morning, was already oppressive. Closed in by its hills, not a breath of
air came in to Pago-Pago.

"In our islands," Mrs Davidson went on in her high-pitched tones, "we've
practically eradicated the _lava-lava_. A few old men still continue to
wear it, but that's all. The women have all taken to the Mother
Hubbard, and the men wear trousers and singlets. At the very beginning
of our stay Mr Davidson said in one of his reports: the inhabitants of
these islands will never be thoroughly Christianised till every boy of
more than ten years is made to wear a pair of trousers."

But Mrs Davidson had given two or three of her birdlike glances at heavy
grey clouds that came floating over the mouth of the harbour. A few
drops began to fall.

"We'd better take shelter," she said.

They made their way with all the crowd to a great shed of corrugated
iron, and the rain began to fall in torrents. They stood there for some
time and then were joined by Mr Davidson. He had been polite enough to
the Macphails during the journey, but he had not his wife's sociability,
and had spent much of his time reading. He was a silent, rather sullen
man, and you felt that his affability was a duty that he imposed upon
himself Christianly; he was by nature reserved and even morose. His
appearance was singular. He was very tall and thin, with long limbs
loosely jointed; hollow cheeks and curiously high cheek-bones; he had so
cadaverous an air that it surprised you to notice how full and sensual
were his lips. He wore his hair very long. His dark eyes, set deep in
their sockets, were large and tragic; and his hands with their big, long
fingers, were finely shaped; they gave him a look of great strength. But
the most striking thing about him was the feeling he gave you of
suppressed fire. It was impressive and vaguely troubling. He was not a
man with whom any intimacy was possible.

He brought now unwelcome news. There was an epidemic of measles, a
serious and often fatal disease among the Kanakas, on the island, and a
case had developed among the crew of the schooner which was to take them
on their journey. The sick man had been brought ashore and put in
hospital on the quarantine station, but telegraphic instructions had
been sent from Apia to say that the schooner would not be allowed to
enter the harbour till it was certain no other member of the crew was
affected.

"It means we shall have to stay here for ten days at least."

"But I'm urg