The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-01-09

or what my rate would be shouId r nm
into their hands. But as could Coo -
boat in which they could mrs No -
upon the water felt that 1 was safe
beyond their reach. However NV fool
ing of security was of short Surat;on
for scarcely had the savages re,,cbad +be
waters edge when saw them SCRAMBLE
down among the rocks and d;sannnas
into what seemed to be kind of grotto
A moment later long canoe filed III
the natives shot out into the bov "a
came swiftly in pursuit. Then another
and another followed in Quick sncces-
sion till half dozen had Joined in the
chase,
although was fully Quarter of a
mile in advance of them now 49,
nized the fact that there was the e~,eai-
est danger that I would be oyerh5nIad
by them.
tne.o were NJ weapons In the. boat
with which l could defend MYSELF bnt
even if there had beertI would hayestood
no chance of repelhrg Score ofbIood..
thirsty savages. There was ht@, go
chance of escape, and that Law in If;glM
Recognizing this fact held the 1;t1Ia
craft full before the wind. which yyos
now growing stronger as I nearef the
open sea.
"But in spite of this could see, that
the pursuing canoes were slowly but
surely gaining on me. Nearer and :, carer
they drew, till, glancing back, I could
stee the fierce look of exultation ON tbe
hIdeous faces of the savages, ami hear
their wild CALCULATIONS of triuu nh a.
they bore rapidly down upon me. Fiji
teen minutes more and they would be
within reach of me. With a feeling of
despair | dashed the rudder in Mace. /
grasped % plank from the bottom of the
boat-the oars had been removed by the
robbers-and began to row with it as
best could.
1--WE had now left the inlet, ard were
out in the open sea. l cast a hast N glance
across the water with the hope of seeing
some passing ship, but there as no sign
of sail In sight.
"But now for the first time noticed
that an ashy pallor was stealing over the
mist covered sky, and with a feeling of
joy knew that the night, which comes
down SO rapidly in the tropics, was near
at hand. A few moments later the dark
ness had deepened so that only the dim
outlines of the pursuing canoes were
visible through the gloom. A few min
utes more and they were lost to sight in
the black night that settled rapidly over
the sea.
Throwing down ths plank with
which l had been rowing now grasped
the rudder again and changed my course
to the southeast, while 1 listened intent
ly to the sound of the pursuers' paddles.
A few minutes later heard them pass
on to the north of me, while with a
strong wind filling the sails of my boat
1 bore swiftly and noiselessly away to
the south. The noises of the paddles
died away in the distance, and knew
that was safe.
81 continued my course southwark
until daylight, when I could see the
coast of Formosa lying some four or five
miles to the west. The next day
rounded South Cape and was picked up
by the Jeanette, which had returned
and was standing up the Formosa coast
in search of the robbers.
81 was handsomely rewarded for the
part had played in restoring the treas
ure to its owners, and my adventures
were the all absorbing topic of converse
ton during the voyage.
son my return to San Francisco was
appointed second mate on the Jeanette. !"