The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1891-11-17

stronghold OF q cerbdln dIbdI PlIat0
who had recently made himself par
ticularIy obnoxious.
We got into the creek and rowed up
about five miles without finding any
thing or anybody, and without being
molested in any way whatever. Then
I thought we had gone far enough,
but, being young and painting for
glory. / determined to reconnoitre
little further inland. So, taking with
me Joe Maxted and two men, and CIV
ing orders to the men left in charge
Of the boat that if we did not return
in forty-eight hours they were to come
in search Of us, we started upon what
was undoubtedly very foolhardy
trip.
The whole river bank on either side
was a dense jungle for about half
mile, breaking into belt OF pine
forest and then into the open. Here
and there were narrow cuttings down
to the river side-the river was only
about eighty feet wide, about the
width of a fairly wide street-and oc-
casionally one came upon a tiny vii
lage with a clearing and small rice
farms. The inhabitants Of these viii
lagos, we suspected, all took hand
in the piratical excursions which Tick
Ter was endeavoring to suppress, but
on the present occasion it was the
head man of a small tribe, which even
attacked the village pirates them
selves, that we were after
1t was early morning = about
o'clock-when we started out upon
our excursion. We thought to take
| advantage Of the cool morning air and,
if necessary, rest in the shade during
the intense heat of the day. OF course
we were we'll armed. We each carried
Colts navy revolver, the men had
each rife and cutlass and my
sword. Being fully aware Of the pos
sibility Of losing our way and not'get-
ting back to the boat, we blazed the
trees along our route and cut fair
path through the underground We
! also kept a lookout for ambushes, for
there was little doubt that our pirate
knew perfectly well that we were
after him. We were not quite so well
acquainted with the country as he,
however. We made the discovery too
late and to our bitter cost.
After about two hours cutting and
| hacking at the dense underground
! and having reached the belt Of pine
\ trees. ordered a halt. and we sat
'tfown to breakfast For ~ q OUT
/ party it was their last meal. lido not
/ know how it happened, for I had
risen to my feet and was again NOV
ing onward, expecting the men to fol-
low instantly, when heard Joe Max
1 ~ AZ xv1s,an Oh or7fsy, ~ RI M
'.Mr. Martini Lie down on your
facet Flat down, for Gods sakel''
It saved my life. just turned an
instant, in time to see my two poor
able bodied seamen on their backs
with dozen arrows in the body Of
each, and Joe on his face on the
ground. The whole wood seemed to
| be alive with the most horribly rugged
Tartar villains 1 ever set eyes on.
Some had masks on their faces and
all carried iavelins and great swords.
Well, threw up my hands. I couldn't
do less.
In an instant we were surrounded,
and, leaving the two dead bodies
where they lay, we were dragged
| along until we came to large clear
ing about quarter of mile away,
| the existence of which we had never
suspected. Here was a sort Of viii
lage of bamboo huts, little more than
an encampment of about eighty or
| hundred men. Not more We were
in the hands Of the pirates we had
1 come to exterminate. There was
nothing for it. They would exter-
inmate us. We had not a chance.
Our men wouldn't come after us for
two days. There was no hope Of re-
lease We might just as well make
up our minds to it.
Up to this time we had been so far
apart, separated by our guards, that
we could not speak to each other or
suggest any plans. When we reached
the clearing, however, we were
brought together, and marched before
the most villainous looking rascal
ever set eyes on-evidently the chief
of the band. Joe was filing the air
with the most lovely and choice selec-
tions from his truly magnificent
vocabulary of Billingsgate, and call
ing upon each and every separate
Tartar to let him have the use Of his
hands and his cutlass and meet him
on fair ground. What would they do
with us? We were very soon to know.
With hospitality we could not UNI
derstand, the chief signed us to sit
down, and presently a great dish OF
delicious rice was placed before US
and we were, by signs, invited to eat.
i Our morning trip had made US both
hungry, Notwithstanding that we had
already had some breakfast and not
even the sad memory Of the death OF
our comrades could prevent our
pitching in" Then came bowls Of
most refreshing, sparkling spring
water. What would come next?
We noticed, as we finished our re-
past, perfectly hellish grin spread
I over the features OF our host. He
made sign and said something which
we, of course, did not understand.
Two fellows came up and evidently
said all was ready, for at another few
words we were seized, made to. stand
on our feet, our arms bound securely
to our sides, our ankles tied together
and we were dragged of. Joe's oaths
were caution. wish / could print
one of them They would brighten a
0OWCly Dd1 bOANSA'
Presently we came to spot where
not tree of any kind formed the
slightest protection from the SUMS
rays, and where at a distance of about
six feet apart we saw two large. deep
holes.
Now, what are they going to dor"
asked Joe.
I had no time to answer, for in a
minute we were dumped, feet fore
most, one into each hole. Then the
beggars began shoveling the sandy
soil in on top of US.
'They are going to bury us alive r
1t was worse than that That would
have killed us too soon. They only
buried us to the necks, leaving our
heads free, but SO securely fixed in
the soil that we looked like a couple
of living heads on d magician's table.
Great God what horribly conceived
torture was this? While we were
buried helpless there a brute came
and with u sharp knife carefully
shaved round patch from the tops of
our heads, then another smeared some
stocky substance thereon. Were they
going to set fire to us? Worse even