The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-07-14

~, se..a. t&u rallac, ara III lttia wnilc
I iouni ,Ey:sc.lf in the thick ht1ahns, TL1t.f
it vas as dark as the denwood bilgc Of a
collier / went on into the thick of it with.
out anything to guide me, and in short
time came to q clearing 1t was q sort
of q crater like you see along the higher
part of the islands and was about 100 feet
1eep. The other side seemed to be about
i SO fathoms across. There were big chunks
of rock in the bottom below, and they
showed plain enough in the starlight. On
the farther side there appeared to be dccp
hole, for it looked black, and the outline
showed clear on tho coral rock.
81 went down the slope and had Just
| reached thu Euttnm when ] heard :, yell
and SAW Il figure start from the black
hole. 1t bore down on me 50 quick could
hardly get the cutlass ahead of me, and l%
| made Il pass the fellow grabbed the blade
in his hand and caue in with n long
knife. In Two seconds 1 was on my back
and the knife half an inch in my ribs lie
| fore he stopped. Then l saw it was the,
| chief and that he knew me. He remcm-
brrcd how l had helped him to make sen
nit mats and gear them out with tassclS
| of Turks heads and crown knots so he
| could sell them when was in here before.
| | was on the Petrol then, and we were
| good friends. He stopped that long knife
| just III time, for he was so big an ordinary
| man was as easy to handle as Il baby after
| he got foul of him. He looked ugly and
| l could see his eyes shine while he hest
| tatcd about finishing of his old mate
| Then he spoke.
"'You were looking for mc?' he said
L saw you in the boat
"'That was not, I answered. L was
| hunting water
"'Thcre is some in here, but I think
you lie All you Christians do
"'I'm no Christian, and you know it
| we'll enough and rs l spoke l got my
| head il little to one side and looked for the
cutlass 1 dropped. 1t was lying close
aboard, and l edged my right hand to-
ward it.
"'You'rc a Christian, and you must
de- said the chief.
"'I'm u Turk, and you know well
| enough l never cared for anything but
rum and womcn. You've clean forgotten
| me- | said.
"He hcsitated moment longer and
| grinncd little. You did steal the pig at
the mssion-you and tho bowlegged
| sailor-I remember
"'Hc Stacked his hold on my neck, but
| still held the knife ready. 1t was like
sncuking a mates grog, but there was no
help for it. l bore him quickly to one side
| with all my strength and grabbed the hilt
| OF the tI;lass Before he could recover |
| had swung its blade up against the side Of
| his head, lying there Oh my back rs l was
| Ten WAS OH my feet again, and, as he
came for me, landed fairly on his head
| and nigh Scalpcd him. l passed my belt
| around his arms, and he was fast.
You know the rest. Tic poor devil
came quietly enough with us, and he
knew he was going to his end. Pm
ashamed the way l did for him, and I'm
ashamed of being a white man when
| things like this take place. L only did it
because tried to do my duty in bringing
| him in l don't mean any disrespect, sir,
but I'm ashamed of being q Christian
| when things happen like this They hap
| pen pretty often, and don't care to be
| ono OF the Christians found on these
islands. They have turned paradise
into hell. I'm sick at having bounded
poor broken and ruined man to his
death.
"Thcre's 10 rSe going into the affair
aboard here. \ hanging isn't u pretty
| business, but you si!w how the fellow
| actcd--coul, quiet and more of u man
than any one in my watch. 1t was cruel
business The chief pulled himself togeth
rr when the order came, and l pipcd for
them to swing him off. He looked hard
lit the little trade clouds away off in the
blue to windward, with the bright sun
shining on them, and his eyes We're moist
But there Was no sign of fear in them
| no. sir, they looked like those of II sailor
who has been OUT for a long time and has
| la iH homo lt a moved