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

guessed nj once Gnab III
would. float on the air. The combination
of colors which have no language at my
command to describe was so de icate
and rare that L said, in reply to Old
Davy's queries, that Nature must have
made but one feather of its kind and
then broken the moulds.
The old mana sailor and adventurer
from boyhood, who had but lately quit
the sea-smiled at my praise, and took
the feather from my hand.
"It would have caught you, too |" he
laughed. "rhis feather has no mate in
the wide, wide world-none that 1 know
of, at least, he added. "Now what do
you think it cost2"
had to say frankly that l did not
know.
"1t cost nine human lives; nine brave
men and lot of friends" answered Old
Davy, with n momentary flash in his
eyes, which his seventy years had not
dimmed. "Having gone thus far think
you must have the story of that wonder
full feather. | don't tell it very often
because / don't show it to everybody.
"I was the youngest soul on board the
Pearl when she sailed ON her last and
ill-fated voyage to the Aru Islands. 1t
was then, as now, o long voyage, and
the vessel that came back with none of
her crew lapce-pierc9d OF arrow-slain
was recko2ed fortunate.
'"The Aru group lies south Of New
Guinea and abounds in many articles
of commerce. Fifty years ago there was
demand among the markets of Europe
for pearl shells aud the feathers of the
hir1 &c ,,a,oJicn onI Go,,foin n,et,,
who had IL large interest in our ship,
resolved to load her with the choicest
of these commodities.
1--WE reached the Aru coast after
long sail, and came to anchor in little
cove sheltered by high banks, but not
Mt the point where We expected to do
our trading with the natives. Though
we had dropped into the cove without
any warning of our presence, in short
time the surface of tho water was Gov
cred with canoes, filled with the dark
and wild looking inhabitants of the
country. They climbed upon the dock
by means of the chains, and in little
while were everywhere, chattering like
lot of monkeys.
Captain Dustin was always on the
lookout for something rare. He had
cole ted on former voyages to the South
Sea some of the most beautiful bird
skins L had ever seen, and nothing
would excite him 80 much as rare
feather. l believe then, as do still,
that he won!d have rowed n thousand
miles in an open boat for n peculiar
plume such rs he had never seen before.
An old and enthusiastic genius was the
captain of the Pearl.
GAS the people who swarmed the ship
were given to pilfering, Captain Dustin
stationed guards about deck and these
kept the dusky thieves ut bay. But
somehow or other Jan old man, who APP
peared to he person of authority, man
aged to reach the captains cabin, and
before he could be ordered out he placed
on the table the magnificent feather you
have just examined.
81 do not know what effect the first
sight of the feather had on Captiu Dus-
tin, but when l met him soon afterward,
his eyes seemed to dance with excite
ment. He called number of the ships
officers and crew together in the little
cabin, and for the first time we gazed
on the fatal feather of the South Sea.
"There was from the first n slight
difference of opinion among us. 1t did
not seem possible that n feather of such
beauty had grown from the back of u
bird, and some of the officers said that
its exquisite hucs were the production
of skilled native artist. To end the
dispute Captain Dustin submitted the
feather to the Pearls naturalist This
individual put the prize to various tests,
one of which was immersing it in a
solution which he prepared for the pur-
pose, but it came from the ordeal as
light and beautiful as when the old
patiyo presented it to The Captain.