Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28
THE PILGRIM SHIP
BY CUTCLIFFE HYNE.
Copyright. 1897, by CutciIre Hyne.)


Written for The Evening Star.
Even before he left Jeddah Captain Ket-
tie was quite aware that by shipping pill
grims on the iron decks of the Saigon for
transit across the Red sea he was trans
crossing the laws of several nations, es-
pecially those of Great Britain and her de-
Tendencies. But what else could the poor
man do? Situated as he was. with such a
tempting opportunity ready to his hand. he
would have been less than human If lie
had neglected to take the bargain which
was offered. And though the list of things
that have been said against Captain Owen
Kettle is both black and long. ] am not
aware that any 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
put this matter of illegality to him in plain
words when the engines chose to break
down two days out of Jeddah, and the
Saigon lolled helpless in the blazing Red
sea heat
Cortolvin up to that time had not made
himself remarked He had marched On
board from the new Jeddah quay, where
the railway Is, and posed as an Arab of
the Sahara, who was glorying In the newly
acquired green turban Of hadji. He was
nicked on the mates tally as a niger,
along with some $40 other dark-slsinned fol-
lowers of the prophet. and he had spent
those two days upon an orthodox square Of
ragged carpet spread the rusted iron
plating of the lower foredeck. When the
pilgrims were mustered for victualing he
had filed In with the rest. and held out a
brass lotah for his ration of water and a
tattered square of canvas for his dole of
steamed rice. You could count his ribs
twenty yards away, but he'd the look of
healthy man. and when on mornings he
helped to throw overheard those of his
fellow-pilgrims who had died during the
night. it was plain to see that he was
fellow of more than ordinary muscular
strength
He came to Captain Kettle in the chart
house to report that the pilgrims contem-
plated Selling the Saigon SO soon as ever
the engines were once more put in running
order. They've declared jehad against
you. if you know what that is" said Cor
tolvin.
"A holy war, or some such skittles, isn't
it, said Kettle.
hadji You'll have TO look out If you IN
tend to remain master of this steamboat
II don't require any teaching my BUSH
ness from passengers, SAID capt hettie'
stiffly.
"All right said Cortolvin; have it your
own way. But I think you might be de-
Gently grateful. I've risked my life by
coming TO give you news of what was In
the wind. And you can't pretend that the
information is not useful You've cool1e
crew who will be absolutely foolish II
trouble comes. These Lascars always are
that way You've Just your two white en-
gineers and two white mates to back you
up and the five of you wouldn't have a
show. You've $40 fanatics to deal with,
who are all fighting bred and lighting nj.
They're all well armed. and they wouldn't
bit object to die scrimmaging IN such
cause. You knew It's part of their creed
that if they peg out while fighting gaiours
they 90 slick to paradise by lightning ex-
press That willy old camel driver of Nee
ca painted his heaven as just the sort OF
dandy place to suit this kind OF cattle. and
as most of them have beast OF time on
this earth, they're anxious to move along
upstairs Whenever a decent opportunity.
offers to get there
They'll be an ugly crowd to tackle: I
grant that"
THEY are right, and don't you forget it.
I might point out captain, that. personally
speaking, I'd been a lot safer If I'd stayed
down on the lower fore deck yonder and
held nv tongue. They'd have got you to
an absolute certainty if they ambushed you
as was intended, and could have kept out
of the actual throat cutting and preserved
a sound skin They've all got a profound
And as 1t isl
Hadii Cortolvin shrugged his shoulders
oh chip in with you
''If.you'n tell me why?'
'.Cousinship of the skin, I suppose. You
are white by birth, and 1 believe I should
turn out to be white also IL kept out of
the sun for awhile and had several Turk
hide on me now, and during this last two
years I've been living with men of color,
ard following their ways. and thinking
their thoughts. Funny, isn't it? 1 come
across you: don't know you from Adam:
/ can't say / particularly like what I've
seen of you: and yet here am I, rounding
on my former mates, and chipping in with
you. on the clear knowledge that 1 shall
probably get killed during the next few
hours for my pains
May ask your Manner said Kettle. Il
bsfi cir hn n11 n1 n harr- hat
you a gentleman
The hadji laughed. $50 far as I recol-
1ect, 1 was that once captain. Sorry l
haven't a card on me. but my names W.
II. Cortolvin. and I lived near Richmond,
in Yorkshire. before I was idiot enough to
60 wandering off the Cooks tourist routes
into the middle of Arabia
I'm Welsh myself" said Kettle. but
I've known men from Yorkshire. Shake
hH"Ils. sir. please. Will you have a whisky
pegr'
our it out. captain. / haven't tasted
Christian drink for thirty weary months.
And you've got a chattie hung up in the
draft of n port. Cool water, We gods, Bis
miilah. But ii is good to be alive some
times
Capt. Kettle looked with distaste at the
hadjfs attire Won't you sling that filthy
night gown thing of yours overboard?' he
asked. land have a wash? can rig you out
with some pyjamas from the slopchest."