Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12

was to Chamber out on it, get line from
over the ships side and go aboard
Way enOughi' called out the colonel;
stern all! Look out, forward there! Now.
then, we'll have a word with this chap
Ship ahoy!
The hail was stentorian: it might have
been heard back at our point of embarka-
ton; but it produced not whisper of re-
Spouse from the vessel The situation did
not strike ME as being entirely agreeable.
1t was picturesque and impressive, but not
inviting. There were the loneliness of the
quiet, moOnleSS sea, the limpid beauty or
the night, the gentle sucking sound of the
waves they lifted and subsidized about
the reef and the shadOw-like mountains
piling themselves aloft to the north-they
seemed very far away just then! Close be-
side us, overhanging our heads, were the
black sides of the unaccountabie ship, sort
of grotesque marine catafalque, containing
no one could tell what; so lately full of life
and bustle and now as deadly still as
veritable tomb. What did it mean. or por-
tend? What in the name of mystery had
become of its late occupants? They could
not have got away; they had been under
observation from the time the ship first
hove in sight, and yet they could not he on
board, unless . The alternative was
the thing that 1 have described as uninvit-
ing. If that swarm of men were on board,
lurking in such breathleSS silence within a
few feet of where we were sitting, there
was difficulty in persuading ones self that
their conduct BODIED us any good. On the
other hdn1, OF course, IL was scarcely less
difficult to imagine what benefit they could
expect from doing us any harm. Here they
were, hard and fast on the reef, at the
mercy not only Of change in the weather,
but of the inhabitants of the island. They
must be aware that our visit could be in
tended only in their interest. All the same
l do not mind saying that my most urgent
longing at that moment did not take the
form of a craving to Chamber up the ship
side and find out what was going on there.
AS for the colonel, 1t is the business of
warriors not to know what fear is; and
in his case there was the added consldera-
ton that he felt-whether reasonably or
not matters Httle-that her Britannia ma
jesty was being sighted in his person.
At all events. 1 am able to affirm that, to
all appearances, the only effect upon my
friend Of this CHASTITY unresponsiveness on
the part of the ships company was to de-
velop in him wrath the fiery quality of
which was but feebly symboized by the
glow of the cigar which was gripped be-
tween his teeth. He repeated his hail
twice; and then, turning to me, with the
deadly calm of one who has passed beyond
the point where demonstrations of any
sort can adequately express his emotions,
he said. in the softest tones 1 had ever
heard him use: Il think I'll just step
aboard and make few inquiries. VIII
you remain here, Or
If l had been an EngliShman, or even
negro. 1 think 1 might have been pre-
vailed upon to let that gallant gentleman
nave ali the luu W uiiilScil, put, oo Aisiu
the honor of the stars and stripes In my
keeping. at least as much as he had that
of the lion and the unicorn in his, I at
once replied, in a loud and cheerful tone:
Remain here? Well, not if l know my
self / came out here to see these fellows.
and you can bet your life. Col. Enderby.
am not going ashore again without having
done it!'
"Ah! then have the kindness to follow
me-" said he, in the same unnaturally
silky voice. He stepped out on the surface
of the reef, and L followed him. 1t was
only few inches above the water, and
was both rough and slippery. We trod on
limpets and sea urchins. and Shiny strips
of sea weed twined themselves about our