vivid was the impression that we carried away of the house upon the

islet, the Micronesian Saul wakeful amid his guards, and his

unmelodious David, Mr. Williams, chattering through the drowsy

hours.

CHAPTER II--THE FOUR BROTHERS

The kingdom of Tebureimoa includes two islands, Great and Little

Makin; some two thousand subjects pay him tribute, and two semi-

independent chieftains do him qualified homage. The importance of

the office is measured by the man; he may be a nobody, he may be

absolute; and both extremes have been exemplified within the memory

of residents.

On the death of king Tetimararoa, Tebureimoa's father, Nakaeia, the

eldest son, succeeded. He was a fellow of huge physical strength,

masterful, violent, with a certain barbaric thrift and some

intelligence of men and business. Alone in his islands, it was he

who dealt and profited; he was the planter and the merchant; and

his subjects toiled for his behoof in servitude. When they wrought

long and well their taskmaster declared a holiday, and supplied and

shared a general debauch. The scale of his providing was at times

magnificent; six hundred dollars' worth of gin and brandy was set

forth at once; the narrow land resounded with the noise of revelry:

and it was a common thing to see the subjects (staggering

themselves) parade their drunken sovereign on the fore-hatch of a

wrecked vessel, king and commons howling and singing as they went.

At a word from Nakaeia's mouth the revel ended; Makin became once

more an isle of slaves and of teetotalers; and on the morrow all

the population must be on the roads or in the taro-patches toiling

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