The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12


nance In Africa, Sometimes far from
the haunta OF civilized men. lines OF life
drawn from other lands cross and rec
cross and the old story OF human pas
eiona IL told anew. Sometimes there
are dramatic incidents that In "A country
OF malls. telegraphs and newspapers
would be eagerly picked mp and re-
counted In all their details. but In Africa
they are never fully told and are soon
forgotten.
This II such n story. II - true and ~
did not happen 30 long ago that the real
names can be used
The south coast Of Africa IL one OF the
most dangerous in the world Currents.
constantly varying both In direction and
intensity, carry the navigator far out OF
MS course and often LAND him upon
some feef or aandbar The fact that the
Robert Miller. from London for Bombay.
should have been wrecked near the bay
OF Port Natal was. therefore, not strange,
but what was unusual was the great
loss or life that attended the wreck. only
one man out OF all those ON board man
aged TO reach the shore In safety.
This man, Charles Lee. an American
py birth. but "A citizen OF the world by
eholce' belonged Co that constantly IN
cfeahlng class who prefer TO spend their
wandering from CLINE To CLINE. picking
up an often precarious livelihood, but
seeing lie In nearly every phase. Lee
had made lucky strike Ia London. and
was on his way 10 India. lie had taken
passage In the Robert Miller. hoping
mat the long sea voyage would drive
from ms body some lingering seeds OF
Fever picked up in South America.
flung by the waves on the coast Of
Natal. with his money safe in a water
proof belt. he CHANGED ,Iu ha
readiness characteristic OF his class and
resolved upon trading trip into the
interior. Purchasing a wagon and "A
span OF oxen and hiring two native
assistants, he"trekked" north TO Zulu
land. In his wagon he carried snumcr-
Gus articles for trade with the natives.
Among them. carefully concealed UNI
der the wagon seat, he carried ten kegs
OF powder. They were concealed be-
cause the law forbids the sale of pow
der TO natives
At the end OF three months Lee con-
sidered that his trip had been "A success
ful one and he decided 20 return home.
Following another route 20 Natal. one
morning he "outspanned" at small Wiz
lage where there was missionary sta
ton. The missionary himself was away.
put MS wife came down 10 the trader
wagon. expecting 10 find many articles
needed 10 replenish her household stores.
Lee sold what she wished. all the time
looking at her In a puzzled manner
AT last he exclaimed: by George /
know you nowl How under heaven did
you get here, Mollie?"
Sir" said the woman, deadly pale.
but drawing herself up proudly, what
do you mean by this insult?"
oh, stun. Mollie. You can't fool me.
AS soon as / saw you / knew / had
seen you before. But II seemed so queer
that Mollie Flanders-AIoll OF San Fran
cisco-should turn up here, OF all places
in the world. Pretty as ever. Moll, /
see Give us a kiss for old times sake"
Grasping her suddenly in his arms.
he kissed her again and again. Finally
she tore herself loose and fled, white
with emotion.
Was she Mollie Flanders or was she
not? Lee was sure Of IL, but mistakes
of identification do sometimes happen.
At any rate she acted as If innocent
Sitting down the woman wrote let
ter to her husband. telling him how she
had been insulted and demanding repair
alton. This letter she sent by a native
to the neighboring village, where her
husband was visiting.
That night the trader took advantage
OF the moonlight TO pursue his journey,
and. as fate would have It, he and the
letter reached the village and the mis-
sionary at the same time.
The missionary was man of sudden
and violent temper. He loved his wife
dearly, and the news of an insult to her
broke down all the barriers he had built
up by constant training. Urged by him.
the chief of the village sent men to seize
the trader. Surprised without his arms,
Lee was made a captive after a desper-
ate struggle and was carried before the
chief and the missionary. The former
was anxious not TO go any further The
Zulu war was just over and the natives
hardly liked TO injure a white man so
soon after the sharp lesson they had re-
ceived. STILL urged by the missionary,
the chief finally ordered that Lee re-
ceive 100 lashes on his bare back.
The trader heard his sentence calmly.
He made no defense to the charges. and
begged for mercy. He merely asked that
he be given an hour to put his affairs
I'm order, in view of the possibility of
fatal result from so tremendous a beat
ing. After a little hesitation the mis-
sionary agreed to this. The Wagon was
searched and all weapons removed. Then
Lee was hoisted upon the seat and his
hands were freed, but his legs were still
kept bound. The missionary warned
him that any attempt TO free them
would result in the immediate execution
OF the sentence.
Once upon the box Lee took out his
writing materials and wrote two letters
which he sealed and threw upon the
ground. Then he reached down below
the seat and quietly drew the plugs from
the powder kegs. Inc powder flowed ont
into a black heap with which each key
connected.
Lee then lighted his pipe and quietly
leaned back to await the expiration of
the hour. When il was nearly up he
bent down and began to unfasten the
bonds upon his legs. Instantly two ma
tives sprang at him, but he raised his
head and looked at them with so deadly
a CLEAN in his eyes that they hesitated
Another moment and his feet would be
free.
The missionary, seeing his prey about
to escape, rushed upon him, followed by
the whole assemblage of natives Lee
waited until they were nearly upon him
and then emptied the glowing contents
of his pipe upon the powder
sharp cry OF horror from the mis-
sionary was lost in a burst Of flame and
a roar like thunder; then a volume of
heavy white smoke rolled and spread
about the scene like a thick fog When
IL had cleared away the trader and mis-
sionary had both gone to carry their dis
putes to a higher tribunal. Only two
blackened masses, hardly human In
form. remained to show that they had
ever lived. OF the natives fifteen Law
dead or dying upon the field.
To this day, If the traveller in that re-
gion is annoyed by too curious and in
trusive natives, he has but to throw a
handful Of powder into the fire to secure
absolute solitude. The last resource of
a. re- white man has l,aoD