The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-22
INDIAN MARIA'S FIDELITY.
A Tale OF Adventure In Guiana, ny VOL
fert Wayne.

lNDlAN LAM - FlDElIlI i.
A Tale OF Adventure In aulann, by VOL
m fert Wayne.
Written for The HELENA I~sDxpEsDEsr.l
YGYIS BRITANIC MAJEsTY'S CUT
e. tor Vixen" rode at anchor one
III day in the broad estuary OF Esse-
guido river near the mouth Of the Cayuni.
Maroous and negroes we're burning vii
lagos. destroying plantations and killing
white settlers u%p-couutry, making their
way down toward The coast, intending to
drive all the white people from their shorsS.
So the Vixen had been ordered up from
Georgetown, TO watch tbs mouths OF the
rivers; a guard of ten mon had been sent to
a high rocky point overlooking a long reach
of the river above; there they had put mp q
flagstaff to communicate with The vessel by
signal.
Capt. Archer. OF the Vixen. was a good
officer. although inclined to be severe for
any neglect OF duty or disobedience of or
ders. TO his son, the midshipman, who
he gave a word of caution ns he parted
from him.
I'VE have to deal with q crafty, merciless
enemy. You have your written instruc-
tions. Follow them strictly. Be vigilant.
Signal us at once when a boat or canoe ap-
pears coming down the river"
Tom made his bow and took leave of his
father, very proud Of his first command on
detached duty.
When he got into his boat, with four
marines in the bow and six seamen armed
with pistols and cutlsases ut the oars, he
felt as II he could subdue a whole army of
black fellows. He opened his riders and
read:
Permit no canoe or boat of any sort to
pass your post downward without reporting
to the ship by signal. Stop anv craft con
~tsining blacks or Indians. If they will not
stop whom hailed, fire upon them. You
will remain on duty there until relieved
1t was early morning, with a light mist
upon tho river; two hours had passed in
killing Congo flies and mosquitoes in the
shade when they heard the report of guns
on tue river above them.
There is firing close at hand, sir"
shouted the lookout.
AN here's a canoe going by us in the
swift water. She came stealing along close
into the rocks"
whites or blacks in hery' called Archer
from above.
indians. SIR"
head, why didn't you hail and stop herr"
"Thsy--at least. she neutrality-suspicious.
like the deuce"
ooh, it was a woman, en-! Signal the ship,
quick! overwhelmingly. Up
with them ~livelyv'
The officer of the deck on board the
vixen" was reading to Captain Archer the
unrolled on the breeze. Captain Archer
gave orders;
Man tho first cutter! Catch the canoe
that is cominR!"
more signals. sir! They have fired on
the second canoe. Ten blaoks-thres
Wounded"
Nov, boys. 7 have commenced this story
at the wrong end. will go back now and
make . proper start.
Near the upper cataract on the Corentyn
river Waku lived. lie was the most trou-
blssome of the black chiefs along the river
tho boundary between British and Dutch
Guiana, After one of his excursions in
search of plumber he brought to his hut in
the forest above the cataract an indian girl,
a child seven or eight wears old.
He said it was his own daughter, but no
one believed it. The poor child was cruelty
treated by Waku and his servant, a cruel
old woman.
After three years of patient suffering the
young Indian disappeared. Very angry
Waku was when he found his slave miss
She had been taken in Ly a white family
at the Waraputa mission. She had suffered
terribly in her long journey through, the
forest. She had been more than a week on
the wav. She was ill and delirious with
fever whom found by one of the mission
people and had been carried to the house
of w. Morgan, the missionary.
In that peaceful home the young girl
passed three happy Yeas. She became
very much attached to May and Walter.
Mr.. MorRan's young daughter and son.
THAN Vnvn hnr on Enrliah -, MOrSo
and she soon remembered Waku az the
principal figure in some unhappy dream.
One afternoon, when the shadow of the
palms were growing long, and orchids we're
opening their perfumed cells to the bees,
and the great Ecarlet-winged dragon flies
were Or = homewsrd flight. and the chill
dren, tired with play, were asleep in their
hammocks on the shady veranda. Maria
strolled away to a grove of orange trees by
the river.
Suddenly, out of q thick hedge of
%ahrubbery, between her and the house arose
the bushy head and the fierce ewes of Waku.
In another moment he held her firmly by
the arm, as he made her walk faster. At a
greater distance from the house he began to
speak to her.
II have looked for you, to kill you when |
found you-and to kill those who have kept
you flcm me! l will do 40 yet. if You do
not go with mel, your father, I'M the one
10 bhNc Cuid VI SOus
No need to repeat Maria's entreaties: she
was soon convinced that her own safety
and her white friends of the mission de-
pended on going with this savage. She
could not even return to give a last kiss to
the sleeping children.
It was not to the old hut on the Corentyn,
but to one much nearer on the Maccari
mountain side. overlooking the valley of
the Essequibo that Waku took her-a three
days Journey from the mission.
The feelings of MIR. and Mrs. Morgan
may be imagined when night came aud
passed, and May and Walter cried for the
loss of Maria. Walter said Il lion or tiger
had attacked her in tho forest-by which
he meant a puma or jaguar-but the
childrsn's parents knew she had been kid
mapped again, rs they learned presently
that Waku had been seen in the %neishbor-
hood.
To Maria the contrast between her past
life ut the mission and that to which she
was doomed ut Waku's hut was terrible at
first, but abe soon found a good reason for
enduring bravely.
Savage negroes, with feathers braided
into their spiral twists of wool, maroons
with hidsous tattoo marks OF their faces
and armed with olubss set with teeth of cav
man or shark. came daily and nightly to
consult with Waku.
Maria soon gathered that Waku was
planning destruction to tho white people of
the valley. She kent ont of sight M much