OF THE SOUTH SEAS 119 



Steadily and with some good nature the Tahitian of- 

 ficers pushed the trio toward the gangway and up it. 

 Once aboard, the gangway was hoisted, the pilot clam- 

 bered up the side, and it seemed as if the liner was away. 

 But no; the three recalcitrants jumped on the bulwarks, 

 and joined by a dozen others, yelled defiance at the au- 

 thorities. As the Noa-Noa gradually drew out these 

 cries became more definite, and the honor of France and 

 of all Frenchmen was assailed in the most ancient Eng- 

 lish Billingsgate. Gestures of frightful significance 

 added to the insults, and these not producing retorts in 

 kind from the second in command and the populace, a 

 shower of limes began to fall upon them. 



Sacks of potatoes, lettuce-heads, yams, and even pine- 

 apples, deck cargo, were broken open by the infuriated 

 crew to hurl at the police. The crowd on the wharf 

 rushed for shelter behind posts and carriages, the horses 

 pranced and snorted, and M. Lontane leaped to the fore. 

 He advanced to the edge of the quay, and in desperate 

 French, of which his adversaries understood not a word, 

 threatened to have them dragged from their perches and 

 sent to New Caledonia. 



A well-aimed lime squashed on his cheek, and with a 

 ''Sapristi!" he fled behind a stack of boxes. The riot 

 became general, the roustabouts heaving iron bars, pieces 

 of wood, and anything they could find. No officer of the 

 Noa-Noa said a word to stop them, evidently fearing a 

 general strike of the crew, and when the missiles cut 

 open the head of a native stevedore and fell even among 

 the laughing girls, the courtesies began to be retm-ned. 

 Coal, iron nuts, stones, and other serious projectiles were 

 thrown with a hearty good-will, and soon the crew 



