The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-01-09


never known how long an hour was Init
this day we all came to know how long
day could be.
At last the long day drew to an end.
and the shadow, to our intense relief,
began to darken in our little room.
where we were holding our watch. The
tropic night closes quickly in. Soon the
city was shrouded in darkness, and we
sailed out to the beach at the head of
the bay to find relief in movement. The
time passed quicker then, and at last we
sat down on some wreckage there and
watched the tropic night as it revealed
its wealth OF stars, and sitting there we
moralized upon the destiny of man and
his relations to things seen and unseen,
upon spiritual force, most Of all upon
divine justice, which in the end evens
up all things. But like so many other
philosophers who write the style of the
gods and make pish at fortune we
failed to make a personal application of
our philosophy.
We sat for an hour longer, and then
securing boat with two negro rowers
we pulled for the ship. Three or four
small boats were fastened to the COM
panion ladder, and our arrival attracted
no attention. Two officials in uniform,
probably customs officers, stood at the
companion way. 1t was an anxious
moment, but we slipped trough the
dimly lighted cabins and passages and
were soon safely in the stateroom. Bid
ding both goodby and promising to be on
board again at in the morning, I went
ashore and straight to bed and soon was
dreaming Of starlit seas, Of tropic woods
and summer bowers white and sweet
with May blossoms
My health then as now was perfect,
and awoke fresh and hopeful. After
breakfasting on dish Of prawns and an
other of soft shelled crabs I was off
across the bay. Soon after 8 I knocked
softly at the stateroom door, was adj
mitted and presented the lunch I had
brought. They gave me warm greet
ing, but neither had slept. The room
had been hot and stuffy, and the noise
Of slowing cargo had helped to Danish
sleep. Both were unnerved somewhat,
but had just come off shore confident
and cheerful, and my confidence and
spirits proved infectious.
knew by sight the chief of police
and those just under him. also knew
Braga, the bank manager, by sight.
They Of course did not know me, and I
could unsupported be a locker on in
Vienna Soon the shore passengers, their
friends and many idle visitors came off
in boatloads, while I of course scruti-
nized every boatload as it came up the
side Of the ship.
At $50 saw boat coming, which,
when half mile away, recognized as
containing the chief Of police and sew
eral of his subordinates. Ten minutes
after Braga and one Of the bank officials
came, the only passengers in their boat,
and at once joined the police on the aft
er deck and stood with them waiting
and watching the boats as they arrived.
In the meantime babel reigned around
the ship. About threescore boats sur
rounded her, the owners selling to the
passengers everything from oranges to
monkeys, snakes and parrots
determined to conceal from George
and Mac that Braga and the police were
on the ship, and about every 20 minutes
would slip down and report all IS we'll,
but soon after 10 O'Clock the enemy was
joined by the ticket agent from shore,
and could see they were contemplating
some movement. Slipping down to the
cabin, said: "Boys, everything is all
right. Keep perfectly cool Braga and
the police are pulling to the ship and
may search it,. If so, it will take half an
hour to get here Twill keep everything
in my eye and give you ample notice.. :"
I then returned on deck and stood
among the officials. They conversed in
Portuguese, which was Greek to me.
Soon the agent dived below and reap
peared with the manifest of the passen-
gers and an enormous heap Of passports.
After some conversation they sent the
passports back; then, headed by the
agent and purser, manifest in hand,
they began to verify the list and scru
tinize the passengers in the staterooms.
Once more hurried below and reported.
Mac was naturally very dignifed, but
divesting himself Of coat, vest and dig
nifty at the same time he planted him
self under the berth. Very close and
very hot quarters he found it, and we
put the bags of oranges in front, dispos-
ing Of them SO as to make it appear as
if they filed the whole space, when in
reality they were mere screen.
Then we opened the door to the full
est extent. We had taken off our coats,
it being frightfully hot, and with bot
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