Itwasaboutthreeo’clockofawinter’safternooninTai-o-hae，theFrenchcapitalandportofentryoftheMarquesasIslands。Thetradesblewstrongandsqually；
　　thesurfroaredloudontheshinglebeach；andthefifty-tonschoonerofwar，thatcarriestheflagandinfluenceofFranceabouttheislandsofthecannibalgroup，rolledathermooringsunderPrisonHill。Thecloudshunglowandblackonthesurroundingamphitheatreofmountains；rainhadfallenearlierintheday，realtropicrain，awaterspoutforviolence；andthegreenandgloomybrowofthemountainwasstillseamedwithmanysilverthreadsoftorrent。
　　Inthesehotandhealthyislandswinterisbutaname。Therainhadnotrefreshed，norcouldthewindinvigorate，thedwellersofTai-o-hae：awayatoneend，indeed，thecommandantwasdirectingsomechangesintheresidencygardenbeyondPrisonHill；andthegardeners，beingallconvicts，hadnochoicebuttocontinuetoobey。Allotherfolksslumberedandtooktheirrest：Vaekehu，thenativequeen，inhertrimhouseundertherustlingpalms；theTahitiancommissary，inhisbeflaggedofficialresidence；themerchants，intheirdesertedstores；andeventheclub-servantintheclub，hisheadfallenforwardonthebottle-counter，underthemapoftheworldandthecardsofnavyofficers。Inthewholelengthofthesingleshoresidestreet，withitsscatteredboardhouseslookingtothesea，itsgratefulshadeofpalmsandgreenjungleofpuraos，nomovingfigurecouldbeseen。Only，attheendofthericketypier，thatonceintheprosperousdaysoftheAmericanrebellionwasusedtogroanunderthecottonofJohnHart，theremighthavebeenspieduponapileoflumberthefamoustattooedwhiteman，thelivingcuriosityofTai-o-hae。
　　Hiseyeswereopen，staringdownthebay。Hesawthemountainsdroop，astheyapproachedtheentrance，andbreakdownincliffs；thesurfboilwhiteroundthetwosentinelislets；
　　andbetween，onthenarrowbightofbluehorizon，Ua-puupraisetheghostofherpinnacledmountaintops。Buthismindwouldtakenoaccountofthesefamiliarfeatures；ashedodgedinandoutalongthefrontierlineofsleepandwaking，memorywouldservehimwithbrokenfragmentsofthepast：brownfacesandwhite，ofskipperandshipmate，kingandchief，wouldarisebeforehismindandvanish；hewouldrecalloldvoyages，oldlandfallsinthehourofdawn；hewouldhearagainthedrumsbeatforaman-eatingfestival；perhapshewouldsummonuptheformofthatislandprincessfortheloveofwhomhehadsubmittedhisbodytothecruelhandsofthetattooer，andnowsatonthelumber，atthepier-endofTai-o-hae，sostrangeafigureofaEuropean。Orperhapsfromyetfurtherback，soundsandscentsofEnglandandhischildhoodmightassailhim：themerryclamourofcathedralbells，thebroomupontheforeland，thesongoftheriverontheweir。
　　Itisboldwateratthemouthofthebay；youcansteerashipabouteithersentinel，closeenoughtotossabiscuitontherocks。Thusitchancedthat，asthetattooedmansatdozinganddreaming，hewasstartledintowakefulnessandanimationbytheappearanceofaflyingjibbeyondthewesternislet。Twomoreheadsailsfollowed；andbeforethetattooedmanhadscrambledtohisfeet，atopsailschooner，ofsomehundredtons，hadluffedaboutthesentinelandwasstandingupthebay，close-hauled。
　　Thesleepingcityawakenedbyenchantment。Nativesappeareduponallsides，hailingeachotherwiththemagiccry“Ehippy“——
　　ship；theQueensteppedforthonherverandah，shadinghereyesunderahandthatwasamiracleofthefineartoftattooing；
　　thecommandantbrokefromhisdomesticconvictsandranintotheresidencyforhisglass；theharbourmaster，whowasalsothegaoler，camespeedingdownthePrisonHill；theseventeenbrownKanakasandtheFrenchboatswain’smate，thatmakeupthecomplementofthewar-schooner，crowdedontheforwarddeck；andthevariousEnglish，Americans，Germans，Poles，Corsicans，andScots——themerchantsandtheclerksofTai-o-hae——desertedtheirplacesofbusiness，andgathered，accordingtoinvariablecustom，ontheroadbeforetheclub。
　　Soquicklydidthesedozenwhitescollect，soshortarethedistancesinTai-o-hae，thattheywerealreadyexchangingguessesastothenationalityandbusinessofthestrangevessel，beforeshehadgoneaboutuponhersecondboardtowardstheanchorage。Amomentafter，Englishcolourswerebrokenoutatthemaintruck。
　　“ItoldyoushewasaJohnnyBull——knewitbyherheadsails。”
　　saidanevergreenoldsalt，stillqualifiedifhecouldanywherehavefoundanownerunacquaintedwithhisstorytoadornanotherquarter-deckandloseanothership。
　　“ShehasAmericanlines，anyway。”saidtheastuteScotsengineerofthegin-mill；“it’smybeliefshe’sayacht。”
　　“That’sit。”saidtheoldsalt，“ayacht！lookatherdavits，andtheboatoverthestern。”
　　“Ayachtinyoureye！”saidaGlasgowvoice。“Lookatherredensign！Ayacht！notmuchsheisn’t！”
　　“Youcanclosethestore，anyway，Tom。”observedagentlemanlyGerman。“Bonjour，monPrince！”headded，asadark，intelligentnativecanteredbyonaneatchestnut。“Vousallezboireunverredebiere？”
　　ButPrinceStanilasMoanatini，theonlyreasonablybusyhumancreatureontheisland，wasridinghot-spurtoviewthismorning’slandsliponthemountainroad：thesunalreadyvisiblydeclined；nightwasimminent；andifhewouldavoidtheperilsofdarknessandprecipice，andthefearofthedead，thehauntersofthejungle，hemustforoncedeclineahospitableinvitation。Evenhadhebeenmindedtoalight，itpresentlyappearedtherewouldbedifficultyastotherefreshmentoffered。
　　“Beer！”criedtheGlasgowvoice。“Nosuchathing；Itellyouthere’sonlyeightbottlesintheclub！Here’sthefirsttimeI’veseenBritishcoloursinthisport！andthemanthatsailsunderthemhasgottodrinkthatbeer。”
　　Theproposalstruckthepublicmindasfair，thoughfarfromcheering；forsometimeback，indeed，theverynameofbeerhadbeenasoundofsorrowintheclub，andtheeveningshadpassedindolorouscomputation。
　　“HereisHavens。”saidone，asifwelcomingafreshtopic。
　　“Whatdoyouthinkofher，Havens？”
　　“Idon’tthink。”repliedHavens，atall，bland，cool-looking，leisurelyEnglishman，attiredinspotlessduck，anddeliberatelydealingwithacigarette。“ImaysayIknow。She’sconsignedtomefromAucklandbyDonald&Edenborough。Iamonmywayaboard。”
　　“Whatshipisshe？”askedtheancientmariner。
　　“Haven’tanidea。”returnedHavens。“Sometramptheyhavechartered。”
　　Withthatheplacidlyresumedhiswalk，andwassoonseatedinthestern-sheetsofawhaleboatmannedbyuproariousKanakas，himselfdaintilyperchedoutofthewayoftheleastmaculation，givinghiscommandsinanunobtrusive，dinner-tabletoneofvoice，andsweepingneatlyenoughalongsidetheschooner。
　　Aweather-beatencaptainreceivedhimatthegangway。
　　“Youareconsignedtous，Ithink。”saidhe。“IamMr。Havens。”
　　“Thatisright，sir。”repliedthecaptain，shakinghands。“Youwillfindtheowner，Mr。Dodd，below。Mindthefreshpaintonthehouse。”
　　Havenssteppedalongthealley-way，anddescendedtheladderintothemaincabin。
　　“Mr。Dodd，Ibelieve。”saidhe，addressingasmallish，beardedgentleman，whosatwritingatthetable。“Why。”hecried，“itisn’tLoudonDodd？”
　　“Myself，mydearfellow。”repliedMr。Dodd，springingtohisfeetwithcompanionablealacrity。“Ihadahalf-hopeitmightbeyou，whenIfoundyournameonthepapers。Well，there’snochangeinyou；stillthesameplacid，fresh-lookingBritisher。”
　　“Ican’treturnthecompliment；foryouseemtohavebecomeaBritisheryourself。”saidHavens。
　　“Ipromiseyou，Iamquiteunchanged。”returnedDodd。“Theredtableclothatthetopofthestickisnotmyflag；it’smypartner’s。Heisnotdead，butsleepeth。Thereheis。”headded，pointingtoabustwhichformedoneofthenumerousunexpectedornamentsofthatunusualcabin。
　　Havenspolitelystudiedit。“Afinebust。”saidhe；“andaverynice-lookingfellow。”
　　“Yes；he’sagoodfellow。”saidDodd。“Herunsmenow。It’sallhismoney。”
　　“Hedoesn’tseemtobeparticularlyshortofit。”addedtheother，peeringwithgrowingwonderroundthecabin。
　　“Hismoney，mytaste。”saidDodd。“Theblack-walnutbookshelvesareOldEnglish；thebooksallmine，——mostlyRenaissanceFrench。Youshouldseehowthebeach-comberswiltawaywhentheygoroundthemlookingforachangeofSeasideLibrarynovels。ThemirrorsaregenuineVenice；that’sagoodpieceinthecorner。Thedaubsaremine——andhis；themuddingmine。”
　　“Mudding？Whatisthat？”askedHavens。
　　“Thesebronzes。”repliedDodd。“Ibeganlifeasasculptor。”
　　“Yes；Iremembersomethingaboutthat。”saidtheother。“I
　　think，too，yousaidyouwereinterestedinCalifornianrealestate。”
　　“Surely，Ineverwentsofarasthat。”saidDodd。“Interested？I
　　guessnot。Involved，perhaps。Iwasbornanartist；Inevertookaninterestinanythingbutart。IfIweretopileupthisoldschoonerto-morrow。”headded，“IdeclareIbelieveIwouldtrythethingagain！”
　　“Insured？”inquiredHavens。
　　“Yes。”respondedDodd。“There’ssomefoolin’Friscowhoinsuresus，andcomesdownlikeawolfonthefoldontheprofits；butwe’llgetevenwithhimsomeday。”
　　“Well，Isupposeit’sallrightaboutthecargo。”saidHavens。
　　“O，Isupposeso！”repliedDodd。“Shallwegointothepapers？”
　　“We’llhaveallto-morrow，youknow。”saidHavens；“andthey’llberatherexpectingyouattheclub。C’estl’heuredel’absinthe。Ofcourse，Loudon，you’lldinewithmelateron？”
　　Mr。Doddsignifiedhisacquiescence；drewonhiswhitecoat，notwithoutatriflingdifficulty，forhewasamanofmiddleage，andwell-to-do；arrangedhisbeardandmoustachesatoneoftheVenetianmirrors；and，takingabroadfelthat，ledthewaythroughthetrade-roomintotheship’swaist。
　　Thesternboatwaswaitingalongside，——aboatofanelegantmodel，withcushionsandpolishedhard-woodfittings。
　　“Yousteer。”observedLoudon。“Youknowthebestplacetoland。”
　　“Ineverliketosteeranotherman’sboat。”repliedHavens。
　　“Callitmypartner’s，andcryquits。”returnedLoudon，gettingnonchalantlydowntheside。
　　Havensfollowedandtooktheyokelineswithoutfurtherprotest。“IamsureIdon’tknowhowyoumakethispay。”hesaid。“Tobeginwith，sheistoobigforthetrade，tomytaste；
　　andthenyoucarrysomuchstyle。”
　　“Idon’tknowthatshedoespay。”returnedLoudon。“Ineverpretendtobeabusinessman。Mypartnerappearshappy；andthemoneyisallhis，asItoldyou——Ionlybringthewantofbusinesshabits。”
　　“Youratherliketheberth，Isuppose？”suggestedHavens。
　　“Yes。”saidLoudon；“itseemsodd，butIratherdo。”
　　Whiletheywereyetonboard，thesunhaddipped；thesunsetgunariflecrackedfromthewar-schooner，andthecolourshadbeenhandeddown。Duskwasdeepeningastheycameashore；andtheCercleInternationaleastheclubisofficiallyandsignificantlynamedbegantoshine，fromunderitslowverandas，withthelightofmanylamps。Thegoodhoursofthetwenty-fourdrewon；thehateful，poisonousday-flyofNukahiva，wasbeginningtodesistfromitsactivity；theland-breezecameinrefreshingdraughts；andtheclubmengatheredtogetherforthehourofabsinthe。Tothecommandanthimself，tothemanwhomhewasthencontendingwithatbilliards——atraderfromthenextisland，honorarymemberoftheclub，andoncecarpenter’smateonboardaYankeewar-ship——
　　tothedoctoroftheport，totheBrigadierofGendarmerie，totheopiumfarmer，andtoallthewhitemenwhomthetideofcommerce，orthechancesofshipwreckanddesertion，hadstrandedonthebeachofTai-o-hae，Mr。LoudonDoddwasformallypresented；byallsincehewasamanofpleasingexterior，smoothways，andanunexceptionableflowoftalk，whetherinFrenchorEnglishhewasexcellentlywellreceived；
　　andpresently，withoneofthelasteightbottlesofbeeronatableathiselbow，foundhimselftherathersilentcentre-pieceofavolublegroupontheverandah。
　　TalkintheSouthSeasisallupononepattern；itisawideocean，indeed，butanarrowworld：youshallnevertalklongandnothearthenameofBullyHayes，anavalherowhoseexploitsanddeservedextinctionleftEuropecold；commercewillbetouchedon，copra，shell，perhapscottonorfungus；butinafar-away，dilettantefashion，asbymennotdeeplyinterested；throughall，thenamesofschoonersandtheircaptains，willkeepcomingandgoing，thickasmay-flies；andnewsofthelastshipwreckwillbeplacidlyexchangedanddebated。Toastranger，thisconversationwillatfirstseemscarcelybrilliant；buthewillsooncatchthetone；andbythetimeheshallhavemovedayearorsointheislandworld，andcomeacrossagoodnumberoftheschoonerssothateverycaptain’snamecallsupafigureinpyjamasorwhiteduck，andbecomesusedtoacertainlaxityofmoraltonewhichprevailsasinmemoryofMr。Hayesonsmuggling，ship-scuttling，barratry，piracy，thelabourtrade，andotherkindredfieldsofhumanactivity，hewillfindPolynesianolessamusingandnolessinstructivethanPallMallorParis。
　　Mr。LoudonDodd，thoughhewasnewtothegroupoftheMarquesas，wasalreadyanold，saltedtrader；heknewtheshipsandthecaptains；hehadassisted，inotherislands，atthefirststepsofsomecareerofwhichhenowheardtheculmination，orviceversahehadbroughtwithhimfromfurthersouththeendofsomestorywhichhadbeguninTai-o-hae。Amongothermatterofinterest，likeotherarrivalsintheSouthSeas，hehadawrecktoannounce。TheJohnT。
　　Richards，itappeared，hadmetthefateofotherislandschooners。
　　“DickinsonpiledheruponPalmerstonIsland。”Doddannounced。
　　“Whoweretheowners？”inquiredoneoftheclubmen。
　　“O，theusualparties！”returnedLoudon，——“Capsicum&Co。”
　　Asmileandaglanceofintelligencewentroundthegroup；andperhapsLoudongavevoicetothegeneralsentimentbyremarking，“Talkofgoodbusiness！Iknownothingbetterthanaschooner，acompetentcaptain，andasound，reliablereef。”