The big pit was three quarters full of large stones. By a log fire lit at seven o'clock that morning they had been made red hot. Shortly now all the unburnt wood would be removed to expose the stones… The fire walkers would then step down into the pit and walk once round it. Today there were eight of them. For twenty four hours they had been fasting and in seclusion. Several of them had made the fire walk before. Every healthy man born on Beqa did it at least once, when he reached maturity, otherwise he left the island. Some of the men, including the Chief himself, had done it many times, because doing it brought the favour of the gods and strengthened the spirit.
At a signal from the Chief's deputy, a dozen natives approached the pit in pairs, each holding one end of a long, very tough, rope like liana. Throwing these across the pit, they ran from it parallel to each other, so that the middle of the liana formed a bight and, as it narrowed to a loop, caught round one of the smouldering logs; then, hauling on it, they dragged the log out of the pit:
This procedure took about a quarter of an hour. When the big stones had been cleared of the layer of wood the natives again approached the pit, this time carrying long poles.
Standing round the edge, they used the poles to prod at the stones, pushing them a little over so that above the roughly level surface no jagged points should be left, upon which a fire walker might trip.
As they were doing this, one of the poles snapped and the end, about two feet long, fell on the stones. It had not been there for more than thirty seconds when it burst into flame. A murmur went up from the audience, some of whom had been convinced that they were about to witness only some clever trickery, for the flaming pole end was incontestable evidence that the stones really were intensely hot.
From a nearby bure the eight fire walkers now emerged in single file. They were naked to the waist, but wore short sulus of what looked like leather; their legs and feet were bare. Carrying themselves very upright, they walked with slow, dignified steps to the pit, down on to the stones, once round it, then out again. Not one of them faltered, made a murmur or showed any change of expression on his face.
There came a burst of applause from the onlookers. As usual on such expeditions, most of the Americans had been taking photographs every few minutes. Now several of them went down the slope to get close ups of the men. Two of the fire walkers lay down on their backs and raised their legs in the air, to show that there was not even a blister on the soles of their feet.
The old Chief then personally escorted James and his party back to the beach. Most of the villager’s men, women and children came too. There was much hand shaking and laughter, then the visitors were rowed back to the tubby, ill found yacht. The Americans had spent the previous night at Korolevu, but now they were going on to Suva; so instead of returning to the landing stage, the cruiser set a course for the capital. The distance was more than twice as far, and it proved anything but a pleasant voyage. Halfway there a squall blew up, it rained in torrents, and the yacht bucked about abominably.
Several of the passengers were seasick, and Olinda and Manon prevented themselves from succumbing only with difficulty. Fortunately, the weather eased when they were within a few miles of the harbour; but on landing they all felt the need of a good, strong drink, so they walked the few hundred yards to the Boa Viagem.
On board, good news awaited them. The one piece of machinery which had been holding up the complete repair of the ship's engines had been delivered that morning. Captain Amedo reported to Olinda that the engineers had been working on the job all day, and that if a trial run in the forenoon next day proved satisfactory he could sail in the afternoon.
Lacost's Pigalle, they now learned, had left harbour the previous morning and he had been seen on the bridge when she sailed. This made it clear that, realising he had no chance of doing a deal with Olinda or of eliminating her, he had decided to make all speed for Tujoa, and attempt to get away with the treasure illegally before they could follow and stop him. But now that the Boa Viagem should be able to sail with twenty four hours, he would then have only two and a half days' start.
Manon, unaware that this was less than half the lead that Gregory secretly intended to give him and anxious to carry out her promise to Lacost to delay them if possible, began to press them to spend a day or two at her island on their way to Ttnjoa. As she did so, it suddenly struck her that Olinda would not at all like the idea of visiting the place where her husband had been killed. But Gregory said he thought it an excellent idea, and to her surprise Olinda said she would like to do so in order to make arrangements for Valentim's grave to be remade and properly tended.
That evening the four of them dined at the Grand Pacific, but the party was somewhat marred by James' being unusually silent and appearing to be far from happy. When rallied on it, he excused himself by saying that he did not feel very well, which they put down to an after effect of the tossing they had had that afternoon, and thought no more of it.
Next morning they did their final shopping. At lunchtime Olinda telephoned Gregory to let him know that the yacht's trial run had been successful and at four o'clock that afternoon he and Manon went aboard with their baggage.
Olinda showed them to their cabins, then they returned with Manon to the saloon. James was sitting there, slumped on a settee, looking thoroughly miserable. Suddenly he came to his feet, stared at Gregory and cried:
`I'm not going! And neither are you. I won't let you. This cursed gold has brought us nothing but trouble. Let it stay where it is. Or let Lacost have it. I don't give a damn. Roboumo had the White Witch curse Valentim and the curse worked. He died at the full of the moon. Roboumo will have her curse us. Both of us. And we'll die there in Tujoa. I'm through with this business. Through with it. The whole thing is off.'
17 ?None but the Brave Deserve the Fair
Gregory and Olinda stared at James aghast. Manon regarded him only with curiosity while fighting down an inclination to give a laugh of delight. James' unexpected declaration that he meant to throw in his hand solved all her problems. Not only would it leave Lacost a free field to secure the gold, but Gregory would not now go to Tujoa and risk his life disputing possession of it with the Colons. Instead, she could get him back to her island, with nothing to distract his mind from herself, and with a far better chance of persuading him to marry her. Even should she fail in that she would, as Pierre’s financial backer, come in for a large enough share of the treasure to be freed from her worries about money. Still better, now that he would become a wealthy man he provided, in addition to being an insatiable lover, an admirable second string as a potential husband.
For almost a minute there ensued an intense silence, then Gregory burst out, `James! You cannot mean this! You can't be serious?
'I am,' James retorted sharply. `I have been worrying myself sick about this for days ever since I learned of Valentim's death. I'll have no more to do with it.'
`But damn it, man, we can't let those murdering devils get away with it! I don't give a fig for the money I've put into the venture, but I care a lot about being licked at the post solely because my partner lacks the will power to resist occult blackmail; and that is what it amounts to.'
`And I care too,' Olinda followed up, her dark eyes flashing.’ Like Gregory, the money side of it means nothing to me.
But I am now the holder of the licence. Valentim paid for it with his life. As I did not love him I feel no desperate urge to be avenged on his murderers. All the same, I'm not prepared to sit still and see them profit from their crime.'