The Opelousas courier., 1891-01-24

II WI4lte uiAH was ho SlCn" SuA1oSipy "
the natives, even at that day, and I was
scarceIy nouceu as L was cuuuucUeu
through the crowd to a hut in the centre
of the village. There was only a mat
hanging at the door, but they well knew
that no guard was needed to keep me
there.
It was noon before they gave me any
thing to cat or drink. and then ] was
| told that / might walk about the village
| if [ desired. | didn't care to take I'D
vantage of the offer, but sat in the door
of ny hutand saw them haul the schooner
ashore and land her cargo. There were
over two hundred men engaged about her.
While some broke out the cargo, others
went stripping her of sails and cordage.
Before dark there was nothing left but a
| bare hull and two masts. The bowsprit
and topgallant masts were sent ashore,
J and everything was taken out except the
ballast. / don't think they left a foot OF
rope or chain, and every board or beam
they could get at was taken away. The
last thing was cutting away the masts.
Soon after they went overheard the hull
fioated off the sand, and they then towed
her out of the bay and scuttled her.
As fast as the cargo was lanoed it was
taken to two large s~torehouses in the
centre of the village, and had u Cap
tain arrived at shutdown in pursuit of his
craft he would have found nothing what
ever on the beach to tell him what had
occurred. About dark a woman brought
me food and drink, and seeing that /
was IN pain with my foot she brought
brought water and washed it and then
bound it up with some bruised leaves of
a soothing nature. She quite won my
heart by her kindness, and I was led to
hope that my lot might not be so wretched
after all. AS far as / could see no guard
was placed at the door, nor was any n
appointed to watch me. There were as
many as fifty sampans on the beach in
plain view, and one nights padding to
the south would have brought me to an
island. They reasoned correctly, how
ever. / did not have the nerve to risk it.
A boy at sea in a canoe without food,
water OIL compass would be as badly off
as among the Malays on shore.
Next morning, after breakfast, the
head man sent for me. He was a chap
of great dignity and evil look. but the
capture of the schooner had put him in
good humor. He asked me where she
belonged, how long she had been out,
and many other questions, by which he
| sought to ascertain what sort of an in
vestigation might follow. He examined
my foot, which was now almost we'll, and
then called in an attendant, who conduct
ed me to the storehouses. The hoes,
axes and hatchets were without handles.
and I was now given to understand that
I must go to work and fit them up. l
| wasn't much of a mechanic, but was
pleased enough with the job. I over
hauled the carpenters chest for tools,
and then started into the forest to search
for timber. A dozen or more half-grown
boys followed me, and while some of
them were inclined to play me tricks to
get up a laugh, they offered me no vio-
lenee. Indeed, at the end of half an
hour we were all on a friendly footing. /
found a tree which is called ttback va"
in Borneo, but which has the grain and
fibre OF English elm. There was one x
with a handle, we having used it on
] shipboard. This I had brought along,
aud I now proceeded to fell the tree.
which was about a foot thick and very
straight and tall. The bows were aston
ished beyond measure at my way of
handling the axe. The Bornese use a
hstchet, and strike while squatted on the
ground. tt would have taken a mau two
hours to accomplish what I did in fifteen
minutes.
I found the wood easy to rive, and
that day began a task which occupied me
for the next three months. During this
time / was fairly well used, though given
none too much to eat. The man who
had first planned my work for me con-
tinued to be my boss, and once day, at
least, came around to see me. As none
OF the Bornese would use a crooked han
die in an axe, I had to make them all
straight.
The village was very compact, the
houses almost touching each other, while
about twenty acres of land to the north
Of it was under cultivation. 1t was the
village garden, aud one day after / had
finished my job and was working in this
garden the woman who had exhibited
such kindness on my first arrival came
out to me and told me that I had been
sold to the ruler Of another island to the
east of us. And hour before her coming
| had seen a large native craft put In,
and could not doubt that she belonged
to my new owner. The woman's object
In warning me was that / might take to
the woods, but I 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 Nal
lays, and to cut and u would mean
walking into their hands. 1t was In the
afternoon when the woman game out.
continued work until almost sundowna
and then decided TO hide out and see If
could not Seal a sampan during the
night and be off, Our ruler was giving
d Toast to the other, and reVelry ran high.
IL was owing to this fact | made the
move | did, hoping ! would not be
missed.
It had come ten o'clock at night, and
I was about to quit my hiding place and
go TO the beach when there came a sud.
den, an awful explosion. / was on my
feet and was thrown down, and during
the next minute the air seemed to be
choked with flaming brands, while many