Gilpin observer., 1899-08-03

----. = -----.-.,
hung, were flashing with malignauy
fire. as all the siumbering devil was
rotsed within him.
The whole crew saw this, and per-
ceived that Marc Hislop made an at
tempt to rise up and spring overheard
to my succor; but as all their hopes of
reaching Tristan da Cunha depended
entirely upon his skill and knowledge
of navigation, he was seized by War
rem, Chute and others, roughly thrust
down in the stern sheets and forcibly
held there.
! saw now that the fear and selfish
ness of the rest prevailed over all that
Mislop, Lamborune and Carlton could
urge; for, amid storm of contending
tongues, perceived the oars dipping
in the water again and again and
flashing like silver blades in the moon
light as they were feathered; and the
longboat, with all my companions, shot
from the creek into the bay and bore
away to seaward about two in the
morning, leaving me on the beach
alone-marooned with the fiendish
Cubano.
Had not Antonio held me fast and
menaced me with his pistol 1 would
have sprang into the water, and, un-
deferred by the sharks that were for
ever gliding stealthily about the bay,
would have swan after the boat; for,
desperate though the fortune of those
who were there. 1 would rather have
shared it than live on the Island Of
Alphonso with such a companion.
His fierce. mocking laugh grated
harshly in my ear, but l needed him
not, and continued to gaze after the
boat and the lessening forms of those
who had abandoned me, not without a
fond and desperate hope that they
would return for me. Every moment
expected to see her put about; but no!
she held steadily on till hull and sail
and crew were blended into one little
dark spot. which ere long could scarce
ly be discerned on the moonlit morn
ing sea.
Her course was trimmed northeast,
for where they supposed the isle of
Tristan da Cunha lay. She had caught
a breeze and, before four o'clock in
the morning. the last vestige Of her
had disappeared.
Still did not entirely despair!
The idea of swimming to one OF the
adjacent isles occurred to me; but the
straits between were full of foaming
breakers and sharks; the rocks, more
over, were inaccessible, and wherever
1 might go Antonio could easily follow.
The sun was now setting beyond the
sea. and the shadow of great noun
tain was falling eastward over the is
land as We began to descend from the
bluff where l had fingered so long by
one of the narrow and winding tracks
made through the gorse by the wild
goats.
AS it was alike dangerous and un-
comfortable to sleep under the dews
that descended after sunset. for two
nights after the departure of the boat
l was compelled to share the wigwam
with Antonio, but did so with dread
and loathing, and kept as far away
from him as possible.
- His dreams, which were full of oaths.
CALCULATIONS and frequently cries of
"El aparicion! Ell espectror' came on
him as of old; and as sleep to me be-
came an impossibility / resolved to
leave him to his own devices. Certain
ly the island was large enough for US
both.
Moreover he had become so sparing
of his ten charges of powder that he
would not fire single shot at either
bird or goat or wild boar. l have since
believed that he saved them with the
resolution of defending himself to the
last, II Hislop ever returned to arrest
him; and now, being lord and master
of the whole island, and of me, too
he exhibited new phase of character
He became too lazy to procure food.
and forced me to find it for him, un-
der threats of shooting me. Thus for
two days after the departure of the
boat, being totally incapable of catch
ing one of the fleet goats alone, and
being in no way disposed to encounter
singly one OF the wild boars. had to
climb the steep rocks above the break
ers and steal the sea birds eggs.
(To be 'continued)