Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-04-02

captain struck the taDle numbering
blow with his clenched fist. The other
laughing wildly, sprang up and beck
oned to the captain to follow him.
The captain rose, tore his sword from
its sheath, and both left the room.
We breathed more freely when they
were gone, but our anxiety was not
over. The noise on deck increased.
There was hasty running to and fro,
and shouts, laughter and yells. At
last there was hellish outburst, so
that we thought the deck would fall
in on us, then clash of weapons, and
cries-then all at once deep silence.
When we ventured, some hours
later, to ascend, we found everything
as before-not one had changed his
position; all were like stones.
Thus we passed many days upon
the ship she always sailed eastward,
where, according to my reckoning,
land must lie but, if she gained by
day, at night she seemed to return,
for we always found ourselves at the
same place at sunrise. We could not
explain this, unless the vessel sailed
back each night against the wind.
To guard against this, we fIlrled all
sails before night, and wrote the name
of the Prophet upon several pieces of
parchment, also the charm, and bound
them to the yards. In our little room
we anxiously awaited the result.
This time the uproar was worse yet /;
but next morning the sails remained
furled as we had left them.
Through the day we put OH only as
much sail as necessary, and so in five
days made good Roadway. Finally,
on the morning of the sixteenth day
we sighted land /; and thanked Allah
and his prophets for wonderful de-
liverance. That day and the follow
ing night we sailed along the coast, and
on the seventeenth morning thought
we could make out town not far
off. We dropped anchor, lowered
small boat, aud rowed with all our
nights for the town. In half an hour
we reached river emptying into the
ocean, and landed on shore.
AT the city.gates we inquired what
place it was, and learned that it was
an Indian city not far from the region
| had first shipped for. We went to
public house and refreshed ourselves.
| inquired for some wise man who
understood something of sorcery. and
was led to an insignificant house in a
retired street, and told to ask for
Akbar. An old, gray.haired, long
nosed man came to the door and asked
my business. l told him sought the
wise Akbar. He replied that he was
that person. | asked his advice as to
what / should do with the dead, and
how | should get them off the ship.
He answered that they had probably
been bewitchcd at sea, on account of
some crime. He believed that the
spell would be broken, if they were
brought ashore, but this would not
happen unless the boards on which
they lay were taken up. Ship and
cargo belonged to me because found
them, yet ought to keep it secret,
and for small gift from my abun-
dance he would, with his slaves, aid
me in removing the dead men. |
promised to reward him richly. and
we star ted with five slaves provided
with saws and axes. On the way
Akbar could not sufficiently praise
our idea of winding the sails with
lines from the Koran he said it was
the only means Of saving us. 1t was
still early in the day when we reached
the ship. We all set to work, and in
an hour four lay in the boat. Some
of the slaves rowed them ashore for
interment. When they returned they
said the corpses had spared them the
trouble Of burial, for as soon as they
were laid OH earth they had fallen to
dust.
We continued the work, and before
night all the crew were taken ashore.
There only remained the man nailed
to the mast. We vainly tried to with
draw the spike /; no force could dis
place il hairs breadth. did not
know what was to be done. We could
not hew down the mast to set him
ashore. But Akbar helped us out of
this difficulty. He sent slave ashore
to bring a pot of earth. When it ar
rived the sorcerer spoke some myster-
ious words over it, and shook the
earth over the dead mans head. He
Immediately opened his eyes, drew
deep breath, and the wound in his
forehead began to bleed. The nail
came out with little difficulty now,
and the captain fell into the arms of
one of the slaves.
"Who brought me herei" he asked.
when he seemed little recovered.