Hawaii - James Michener [159]
"You mean that even the slave . . ."
"Malama," Abner said in ashen voice, overcome by his own perception of God's law, "it seems to me that right now the lowliest slave hauling sandalwood from the forest has a better chance of Ending grace than you do."
"Why?" the kneeling woman begged.
"Because at any moment he may find God, for he has a humble spirit. But you are proud, and argumentative, and unwilling to humble yourself before the Lord."
"You are proud, too, Makua Hale," the huge woman argued. "Do you humble yourself before the Lord?"
"If He told me tomorrow to march into the waves until they overcame me, I would do so. I live for the Lord. I serve the Lord. The Lord is my light and my salvation."
"I understand," the Alii Nui said. "I will pray for humbleness." And when he left, she was still kneeling with her hands forming the steeple of a church.
For the next several days Abner did not see Malama, for serious riots were sweeping Lahaina, and with Kelolo and the men gone, only Abner was left to combat them. Trouble started when three whaling ships, in from the Off-Japan grounds, sent more than eighty men ashore on overdue leave. The first place they visited was Murphy's grog shop, and from there they branched out through Lahaina, fighting, debauching, and at last murdering. Emboldened by the lack of police to discipline them, they formed mobs and began sacking Hawaiian homes, searching for girls, and when they found any, they dragged them to the ships, not waiting to discover whether these were normal ships' girls or not, and in this way many faithful wives of men off on the sandalwood expedition were raped.
At last, Abner Hale put on his black claw-hammer, his best stock and his tall beaver hat, and went down to the pier. "Row me out to the whalers!" he commanded the useless old men who were lounging along the shore, and when he reached the first ship he found that the captain was gone, and at the second the captain was locked in his room with a girl and would not speak with the missionary, cursing him through the door, but at the third ship Abner found a captain who sat below drinking whiskey, and to him Abner said, "Your men are debauching Lahaina."
"That's what I brought 'em here fer," the captain said.
"They're raping our women, Captain."
"They always do, in Lahaina. The women like it."
"Last night there was murder," Abner continued.
"You catch the murderer and well hang him."
"But he could be one of your men."
"Probably was. Eight of my men deserve hangin'. I'd love to see 'em all swingin' from an arm."
"Captain, have you no sense of responsibility for what is going on ashore?"
"Look, Reverend," the captain said wearily, "for the last two nights I been ashore meself. Only reason I'm not there now is I'm too damned old ... for three nights in a row, that is."
There was a great cry from ashore, and one of the grass houses went up in flames. From the captain's quarters Abner could see the blaze and it seemed near his home, and he was panicked for fear that
Jerusha might be in danger. Pointing his finger at the captain he threatened: "Captain Jackson, of the Bugle out of Salem, I shall write to your church, Captain, and advise your minister of how one of his members conducts himself in Lahaina.'
"By God!” the captain roared, pushing away his grog. "If you mention my name in your letters . . ." He lunged at Abner, but was drunk and missed him, his huge bulk crashing into the wall.
"You cannot be two men, Captain," Abner said solemnly. "A beast in Lahaina and a saint in Salem. You must stop the rioting."
"I'll strangle your dirty little chicken neck!" Captain Jackson shouted, clutching for the missionary, who had no trouble evading him. "You get off this ship! Lahaina was a good port till you came along."
Ashore another house went up in flames, and as Abner reached the deck he could see four sailors chasing a girl who had thus been routed out for their sport. "May God forgive them," Abner prayed. "But