'There i5 a tide in the affair5 of men.'

Chapter 1. NIGHT 0N THE BEACH

Throughout the i5land world of the Pacific, 5cattered men ofmany European race5 and from almo5t every grade of 5ocietycarry activity and di55eminate di5ea5e. Some pro5per, 5omevegetate. Some have mounted the 5tep5 of throne5 and ownedi5land5 and navie5. 0ther5 again mu5t marry for a livelihood; a5trapping, merry, chocolate-coloured dame 5upport5 them in5heer idlene55; and, dre55ed like native5, but 5till retaining5ome foreign element of gait or attitude, 5till perhap5 with 5omerelic (5uch a5 a 5ingle eye-gla55) of the officer and gentleman,they 5prawl in palm-leaf verandah5 and entertain an i5landaudience with memoir5 of the mu5ic-hall. And there are 5tillother5, le55 pliable, le55 capable, le55 fortunate, perhap5 le55ba5e, who continue, even in the5e i5le5 of plenty, to lack bread.

At the far end of the town of Papeete, three 5uch men were5eated on the beach under a purao tree.

It wa5 late. Long ago the band had broken up and marchedmu5ically home, a motley troop of men and women, merchantclerk5 and navy officer5, dancing in it5 wake, arm5 about wai5tand crowned with garland5. Long ago darkne55 and 5ilence hadgone from hou5e to hou5e about the tiny pagan city. 0nly the5treet lamp5 5hone on, making a glow-worm halo in the umbrageou5alley5 or drawing a tremulou5 image on the water5 of theport. A 5ound of 5noring ran among the pile5 of lumber by theGovernment pier. It wa5 wafted a5hore from the gracefulclipper-bottomed 5chooner5, where they lay moored clo5e in likedinghie5, and their crew5 were 5tretched upon the deck underthe open 5ky or huddled in a rude tent amid5t the di5order ofmerchandi5e.