Tears of the Moon - Di Morrissey [91]
‘They’re not going to listen to reason, sir. They’re very stirred up.’
‘Righto then.’ Mr Hooten issued instructions and action was swiftly organised. Within minutes, assisted by the Major, he had all of the men assembled behind him. ‘Right men … Charge!’ The RM raised the ceremonial cake-cutting sword and dashed forward. Behind him came a ragged line of Broome’s elite, armed with umbrellas, walking sticks, garden rakes and brooms.
They raced across the lawn and the Japanese were momentarily frozen as the birthday guests reached the fence and banged their brooms and brollies against the railings, the occasional implement poking through to prod a startled protester.
The Japanese suddenly turned and headed towards the Japanese Club and Sheba Lane.
The men returned in triumph, calling for drinks. ‘It’s going to be a difficult night,’ predicted the RM.
Fighting broke out through the night, with bands of Japanese storming houses, shops, dens and foreshore camps to hunt down Koepangers. They’d given up looking for the guilty—now all Koepangers were in danger. They hid, and many ran into the pindan, hoping no Japanese would venture into the bush at night and that dungs would be under control by morning.
The extent of the trouble was considered too great for the police and men deemed to be responsible citizens were sworn in as special constables, Conrad and Major White among them.
The next day, as the fights continued, the RM, flanked by Sergeant O’Leary and the special constables, read the Riot Act in front of the Buccaneer Arms Hotel. He announced to a small crowd of citizens that a curfew was being imposed and that arrests would be made if anyone broke the curfew or engaged in unlawful assembly. If the races involved did not cool down swiftly, Japanese and Koepanger rabble-rousers would be held in segregated detention in pearl sheds.
‘Throw ’em in together, that’ll fix the problem,’ suggested someone in the crowd.
But despite the RM’s pronouncement, no home or building was safe. Stones were hurled at verandahs and there were more reports of sheds, shops and offices being broken into.
With dusk settling over the town and brawls still breaking out, Conrad strapped on his revolver to patrol the streets along with other special constables.
Olivia looked concerned. ‘Please, be careful Conrad.’
‘Of course. But we have to show the flag or else they’ll think they can take over the town any time they want. These chaps are only after each other, I’ll be perfectly all right,’ he answered more confidently than he really felt. ‘Tell Minnie to keep indoors and tell Hamish I’ll read him a story if he’s still awake when I get back.’
Olivia gave him a warm embrace and, calling Minnie, who was now their housekeeper, she latched the house as Conrad strode down the street.
First he called on Tyndall who told him he was going to sleep in the Star of the Sea offices.
‘I thought I’d check on Toby Metta while I’m patrolling,’ said Conrad. ‘I imagine he’s staying on the premises too, seeing as he has pearls there’.
‘Good idea, Conrad. He’s got our five best pearls there to work on. Take care.’
‘Right. You too, John.’
From the shadows beside the house, Ahmed watched Conrad set out on patrol.
The town seemed relatively quiet. The curfew was keeping people indoors although, as Conrad passed one of the lanes leading into Chinatown, he could hear shouts and thumpings on doors. The strange smells that hung around the lanes, mostly a combination of sickly sweet incense and spices, caused Conrad to wrinkle his nose. A shadowy figure slid along the lane and dashed into a doorway next to the Star Hotel. The door opened just wide enough to let the man through and Conrad glimpsed the bright colours of a kimono in the lamplight before the door was swiftly shut.
Disgusting, he thought, the way the Jap women are used. God knows what they were promised to get them here.
Conrad was ignorant of geisha houses and of the fact that most of the women chose to come here to pursue their profession in the hope of accumulating wealth to take home.