The bee., 1896-12-24
"what's upr' / asked.

Pointing over tho hill, tho guido
gasped:
People from he Hankan islands In
camp over thorcl And there's white
man with thom"
"But Is that surprisingY' inquired.
"Ycs, sir. ehould say IL was, he
answered. Then he added "Wo mustn't
stay here. It's dangerous.
To tho surprise of tho guide ] nm
nounccd my purpose TO have n look ut
these people. and, fearing 20 romnin
alono rather than because be approved
Of the undertaking. the guide accom-
panied mo.
We reach,d the top of tho hill, from
which we could sec fire in the valley
not more than 150. yards below us.
About this fire four men stood, two OF
them unmistakably natives and two OF
thom as Enthusiastically white men,
though the slight attire of all was tho
same.
s'rhero are two whiio mon down
there. |" said 90 the guide. ''No mat
ter how the others feel. these will ho
friends Como with me. And, making
sure that my pistols wore smooth ia tho
holsters. | throw tho shotgun into tho
hollow OF my arm aud sIrodn down.
Like a man under hypnotic influence.
tho guido obeyod mo. and IN few min.
nt6s We were nj the fire.
Tho natives wero the first To hear us,
and. without seizing their spears which
were ON Tho ground, they uttered yell
of alarm aud led.
Tho older of tho two brongod white
men--the younger was about one and
twenty---roached out his hands, aud in
voice trembling with emotion shouted:
"Friendsl Friendsl At last, ffiendsl''
When tho younger man could com
mand his tongue, aftor no Ind shaken
hands with us, he cried out Got back
from tho. flfol There's danger herer'
IIo and his companion picked up tho
spears. and. at run. tLey followed tho
guide and myself 10 our camp.
There was no time for explanation.
Clearly these men had been captivos
and woro as anxious 20 escape as we
We're TO help thom.
We saddled mp quickly. placed tho
older man ON tho pack horse, wbilo tho
younger sprang up beside me, and then,
guided by tho stars, we started eastward.
During tho night march the young
man behind me told me his story. His
name was Clifford Baldwin; that Of his
companion was George Wellman, mato
Of tho lost ship Albatross and tho
brother OF the captain.
frha abk,x N1.al,-al a., ~ o..lo.,, ,Ftn,
most Of tho crew. including the captain,
had boon swept from her decks. This
was nino months after sho had left New
Bedford.
OF tho five men who got away in tho
lifeboat, three died Of starvation. Young
Baldwin and tho mate were flung
ashore ON ono OF tho Hankan islands,
where for six years tho natives, who in
every other way had treated them kind
ly, kept them captive. Now and then
they made forays to tho main island TO
carry or Maori cattle. and they had
just landed for this purpose tho night
before.
'"Take rlo 10 my father In Boston,"
said the young man In conclusion, "or |
send me TO him, and ha will repay you
for your trouble"
told him that his father was then
at Auckland. wheroat he was so much |
affected that tho poor fellow burst into
tears.
Tho Maoris were astonished at our
discovery, and they gladly furnished us
with fresh horses TO get TO the nearest
stage line
We had provided clothing for our
nearly naked companions, and barber
ht the geysers had made them more pre-
sentable. Xk
1t was now Christmas day when we
reached Auckland. and TO two men at
least IL was the happiest Christmas day
In oil tho world.
Mr.. Baldwin soon regained his health.
He end his son--the latter now married
ARE living in California, and never
Christmas day passes that I am not ask.
cd TO visit them and celebrate themeet-
ing in Now Zealand.
LEON EDWARDS