Chapter 15

           IwasonceAdamStrang,anEnglishman.Theperiodofmyliving,asnearasIcanguessit,wassomewherebetween1550and1650,andIlivedtoaripeoldage,asyoushallsee.Ithasbeenagreatregrettome,eversinceEdMorrelltaughtmethewayofthelittledeath,thatIhadnotbeenamorethoroughstudentofhistory.Ishouldhavebeenabletoidentityandplacemuchthatisobscuretome.Asitis,Iamcompelledtogropeandguessmywaytotimesandplacesofmyearlierexistences.

           ApeculiarthingaboutmyAdamStrangexistenceisthatIrecollectsolittleofthefirstthirtyyearsofit.Manytimes,inthejacket,hasAdamStrangrecrudesced,butalwayshespringsintobeingfull-statured,heavy-thewed,afullthirtyyearsofage.

           I,AdamStrang,invariablyassumemyconsciousnessonagroupoflow,sandyislandssomewhereundertheequatorinwhatmustbethewesternPacificOcean.Iamalwaysathomethere,andseemtohavebeentheresometime.Therearethousandsofpeopleontheseislands,althoughIamtheonlywhiteman.Thenativesareamagnificentbreed,big-muscled,broad-shouldered,tall.Asix-footmanisacommonplace.Theking,RaaKook,isatleastsixinchesabovesixfeet,andthoughhewouldweighfullythreehundredpounds,issoequitablyproportionedthatonecouldnotcallhimfat.Manyofhischiefsareaslarge,whilethewomenarenotmuchsmallerthanthemen.