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Updated: June 18, 2025
The Beachcomber of tradition parades his coral islet barefooted, bullying guileless natives out of their copra, coco-nut oil and pearl-shell; his chief diet, turtle and turtle eggs and fish; his drink, rum and coco-nut milk the latter only when the former is impossible.
The beachcomber himself, pale as putty through his half-grown beard, was beseeching us from the pink penumbra of the Apostle Paul: "You seen it? You seen what I seen?" but Miah wouldn't hear him, and mounting the steps and passing dull-footed through the vestry, came into the veiled light and heavy scent of breath and flowers.
Yet no one, not even the roughest and most dissolute beachcomber in the two Pacifics, would have dared to "chaff" Harvey Carr upon his eccentricity, for he had an unpleasant manner when aroused which meant danger to the man who was so wanting in judgment.
Each party was too occupied in staring at the other. Kettle saw a huddle of fugitives, all of them scared, and many of them bloody with wounds. The man who was steering the white boat, the steamer's mate he was, according to the gold lace on his cuff, spoke first. "Well," he said, "you're a funny enough looking beachcomber. What do you want, anyway?"
"Nor in Samoa?" There was the slightest pause, and then the reply came: "Yes, in Samoa." "Not a missionary, by gracious! Not a mickonaree in Samoa?" "No." He said nothing further. He did not feel bound to incriminate himself. "No? Well, you wasn't a beachcomber, nor trader, I'll swear. Was you there in the last half of the Seventies? That's when I was there." "Yes." The reply was quiet.
There was an old white beachcomber named Billy living with them; he seemed to do pretty well as he liked, and had a deal of influence with them, not allowing any one of them to hang about the vessel after sunset, and each night he slept on board with me. I gave him a case of Hollands for lending me a hand to set up my rigging, which so pleased him that he turned to and got drunk in ten minutes.
"And if Malaita turns out as well " Tudor broke off and looked at Joan. "It was the tale of this old beachcomber that brought us here," he explained. "Von Blix befriended him and was told the secret." He turned and addressed Sheldon. "I think we shall prove that white men have been through the heart of Guadalcanar long before the time of the Austrian expedition." Sheldon shrugged his shoulders.
The captain stood over him, his eyes blazing. He looked the savage, barbaric slavedriver he was. "Me, I'm Bully Green, and don't you forget it. Been shanghaied, have you? Not going to touch a rope? Then, by thunder, you white-livered beachcomber, a rope will touch you till you're flayed. Get this in your coconut.
He knew that the heathen in his blindness had curiosity enough at his command to inquire of the missionaries if the white beachcomber and his bottle of square-face represented the product of centuries of Christianity, and if they did not, why the missionaries did not evangelize the beachcomber and his bottle off the face of the earth.
There must be trial. Then, if success be achieved and the illusion becomes real and transcendental, and other things and conditions merely "innutritious phantoms," were it not wise, indeed essential, to tell of it all, so that mayhap the illusions of others may be put to the test? Not that it is good or becoming that many should attempt the part of the Beachcomber. All cannot play it who would.
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