The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-25

day-carrying quite 500 souls all told, al
lowing for the deaths, and a valuable
! government cargo. l know not what he
| contemplated, / say; but at that moment
an unwonted commotion was observable
among the hitherto apathetic Punjabis
| They too, had noticed the change in the
skys aspect. and, following our glances
had heard the short alteration between
poop and forecastle, had seen the threat
eninG gestures of the disputants, and
without understanding what was being
said, guessed its purport. Then scores of
them, suddenly shaking off their lethar-
gy, and ignorant of marine etiquette,
swarmed up the poop ladders and asked
what was the matter. Was n breeze
coming at last? If so, why did not the
sailors do what had been ordered? They
knew enough to tell them that the can
vas ought to be taken in. Devine and l,
who were the only men on board con-
Versant with Punjab Hindustandi, hastily
explained the situation, the advancing
storm the consequent danger to the ship.
clothed as she 10 the mastheads, and
the refusal of the crew 10 do their duty.
The Mahometan mule drivers at once
realized the situation. we will make
them! they shouted. their blood now
thoroughly up. God has sent the wind
to drive away the cholera, and shall we
go to another death because your men are
untrue to their salt? MOI we will aid
you! You are our protectors! After AL
la, We look to you, and will stand by you!
On, then, in the name of God! We viii
! force these sons of defiled mothers to do
their duty!'
Before We could stay them, some 200
Punjabis rushed along the main deck and
mounted the forecastle. The crew was
ready TO receive them. There ensued
fierce fight; knives were freely used
against the now Infatuated natives, who
/ hnu al hair
cutlasses being in chests below decks.
Shrieks and groans assailed our ears, and
we were about charging forward, revolvers
! in hand, to quell the disturbance, when,
numbers having gained the day, we saw
the sailors driven along with kicks and
cuffs by the victorious Punjabis; We saw
them ascend the ratlins followed by the
swarmS of mule drivers, who threa tened
by gestures to throw them into the
if they did not Immediately furl sail The
| seamen, not~daring to disobey, worked in
fear of their lives and in a few minutes
the Zenobia floated along under bare pole.
With a low rumble the squall came on.
Sand was in the air; it invaded our eyes,
nostrils and mouths; the hurricane struck
the ship with terrific force and swept on,
leaving us well nigh on our beam ends,
but safel
|, The gust proving 10 be precursor of
stiff but favorable breeze sail was speed
We bowled along toward our destination,
| thankful for our deliverance from a COM
bination of perils that once seemed 20
threaten us with annihilation
! Only two deaths occurred after that ter
hible day. Next morning the crew ex-
pressed contrition for their behavior the
Punjabis, now full of renewed spirits,
| came aft in body and interceded for their
late antagonists cuts and bruises were tcr-
gotten, and both parties shook hands in
! token of amity and absence of illwill.
| The skipper, nothing loath, accorded his
! forgiveness, ordered extra grog to be serv-
! ed. and so, without further adventure or
| misadventure, We arrived safely in Bonn
! bay harbor on the twenty-eshth day af-
| ter weighing anchor off the Ayyssian
coast.