s remark. Some pride, however, still remained, and he stated crassly that he was an officer, and come to arrest the purser. “An officer? ” snorted the captain. “ Most likely you’re a blooming murderer or a grave-robber. Your’e a danger to th e community and the order of the ship. Chief, did he steal anything out of the bilges?” " I don’t know, sir. Can’t say that I feel like searching him though.” Moses indignantly interposed that he was an officer bent on a legal errand and with authority of the law. “ Shut up! ” roared the captain. “ You’re a disgrace and a blasted abomination, that’s what you are. Even if you are an officer, see where you are now. We’re three miles from land, on the high seas, and no blooming officer has authority here.” Moses looked about him and saw the force of the captain’s trump. He meekly, resigned himself to his fate. “ Gentlemen,” said the captain, “ I think this man is a stowaway.” “ Possibly a thief,” said the chief. “ Maybe he’s a pirate,” suggested the irate. “He may have wanted to scuttle us while he was in the bilges.” “ At all events he is u dangerous char■ a , ter, a most dangerous character to have on board ship,” said the captain. “ Mr. Mason, search him and put him 0,1 the lower deck aft. {See that he s lays there, too,” The mate's- search revealed the pre emus tin of opium which Moses had taken from the purser the night before and kept on his js'ison lest the valuable evidence be lost. " I’ll thank you for that tin. Mr. Mason,” said the purser, who had just appeared op deck. “This gentleman came here to bring it back to me.” Moses groaned when lie saw the tin ]iass back into Harry’s hands. He was, however, quickly hustled aft. where be sal. cold and miserable, watching the sea as the Molokai, now bound for the shore, came gloscr tv the mountains of Waiiiiu.

Moses was aroused from his sad meditations by the arrival of the assistant engineer. He had not forgotten the experiences of the night before, and h? answered the assistant’s Chery greeting with cold reserve. The assistant seemed pained at this. He hastened to explain. “ Why, man, I had to let you stay in the bilge last night. Not but that I’m sorry, but I had to do it. Don’t you see? I heard somebody coming, anil if they’d seen me a-helping you I’d lose my job. That’s a fact.” Moses accepted the apology. His reeent experiences had reduced his pride, and in his forlorn situation it felt good to talk to the assistant, even if he could not help suspecting him. “We’re friends all right, then?” asked the assistant, extending his hand. Moses grasped it and said they were. The fact seemed to cheer the assistant considerably. After a little silence he looked carefully about to assure himself that no one was within earshot. “Moses,” he said, suddenly, “you’re after the dope, eh?” “Yes, I guess so,” came the dejected answer. “You get half of what’s worth if you nab it?” the assistant continued. “That’s right.” “S’pose I put you next, will you split half and half with me?” "Do you know where it is?” Moses again saw a faint gleam of victory before him. “That’s my business. S’pose I do, will you split?” “Sure.” “It’s a go, then,” said the assistant. “See that big chest with a lock on it. Well, that’s where we’re supposed to keep spare rope and stuff, but he’s got the dope in there. Keep an eye on it, and remember we split half.” Alos.es promised., and the assistant left him. When the Molokai again dropped her anchor at Wainiu, his hopes rose still higher. A boat was coming from shore, and, in it he could see the district sheriff with two officers. He found later that his friends, when they saw the Molokai leaving with him on board, had called the sheriff to save him from the hands of the seamen, if possible. “Have you got any of my men on board?” asked the sheriff when he had gained the deck. “I dunno,” said the captain. “We’ve got something on board which'don’t belong to us, thank God! If -it’s yours you may have it. If it ain’t, you may have it anyhow. You’ll find it aft.” The sheriff went aft, where he found Moses. As soon as the sheriff had overcome his surprise sufficiently to listen, Moses told him of the hidden opium. The sheriff hurried forward, and found the purser busy superintending the placing of the pigs in the boats which took the cargo ashore. “Purser,” said the sheriff, “I want the key for the locker aft.” “Three, four, tally ” the purser went on counting the pigs as they passed over the side. “The mate has got the key; he’ll give it to you.” The sheriff turned to the mate. “Hi, there, throw that dead beggar ■overboard!” cried the purser to the sailors below. The sheriff started to the rail as he heard the splash, but when he saw only a dead pig sinking rapidly through the clear water to the bottom he resumed his inquiries for the key. The locker being opened, a few yards of canvas, some small rope, saihnakers’ needles, swabs and other heterogeneous objects were brought to light, but no opium. The sheriff investigated every parcel on board the ship, but with no result. When the search finally ended the sheriff was hot. He said unpleasant things. As his boat pulled for the shore those on board the steamer were edified by hearing occasional bits of his language to Moses, who was in the boat with him. AH on board the Molokai said they were sorry for Moses. That evening the purser had a conference with Pang C'hohg and Ah Moy in the corner of ‘the garden by the river. Al the same time a couple of the crew of the Molokai wore busy in a boat Alongside the steamer angling for a dead pig. A little cork fastened to it with a piece of string, buoy fashion, but pot at all conspicuous unless yon happened to bo looking for it, aided the work. Finally the carcass was secured. It was brought up the river in a

boat and landed at the garden, where the purser was waiting for it. ‘I know one of my pigs no come,” said Pang Chong, in a thoroughly disgusted tone, when the pig had been put ashore. “S’pose you think I take him like that you make mistake. I never get opium, too.” “Oh, I guess you’ll take the pig all right,” said Harry. “He didn’t die from sickness anyhow. Besides that he has his belly full of opium.” Pang Chong hastily stuck his finger through a slit in the pig’s stomach and felt the precious tins. A smile of satisfaction lit his face for a moment, but his business instinct instantly came to the front. “You bring opium ail ri’, but you spoil my pig. You give me another pig.” “All right, Pang Chong,” agreed the purser, “but remember our old bargain. I give you another pig, but you give me Ah Moy.” “All ri’,” said Pang Chong, “but this allc same too much big pig.”