Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-12-28

utes they looked like mass of black
| fish struggling in a net.
| But hardest of all MAS TO get them
down TO the brightly lighted tween
decks, as they had never before seen
artificial light and shrank and strng
gled back from ii AT the hatchways rs
from the glare of demons eyes. Ii
was only BY sheer force that We ulti-
mately got them all down. the males
into the fore tween decks and the fe-
males into the after tween decks.
Anchor was then weighed and then
a cigar. by this time the slaves We're
asleep and the captain said as he
pulled away NJ his cigar;
We've had busy day, Guliermo.
suppose you thought it cruel work,
did you not: But just consider. t;ti-
llermo. we have brought more souls
into the folds of Christianity in this
one night than whole mission would
in u year: and are they not Il splendid
lot of men and women:
They are all pure kabindas. IL
these girls were white they would
sell ut Canstantinople for $1,000 each.
and even black as they are they would
bring $500 head more than their
closely related race. the Habshees or
Abyssinians of the. Red Sea coast that
compete with the Cirassians, at the
markets of the Golden Horn. A Cir
cassian can't hold candle 10 Il pure
kabinda. Just wait until we get be-
yond the cruiser limits and get them
all washed aud dressed up and merry
and dancing and you'll think them
all Adonises and Nenuses fresh from
the easels of the great masters"
The next dawn the spare hover an
chor was hung TO the starboar.l cat
head, a hundred fathoms Of stream
chain shackled TO il and lighted along
the deck and ankle cuffs fixed to II 1T
about every three feet. "Bnt what IS
this for?' | asked the captain as |
looked along the four long bights Of
chain. bristling with slave irons.
oh. only TO be ready in case of
need self-preservation, YOU know. is
the first law of nature.
Then did it dawn upon me that his
purpose was to drown the slaves if
necessary, rather than run the risk OF
having them found ON board. and
sure enough it was only three days
before we had an English cruiser
chasing us. and she seemed to be- gain
ing on MS. for we could see the can
non balls drop closer each time shot
was fired
One aftef the other the new slaves
We're passed up and shackled to the
grim-looking chain and then the WON.
en- and children. also until all were
fastened for the searfrl drop, Fortu
nately. the poor creatures seemed To
have no idea of what il all meant and
stared vaguely on each other or on
the b0a-like coil of the chain Or nj the
guns and gunners, or in rhe direction
of the cruiser
Closer and closer came the cruiser.
her ensign flying. Now puff after
puff Of blue smoke belched from her
bow as she gave the range Of her
bow chasers trial Finally shot
struck us on the port quarter. but fell
into the sea without doing any serious
damage. The captain came aft To me.
shook hands. and, with smile half
sad, half heroic. said. ..Adios The
calling ont to the carpenter to stand
by the anchor. and 10 the gunner to
stand by to tire. he sprang with a
match in his hand and stood by the
fuse leading to the powder magazine
CHANGING up to see that the ensign was
flying clear he cried out to the gunner:
Rafael. don't you Think you could put
a shot through his fore mast head?
The handsomest slave in the ship is
yours If you do
DnF oil af SnI. a..
ed our stern chaser charged with
double charge that made the Iibertad
tremble from keel to truck: and the
shot striking its mark great BRA.
vo. resounded all along our decks as
the cruisers foretnp and ton gallant
masts crashed down over her bows.
Another wild hurrah for Rafael rent
the air as he gave the cruiser anorner
raking shot and we tarLtingIy signal
ed her goodbye and dropped her out
OF sight
A few days later when the cruiser
limits had been passed the grim chain
was again slowed away. the horrible
anchor was taken in, the slaves were
all freed from their shackels and hap
TIED. and each supplied with some
clothing and q comb and small mir
ror. and the slaves forgetful of the
past and carried away by their impul-
sive love Of pleasure and music. dane
ed merrily. Sometimes instead Of the
guitar. they danced to their own rude
Instruments
Finally. the thirtieth day, we ar
rived safe Mt Rio. where the slaves
were all landed. cleaned and dressed