American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-07-10
They Were Hungry.

:" IT was in 1897 said Mr. Hunks. "a
party of us were shipwrecked in the Pa.
cific, and after drifting about in an open
boat until all our provisions were ex-
hausted we at last landed upon coral
island, which was nothing but barren
rock. Our suffering from hunger in a
short time became SO uncomfortable that we
finally resolved that one of our number
would have to be used for food to keep the
rest alive. We drew lots and 1t fell to me
to become the victim. 1 didn't care very
much, because was SO desperate; but my
companions we're dreadfully sorry, and in
order to show how kindly they felt toward
me, they left it to me to decide how |
should be cooked II. was generous of
them, and it touched me.
rather had a preference for being
used as soup stock, but Barnes said that
as the water was salt, and as they had no
it struck him that some other form of
preparation would be better if it would
suit me. And l said that T had always
had an idea would work up into a very
nice hash, because would be more apt to
be nutritious when done through and
through and with the gristle left cut. But
Barnes said they were almost too weak to
cut me up fine enough. He said good,
comfortable roast, done little rare, and
vorite dish of his, and expressed will
ingness to be served up in that form; but
Wormley urged that no roast meat, in his
opinion, was I'll to eatwithout horseradish
and there wasn't bit on the island and,
besides, unless was skewered I'd be GER
tain to fall apart, and it wouldn't be safe
to cut up the whole pins for skewers for
fear they might want to row away
Barnes said he was willing to utilize
me as sausage, and lie thought they might
make a hearty lunch to begin with and
then smoke the rest over the fire andcarry
ii of as two weeks rations while they
hunted for better place to stop. But
said that the idea of being stuffed away in
skins was an unpleasant one to me. The
very thought of it made me feel like suffo-
eating; and then it distressed me to think
of my old friends holding me in hand and
eating me at the end as they would a
banana. Barnes said maybe they would
remember me better that way, but he was
perfectly willing to give up the plan and
to try making mcs-up into chowder, 1
said that L was afraid / was too lean for
chowder, but if they were willing TO take
the risk it made no great difference to me.
We took a vote upon it, and we stood
three for chowder and three against it, l
had the casting vote and l gave it for
chowdcr
Htu tlldl was Scllleu bdTueS Calico
me aside and said that a little music might
serve to make their life seem less sad, and
he wanted to know If l would have any
objection, after l was gone, to his using
one of my leg bones to make rude kind
of a flute. told him that the proposition
had my approval, and he said that as l
was long legged man he thought he
could easily get out six finger-holes and
mouth-hole on the bone, and although he
only knew one tune Come Where My
Love Lies Dreaming'-he felt that even
that would soothe and comfort the sur
vivors. / said that it might be good
idea for Wormley TO take the bone of the
other leg, and, by inserting a watch-crys-
tai in either end, make sort of a spy
glass out of it; but Barnes said he was
afraid they would have to use il for new
handle to the Ratchet; but he thought per
haps Wormlcy or Dickson could fit up n
couple of ribs as bones with which to rat
tie out chorus and TO give variety to the
music. Accordingly | asked Dickson as
a personal favor to me to accept any two
ribs that he took a fancy to, and to rattle
them whenever he felt like it. He said he
weuld never forget my kindness, and l
really think the man felt If had acted
in very gentlemanly manner toward him.
But WormIey said he wished TO thun-
der we would settle things somehow, for
he was getting hungry; and. Barnes re-
piled that if he made much fuss about it
he shouldn't have any of me TO cut down
cold. Then / said good-by to all but
Wormley, who grumbled that he didn't
want to shake my hand, but to eat ii and
then Barnes lifted up the AK to knock me
in the head. IS