Withnighttheshotsandinsultsceased；themenofHaamauwithdrew；andvictory，onsomeoccultprinciple，wasscoredtoMoipu。Perhaps，inconsequence，therecameadaywhenMoipumadeafeast，andapartyfromHaamaucameundersafe-conducttoeatofit。ThesepassedearlybyTaahauku，andsomeofMoipu’syoungmenweretheretobeaguardofhonour。TheywerenotlonggonebeforetherecamedownfromHaamau，aman，hiswife，andagirloftwelve，theirdaughter，bringingfungus。SeveralAtuonaladswerehangingroundthestore；butthedaybeingoneoftrucenoneapprehendeddanger。Thefunguswasweighedandpaidfor；themanofHaamauproposedheshouldhavehisaxegroundinthebargain；andMr。
　　Stewartdemurringatthetrouble，someoftheAtuonaladsofferedtogrinditforhim，andsetitonthewheel。Whiletheaxewasgrinding，afriendlynativewhisperedMr。Stewarttohaveacareofhimself，fortherewastroubleinhand；and，allatonce，themanofHaamauwasseized，andhisheadandarmstrickenfromhisbody，theheadatonesweepofhisownnewlysharpenedaxe。Inthefirstalert，thegirlescapedamongthecotton；andMr。Stewart，havingthrustthewifeintothehouseandlockedherinfromtheoutside，supposedtheaffairwasover。Butthebusinesshadnotpassedwithoutnoise，anditreachedtheearsofanoldergirlwhohadloiteredbytheway，andwhonowcamehastilydownthevalley，cryingasshecameforherfather。Her，too，theyseizedandbeheaded；Iknownotwhattheyhaddonewiththeaxe，itwasabluntknifethatservedtheirbutcherlyturnuponthegirl；andthebloodspurtedinfountainsandpaintedthemfromheadtofoot。
　　Thushorriblefromcrime，thepartyreturnedtoAtuona，carryingtheheadstoMoipu。Itmaybefanciedhowthefeastbrokeup；butitisnotablethattheguestswerehonourablysufferedtoretire。
　　ThesepassedbackthroughTaahaukuinextremedisorder；alittleafterthevalleybegantobeoverrunwithshoutingandtriumphingbraves；andaletterofwarningcomingatthesametimetoMr。
　　Stewart，heandhisChinamentookrefugewiththeProtestantmissionaryinAtuona。Thatnightthestorewasgutted，andthebodiescastinapitandcoveredwithleaves。Threedayslatertheschoonerhadcomein；andthingsappearingquieter，Mr。StewartandthecaptainlandedinTaahaukutocomputethedamageandtoviewthegrave，whichwasalreadyindicatedbythestench。Whiletheyweresoemployed，apartyofMoipu’syoungmen，deckedwithredflanneltoindicatemartialsentiments，cameoverthehillsfromAtuona，dugupthebodies，washedthemintheriver，andcarriedthemawayonsticks。Thatnightthefeastbegan。
　　ThosewhoknewMr。Stewartbeforethisexperiencedeclarethemantobequitealtered。Hestuck，however，tohispost；andsomewhatlater，whentheplantationwasalreadywellestablished，andgaveemploymenttosixtyChinamenandseventynatives，hefoundhimselfoncemoreindangeroustimes。ThemenofHaamau，itwasreported，hadsworntoplunderanderasethesettlement；letterscamecontinuallyfromtheHawaiianmissionary，whoactedasintelligencedepartment；andforsixweeksMr。Stewartandthreeotherwhitessleptinthecotton-houseatnightinarampartofbales，andwhatwastheirbestdefenceostentatiouslypractisedrifle-shootingbydayuponthebeach。Nativeswereoftentheretowatchthem；thepracticewasexcellent；andtheassaultwasneverdelivered-ifiteverwasintended，whichIdoubt，forthenativesaremorefamousforfalserumoursthanfordeedsofenergy。IwastoldthelateFrenchwarwasacaseinpoint；thetribesonthebeachaccusingthoseinthemountainsofdesignswhichtheyhadneverthehardihoodtoentertain。Andthesametestimonytotheirbackwardnessinopenbattlereachedmefromallsides。CaptainHartoncelandedafteranengagementinacertainbay；onemanhadhishandhurt，anoldwomanandtwochildrenhadbeenslain；andthecaptainimprovedtheoccasionbypoulticingthehand，andtauntingbothsidesuponsowretchedanaffair。Itistruethesewarswereoftenmerelyformal-comparablewithduelstothefirstblood。CaptainHartvisitedabaywheresuchawarwasbeingcarriedonbetweentwobrothers，oneofwhomhadbeenthoughtwantingincivilitytotheguestsoftheother。Aboutone-halfofthepopulationserveddayaboutonalternatesides，soastobewellwitheachwhentheinevitablepeaceshouldfollow。Thefortsofthebelligerentswereoveragainsteachother，andcloseby。
　　Pigswerecooking。Well-oiledbraves，withwell-oiledmuskets，struttedonthepaepaeorsatdowntofeast。Nobusiness，howeverneedful，couldbedone，andallthoughtsweresupposedtobecentredinthismockeryofwar。Afewdayslater，byaregrettableaccident，amanwaskilled；itwasfeltatoncethethinghadgonetoofar，andthequarrelwasinstantlypatchedup。Butthemoreseriouswarswereprosecutedinasimilarspirit；agiftofpigsandafeastmadetheirinevitableend；thekillingofasinglemanwasagreatvictory，andthemurderofdefencelesssolitariescountedaheroicdeed。
　　Thefootofthecliffs，aboutalltheseislands，istheplaceoffishing。BetweenTaahaukuandAtuonawesawmen，butchieflywomen，somenearlynaked，someinthinwhiteorcrimsondresses，perchedinlittlesurf-beatpromontories-thebrownprecipiceoverhangingthem，andtheconvolvulusoverhangingthat，asiftocutthemoffthemorecompletelyfromassistance。Theretheywouldanglemuchofthemorning；andasfastastheycaughtanyfish，eatthem，rawandliving，wheretheystood。ItwassuchhelplessonesthatthewarriorsfromtheoppositeislandofTauataslew，andcarriedhomeandate，andwerethereuponaccountedmightymenofvalour。OfonesuchexploitIcangivetheaccountofaneye-
　　witness。’PortugueseJoe，’Mr。Keane’scook，wasoncepullinganoarinanAtuonaboat，whentheyspiedastrangerinacanoewithsomefishandapieceoftapu。TheAtuonamencrieduponhimtodrawnearandhaveasmoke。Hecomplied，because，Isuppose，hehadnochoice；butheknew，poordevil，whathewascomingto，andasJoesaid’hedidn’tseemtocareaboutthesmoke。’Afewquestionsfollowed，astowherehecamefrom，andwhatwashisbusiness。Thesehemustneedsanswer，ashemustneedsdrawattheunwelcomepipe，hisheartthewhiledryinginhisbosom。Andthen，ofasudden，abigfellowinJoe’sboatleanedover，pluckedthestrangerfromhiscanoe，struckhimwithaknifeintheneck-
　　inwardanddownward，asJoeshowedinpantomimemoreexpressivethanhiswords-andheldhimunderwater，likeafowl，untilhisstrugglesceased。Whereuponthelong-pigwashauledonboard，theboat’sheadturnedaboutforAtuona，andtheseMarquesanbravespulledhomerejoicing。Moipuwasonthebeachandrejoicedwiththemontheirarrival。PoorJoetoiledathisoarthatdaywithawhiteface，yethehadnofearforhimself。’Theywereverygoodtome-gavemeplentygrub：neverwishedtoeatwhiteman，’saidhe。
　　IfthemosthorribleexperiencewasMr。Stewart’s，itwasCaptainHarthimselfwhoranthenearestdanger。HehadboughtapieceoflandfromTimau，chiefofaneighbouringbay，andputsomeChinesetheretowork。VisitingthestationwithoneoftheGodeffroys，hefoundhisChinamentroopingtothebeachinterror：Timauhaddriventhemout，seizedtheireffects，andwasinwarattirewithhisyoungmen。AboatwasdespatchedtoTaahaukuforreinforcement；astheyawaitedherreturn，theycouldsee，fromthedeckoftheschooner，Timauandhisyoungmendancingthewar-danceonthehill-toptillpasttwelveatnight；andsosoonastheboatcamebringingthreegendarmes，armedwithchassepots，twowhitemenfromTaahaukustation，andsomenativewarriorsthepartysetouttoseizethechiefbeforeheshouldawake。Daywasnotcome，anditwasaverybrightmoonlightmorning，whentheyreachedthehill-topwhereinahouseofpalm-leavesTimauwassleepingoffhisdebauch。Theassailantswerefullyexposed，theinteriorofthehutquitedark；thepositionfarfromsound。Thegendarmeskneltwiththeirpiecesready，andCaptainHartadvancedalone。Ashedrewnearthedoorheheardthesnapofaguncockingfromwithin，andinsheerself-defence-therebeingnootherescape-
　　sprangintothehouseandgrappledTimau。’Timau，comewithme！’
　　hecried。ButTimau-agreatfellow，hiseyesblood-redwiththeabuseofkava，sixfootthreeinstature-casthimononeside；
　　andthecaptain，instantlyexpectingtobeeithershotorbrained，dischargedhispistolinthedark。WhentheycarriedTimauoutatthedoorintothemoonlight，hewasalreadydead，and，uponthisunlooked-forterminationoftheirsally，thewhitesappearedtohavelostallconduct，andretreatedtotheboats，fireduponbythenativesastheywent。CaptainHart，whoalmostrivalsBishopDordilloninpopularity，sharedwithhimthepolicyofextremeindulgencetothenatives，regardingthemaschildren，makinglightoftheirdefects，andconstantlyinfavourofmildmeasures。ThedeathofTimauhasthussomewhatweigheduponhismind；themoreso，asthechieftain’smusketwasfoundinthehouseunloaded。Toalessdelicateconsciencethematterwillseemlight。Ifadrunkensavageelectstocockafire-arm，agentlemanadvancingtowardshimintheopencannotwaittomakesureifitbecharged。
　　Ihavetouchedonthecaptain’spopularity。ItisoneofthethingsthatmoststrikesastrangerintheMarquesas。Hecomesinstantlyontwonames，bothnewtohim，bothlocallyfamous，bothmentionedbyallwithaffectionandrespect-thebishop’sandthecaptain’s。Itgavemeastrongdesiretomeetwiththesurvivor，whichwassubsequentlygratified-totheenrichmentofthesepages。Longafterthatagain，inthePlaceDolorous-Molokai-I
　　cameoncemoreonthetracesofthataffectionatepopularity。
　　Therewasablindwhiteleperthere，anoldsailor-’anoldtough，’hecalledhimself-whohadlongsailedamongtheeasternislands。HimIusedtovisit，and，beingfreshfromthescenesofhisactivity，gavehimthenews。Thisinthetrueislandstyle
　　waslargelyachronicleofwrecks；anditchancedImentionedthecaseofonenotverysuccessfulcaptain，andhowhehadlostavesselforMr。Hart；thereupontheblindleperbrokeforthinlamentation。’DidheloseashipofJohnHart’s?’hecried；’poorJohnHart！Well，I’msorryitwasHart’s，’withneedlessforceofepithet，whichIneglecttoreproduce。
　　Perhaps，ifCaptainHart’saffairshadcontinuedtoprosper，hispopularitymighthavebeendifferent。Successwinsglory，butitkillsaffection，whichmisfortunefosters。Andthemisfortunewhichovertookthecaptain’senterprisewastrulysingular。Hewasatthetopofhiscareer。IleMassebelongedtohim，givenbytheFrenchasanindemnityfortherobberiesatTaahauku。ButtheIleMassewasonlysuitableforcattle；andhistwochiefstationswereAnaho，inNuka-hiva，facingthenorth-east，andTaahaukuinHiva-
　　oa，somehundredmilestothesouthward，andfacingthesouth-west。
　　Boththesewereonthesamedaysweptbyatidalwave，whichwasnotfeltinanyotherbayorislandofthegroup。ThesouthcoastofHiva-oawasbestrewnwithbuildingtimberandcamphor-woodchests，containinggoods；which，onthepromiseofareasonablesalvage，thenativesveryhonestlybroughtback，thechestsapparentlynotopened，andsomeofthewoodafterithadbeenbuiltintotheirhouses。Buttherecoveryofsuchjetsamcouldnotaffecttheresult。Itwasimpossiblethecaptainshouldwithstandthispartialityoffortune；andwithhisfalltheprosperityoftheMarquesasended。Anahoistrulyextinct，Taahaukubutashadowofitself；norhasanynewplantationarisenintheirstead。
　　CHAPTERXIII-CHARACTERS
　　THEREwasacertaintrafficinouranchorageatAtuona；differentindeedfromthedeadinertiaandquiescenceofthesisterisland，Nuka-hiva。Sailswereseensteeringfromitsmouth；nowitwouldbeawhale-boatmannedwithnativerowdies，andheavywithcopraforsale；nowperhapsasinglecanoecomeaftercommoditiestobuy。
　　Theanchoragewasbesidesfrequentedbyfishers；notonlythelonefemalesperchedinnichesofthecliff，butwholeparties，whowouldsometimescampandbuildafireuponthebeach，andsometimeslieintheircanoesinthemidstofthehavenandjumpbyturnsinthewater；whichtheywouldcasteightorninefeethigh，todrive，aswesupposed，thefishintotheirnets。Thegoodsthepurchaserscametobuyweresometimesquaint。Iremarkedoneoutriggerreturningwithasinglehamswungfromapoleinthestern。AndonedaytherecameintoMr。Keane’sstoreacharminglad，excellentlymannered，speakingFrenchcorrectlythoughwithababyishaccent；veryhandsometoo，andmuchofadandy，aswasshownnotonlyinhisshiningraiment，butbythenatureofhispurchases。Thesewerefiveship-biscuits，abottleofscent，andtwoballsofwashingblue。HewasfromTauata，whitherhereturnedthesamenightinanoutrigger，daringthedeepwiththeseyoung-