The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-16
rs easily, and gradu ally packed MP

ters easily, and gradu ally packed up
the trade and got everything ready
for starting. But, quiet as was about
it, the natives were too smart for me.
They saw what I was up to, and the
word went round the village that the
white men was not to be allowed to go
away and to take all that lovely trade
with him. I was in a tight place, and
I knew it, and the boats crew just sat
shivering in their naked feet, for they
felt that their fate would be the same
as mine.
"But the old woman was not afraid
at all. It was wonderful the way she
kept up, with the two babies to look
after and all cooking and work of the
house to do. AS for me, I was pretty
well worn out with watching, and did
not get wink of sleep for three nights.
The natives would come around
friendly enough during the daytime
and look at our goods, and we had to
treat them pleasant, for it would never
do to let them see that we were afraid.
But at night we had to be all on guard,
for we never knew at what moment o
rush might be made. I had raised a
kind of rough stockade of bamboo
about the house, and within this I
posted the four men Of the crew, each
with Snider, l had Winchester
myself, but what good would these
arms be if the natives should make
rush in body Oh us? I didn't dare
sleep, I can tell you. I was up and
around every few minutes to see that
the guards were awake and keeping
bright lookout. At last, on the third
night, we had everything packed and
[ made up my mind to start at once.
The boys got the whaleboat out from
the shed under which she had been
lying, and together we pushed her
down the steep bank into the bay.
But we had no sooner launched her
than she filled, the water was up to
her thwarts, and there was nothing for
it but to haul her ashore again.
81 could not make it out at all, for a
week she had been a perfectly sound
and seaworthy boat, and [ knew she
could not have dried up so much in
the time. Still there was no doubt
about her leaking, and I soon found
out the reason. Those devils of ma
tives had been at her, and some time,
it must have been during the previous
night, had managed to knock lot of
holes in her bottom. They were quiet
over the work, too, for, though the
boat was close by, we never heard a
sound. They had STAYED in the
planks with the heads of their stone
axes. It was good job I had not sold
them any iron tomahawks, or else the
boat would have been cut to pieces
beyond repair. 1t was bad enough,
but, as the wrecked craft lay there in
the mangrove swamp, I saw a glimmer
of hope. If we could patch her up
we might still get away. If we
couldn 't-well, I knew none of us
would see another dawn. 1t was
touch and go. but there was just g
chance. Iposted the men on guard
all around the palisade, with strict in
functions to fire at every native they
saw approaching. Then the wife ant
I, and she was a brave little woman
set to work. We collected all the ole
meat tins we could find about the
place, and, as we had been living OF
nothing but timed stuff for the pas
week, there were plenty. I made {
fire and melted the solder out Of the
| tins, so that I had a number of strips
of clean metal to use as patches.
cit was hard work, I can tell you
lying on my back in the mud amid thu
prickly mangrove stumps, mailing lit
tie bits of tin on each broken place
We put the children to sleep in thu
bottom Of the boat, while my wifi
held the candle for me. How man,
hours I toiled I don't know, but
thought I would never have finished
Now and again an alligator-and they
are plentyin those portsmouth, craw
out of the water to see what was going
, on, or perhaps in search of his sup
per, but the wife would dash the ligh
| in his face, and he would 60 bacl
| quicker than he came.
"The first flush of dawn was in tn
U sky by the time I had finished. Iva
stiff and sore and worn out, but there
I was no time to think about thes
! things. We launched the boat, AM
i she seemed pretty tight, so 1 bad
=. the men bundle the trade boxes int
her and make ready to shove off, Will
; the wife and I went up to the house t
. get few little personal effects we ha'
not yet carried down to the beach.
, , 81 remember, just as we'll as if
L could see it now, scrambling up the slip
, perry bank and making our way to til
1 little house. We were careless, pei
haps, but we did not anticipate an
:. attack. 1 walked straight up to tn
Il br+ Tho door woa olosad and T We