never visited the palace, never entered the
town, but sat on the beach on a mat, his gun across his knees, parading
his mistrust and scorn; Karaiti of Makin, although he was more bold, was
not supposed to be more friendly; and not only were these vassals
jealous of the throne, but the followers on either side shared in the
animosity. Brawls had already taken place; blows had passed which might
at any moment be repaid in blood. Some of the strangers were already
here and already drinking; if the debauch continued after the bulk of
them had come, a collision, perhaps a revolution, was to be expected.

The sale of drink is in this group a measure of the jealousy of traders;
one begins, the others are constrained to follow; and to him who has the
most gin, and sells it the most recklessly, the lion's share of copra is
assured. It is felt by all to be an extreme expedient, neither safe,
decent, nor dignified. A trader on Tarawa, heated by an eager rivalry,
brought many cases of gin. He told me he sat afterwards day and night
in his house till it was finished, not daring to arrest the sale, not
venturing to go forth, the bush all round him filled with howling
drunkards. At night, above all, when he was afraid to sleep, and heard
shots and voices about him in the darkness, his remorse was black.

"My God!" he reflected, "if I was to lose my life on such a wretched
business!" Often and often, in the story of the Gilberts, this scene has
been repeated; and the remorseful trader sat beside his lamp, longing
for the day, listening with agony for the sound of murder, registering
resolutions for the future. For the business is easy to begin, but
hazardous to stop. The natives are in their way a just and law-abiding
people, mindful of their debts, docile to the voice of their own
institutions; when the tapu is re-enforced they will cease drinking; but
the white who seeks to antedate the movement by refusing liquor does so
at his peril.

Hence, in some degree, the anxiety and helplessness of Mr. Rick. He and
Tom, alarmed by the rabblement of the "Sans Souci," had stopped the
sale; they had done so without danger, because "The Land we Live in"
still continued selling; it was claimed, besides, that they had been the
first to begin. What step could be taken? Could Mr. Rick visit Mr.
Muller (with whom he was not on terms) and address him thus: "I was
getting ahead of you, now you are getting ahead of me, and I ask you to
forgo your pro