Nebraska advertiser., 1868-01-09


oeating against Us in drifting sheets.
We could Only see 4 sb0Ft distance out
upon the angry sen. though cIeariylbes
Lyond The point where our vessel had gona
20 pieces. We now and then detected
sOme portions Of The wreck. whirlinc
about IL the surf, but nowhere could we
perceive a sign Of human lie or
the twenty two human beings, composing
tae ofheere aad crew of he III faied
alive; and as we looked al lhe Eroupine.
rocks above as, The awful destruction
below, listened to the wild h0vhngs Of
he storm and considered our almost help-
less condition, on an island said 10 be
inhabited By q fierce race Of cannibaIs,
we almost enVied those who we're sleep.
ing their last Sleep Their earthly
troubles, al least, were over, while Tie
unknown future might hold for Us such
lerrors and sufferings as would make as
prayfor death, as relief Hl e
Bot still The prOVerb, 'sWhile there il
life, there is hope, y gave usa little cheer;
and thanking Heaven for eur Prese3g
preservation, we began 70 toll up the
rocks 10 see what lay beyond. We were
so exhausted and bruised, as 20 make
eur ascent very slow aud painful aud
nearly every step was attended with q
groan OF both mental aud physical suffer-
ing.
Al length We reached The summit of
The cliff, and found ourselves on the edge
ola heavy wood. We stopped to rest q.
! few minutes. and then pushing forward
for q quarter Of mile through ghicket
Of underground. To our surprise, We.
suddenly came in sight Of a small neat
village of stone houses, scattered upward
along The slope Of a neighb0Fing hill,
srOm. the bed Of a romantic valley
through which lowed q babbling stream
We could see what looked ike gardens,
shadetrees, orchards. green lawns, and.
far back, 6eldsiof pastuFs and grain. he
whole having theeapPearancs Of d high.
state of civilization. Could this be The.
abode Of savages and cannibalsl : No
never-impossibl we shouted for
Joy at the thought that Providencs had
thrown 3us among a people who would
not deny Us the right Of hospitality. -
As we were aboui % oagain sci forward.
with Frightened spirits, sad event took
place among as.
One OF our companions, who had seemed
the most delighted attthe discovery Of
the village, Suddenly stopped. sal down.
pressed his hands against his breast
and complained of feeling Of suifocation.
/ About the same moment be fell over on
his back, and an examination disclosed
the ssartlinf fact that be vas dead The
fatigue aud excitement bad proved too
much for The action Of a diseased heart.
4 aud he had gone to Join the spirits Of
those who had perished in The deep. As
we had no means Of buFying him, W8
placed his body upOn.a high rock, took
away a few irihing lhlDgs we found in
his pockets, and in a more sad, detected
mood, set out for the village, with ibe
i expectation Of getting assistance from
the natives, and returning 10 perform
the last sad Office Of humaniiy. Bot We
never returned We called him poOr
fellow" then-We enued his fate afIer'
ward. tr
As we approached the village, We
came upon a few Chinese laborers, az
work in The storm ia an open field. On
seeing US they fed with cries Of terror
and in few minutes the whole town
was in state of the widest alarm
horns blowing, tom toms beating, aud
men, woman, and children running TO
and srO in great confusion. We Stop
ped to let the excitement calm down, and3
we're soon cautiously approached bF
band Of some twenty-five or thirty ath-
lelic warriors. armed with bows and ar
rows. spears. match locks, and knives.
As they WariIy drew near Us, We held Up
our open hands, and watched them wi,h
breaIhless interest, and sinking hearts.
for we could see they were The dreaded
red menOf whom We had heard such ter
rlble accounts.
Physically considered, they were not
an ilI-lOoking set Of men, being Of good
stature, with well developed limbs aud
bodies. Their skins were bright copper
color. their hair black and long, sweep
| ing down N large masses around their
necks and shoulders. Their features
did not ike, the general expression being
too fierce and sensual. Their fnreheads
were narrow, their eyes black and snaky
their Cheeksbones bigh and sharp, their
noses large and arehed. and their
mouths and Jaws hugh and massive.
/ They wore a sort Of tbrban around the
head. and a strip Of cotton clolh about
! the body. These two articles f6rnsd
their entire costume, and their only ors
nameu.s were large rings depending
from their ears,
AS soon as they had satisfied lhem-
selves that we were not armed and
hostile, they came gp boldly and one,
who seemed to be leader OF chief,
and whose only distinctive mark was a
crimson sash around tbe waist, mads
signs 20 know from whence We came.
J replied 20 him as well as could :
and when made BIN understand shsi
We were wrecked, BE seemed highly
pleased. and hurried US of 70 The village
{ There after undergoing a close and
! troublesome examination from q crowd
J Of womsn and children, We we're locked
! Bp in mall stone house. which had bDs
one apartment, and on O0llel save me
door. Here we remained, a PfeY 10
CONJECTURE, til dark, when the chef and