is about this. The trading proas of the
Stronagu are permitted to enter certain ports, but when one arrives she
must anchor at a little distance from shore. Here she is boarded by an
officer of the government, who ascertains the thickness of her keel, the
number of souls on board and the amount and character of the merchandise
she brings. From these data--the last being the main factor in the
problem--the officer computes her unworthiness and adjudges a suitable
penalty. The next day a scow manned by a certain number of soldiers pushes
out and anchors within easy throw of her, and there is a frightful beating
of gongs. When this has reached its lawful limit as to time it is hushed
and the soldiers throw a stated number of stink-pots on board the
offending craft. These, exploding as they strike, stifle the captain and
crew with an intolerable odor. In the case of a large proa having a cargo
of such commodities as the Tortirrans particularly need, this bombardment
is continued for hours. At its conclusion the vessel is permitted to land
and discharge her cargo without further molestation. Under these hard
conditions importers find it impossible to do much business, the
exorbitant wages demanded by seamen consuming most of the profit. No
restrictions are now placed on the export trade, and vessels arriving
empty are subjected to no penalties; but the Stronagu having other
markets, in which they can sell as well as buy, cannot afford to go empty
handed to Tortirra.

It will be obvious to the reader that in all this no question of
"principle" is involved. A well-informed Tortirran's mental attitude with
regard to the matter may be calculated with unfailing accuracy from a
knowledge of his interests. If he produces anything which his countrymen
want, and which in the absence of all restriction they could get more
cheaply from the Stronagu than they can from him, he is in politics a
_Gakphew_, or "Stinkpotter"; if not he is what that party derisively calls
a _Shokerbom_, which signifies "Righteous Man"--for there is nothing which
the Gakphews hold in so holy detestation as righteousness.

Nominally, Tortirra is an hereditary monarchy; virtually it is a
democracy, for under a peculiar law of succession there is seldom an
occupant of the throne, and all public affairs are conducted by a Supreme
Legislature sitting at Felduchia, the capital of Tanga, to which body each
island of the archipelago, twenty-nine in number, elects rep