Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-26
dash the light in his face, and he would go

dash the light in his face, and he would go
hack quicker than he came.
TIE first flush of dawn was in the sky
by the time l had finished. 1 was stiff and
and worn out, but there was no time
t. think about these things. We launched
the boat. and she seemed pretty tight, so
1 babe the men bundle the trade boxes into
her and make ready to shove off, whilst
the wife ard l went up to the house to
get the few little personal effects we had
not yet carried down to the beach.
4 remember. just as well as if I could
see it now, scrambling up the slippery bank
and making our way to the little house
We were careless, perhaps. but we did
not anticipate any attack. l walked
straight up to the hut. The door was
closed, and l was going to push 1t open,
VIXEN my wife, who was just behind. caught
round the waist aad threw me back
ward with all her force. She was strong
woman, and l was weak and tired ana
rolled over like a baby. AT the same in
slant she fell, a dozen spears through her
hcdy, the door burst open and crowd
of naked savages dashed out and made
rush for the boat. They thought me dead,
or badly wounded, l suppose. but at any
rate they did rot stop to look, they were
in such a hurry to get the goods, ana the
oversight saved my life. l yelled out to the
heats crew to shove off, and then ! crawl
cd up to where my wife was lying. 1t was
all over with her, I could see AT sfance'
and all she could whisper was wave, VaVe'
run quick and save yourself!
PERHAPS / should have stayed, / do not
know but at any rate / had no time to
reason over the matter. There We're tfe
savages coming hack from the beach Iuii
of rage and disappointment at finding the
boat out of their reach. l crawled to the
right and made circle round to gain the
shore and luckily got away unobserVed-
The boat was lying hundred yards OIL;
fortunately the men had had the sense to
wait and see if we escaped. swan Oh
to them and found the children all well,
and the native boys ShiEerng with fear.
But n kick or two soon reused them, ana
7 had the boat pulled as close in shore as
l dared.
"rhe savages were rushing about ana
shouting and making a tremendous row.
Evidently they were searching Tor me. ana
they had lit great torches of dry cocoa
nut leaves. which showed them UP as bright
as dav This was just what / wanted. for
| enptfcd my rifle into the midst OF thenl,
and the boys gave them volley with
theirs. They scattered like magic in every
direction ] made a rush up the shore
and carried the wife down, for L was De
ginning by this time to feel a bit ashamed
of myself for having left her so quickly
But what could I do? My gun was IN me ,e,
beat and if / had stopped should only
have been killed, too, and the children
would have been left without father
I found her lying in the same spot, put
she was dead, and the wretches had even
tied her up ready to carry her away.
by the time had laid her in the boat
it was nearly daylight. and ! thought l
would wait a bit and it through. My
blood was up ana felt ready for any dew
gave the boys a strong dose. too. This as
they We're not used to liquor. made them
quite mad, and they wanted to land at
once ard Wine out the whole settlement.