adventure(冒险)-第15节
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strong〃
〃Yes；〃 Sheldon interrupted； 〃but it was according to the formula of the
rule of the weak that Packard ruled。 And what was the result？ I am still
alive。 Packard is dead。 He was unswervingly kind and gentle to his
boys； and his boys waited till one day he was down with fever。 His head
is over on Malaita now。 They carried away two whale…boats as well；
filled with the loot of the store。 Then there was Captain Mackenzie of
the ketch Minota。 He believed in kindness。 He also contended that
better confidence was established by carrying no weapons。 On his
second trip to Malaita； recruiting； he ran into Bina； which is near Langa
Langa。 The rifles with which the boat's…crew should have been armed；
were locked up in his cabin。 When the whale…boat went ashore after
recruits； he paraded around the deck without even a revolver on him。 He
was tomahawked。 His head remains in Malaita。 It was suicide。 So was
Packard's finish suicide。〃
〃I grant that precaution is necessary in dealing with them；〃 Joan agreed；
〃but I believe that more satisfactory results can be obtained by treating
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them with discreet kindness and gentleness。〃
〃And there I agree with YOU； but you must understand one thing。
Berande； bar none； is by far the worst plantation in the Solomons so far as
the labour is concerned。 And how it came to be so proves your point。
The previous owners of Berande were not discreetly kind。 They were a
pair of unadulterated brutes。 One was a down… east Yankee； as I believe
they are called； and the other was a guzzling German。 They were slave…
drivers。 To begin with； they bought their labour from Johnny Be…blowed；
the most notorious recruiter in the Solomons。 He is working out a ten
years' sentence in Fiji now； for the wanton killing of a black boy。 During
his last days here he had made himself so obnoxious that the natives on
Malaita would have nothing to do with him。 The only way he could get
recruits was by hurrying to the spot whenever a murder or series of
murders occurred。 The murderers were usually only too willing to sign
on and get away to escape vengeance。 Down here they call such escapes；
'pier…head jumps。' There is suddenly a roar from the beach； and a nigger
runs down to the water pursued by clouds of spears and arrows。 Of
course； Johnny Be…blowed's whale… boat is lying ready to pick him up。 In
his last days Johnny got nothing but pier…head jumps。
〃And the first owners of Berande bought his recruitsa hard…bitten
gang of murderers。 They were all five…year boys。 You see； the recruiter
has the advantage over a boy when he makes a pier…head jump。 He could
sign him on for ten years did the law permit。 Well； that's the gang of
murderers we've got on our hands now。 Of course some are dead； some
have been killed； and there are others serving sentences at Tulagi。 Very
little clearing did those first owners do； and less planting。 It was war all
the time。 They had one manager killed。 One of the partners had his
shoulder slashed nearly off by a cane…knife。 The other was speared on
two different occasions。 Both were bullies； wherefore there was a streak
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
