The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-03-16
NUMBER Ii.
STRUTHERS' ADVENTURE
Result of His Eforts to Save the
Sukia's Daughter.

AsCoolS Vi ms EsAlOIlS 10 OdNe Ine
Su<ia's Daughter.
Struthers was discontented, so was
Bones; the causes were different, but
the effect the same.
Struthers had knocked about Central
America for almost four months on "A
vain quest for adventures which would
make hiscollege vacation a unique one.
and ill his room at the Hall" with
trophies and the boys ears with thrill
ing stories.
Bones was beginning to rebel at the
Gociety of native ours, whose combined
forces did not suffice To give him a
semblance of the delightful scrim-
images he was wont To have in Cam
bridge.
Struthers' latest vagary-and owing
to his fathers hberality he was able to
indulge in many such-was the charter
ing Of Il small native schooner. With
Il crew of six black Caribs he was now
skirting the Mosquito shore of Hon
duras on his way To Cabo Gracios a
Dius, where he expected To catch "A
homeward bound steamer
He ycarned for the delights of civili-
zation and ice, and felt that, after all
the conventional pleasures of tennis
canoeing and dancing at Bar narbor
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 il,
was rusty and battered, but the hard
ships which had wrought this change
in his ''iInpedimenta" had been vastly
beneficial TO the owner IN hardening
his muscles and broadening his shoul-
ders.
With Bones things had not gone so
well; an almost steady diet Of bananas
had made him thin, and between the
chigoes and garrapatas very little of
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
viii soon be over | say, Ossorio.' turn
ing wrathfully upon the Carib captain.
what is this beastly. old country of
yours good for, anyway? l haven't had
a decent adventure or seen anything
worth telling, in the whole length and
breadth OF it,
You haven't seen him all, Bucllra,"
replied the Carib, a asplendid specimen of
that race of semi-civilized black SNUG
coast in their swift dories.
Way vonder," he continued, point
ing toward the west, rs de Ian ub de
Wail1as; plenty fun dere; but white man
no sabez him. No white men dcre, not
eben Spanish man, only WaiSas,
Buclxra, only Wailzas."
Perhaps you're right, Ossorio. about
the plenty fun. At any rate. IN have
another try at amusemenC before l cut
the country; so put about and make for
some river you think your friends, the
Waikas, may live ne1r.'
Soon they were sailing along the low
sandy coast which lay To the left, and
as they rounded little cape Struthers
cried out: Look. there's the mouth of
the river"
Il see him. answered the Carib,
make we put in dere. / tink me,
p'raps. see Wailla town soon by"
The Carib's supposition was correct,
for the schooner was soon near enough
for them 10 perceive the high-pealSed
matched roofs and bamboo walls of
the native houses nesting among the
waving palms and plumy coeoanut
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 Lank like so
many children, in high glee over the
arrival of strangers and the possibility
of beads and perhaps a little rum
The landing was soon made, and
the Garth. polyglot that he was,
acted a. interpreter in presenting
Struthers 10 the old chief. Dana Pisano,
who at once bid the stranger welcome
and conducted them TO his watla, or
house.
Installed in a wide hammock within
the semi-darlkness OF the watla, and
a large 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 sulzia or
medicine man." whose funeral was TO
be held on the following day.
''To-morrow, at first sun up, de
fun'ral begins Dana Pisano asks you
if You wan To see him-better you do
maybe il 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 a large pit
pan (tugout) coming slowly down the
river, while on the bank abreast of il
marched two columns of Waikas, the
men constituting one column, the wom-
en- the other.
In the ritpan was the dead medicine
man. his three widows and a solitary
paddler.
The pitpan made 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
sullia stepped forward and the cere-
monies began.
Lending low over the swathed body.