Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-12-05

. AAeA - w AAASxNotCA ny0SAks UuS VIM
Sood would these arms be II the ma
tives should make rush In q body on
usf didn't dare sleep. can tell you.
I was up and around every few min
utss to see that the guards were awake
and keeping a bright lookout. At last,
on the third night, We had everything
packed, and I made up my mind to
start at once. The boys got the whale
boat out from the shed under which
she had been lying, and together we
pushed her down the steep bank into
the bay. But We had no sooner
launched her than she dled, the water
was up 10 hsr thwarts, and there was
nothing for 1t but to haul her ashore
again.
y could not make 1t out at an, for
week before she had been perfectly
sound and ssAworthy beat, and knew
she could not have dried up 70 much
In the time. Stll there was no doubt
about her leaking, and soon found
out TIE reason. Those devils Of natives
had beea at her, and some time, IL
must hsvs been during the previous
night, had managed to knock lot Of
holes in her bottom. They were quiet
over the work, too, for, though the
boat ives close By, We never heard 4
sound. They had STAYED in the planks
with the heads q their stone axes. Il
WAS . 0ood Job had not sold them
any troa tonahavks, q slss the boat
would AAvs bssA cut to pieces beyond
repair. 1t was bad enough. but. ~
the wrecked craft lay there In the man
grove swamp, I saw shmmer Of hope.
II We could patch her up We might
still get away. II We couldn't-well,
I knew rome Of us would see another
dawn. It was touch and 70, but there
WAS Just . chance.
Il posted the men on guard all
around the palisade. With strict In
functions to IRE at every native they
saw apprcachlns. Then the wife and
land she was brave little woman
set to work. We collected ali the Old
meat tins We could ind about the
place, and, a. We had been living on
nothing but timed stuR fer the past
week. there were plenty. made .
nrs and melted the solder out Of the
tins, - that had q number Of strips
Of clean metal to use % patches. II
was hard wsrk, can tell you, lying on
my back h the mud amid the prickly
mansrove stumps mailing littls bits Of
tin on each broken place. We put the
children to sleep in the bottom Of the
boat, while my wife held the candle
for me. Hew many hours l toilsd I
don't know, but thought would nsv-
ef have finished Now and again an
alligator and there are plenty in those
parts-would crawl out Of the water to
see what MAS going on Or perhaps in
search Of his supper. but the wife
would dash the light in his face, and
be would % back quicker than he
came.
1.-THE arst aush Il dawn was in the
aky BY the time I had finished. was
stin and sore and worn out, but there
was no time to think about thvss
things. We launched the boat, and
she seemed pretty tight, - babe the
men bundle the trade boxes into her
and make ready to shove Of, while
the wife and went up to the house to
get the few little personal effects We
had not yet carried down to the beach.
II remember, Just % well - II
could zee 1t new, scrambltng up the
the little house We we're carelss. n.r.
hans Int ~ ana mot .nticin.t. IN,
attack. vailed strai.ht m TO the
hut. The door vas closed and va.
eoins t. push II Oman vhen nv vin.
who WIS just behind. caught me round
the waist and threw me backward with
all her force. She was Q strong wom-
an. and was weak and tired. and I
rolled ever Ike . baby. At the aame
instant she foil. dosss spsars through
her body, the oser burst open, and
crowd OF naked ssvaees dashsd out
and msds q rash Tor the boat. Thsy
thought me dead g badly wounded. I
suppose; but, at any rate. they did not
stop to hook, thsy were in such hurry
to set the sooda, and tie overnight
saved my life. I yelled ont - the
boats crew to shove ID. and them I
cfawled up to where ny wife was "
Ing. II was an over With her, I could
see 1T . glance. and an she could whis-
per was 'vave. vsvs, run quick and
save youfseffr
Perhaps i should have staid. do
not know; but, at any rata, I had no
time 10 reason over the matter. There
wers the savases coming back from
the beach full Of rage and disappoint-
ment At finding the boat out of their
reach. crawled to the right and made
q circle round to gain the shore, and
luckily l got away unobserved. Tho
boat was lying 100 yards Of, and, for
tunately, the men had had the sense to
wait and see II we escaped. I swan
on to them and found the children all
well and the native boys shivering
with fear. But kick or two soon
reused them. and had the boat pulled
az close inshore as I dared.
The savases were rushing about
ana shouting and making q tremen-
dous row. Evidently they were search
fnR for ma and <hov haA lgk ~r>.&