St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-02-24
STRUTHERS' ADVENTURE
result Of His Efforts to Save thu
Sukia's Daurhter.

" ms EnOrt0 to Save the
sukia's Daughter.
ctruthers was discontented. So was
nones; the causes were different, bu,
sthe effect the same.
otruthers had knocked about Central
America for almost four months on a
AIN quest for adventures which would
make hiscollege vacation a unique one.
ana I'LL his room Mt the Hall" with
trophies and the boys ears with thrill
ing stories.
bones was beginning to rebel at the
society OF native ours. whose combined
forces dyd not suffice to give him 4
6emo1nnce of the delightful scrim-
nagy.s he was wont to have in Cam.
91ige
Struthers' latest vagary-and owing
to his fathers hberality he was able to
indulge in many such-was the charter
ing OF small native schooner. With
a crew If six black Caribs he was now
skirting the Mosquito shore of Hon.
'duras on his way to Cabo Gracios Z
Oios. where he expected to catch \
homeward bound steamer.
He yearued for the delights of cfvili-
zation and ice. and felt that, after all.
the conventional pleasures of tennis,
canoeing and dancing at Bar Rarbor
were perhaps preferable to the IN
certain joys Of mule back and hunting
In the wilds oftCcntral America.
The outfit or what remained OF it,
was rusty and battered. but the hard
chips which had wrought shis change
IN his "irnpedimenta" had been vastly
beneficial to the owner in hardening
MS muscles and broadening his shoul-
jex
With Bones things had not gone SO
well; an almost steady diet of bananas
had made him thin. and between the
chlgocs and garrapatas very little Of
MS glossy coat was left, save in sbreds
and patches
It's too bad, Bones, old fellow; they
slsven'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
.yorrs good for. anyway? haven't had
., decent adventure or seen anything
worth telling, in the whole length and
breadth Of it's
.'You haven't seen him all, Buckra."
replied the Carib. asplendid specimen of
that race of semi-civilixed black SNUG
glers. who dart along the Caribbean
coAst in their swift dories.
Way yonder." he continued, point
ing toward the west, ''is de lam ub de
Waikas; plenty fun dere; but white man
no sahe2 him. No white men dere, not
chen Spanish man. only Waikas.
Bu1:kra, only Waikas."
.Perhaps you're right, Ossorio. about
the plenty fun. At any rate. Ill 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
saady coast which lay to the left, and
.s they rounded little cape Struthers
cried out: Look. there's the mouth Of
the river"
81 see him." answered the Carib,
make we put in dere l tink me,
praps. see Waiks town soon by"
The Carib's supposition was correct.
Tor 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 tho 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 tank like SO
many children. in high glee over the
rival OF strangers and the possibility
81 beads, and perhaps little rum
The landing was soon made. and
the Garth. polyglot that he was.
acted Is interpreter in presenting
Struthers 20 the old chief. Dana Pisano.
Who ut once bid tho strangers welcome
and conducted them to his watla, or
house.
Installed in . wide hammock within
- semi-darkness of the watla, and
: iarec eourd OF cool pineapple mishla
8 his side, Struthcrs forgot his discon-
fnnt and asked many questions OF
Pinano through the Carih
Re learned that the music they had
he.ra was part of the ceremony attend
Al upon the death OF an old suk'a or
..rediciue man." whose funeral was to
h1heId on the following day.
~To-morrow. at first sun up. DC
e-..r.l begins Dana Pisano asks You
mvou wan TO sec him-better you do
rSsybe il muse you. said the Cano'
-3fh unconscious sarcasm
A4 snurise the next morning he was
..86enlv aroused by the rattle OF mus
s.sevv followed by doleful howis and
lanentstiona
r,,.h;nr out Of tho wstla, where ne
"A rnent the night. he saw . large pit
-. f.irrout) coming slowly down the
-. while ON the bank abreast OF II
...,ched two columns Of Waikas' the
- ccrstitutinR one column. the wom-
en the other.
3 ~. nituan was the dead medicine
-. his three widows ana son'J
p@ceH @eH ,,span made landing, and the
.ren followed BY the crowd OF snen.
s1.;... was carried along narro"
trsil into the forest
=. open space Of the burial GROUND
~ midst OF the great jungle
-sil eircls Of light surToanded oy
ss'-.~ee,nhae = darkness
s.- ~ made for Struthefs: Us
.s Rones and at signal from
n:...ot Ne crowd fell oec.. ,ne ~"
$50 e1epped forward ana 'ne e
.,ouies hegaD ..h.a hodv.
nse.1A1r low over the s~a.ns1 a "..s
..s,ie began in low. rsplo S