Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-10-22
AN ADVENTURE IN Fill.



MARROW Escape of the Crew of q South Sea
Whaler.
some nfteen years ago I was har-
pooner on New Bedford whaler. We
We're out for four years voyage and
hao Deen fairly successful ND to the
.ime my story opens We had just fn-
lsheo season at the Chatham islands in
the South Pacific, and were I'D among
the FIJI islands after humpback whales,
Whlch were scarce, and we spent our
1ine IN making fancy articles, such
as canes, cocoanut dippers, work boxes,
etc. which we could sell in New Zea-
land at exorbitant rates.
One day the captain happened to
want some cocoanut wood for canes.
SO he ordered a boat cleared away and
the second mate and five men Jumped
In and rowed to the nearest island to
procure young tree. 1 was among
the number and thought it fine
chance to stretch my legs ashore for
awhile.
we TOOK no arms, as these islands
are many of them uninhabited by man
or beast, but we bitterly regretted this
later on.
The land was scarcely two miles
away and not breath of air ruf1ed
the surface of the blue waters as we
sped along. A coral reef encircled the
little island and it was some time be-
fore we found 4 narrow opening Just
wide enough to admit of our passing
through. Once inside a pull of a hun
dred yards brought us to the white
beach.
The second mate and myself lit our
pipes and one of the men took a Ratchet
and felled a young tree It was soon
cut up into pieces of the right length
and placed in the boat, and then we sat
down in little grove of palm trees a
short distance away and RECALLED our
selves with the green cocoanuts-
After we had eaten our fill we saunt-
cred slowly back toward the boat We
were about half way when happened
to glance over my shoulder.
The next instant gave aSshout, for
not twenty-five yards behind US were
not less than twenty hideous-looking
Fiji warriors running after us at full
speed, carrying their huge war clubs
and shields. Their bare feet made no
noise in the sand, and had I not
CHANGED to look back they would have
been upon us moment later.
''Good God % cried the second mate.
eve are dead men, sure! Run. boys
rum
And we did run.
If ever thanked Heaven for my six
feet four of flesh and bone it was then,
for my long legs sent me far ahead of
my shipmates and reached the boat
first.
The wood in the boat made her
heavy. but my fright augmented my
natural great strength, and, placing
my shoulder against the bow, l sue
ceeded in pushing her into the water
just as my shipmates came tearing
down the beach.
Quick, or we're lost!'' / cried, as
they splashed into the water and scram
bled into the boat.
But hurry as they might the savages
were close behind, and as the last man
climbed aboard the foremost natives
dashed into the water with fierce yells
of triumph.
l stood up to my knees in water hold
ing the boat for my companions, and
as l turned to jump on board a brawny
Fiji sprang upon me with uplifted club.
l lodged blow which would have
scattered my brains about, and as the
huge club struck the water 1 struck
out straight from the shoulder, putting
all my two hundred and fifty pounds
into the effort
1t caught the fellow under the ear
and he dropped like dead man.
The next instant I sprang into the
boat and seized an oar. By this time
the other sailors had got out their oars
and attempted TO row, but in their
fright they were making poor work of
it, and one man fell backward in the
boat, nearly losing his oar overheard.
As raised the oar to push the boat
away from the shore two more savages
rushed forward. brandishing their
clubs, while spear whistled within an
inch of my head.
Up went the huge war clubs in the
air and made a desperate sweep with
the heavy oar, striking one warrior in
the neck and sending him staggering
against his companion, who nearly fell
with him.
Then mighty shove sent the boat
fully ten feet away.
Pull for your lives.' shouted as
seated myself on the bow thwart and
shipped my oar.
But we were not TO escape SO easily,
for with hoarse cry of rage the ma
tives dashed into the water up to their
armpits and one of them seized the bow
of the boat with both hands.
Just then / saw a sharp Ratchet lying
at my feet in the boat, and seized it
without delay. 1t was the work of an
instant to deal the savage a deadly
blow, and he fell back into the water,
his head cloven in two.
A fearful chorus of yells burst from
the baffied Fijis as they saw us bend
to the oars and shoot off beyond their
reach, and then they scrambled ashore
and ran swiftly into the bush.
Thank the Lord, boys" said the
second mate, that was close call.
We're safe now unless they've got a
canoe around that pointr
But no canoe appeared, and we were
beginning to breathe easier, when sud-
denly we saw large war canoe shoot
around the point mentioned. manned by
fully a score of naked Fijis.
Not n word was spoken as we bent to
our work 1t was life or death with us
now, and we made every stroke tell.
We shot through the narrow opening
IN the reef some fifty yards ahead of
our pursuers and our hopes arose as
we saw the old bark was standing to-