They were slave- drivers.

To begin with, they bought their labour from Johnny Be-blowed, the most notorious recruiter in the Solomons.

He is working out a ten years' sentence in Fiji now, for the wanton killing of a black boy.
During his last days here he had made himself so obnoxious that the natives on Malaita would have nothing to do with him.

The only way he could get recruits was by hurrying to the spot whenever a murder or series of murders occurred.

The murderers were usually only too willing to sign on and get away to escape vengeance.