The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-26

through a crowd Of negroes surging
around the davits. The big Krooboy
who was thrusting the boats bows off
the rail went down like a dog as the
heavy pistol-butt smote him W
the eyes; and the mob fell back a
pace or two. Light a port fire on the
hands," he roared. We're a comm,
sir" answered a voice out of the dark
ness, as a few drowsy seamen fought
their way to their commanders side,
the KrOoboys giving way before the
swinging c~apstan-bars and iron pump
handles. Then a port-f1re Kissed and
spluttered On the lofty bridge, and an
intense dazzling green glare shone
down OF the swaying crowd below.
1.-THE first that lays a hand upon the
boats I Shoot" and the barrel Of his
revolver glinted in the light of the port
fire. For a few seconds the negroes
stood silent and irresolute, until a
burly leader strobe forward. saying
something in an unknown tongue, and
pointing to the boats.
The mates grasp frightened on his
handspike as he glanced at the rolling
eyes and scowling faces before him.
He knew that if the shippers nerve
proved unequal to the task it might go
very hard with every white man on
board, for many of the Krooboys were
armed with matchets.
:'Give us them boat" white man, and
plenty boy live for bring them back"
said the spokesman. IF no fit, we chop
you one time" For a moment or two
the captain made no reply, but stood
calmly facing the excited crowd, and
glancing shoreWards the mate saw q
bright tongue of flame leap up from the
summit Of the bluff, while "a hoarse
murmur ran from man to man. Then
again the tread of running feet echoed
along the after deck, and a hoarse
voice cried, loot O. the way, We brutes."
The big Krooboy glanced behind him,
and swung his matchet, but a heavy
steel spanner descended with a THUG
upon his woolly head, n the gaunt
figure of the chief engineer leaped into
the circle of light, while the negro,
staggering sideways, fell grooming up
on the deck. Next moment a wedge Of
sooty firemen and greasers, with SHOW
els and rabbles in their hands, cleft
the crowd apart, and the KrOoboys
gave ~sullenly back On either side.
Now" said the captain, take that
man away and pump on him. If
there's one of you left on the spar deck
in three minutes I'll shoot him" The
negroes went slowly forward. It was
the old story; the calmness n con-
temptous fearlessness Of the Euro
pean had triumphed over the tickle i'm
pulses of the African. The negro saw
age is rarely a coward: in some cir
cumstances he is recklessly brave; but
he is always loath to face a determined
white man. It is not unusual to see a
score of stalWart bushmen flying in
terror from the wrath of a sickly White
trader, who would be as helpless as a
child in their muscular grip. This is
the more strange, as all the traders are
by no means remarkable for nerve or
courage, while the negroes have pro-
badly faced swift death at the point
of a barbed spear several times before.
"a wee bit rmness gangs a lang
way" said the engineer painting; AN
I'm thinkin' it's a gey hard skull he has
the bit tap wull no trouble
him lang"
The mate burst out into a laugh to
relieve his pent-up excitement, as he
answered: eff it had been any one but
a niger, the bit tap would have killed
him on the spot"
I'm dead tired of them anyway
observed Captain Orme, slowly. Five
dollars a head from Lagos dosen't
cover this kind of thing. I wonder
what they'll be up to next" Even as
he spoke a wild yell rose from the fore
deck, followed by a succession OF
splashes in the sea-" Conn back there!
Stop them! Light another port-fire,'
! he roared.
This time a crimson fam blaze on,
from the rail of the spar-deck, and by
the rudy glare the Europeans saw the
Krooboys hurting their gin cases over
the iron bulwarks, while already fou,
. or five sable figures were shooting
I through the circle of light which fel
+ upon the long CLASSY undulations, as
. the steamer rolled and wallowed in the
steep swell. The white seamen des'
} cended the iron runged ladder, bur
, glistening matchet-blades barred then
, way and Did Man Trouble stood upor
the winch drum and lifted up his voice
Listen liz word, Captain sah," hi
said. w dun pay you all five dollar
fer land on Palm beach. Liberia mar
say no; Captain say no boat. Krooboy
swim; if white nan say no, we choI
him. Live fer quiet; we go chop Ii
IBERIA man instead"
Let them co. advised the mate
I'VE can't stop them now, and would
only get hurt if we tried. There's NJ
. surf in Africa big enough to drown
/, KroObOy.'
AS he spoke a crowd of naked figure
! flung themselves over the rail. and tn
/ sea was dotted with swimming heads
: man after man followed in rapid sue
cession, until the deck was empty o
= all save those bound for Sierra Leone
J The sight was no unusual one, 70
s when, as occasionally happens, tn
: canoes do not come off to meet tn,
coasting steamers. the Krooboy pas
: sengers swim ash re half a mile o
e more. pushing their gin cases befor'
them.s
II wadna care tae be in the shoon @
i that custom man if they devils wax
j him up the NIGHT" said the engineer
S It's not our business" rejoined tn
mate. and he probably deserves it. I
y won. be the first Liberian station tn
g willy Krooboy has cleaned out. I an
e thinking most of the two Frencl
traders: I don't suppose they'll be mo
Tested. but we'll warn them anyway.
s The long. reverberating boom Of tn
E steam-whistle rang out four time
across the nifty darkness, and the
Ill mos cilanf AGAIN