The Grenada gazette., 1888-04-28

| ~'-N S'.~ -SshutSS WiACh SuC W6<
backed away from the schooner. and
as she moved dose Of canister from
one Of the guns killed five or 81,
natives, who stood over and Just be.
hind me. Again. after we were con.
cealed by the fog, another discharge
tore off corner of the raft and killed
two more men. / could hear the shout.
and cheers Of my shipmates, and
knew We were one of the last partie,
to withdraw from the attack. The
schooner had come out Of it very hand.
somely. having, as soon learned. in.
flicted terrible damage on the pirates.
After getting away from the vessel
we were Joined by boats and RATS car.
rying nearly hundred men. and q
good third of these were wounded. All
made for the entrance Of the bay, and
it was only when out of cannon shot
that the fury of the pirates over their
bloody repulse broke loose. My pres.
ence seemed to be forgotten for the
time, and it was lucky for me that such
was the case. There were several fights
among the survivors on our raft, and
it appeared that all those in authority
had been killed.
In about an hour after getting out OF
the bay, and all the time progressing
slowly to the north under paddle, we
ran into the mouth Of creek and
landed in village, the Inhabitants OF
which were awake and alert. My feet
were united and / was roughly jerked
to standing position, and when it be-
came known through the village that a
prisoner had been taken the excite
ment increased to fever heat. But for
a very old man, who was probably =
superannuated chief, l should have
been cut to shreds at the first rush.
Everybody but this old man seemed to
have an insane desire to kill me, and
why he should try to prevent them was
a mystery to me. However. by voice
and arm he kept them off until cooled
down, and then made them speech.
After that l was conducted to hut,
and guards were placed at the open.
ing.
Next morning it was made plain to
me why my life was spared the night
before. An hour after daylight stout
crotched limb was driven into the
ground a few yards in front of my hut.
Then a long. stou: pole was laid in the
crotch. 1t worked exactly like an old
fashioned we'll sweep, but instead of
the bucket they were to use my body.
Fuel was gathered and fire kindled,
and l figured it out that the men at
the other end of the sweep or lever
were to hold me suspended over the
fame, taking due care that my suffer-
ings were drawn out as long rs posi-
BILE. When I came to see the villagers
by daylight ! had no hope whatever Of
my life being spared. They were not
only the most villainous lot a white
man ever saw collected together, but
many of those who returned from the
attack were grievously wounded and
bent on vengeance.
1t was about two hours after day.
break that I was pulled out of the hut
and roughly jerked along toward the
fire. Every man, woman and child in
the village was in the circle around
me, and the benign old man of the
night before now licked his chops like
a hungry tiger, and approached to give
directions. My hands were united. and
two natives helped me off with my
clothes. As my shirt came off the old
man, who stood IN front of me, flung
up his hands and cried: Gonna! On.
ma y at the same time pointing to the
mark on my breast. His exclamation
was taken up by others, and five or six
If the oldest men came forward to in
'pect the mark. A minute later they
signed to me to resume my clothing,
md was taken to the old mans hut,
md a hearty breakfast was given me.
he not only smiled at me as soft as
nolasses, but patted me on the back
many times After | had eaten was
AIKEN out on the open ground, and ev-
ry person in the village filed past and
ouchad one Of my hands. Then every
man came and touched my
hirt over the mark, and was asked
" signs to remain in the village and
'ecome head man. l replied in the
egative, adding that l desired to re.
urn to the schooner right away. There
'as a kindly attempt to induce me to
emain. and when it was seen that
'ould not, was conducted through
he woods by an easy path to the bay.
ot a farewell all around. and was then
added off to the schooner by single
ative in a canoe. do not know to
MS day the significance of those queer
,arks in India ink. but suspect they
,late to some Indian superstition. The
we and the servility of the pirates
,uld not have been greater had l been
native king.-N. y. Sun. I