The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-22

but Graham took no notice of them
We kept on until we found spot where
the water was several fathoms deep close
In to the shore, which suited Graham's
Ideas exactly. The steward, who had
pulled the stroke-oar, now took the
skipper's place at the steerlng-oar; the
two seamen moved the two after oars, to
make as much room forward as posi-
BILE; and Captain Graham took his sta
ton at the bow.
Now, Murray said he to me, 'fieet
aft onto the next thwart, turn round,
take that halfgrown cannon (the big
double-barrelled shot-gun), and stand
by TO blow the first darkey that shows
mischief clean to the devil keep both
barrels cooked and don't take your fin
gers Off the triggers for anybody or any
thing, but be kind o. careful and don't
shoot me. Pull In, boys, keep her
sterning fair out to sea, steward, and
be sure you don't let her swing broad
side on TO the beach,"
In q few moments the boats stern
touched the rocks, and the skipper con-
tinued:
Lay on your oars, men, and stand
by to stern off at once Murray keep
your weather eye lifting now, and If
| there be any ugly-lookln' move made by
the darkeys, let rip into 'em at once
there's no law here, you know, we've
| got to take care of ourselves" ("
"Do you always have to be as eau
tious as this ?" l asked.
Well, yes; at any rate, always am
| Just as cautious. There have been trad
ing-vessels taken by the natives among
these islands more than once, and 1 do
not mean that they shall have our
hooker, not through any fault of mine,
anyway"
The natives soon made their appear
ance at our landing place, but brought
no wood they were urgent that we
should return to the shoal water of the
cove, offering to bring the wood out to
the boat If we should do so. But our
Tannaman gave them to understand
plainly that if they wanted to trade they
must bring their sandal-wood to where
the boat now lay, and nowhere else.
AT this they seemed displeased, and
threatened not to trade with us at all !;
but the interpreter was not to be " bluff
ed" by them. Holding up a piece of
calico printed in the most glaring col
ors-jet black, scarlet, green, blue and
yellow, in stripes six inches wide, look
ing like rainbow gone mad-he told
them, in their own lingo:
"All right you keep your wood, and
we'll keep this splendid tappa.'"
The sight of the gorgeous calico was
too much for the natives (no wonder /;
one look at it was enough to upset al
most anybody, and very soon the san
dal-wood began to arrive at the boat.
Now the trade commenced. Old
Daisy on the shore, and our Tannaman
in the boat, kept up an unearthly jab-
bering, each depreciating the others
wares and praising up his own, after the
manner of more civilized nations; and
Captain Graham excited the covetous
ness of the blacks by holding up the
marvellous calico, brandishing the huge
castiron knives, or letting handful oi
glass beads, as big as marbles, run from
his hand into a tin pan. But a dozen
times, while the trade was progressing
he drew my attention to my own par
: ticular duty, by saying
"Mind what you've got hold of, Muir
ray; we're depending an almighty 10
on you."
So did " mind what had hold of,
: though / could not detect any arm
; among the natives except their clubs.
At last we had received as much of tn
wood as our boat could carry, and Ora
ham invited old Daisy to go off with u
to the schooner, promising him glas
of whisky. To any one who has eve
e been among these islands, it is needles
e to say that old Daisy accepted the invi
!. tation, and soon slowed himself ava.
s on the top of the sandal-wood. AS al
; was now ready for our return to tn
e schooner, 1 laid my gun down to TAX
my oar; but before L could touch tn
latter, Graham spoke to me in way
make me pick up the gun again, prett
= quick
u g Look out, Murray d-nation, mar
n keep your gun and your place till wei
y clear of the shore; do you want thes
black devils to knock out all our brains
> Stern, the after oar, stern Off into dee
I watprs don Il Law her round VET ateV