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nigger from behind was braining him with a tomahawk。
〃I can see it now； the water…tank； the mainmast； the gang hanging on to him；
the hatchet descending on the back of his head； and all under the blazing
sunlight。 I was fascinated by that growing vision of death。 The tomahawk
seemed to take a horribly long time to come down。 I saw it land； and the man's
legs give under him as he crumpled。 The niggers held him up by sheer strength
while he was hacked a couple of times more。 Then I got two more hacks on the
head and decided that I was dead。 So did the brute that was hacking me。 I was
too helpless to move； and I lay there and watched them removing the sentry's
head。 I must say they did it slick enough。 They were old hands at the
business。
〃The rifle firing from the boats had ceased； and I made no doubt that they
were finished off and that the end had come to everything。 It was only a
matter of moments when they would return for my head。 They were evidently
taking the heads from the sailors aft。 Heads are valuable on Malaita；
especially white heads。 They have the place of honor in the canoe houses of
the salt…water natives。 What particular decorative effect the bushmen get out
of them I didn't know； but they prize them just as much as the salt…water
crowd。
〃I had a dim notion of escaping； and I crawled on hands and knees to the
winch； where I managed to drag myself to my feet。 From there I could look aft
and see three heads on top the cabinthe heads of three sailors I had given
orders to for months。 The niggers saw me standing； and started for me。 I
reached for my revolver； and found they had taken it。 I can't say that I was
scared。 I've been near to death several times； but it never seemed easier than
right then。 I was half…stunned； and nothing seemed to matter。
〃The leading nigger had armed himself with a cleaver from the galley； and he
grimaced like an ape as he prepared to slice me down。 But the slice was never
made。 He went down on the deck all of a heap； and I saw the blood gush from
his mouth。 In a dim way I heard a rifle go off and continue to go off。 Nigger
after nigger went down。 'my senses began to clear； and I noted that there was
never a miss。 Every time that the rifle went off a nigger dropped。 I sat down
on deck beside the winch and looked up。 Perched in the crosstrees was
Saxtorph。 How he had managed it I can't imagine； for he had carried up with
him two Winchesters and I don't know how many bandoliers of ammunition； and he
was now doing the one only thing in this world that he was fitted to do。
〃I've seen shooting and slaughter； but I never saw anything like that。 I sat
by the winch and watched the show。 I was weak and faint； and it seemed to be
all a dream。 Bang； bang； bang； bang； went his rifle； and thud； thud； thud；
thud； went the niggers to the deck。 It was amazing to see them go down。 After
their first rush to get me； when about a dozen had dropped； they seemed
paralyzed； but he never left off pumping his gun。 By this time canoes and the
two boats arrived from shore； armed with Sniders； and with Winchesters which
they had captured in the boats。 The fusillade they let loose on Saxtorph was
tremendous。 Luckily for him the niggers are only good at close range。 They are
not used to putting the gun to their shoulders。 They wait until they are right
on top of a man； and then they shoot from the hip。 When his rifle got too hot；
Saxtorph changed off。 That had been his idea when he carried two rifles up
with him。
〃The astounding thing was the rapidity of his fire。 Also； he never made a
miss。 If ever anything was inevitable； that man was。 It was the swiftness of
it that made the slaughter so appalling。 The niggers did not have time to
think。 When they did manage to think； they went over the side in a rush；
capsizing the canoes of course。 Saxtorph never let up。 The water was covered
with them； and plump； plump； plump； he dropped his bullets into them。 Not a
single miss； and I could hear distinctly the thud of every bullet as it buried
in human flesh。
〃The niggers spread out and headed for the shore； swimming。 The water was
carpeted with bobbing heads； and I stood up； as in a dream； and watched it
allthe bobbing heads and the heads that ceased to bob。 Some of the long
shots were magnificent。 Only one man reached the beach； but as he stood up to
wade ashore； Saxtorph got him。 It was beautiful。 And when a couple of niggers
ran down to drag him out of the water； Saxtorph got them； too。
〃I thought everything was over then； when I heard the rifle go off again。 A
nigger had come out of the cabin companion on the run for the rail and gone
down in the middle of it。 The cabin must have been full of them。 I counted
twenty。 They came up one at a time and jumped for the rail。 But they never got
there。 It reminded me of trapshooting。 A black body would pop out of the
companion； bang would go Saxtorph's rifle； and down would go the black body。
Of course； those below did not know what was happening on deck； so they
continued to pop out until the last one was finished off。
〃Saxtorph waited a while to make sure； and then came down on deck。 He and I
were all that were left of the DUCHESS'S complement； and I was pretty well to
the bad； while he was helpless now that the shooting was over。 Under my
direction he washed out my scalp wounds and sewed them up。 A big drink of
whiskey braced me to make an effort to get out。 There was nothing else to do。
All the rest were dead。 We tried to get up sail； Saxtorph hoisting and I
holding the turn。 He was once more the stupid lubber。 He couldn't hoist worth
a cent； and when I fell in a faint； it looked all up with us。
〃When I came to； Saxtorph was sitting helplessly on the rail； waiting to ask
me what he should do。 I told him to overhaul the wounded and see if there were
any able to crawl。 He gathered together six。 One； I remember； had a broken
leg； but Saxtorph said his arms were all right。 I lay in the shade； brushing
the flies off and directing operations； while Saxtorph bossed his hospital
gang。 I'll be blessed if he didn't make those poor niggers heave at every rope
on the pin…rails before he found the halyards。 One of them let go the rope in
the midst of the hoisting and slipped down to the deck dead； but Saxtorph
hammered the others and made them stick by the job。 When the fore and main
were up； I told him to knock the shackle out of the anchor chain and let her
go。 I had had myself helped aft to the wheel； where I was going to make a
shift at steering。 I can't guess how he did it； but instead of knocking the
shackle out； down went the second anchor； and there we were doubly moored。
〃In the end he managed to knock both shackles out and raise the staysail and
jib； and the Duchess filled away for the entrance。 Our decks were a
spectacle。 Dead and dying niggers were everywhere。 They were wedged away some
of them in the most inconceivable places。 The cabin was full of them where
they had crawled off the deck and cashed in。 I put Saxtorph and his graveyard
gang to work heaving them overside； and over they went； the living and the
dead。 The sharks had fat pickings that day。 Of course our four murdered
sailors went the same way。 Their heads； however； we put in a sack with
weights； so that by no chance should they drift on the beach and fall into the
hands of the niggers。
〃Our five prisoners I decided to use as crew； but they decided otherwise。 They
watched their opportunity and went over the side。 Saxtorph got two in mid…air
with his revolver； and would have shot the other three in the water if I
hadn't stopped him。 I was sick of the slaughter； you see； and besides； they'd
helped work the schooner out。 But it was mercy thrown away； for the sharks got
the three of them。
〃I had brain fever or something after we got clear of the land。 Anyway； the
DUCHESS lay hove to for three weeks； when I pulled myself together and we
jogged on wit