St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-20

teak deck of the old Calabar. One of
the fakirs coiled himself ND deftly in a
square bamboo basket. The other one
put the lid on. Then after performing
solo on the tOm-tom with vocal accom-
panlment, which waXed loud and furi-
Gus toward its >close, with gruesome
ana uncanny glare in his eyes,
he grasped a sharp and slen-
der sword whose blade was like
that of a fencing foil. With this
ne perforated the basket in which his
accomplish lay. Vertically and hori-
Zontally he pierced it. We all held our
breath convinced that murder had been
done and that our white decks would
soon have crimson stain. But,Strange
to say, no blood appeared.
Inc faklr then performed another
drum and chant piece. He opened the
basket. His friend hoped out as lively
as lark, and beating his stomach with
both hands exclaimed mo rice, sahib?'
as a sort of gentle reminder that he had
claim on our generosity. There was
the basket with the stabs in it, and
there was the fakir sound as a roach!
How was it done?
How the devil do know? Ask me
something easier.
Inc captain was eager to get ashore
ana see the Widow Dumaurier. He was
capital fellow and had always treated
me kindly ashore and afloat. l was only
fourth mate, but he was good enough to
invite me to accompany him.
Accordingly we got into one of the
MasoOlan bOatsAhe surf being too heavy
to dream of landing by one of the ships
boats. The rOwers, under the promise
OF liberal gratuity, bent their
BACKS to the oars and broke
out into a song. CThey seem
quite unable to do anything without
singing on the COrOmandel COAST. The
Calabar was anchored about two miles
out. but 1T didn't take long to reach the
shore. The surf was beating on the
sandy beach with savage roar. Big
combers with snowy crestS were top
ping over. The fierce undertow Missed.
Our DoatS skipper never turned hair.
lie shouted directions to his crew, who
| never stopped their song, and taking
advantage OF huge wave steered his
| craft right on to the beach. The boat
was borne along with reslstless force,
ana the boiling surf took her up nearly
hlgh and dry. Before the receding
water could bear her back the OarSmen
leaped out, agile as cats, and in an i'll
slant the DuOyant craft was hauled on
to dry land.
| But 1t was startling experience to a
| novice like myself, who had never been
In Indian surf before.
We were driven 10 the hotel in bull
lock gharl without springs and shaken
up considerably. Nine. Dumaurier re-
| CelVed US with her sunniest and sweet
est smile. We recllned in the easiest of
| chairs oh the piazza while small Indian
boys fanned the flies off us and the
Eh0nS4n1ar IL,
While smoking our Lunkah cherOOtS,
Capt. Kennedy said:
The widow is the only woman | ever
loved. She doesn't care a ropeyarn for
me. Don't say word TO Marie.''
Marie was his wife. Alas for the de-
Dravity of human nature! What are we
going to do about ii?
"Brandy-pani lasO tOom. salal" cried
the skipper. 1t was about all the Hin
dustani he knew. Although the natives
all along the Madras coast speak Tamil,
Hlndustani is understood in all the
hotels.
The liquid panacea was brought and
the skipper felt better.
Nine. Dumaurier was quite charming
at dinner that evening. She was dressed
III gauZy sort of gown that | an not
man milliaer enough to describe, and
she spoke English with. delightful ac-
cent shall not spoil by attempting to
reproduce. The scene was quite novel
to me. The waving punkahs, the
snowy napery, the shining silver, the
khitmutgars waiting behind each chair
were agreeable changes from the monot-
ony Of life aboard ship.
The punkah-wallahS were kept busy
that night. Next morning while the
captain and l were taking our chota-
hazaree OIL the veranda unto us came
Nine. Dumaurier in charming neglige
wrapper. She was weeping bitterly.
She told us how one or her pets-a
little native boy named RamoOn-had
been eaten by shark that morning.
lie had gone out fishing with two other
natives and the greedy monster had at
tackled the catamaran and Toasted on
RamOOn.
She related how the man-eater had
long been the terror of the coast ada
cent, and that the natives all declared
that ever since he had tasted human
flesh several months age nothing else
would be good enough for him. Young
RAMON had been his tenth victim.
my captain" she said, Il cannot
rest until that horrid shark is killed.
You are brave; catch him for me-"
And she gave him such beseeching
glance that it made ME feel envious.
At this moment we heard the report
| of a gun, and looking Seaward saw a
puff of smoke from the poop of the Cal
| abar. The captain seized pair of ma
rine glasses and gazed long and earn
estly at his ship.
S'MV GCdi lack - said no IN mo tsT