120 MYSTIC ISLES 



and the passengers of the Noa-Noa were scuttling for 

 safety. 



The storm of French and Tahitian adjectives was now 

 a cyclone, Tahitian girls, their gowns stained by the 

 fruity and leguminous shot of the Australasians, seized 

 lumps of coal or coral, and took the van of the shore 

 legions. Atupu struck the leader of the Noa-Noa 

 snipers in the nose with a rock, and her success brought 

 a psean of praise from all of us. 



The entente cordiale with Britain was sundered in a 

 minute. The melee grew into a fierce battle, and only 

 the increasing distance of the vessel from shore stopped 

 the firing, the last shots falling into the lagoon. 



The second in command had been reinforced by the 

 first in command, and now, summoned by courier, ap- 

 peared the secretary-general of the Etablissements 

 Fran9aises de I'Oceanie, bearded and helmeted, white- 

 faced and nervous, throwing his arms into the air and 

 shrieking, ''Qu^ est-que ce que fa? Is this war? Are 

 we human, or are these savages?" 



Lovaina, in the rear of whose carriage I had taken 

 refuge, exclaimed: 



"They say Tahiti people is savage! Why this crazy 

 people must be finished. Is this business go on?" 



"Non, non!" replied the secretary-general, with 

 patriotic anger, "We French are long suffering, but 

 cest assez maintenant/^ 



He spoke to the first in command, and an order was 

 shouted to M. Wilms, the pilot, to leave the Noa-Noa. 

 That official descended into his boat and returned to the 

 quaj^ while the liner hovered a hundred j^ards away, the 

 captain afraid to come nearer, fearful of leaving port 



