The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-05
STRUTHERS' ADVENTURE
Result Of His Efforts to Save the
Sukia's Daughter.

Bones; the causes were different, bui
the effect the same.
Struthers had knocked about Central
America for almost four months on a
vain quest for adventures which would
make his.college vacation a unique one,
and fill his room at the 'Hall'' will,
trophies and the boys ears with thrill.
ing stories.
Bones was beginning to rebel at the
society of native ours, whose combined
forces did not suffice to give him a
mblance of the delightful scrim-
images he was wont to have in Cam
bridge.
Struthers' latest vagary-and owing
to his fathers liberality he was able to
indulge in many such-was the charter
ing of small native schooner With
a crew of six black Caribs he was now
skirting the Mosquito shore of Hon.
duras on his way to Cabo Gracios a
Dios, where he expected to catch a
homeward bound steamer
He yearned for the delights of civili-
zation and ice, and felt that, after al
the conventional pleasures of tennis,
canoeing and dancing at Bar Harbor
were perhaps preferable to the un-
certain joys of mule back and hunting
in the wilds of Central America.
The outfit, or what remained of it.
was rusty and battered, but the hard
ships which had wrought this change
in his ''impedimenta" had been vastly
beneficial to the owner in hardening
hic hN, /.
ders
With Bones things had not gone 50
we'll: an almost steady diet of bananas
had made him thin, and between the
chigoes and garrapatas very little Ut
his glossy coat was left, save in shreds
and patches.
Its too bad, Bones, old fellow; they
haven't left you much hair" said
Struthers. ''Never mind, your troubles
will soon be over. say, Ossorio," turn
ing wrathfully upon the Carib captain,
what is this beastly, old country Of
yours good for, anyway? haven't had
a decent adventure or seen anything
worth telling, in tho whole length and
breadth of it!''
You haven't seen him all, Buckra," :"
replied the Carib, asplendid specimen OF
that race of semi-civilized black smug-
glers, who dart along the Caribbean
coast in their swift dories.
"Way yonder," he continued, point
ing toward the west, sis de lam ub de
Waikas; plenty fun dere; but white man
no sabez him. No white men dere, not
eben Spanish man, only Waikas,
Buckra, only Waikas."
Perhaps you're right, Ossorio, about
the plenty fun. At any rate, I'll have
another try at amusement before cut
the country; SO put about and make for
some river you think your friends, the
Waikas, may live near."
Soon they were sailing along the low
sandy coast which lay to the left, and
as they rounded little cape 6truthers
cried out: "Look. there's the mouth OF
the river"
~ see him." answered the Carib,
''make we put in dere. I tink me,
p'raps. see Waika town soon by"
The Carib's supposition was correct,
for the schooner was soon near enough
for them to perceive the high-peaked
thatched roofs and bamboo walls OF
the native houses nesting among the
waving palms and plumy cocoanut
trees which lined the river bank.
The schooner was over the bar and
abreast of the village before the ma
tives were aware of their presence.
Then they came running and jump
ing down to the river hank like sc
many children. in high glee over the
arrival of strangers and the possibility
of beads, and perhaps little rum.
The landing was soon made, and
the Carib, polyglot that he was,
acted as interpreter in presenting
Struthers to the old chief. Dana Pisano.
who at once bid the strangers welcome
and conducted them to his watla, OF
house.
Installed in wide hammock within
the semi-darkness of tho watla, and
largo gourd of cool pineapple mishla
at his side, Struthers forgot his discon.
tent and asked many questions OF
Pisano through the Carib.
He learned that the music they had
heard was part of the ceremony attend.
ant upon the death of an old sukia or
medicine man." whose funeral was to
be held on the following day.
Tomorrow, at first sun up, de
if you wan to see him-better you do
maybe it muse you" said the Carib,
with unconscious sarcasm.
At sunrise the next morning he was
suddenly aroused by the rattle of mus
kerry. followed by doleful howls and
lamentations.
Rushing out of the watla, where he
had spent the night, he saw large pit.
pan (Iugout) coming slowly down the
river, while on the bank abreast of it
marched two columns of Waikas, the
men constituting one column, the WON.
en- the other.
In the pitpan was the dead medicine
man. his three widows and solitary
paddler.
Tho pitpan made a landing. and the
coffin, followed by the crowd of silent
Waikas, was carried along a narrow
trail into the forest
The open space Of the burial ground
was in the midst Of the great Jungle
a small circle of light surrounded by
impenetrable darkness.
Room was made for Struthers, Os-
sorio and Bones, and at signal FROM
Pisano the crowd fell back. the new
sukia stepped forward and the cere
monies began.
Bending low over the swathed BODY.
the sukia began in a low, rapid mur.
muir to bewail his loss and recount the
GOOD daeSs of tho dead rpau. ono nv