Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-02-19
CHAPTER Ill
DOCTOR ANTEKIRTT.


There are people who give . good
deal of employment to fame-that woman
of a hundred mouths whose trumpets
blare forth their names towards the
four cardinal points of the Garth.
This was so in the case OF the cele-
brated Doctor Antekirtt. who had Just
arrived in the harbor of Gravosa. His
arrival had been signalized by an Incl
dent which would have been enough to
attract public attention to the most
ordinary traveller And he was not An
ordinary traveller.
For several years there had been
woven around Doctor Antekirtt q sort OF
legend in all the legendary countries oil
the extreme Fast Asia from the Oar
dauelles to the Suez Canal Africa from
Suez to Tunis. the Red Sea along the
whole Arab coast resounded with his
name rs that Of II man of extraordinary
knowledge in the physical sciences, .
sort of gnostic or taleb who possessed
the last secrets of the universe. In
earlier times he would have been called
nn Epiphane, in the countries of the
Fuphrates he would have been veneer
nted as "A descendant of the ancient
Magians.
How much OF this reputation was
undcseryed? All that would make tho
MaSian magician, all that would attri-
butte to him supernatural power. The
truth is thai Doctor Antekirtt was .
man, nothing but a man of high educa-
ton, powerful mind, shrewd Judgment
great penetration and marvellous perspi-
cacity, who had been remarkably served
by circum itances. For example, in ono
of the central provinces of Asia Minor
he had been able, by n discovery of his
own, to save n whole population from q
terrible epidemic up 10 then considered
90 be contagious; and in consequences
his fame was unequalled
One thing that contributed to his
celebrity was the impenetab.e mystery
which surrounded him. Whence came
he? No one knew. What had been his
history? None could say. Where hal
h. lived and now? All that was certain
NJ mt Doctor Antekirtt was that he was
nipred 10y the people in Asia Minor md
Ia tern Africa, that he was held 10 be Q
physician OF wonderful skill, that the
report OF his extraordinary cures had
even reached the great scientific centres
oil Europe, and that his attentions were
rs freely bestowed on the poorest as on
the richest men and pashas of these pro-
vluces. But he had never been seen in
the West, and for many years his place
OF residence was unknown and hence
the propensity to regard him as some
mysterious avatar. some Hindoo incer-
nation, some supernatural being curing
by supe rnatural means.
But if Doctor Antekirtt had not vet
pIacticed his art in the principal States
of Europe, his reputation had preceded
him. Although he had only arrived at
Ragusa as an ordinary traveller
wealthy tourist yachting in the Mediter-
ranean-the news of his arrival soon
spread through the town and the acct
dent SO narrowly prevented by the cour-
age of Cape Matifou had had the effect
of still further arousing the public
attention.
The yacht would have done credit TO
the wealthieSt and most fastidious of
nautical spIrtsmen. Her two masts
without rake and placed we'll amidships
thus giving her the full benefit OF .
large mainsail and fore-staysail her
long bowsprit with its two jibs. her yards
on the foremast and her powerful spars
were designed for sail plan that would
drive her at immense speed. She was,
rs we have said, schooner of about
three hundred and fifty tons. OF long,
fine lines, neither too broad in the beam,
nor too deep in the draught but Of
ample stability, she was n craft that in q
seaman's hands could be depended on in
nil weathers. In decent breeze, either
on or off the wind, she could easily reel
off her thirteen knots an hour, and
would have held her own in a match
with any of the crack cruisers of the
British clubs.
Her interior fittings we're in keeping
with her external appearance. The
whiteness OF her Canadian pine deck,
without knot in its plsnking, her com
panions md skyligt's of teak with their
brasswork as bright as gold. her beauti-
fully carved helm, her spare spars under
their white cases, her tsut halliards and
running rigging contrasting in color
with her galvanized iron shrouds and
stays. her vanished boats hanging grace
fully from their davits, the brilliant
black of her hull relieved only by plain
gold riband combined TO make her
vessel of exquisite taste and extreme
elegance.
This yacht is Of considerable import
ance in our story She was the floating
home Of that mysterious personage-i.s
hero. Below, luxury strove with COM
fort The cabins and saloons we're deco
rated regardless of cost The carpets
end hangings and the rest Of the furni-
ture we're ingeniously adapted for all
the requirements of pleasure NAVIGATION
and this was shown not only in the
cab ns but even in the pantry. where the
silver and porcelain services we're kept
secure from the movement Of the ship,
in the galley which was picture OF
Dutch cleanliness, and in the crews
quarters. The men. numbering about
twenty, were dressed like Maltese sailors,
with short trousers, sea boots, striped
shirts. brown Wristbands. red caps and