The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-07-08
CHAPTER X.

Laksamsna Restores Princess Umba.
Laksamana, after the overthrow of the wild
man, Immediately turned his attention to the
suffering Princess. She lay quite still, and ap-
parently dead. Excitement and fear had para
lived her senses for the time. The hero stopped
over the hapless girl he raised up her head. and
though she was dreadfulIy emaciated and dis
cured with sores and filth, yet her kissed her
-=nderly as she was-well or ill, bright or foul
the only love Of HE heart. He poured a little
more water from his gOcrd canteen into her
mouth, and gradually revived her a little. He
soothed and caressed the sufferer, and urged her
to rouse up so that he could bear her away with
him, and descend the tree. But she groaned and
moaned, and prayed that he should let her die
there at once. L~aksRmana paid no heed to her
vail. He raised her up in ms arms. and by
assistinl her weak, suffering body, after some
effort, he succeeded in getting her placed on his
back. with her body bound 10 hi- body by Il band
made out OF The rags OF her c]lpthIrg, which was
passed under her arm and across her chest. and
bound n "a firm knot. Now the hero tenderly
cuaxed his lover Ia hold on with her weak arms
around his neck. fnG- equipped, and with his
dying, moaning midr upon his back, he stepped
out Of the horrible most and descended The great
tree, from limb TO limb and when he reached
the clear trunk he grasped its rough bark with
his powerful hands and with his fingers, nipped
and held on a. with a vice of iron, and with his
strong toes firmly set in the interstices of the
bark, he descended with ease and safety, and
stood on firm ground with his rescued lover on
his back. lie picked up the dagger, that had
been knocked out of his hand ,-glanced a
moment at the carcase of the dead Kuba and
then hurried away IN quest of a shelter OF trees,
near by some stream OF fountain of water, which
were plentiful in that forest.
After a little search ne found a large hollow IN
the trunk of a huge tree, more than six feet in
diameter. 1t was a den that had been used by
some wild beast. And there was a little ripping
brook of water near by. He gathered quickly a
quantity of dry moss from the trunks of old
trees, and with some dry grass, he made a couch
in the den, upon which he lay down his suffering
lover. But before he did this, be went to the
rivulet of water, and with Il gentle hand. like a
tender mother, he cleansed the body OF the sick
and helpless Princess. This he did with a
mothers tenderness and care for tie su ffering
Princess was apparently in a dying way. Then
lie collected II quantity OF long silky blades Of
grass upon the moss and dry leaves OF the couch,
made a bed for her to lie upon, and land her down
like an infant. With what fragments, or rags Of
clothing lie found upon her,-he prepared a
scant, rough covering for her person and he
partially covered her body with the soft silky
grass, 30 that she could repose, with some pro-
lection against the chilly night air, that was now
setting in.
Before darkness had fully set in, Laksamana
had collected fuel, and made a fire near the
entrance to the den and then he quickly
gathered some roots he knew, that were nourIsh-
ing and he persuaded the suffering girl to eat a
little, and to drink a little water and after a
while when she eaten a duku fruit, she became
greatly refreshed and revived.
Tie duku of Sumatra is a fruit about the size
of a water lemon, or Cikikoi). 1t has a very
thin rind or skin. which encloses a nice favored
pulp.-that is SO soft that it flows like water
into the mouth and it is said to be a good cure
for all kinds of fever. 1t would be a great bless
ing to have such a fruit in Hawaii.
After Umbra had eaten of the duku, she
began to talk Il little, and tell Laksamana of the
dreadful experience she had passed through. lie
had felt a great anguish not only on account of
her body but chiefly because be dreaded that
the horTid wild man had abused his poor love in
abominable ways. lie said something that had
disclosed to Umbra the chief source of his an
guish. She reused up a little, and spoke more
when she understood what he meant,
and said ., L~aksamana. the wild man. drag
ged me about, and worried and hurt me like IA
beast, but he never abused me as a man. | lay
helpless and moaning all the time when in his
power, like one dying. He only sought to give
me food, when he had placed me in his nest, but
| continued to lie PROSTATE, and wanted to die,
and he never touched me in the way You fear
Now Laksamana was comforted. He knew
the habits and ways of the wild men of Sumn-
who had often seized and carried off p civil
Malay woman into the depths Of the forest
and they had never had been known to ravish IA
woman with violence. 1 therefore, Laksamana
felt assured that, though his beloved Princess had
been dreadfully abused, and her body was covered
with sores on account Of it having been dragged
owe. ground among thorny bushes, and up into
the top of a lofty tree yet her v~irgirity had not
been violated. An he drew nearer to his su fer
ing bride, and then by her side in this forest den.
and upon the couch Of moss and grass, he vowed
To Umba that he was her devoted lover, husband,
and protector for evermOre and she laid her
sick, suffering head upon his broad and mighty
breast, and they twain were made one in heart
in the den of suffering in the wild forest
(TG be cOntiaued.)