Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-11-21

village garden, aud one day after hao
finished nv job and was working IN TINS
pnden the woman who had exhibited
such kindness on my first arrival came
out to me and told me that had been
sold to the ruler of another island to the
east of US. And hour before her coming
I had seen large native craft put In,
and could not doubt that she belonged
TO nv new owner. The woman's oolect
in warning me was that might take TO
the woods, but hesitated to go. knew
the forests to ABOUND with venomous
reptiles and savage wild beasts, and
would be defenceless. And, too, had
heard that the Dyaks and other interior
tribes were as bad or worse than the Mall
lays, and to cut and run would mean
walking into their hands. 1t was In the
afternoon when the woman came out.
continued work until almost shutdown,
and then decided 20 hide out and see if
could not steal a sampan during the
night and be off. Our ruler was giving
feast to the other, and revelry ran high.
1t was owing to this fact ! made the
move I did, hoping l woald not be
missed.
1t had come ten o'clock at night, and
1 was about to quit my hiding place and
90 to the beach when there came sud
den, an awful explosion. l was on my
feet and was thrown down, and during
the next minute the air seemed to be
choked with flaming brands, while many
boards and sticks fell around me. When
I stood up and looked down into the viii
lage I saw only great heap Of debris,
and that was on fire. / at once fastened
to the spot. A few people were rushing
around in a crazy way, and others were
lying on the ground and shouting over
the pain of their injuries. l could not
see one single hut standing. soon fig
ured out what had happened. The
liquors and the powder were kept in the
same storehouse. Some one had been
sent for more drink, and his carelessness
had caused an explosion. No one paid
the slightest attention to me, and after
few minutes ran down to the beach.
There were plenty of sampans there, and
I selected one and hastily showed off.
The big craft was at anchor below me,
and when | had passed her it occurred to
me that her crew were all on shore, and
that I could board her and secure pro-
visions. put about and ran alongside.
She was taking care of herself, and, as l
felt her Juggling at her anchor, and re-
allied that the tide was going out, the
thought came to me to take her. !
didn't wait to reason about ii, but ran
forward and began saving away at the
hempen cable with the old pocketknife
which had brought with me to the
island and carefully guarded ever since.
It soon parted, and as the vessel drifted
out of the bay l worked her around with
her head off shore. She was what is
called Kampoug, fitted for both rowing
and sailing, and, boy that was, gave
her enough of the big maiHsail to send
her off shore at the rate of four or five
miles an hour. When daylight came
could not see the island from the deck,
but before sunrise l was alongside of
Java trader coming up from the South
and among friends. It was three months
before I got back to Batavia, and it was
only then that the firm knew how the
schooner was lost. Captain and crew
had believed that she slipped her moor
ings and driftea out to sea to be lost. A
year later a Malay, who had brother in
the village destroyed, told me that not
over dozen people escaped death or
serious injury. There was at least ton
of powder in the storehouse.-NeaoY York