Collected works > Edinburgh edition, 1894-98 - Works of Robert Louis Stevenson > Volume 20, 1896 - Travels and excursion, Volume III

MORNING ON THE BEACH
hunger for the moment conquering all sense of
shame ; and a little farther off, but still hard by, the
clerk was torn by the seven devils of the influenza.
The captain stopped suddenly, appeared to per-
ceive his audience for the first time, and represented
the part of a man surprised in his private hour of
pleasure.
< Hello ! ' said he.
The Kanakas clapped hands and called upon him
to go on.
* No, sir ! ' said the captain. '. No eat, no dance.
Savvy ? '
* Poor old man ! ' returned one of the crew. ' Him
no eat ? '
' Lord, no ! ' said the captain. * Like-urn too
much eat. No got.'
* All right. Me got,' said the sailor ; ' you tome
here. Plenty toffee, plenty fei. Nutha man him
tome too.'
* I guess we 11 drop right in,' observed the captain ;
and he and his companions hastened up the plank.
They were welcomed on board with the shaking of
hands ; place was made for them round the basin ;
a sticky demijohn of molasses was added to the
feast in honour of company, and an accordion
brought from the forecastle and significantly laid
by the performer's side.
'Aria'Tia,' 1 said he lightly, touching the instru-
ment as he spoke ; and he fell to on a long savoury
fei, made an end of it, raised his mug of coffee, and
1 By and by.
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