The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-05-12

'"You have heard only half what it
saved us from that dreadful night" said
Mrs. Kate. r
"Oh, dearie did they attack you again ?"
"No. That danger was at an end. We
had another, perhaps greater, to encounter"
Following the road which we now knew
TO be the right one, as we had been lured
from it to be more conveniently robbed and
perhaps murdered for hear these Arnauts
are capable of killing a man for charge of
powder), we arrived without further adven-
ture at the village. where, mooretl to
rickety platform in front OF the usual cafe,
we saw four or five caiques. We choose the
best looking, and the caIquejee was in the
act off the rope which held it to the pier,
when man rushed out of the Gale with
long knife in his hand and dared him to
take US.
"a violent alteration, which, from the
expression of their faces and the gestures
thew used, 1 thought would at any moment
end in murder, ensued. At last an old Turk
in green turban interposed his authority,
(he was the schiek of the place. and it was
explained to Fred that the man he had taken
must not take us; he did not belong to that
landing; it was his adversary's turn; we
must hire him. Fred did not ike his looks;
he had the eyes and voice of an opium eater;
he was very dirty, too; whereas most caique-
jees are quite pictures of neatness and clean
illness, in their white trowsers and Broussa
silk shirts. I felt Il horror of HIM from the
moment had seen the long cruel knife gilt
tering in his hand, but there was no appeal,
no alternative 1t was Hobson's choice-his
caique or none, and so we took it.
ut was what they called on the Bospho-
rus two oar caique but we should say it
was rowed by double sculls-the stroke pair
steer, and the dirty man with the long knife
rowed stroke. And very we'll he rowed for
the first ten minutes-so well that most OF
my nervousness departed, and l began to
think how soon, at the rate We were going,
l should relieve poor, dear papa's anxiety.
But all of sudden our stroke stopped
rowing, gesticulated violently for few sec
onds and then burying his face in his hands,
burst out crying. The man in the bow
rowed on quietly, and took no notice OF his
partner. He was probably accustomed to
such outbreaks We were now in mid
strram, where the current runs with great
violence, and it was with difficulty that one
man could keep the head of the carque
straight. Fred, seeing this, leaned forward
and told our stroke, kindly enough, to rouse
himself and row. A few words Kissed out
between his clenched teeth was his reply,
and felt Fred's hands, which (there is no
harm in sayinn so now clasped mine trem-
BILE a little in spite of himself. 1 know
now what those were" Cursed forever be
the Gaiour dogs who defile their women,
bringing them unveiled into public sightT
Then he kneit down and began to say his
prayers There was no doubt of it now.
We were in the middle of the Bosphorus, at
night, in caique, at the mercy of man
rendered frantically mad by opium.
'In the midst of his devotions he seized
the scu!l again. vowing that he would not
serve Sigour. turned the boat round by
sheer strength and made for the Asiatic
shore. We were absolutely helpless. Vio-
lence was out of the question. 1t requires
some practice to sit safely in a caique; to
struggle in one is simply to upset it. Poor
Fred, on whose forehead 1 could see the cold
perspiration standing in beads, tried per-
suasion. He would give him double the
promised fare if he would go to Terapia.
No answer.
every well,' said Fred, go back, and I
will take the other caique. l have a right
to do so now. as you have not kept your
contract This mention of his rival was too
much for the mailman He sprlng up and
drew his knife. o, the agony of that mo-
ment.' You have never been in such deadly
peril, May, dear, and you may imagine what
strange thoughts crowd ones mind. We
were in peril perhaps half a minute; but it
would take me twenty times that time to
tell you what thought. l gave up all hope.
l wondered where he would stab poor Fred;
if should die at once on his knife, or be
drowned, wounded to death. / wondered
where our bodies would be found, if they
would he found together, and what would
they look like; who would find us; how the
news would be broken to papa; where they
would bury us; and Il thousand other con-
lectures; whilst the mailman balancing the
boat as only mailman could, made three
cat-like steps towards Fred.
Erred, taken by surprise. had only time
to half raise himself and push me back,
when at the third step the wretched maniac
stumbled. In moment Fred had him by
the ankle, and with deXterous twist threw
him overheard. But this sent the light
boats gunwale under, and filled her three
parts with water. In his fall the wretch
dropped his knife, which Fred seized He
said behaved beautifully; did not move
or scream, and baled out the water with his
hat. as he made me. l do not know what
l did, May; was too terrified to scream.
| saw him crawl forward and take one of
the SOULS, and felt him crawl past me aft
again with it. knew what he must be do
ing-keeping off the mailman, who was
swimming like fish after us as we dritted.
If he had even got hold of the boat he would
have drowned us all. / saw the other man
leave his oars, and crawl aft, with his knife
in his hand, to help his fellow countryman
felt at the utmost could do nothing but
die first; for Fred must have his back to
one of his enemies, and, opposing one, the
other must prevail. l was in the act of
throwing myself on the second caiqueiee,
when 1 heard the sharp swish and steady
rumble OF oars, real oars such oars as men
of wars men pull. l knew it was the gig
of the Stationaire.
"Then screamed. My dear, 1 did scream
then.
=
When came to my senses the caique was
dashed alongside the gig, and baled out
quite dry. The first thing remember was
Captain Roberts shouting, What on earth
are you doing, Perry Do you want to
drown the man p
Perry was the bowman of the gig--a
bright eyed boy of twenty. He had hitched
the boat hook in the waistband of our chief
opponent, and was holding him under the
water
please, SIR replied Perry, with grin, 4
was only washing him a lit before hauling
him in
sit would have been a service of danger
to move me into the gig so they toweo the