Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-06-13
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"Things came to head when another
trader came In. Tho chief went aboard,
and, instead Of trading for decent goods,
he got full Of rum. Then he broke loose.
He Owed below and tore things up, srriasil-.s'44
Ing cask Of the spirits and setting fire to
1t. They shot at him, but missed, and he Y
sprang on dock and, running aft, grabbed
the skipper. They went over the side to-H
gether, and the chief held the fellow below
until he was dead. Then he went on his
way ashore and took the old missionary
down to the beach to see the schooner
burn. He asked him If they weren't all
Christians aboard, the same as took his
wife, and then he told the poor old fellow
that as he was Christian also he must
die. He had waited year for his wife to
be brought back, and she hadn't come.
The whole outfit Of Christians were thieves
and robbers, aud he would kill all he could
catch.
1.-THE old fellow saw how tho thing lay
and knew his time had come, and as the
chief carried him into the sea he prayed
loudly. That's the way matters were when
we came, and the fellow would be free
now II it wasn't for the fact no knew me.
1t was hard job finding him, and when
we went to loard and saw tho natives
were against us we knew he could keep
clear. 1t was mostly by luck and mean
ness got him.
"The night before we came back aboard,
sir, the boat was pulled into slough be-
hind the barrier reef, where it was smooth, J
and all hands turned in on the sand. You
know we had been gone three days and
were tired out, and the water was about
used up. About bells was SO thirsty I
woke up, and because the little stuff left
In the breaker was hot and dirty took
cutlass and Went down tho beach, intend
ing to get a cocoanut and drink the milk
l found a tree and climbed up and slashed
few down, and, as they fell some dis
lance from the trunk, went nosing about
in the sand to find them. When I started
to pick one up, noticed footprint that
was not mine.
1.-THE track led up the beach into the jun
gle about 800 fathoms farther on. Some
thing made mo follow it, for we had tried
everything and failed, and In a little while
found myself in the thick bushes, where
it was as dark as the dcadwood bilge Of a
collier. went on into the thick Of it with.
out anything to guide HE, nnd in a short
time came to clearing. 1t was sort
Of q crater like you SEQ along tho higher
part Of the islands and was about 100 feet
deep. The other Sido seemed to be about
so fathoms across There wore big chunks
Of rock In tho bottom below, and they
showed plain enough in the starlight. On
the farther side there appeared to DO deep
hole, for it looked black, and tho outline
showed clear on the coral rock.
II went down the slope and had Just
reached the bottom when heard yell
and saw figure start from the black
hole. 1t bore down on me SO quick could
hardly get the outlass ahead Of mo, and as
made pass the fellow grabbed tho blade
In his hand and came in with u long
knife. In two seconds was on my back
and the knife half an inch In my ribs boz
fore ho stopped Then saw it was the
chief and that he knew me. He remem-
bered how had helped him to make SEN
nit mats and gear them out with tassels
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 In time, for he was so big an ordinary
man was a. easy to handle as baby after
he got foul of him. He looked ugly, and
could see his eyes shine while he hesi-
tated about finishing of his old mate.
Then he spoke.
"'You were looking for me,' be said.
i saw you In the DOaG.
"'That was not answered. 4 was
hunting water
"'There is some in here, but t think
you lie. All you Christians do
"'1'm no Christian, and you know it
we'll enough, and as I spoke I got my
head q little to one side and looked for the
outlass I dropped. It was lying close
aboard, and edged my right hand to-
ward 1t.
"You're q Christian, and you must
de- said the chief.
"'1'm q Turk, and you know we'll
enough I never cared for anything but
rum and women. You've clean forgotten
me- I said.
"He hesitated q moment longer and
grinned a little. You did steal the pig at
the mission-you and tho bowiegged
sailor-I remember
''Hc Stacked his hold on my neck, but
still held the knife ready. 1t was like
sneaking a mates grog, but there was no
help for 1t. bore him quickly to one side
with all my strength and grabbed the hilt
of the cutlass. Before he could recover
had swung it's blade up against the side Of
his head, lying there on my back as I was.
Then was on my feet again, and, as he
came for me, landed fairly on his head
and nigh scalped him. Ipassod my belt
around his arms, and he was fast:
"You know tho rest. The poor devil
camo quietly enough with us, and he >.
knew he was going to his end. I'm
ashamed the way did for him, and I'm
ashamed of being white man when
things like this take place. / only did it
because I tried to do my duty In bringing
him in. don't mean any dlsrespcct, sir,
but I'm ashamed OF being Christian
when things happen like this. They hap
pen pretty often, and don't care to be
ono Of tho Christians found on these
islands. They have turned a paradise
into Il hell. I'm sick ut having bounded
> poor broken and ruined man to his
death.
"There's no use going into tho affair
aboard here A hanging isn't pretty
business, but you saw how the fellow
acted-cool, quiet and more Of man
than any one in my watch. 1t was cruel
business. The chief pulled himself togeth-
er when the order came, and I piped for
them to swing him off. He looked hard
at the little t~ada clOll(lS away off in the