Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-06-27

GAS we advanced we plunged deeper
and deeper into q south sea, terra in
cognita. More than once | wished my
self out of the muddle, and would have
given everything l possessed to have
been back in my bank on board the
Pearl. But we were lin for it, and
there was no going back.
"At last low command from Captain
Dustin halted us. Boys, said he, and
at the same time | felt my hand taken
and pressed hard in the darkness,
Boys, our guide is gone
ga deep silence followed the Captain s
words. We We're in the Stygian heart
of forest of screw pines and palms,
and our surroundings were of such u
shade that one could not see his hand
before his face. Alone in such wood,
and deserted by the guide We knew
what that meant.
"For five minutes we stood together
without even SO much as whispered
word. No one seemed to break the
stiffness, and am sure we pitied rather
than blamed Captain Dustin.
Suddenly there came through the
forest the long and plaintive cry of n
night bird, peculiar to the Aru islands.
"' 1T is signal 7 said the captain.
Let us attempt to reach the beat.
"With heavy hearts we started back.
No one spoke. Captain Dustin held
my hand, and every now and then a
fervid pressure told me that / was occu-
pying his thoughts. All ut once the
whole forest resounded with hideous
cries Weapons which we could not
see-lances, arrows, and missiles of
every descripticn-hurled through the
air, tearing the large leaves of the palms
and bruising the heavy trunks.
Forward 7 cried the steady voice of
Captain Dustin. Let every man draw
his pistol, and if the foe is seen pay him
back for the work of the false feather 7
Fortunately, no one had been in
iured by the flying barbs, which had
been aimed too high; but this good
luck could not be expected to last. For
some distance we forged ahead almost
entirely surrounded by the natives.
Presently the enemy closed in before
us, and Captain Dustin dropped my
hand. On every side there were now
long finctipped reeds held by the Pau
puans, whose black, naked bodies and
frowsy heads we could plainly see.
"When the captain left me he raised
both hands, and the next instant he was
firing at our foes. Straightway all of
us began TO pepper the black figures,
which lively work drove them off, and
we mado another dash for the shore. A
perfect rain of spears fell upon us in
turn, and Captain Dustin pitched for
ward and dropped on his face.
"'Don't leave the captain cried
some one behind me, and in spite of the
shower of death that interposed, we
seized his wrists and dragged him along.
while we confronted rs best we could
the black demons yelling at our heels.
From the spot of the captains wound
ing it was desperate hand-to-hand
fight for life, and when the few of us
left of tho original twenty reached the
cliffs, we plunged headlong down
toward the lights dancing ON the waters
of the cove.
"The rest of the PEARLS crew had
heard the firing and come to the rescue,
and amid shower of iron from the
banks we gained the boats with Captain
Dustin, but left eight men in the hands
of the natives. The next day the cap
tain died from his wounds, deeply de-
ploring the enthusiasm which had let n
rascal deceive him, for young Paupaun
whom we took prisoner told us that we
had been drawn into the snare by q
painted feather-a device which, accord
ing to his story, had entrapped others
before us.
"Such was the cost of the feather
whose beauty forty years have not tarn-
ished. The Pearl never went back to
the fatal cove, for she was burned at sea
soon afterward, and the only bit of
property with which ! escaped was the
feather which has the strange and
thrilling history I have just told. -
[Dlake's Magazine.