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regret to me； ever since Ed Morrell taught me the way of the little
death； that I had not been a more thorough student of history。 I
should have been able to identity and place much that is obscure to
me。 As it is； I am compelled to grope and guess my way to times and
places of my earlier existences。
A peculiar thing about my Adam Strang existence is that I recollect
so little of the first thirty years of it。 Many times； in the
jacket； has Adam Strang recrudesced； but always he springs into
being full…statured； heavy…thewed； a full thirty years of age。
I； Adam Strang； invariably assume my consciousness on a group of
low； sandy islands somewhere under the equator in what must be the
western Pacific Ocean。 I am always at home there； and seem to have
been there some time。 There are thousands of people on these
islands； although I am the only white man。 The natives are a
magnificent breed； big…muscled； broad…shouldered； tall。 A six…foot
man is a commonplace。 The king； Raa Kook； is at least six inches
above six feet； and though he would weigh fully three hundred
pounds； is so equitably proportioned that one could not call him
fat。 Many of his chiefs are as large； while the women are not much
smaller than the men。
There are numerous islands in the group； over all of which Raa Kook
is king； although the cluster of islands to the south is restive and
occasionally in revolt。 These natives with whom I live are
Polynesian； I know； because their hair is straight and black。 Their
skin is a sun…warm golden…brown。 Their speech； which I speak
uncommonly easy； is round and rich and musical； possessing a paucity
of consonants； being composed principally of vowels。 They love
flowers； music； dancing； and games； and are childishly simple and
happy in their amusements； though cruelly savage in their angers and
wars。
I； Adam Strang； know my past； but do not seem to think much about
it。 I live in the present。 I brood neither over past nor future。
I am careless； improvident； uncautious； happy out of sheer well…
being and overplus of physical energy。 Fish； fruits； vegetables；
and seaweeda full stomachand I am content。 I am high in place
with Raa Kook； than whom none is higher； not even Abba Taak； who is
highest over the priest。 No man dare lift hand or weapon to me。 I
am taboosacred as the sacred canoe…house under the floor of which
repose the bones of heaven alone knows how many previous kings of
Raa Kook's line。
I know all about how I happened to be wrecked and be there alone of
all my ship's companyit was a great drowning and a great wind； but
I do not moon over the catastrophe。 When I think back at all；
rather do I think far back to my childhood at the skirts of my milk…
skinned； flaxen…haired； buxom English mother。 It is a tiny village
of a dozen straw…thatched cottages in which I lived。 I hear again
blackbirds and thrushes in the hedges； and see again bluebells
spilling out from the oak woods and over the velvet turf like a
creaming of blue water。 And most of all I remember a great； hairy…
fetlocked stallion； often led dancing； sidling； and nickering down
the narrow street。 I was frightened of the huge beast and always
fled screaming to my mother； clutching her skirts and hiding in them
wherever I might find her。
But enough。 The childhood of Adam Strang is not what I set out to
write。
I lived for several years on the islands which are nameless to me；
and upon which I am confident I was the first white man。 I was
married to Lei…Lei； the king's sister； who was a fraction over six
feet and only by that fraction topped me。 I was a splendid figure
of a man； broad…shouldered； deep…chested； well…set…up。 Women of any
race； as you shall see； looked on me with a favouring eye。 Under my
arms； sun…shielded； my skin was milk…white as my mother's。 My eyes
were blue。 My moustache； beard and hair were that golden…yellow
such as one sometimes sees in paintings of the northern sea…kings。
AyI must have come of that old stock； long…settled in England；
and； though born in a countryside cottage； the sea still ran so salt
in my blood that I early found my way to ships to become a sea…cuny。
That is what I wasneither officer nor gentleman； but sea…cuny；
hard…worked； hard…bitten； hard…enduring。
I was of value to Raa Kook； hence his royal protection。 I could
work in iron； and our wrecked ship had brought the first iron to Raa
Kook's land。 On occasion； ten leagues to the north…west； we went in
canoes to get iron from the wreck。 The hull had slipped off the
reef and lay in fifteen fathoms。 And in fifteen fathoms we brought
up the iron。 Wonderful divers and workers under water were these
natives。 I learned to do my fifteen fathoms； but never could I
equal them in their fishy exploits。 On the land； by virtue of my
English training and my strength； I could throw any of them。 Also；
I taught them quarter…staff； until the game became a very contagion
and broken heads anything but novelties。
Brought up from the wreck was a journal； so torn and mushed and
pulped by the sea…water； with ink so run about； that scarcely any of
it was decipherable。 However； in the hope that some antiquarian
scholar may be able to place more definitely the date of the events
I shall describe； I here give an extract。 The peculiar spelling may
give the clue。 Note that while the letter S is used； it more
commonly is replaced by the letter F。
The wind being favourable； gave us an opportunity of examining and
drying some of our provifion； particularly； fome Chinefe hams and
dry filh； which conftituted part of our victualling。 Divine service
alfo was performed on deck。 In the afternoon the wind was
foutherly； with frefh gales； but dry； fo that we were able the
following morning to clean between decks； and alfo to fumigate the
fhip with gunpowder。
But I must hasten； for my narrative is not of Adam Strang the
shipwrecked sea…cuny on a coral isle； but of Adam Strang； later
named Yi Yong…ik； the Mighty One； who was one time favourite of the
powerful Yunsan； who was lover and husband of the Lady Om of the
princely house of Min； and who was long time beggar and pariah in
all the villages of all the coasts and roads of Cho…Sen。 （Ah； ha； I
have you thereCho…Sen。 It means the land of the morning calm。 In
modern speech it is called Korea。）
Remember； it was between three and four centuries back that I lived；
the first white man； on the coral isles of Raa Kook。 In those
waters； at that time； the keels of ships were rare。 I might well
have lived out my days there； in peace and fatness； under the sun
where frost was not； had it not been for the Sparwehr。 The Sparwehr
was a Dutch merchantman daring the uncharted seas for Indies beyond
the Indies。 And she found me instead； and I was all she found。
Have I not said that I was a gay…hearted； golden； bearded giant of
an irresponsible boy that had nev