Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-28
A QUEER RACE.
By WILLIAM WESTEL.

"Oh, dear, mop 1 answered, laughing.
He only struck match. A little splin-
ter Of wood, you see. The substance at
the end is mixture Of phosphorus and
some other chemical substances, which
ignites when slightly rubbed Dot again,
Tom"
Tom did it again.
"MarTelousp exclaimed the senior, ex-
aiming match. "a recent invention, 1
presumes The progress of enlightenment
Ali ali! Would you kindly let me try3"
l said yes, of course, and sent Tom for
more matches, as well as vestas and fusees,
and showed how they were struck on the
boxes; but both Mr.. Field and his friend
preferred the boatswain's method, and
proceeded to practice it forthwith. They
had, however, a slight difficulty to contend
with in the extreme smoothness of their
neither garments, which rendered neces-
sary in the act of striking a rapid move
ment of the right hand. At the outset
they failed somewhat ANONYMOUSLY. The
elder gentleman raised his leg rather too
too high, and, striking at the same time,
lost his balance, and falling against Mr..
Fame (who had also his leg in the air., both
rolled on the deck together, rather to the
discontinue of the senior; but the younger
man laughed heartily, and they were up
again before you could have said "Jack
Robinson" springing to their feet without
using their hands.
After this / gave each of them a box,
which they accepted with unaffected de-
light Then I produced a revolver, and
fired several shots in rapid succession; but,
though the weapon both surprised and de-
lighted them, and they remarked how use
full it would be in warfare, they were evil
IDENTIFY less impressed with it than they had
been by the striking of the match on old
Toms trousers.
"Have you any other arms on board?"
asked Field-as thought, rather anxious
ly.
'FNot many rifles and neutrality-suspicious.
dozen of each. They belonged to the
captain and passengers. But I think there
are few cases of muskets in the hold"
"And ammunition?"
"Well, we have a very miscellaneous
cargo, and believe | heard the captain say
there was gunpowder in it. don't know
how much; but I can easily find out by
looking at the manifest"
With that I went into the cabin, and re-
turned with the document in question.
"Yes,'' l said, looking at it. "There are
ten barrels in the magazine"
eve will buy it from you," he returned,
eagerly. "Indeed, l think we should be
disposed to buy from you the whole cargo
possibly the ship itself"
"They are not mine to SELL" answered,
rather taken aback by this suggestion.
"All the same, the ship is here without
any possibility, so far as I can see, of get
ting away. | have right to do the best l
can for the owners and underwriters, and
you may have anything the ship contains,
or all she contains"
This was making virtue of necessity;
for if the piebald people thought fit to ap-
propriate every article on board, it was
evident that old Tom and could do moth
ing to hinder them.
Whatever we take we shall give you
full value for, either in gold or pearls"
said Mr.. Field.
This was satisfactory, so far as it went;
and it was interesting to know that the
piebalds possessed gold and pearls; but
how I could turn them to account in that
Outlandish place, CT how l should get back
to Liverpool, did not seem quite clear.
Nevertheless, l thanked Mr.. Field warmly
for his obfiging assurance, and added that
[ should leave the matter entirely in his
hands (again making a virtue of necessity
SIT is not in my hands," he observed,
gravely; 81 speak only as an individual
member of the council; yet Ihave no doubt
that my colleagues and Queen Nab will
gladly profit by the opportunity which you
so kindly place at their disposal. And
now, my dear sir, if it be quite agreeable
to you, we will get into the boat and shape
our course for Fairhaven.'
Desiring nothing better, I answered
promptly in the affirmative. My appetite
was whetted with what I had seen and
heard, and I was eager to know more Of
the queer race TO whose remote home had
drifted.