The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-19
THE IDOLIZED FRENCHMAN.
A Strange Tale of madagascar.

a Strange Tale of madagascar.
BY GEORGE WESLEY.
Copyright. 1895, by George Westley.l
Few indeed are the experiences in
this world that have never been du-
plicated. One of those few. however,
must certainly be placed to the credit
of the young Frenchman, Louis Ber-
gaz, for surely nc other individual. in
this nineteenth century at least, has
! enjoyed the privilege of looking upon
a wooden image of himself, surround
ed by WorshipperS humbly kneeling
before it with prayer and burnt offer
ing. The true story of that remark
able happening runs as follows:
In the summer of 1918, the good ship
Dido sailed from Mauritius, bound for
Sumatra, with cargo of French man
ufactures, which were to be used in
barter for spice and coffee, with the
nabobs Of the Sunda isles. After
| bowling along right merrily for a
few days, the vessel was becalmed, and
so long did she remain in this condi-
ton that the supply of meats, fruits,
chocolate, flour and other provisions
began to get low, and the passengers
and crew had to be put on short al
lowance.
OF the live stock there remained
nothing save patriarchiaI rooster,
who spent most of his time perched
On the rail mourning over his devasted
| harem. Being something of pet, his
execution was delayed as long as pos
sible.b but the cravings of the passengers
for fresh meat became at last so
strong that sentence was passed upon
him. and his head fell beneath the
cruel Ratchet of Neptune. the cook.
This Neptune was Madagascar ne
gro. a fairly intelligent fellow, with,
| however, an amazing fondness for nap
! ping. And it is one of his maps that
is responsible for this story.
As the savory odor of the sizzling
rooster penetrated the ship, the hungry
/ passengers could scarcely restrain
their Impotence. By sort of tacit arr
rangement. they had all remained in
| the cabin, keeping each other in sight,
| lest some of them should be tempted
to seize the luscious bird with violent
| hands
All of sudden their sense of smell
telegraphed the alarming message that
| all was not right, and simultaneous
with this dispatch there came a cry
! of terror and despair from the caboose.
! At this all hands rushed on deck, to
| find the unfortunate Neptune wringing
1 his hands in agony and alright, for
! while he Slumbered at his post, 10, the
precious fowl had burned to a cinder.
anger of the passengers was very
great, but it was not to be compared
with that of the mate. A passionate
man at the best of times, hunger now
converted him into a fiend. Uttering a
fearful oath. he seized the large knife
and made a leap for the covering
creature before him.
Don't kill him! don't kill him.
cried a sturdy young fellow, and he
rushed forward just in time to save
the negro from the descending stroke.
In doing so, however. he received
severe wound in the wrist. from which
the blood streamed copiously.
The murderous mate was seized by
the crew and disarmed, and Neptune,
realizing that his life was saved. kiss
ed and embraced the feet of his pro-
tector. until he had to be dragged
away. That young man was one of the
passengers, and his name was Louis
Bergaz.
A day or two after this episode, a
breeze sprans up and the Dido soon
arrived at her destination.
Four years later. Louis BergaZ hap
pened one day to be dining at an
English boarding house in Batavia
Opposite him at the table were seated
two learned gentlemen who had been
sent out by the British government to
inspect the countries lying near the
equator. His name being mentioned,
one of the sayans looked up and said:
who owns the name of Bergaz"
81 do" responded Louis.
81 wonder if you know. said his in
terrogator. that you bear the same
name as the god of Madagascar"
Indeed" said Louis. smiling. 81 was
not aware of the fact"
When the dinner was over. the gen.
tleman took from his valise scientific
journal which contained one of his
articles. Marking a passage. he handed
It over to Louis who read as follows:
1T is mistake to believe that the
MalagasyS worship the devil. and that
they have at Tientingua tree conse-
Grated to the Evil One. They have but
one temple. dedicaed to the god Ber-
gaZ (beer. we'll or source. in the Chal-
dean. and gaZ, light. in the Malagasy
tongue) To this divinity they are ar
IDENTIFY devoted. and at stated periods
they offer him the sacrifice of a. cock,
as the ancient Greeks did to AeSculap-
ius."
THAT is very curious" said Louis.
simply, and presently the conversation
turned into another channel.
Two years had passed away, and
business cares had driven the whole
affair from the young mans mind.
Louis was now on his way to NADIA
gascar, to purchase ebony. His des-
tination was Cape ST. Maria, but a
fierce gale compelled the vessel to seek
shelter at Simpai, on the Avas coast.
While she was undergoing repairs,
Louis shouldered his gun. and started
off in search of game.
He had proceeded several miles in
land, when he came to the border of
a thick bamboo jungle, and there he
beheld a number \of natives PROSTATE
before the entrance of large hut.
sort of hymn, the burden of which
was the word. .BeAgaz.' pronounced
so distinctly that it INSTANTLY brought