The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1894-03-30

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~ 49,
Copyright. 1862 by John Alexa,de stsuart.l
points Abram ben Alden had touched me
more wonderful still! that having succeeded
50 far be had not succeeded farther.
Returning on deck presently, swathed ia
handkerchipfs and stray pieces Of cloth, and
strengthened by % grains Of Mr. Watson
quinine. discovered we were within
sight of land. A stretch Of shallow, blue
green water ran away to sandy beach that
ended abruptly in iron cliffs. which sug.
gested hardness and barrenDess beyoDa.
What is the landt" asked one OF the
corsairs. pointing shoreward.
Thou shalt know soon enough" he
snarled, and concluding that perhaps the
fellow was right put no more questions.
Meanwhile the unloading of the brig
went on apace. A score of small boats lay
round her to receive the pluader, aud some
i 30 or 40 men swore on her decks and raw
aged her hold. They quarreled inccss;snt-
ly, shouting, pushing, kicking, brsndish-
/ Ing knives and cutlasses and pouring ont
I curdling maledctions and threats that to u
less ferv:d race could mean nothing short
OF an instant intention to revel in blood,
but never staying the main operations to
settle personal disputes.
. Islam has u Koran which straitly forbids
thieving, yet the Arab il by instinct aud
example thief. A pattern Of piety when
there happens to be no chance Of profitable
roguery, sanity in his observances Of pro-
scribed ceremonials inside u mosque Or
when be has leisure for prayers outside, a
loud talker about the duty Of Obedience to
God and the prophet, he is the very flower
Of brigands and bandits when he can se.
curely lay hands Oh another MIN, = goods.
Nor does he heed discipline more than r.
ligion. for whatever Difference be may pro-
fess for authority pillage transforms him
into rebel.
No sooner had the band about me rot to
work than it was bowling, disorganized
mob. regardless alike of leader, order aud
unity of interest,"
Civilization teaches the value Of concert.
ed action. The barbarian lacks the art to
understand the use Of combination ia
crime. The art and policy of jndcio,,s
division OF spoi!s are beyond him. C0nse
quently in that scene Of clamorous conten
tion each rogue simply seized and made of
with what he could gather, defending his
booty with tooth and claw after the man
Iler Of HIS fsiloaps
tiger. Standing idly by | took grim ,ls
light in noting how they thwartAsi and him
dered themselves and what time and Ell
ergy they devoted TO bootless scufflinx
As the cargo diminished the struggle
grew hotter and the hubbub louder. Curses
and rccriminations rose shrilI and fierce
faces were black and swollen with ayaricg,
eyes ablaze with anger. and | really
thought the thing would eu,l IN tiou! OF
gore.
"Wouldst thou have all. y son of dog,
and leave none to me2" Il will let Thy life
out ere parting with m ounce weight to
thee" MAY Azrael 1.-THE angel of ,lesthI
seize thee aud drug thee to perlition. thou
foul thief" Calamity make thy lex l,ars."
May scorpions eat thy heart out. thou I'm.
just man." Malice 1.-THE keeper of hatlsxI
have thee eternalIy in bis keeping" MAY
thy hands rot for their grettiiness, y most
wicked Of robbers" "Mayest thou seetae
In the liery dood." such were some Of tue
cries with which the pillagers carried on
their scramble.
In the midst Of the strife. when the tn
mutt was at It's height and tue company 40
intent Oh cIutching and tearing from each
other that they had no eyes for anything
else, suddenly there rang out u startled CRY
that sent burdens rolling on the deck and
hands gripping in girdlcs for pistol or blade.
Enemy, enemyr' yelled a n,au who
CHANGED to look out to yea, and sure enough
there, less than u teuth Of y league oil, were
two large boats full Of men coming swiftly
toward US under the combined inlpulsiop
OF sail and oar. Perhaps sixth of u league
beyond these rode at anchor q vessel Of
strange rig and build. from which It wa
plain they had COME.
The crew on board the Bird Of psro.lis.
acted with tue valor Of surprised thieves
Evidently Of the mind that half a loaf l.
better than no bread. many Of them leapet.
into the boats alongside and tried TO max,
of with what booty they had managed t.
secure. But before they could get ava,
the strangers were among them, aud in q
twinkling half the boats were floating kseI
up. It was surprising to see the rapidit,
with which boat after boat canted over
and emptied it, contents. human and in
animate, into the seS. A push. the touch
OF an Oar, JERK Oh O0ws or stern seemed TO
do it. But skill always gives xu idea Of
ease, and It WIN plain the present performsrs
were playing familiar parts !
The fellows in the water ypluttered. bel.
lowed and threatened, but a. the tongue
was the only weapon they were able to uss
with any freedom. their opposition scarce
counted "a hiu,irauce. The stranger, lsii
about them with their oars with such vivor
and dexterity. such lightninglike quick
ness aud precision, that ere one could ray
the thing had well begun hardly boat ~
lnained right side up. /
Having worked confusion in the water
the eoOquerurs came clambering over the
sides Of the brig, their ugly crooked swords
IN their teeth and light III their eyus that
was ugIier than the CLEAN Of their steel
There was pretenss Of resistancs By the
remainder Of the fimt corners, but before
there was any chance Of slaughter they
were dot ,ipg about the deck and playing
hide and SEEK about the mastx
AT this signal Of surrender weapons were
put up with pro.nptness that would have
astonIshed one entirely ignorant Of Arab
ways. sud with one accord Ill hxnds-trrt
'me.s and laGt a)iks-fall 70 The old nm.