J. Allan Dunn

Name: Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu
Author: J. Allan Dunn

Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

Summary

“Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu”, published in 1916, is a work by J. Allan Dunn. It explores elements such as Tuan Yuck, Chalmers and Hamaku.

Quotes from Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (J. Allan Dunn)

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ CHAPTER V THE DEAD MAN OF MOTUTABU THE island of Motutabu was shaped like a broad-bladed sickle, the lagoon lying in the crook of the steel with low hills, thickly set with foliage, rising irregularly behind the emerald water patched with purple where the humps of coral came close to the surface. The handle of the sickle showed as a high, precipitous ridge, crowned with the clustering palms that Chalmers had first seen rise above the horizon. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ Chalmers, scouting to one side, stopped and beckoned to the Chinaman.
“Here's your volcanic glass,” he said.
He had stopped at a mirror propped against a block of coral, a warped looking-glass, cheaply framed, of the type used for trading purposes. Its surface had caught the rising rays of the sun as they had dropped anchor in the lagoon.
“That's a clever idea,” said Tuan Yuck. “The man knows his South Seas. You saw how it affected our boys. He's set these all about the place on exposed ledges to catch the sun and leave him undisturbed by the natives. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ Tuan Yuck noiselessly mounted the steps and knocked on the door softly, then with a vigorous tattoo of his knuckles. There was no answer.
If there had been, it would have startled them as unexpected. The window was draped with a lapa cloth of mulberry bark that did not quite cover it. The Chinaman stooped and looked through the opening. Chalmers and Sayers still stood on the level ground watching him.
“There's a man lying on the bed,” he said, and kept on peering into the room. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ The dawn wind was fair from the sea, though light. Chalmers hauled in his sheets, dropped foresail and skirted the reef, looking for an opening.
Sayers and Tuan Yuck, the former in a high state of excitement, the latter impassive as ever, both scanned the shore line through binoculars, while Chalmers, setting his feet in the rings of the mainsail and grasping the halyards, mounted to the crotch of the main gaff, resigning the wheel to Hamaku, as he prepared to con the Aku in. His voice came clearly from aloft in the quiet morning air.
“Come up a bit, Hamaku. Little more. Steady. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ To their right mangroves apparently masked a swamp, and perhaps the exit of a stream. To their left the beach was strewn with irregular masses of coral. They had chosen the only practical landing-place. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ But they absolutely refused to go ashore.
“We'll have to leave them aboard,” said Chalmers. “I suppose we all three want to go. We'd better take our rifles and automatics.”
Sayers came up from below, steadied by his universal stimulant, refusing the coffee that Tuan Yuck prepared and shared with Chalmers.
The two white men pulled ashore with the Chinaman sitting in the stern, a Winchester across his knees. Sayers tugged at his oar, setting a hard pace even for Chalmers, and the whaleboat made rapid progress over the quiet lagoon. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ Hamaku, still prostrate, broke into a torrent of Hawaiian. Sayers translated.
“He says there are spirits on the island lighting ghost fires.”
The Australian himself seemed to half believe the superstition. A memory of Stevenson's stories of South Sea wizards burning fires that had no visible fuel flashed across Chalmers' recollection.
“Nonsense, Hamaku,” he said. “No pilikia (trouble) . Aitu no good along haole (white man) .”
The natives raised their heads above the rail and looked fearfully shoreward. Perhaps the Kapitani was right. May be the aitus were afraid of the white man. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ The place looked eminently practical and comfortable, yet it, too, appeared invested with unnatural silence. There is a quality of humanity that links itself with man's habitation in lonely places that is unmistakable. ”

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Source: Wikisource

J. Allan Dunn, Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (1916)

“ The man has brains.”
Tuan Yuck's masklike face never seemed to change, but a certain quality of hardness entered his glance that indicated his recognition of the brain quality of the captain of the shipwrecked Manu did not have his unqualified approval. It simply meant a harder bargain to drive. ”

J. Allan Dunn

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Quotes from Beyond the Rim — 5. The Dead Man of Motutabu (J. Allan Dunn)

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