The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-29

,;Ior;ms on the iron decks of the oaisoh
'pns .s;t across the Red Sea, he was
transcressing the laws OF sefeIai
t;ons nsnec;ally those of Great brltaih
cd bor dependencies. But wnat eise
aa,,,a tho moor man do? Situated as ne
20, With such a tempting opportunity
81 IN his hand, he would have peeh
los than human if he had neglecteo 10
.oLo tho bargain which was oHeIeo.
Al +bonph the list of things that mas
l,aan said against Capt. Owen Kettle Is
10TH black and long, l am not aware
+bo+ anv one has yet alleged that the
little sailor was anything more or less
than human in all his many frailties.
Cortolvin came to the chart house and
nut This matter of illegality to him In
-nlain words when the engines choose TO
break down two days out Of Jeddah'
and the Saigon lolled helpless in the
blazing Red Sea heat.
Cortolyin up to that time had not made
himself remarked. He had marched on
hoard from the new Jeddah quay, where
tho railway is, and passed as an Arao
of the Sahara, who was glorylng III
the newly acquired green turban OF
badii. He was nicked on the mate
+ally as a niger" along with some o4o
other dark-skinned followers OF the
nrop;bat and he had spent those two
days upon an orthodox square OF raegeu
Garnet snread on the rusted iron pia'
ing of the lower foredeck. Wheh the
n;jgr;ms were mustered for victualllns
he had fled in with the rest, and held
ont n brass lotah for his ration OF water
and a tattered square of canvas for MS
dole Of steamed rice. You could count
his ribs twenty yards away, but ned the
look of a healthy man, and wheh OH
mornings he helped to throw overheard
those of his fellow-pilgrims who had died
during the night, it was plain to see mat
he was a fellow of more than ordinary
muscular strength. -
He came to Capt. Kettle, in the chart
house. to report that the pilgrims con-
-templated Selling the Saigon as soon as
ever the engines were once more put III
running order. They've declared a
iehad against you, if you know what
that is,'' said Cortolvin.
"A holy war, or some such skittles,
isn't it?'' said Kettle.
..Tybat's about the size of it,, said the
badii you'll have to look out II you
intend to remain master OF TINS steam
boat" -.
81 don't require any teaching my busl-
ness from passengers" said Capt. het-
tile, stiffly.
Gan right" said Cortolvin, have it
your own way. But / think you might
be decently grateful. I've risked my me
Inv coming to give you news OF What
was in the wind. And you can't pretend
that the information is not useful.
You'ye a coolie crew, who will be aDso-
lutely foolish If trouble comes. Inese
T,ascars always are that way. You We
inst vour two white engineers and two
white mates to back you up, and the
FIVE of YOU wouldn't have snow.
You've $40 fanatics to deal with, VINO
are all fighting bred and fighting hts
They're all well-armed, and they
wouldn't bit object to die scrimmaging
in such a cause. You know it's part OF
their creed that if they peg out WINE
fighting gaiours, they go slick to para
disc by lightning express. mat WHY
old camel-driyer of Mecca painted ms
heaven as just the sort Of dandy place
to suit this kind of cattle, and, as most
of them have a beast of time on tins
earth, they're anxious. to move along up
stairs whenever a decent opportunity
offers to get there
'They'll be an ugly crowd to tackle,
grant that"
"They are right, and don't you forget
it, / might point out, captain, that
personally speaking, I'd been lot safer
lie I'd stayed down on the lower fore
deck yonder, and held my tongue. They d
have got you to an absolute certainty If
they ambushed you as was intended, and
I could have kept out of the actual
throat-cutting and preserved a sound
skin. They've all got profound re-
spect for me. I'm a very holy man."
''And as it is?'
Hadji Cortolvin shrugged his shout
.ders. 40, / chip in with you"
'If you tell me why"
"Cousinship Of the skin, suppose.
You're white by birth, and / believe l
should turn out to be white also if l
kept out of the sun for awhile and had
several Turkish baths. OF course I've a
snuff-colored hide ON me now, and dur
ing this last two years I've been living
with men Of color, and following their
ways, and thinking their thoughts.
Funny, isn't it? 1 come across you; /
don't know you from Adam; l can't say
I particularly like what I've seen of
YOU: and yet here am /, rounding on my
former mates, and chipping in with you,
on the clear knowledge that l shall
probably get killed during the next few
hours for my pains"
MAY / ask your name" said Kettle.
81 believe, sir" he added, with a bow,
"that you are gentleman"
The hadji laughed. $50 far as / rec
ollect, / was that once, captain. Sorry
haven't card on me, but my names
w. III. Cortolvin, and lived near Rich
mond, in Yorkshire, before | was idiot
enough to go wandering off the Cooks
tourist routes into the middle OF Ara
bia."
Pm Welsh myself" said Kettle, but
I've known men from Yorkshire. Shake
hands. sir, please. Will you have a
whisky peg?"
pour it out, captain. haven't tasted
Christian drink for thirty weary
months. And you've got chattie hung