The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-23
BY LOUIS DE RoUGEMoNr.

A(copyright, 1898. by S. s. Mcclure COZ
some little time after the adventure
with the alligator. I removed my dwell
ing place to the top of a headIand on
Inc other side Of the bay, some 20 miles
AWAY where / thought I could more
Ieaoliy discern any sail passing by out
al sea The blacks who We're Well
aware OF my hopes Of getting back 10
ny own people, had themselves sug-
SesIed that l might find this more
theiS pace Tor the purpose than the
lo"-lylnS coast on which their tribe
was then encamped. They also pointed
OUT 10 me, however, that / should find
Il nuch colder living in so exposed a
position But the hope of seeing pass
ing sails decided me, and one morning
look my departure, the whole nation
OF blacks coming out in fun force to bid
US adleu- l think the last thing they
impressed upon me, in their peculiar
native way, was that they would al
ways ne delighted and hcnored TO well
come me back among them. Yamba
OF course, accompanied me, as also did
my dcg, and We were escorted across
the Day by host of my native friends
IN their catamarans. l pitched upon a
fine bold spot for our dwelling place,
out the blacks assured me that we
would ma 1t uncomfoTtabiy cold and
WINDY, to say nothing about the loneli-
ness which l could not help but feel
after so much intercourse with the
friendly natives. 1 persisted, however,
and we at length pitched out encamp-
ment on the bleak headland. Occasion
ally some of our black friends would
pay US a visit, but we could never in
drce them to locate their village
near US.
BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT.
Day after day, day after day. [ gazed
Wlstfully over the sea for hours at p
time without ever seeing a sail. and at
last l began to grow somewhat de-
spondent, and sighed for the compan-
1onship Of my black friends once more.
Yamba was unremitting in her endeav-
ors to make life pleasant for me and
> keep me well supplied with the best of
1ood, but l could see that she. too, did
not like living on this exposed and des-
olate spot. So, after a few weeks eX-
perience of life there, 1 decided to re-
turn to my bay. home and later on
make preparations for a journey over
land to point on the Australian coast,
where I learned ships frequently
passed. The blacks were delighted to
see me on my return, and I remained
with them several months before at
tempting my next journey. They were
keenly anxious that l should join them
in their fighting expeditions, but ! al
ways declined, on the ground that I
was not a fighting man. The fact of
the matter was that could never hope
to throw a spear with anything like
the deXterity they themselves mani
Tested. and as spears were the princi-
pal weapons used in warfare, / was
afraid l would not show up we'll at
critical moment. Moreover, the war
riorS defended themselves so dexter
Mil 70 no oil hut in
vulnerable. whereas I had not the
slightest idea of how to handle a shield.
And finally for the sake of my ever
Indispensable prestige, I could not af-
ford TO make myself ridiculous in their
eyes. 1 always took good care to let
the blacks see me performing only
those feats which I felt morally certain
] could accomplish, and accomplish to
their amazement.
MYSTERIOUS FLYING SPEARS"
So far ! had won Iaurels enough with
my mysterious arrows or flying
spears, as the natives considered
them. and my proves with the har-
poon and tomahawk was sung in many
tribes. And not the least awkward
thing about my position was that !
dared not even attempt little quiet
practice in spear throwing for fear the
blacks should come upon me suddenly,
L
] must tell you that the blacks, when
drinking at a river or water hole, in
variably SCOOP up the water with their
hands, and never put their mouths
right down close to the surface Of the
water One day I was guilty of this
solecism. l had been cut on hunting
expedition, and reached the water hole
with an intense, burning thirst. My
mentor was not with me. I fell on my
knees and fairly buried my face in the
life-giving fluid, tapping it like an ami
NAL Suddenly I heard murmurs be-
hind me. I turned presently and saw
a party of my blacks regarding ms
with horror. They said drank like
kangaroo. But Yamba soon came tc
the rescue and explained away the
dreadful breach of etiquette, and sol
EMMY cautioned me never to do il
again.
The months passed slowly away, and |