Nebraska advertiser., 1865-09-21
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THE HIDDEN FOE.
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a league 70. windward Of one of the Fejee
Islands. BY looking over the weather
rail. her crew could see the tall cocOanuts
ihat.lined the beach; also the tha,ched
huls Of the natives, A group of the
islanders gathered upon a jut,ing( point
of land, seemed to owatch the vessel with
much interest. The captain with the aid
Of his glass could distinguish not only
their faces, but also the heavy wsr-cIubs
and spears with which many of them
were armed.
'They are a set OF fierce looking ras.
GALS" he said, addressing his chief mate;
~and l hope they will not take 1t into
their heads to pay US visit" sr
They will certainY do so in the night, 7"
responded the other, ''ifa breeze doesn't
spring up SO that we can get away before
that time" '.
He had scarcely concluded when the
natives Withdrew and disappeared in their
hats. They were not seen again until
sunset. = s Lsl<t 60 Es5
There are more Of 'em now than
there were before, said the mate land
feel certain 9y the way they are gesIi-
culaling and pointing toward the ship.
that they Intend to come aboard" ~ ,r
They'll probably wait until dark, "
answered tha captain, land we must then
have good iookodts stationed about, so
that they may not take US by surprise"
He called the steward momen' after
ward, aid ordered him TO bring from the
cabin all the cutlasses, muSkels, and pixies
tha. he could find. This was soon done
and the weapons distributed among the
hands. The 1ookoGis were then selected, {,
and as the shades Of night closed around
the vessel, they took their stations; some
of them on the knighlheads, some of them
in the after part Of the vessel, and others
on both ouarter-rails. r. 10 EtAI
The moon was covered with masses of
sombre clouds the gloom was intense,
save when the ships lantern, hung up in
the mizzen shrouds, shed faint CLEAN.
The captain and his mate stood near
The slalboard bulwarks, listening atten-
liveiy TO catch any sound resembling thai
of an approaching canoe.
Nothing, however. was heard 10 cause
alarm, until just as the ships bell had
proclaimed The hour o! eleven.
Then both officers thought they heard
faint ripping noise astern, and the
/ Iookouts near JAem were ordered 10 be
/ on tf1rir cuat ds.} The vigilant seamen
peeTed eagerly through The darkness, bu
this was so intense thar they could SEE
nothing. Sill they could hearlhat pecu
lar rlppling of the water aud one Of
them IN his zeal to discover the cause
crawltd to the end of the spanker~booln
HIS form was thus hidden by the gloon
from his mates. though be was within
hearing distance of their voices. The
captain advanced a few steps and ad
dressed him 10 low voice.
"Do you see anything, Tom Garnels'
and even as he spoke, the noise that hat
a larmed him became hushed.
Nothing as yet" responded The sail
or.
A whistling, rushing sound was thel
heared, followed by loud splash.
What was that Tom g
No answer was returned.
The captain repeated the question
Still ,here came no response.
II believe The poor fellow has falle
,verbOard !" cried the skipper, Percin
through the darkness. Lower ava
me cutter !"
This was soon done. The boat wa
mani ed by crew, and was provide
with lantern; but the search ter th
missing man met with no reward,
"There is some strange mystery abou
this matter" cried the captain 'for Tor
was a good swimmer
He ordered the men to step puslin
and listen if they might hear the voiC
OF their sbipmate. They obeyed, but
sound was heard save now and then ID
step of sailor upon the ships deck.
The skipper had arisen and was stan'
T ing molionless in the stern sheets. II
was suddenly heard to grOan, and ii
> next MON ent be fell backward into Il
water.
This circumstance astonished the ere
so much that for a few seconds they s
like statutes. exchanging bewildere
glances. The after-Oafsman, howeve
recovered his presence Of mind in tin
10 ernsp The struggling form and pull