Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-11-07
A NEW ZEALANDER'S AIM.

Overheard with himi Away with the
Jonah; let him swim ashore for his lifel
Words like these broke from many of
the foremast hands, mostly Portuguese
and Spaniards, aboard the ship Canton,
one moonlight night, while she lay be-
calmed off a small reef girt island in the
Pacific Ocean.
The person who had been unfortunate
enough to awaken Jacks superstitious
notion that he was Jonah "-one who
would bring bad luck to the vessel-was
tall long haired New Zealander, with
big brass rings in his ears; with black
eyes, as round as q cats, and a broad
square face, the latter grotesquely COW
cred with tattoo marks. which certainly
gave sort OF weird fiendish aspect to
his visage. He had been picked up,
weeks ago, from canoe, which had evil
IDENTIFY been blown out to sea, and which,
containing line and harpoon, showed
that the occupant had been hunting for
whales or creatures of that kind Not a
word of English could he speak, and it
was his strange way of talking to him
self and gesticulating, with other pecul-
iarities, which had impressed his ship
mates with the foolish belief already
s.svssslSned re-,e-rs
Now, as they rushed toward him, to
carry out their design of throwing him
overheard, the ships captain, George
Wilkins, fine young fellow of 25, whose
right leg had recently been injured by
his falling from the rigging, came limp
ing forward, and sharply ordered them
back.
He is Jonah, captaiEl" cried one.
@Nonsensei DOME modest him again.
It viii be mutiny if you do, as it's
against my orders.
But, sir, beggin' your pardon, he'll
bring bad luck to us, /" said an old sailor.
As spokesman for the rest, ask you to
put him ashore.
II can not think of it AS you all
know, he has so far proved himself
good sailor You viii leave him alone
in the future
So saying. the captain walked aft to
find his wife Mary, handsome young
woman of 90, just come up on deck.
What was the matter, George9" she
inquired.
He told her, when she said:
"Of course, l do not believe in that
absurd notion about Jonah; but I
own that Warlock, as you call your
New Zealand savage, there, is a strange
fierce looking fellow, and frightens me
every time look at him.
He is not handsome, I'll own, but he
is as strong as horse, and a good sea-
man.
Yes, but are you not afraid that he
may do mischief, some time-may take
a notion TO kill us all in the cabin, set
the ship on fire, Or"
The captain interrupted her with a
laugh.
at is his dark skin and tattoo marks
that frighten you You look only at
the outside. look deeper, and can tell
you that this Warlock has good heart.
But Mary shook her head, saying she
could not feel easy until the native was
out of the ship, and then she tried to
induce her husband to send him ashore.
The captain shook his head.
NtA4 AAQt CQIcClAb W tAAd1s A16 81&Us
We are short of hands and Warlock Is
a good man
Next morning Mary. who came ON
deck with her husband, again preached
the subject of the night before. She
tried to coax the captain to send Warlock
ashore. but in vain.
Well, one thing is certain, she said,
Il win not take him with me in the
dingey, as you proposed, when go to
the reef TO look for coral
Whom then viii you take?S
Tom, the little cabin boy.
Better take Warlock.
But Mary shuddered. saying she would
rather not go at all than have that fierce
native in the boat with. her.
The visit to the reef, which was about
q mile distant. had been proposed bv
Hrs. Wilkins on the day before, and
thinking that she would enjoy the trim.
the captain offered no objection to her
taking the cabin boy with her. True.
he was not very strong. nor was he skill
fuI with an oar, but the calm. clear
weather would apparently hold for
many hours longer, SO that there seemed
TO be no danger, even II the boat was
poorly handled
As the Young skipper had some work