Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-03


an island on the southern coast of India.
Here we stopped a few days, seeing
during the time MANY curiosities, not
least among them the fishing for pearls,
which are there found in great quantities,
although, like the diamonds in Africa.
and the gold in Australia, they are not
obtained without" great difficulty and
trouble. Another object of great
interest pointed out to me was q
lofty peak, on which, it is stated, Adam
stood but this is mere tradition, and
therefore will not press it further on
the attention of the reverend priests
whom 1. see before me. There were
several other curiosities in the island,
which abounded in natural products.
Elephants were more numerous there
than in any other part of the world.
81 whiled away the time in Ceylon for
some days in the best way could, when
ship arrived bound for Bombay. in the
northern part of India, and the next
stage on my journey home And here,
as we went northward. a most singular
sensation came oyer me. knew that
after leaving Bombay we should pro-
ceed to Suez, and from thence traverse
portion OF Egypt till we arrived at
Alexandria. The more thought of this
fact. the more did the fear come over
me that possibly might be induced to
remain there instead of returning to
England. That it would be an act OF
ingratitude to his lordship I,admitted land
even dishonest; but the love Of country
was strong within me, and although
should doubtless have continued my
journey, the temptation not to quit my
beloved Nile required all my powers OF
resistance to withstand, and earnestly
did | pray to the Prophet that nothing
might occur to change my determination
My prayer was but too well answered,
for not only did l not remain in Egypt,
but must admit that the impeachment
thrown in my way was a just punish.
ment for my wickedness in entertaining
for moment the thought, or even the
possibility, of treating his lordship SC
ungratcfully after all the benefits l had
received from him.
ITO commune my narrative. The ship
proceeded steadily onward, till one eve
ming, somewhat after dark, we reached
the harbor of Bombay. In consequence
of the obscurity around US, the captain
had some doubts as to the propriety o.
entering the harbor without pilot Al
length, he decided on firing signal, tc
let those on shore know Of the vicinity
| of the ship, so that pilot might be sent
to US. The gun was ordered to be load
ed, and went forward with others tc
| inspect the operation 1 noticed a cir
cumstance which hi ghly disapproved
of, for the sailor who was loading the
gun was more than three parts in.
toxicated, and it struck me that a work
Of the kind, ought not to be placed ir
the hands of any but sober man
However, the order had been given, anG
when all was ready, the captain gave
the word to fire. A tremendous explo
sion then took place. The fellow had
not noticed that the gun was already
charged when he put in the other cart.
ridge, which caused the explosion. Al
standing near, or who were seated OH
the deck, were more or less injured
As soon as l had somewhat recovered
could not, and putting my hand down OF
my leg, found 1t damp, evidently with
blood. Immediately called for aid land
was carried aft, and placed under the
care of the surgeon. After examining
my leg, he said to me-
I" 'Hassan, my dear fellow, you must
be taken on shore, for you are danger.
ously hurt. This is very severe com.
pound fracture of the thigh little above
the knee joint, and it will require the
greatest skill and caution before it is
cured. don't like to be prophet oi
evil, but much fear you will lose your
leg
i would rather die frst,' l said,
than submit to an operation of the kind
Death would be preferable to crawling
about the earth with a wooden leg.
And then the idea of the fat passenger
on board the ship to Sydney. and his
clumsy antics, came before me so vivid
ly that burst into tears.
Ny dear FRIEND said the surgeon,
kindly, pray don't give way in that man.
ner, for you will only do yourself harm.
We will do all we can to save your leg,
and in case we don't succeed, you must
put up with a wooden one. Dying is no
joke, my friend. and l trust before long
you will come to better frame of mind.
Il made him no answer, and he pro-
ceeded to place a tourniquet on my leg,
and was sent On shore in a boat to a
hotel. Here 1 remained for several days,
suffering great torture The surgeons
who attended me treated me with much
kindness, but the pain was so great, that
whenever they touched my leg although
they did it with great gentleness, l
screamed out terribly. Some days pass
ed on without any alteration in my mis-
cry, and l could not conceal from my
self the fact that my leg was getting into
a very dangerous condition.
lone morning three surgeons visited
me at the same time, and afterward re-
tired for consultation. Presently the
principal of them returned, and said to
me-
'Hassan, it is no use Disgusting the
fact from you. You must submit to am
putation or die. Now, which do YOU
say?'
"1 prefer dying I replied.
Well said the surgeon, have your
own way and he then left me.
at struck me afterward that as he
left me there was peculiar smile on his
ing kept me from paying any attention
to it at the time. The pain increased
rather than diminished, and at last l
cried aloud. The principal surgeon
then returned to my bedside, and said to
me-
'Hassan I have brought something
to ease your pain. 1t is a wonderful
odor sent to me as present for the ben
eft of my poor patients. Its effects are
perfectly magical. Great as is the pain
you are now suffering, it will not only
cease. but you will Immediately after
ward fall into sweet slumber.'
II gratefully thanked him, and he
placed some on handkerchief, and told
me to hold it to my nose and breathe it.
1 did SO, and after few inspirations the
pain gradually ceased, and my thoughts
then returned to Cairo and its Nile and
alligators, and l was really happy.
saw my father in my dreams, and remem-
bered the hotel in which first acted as
Interpreter when l met his lordship, and
in these delightful dreams Iremained 1
don't know how long. At last l awoke,
and on glancing my eyes around found
| was still in the room of the inn at
Bombay. SO vivid had been my visions
that l could hardly believe the reality
around me. and began almost to suspect
l was still in a dream However, the
truth was here brought to my mind by
a very respectable-looki women ad-
vancing toward the bedside and saying,
Well, Hassan, are you better
ou've had very comfortable sleep, and
didn't like to awake you. However, l