New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-14

temple on an island in the South Pacific.
He was Of middle age tall, thin and gaunt, with rug
ged features and sorrowful eyes, and with every sign OF
goodness and intelligence. ...
Beside him was grim stone idol, in grotesque human
form more than twice as tall himself which he had
Just finished as was indicated by the maet and chisel In
his hands
CIT Is done :" he muttered And these heathens little
suspect that cut my and story into the base
OF this idol"
He ran his eye rapidly the inscription in question
II was follows .
sth of May 1882 T. David Lester OF the firm Of Lester
& Nichols. Of Norfolk, Virginia. sailed as passenge
from Charleston for Hong Kong via Cape Horn, IN Ine
shp fonndered and We took the boats which all Allied
with the exception of the In After drifting
reached this island The idoatrous inhabitants made
me slave in their temple and FOR more than four years
have been doing mental offices and carving images
have been chained every night. and watched eonnnaby
by day. but have nevertheless made three attempts AZ
escape ana SRa soon go Se prenS death
longer captivity therefore write these words UPON
nv fate X possible to my family at Norfolk. Va. Fin
ished this scrpton this 7th day OF Juy looI .,o
For several minutes the prisoner contemplated hese
lines in silence.
Years hence /" he then murmured, " some American
may pass this way and learn the secret Of my fate
the worst happens Heaven grant 10 my wife and daugh
ter this cOnsolation And now to do, or der
He aroused himself looking wary arOund.
The island upon which he had been cast lies of the
usual track ships and called by asraDge Poynesian
name signfying the Land in the Sea-
The inhabitants OF this island fanatcal idoaters
fierce and warlke and full ten thousand in number.
They black coal regardinga white person as infe
riOr and aecursed . .r....
The ruler OF the Land In the Seattle renowned Mobi
Nobl-was an absolute monarch He had gay capital Of
more than hundred pam-woOd huts, navy OF ten large
canoes and barge Of state manned by twenty rowers
The temple before which the prisoner stood was vast
edhce OF irregular FORM with courts towers and bal
comics but rather broad than high. 1t stood in palm
grove on a broad, table-shaped ledge, half way up a
mountain which behind 1t in the form OF sugar
loaf It's summit crowned with all the vegetable
growth OF the tropics, and inhabited by innumerable
birds and monkeys
al have terrible odds to overcome" were the next
words that broke from the lips OF David Lester. am
the only white man on the island For years no other
has been seen here am single Christian against ten
thousand idoaters But perhaps the Great God wor-
ship will hear me- II only for the sake Of my wife and
daughter"
Oh what infinite longing there was In his eyes at that
moment he bent long over the face OF the Deep
n the direction OF faroR home And with what fer
throw himself upon his knees in the attitude
Of prayer.
"Hear me- Great God OF heayen-Thou who aloneart
mighty to aid DRIED the unhappy prisoner. Open
thou way Of escape from these heathen and restore
10 my family" OIL.
He was interrupted By angry curse, In the language
Of the idoaers Looking up and springng to his feet
behed the chief priest Of the pagans standing in the
doorway OF the temple.
"slayew Numbered this parsonage, in his cultural
vernacular which lester had learned. what art thou
dong Hast thou again forgotten that the gods of Mob
Nobi arc alone mighty DOst thou again need scourg
ingi BewareW
The priest was Mobl NobIs brother and second
sequence only 10 the monarch He true South Sea
idolater, brown, sleek and oily
"The new god finished" he continued, regarding the
image critically. and without waiting for Lester TO ex
cuse himself "Its WELL slave, Is shall be set up in the
temple before great altar tomorrow And you shall
carve another god twice as large as ths Co. slave! and
call the priest OF Mobi-Nobi 20 look at your work"
With this the high priest OF dOaers struck into
path LEADING 10 capital which nestled along the
bay at the foot OF the mountain, many hundred feet
below the temple.
Lester looked a moment In that direction. V
From his outlook on the temple ledge, he could see
plainly the Kings matched palace toward which the
hghpriest was proceeding and oud recognize the
familiar faces OF the kings body guards, who were
marching TO andfro before the royal dwelling
al have lived here nearly Eve years, watching and
waiting chance escape said he, alfdesparingly
In this time friendly sail has appeared in these
waters may grow old here, and die at last In the fee
beness Of yearsthen now the slave Of savage idOa
terst Better death than long life here!
His features worked convulsiVely he turned away
from the grim. solemnfaced idol, with bitter sobs.
ooh my wife my little Amy where are you at th
momentt Do you think Of me as livingf Or have yoJ
put OF your hearts has put of you
lvesi Have you taken another into my place, and am
forgotten q"
Moving nOlseessy TO the temple he entered II by
private door, and mounted by a narrow and crooked
stairway ,oa retired portion Of tho roof his fayorit
place for meditation.
Standing there unseen hy the priests whose ohaternJ
voices up him from below, he looked sgah il
bitter anguish OF spirit the wide eKpause Of water
around him.
Three tunes have tried to escape in a canoe" HI
muttered and every time was caught and visteC
with frghtfu tortures To DO caught again IN such
attempt will be certain death Yet will risk all tb,
first opportunity that offers. feel IL portentou
hour was nearing me-ash the very air we're full o.
meaningf How still is the and the wind oh, my
God what Is thatf'
BE gazed IN perfect stupeacton to the eastward fa
out upon the ocean.
Ihoro, miles and leagues away, with the full glory Of
tho setting for instant lighting up her outline,
with supernatural beauty stately ship her white
sails cleaning "a she lay bccalmed upon she waters!
"a shipI a shipg' cried Lester broksnly, sobbngly
hystercay. eat last Oh Heaven II this should be
Illusion! I have seen so many ships n this should be
like them-Only the fancy OF feveFsd brain! Yet II
does not novel n shut my eyes and open them again
IL "a still there It must be ship 70 Is one At last my
pSayerals answeredw
CHAPTER IL
THE PRISONERS
On the east bank of the Elizabeth River, just out Of
Norfolk and overlooking Hampton Roads. stood beau
tul cottage surrounded by its ample grounds and
half concealed by the towering vines that climbed its
vorandahs.