The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-12-08

A TALE OF TAHITI.
Being the Experiences OF an ANA
teur Savage.

chip Company vessels. who ~ar known
TO the officer. and sailors ~ Nick"
aud had. so far No ] could discover. no
other nsms. lie was Chilisn by birth.
o short. thick --e,, and muscular fellow.
with swsrthy skin and black hair. and
was a man OF quiet language and man
ner. lie was . little sby, withal, and
for some time svsdsd my attempts TO
cultivate his acquaintance, which de-
sirrd 10 make from having heard that
his history was an unusually one. Fin
ally, one calm, stsr-lit night, when .
number Of u. were sitting around the
edge Of the fore-hntcb. enjoying the cool
brseIs, Nick, whose spirits were temper
cd into complsccncy by the gift Of
prime cigar, unfolded the roll Of his sI-
perieness, and spun the following yarn:
lie vas born in Valparaiso some ihir-
~ years ago Of parents in humble life
who gained . scsnty subsistence BY
catching ssh and gathering fruit which
they hawked about the city. As Nick
grsv up 10 boyhood be was Impressed
into the service Of the family and made
to contribute TO iis support by selling
the fsh which his father caught and the
fruit which HIS mother gathered. This
was dull basiness, indeed. though an oc
cs.ioaal fishing trip in his fathers old
boat was allowed him, 10 swas quite in
sufficient to saivfy hi. love OF the sea,
and he looked longingly al the huge
ship. which folded their wings in tbe
harbor after long voyage or rpread
them again for new fights. often did
Nick watch them from the shore as they
melted away in the dissance, and wish
that taking thought could not only add
one but several cubits TO his stature,
that he might at once become mani
and embark for strange counties. But
the prospect Of attaining this glorious
estate looked remote enough for Nick
was only ten years old, and the ten or
eleven years which lay between him and
the poin, where the thorny foot-path Of
youth oroadenSinto the smooth highway
OF maturity looked aimos' in'erminaoie Ole
TO him, as to all Of US at his age, though
after We have passed them they loon
brief enough. Such projects and visions
naturally incapaeitated NICK Tor pusi'
ness, 90 much 20, indeed that hogging'
were hts daily exPerience"'
One day, after particularly sound
csstisaiion, Nick made a desperate re
solse. There was French friga,e in
the hsrbor. hound for Tahiti, and aboard
Of her vas man iai,ooed all over with
the beautiful blue and red anchnrs and
sbip- and Aag-, and women with fishes
tails. and nunberles- other design
which were as q sealed mystery to Nick
but which he suppe.ed voyage woulc
make him quite familiar with. Thi
living panorams of mnr'ns wtsders hac
excited the boys admiration from ih'
6Tsi, and he had done all in his power
by presents Of frnit, etc, to win hi
friendship. SO we'll did he succeed tina
the ,ailor offered to smuggle him abonr'
Of the vessel, secrete him till she sailed
and then, when il was too late to d
ANYTHING about II, introduce him to IN
CAPTAIN. This func,ionary, the sailo
intimatcd. would be likely to give hir
fosRing which would quite eclipse an
Of his previous experience in that line
but he wa. convinced tina, all woul
thereafter be serene. Nick accepted tn
sailors proposition, and was soon ly in
Ia . p.rticul.rly inconsenisnt corner {
the hold. in utter darkness, and in III
mids, OF an uncomforlably -smsllin
cargo. Nybody discovered him, thoug
the search for him extended even to d
vessel in which he wa, hidden. and h
Giend. the polychromaiic sailor, kel
him we'll supplied with food and waite
Inad day or two the friaa.e sailed, and
.oen "A .bs v.s out Of sight, of Lar
Niel w,,btougb, ON deck by hispatro
xho pr..sn,.d him 40 tho Captain as
.,ox..r,v Tha, worthy At oncs knoc
al Nick down. then hauled him M
the collar with an enthusiasm whi,
,sgr,g.,sd Il from the res, Of IN, co,
and heat him iii his arm ached. TIL
hs .wore nj, Nick for half an .bour in
blood chilling manne, hut "A the GA,
uero all In French they didn't hurt
He wa. then ordered into the maint
an cool off anJs as, he sat there abe
The n;,ch;nv deck and began 10 be :,
1T 4. ,,onaa,.d ,sha,hs- ,ba char
70. t;s ,h ,cp h,d
- Lei. .,ad An. A
o,,wo wb;ch 10 passsd "a much out
,hec.,,.;n, ,.na. ~ v;.;on .s no.s;l
N;.L ;n.,.,,ad a, c,b;n.hov
..;,od "a. s,s, n.r,;c,i Lnow,sds.
s.,,-I;. a.. c.,,.s,,, H.. .ooor
~ 81. an.nI.,. "a .word .nd c.,rv
~. .,,,,oon .,o,rd .o,,;no an occ.s;
Al aos,;n, from, nj, n,,,,n--wbo b,,
$780,, 81. ~ hnnso, IA a..
N.-,,- a.. - -. /;