The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-10-21

the pipe before it became even thinly
and it infringed upon the black.
naked bodies and burned horribly with.
out being seen.
At first they did not finch With q
dreadful valor they faced the torment
and fought with each other to be first
upon the rungs, and then when those
in front would have held back the mob.
behind pressed them irresistibly on
ward. In moment or so the first rank
began to go down before that whitening
blast and then others trod on them and
fell also till the hill of writing black
humanity grew to half the height of
the iron ladder, and in the meantime
others of the pilgrims were trying to
storm the bridge deck at other points,
but ON the port side, the gray headed
old mate fighting baresark with an ak
and to starboard Captain Kettle, with
pistol and knuckle duster, battled like
wildcats to keep the sacred planking
inviolate.
What was going on at the after end
of the Saigon they could not tell. From
behind them came the roar of the fight
ing Hausa and the savage warcries of
the desert just as they rose up from be-
fore their faces. But in its first flush
the fight was too close for any mans
thoughts to wander from his own inn
mediate adversaries.
1t seemed however, that the battle
was over first in the after part of the
steamer, and whether this was because
the attack there was less heartful or be-
cause Mr.. McTodd's artillery was tho
more terrible cannot now be known.
The question was debated much after
ward without coming to decision.
But anyway, by the time Captain Ket-
ties adversaries had ceased to rage
against him, Cortolvin was free to come
and stand by his side as interpreter
The wounded lay sprawling and with
ing about the iron decks below Them
The survivors-and scarcely one Of
these was without his scald-huddled
against the forecastle, and the grimy
second engineer held the steam pipe up
ward so that gray pail hung between
the Saigon and the sun.
"Now, sir" said Kettle, kindly
translate for me- Tell those animals to
chuck all their hardware over the side,
or I'll cook the whole lot of them like
so many sausages.
Cortolvin lifted up his voice in sono-
rous Arabic. at was written, " he cried,
THAT the giaour should prevail 1t is
written also that those among you hav-
ing wit shall cast your weapons into
the sea. 1t is written, moreover, that
those of you who do not ON this instant
disarm shall taste again of the scorch-
ing breath of Eblis."
A stream of weapons leaped up
through the air and fell into the swells
alongside with tinkling splashes.
ut would be WEAKNESS TO guard
you, Cortolvin went on "Swear by
the beard of the prophet TO make no
further attempt against this ship, or
we shall Jail you fast in death"
A forest of trembling black hands
shot up before him.
1--WE swear'' they cried.
Then it is written that you keep
your vow," said Cortolvin. "God is
great Sec now to your sick. He turn
ed to Kettle and touched his ragged tur-
ban after the manner of an officer re-
porting The mutiny is ended, sir "
he said.
Captain Kettle swung himself lightly
on to the upper bridge and autographed
full speed ahead" to the engine room.
"There was none actually killed at
my end, " said Cortolvin.
II dropped four, said Kettle II
had TO. 1t was either mo or them. And
my old mate axed half a dozen before
they let him be- We'd "a tight time
here while it lasted.
1T will require a good lump Of
baclsheesh to explain it all satisfactorily
at Kosseir. "
"Oh, / can { 90 near there now after
thisl No custom house for me, sir. l
shall Just run inshoro dozen miles
short of it and put the beggars on the
beach in my boats and let them get into
Kossoir rs best they can. l suppose
you'll come back with me?'
Il suppose So Anyway can't go on
with them. "
II can imagine, said Kettle dryly.
But what about yourself? If by
chance this affair gets into the news
papers inquiries will DO made, and
you'll very possibly find yourself in an
ugly hole
at won't get in tho papers" said
Kettle thoughtfully. Tho pilgrims
can't tell, my officers daren't for their
own sakes, and you leave me to SEQ my
coolies don't, Newspapers, " he repeated
dreamily, queer the mint should have
come like that.
"What hintf'
IL remembered then where I'd seen
your name, sir It was in The Times OF
India, general news column.
"What was said?'
well sir, l suppose you'd better be
told, but you must hold up for hardish
knock. viii you come into the chart
house for a minute and have pegi"
mo, Get along, man, get alongp
IL think it was about your wife, sir
Does she hunt?"
IAN the season. "