adventure(冒险)-第14部分
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of cowardice in them； and in the end they had to give up。 They were
chased awayliterally chased awayby their own niggers。 And along
came poor Hughie and me； two new chums； to take hold of that hard…
bitten gang。 We did not know the situation； and we had bought Berande；
and there was nothing to do but hang on and muddle through somehow。
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〃At first we made the mistake of indiscreet kindness。 We tried to rule
by persuasion and fair treatment。 The niggers concluded that we were
afraid。 I blush to think of what fools we were in those first days。 We
were imposed on； and threatened and insulted； and we put up with it；
hoping our square…dealing would soon mend things。 Instead of which
everything went from bad to worse。 Then came the day when Hughie
reprimanded one of the boys and was nearly killed by the gang。 The only
thing that saved him was the number on top of him； which enabled me to
reach the spot in time。
〃Then began the rule of the strong hand。 It was either that or quit；
and we had sunk about all our money into the venture； and we could not
quit。 And besides； our pride was involved。 We had started out to do
something； and we were so made that we just had to go on with it。 It has
been a hard fight； for we were； and are to this day； considered the worst
plantation in the Solomons from the standpoint of labour。 Do you know；
we have been unable to get white men in。 We've offered the managership
to half a dozen。 I won't say they were afraid； for they were not。 But
they did not consider it healthyat least that is the way it was put by the
last one who declined our offer。 So Hughie and I did the managing
ourselves。〃 〃And when he died you were prepared to go on all alone！〃
Joan cried； with shining eyes。
〃I thought I'd muddle through。 And now； Miss Lackland； please be
charitable when I seem harsh； and remember that the situation is
unparalleled down here。 We've got a bad crowd； and we're making them
work。 You've been over the plantation and you ought to know。 And I
assure you that there are no better three…and…four…years…old trees on any
other plantation in the Solomons。 We have worked steadily to change
matters for the better。 We've been slowly getting in new labour。 That is
why we bought the Jessie。 We wanted to select our own labour。 In
another year the time will be up for most of the original gang。 You see；
they were recruited during the first year of Berande； and their contracts
expire on different months。 Naturally； they have contaminated the new
boys to a certain extent； but that can soon be remedied； and then Berande
will be a respectable plantation。〃
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Joan nodded but remained silent。 She was too occupied in glimpsing
the vision of the one lone white man as she had first seen him； helpless
from fever； a collapsed wraith in a steamer…chair； who； up to the last heart…
beat； by some strange alchemy of race； was pledged to mastery。
〃It is a pity；〃 she said。 〃But the white man has to rule； I suppose。〃
〃I don't like it；〃 Sheldon assured her。 〃To save my life I can't imagine
how I ever came here。 But here I am； and I can't run away。〃
〃Blind destiny of race；〃 she said； faintly smiling。 〃We whites have
been land robbers and sea robbers from remotest time。 It is in our blood；
I guess； and we can't get away from it。〃
〃I never thought about it so abstractly；〃 he confessed。 〃I've been too
busy puzzling over why I came here。〃
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CHAPTER VIIILOCAL
COLOUR
At sunset a small ketch fanned in to anchorage； and a little later the
skipper came ashore。 He was a soft…spoken； gentle…voiced young fellow
of twenty； but he won Joan's admiration in advance when Sheldon told her
that he ran the ketch all alone with a black crew from Malaita。 And
Romance lured and beckoned before Joan's eyes when she learned he was
Christian Young； a Norfolk Islander； but a direct descendant of John
Young； one of the original Bounty mutineers。 The blended Tahitian and
English blood showed in his soft eyes and tawny skin； but the English
hardness seemed to have disappeared。 Yet the hardness was there； and it
was what enabled him to run his ketch single…handed and to wring a
livelihood out of the fighting Solomons。
Joan's unexpected presence embarrassed him； until she herself put him
at his ease by a frank； comradely manner that offended Sheldon's sense of
the fitness of things feminine。 News from the world Young had not； but
he was filled with news of the Solomons。 Fifteen boys had stolen rifles
and run away into the bush from Lunga plantation； which was farther east
on the Guadalcanar coast。 And from the bush they had sent word that they
were coming back to wipe out the three white men in charge； while two of
the three white men； in turn； were hunting them through the bush。 There
was a strong possibility； Young volunteered； that if they were not caught
they might circle around and tap the coast at Berande in order to steal or
capture a whale…boat。
〃I forgot to tell you that your trader at Ugi has been murdered；〃 he said
to Sheldon。 〃Five big canoes came down from Port Adams。 They landed
in the night…time； and caught Oscar asleep。 What they didn't steal they
burned。 The Flibberty…Gibbet got the news at Mboli Pass； and ran down
to Ugi。 I was at Mboli when the news came。〃
〃I think I'll have to abandon Ugi；〃 Sheldon remarked。
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〃It's the second trader you've lost there in a year；〃 Young concurred。
〃To make it safe there ought to be two white men at least。 Those Malaita
canoes are always raiding down that way； and you know what that Port
Adams lot is。 I've got a dog for you。 Tommy Jones sent it up from Neal
Island。 He said he'd promised it to you。 It's a first…class nigger…chaser。
Hadn't been on board two minutes when he had my whole boat's…crew in
the rigging。 Tommy calls him Satan。〃
〃I've wondered several times why you had no dogs here；〃 Joan said。
〃The trouble is to keep them。 They're always eaten by the
crocodiles。〃
〃Jack Hanley was killed at Marovo Lagoon two months ago；〃 Young
announced in his mild voice。 〃The news just came down on the
Apostle。〃
〃Where is Marovo Lagoon？〃 Joan asked。
〃New Georgia； a couple of hundred miles to the westward；〃 Sheldon
answered。 〃Bougainville lies just beyond。〃
〃His own house…boys did it；〃 Young went on； 〃but they were put up to
it by the Marovo natives。 His Santa Cruz boat's…crew escaped in the
whale…boat to Choiseul； and Mather； in the Lily； sailed over to Marovo。
He burned a village； and got Hanley's head back。 He found it in one of
the houses； where the niggers had it drying。 And that's all the news I've
got； except that there's a lot of new Lee… Enfields loose on the eastern end
of Ysabel。 Nobody knows how the natives got them。 The government
ought to investigate。 Andoh yes； a war vessel's in the group； the
Cambrian。 She burned three villages at Binaon account of the Minota；
you knowand shelled the bush。 Then she went to Sio to straighten out
things there。〃
The conversation became general； and just before Young left to go on
board Joan asked； …
〃How can you manage all alone； Mr。 Young？〃
His large； almost girlish eyes rested on her for a moment before he
replied； and then it was in the softest and gentlest of voices。
〃Oh； I get along pretty well with them。 Of course； there is a bit of
trouble once in a while； but that must be expected。 You must never let
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them think you are afraid。 I've been afraid plenty of times； but they
never knew it。〃
〃You would think he wouldn't strike a mosquito that was biting him；〃
Sheldon said when Young had gone on board。 〃All the Norfolk Islanders
that have descended from the Bounty crowd are that way。 But look at
Young。 Only three years ago； when he first got the Minerva； he was
lying in Suu； on Malaita。 There are a lot of returned Queenslanders
therea rough crowd。 They plann
