Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-11-07

Zuba poured out his appeal
The hound lies. he exclaimed.
argily. When they take the ivory to
the coast they will be paid and sent back
home.
But see here, Torres, | interrupted.
| for | was beginning to get an inkling of
the state of the case You know we'll that
| these natives are not safe within a hundred
miles of the coast. 1t looks to me as
| though you had deceived them, whether
you intended to sell them to the Arabs or
not. They are certainly ignorant of their
real peril, =
The Portuguese grew confused, and
/ tried to stammer out some explanation.
but | made up my mind at once that it was
a clear case OF treachery.
! 1t was an extremely perilous situation
| all around and one that called for prompt
action. at once ordered the arrest of the
two Portuguese and before they could
think of resistance my marines had dis
armed them and pinioned their limbs.
! The delighted negroes crowded aroundus
with cries of gratitude, but | soon con-
WINGED them that their danger was by no
means over ! could not hberate and let
/ them go, for the bands Of slave hunters
that roamed the country would soon have
| seized them; so my only course was to take
them on board the guuboat and let the
authorities Of the Racer decide their fate.
| now had no doubt at all that Torres and
CASTILLO had intended to sell them into
slavery, and ! felt highly elated at my cap
! ture of these Portuguese slave hunters.
At my command huba and his duslly
| friends took up their burdens of ivory,
and we started back along the rough trail,
Torres and Castillo marching sullenly be-
tween two marines
| noticed that they turned their heads
aside from time to time in a strange man
ner and my suspicious were aroused.
Zuba was watchful and uneasy. and
crept along some distance ahead of the
column closely inspecting the Jungle on
all sides. We had retraced half the dis
tance back when he hurried towards us,
waving his arm frantically, while the
leopard skin tapped about his IONS
Arabs. heap Arabs he gasped, and
his face showed the deadly terror he felt
He tried to talk, but could only utter
inarticulate sounds and point with his
trembling hands.
The negroes with a wall Of terror,
dashed down their ivory and prepared to
flee
''Shoot the first man that runs cried.
Now into the bushes quick, all of you.'
The jungle was heavy at this point, and
in moment our party was hidden beneath
its cover, and none too soon, for we could
already hear voices in front.
My force was small. as | have said. and
/ preferred, if possible to escape a conflict
with the Arabs, whose number was uncer-
tain, and cain the gunboat with my pris-
oners. The negroes were unarned, with
the exception of Zuba, who carried a great
knife, SO | put them in the rear of the
marines and left the Portuguese in Iuba 5
care.
We scarcely yentured to breathe, but
rouched down to the ground holding our
| arms in readiness for an attack. The
dreadful sounds came nearer, and soon,
peering out through the bushes we SAW a
formidable body of Arabs passing along
the path. Their leader was powerful
fellow with huge scar across his face,
and all of them bore guns and had pistols
stuck in their belts. while every man car
ried bunch Of chains that clanked harshly
as they hurried past.
The party was a large one, comprising
forty or fifty men. and their presence here
made the guilt of the Portuguese as plain
as day They We're fastening to an APP
pointed rendezvous
All would have probably gone well, and
the negroes would have reached the gun
boat in safety, but as the rear guard Of the
Arabs fled past. suddenly Torres gave a
loud shout. Before he could repeat it Iuba
feled him to the ground, but it was too
late; the mischief was already done,
The Arabs grouped together for mo-
ment in CONSERVATION, and as they hesitated
one of my men, in his excitement. exposed
his body His uniform betrayed our char
acter, and the Arabs, spurred on by their
fierce hatred Of the English, poured a ran
dom of fire into the jungle.
One Of the marines fell and terrible
cries Of agony arose from the poor blacks.
Then we gave them an answering volley,
and with deadly effect. But, reckless Of
danger. they closed up and swept dcwn
upon us in a dense mass.
Our fire raked down the foremost row,
but their onslaught was so fierce that we
fell back towards the river and gained the
shelter Of heavy timber, where from behind
trees we picked off the reckless Arabs that
exposed themselves to our fire, Encum-
bered with helpless negroes, our situation
was desperate
concluded to retreat still nearer the
creek. for the firing must shortly bring as
sistance from the guuboat The Portu-
euese were dragged resistingy along and
soon we reached comparatively open
space where already the forest began tc
siope towards the water,
But the crafty Arabs had stolen a march
on us. for as we started to cross the open
d Struggling FIRE was poured in on MS from
all sides. and the poor negroes began e
fall thickly. 1t was more than they could
stand. and in frantic terror they scattered
and fed directly into the midst O
their foes. They were lost J saw at a
glance.
Every second was precious, and we were
; about to make a dash for the creek, when
hearty cheer arose above the din, and NJ
the slope came a file Of marines, led bl
Lieut. Osborne, and driving the Arabs t
right and left. We joined forces ans
charged the enemy, who fed in confusion
but, sad to say bore off with them half q
we found Castillo lying dead. with ;