The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-02-08


cur which he expects to find at large anC
unprotected. In some parts Of Europe
scarcely winter passes without visit
from the wolves, and the smaller dog'
are nearly always the first victims
Sweeping through the village at dusk OF
daybreak, they snap up and bear off,
without stopping, some bowling mongreI
unable to get out Of their way in time
An INCIDENT or GEN. McCLELLAN'h
NILE TRIP.
AS an instance of the dread inspired
b. the authorities, l will mention a cir
cumstance that occurred to US. Between
Gebel ell Tayy and Minieh we were sail
ing rapidly, with strong north wind
that made the river very rough, when
Achmet called me to the deck. The
river in front was covered with native
vessels, and some four or five hundred
yards ahead was group floating down
the river, standing on and cIinging to
something Just below the surface. AS
some native boats we're close to these
people, and heading toward them, we
did not doubt that they would relieve
them, when, to our surprise and horror,
they passed on without an effort to aid
them, and the poor Wretches foated past,
shrieking and imploring help. OF
course, we at once let 60 the sheet, and
sent our sandal after the drowning men.
Our sandal and that of the "Zarifa" sue
ceeded in rescuing all, after they had
fOated down about a mile further, and
we soon had them on board. There
were thirteen, of various cOlors and con-
ditions-amOng them woman. They
had been three hours in the water, and
were nearly dead with cold and fright.
From all that we could learn, more than
that number persisted before we saw
them. Some of them were merchants
en- route to Cairo to make purchases, and,
in their alarm, had thrown away con-
siderable sums of money. Our sailors
were very prompt in saving them, and,
when we had them on board, were as
kind as possible in giving them food,
drying their clothes, etc. Scores Of ma
tive boats must have passed close by
them without an attempt at rescue.
Soon after they were safely on our boat,
Achmet told me that the crew were
anxious that | should shield them from
any harm for their good action. Nat
urally, l was astonished, when it at
length appeared that the cause of ap-
prehensOn was the same that had pre-
vented the native boats from rendering
assistance. 1t was the fear that, had any
persisted, all who took part in the de-
liverance would be thrown into prison as
witnesses; and once get a man into pris-
on, no matter for what cause, his chances
of egress are faint indeed. The fear of
the authorities is so great, that these
naturally kind hearted men will see a
creature die rather than incur the
risk OF saving him. Itappeared that the
woman had been to Minieh to visit her
son, mere lad, who was in prison. Her
story was, that the shiek of her village
had given him some order which he had
forgotten to execute, wheIeupon, as the
readiest method of improving his memory
for the future, the sheik choked him
until he fell senseIess. Therefore, his
brothers and sisters thinking
him dead ,hOwled as Orientals only can;
50, by way of teaching the family not to
make fuss about trifes, the sheik sent |
the boy to prison for two months When
the governor of Minieh called in the
evening, and expressed his thanks fer
the rescue Of the people, asked the
favor of the boys release, provided the
story were true. Next day he
was released, and ] was informed that
his sentence IF two months imprison.
ment had been for teigning death!