The Cruise of the Kawa: Wanderings in the South Seas Part 9

Of a sudden his color hypnotism transported him.

"Eee--yow!" he howled, brandis.h.i.+ng a handful of Naples yellow mixed with coral which he hurled at the canvas. "Zow! Bam! Ooh, la la!" His shrieks roused his escorts and brought a rapidly swelling crowd to the dune, where, to the sound of his own ravings and the plaudits of the spectators, he finished his masterpiece.

Late afternoon of the same day was the hour agreed upon for the Judgment. Baahaabaa had sent invitations by express swimmers to all the near-by islands. He invited the entire archipelago.

The picture of their approach was interesting. Kippy haled me to the top of a tall tree whence we watched the convergent argosies, hundreds of tiny specks each bearing an outspread _taa-taa_ of gleaming leaves.

It was as if Birnam Wood had gone yachting.

"Tapa nui ekilana lohoo-a" chanted my mate.

Following her outstretched hand I discerned a group of _taa-taas,_ arranged in wedge formation, the enclosing sides being formed by swimmers carrying a web of woven _haro_, in the center of which reposed a visiting chief with three or four of his wives.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Lagoon at Dawn (Sw.a.n.k's Version)]

[Ill.u.s.tration Note: THE LAGOON AT DAWN

(Sw.a.n.k's Version)

An interesting example of the way in which the mind of a painter works will be found in this reproduction of the masterpiece created by Herman Sw.a.n.k in compet.i.tion with the photograph of the same t.i.tle. Both camera and painter were to reproduce the same subject, yet how differently they reacted to it. In the beauty of nature about him it is evident that the great artist felt only the dominant feature of island life, the glorious, untrammeled womanhood of the South Seas.

The wild abandon, the primitive gesture of modesty, the eyes of adoration--symbolically expressed as detached ent.i.ties floating about the loved one--all are present in this remarkable picture. Thus expressed, too, we may find the ever-present ocean, the waving palms and, if we seek carefully, the Kawa herself, scudding before the trade wind. Truly may this be called, as the artist prefers, the Venus of Polynesia.]

By four o'clock the beach was thronged with thousands of gleaming bodies. Festivity and rejoicing were in every eye. Shouts of welcome, bursts of laughter, and the resounding slap of friendly hand on visiting hip or shoulder, the dignified welcome of the chiefs, cries of children, dances and games, myriad details of social amity--all presented a picture of unspoiled Polynesia such as is found in the Filberts alone.

When I forget it, may I be forgot.

Of course Sw.a.n.k, Whinney and I were objects of much curiosity--and admiration. Hundreds of times my radiant Daughter of Pearl and Coral repeated:

"Ahoa tarumea--Kapatooi Naani-Tui"--"I should like to make you acquainted with my husband, Face-of-the-Moon."

Hundreds of times did I press my chin against soft ears and submit to the same gentle greeting. Hundreds of times did I raise the welcoming hoopa-sh.e.l.l with the usual salutation--"Lomi-lomi,"--"May you live for a thousand years and grow to enormous size."

In a rest period Kippy and I swam to the reef where the younger set were sporting among the coral, diving for pearls which rolled on the purple floor. As I think now of the value of those milky globes, the size of gooseberries, I marvel that not a thought of covetousness crossed my mind. What were pearls to us?

"Catch!" cried Kippy, and threw a fish-skin beauty in my direction.

I admired its l.u.s.tre for an instant and its perfect roundness acquiredfrom the incessant rolling of the tides--then carelessly tossed it back. It slipped between Kippy's fingers.

"I'll get it," I cried, making ready to dive, but she shouted a warning.

"Arani electi. Oki Kutiaa!"-"Look out! The snapping oysters!"

Gazing down through the crystal depths into which our bauble had fallen I saw a great gaping _kutiaa_, the fiercest of crustacea, its sh.e.l.ly mouth slightly ajar, waiting for the careless hand or foot that might come within its grasp. We let the pearl go and amused ourselves by sucking the eggs of the _liho_, a bland-faced bird which makes its nest in the surface coral branches. [Footnote: The _liho_ is in many respects the most remarkable fowl in existence. It is of the _gallinaris_ or hen-family crossed with the male shad which causes the bird to produce eggs in unheard of quant.i.ty.] Here, too, we laughed over the ridiculous _ratatia_, that grotesque amphibian who is built like a ferry-boat, with a head at either end and swivel fins so that however he may move he is always going forward.

From these diversions the sound of singing summoned us. The Judgment was about to take place. At top speed we swam ash.o.r.e and joined the crowd. For once I was glad that literature had no place in the compet.i.tion, so that Kippy and I were free to watch the proceedings.

Years ago I saw the ceremonial by which the British Government conferred on the Bahia of Persia the t.i.tle of "The Bab of Babs," but it was nothing compared to what I now gazed upon.

As far as the eye could reach stretched the crowd. Under a gorgeous dais of _panjandrus_ leaves respondent with _alova_ blossoms sat Baahaabaa, on his right Captain Triplett, on his left Hanuhonu, the ranking visitor, and all about retinues of n.o.bles, with their superb families, groups of dancers, slim and straight as golden birches, singers, orators and athletes. It was grand opera on a t.i.tanic scale, with the added distinction of really meaning something.

Baahaabaa spoke first--in fact I think I may say that he spoke first, last and all the time. I can conscientiously claim that he is the champion long-distance orator of the world. Ever and anon he gave way to a guest but only for a moment.

"We are met," he said--I translate freely--"we are met to witness the emulation of friends." Could anything be more delicate?

"We have with us tonight, in this corner, Wanooa-Potonopoa (Whinney), the Man with his Eye in a Box" (this was plainly a reference to Whinney's camera)--"while in this corner, we have Mainaue Ahiiahi, Tattooer-of-Rainbows. Both boys are members of this island."

The applause was enormous but Sw.a.n.k had the grace to rise and kiss his finger-tips toward the audience which immediately put him on a friendly footing.

After a few more speeches by Baahaabaa the exhibits were unveiled. Of course, the result was foregone. I must admit that Whinney's was not hung to advantage. The two pictures were placed against tufts of _haro_ at forty yards distance where, naturally, the detail of the photograph lost something of its effectiveness. Sw.a.n.k's picture on the contrary blazed like a pin-wheel. The further you got from it the better it looked.

A characteristic point in the compet.i.tion was that Sw.a.n.k had introduced figures into his composition where no figures had existed. "What do I care?" he said to my objection. "I was there, wasn't I? And you were there? There may have been others."

A mighty roar followed the unveiling, a shout of such force that tons of breadfruit and thousands of cocoanuts fell from the adjacent trees.

But it was plain to see whom the shouting was for. Then Baahaabaa made the awards and--the prizes were identical--two royal _rigolos_ of mother-of-pearl, elaborately trimmed with corals and pendants of limpid aquamarine. What tact, what grace and charm in these identical rewards!

I am fortunate in being able to reproduce both masterpieces, so that my readers may form their own decision. Personally, Whinney's photograph seems to me to reproduce more completely my memories of "The Lagoon at Dawn." But I may be wrong. Modern artists will probably back up the popular judgment and on that memorable day in the Filberts I would certainly have been in the minority.

CHAPTER IX

More premonitions. Triplett's curious behavior. A call from Baahaabaa. We visit William Henry Thomas. His bride. The christening.

A hideous discovery. Pros and cons. Our heart-breaking decision. A stirrup-cup of lava-lava.

It was two weeks after the great Compet.i.tion before the celebrations which followed it terminated, the tumult and the shouting died, and the last of our amiable visitors paddled homeward, some being towed by new-found wives, while not a few remained in our own community, infusing our society with the novelty and fresh gossip of their islands.

Little by little we settled back into domestic quiet.

A blithe incident enlivened that peaceful period, preceding tragic events which must be told in their proper place.

On the fairest of tropical mornings Kippy and I heard a gentle tapping at the trunk of our tree and, peering over the floor, saw below Baahaabaa, his face s.h.i.+ning with happiness.

"Katia?" we questioned, but he was mysterious and led us quietly to the trees occupied by the Sw.a.n.ks, the Whinneys and finally Triplett, all of whom he roused as he had us.

"Katia?" we repeated.

"Hoko," he answered, and to our surprise, again motioned us forward.

For twenty minutes we threaded a forest trail in which still lurked the shadows of night. At a giant palm tree our leader again tapped gently.

Who should look over the edge of the densely screened dwelling but William Henry Thomas!

At first glimpse of us he hastily drew back and I heard the muttered sound of old-fas.h.i.+oned, New England cursing. Rea.s.sured by Baahaabaa, however, he slid down to join us, followed by his wife.

It was the first time I had ever really seen her and I must say that I was completely bowled over by the sight. Plainly not of the same social cla.s.s as the beautiful women whom Baahaabaa had selected for us, she yet possessed an eerie charm of her own which instantly stirred strange emotions in my breast. I heard Sw.a.n.k gasp and Whinney's face was white and drawn, his favorite expression when deeply moved. She stood close to her husband, half-twined about him with the grace and strength of an _eva-eva_ vine while her kindling eyes burned questioningly, her lithe body tense and protective. "He is to be christened," said Baahaabaa, with a magnificent gesture toward William Henry Thomas.

We could only look our astonishment.

"Yes," continued the chief, smiling benignly, "first among you all is he to have his name recorded in our ancient fas.h.i.+on."

As he p.r.o.nounced these words Baahaabaa lifted his left foot solemnly and pointed to his own royal appellation tattooed on the sole. Our wives did likewise.