The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-09-27

US 10 tue DtdIbSt outpost uONn the
river and make bargain wita the
authorities. 1t was plain to be seen
that they were disappointed. and after
confab the interpreter was ordered
to say to me:'
You write one time again. Captain
give canoe full, we let you GO Heno
buy, we kin you. We no take you
down the river"
Il wrote another letter to the cap
tain giving the above information and
appealing to him not to leave us per-
ish. For the wages which would be
due us upon our return to Georgetown
he could probably ransom us. | at
least hoped he would make the offer
and effort. As subsequently appeared,
he made the offer a good deal more.
He offered four muskets and a large
quantity Of other barter for our safe
return, but the stick of the natives was
they wanted the goods in advance
They We're suspicious lot, and woald
not trust the captain to stand to his
bargain. On the other hand he had
no faith that they would keep their
promise to him, and thus the messen-
gers were returned empty handed.
Great was the rage of the people there
at. i was brought out of my hut and
kicked and cuffed about until [ fell ex
hausted, and the same treatment was
likewise served out to Keys 1t was
only after they had thus maltreated
us that the captains letter was shown
to me. He expressed his willingness
to pay far ransom, but wanted me
to make the natives understand that
they must act fairly in the matter
This [ tried to explain to the chief and
his interpreter, but they would or
could not understand l think the
killing of Price was also a knot'y
point in the transaction. They prob
ably thought the captain would seek
revenge for that, and that if he got the
opportunity he would force them to
release us without ransom"
Il went to bed sore and supperless
to pass wakeful night. Early the
next morning l was routed out to
write third letter to the captain
While [, of course, desired to save my
life, [ had pretty fully made mp my
mind that the natives had 10 inten-
ton Of giving us up. | wrote to the
captain to that effect telling him to
give them nothing until we were
brought down stream to a point where
we could be exchanged. The fact that
the village was full Of stuff for barter,
and that the tribe had fought shy of
trading with the schooner. was proof
to me that they were in a hostile mood
His tirmness would result III either
our death or liberty, and that probably
before night.
The morning was very hot and
close and before 9 o'clock | observed
that the birds about Us were in state
of alarm. The natives soon exhibited
a restless and uneasy spirit and find
ing that little or no attention was paid
me, | walked over to where Keys was
confined. As soon as we put our heads
We became satisfied that some
terrible storm was brewing. The air
continued to grow more hot and sti-
fling. and at 10 o'clock there came an
earthquake shock which nearly threw
us down. The first was speedily fol
lowed by a second and third, and, as
the huts began to tumble and the
trees to fall, everybody ran away.
Keys and myself took a path leading
to the east ard ran for life. both of Us
having noticed that the forest was
more open in that direction.
Not to weary you with nninterest
ing details, | may say that for seven
days we held to the east, sometimes
having close shave from meeting ma
tives and sometimes so beaten out that
we would willingly have surrendered.
Toward evening of the seventh day,
when We had made fully a 120 miles,
we came upon the river which divided
British from Dutch Guina and provi-
at the camp of some Dutch
officers who were on a hunt
ing excursion. 1t was months after
this before / reached Georgetown.
while keyes never got there at all,
being carried off by jungle fever.
hunted up Capt. Larkins, who had