rather sick and giddy. Yet it was
only six o'clock in the morning. Before the boat arrived from shore,
the sun had passed over the highest peak of the mountains and was
glaring down with full power upon the cluster of hidden bungalows, the
edges and ends of which bungalows protruded a little from the shelter
of vines and palm trees. White clad men came down to the beach, and a
woman or two appeared on the verandahs, and then disappeared back into
the verandahs, while the men came down to the water's edge alone. The
rowboat was pulled ashore by strong rowers, dark skinned, brawny men,
and as the boat neared the beach, other dark skinned brawny men took a
carrying chair and splashed out to meet the boat, inviting him by
gestures to step into the chair and be carried ashore. He forgot the
heat in the novelty of this new sensation--being carried ashore in a
chair, with the clear, transparent water beneath him, and wavy sands,
shell studded, over which the bearers walked slowly, with precision.
And then came his first hours on shore. How calmly they had welcomed
him, those white faced, pale men, with the deep circles beneath their
eyes. They looked at him with envy, it seems, as a being newly come
from contact with civilization, and they looked upon him with pity, as
a being who had deliberately chosen to shut himself off from
civilization, for a period of many years. He was taking the place of
one who was going home--and the man was in a desperate hurry to get
away. He looked ill, withal he was so fat, for he was very fat and
flabby, extraordinarily white, with circles beneath his puffy eyes
blacker and more marked than those on the other faces. The departing
official shook hands hurriedly with Mercier, and kissed his old
companions good-bye hurriedly upon both cheeks, and then hastened into
the chair, to get to the rowboat, to get to the steamer as soon as
possible. The other officials on the beach commented volubly on his
good fortune--ah, but he had the chance! What chance! What luck! What
fortune! They themselves had no luck, they must remain here how long,
ah, who knew how long! They all stood there upon the beach watching
the departing one until he reached the steamer, drifting idly at the
length of her anchor chain.

Then they remembered Mercier again, and surrounded him, not eagerly,
listlessly, and asked him to the office of the Administrator, to have
a cup of champagne. A cup of champagne, at a little after six i