Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-10-14

it. He had brought his boat load of
contraband ashore in the teeth of six
of the greatest navies in the world, and
he had nev enjoyed himself SO much
in his life.
He learnt afterwards that their ar
rival mad been most opportune; the
men whom they had found waiting on
shore stated that their little force was
on the point of starvation. Every
night for the last week they had come
down to this spot in the hope that
their fellow-countrymen on the main
land of Greece would come to their as
s%istance.
The edge of the water was soon
thronged with men, the Cretans Il the
sailors from the steamer i~ntermingled,
all with their breeches rolled right up
to their thighs, wading to and FRO
bearing the sacks to land. The dark
ness was only broken by the red sparks
of the cigarettes which Vaughan had
| distributed among the men. He was
| amused to see the anxious care with
which the poor fellows screened the
| ends of their cigarettes. lest the sparks
should be perceived by the warships
two miles out at sea. Speaking to each
i other in low tones, lest their very
words should be heard on board the
| hostile ships, they hurried over their
work like men who knew every mo-
ment might bring the enemy upon
| them. The other boats from the steam
er arrived in turn, and the scene be-
| came more and more animated.
The tension Of the moment was re-
lieved by one humorous incident. In
the steamer had come from the Piraeus
a local dignitary a demarch of a dis
trict, an Office corresponding to that Of
mayor of a country town.
The. sailor who was bearing this i'm
portant parsonage to land, stepped n
a deep hole in the rocks and fell, drop
ping his illustrious burden into the
water. The unfortunate mayor had to
scramble out again as best he could,
and the work went on without a mo-
ment's interruption. ~ r.eslr
Somewhere in the neighbourhood
there was a Greek monastery, so
Vaughan's friend on the steamer had
from the guard of honor at his side the
| distance to this place. AS Vaughan did
not know a word of Greek and the Gre
tan knew equally little of English, it
was not easy to understandable an
swer. But as far as he could gather
the monastery was too far off for a Wis
it to it to be possible. 1t seemed strange
to think of the peaceful monks pursu-
ing their quiet religious life, some
where up among those lonely hills,
while all around them war was being
waged, and expeditions on which the
whole eyes of Europe were fixed were
coming to their coast.
After resting on Cretan soil more
than half-an-hour, Vaughan made up
his mind to return to the steamer. This
movement on his part appeared to take
! the Cretans by surprise. They had ev-
identity laboured under the impression
| that he came to cast in his lot with
them. and many were the EXPLANATIONS
of disappointment and dismay when
they realised that he was about to take
has departure. But Vaughan felt that
he must go back to Athens; his obliga-
tions to Mr.. Septimus Calcraft and the
mysterious committee which had not
yet sent out its promised brigade of
volunteers required him to be on the
spot to receive them if they should
come. |D6Hzpr
Moreover. there was nothing to be
done on the peninsula of Akrotiri.
Whether the insurgents there held out,
or whether they were captured, the
main business would have to be done
elsewhere. The real insurgent army
was in another part of Crete, and it was
there, If anywhere, that the presence
OF an English volunteer might be use
full.
Vaughan, therefore, took the oppor-
tunity of one of the boats which was
going back for a fresh load, and return
ed to the steamer. Here he found ev-
eryone in a state of the greatest APP
%prehension. 1t appeared that while he
was on shore, the nearest of the block
aiding warships, which had been scarce
ly visible in the distance, had left her
station as if suspecting that something
was wrong. and was steaming swiftly
towards Lie little harbor AS she came
nearer, they could make out her three
lights burning on the water like a
| fallen constellation. Suddenly she spat
| out her searchlight like white disk to
! and fro along the cliffs. The next mo-
| ment it swept clean across the steamer,
| and a wall went up from some of the
sailors as the binding glare struck
them in the eyes.