Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-09-11
A Malay Sailor Running a Muck.

rected that way Western Purdt
A Malay Sailor Running a Muck.
AFTER protracted zig-zag tramp
through the exceedingly narrow, tortu-
Gus and filthy streets, permeated by an
atmosphere oppressively hot and posi-
lively sickening; brushing past closely
muffled, carefully-veiled women, serious
looking, long-bearded merchants and
tradesmen, ragged soldiers and Bedouins,
all but stark naked fishermen, sailors
laborers, slaves, etc, we finally reached
the bazaar, or market, where everything
that is obtainable or manufactured in
Mascat can be bought-from the we'll
known locusts, favorite article of food
to the most gorgeous diamond necklaces
of the Orient. My companions had Just
finished their purchases, and hired
couple of negroes to carry the goods to the
beach, when all of sudden we were
startled by general stampede of all the
people of that portion of the bazaar
which we had just left.
They came rushing madly after us, the
men shouting, the women screaming and
all of them gesticulating in the widest
manner, What could cause such isud-
den and universal flight of the popula-
tion?
Was it revolt among the rabbleP a
dog afflicted with hydrophobia? a sudden
attack of hostile Bedouins from the ada
cent desert? or had the good people of
Mascat all gone raving mad simultane-
ously?-questions more easily asked than
answered by strangers.
We turned around to look for an ex-
planation from our negro mammals (por-
ters) whom we had engaged to carry the
provisions TO the beach, but not one was
to be seenl They had dropped their
| loads and fled with the crowd which still
rushed past us in dismay, stumbling and
rolling over the bags of provisions. AnX
| ious to get out of the way of the terror
stricken populace, which came down
| upon us like an avalanche, we quickly
mounted the elevated platform of the
nearest stall-a BARRIERS shop, or rather
a head-shaving establishment, for Mos
| lens rarely, if ever, shave their faces,
but universally their heads.
From the exalted position we now oc-
cupied on the platform we had good
view over the entire crowd pushing ire
sistibly on through the narrow street,
and soon discovered the cause of the
stampede in the shape of an athletic
man, of dark olive complexion, in state
of absolute nudity, and apparently as
slippery-skinned as an eel, bounding to-
ward us with the velocity of panther
pouncing on its prey An ugly-looking
| Malay crees" "a dagger, at least four
| teen inches in length, with a sharply
pointed, flaming blade) was tightly
| clutched in his right hand, gladiator
fashion, and dripped with blood; his
head was bent low like "a hutting ram,
and everything indicated that the fellow
meant, nay, had already done, mischief.
Indeed, we shortly afterward saw him
plunge his knife up to the hilt into the
breast of poor old fisherman, who had
not been fleet enough to escape him.
No sooner had the villain withdrawn his
weapon when a young shop-keeper,
attracted by the general uproar, rushed
out of a side street, and, unconsciously,
right into the jaws of death.
The next object of attack was a
phlegmatic, long bearded heavy built
"dervish" (Moslem monk), with three
volumes of manuscript under his arm,
who dropped his library, took to his
heels in right good earnest, and disap-
peared around the corner like shadow,
FrenZied by the escape of his intended
victim, the human tiger darted mady on
in his course of destruction, overlook
and grasped by the right arm a hand
some young woman, who had been max
ing strenuous efforts to get out of his
way; but the well-known waddling gait
peculiar to Moslem women, and mainly
due to their far too spacious, betasseled,
lemon-colored, morocco-leather boots,
was no match for the prOdigiOus speed
of the murderer. Just at this point the
bloody career of the desperate was
abruptly cut short by a well-mounted
Bedouin, armed with long lance, which,
on dashing up behind the murderer, he
drove deeply into his back at the very
sword in the hands of an armorer on the
neck of the assassin almost severed his
head from his body, and laid him out on
the ground stone-dead.
A feeling of intense relief was mani
tested by all the spectators of the terri
| ble tragedy; and my companions and
myself, all armed with revolvers, felt
heartily glad to have been spared the
awful probability of becoming his execu-
TONERS.
The corpse was soon identified as that
of Malay sailor, who had been known
to be subject to occasional fits of insani-
ty, or rather uncomfortable fits of frenzy,
for few of these fellows who indulge in
running muck (by no means very rare
occurrence in certain parts of the Orient,
especially in India and the Malay
islands) can be pronounced absolutely
insane. Just previous to these freaks
they usually shave off every hair on their
bodies, and thoroughlyo or grease their
persons from head to foot; they then
start on their errand of destruction,
armed only with knife or dagger, and
| -, -, -,
render their seizure all but an impossi-
bility. Running at the top of their speed
they stab at every living creature, man
or animal, within their reach /, but rarely,
if ever, stab the same victim more than
once. They usually run straight ahead,
never turning back or round abrupt cor
neTs, nor running into houses nor will
they stop. until stranglcd by running
moose thrown over their heads, or until
they are stunned, mortally wounded, OF
killed outright.
Running u muck by ORIGINALS is attrib-
utable to various causes, as, for instance,
to the consumption of opium, hashecsh
(lndian hemp, etc, TO religious frenzy
to a thirst for revenge, or to acute men
tai and bodily suffering of some descFip-
ton.
The casualties of the tragedy just de
scribed amounted to five persons killed
outright and about twenty others more
or less seriously wounded. Shortly after
the death of the desperate, and the re-
moval of the killed and wounded, the
locality gradually reassumed its Gus
tomary appearance, our fugitive ham
mails again appeared, and we returned to
the steamer in safety.-Scrtbner'8 for Sep
timber,
Nor long ago a physician of New
Bedford, Mass, was summoned in haste
to attend a patient at Naushon. On ar
irving at the island and inquiring for a
!, conveyance to the house he wished to
visit he was directed to farm house
near by. Here the doctor found man,
whom he requested to harness horse,
at the same time in the interest of his
patient desiring him to be lively. Fhe
Al