In the King's Service, some Episodes in the Life of a Beach-Comber

In the King's Service, some Episodes in the Life

The narrative unfolds in a tropical setting, specifically Lela Harbour on Strong's Island, where a white man and his half-caste son, Harry, live among the native population. The father, a skilled cooper and boat-builder, had previously deserted from a British ship after killing a brutal officer in self-defense. He sought refuge on the island, marrying a native woman, Mahia, and attempting to build a new life away from his past. As the story progresses, the father grapples with his identity and the fear of being discovered. He has adapted to island life, earning respect from the locals, but remains haunted by his past. The tranquility of their existence is shattered when Mahia, fearing her husband might leave with a passing ship, attempts to swim to him with their child. Tragically, she drowns, leaving Brandon devastated. In the aftermath, Brandon's life becomes increasingly precarious. He contemplates escape but is reminded of the dangers that await him if he is recognized. He eventually boards a barque, hoping to find safety in the Bonin Islands, where he continues to work as a boat-builder. However, the specter of his past looms large, and he remains vigilant against the possibility of capture. The climax occurs when Brandon, now living with his son, unexpectedly encounters the very frigate he had evaded years earlier. In a desperate bid for freedom, he attempts to flee into the jungle but is cornered by naval officers. Faced with the inevitability of recapture, he chooses to end his life rather than return to a fate he cannot accept. The work explores themes of identity, survival, and the consequences of one's past actions, set against the backdrop of the Pacific Islands' beauty and isolation. The father's struggle reflects a deep internal conflict between his desire for freedom and the inescapable grip of his history.

By Louis Becke · First published 1887 · Genre: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction · 3 chapters · 4,643 words

First lines

The white cloud mantle that had enwrapped the wooded summit of Lijibal was slowly lifting and fading before the red arrow-rays of the tropic sun -- it was nearly dawn in Lela Harbour. A vast swarm of sooty terns, with flapping wing and sharp, croaking note, slid out from the mountain forest and fled seaward, and low down upon the land-locked depths of Lela a soft mist still hovered, so that, were it not for the deadened throbbing beat and lapping murmur of the flowing tide, one might have thought, as he looked across from land to land, that the high green walls of verdure in whose bosom the waters of Lela lay encompassed were but the portals to some deep and shadowy mountain valley in a land of utter silence, untenanted by man.

What this Textopian page supports

In the King's Service, some Episodes in the Life of a Beach-Comber is listed on Textopian as a short story by Louis Becke, dated 1887 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Good citation fit

Discussion starters

Similar titles

Genres

Tags

Adventure · Beachcombing · Colonialism · Coming-of-age · Duty · Empire · Exoticism · Friendship · Humor · Imperialism · Island life · Loyalty

Contents

More by Louis Becke