in its cleansing process, the continual grinding
and casting out of all impurities, the eternal war against the land
and its products, and the final destruction of the earth itself.

The district of the Big Nambas, to whose shores we had come, takes
its name from the size of a certain article of dress, the "Nambas,"
which partly replaces our trousers, and is worn in different forms
over the greater part of the archipelago, but nowhere of such size
as here. It is such an odd object that it may well give its name to
the country. Big Nambas is still the least known part of the islands,
and hardly any white has ever set foot in the interior. Unlike those
of other districts, the natives here have preserved their old habits
and strict organization, and this is evidently the reason why they
have not degenerated and decayed. The old chiefs are still as powerful
as ever, and preserve peace and order, while they themselves do as
they please. Big Nambas has had but little contact with the whites,
especially the recruiters, so that the population is not demoralized,
nor the chief's power undermined. Of course it is to the chief's
interest to have as strong a tribe as possible, and they reserve to
themselves the right of killing offenders, and take all revenge in
their own hands. They watch the women and prevent child-murder and such
things, and although their reign is one of terror, their influence,
as a whole, on the race is not bad, because they suppress many vices
that break out as soon as they slacken their severity. The chiefs
in Big Nambas seem to have felt this, and systematically opposed
the intercourse with whites. But this district is just where the
best workmen come from, and the population is densest, and that is
why the recruiters have tried again and again of late years to get
hold of Big Nambas, but with little success, for so far only few
men have enlisted. One of them was on our cutter, and had to serve
as interpreter. The other four of the five boys were from Malekula,
a little farther south. Our man from Big Nambas was known on the
plantation as Bourbaki, and had enlisted two years ago. Before that
he had been professional murderer and provider of human flesh to the
great chief. Now he was a useful and quiet foreman on the plantation,
always cheerful, very intelligent, strong, brutal, with small, shrewd
eyes and a big mouth, apparently quite happy in civilization, and
devoted to George. He was one of the few nati