The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-02-14

He took the boa;swain aside an sn
cient sea-dog like himselO and be SAT-
10 gruf whisper "My lad, thi
here amt the island laid down in 90
sliliug orders. See If mischief don
come Of disobeying orders before W.
are many days older"
Nothing in shape of mischief hap
pened that night. But at sunrise
next morning suspicious circum'
stance occurred, aud Mr.. Duueal
whispered to the boatswain What
did | tell you ?" The Captain and
the chief Of the islanders held pri
vale conference in the cab;D, and the
Captain, after FIRST forbidding any
communication With the shore until
biz return, suddenly left the ship alone
with the chief, 10 the chiefs ows ca.
zoe
VIVA: did this strange disappear.
ance mean The Captain himself,
when be took his seat in the canoe
would have been puzzled to answer
that question.
"Shall we be long time away
from the ship ~ be asked
The chief answered mysteriously :
Long time or short time, your life
depends on it, and the lives et your
men"
Padding bis light little vessel 10
silence over the smooth water inside
the reef. the chief took his visitor
ashore at a part of the island which
was quite new TO the Captain The
two crossed q raviue aud ascended
an erninence beyond There the
chief stopped, aud silently pointed
out 70 sea.
The Captain looked in the direc.
ton indicated to him, aud discovered
second an1 smaller island, lying
agav 10 the southwest at q distance
Of under two miles Taking out bis
telescope from the case by which il
was slung at his back, be examined
the place through bis glass Two oi
the native canoes were lying of the
shore OF the new island and :he
men in them appeared 70 be all kneel-
ing OF crUuchiug ia curiousiy-chosen
attitudes Shifting bis range a little,
tue CAPTAIN next beheld the figure OF
tail aud solitary man-the one in-
habllanU Of tue isiaua whom be could
discover. The man was Standing on
IGe hIgaes; point Of a rocky cope. i
Ere was burning at his feet. Now be
,IiIed bis arms sOlemBly 20 the sky
u00 be cropped some invisible fuel
into the fire. wnich made q blue
smoke and now be cast other invis-
zDie Ubjrcts into the canoes floating
Ieuealn him, which the islanders rev.
erentIy received with bodies that
croucbed 10 abject submission Low
eriog bis telescope, the Captain look
ed round at the chief for an explana-
lion. The chief gave the explanatio n
readily His language may be inter
ygeied IN these terms:
Nv underful white stranger, the
Island you see Wonder Is holy island.
As such it is Idbo0-an island sane
Jiied and set apart. The honorable
person wh 10 you notice on the rock
Is an aIl-powerfui favorfse of the gods.
lie Is hs- yocaIiDn sorceFeF. and by
rank a priest. You now see him
casting charms and blessings into the
canoes of our fisher who kneel
10 him for foe weather and great plen-
" Of FISH. If any profane person,
native or stranger, presumes 10 set
foot on that island, my otherwise
peaceable subjects will Tin the per-
formance Of a religious duty put
that person TO death. Mention this
to your men They will be fed by
my male people and fondled by nv
female people 50 long as they keep
clear of the Holy Isle As they val
ue their prohibition. Is it understood
between Us ? Wonderful white s;rag-
ger, my canoe is waiting for you. Let
us 20 back.
[ Understanding enoug OF the chiefs
language illustrated by gestures) to
receive in the right spirit the c0mmu-
nication thus addressed 10 him, the
Captain repeated the warning to the
ships company in the plainest posi-
BILE English The officers and men
then took their holiday on shore, with
the exception Of Mr. Duucslf, who
positively refused 70 leave the ship.
For twelve delightful hours they were
fed by the male people and fondled
by the female people people. nd then
they were mercilessly torn from the
flesh pots and the arms Of their new
friends. and set to work on the sandal
wood in good earnest Mr.. Duncalf
the loading, and wait
ed for the mischief that was 70 come
Of disobeying the owners orders,
with a confidence worthy Of better
cause.