Concerning Bully Hayes

by Louis Becke

  II

  Before detailing my own experiences of the lamented "Bully," I mustmention some other incidents in his career which will give a fairillustration of the notoriety he had acquired, and of his keen sense ofhumour. Long before these two gentlemen (Bully Hayes and Ben Peese)had commenced to exploit the Ellice, Gilbert, Kingsmill, Marshall andCaroline Groups, Bully, then owner of a small, fast-sailing schooner,had made unto himself a name--particularly as a connoisseur of Islandbeauty--among the Marquesas, Society, Hervey and Paumotu Groups, fromNuka-hiva to Rapa-nui (Easter Island), that ethnographical mystery ofthe Southern Seas, whose gentle and amiable people, thirty years ago,met with so dreadful a fate at the murderous hands of the Peruvianslavers.

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  Soon after the slavers had gone from the South Seas a story was currentin Eastern Polynesia that Bully had landed armed boats' crews at Aana,in the Paumotu Archipelago, and seized a number of girls whom he soldto Chilian and Peruvian buyers. But, as a matter of fact, Hayes never_sold_ a native girl, though he was always willing to barter for anew charmer any member of his harem who had palled upon his fastidioustastes. And if the other man in these little matters evinced theslightest want of trade-reciprocity, he generally regretted it, forhe would lose the household chattel, and getting nothing for her, saveperhaps lumps and excoriations, or perhaps a sarcastic note informinghim that the writer could not afford to waste time haggling over sotrifling a matter as the price of a native Venus.

  While two of the fleet of Peruvian slavers appeared among the ElliceGroup, the other two remained to "work" Easter Island, the which theydid successfully, carrying away all the able-bodied men and comely womenthey could seize (three hundred), to die miserably in guano-pits ofthe Chincha Islands. The vessels which "worked" the Ellice Group were abarque and a brig. The brig was commanded by a big Irishman, and simplybecause he was a big man and spoke in English to the natives, it wasreported in the Hawaiian missionary press that the slaver captain wasBully. The natives of Nukulaelae, an island which suffered severely fromthe slavers' visit, always maintained for long afterward that it wasHayes (whom they had never actually seen), because the _ihi vaka_(captain) was a tall, bearded man, who kept knocking his sailors downevery minute if they were not quick in their movements; and this was thecommonly accepted description of Bully and one of his habits.

  But at the time the two Peruvians were cruising through the Ellices,Bully was exploiting the Paumotu Archipelago, and arousing the anger ofthe French authorities, by his irregular business methods. For instance,he would "buy" pearl-shell from the traders and kick them over the sideif they had the audacity to ask for payment. In accordance with hiscustom, Bully, on this cruise, devoted a good deal of time to studyingthe soft-eyed Paumotuan _vahine_; and after filling his schooner witha fair amount of plunder, he did, it is stated, take away some ten orfourteen young Paumotu women--not to Chili or Peru, but merely on anextended and indefinite pleasure trip. Most of these young ladies weredesirous of getting to Tahiti, where they believed their charms would bebetter appreciated than in their own island homes. In his characteristicway _Il capitano galantuomo_ offered them free passages. Passing throughthe Society Group and not entering Papeite Harbour (possibly on accountof his strained relations with the French naval authorities) he madehis way to the Marquesas. Here some four or five of his lady passengerselected to remain with newly-found lovers, either white or native; andBully always blessed the union of two happy hearts by recording theaffair in his humorously-kept log and giving a spree. If the bridegroomwas a white man, Bully would also "buy" his oil, fungus and cotton, makehim very drunk, place his laughing and blushing bride in his arms, andthen, in his absent-minded way, see him over the side into his boat andsail away without paying. Bully used to say that his defective memorywas the cause of all the malignant slanders set afloat about him. And,as regarded women, he used to remark he also suffered from the curiouscomplaint of "moral astigmatism." The rest of the girls reached homesomehow, after undergoing a pleasant and varied experience, each beingthe happy possessor of one of his peculiar and characteristicallywritten testimonials.

  It was Bully's humour to give these precious documents to thetime-expired members of his harem, in the same manner as an Englishmistress would give a certificate of character and efficiency to adeparting maid. Some of these papers are still extant in Tahiti andMangareva. Many years ago when buying turtle at the little island ofRurutu, I saw one pasted on a doorpost in a native house. In the WesternCarolines and the Pelew Group, when whale ships were plentiful andprosperous, the native girls preserved these "characters" by gummingthe paper (often upside down) on a piece of pandanus leaf bordered withdevices in bead-work. When a fresh ship arrived, the damsels wouldbind these around their pretty little foreheads after the manner ofphylacteries--and they were always read with deep interest by theblubber-hunting skippers and mates and the after-guard generally.Bully's "characters" ran somewhat in this wise:--

  TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

  I, William H. Hayes, hereby certify that the bearer of this, Marutahina of Vahitahi, was with me for four or five months, and I can confidently say that I can recommend her to any one in need of an active young wife, general help, or to do chores. She is a very good girl, and the sole support of her mother--an old thief with a tattooed back who lives on Beka Beka.

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  About 1871, the newspapers on the Pacific slope had a good deal to sayof Bully's doings. The _Daily Alta_ of San Francisco used to speak ofhim as a venturesome and high-spirited American gentleman, upholding thehonour of his flag in the South Seas by disregarding the hateful tyrannyof petty British Consuls; while the San Francisco _Bulletin_ called hima vile and brutal miscreant who should be hanged on the same gallowswith _Alabama_ Sommes and _Shenandoah_ Wardell. (Apropos of the lattergentleman, it is interesting to remember that the Melbourne (Victoria)Club gave a ball at which the adoring women cut off as souvenirs theuniform buttons of the gallant pirate and his officers.) The spitfire_Chronicle_ "claimed" that Captain William Henry Hayes was one ofNature's gentlemen, and "was certainly not the cause of a terribleaffliction that had befallen the editor of a certain esteemed morningcontemporary." (The wife of the editor referred to had eloped with someone.)

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  During a trading cruise in the Gambier Islands, the captain of our shipsaw some young girls whom Hayes had bought from the King of Aana (oneof the Chain Islands). They were very young, very scantily dressed,and without doubt very beautiful. They were always chaperoned, day andnight, by two old women. One of these ancient dames named Tuna (the Eel)told our captain that, by and by, the "big captain" would come and takethem. Tuna had quite a fund of anecdotes about Bully, whom she regardedas immeasurably superior to any white man she had ever seen. When shewas a young and giddy girl of sixteen, she had been much admired, soshe said, by Lord John--and the officers of His Majesty's ship --------.Bully Hayes, she believed, was Lord John's spirit returned in anotherand much stronger body and better shape; and just as she had fallen inlove with the man-of-war captain, so had all the Aana girls with hislatter-day double.

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  At this time, the only white man on the island was a young Americanlad of about nineteen, and Tuna, and her long-haired, dark-eyed"boarding-school" came to his house, where they sat on an upturnedcanoe and drank stone-gin (Tuna took hers neat) while teaching him topronounce properly the Paumotu language. Heavens! what eyes those girlspossessed! Like stars they glowed with slumbering liquid fire--the fireof a quick-blooded and passionate race. Any one of these five islandgirls, our chief mate used to say, would have utterly demoralised evena Trappist monastery, had the holy brothers seen her face peepingin during their devotions. This island, Nukutavake, had but fewinhabitants, most of whom had been brought there by Hayes, who, theysaid, would come again in a year or so, and take them back to Aana andMaga-Beva. They were all political offenders, and to escape death theybesought Bully to take them to Nukutavake until
"the wrath of the chiefswas dead." Bully, who had an idea that there was a lot of pearl-shell onNukutavake, gave them all a passage, and also the two old women andthe girls before mentioned. One of the latter, Talalua, told the youngtrader that Kapeni Hesi (Hayes) would have taken her with him but theship was too small, and he had no more room, and there were two girlsfrom Huaheine--"dogs with much gold in their ears "--with him, whothreatened to give her to the sharks if she came aboard. During our stayat this island a schooner from Tahiti came to an anchor, and we learntfrom the young American that he was to be removed to another islandcalled Vairaatea. He sailed the following morning, and his departure wasmarked by the tearful farewells of Bully's beauties and old Tuna, whoembraced him and rubbed noses, and wept gin-odorous tears of unalloyedgratitude when he gave her three bottles of liquor. To each of Hayes'snymphs he also presented a piece of book muslin (twelve yards each) anda bottle of musk valued at 2 dollars a bottle. Talalua and Maramieach gave him some splendid pieces of hawk-bill shell, and the otherscontributed among them a silver ring. Poor girls! they had no more togive--a grass _titi_ round their shapely loins and a few silver or goldrings, and ear pendants, being all their worldly wealth and clothingcombined. Our young friend was solemnly cautioned never to let KapeniHesi know about the turtle-shell and other gifts, or his anger would"eat them up."

  On hearing of this farewell testimonial business, the skipper ofthe schooner that was taking the young fellow away became greatlyexcited--Hayes, he said, would put his own construction on the gifts. Tothis, in his youthful innocence, the youth replied that he didn't care,as it was his business to make a present if he chose; whereupon theskipper, a jolly old sea-dog named Tom English, told him that thatwas all very well, but that he (English) would be looked upon as anaccessory, and Hayes would make him suffer for it when they met again.

  "Accessory to what?" said the wondering youth.

  "D---- your thick skull, you young ass, why, accessory to makin' love tohis girls."

  This amused us immensely, but as the lad saw that English was serious,and was equally determined not to take the presents back, he wrotea note as follows and showed it to the old fellow, who said it mightpossibly pass with Bully:--

  Accounts 296]

  Below this he added:--

  Capt. Hayes,

  Dear ------ The above-mentioned I have supplied as per bill. I will feel obliged if you will pay the 120.00 to any of our firm's vessels on my account, I hope that, as I have not charged you native prices, you will pay me soon,

  Yours, Ac.

  He then handed the bill to old Tuna, and told her that she must give itto the captain when he reached Nukutavake. When he did meet Bully a longtime afterwards in Samoa, Hayes paid up like a man. But long beforethis old Tuna had given the trader's bill and letter to Hayes. Two yearslater the young trader found awaiting him at the American Consulate atTahiti, the following letter:--

  Mr. ------

  Dear Sir,--I received your note and bill for supplying some of my household with some rotten cheese-cloth out of your store, which you have the infernal impertinence to call muslin; also, five bottles of stinking bilge-water, labelled musk. I don't know who you are, but you can tell your employers from me, that I will see them roasted before I will give my good money for their filthy and disgusting Sydney trade goods, and when I drop across you, you will get a head put on you that will teach you not to again presume to interfere in my domestic affairs.

  Yours very sincerely,

  Wm. Henry Hayes.