The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-26

AUSTRALIA lies nSt4e word all by itself
and unlike anything else to be found in
the whole immsmorial East. Its chief
center is in Torres straits. where the ma
joTity Of the inhabitants employ them
se.ves in pearl-fshing. gathering beche-
de-mer and t0rtoise-shell. and generally in
accommodating those gigantic fortunes of
which one hears so muchs and see so
little.
Walking the streets Of Thursday island.
the smallest of the group. yet the center
OF commerce in the seat Of such govern
ment as the colony Of Queensland can af-
ford IT. you will be struck with the num-
Der Of natlonalities represented. Dwelling
together, If not in unity, certainly in uni
son, are Caucas.ans and Mongolians.
Ethiopians and Malayans. John Chinaman
living cheek by Jowl with the barbarian
Engiishman, Clngalee with Portuguese,
Frenchman with Kanaka--all prejudices
alike forgotten in the one absorbing strug-
gle for the unchanging British severe gn.
On the veranda of the hotels sit continual
ly men who talk with the familiarity of
old friends about the uttermost parts of
the earth. and whose lives are mainly
spent in places to which the average man
never goes nor dreams of going. If you
are a good listener they will tell you
many things worth knowing; and toward
midnight you viii feel stealing over you
a hay conviction that the nineteenth CEN
fury is as yet unborn. and that you are
listening 10 the personal narrative of
"Sinbad," the sailor, in an unexpurgate1
form.
One afternoon, as I was sitting on my
veranda watching the China mail-boat
steam to her anchorage. and wondering
II had energy enough to light third
oheroot, l fe.t my arm touched. Turn
ing, discovered a little Solomon boy
about ten years old attired in an ancient
pair Of hunting brooches and grinning
from ear 10 ear Having succeeded IN
attracting my attention, he handed me
a letter. IL was from my friend, McBain.
the manager Of pearlng station on an
adjacent island, and set forth the welcome
fact that he would be pleased 10 see me
could spare the time 10 dine with him
that evening. There was nothing / could
spare more easily or more willingly.
Once comfortably seated on the veralda,
McBain explained his reason for sending
TO me. you'll think me mad. but I've
got curiosity here that l want you to
examine before any one else gets hold
of him
Black or white?" I asked with but
little interest. FOR we lived in land of
human curi0slties.
White"
Nationality"
Cosmopolitan, l should gancy."
''Profession?"
Adventure. with marvellous big A"
And hai,ing from
well, he doesn't seem to know HIM
self. One of my luSSers took him out
OF an open boat abOut two degrees west
of the Ladrones."
But he surely knows how he got into
the boat? Men don't go pleasure trips
across oceans without knowing whence
they started. Hasn't he anything 10 say
for himself?"
That's just what l want you TO hear.
Either the mans a superhuman liar or
else he's got the secret OF the biggest
night, and you shall judge for your
self"
When dinner was over. we took our
selves and our cigars on to the cool va
randa, and for half an hour or so sat
smoking and talking OF many things.
Then foOtstep crunched upon the path.
and tall thin man stood before US.
McBain rose and wished him Good
evening" as he did so pushing a chair
into such a position that could see his
face. Il beg your pardon, but / don't
think you told me your name last night"
Sir, my name is Nicodemus B. Pat
ten Of Sacramento City, state of Califor-
MIA, L. 5. A.-mOst times called Sacra-
mento Nick"
We'll, Mr. Patten. let me introduce
you to a friend who is anxious TO hear
the curious story you told me last night
VIII you smoker"
Gravely bowling 10 me. he selected
cheroot lit il, and blew the smoke
luxurlously through his nose. The lamp
light fell full and fair uDon his face and
1nSflQCtlVetV 1 " IN
remarkable countenance, and, in spite
OF It's irregularity Of feature contained
a dignity Of expression which rather dis
concerted me There were evident traces
Of bodily and mental suffering in the
near past, but ii was neither the one nor
the other which had stamped the lines
that so much puzzled me. After salts
Tying myself on certain other points,
begged him 10 begin.
He did so without hesitation or previous
thought:
Gentlemen, before l commence nv
story, let me tell you that when first the
things / am going to tell you OF came
about, there were three OF US: EsdraS w
Dyson of Milwaukee, Wis, L. s. A:
James Dance Of London, England. and
Nlcodemus y. Patten OF Sacramento
City, now before you. / reckon most
folks would have called US adventures,
for we'd ferreted into nearly every corner
Of the globe. Snakes alive! but I've seen
things in my time that would fairly
stagger even you, and L guess my story
OF tonight amt the least curious of EN-
Perhaps you don't remember the junk
that fell foul of the Bedford Castle nigh
upon three years ago, when she was four
days from Singapare2"
1 remembered the circumstance per-
fectly. 1t was an act of fragrant piracy
which had made some noise at the time;
and 1 had also a faint recollection of
having been told that white men were
suspected OF being mixed up in it. on
being asked II he knew anything of the
matter. he said; We'll, I don't say we
did, mind you. but / suspicion we were
In China waters at the time. But bless
you, In those days there We're few places
and few things that we hadn't a finger in
Understand, am telling you this because
] don't want to sail under false cO.ors,
and also because such work Is all over
now; the firms smashed up, and Wen
never go on the long trail again.
Two years ago, for certain reasons not
necessary TO mention, We wanted TO lay
by for a while, so bringing up az Batavia
fixed right on to the Nederlander. Java's
or1e-hoTse place for business purposes
but II you know the ropes-well, there's
not a better pace in the word to hide
in.
Now. gentleman both, you may take Il
from me that there never was such a
chap for browsing about among nlggers
finding out what was doing and If there
was anything TO be made as Esdras W
Dyson Of Milwaukee, u. s. A In the
first place, he could patter any
lingo from Chinese TO Malay with
a tongue that'd talk round the devil HIM
self; and when he suspicioned a niger