Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-30

1&x<z4o vi NJ - - t@<<s8 -
tie pssbsbis death thss go eiass 81
hs1d
A fww SECONDS nars xnd ws <nsrwod
from the nzrro~ p>>s@es inso thu spa
clous lagoon. whose calm sgfscs vss
uzbral<n ssss By large isl<ad which
stood In - e<nssx.
sxrzifht fo< tina island tore the IRAN
&c u.xnss~e. while with every foos q
lss.<nsd diskzacs between us and the
Land ths wslbss' eyss seemed 70 bulgs
s1t bigger vita terror.
Whsn wifhin about 90 ysrds Of the
izlxsA. . grazing. ts<ring sound came
from the pitp<n's bow. and with sud
d-n wrsnch and crssh the canoe turned
evsr. . total wreck from sharp. jagged
sook the unan2sss In - Wild night had
shsown ~ sgsinst.
Forsznss<ly The shock We 90 great
q 70 ding ~ clear Of the hidden rock.
snd ristns from beneath the water We
struck cut for ths Island. our speed not
. llttis scoslersfed By the fsas Of
shzxks and crooodhles.
Reaching tho sandy shors Of the h.
lad. ws ersvisa upon the beach. but
farther tAan the ths wsikas. with chat
tsriny teeth. declared they would not
60.
But IL did not seem % terrible 20 me-.
this .sDankw4rra. the Isle OF Fear.
for 10 was net unliks . hundred lagoon
islands I had sscn-a heavy tangle Of
tropical over and under growth. encir-
elsd by aiming strip Of beach. OF Its
Inhabitants. demons or otherwise. not
q trace was % Be seen
In response to Sn exclamation from
witztsla. 1 looked toward the lagoon.
and thore. ON its surface. near the
beach, saw floating the dead body Of
the nAnz.ss. which. In its moment Of
victory. had succumbed 10 DEATH
The waikAs waded out into the water.
splAshing ~ they went 10 brighten
away tho sharks aud erocodiles. laid
hold Of shs ropes attached to the har-
poems and drew the sea cow up on the
beach.
IL Wa certainly most remarkable
animal. IL animal IL may be called.
IL weighed. Ishould say. between leo
AID 1. soc pounds.
II had two forefeet. or fippers. but
instead Of hind feet there was broad.
faf tail which spread out horizontally
like a fan. The skin was dark and
corrugated. and the few scattered hairs
upon IL gave its body general resem-
blsnce 70 that Of . hippopotamus.
witstals surveyed the dead creature
with anger. bat philosophically re-
solved to make II pay In part for our
missortune by serving ~ supper.
With the aid Ut couple Of dry sticks
q fire was kindlsd. and the manatee was
prepared for eating.
aid not wonder az the machetes'
failure 10 penetrate its hide. for rs the
flesh was cut in strips for broiling l
measured the skin and found 10 an
inch and . half in thickness aud Is
tough As whi.lebone.
The manatee steaks proved 10 be ten
der. well favored. altogether delicious
and far surpassed venison. to my palate.
After supper determined to do lit
tie exploring on my own account. IN
spite Of the warnings Of Witatala and
bis men.
An eighth Of a mills down the beach
came upon an old cannon half buried
in the sand. Scraping away the loose
soil. IL proved to be. in spite of ITS
heavy crust OF mold and rust. IN an
cisnt Spanish cannon closely resem-
bling those the books picture to rs az
having been used by the daring Span
ish freebooters In the days Of Drake and
Kidd.
Farther along l came upon other rel
ics--an old fintlock, a dagger. several
pistols and piece Of broken chain. all
scattered about az though they had been
left in some hasty flight.
AZ walked back TO the waikss re-
called the tales Of the famous Black
beard. who made his name . terror
along the Spanish main. and IL seemed
probable to me that tho now deserted
Dankwarra had been In those days Q
secret stronghold Of Blackboard" and
his pirsticsi band.
Old WitatAla evinced but little inter
est in tho story Of my discovery. his
mind being chiefly exercised over our
sttllns away from DAukW4rFs VIII
ali possible CELEBRITY.
This he determined 10 accomplish BY
means Of raft. which he intended &c
construct from the clumps Of bamboo
growing near the Islands forest.
Night had deecended with its tropical
suddensess. but this did net deter Wi
tatals freai his preparations for max
Ing the raft
D-spatcting Quila and . couple Of
waikas for tietis vine with which &c
bind the bamboo together. the rest Of
us secured the macbetes from the un-
lucky manatee's hide and started for
the bamsoo clafnp~.
The wsikss would not carry torches.
for that thsy said would show our
whereabouts 20 the wicked Lassa, but
that We might not want for light they
caught handouts of firefie-. pulled of
their wings and scattered them among
the bamboo trees. where they gave ra-
dance enough FOR us 10 perceive clearly
ths surrounding objects.
At the hr.t stroke II the mschetes
On The bamboo the hitherto silent Ia
land seemed 20 break out into q pande-
sncnium. dropPsd my msch~.- In dis
may. bat Witstsls calrned my nerves
by telling ms that the sounds were
made BY the suddenly awakened ami
nal ard iiri III. % en-. island. Bnt
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