davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25
Was Obliged to Take Port in the Orgies Of the

An epidemic of influenza swept over
the country and carried off my wife,
who had in the most literal sense been
my guardian angel for so many years.
My surviving children were also swept
away.
Thus left alone, without the old in
terests that had made life tolerable I
determined to make a last effort to
reach my own people, and leaving my
mountain home I set out for the south
west. On this, however, as in all my
Journeys l was never able to take a
direct line, but had to go hither and
thither with the tribes among whom 7
was sojourning.
After time / found tree marked
Forrest, the name of the explorer who
had passed that way, and turning south
l at length met party Of prospectors
many days north of Mount Marga, the
nearest camp.
Taught by bitter previous experience
l knew that before l could appear
among the whites 1 should have to GEE
some Of my natives to procure soma
clothes for me by any means known
to them,
When at length 1 presented myself
before the white men / am afraid thew
did not at first look with favor on their
guest. I answered their questions and
when they heard / was without mates
and had been journeying hitler from
the interior for nine or ten months they
were convinced was a person of weak
intellect. A question of my own, "What
year is this?" convinced them altoa
gether that they were right in their
conjecture.
However, in the end I obtained helm
and work, and in 1896 / reached Mel
bourne, whence by slow stages and NOT
without many difficulties I got back
this year to Europe
LOUIS DE ROUGEMONT-
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

pear that my natives were not pleas
ant people TO live among. But found
the reverse to be the case. They were
always cheerful, obedient and deferen-
tial in their manner, and many tunes
did owe nv life to the care exercised
by my faithful native wife.
1t was possible to devise many oc-
equations, which were at least sufficient
to pass the time. For amusement l
used to search the beds of the water
courses for curious stones. In great
many of these water-courses l found
both coarse and fine gold, and in some
instances the creeks We're extremely
rich in alluvial gold. In some cases a
bed of cement or concrete was found
at the bottom of a creek, gold was
sticking out at the sides, which proved
that there was large proportion or
that precious metal in the concrete. I
frequently picked up large nuggets.
but had no use for the metal, save to
make ornaments for my wife. but these
she did not appear to value, and
promptly gave them away to some chill
dren Wherewith 70 amuSe them. AL
luvial gold was found to the north Of
my mountain home, and reef gold to
the south, the richest deposits of all
occurring in the southwest.
In several localities we found low
ridges of iron stone mixed with red
clay, very similar to those I beheld in
/ reached civilization at these Western
Australian gold fields. Among these
iron stone ranges broken iron stone and
quartz were lying in immense heaps
or hillockS, and in almost every piece
of stone coarse gold could be seen.
There are thousands of tons of this
auriferous stone. Lying on the sur
face, in another locality, an iron stone
formation stands up above the ground
to a height of about four feet; it is
twenty feet wide and over three hun
dred in length. In all the depressions
of water-courses in the neighborhood
both coarse and fine gold is plentiful.
The surface here for some distance ap-
pears to be full of gold.
In another. district 1 found large
quantities of native copper lying about
in pieces. All these localities, though
far removed from settlement, can be
reached without much difficulty by
properly equipped transport parties,
and 1 hope before long to have the sat
isfaction and reward of leading the
first prospecting expedition to exploit
them.
My w:-d life came to an end at last.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

ton.
The place where he was lost was, I
now understand, called by the Giles
expedition "Gibson's Desert" and it
lies In the southeast of Western Aus
tralia.
After Gibson's death I made up my
mind to end my days in solitude, and
the reason for this was partly that I
seemed doomed to disappointment
every time an opportunity offered it
self to return to civilization and part
ly, also, on the urgent solicitations Of
my wife and the tribes with whom I
lived. They pointed out to me that I
had everything man could want and
that I could be king among them It
was moreover quite evident to them
that my fellow white men did not want
me. Thus for something like twenty
years I made my home with them in
the mountainous region near the CEN
ter of the continent, where I ultimate
ly became king. or ruler over a num-
Der of large tribes. From this noun
tain home / made frequent long jour-
neys, and traversed at one time or an
other q great part of the interior of
the continent.
Once l followed on the camel track
of a white party with the tribe for the
purpose of picking up empty tins and
for other things useful to us, and
came upon an Australian newspaper. I
remember 1t was the Sydney Town and
Country Journal, bearing date some
where between 1874 and 1876. 1t was;
surprise indeed. l read 1t over and
over until / had learned it by heart,
and I preserved it in an opossun skin
cover until it was literally worn to
pieces.
Much of the information this news
paper contained puzzled me greatly,
and l nearly worried myself into in
sanity over statement that ''the dep
uties Of Alsace and Lorraine had re-
fused to vote in the German Parlia-
ment and had walked out" Turn it
over how 1 might l could not under
stand how the representatives of two
great departments In my own country
could possibly be in the German Par
liament-knowing absolutely nothing,
of course, Of the war of 1870.
The tribe over which / reigned was
composed of beings who were certainly
low down in the human scale, but at
the same time they have elaborate
laws, which govern their daily life pre-
cisely as in the case of civilized peo-
pie. Briefly described, they are saw
ages, repulsive in appearance, who
have not even risen to such a point of
civilization as to have permanent
houses, addicted to cannibalism, and
altogether of a very degraded type
But, nevertheless. must say that they
have many rood qualities and that
their code of honor would bear COM
parison with that of any civilized ma
ton.
Although no permanent houses were
erected, the natives with whom lived
did build habitations, which they oc-
cupied during the two or three months
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

extent, but is governed by many rules.
Usually it is the slain victims in bat
tie that are eaten by the victorious side,
and as the object seems to be to ac-
Quire the valor and virtues of the per-
son eaten, l endeavored TO wean the
tribes from cannibalism by assuring
them that if they made bracelets, ank-
let's and necklaces out of the dead
mans hair they would achieve their
end equally well.
When q family grows too large, and
the mother-being the beast of burden
lis unable to carry one of the chill
dren, the father orders 1t to be dubbed
and eaten. This, however, is entirely
actuated by love, as the natives have
a horror of natural decay Manned
and deformed children are also killed
and eaten. Women and people who
die natural death are never eaten.
When man has to be eaten there is
always grand corroboree. All parts
are consumed, the brain, heart and kid
neys being considered special delica-
cies. Some of the bones, such as those
from the ankle, are used as ornaments.
Often they are strung together to form
jingling necklaces but they are chiefly
made up into war belts, which rattle
when the owner dances. Other bones
are used In connection with sorcery TO
bring about the death of enemies. and
these are known as the death bones.
The skulls are kept and hung in trees
to commemorate the victory, but are
never carried about Any bones that
are left are burned and are never
given to the dogs
Human flesh is not prepared or cook
ed in the usual cooking places. but a
special fire is made for the purpose in
an oven dug in the sand
The natives are not ashamed to CON
TESS cannibalism, nor is an individual
considered unclean after joining in a
feast From this account 1t may ap-
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

own course, bidding the tribes adieu
when our ways lay in Numerically op-
posed directions. Besides having my
native wife with me / was armed with
a certain mystic message stick, and
best of all, had the power Of amusing
the tribes by means of acrobatic per-
formances, my steel weapons and the
bark of my dog, who could also go
through little performance on his
own account, dancing to the tune of
my reed whistle. I emphasize these
things because they saved my life over
and over again; somehow I always
managed to ingratiate myself with
even the most hostile tribes.
When we had been three or four
weeks out we traversed a rough coun-
try Of low limestone ranges, Astounding
in caves in contrast with the granite
ranges further north, in which I had
found no caves. In these caves / found
bones, also the skull of q kangaroo
which was so large that at first I took
it to be that of horse; it's skull was
probably two or three times larger
than the skull Of the largest kangaroo
I ever saw. It belonged probably to
an extinct species.
In traversing the desert belts. which
we crossed on this journey, and indeed
at all times, we were in the company
Of the various tribes we met, conse-
west instead of directly southwark, ac-
cording to the water holes, the nature
of the country and other circun-
stances. Thus we wandered from place
to place, sometimes accompanying par
ties of the natives on their hunting and
lighting expeditions, but always MAX
ing for the south whenever possible,
crossing ranges and desert tracks.
In the desert country water is OBJ
tanned from the roots of the Malice
tree. species of eucalyptus. The roots,
which lie near the surface, are dug out
for length of about twelve feet They
are about two inches in diameter, and
are cut in lengths of about two feet.
and sucked or allowed to drain into
vessel or skin water bag. These roots
yield pure and refreshing water of a
slightly earthly flavor.
When we were perhaps seven months
out we came suddenly upon four white
men. At this time we were with q
small party of blacks, who were on a
punitive expedition. The party had al
ready been attacked by these same
white men and had retaltated, and
therefore they were by no means dis
posed TO be friendly Naturally. in the
excitement of the moment, 1 forgot
that I was virtually black man nv
self, and rushed upon them, but thew
promptly fired upon us and retreated.
l now know them to have been the
Giles expedition of 1874 ! should point
out that I was perfectly naked, like
the savages, and was anointed with the
same protective covering of black
greasy clay, which is used by the ma
tives to ward off cold and the attacks
of insects, but. apart from this, the
sun had long since tanned my skin out
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

lays, and could not be prevailed upon
to go, / felt l could not desert her so
for from her own people. and | also
considered she had already saved my
life a great many times; thus the OPP
portunity passed.
Here at Raff1eS Bay we met a native
who spoke English and who had served
on British man-of-war. He told us Of
the settlement of Port Darwin, lying
to the southwest, and he warned me
to avoid Van Diemans Gulf, partly on
account of the alligators and partly,
also, on account of the innumerable
creeks I should have to ascend in
search of the settlement, for 1t must
always be borne in mind that none of
my informants gave me exact and pre-
else information, some of them simply
indicating the direction. We landed on
the northern coast of Melville Island,
and after we had again reached the
coast of the mainland through Apsley
Strait we experienced a terrible storm.
which must have driven us past Port
Darwin. For whole nights my native
wife and / would be immersed in the
sea, clinging to the gunwale of our
frail craft. At last, about eighteen
months after we had left my wife's
home in the Cambridge Gulf region, we
one day recognized certain islands and
also the coast, and soon afterward we
at the very spot from which we had
started. OF course, I had to pretend
that my return was anything but in
voluntary.
The next attempt I made was to the
southwest, starting after some months
of rest, and coasting in the dugout as
far as King Sound. ] landed upon and
explored many of the islands dotted
along that extensive stretch of coast,
and in some of them I found caves with
rude drawings on the rocks. On what
was probably Bigges Island / found
cairn of stones, which 1 readily saw
must have been the handiwork of q
white man.
We returned to the old camp over
land. crossing the King Leopold
Ranges, which were finely wooded, and
appeared to be largely composed of
granite. Beyond those ranges the
country was a moderately elevated
plateau intersected by many very fine
creeks and rivers. and covered with
long grass from twelve to fifteen feet in
height-so high as to make travelling
difficult. We even had to fire it to clear
a track. There were also on this
plateau a number of curious looking
abrupt pinnacles of bare rock rising
above the general level surface. We
next struck an undulating country,
covered with sharp broken pebbles of
white quartz. with lodges of slate
creeping out. In this quartz saw gold
for the first time I had ever looked
upon 1t in its native state
We next struck what was probably
the Orde River, which we followed
down to Cambridge Gulf, and returned
along the coast to our own home. On
returning from this journey felt lit
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25
HOW WAS CAST AWAY ALONE AMONG
THE SAVAGES OF THE SOUTH SEA
ISLANDS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
BY LOUIS DE RoUGEMONT.

tie inclination to make another at
tempt, and for three years 1 lived
among the natives, becoming accus-
toned to the life and finding 1t not dis
agreeable. l was interested in study
ing their customs, and the customs and
languages of their neighbors. For this
l had a motive. In those early days it
was always my object TO make the ac-
Quaintance of tribes who could render
me assistance in escaping overland
The desire to reach civilization re-
turned, and about the year 1873 I
started with my wife, resolving this
time TO cross the continent to the
south, as l knew In vague kind of
way that there were great towns on
the coast somewhere to the south. L
had only the very haziest idea. how
ever, of their position. On our way
south we first crossed a range of gran
lite mountains running east and west.
After crossing this range we came to
low and slightly undulating coun-
try covered with dark chocolate col
ored loan of great depth. found here
a most extraordinary richness of vege-
tatiOn and animal life, especially a
kind of water rat. / found creeks with
very deep channels cut In the soft, rich
loan. We We're, l should think, about
q week crossing this rich country COM
ing more or less south.
The tribes were very numerous, and
altogether it was very thickly popu-
lated. ! never travelled due south. but
found ii expeditions TO go from tribe to
tribe and from water hole to water
hole. AS far as possible kept on my
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

n the year 1863 I left home a mere
youth and engaged in a pearl-fsh-
ing venture on board the Dutch
schooner Veielland. Our pearling
grounds lay between the Australian
coast and Dutch New Guinea. After
about ten months the vessel was
wrecked on a shall coral island. situa-
ted about thirteen degrees south and
125 degrees east, off the northwest coast
of Australia 1 was absolutely alone.
save that had the captains dog with
me.
On this island, or, rather, sand-spit,
I lived for two years, and underwent
much suffering. At the end of that
time a party of blacks, who had been
blown GU, 20 sea from the Australian
main. were cast upon the island on a
native raft, such as is used in fishing
expeditions. After a further period of
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25
Was Made a Cam
nibal King.
Amassed an Enor-
NOUS Treasure in
Pearls.
Rode Wild Turtles
for Amusement.

of all resemblance to a European. Re-
pulsed in this way more than once, l
despaired Of ever making my real
character known.
Two or three weeks after the en-
counter my wife came upon the tracks
of a man whom she described as white
man, and as a man no longer in his
senses She deduced this latter fact
from the eccentric circles which the
tracks followed. Following up these
tracks we did find q white man alone
and dying fro thirst. He was hope
lessly imbecile. He lived with me for
two years, a serious incumbrance, and
never regained his intelligence until
just before he died He asked who l
was and where he was and then he
said his name was Gibson, and that he
had been a member Of the Giles expedi-
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25
Tried for Thirty
Years to Reach Civili-
cation.
Married a Native
Cannibal Woman.
Found a Lost Ex-
plorer i'm the Wilds.

the coast, 1 changed my mind I
then determined to coast along to the
northward, hoping to reach Somerset,
and having not the slightest idea that
the great Gulf of Carpentaria and
Cape York peninsula separated me
from the Pacific Ocean. The smallness
of the craft. which was quite unfit to
go far beyond shelter. and the necessi-
ty for keeping a close lookout for q set
tlement, compelled us to follow every
winding of the coast
At length, after several months of
coasting, we found the land trending
to the west, and here at Raffle's Bay
probably. we found Malay proa The
Malays themselves, who We're beche-de-
mer fishers, were willing to take US to
Kolpang. but as my native wife had a
great dislike and distrust of the Ma
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

who found their way back with me
from the little islet by steering by the
stars. For some little time I remained
in the camp of their tribe. where 1 was
received In the most friendly way in
consequence of the Introduction and
representations of my native wife. This
woman was one Of the family of blacks
that had been cast upon my islet.
When we landed nearly all the mem
bers Of the tribe and many individuals
from other tribes were gathered to see
the first white man they had ever be-
held. They were not so much sur
prised, however, at my personal ap-
pearance as at the form of my foot
prints, which differed very greatly
from theirs, and the few articles 1 pos
sessed filed them with amusement, es-
pecially my boat. This .hoat, which 1
built on the island from the wreck and
in which / reached the mainland with
the party of natives was, unfortu-
nately, lost in an encounter with a
whale, and with it disappeared my
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25

Every Morning Anxousy Scopned the Horizon for Soil"
thirty
ran the
vgated and are satisfied of its perfect M de Rugeon
beginning with
the
o s famo hero
The following
by the
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-25

must nOurieh the body SO that it Will not
be beset with temptations which war
against the soul. The instinct for the
preservation OF life is very strong, and
clamors to be satisfied.
Until people take hold OF this idea
or rather until it takes part hold or
them. the daily discomfort will go on
in thousands of homes. And because Of
il then will creep into them, little by lit
tie at first, but gathering force as 1T
grows into a hab;t-the terrible curse
Of intemperance.
Mothers. wives, sisters must DO their
full duty by those who go forth 10 toll,
and who come home to just such meals
az they chose to prepare for them. II
the waste Of strength be not repaired
great j. the risk physically and morally.
Not being properly nouriShed, the body
is by that much the faster wearing out.
Not being satisfied the saloon offers
tempting relief and feet tend thither-
wards in search Of it. And many a
pleasant book, many 4 piece Of fancy
work, many an idle hour is responsible
for it.
Meals seem matters of SO little import
ance sometimes when compared with
what we very much wish to do. Yet in
the neglect Of them-aS of many OF
what seem the ordinary duties Of life
We are neglecting whatE-look it quare
~ in the face for things must be judged
of rs they are not, as they seem TO vii
fully or certainly blinded eyes-we are
neglecting immortal souls. And these
souls that we would most desire to save.
And we are to this extent our brothers
keeper, and one day we shall have to
render an account of our stewardship.
| wish / could reach the ear. eye and
the heart also, of every woman in the
land, and could convince her that what
| have said is literally true. Once on
WINGED the field =, won. And in count
less homes. instead of Thanksgiving
day occurring once a year. it would re
cur three hundred and siXty-6ve days
out of every year.
The kitchens could be made to do
noble work in the world, and it lis work
that cannot be lone anywhere else.
MAG.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-25
THE WEATHER's QUEER CAPERs

Mighty curious weather. Talk about a
rose,
An ten ter one, before you're done, the
smiling country's froze!
Mighty curious weather. Just say the
skies are blue,
An you r.n the rick o snowstorms on
the helpless head of you!
Mighty curious weather. Take an build
a fire,
An then the old thermometer goes climb
in, climbin' higher!
Jest about the time it's made the cold
wave sinks away,
An You find yerself %perspirin' on a regu-
lar summers day!
But take ii as it's comip'-jest let the
weather roll.
1t never makes no difference if you're
happy In yer soul:
Snowfakes in the observation-disclosures
in the fall.
But you'd better be right thankful you're
enjoyin' of 'em all!
Il. T.. STANTON.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-25
HOW IS THIS?

We offer One Hundred Dollars lie
ward for any case Of Catarrh that can
not becured by Halls Catarrh Cure
L. j.. SHENEY & CO. Props.
Toledo. O..
We the undersigned, have known +. }.
Cheney for the last j. years, and believe
him perfectly honorable in all business
transactions and financially able to
carry out any obligations made by their
firm.
WEST & TRUAX. Wholesale Drug
gists. Toledo. O..
WALDING, KINNAN & MARVIN,
Wholesale Druggists, Toledo, O.
Halls Catarrh Cure is taken Internal
". acting directly upon the blood and
mucous surfaces OF the system. Price
75c. per bottle. Sold by all Druggists.
Testimonials free.
Halls Family Pills are the best.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-25
HER GENTLE HINT.

UNrom the Yale Record.)
may not kiss me, Jack said she.
While dimDleS dotted saucily
Her cheeks of bluShing red;
You may not kiss me-, Jack, until'
| felt my hear with rapture thrill
1t grows quite dark" she said.
But there (cOnfound my luck), on high
The sun amid the azure sky
Poured forth its golden light.
But Il wished each piercing ray
Would, fading, put al end to day,
And hasten on the night.
From yonder west, where ocean rolls
Her foaming wave on sandy shoals,
a darE'ning Storm-cloud blew,
The bright sun faded SOOn away,
While blacker grew the autumn day
Still there | sat with Sue.
Alas, | knew the storm full we'll
Would drive us from the coy dell
Where oft the hours we Whiled.
But Sue, she sighed and bent her head;
Then looking up, Why, Jack" she said,
How dark it grows" and smiled.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-25
Poland Chinas a Specially,
a / Y l. 1906.

GRAY'S / Y l. 1906.
a superior lot OF Pigs by Royal Wilkes
:3}3O11, and Grey's Free Trade BASIS.
Also choice young boars and sowe. and
soHs in pig. Send to headquarters. and
get the best from the Oldest and largest
herd Of registered "Polanu-Chinoa" in
Virginia. ut prices to suit the times
Address.
j. b. GRAY. Fredericksburg, Va.