Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-06-15

island where there weren't not an
other stick Of growth there should be
such vast tree as this For vast it
was. AS big, l may say, as one Of our
old English oaks was it, with huge
trunk and with great branches growing
out straight from that trunk, begin
ming at about the height of nine feet
from the ground. The leaves was not,
however, leaves like the oak leaves, but
long and thin and looking more like
fingers than aught else, and of dry
brown color. And they grew not thick
| ~ together, but very sparse and scant,
SO that easy could enc see the top and
the heavens above and perceive that in
Its branches We're neither fowl of the
air nor bats nor nothing.
And now, mateys, the sun was high
IN the heavens and the storm was past
ana the heat was terrible-so terrible
indeed and fierce that the men who
were still aboard the Loving Friend
petitions the captain to be allowed to
come ashore and sleep beneath the
branches of that tree, where they would
get air and shade both. And the can
tam, seeing no call for to refuse, grants
instantly their request, and, setting
only the watch necessary. all on us
comes misunderstanding the CAPTAINS
WIFE sweet and delicate young thing
he had lately married-and we spreads
ourselves out at full length on the
sands. and there we sleeps and dozes all
the day until the quick nights of these
parts falls upon us,
"Bnt with the night there seemed to
come but little less GOODNESS than had
previously been in the day, and some
was for remaining all night on shore
under the tree, and the good skipper
gave his permission free enough for
them to doit Some, however, who pre-
ferred their berths in the fo'castle to
the sand and single Of the island went
back to the ship, but was one who
staid ashore.
"Well, the night fell swift upon u.s.
and, having slept much and refreshed
ourselves during the day, we was not
oversleepy at night, and so we sat talk
ing and EARNING, and sometimes giving
friendly halloo to the men on the ship,
and asking them how they did, and we
fetched out rations ashore, with our
rum and some tobacco, and We're as COM
Portable as with the heat we well might
be, and, gradually, one by one, the men
dropped off to sleep, me and a seaman
named Coils being the last to keep
awake, and now strange thing hap
pened.
"Collis and I was a-sitting side by
side. not lying down like the rest, and
was idly tossing the stones beneath us
at a whittier one than the
rest that was some feet away-when
Coils turns fierce upon me and says,
What makes you touch my hair like
that?' and moves off bit away from
me, as though offended like.
Touch your hair, mater SAYS l.
why have l got three arms and hands!
l am a-chucking stones, amt ~
Coils looked at me moment unbe-
llevlng like, and then he says, All the
same, you touched my hair-lifted it
up like. Don't do it no more.
Now, Coils was the man what had
been aboard to fetch the food and rum,
and thinks | to myself that when al
the stores he had taken drop extra
for himself. So l says no more, but
only laughs. But blow me, shipmates
all in this here room in Portsmouth
town, if there weren't echo to that
laugh close by into my ear But it were
a kind of gurgling, cruel laugh, which
didn't sound like mine At least,
hoped not Then Coils gets up, after
staring at me again for a moment, and
says says he: 'Bos'n, good night.
I've changed my humor; Pm a-going
aboard. and with that he starts off
down the sand to the ship, it being
now low tide, and see him a-clamber-
ing up her side by aid of rope chucked
him by the watch.
"Well, | was bordering deep upon
that laugh | heerd. when, bust me, if
didn't feel something a-dragging Of
my nalr up IN KIM OF manner as,
when we was boys, we dragged stone
up with a sucker. Then l gives my
head wrench and so seems to get free
Of whatever had got hold on it, and |
myself moves off a bit. Iain't got none
Of them soouerstitions what most on