Answer:
C. They believe Arsat is spiritually powerful.
Explanation:
"The Lagoon" by Joseph Conrad is a short story that tells the story of the friendship of Tuan, a white man and his friend Arsat, a Malayan native man and also the death of Arsat's wife Diamelan. But as the story goes deeper, it is not just the loss of his wife but that also of his brother who had died trying to keep them safe when they first got married.
When Tuan arrived in Arsat's cabin, only he disembarked from the big canoe. the other men refused to get off, preferring to spend the night in the canoe. They know when Arsat "<em>proclaims that he is not afraid to live amongst the spirits that haunt the places abandoned by mankind. Such a man can disturb the course of fate by glances or words</em>", which made them try to steer way from his presence.