Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-30

The right and left hand figures may be
capital 'I's'' and the middle one an invert-
ed capital "V." he was wonderously swift
with his work, and was evidently an adept.
When be had completed bis task he said:
''I offer you this as a reward. If ever
you need help in India show this sign" 1t
was four or Eve hours after the rescue that
be was pulled ashore, and no one aboard
the ship knew of the sign be had left be-
hind. While felt certain in my own mind
that it was connected with native Free
Masonry, and was given to ms in all earn
estuess, to have shown it to the crew would
have been to make me butt of ridicule.
The ink was pricked in SO deeply that the
punctures were much longer in healing than
those in sailor work, and when the wounds
were healed the sign stood out as bold and
plain as if put on with black paint.
In due time the ship was unloaded, re-
ceived her cargo, and sailed for Boston, at
which port she arrived safely. had the
misfortune to break my leg before we had
reached our ship and consequently did not
make the next voyage. Instead, I made a
voyage to Liverpool and return, went back
to Liverpool and was paid off, went ont TO
| Singapore before the mast, and then joined
an English government surveying party,
which was recharting the northeast coast Of
Borneo and the islands adjacent. The
schooner was called the survey and she car
ried crew of thirty six men, and was arm
ed with two nine-poupders on q side, and a
long Tom ON swivel. In those days the
China sea was the paradise of pirates, and
the great raft of islands to the north oi
Borneo offered them every security. These
islands are strung along for distance Of
1000 miles, separating the Pacific ocean
from the China sea, and from secure and
unknown barbor on the west side of the
islands every species of native craft had q
show to attack the commerce passing NJ
and down the great waterway. The schoon
er was oficered from the navy, aud navs
discipline prevailed aboard. She was fitted
out to fight as well as to survey, and a bet
ter crew could not have been selected
with few exceptions all were young men,
full of physical strength and daredevil spir'
it, and the knowledge that the voyage was
dangerous one, had made them the more
eager to 90.
We had been out six weeks and had
been making soundings and surveys along
the west coast of Long Island to the NORTH
of Borneo, when we had our first trouble
We had been surveying bay about sl1
miles long and three in width, and deeI
had failed to make out any inhabitants or
the shores, several small native craft hat
visited US and engaged in fishing in oul
neighborhood. While they seemed to bs
poverty-stricken fellows, with nothing more
than natural curiosity to know why WI
were taking SO much trouble for nothing
our qnartermaster, who had spent years or
the coast, put them down for spies sent out
by near colony of pirates, and he advised
We had been in the bay three days, anchor
ed in thirty feet of water, and within hal
a mile ofthe beach, when it came on deat
calm. Some of our men had seen native
in the tops of trees ashore, and there wal
no doubt they had climbed up with spy
glasses to look down upon our decks ant
discover our strength. We had one more
days work to accomplish, and, therefore
instead of getting out the boats and towing