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，thatonce(intheprosperousdaysoftheAmericanrebellion)wasusedtogroanunderthecottonofJohnHart，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，stillqualified(ifhecouldanywherehavefoundanownerunacquaintedwithhisstory)toadornanotherquarter-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；thesunsetgun(arifle)crackedfromthewar-schooner，andthecolourshadbeenhandeddown。Duskwasdeepeningastheycameashore；andtheCercleInternationale(astheclubisofficiallyandsignificantlynamed)begantoshine，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；byall(sincehewasamanofpleasingexterior，smoothways，andanunexceptionableflowoftalk，whetherinFrenchorEnglish)hewasexcellentlywellreceived；
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，andbecomesusedtoacertainlaxityofmoraltonewhichprevails(asinmemoryofMr。Hayes)onsmuggling，ship-scuttling，barratry，piracy，thelabourtrade，andotherkindredfieldsofhumanactivity，hewillfindPolynesianolessamusingandnolessinstructivethanPallMallorParis。
Mr。LoudonDodd，thoughhewasnewtothegroupoftheMarquesas，wasalreadyanold，saltedtrader；heknewtheshipsandthecaptains；hehadassisted，inotherislands，atthefirststepsofsomecareerofwhichhenowheardtheculmination，or(viceversa)hehadbroughtwithhimfromfurthersouththeendofsomestorywhichhadbeguninTai-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。”
