Wichita eagle., 1886-09-02
9ai1sR eagle
HELD FOR RANSOM.

"In 1853" said Thomas Thompson, "after I
had been ill of fever for two months at
Georgetown, British Guiana, general trader
at that rort named William Chester fitted out
a small schooner to proceed up the river Es-
sequibo to barter for the native products of
the country. A berth was offered me, end l
was only too glad to accept it.
1.-THE craft which orr owner fitted out was
an old coaster which had been wrecked or
condemned and sold at auction. The schooner
was provided with two small boats, which
were old and patched AS to the cargo, sup
pose it was ali right, and there was no reason
to doubt that the captain, whose name was
Larkins, and the mate, whose name was
Wardell, were sailor men and knew their
business We numbered twelve men aboard,
there being nine OF us before the mast.
We were only on or voyage two days
when we discovered the reason Of our being
so full handed. When the wind was not
favorable we were expected to tow the
schooner, and after day or two this back
breaking work was put upon as q regular
duty.
"After getting above the last military post
we were among the natives, with only our
selves to depend upon, and while we 6iscov-
boats were always provided with muskets,
and when we came to anchor ct night
strong watch was kept, and we made ready
against a surprise, After the first four days
we began barteriig for pelts, roots, gums,
woods and the like, and everything was
plain sailing. 1t was on the tenth day out,
at about nid-afternoon, that trouble came.
We were towing the schooner ahead against
sluggish current, in q portion of the river
split into several channels by bars. was Or
dered into the small boat, along with James
Keys and William Price, sailor men, to sound
a channel and pick out q berth for the night.
While the schooner was being held by the
yawl, we forged ahead around a bend in the
river. and the thick forest shut out the craft
from our vision. 1t wasn't two minutes
after We lost sight of the schooner before
three canoes, each holding five natives,
dashed out ct us from the mouth Of the creek.
The black fellows made no noise, but padded
full at Us. This put Us in a fix, yoa understand
There had been no hostilties as yet, and it
would not do to fire upon them, though, on
the other hand, we couldn't understand why
they were making for Us in that manner. We
didn't have more than four or five minutes to
spare. l was sounding, while Keys and
Price We're rowing. Price dropped his oar
ard raised a Elusllet, but we protested, and
he laid it down again. Next moment we
Were surrounded, and dozen of the fellows
had their hands on our boat. They were
armed with bows and arrows and old British
muskets. While they offered us no violence,
we could plainly understand from their ges-
lures that we were prisoners. They took the
oars Gnd muskets from our boat, and in the
course Of five minutes we found ourselves
in the stream from which they had first APP
peared.
"'Mates,' says /, as we were being towed
ashore, its plain enough nat we have been
made prisoners and disarmel 1t doesn't APP
pear, however, that they mean us any great
harm, and it will perhaps be our wisest plan
not to provoke them to violence
II expected we would he landed on the
bank Of the creek, but in place of that two of
the natives came into the yawl, her painter
was taken by one of the canoes, and we went
up the creek at a smart pace. The forest was
SO dense on either side that it was twilight in
there, and we could hardly see each others
faces. The creek was about thirty feet wide
and quite deep. We were about half n mile
from the river when we heard the report of a
musllet. The gun had been fired on board
tho schooner for a recall. The report some
what excited the natives, and at the COM
mand of their chief they pulled ahead the
faster. Price was man of hot temper, and
when he had recovered his wits and realized
that We were being carried off. he advised
that we make fight for our liberty. While
it might be tbs the natives understood few
words Of English, it is more likely that the
tone of his voice and his excitement gave
them the cue. One of the fellows in the yaw!
with us had a musket, and he cooked it and
held the weapon within /. foot of my mates
breast. That was 10 warn him that any
move on his part would be his own death,
and he soon subsided.
Il think we must have gone up the river
fully eight miles before we came to their vii
lage. 1t was not on the bank of the stream,
but half q mile away, and approached by
such tortuous paths through the dense forest
that it was plain to understand they were a
warlike and strategic tribe, and that ell the
redcoats in British Guiana could not success
fully attack the place. Each path, as l after
ward came to know, was defended by sort
Of abatt;s. and a sentinel or scout was always
on duty. Our advent into the village created
but little surprise, and this mostly among the
women and children. This was pretty good
proof that the sight of white man was no
novelty to the men. We were held under
guard on piece Of vacant ground within the
village for a few minutes while one of the
natives went off to see the chief; and during
this interval ! said to the men:
"'It is true, mates that we have been made
prisoners, but we must hope for the best. 1t
is most likely, from the locks of everything,
that we are being held for ransom. In case
we are separated here and one of us has the
luck to get away. let him take tho creek for
his compass to get back to the river
"Price growled back in an angry tone, say
ing that but for me we could have beaten
them of, but Keys was silent. l think he
was considerably overcome by our situation
After bit the native returned, and we were
separated and marched OFF in different direc-
tions. l was conducted to small hut, which
appeared to have been empty for some time,
and left alone in the darkness. There was no
door to shut on me, nor was anyone left as
guard, but | kept my eyes open as we entered
the village and knew that it would be ignpos-
sible for me TO find my way out. l found a
bed of leaves and branches, flung myself
upon it, and after a few minutes given TO
thinking over the situation l fell asleep and
it was sun-up before l opened my eyes. 4
native had already entered the hut with my
breakfast, which consisted of a stew in which
the meat might have been monkey for all l
could tell or cared. He also brought Gala
bash of water, some ground nuts of pleasant
taste. and species OF fruit resembling the
American mandrake. l was eating break
fast when heard q great shouting and saw
men running, but it was half an hour before
learned the cause Of the excitement. A ma
tlvc then conducted me to the house of the
chief, where found Keys, greatly agitated.
On the ground beside him was a heap of