Atuona; the case of Daughter of the Pigeon and the
sewing-machine; the story of the perfidy of Drink of Beer and the
death of Earth Worm who tried to kill the governor.

The Marquesan was guaranteed his day in court. There was one judge
in the archipelago and one doctor, and they were the same, being
united in the august person of M. L'Hermier des Plantes, who was
also the pharmacist. The jolly governor, in his twenties, with
medical experience in an African army post and in barracks in France,
was irked by his judicial and administrative duties, though little
troubled by his medical functions, since he had few drugs and knew
that unless these were swallowed by the patient in his presence they
would be tried upon the pigs or worn as an amulet around the neck.
Faithful to his orders, however, the judge sat upon the woolsack
Saturdays, unless it was raining or he wished to shoot _kuku_.

One Saturday morning, being invited to breakfast at the palace, I
strolled down to observe the workings of justice. Court was called
to order in the archives room of the governor's house. The judge sat
at a large table, resplendent in army blue and gold, with cavalry
boots and spurs, his whiskers shining, his demeanor grave and stern.
Bauda, clerk of the court, sat at his right, and Peterano, a native
catechist, stood opposite him attired in blue overalls and a
necklace of small green nuts, ready to act as interpreter.

Each defendant, plaintiff, prisoner, and witness was sworn
impressively, though no Bible was used; which reminded me that in
Hongkong I saw a defendant refuse to handle a Bible in court, and
when the irate English judge demanded his reasons, calmly replied
that the witness who had just laid down the book had the plague, and
it was so proved.

The first case was that of a Chinese, member of the Shan-Shan
syndicate which owned a store in Atuona. He was charged with
shooting _kukus_ without a license. There were not many of these
small green doves left in the islands, and the governor, whose
favorite sport and delicacy they were, was righteously angered at the
Chinaman's infraction of the law. He fined the culprit twenty dollars,
and confiscated to the realm the murderous rifle which had aided the
crime.

The Shan-Shan man was stunned, and expostulated so long that he was
led out by Flag, the gendarme, after being informed that he might
appeal to Tahiti. He was forcibly put off the veranda, struggling to
explain tha