The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-30

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studying the stranger
through the glass.
That's Il new build OF boat to me-"
she muttered, giving Wilbur the glass.
Wilbur looked long ana carefully. The
newcomer was Of the size and much
the same shape as carayel Of the
fifteenth century high MS to bow and
stern, and to all appearances as sea-
worthy as a soup tureen. Never but
IN the old prints had Wilbur seen such
an extraordinary boat She carried a
single mast which listed forward; her
lugsal was stretched upon dozens Of
bamboo yards; she drew hardly any
water. Two enormous red eyes were
painted urou either side Of her high,
blunt bow, while just abaft the waist
projected an enormous oar, or sweep,
full forty feet N length longer, in
fact. than the vessel herself 1t acted
partly as propeller partly as a rud-
der,
They're heading for us comment
ed Wilbur rs Moran took the glass
again
Right" she answered, adding upon
the moment: Hob, More Cinnamon.
The thing is alive with coolies. She's i
junk
oh" exclaimed Wilbur, recollecting
some tnlk Of Charles be had over
heard. 4 know"
You know
Eyes, These are real bcachcambers.
I've heard Of them along this coast
heard our Cinnamon speak Of them.
They beach that junk every night and
camp on shore, They're scayengers, as
you might say-pick up what they can
find OF plunder along shore-abalones.
shark fins, pickings Of wrecks, Old
brass and copper seals, perhaps; tur-
tie and she'll Between whites they
fish for shrimp. ana I've heard kitehell
tell how they make pearls hy dropping
bird shot into oysters. They are Kai-
gingh to a man, and, according to
Kitchell the wickedest breed Of cats
that ever cut tceth."
The junk bore slowly down upon the
schooner I'M a few moments he had
hove to alongside. But for lha enor-
nous red eyes upon her bow She was
innocent OF paint She was grimcd and
shellncked with dirt and grease and
smeled abomiuable Her crew were
Cinnamon, hut such Cinnamon! Tho
coolies Of the Bertha MillneT were
pampercd and effetc in comparison.
The beachcombers, thirteen in number.
were a smaller class Of mon, their
faces almost black with tan and dirt.
Though they a,.ll wore tie cue, thoir
heads were not shayen. and mats ana
mops Of stiff black hair fell over their
eyes from under thcic broad, basket
shaped hats.
They were barefoot, None Of them
wore more than two garments the
jeans ana the blouse. They were the
lowest type OF men Wilbur had ever
seen The faces were those CT q higher
order Of authsopoll apes. he lower
portion jaws. lips and teeth salient;
the nostrils opening at almost right
angles. the eyes tiny and bright the
forehead scanned ard wrinkiel. TN
naturally old. Their general express
sion was one Of siman cunning and n
ferocity that was utterly devoid Of
courage.
"Aye" exclaimed Moran between her
teeth "If the devil wore shepherd,
here are his sheep You don't come
aboard this schooner my frionds'
want to live rs long rs can and die
WHOM can't help it, Boat alloy" she
called.
An answer in Cantonese sirgsong
came back from the junk. and the
speaker gestured toward the outside
OcCag
Then a long parleying began For
upward of half an hour Moran and
Wilbur listened to a proposition in
broken pigeon English made h. the
boachcombcrs again and again and yet
again aud were in no way eulightcned.
II was Impossible 10 understand. Then
at las they made out that there was
question of a whale Next It appeared
the whale was dead. and. finally, after
prolonged pantomime Of gesuring
and pointing. Moran guessed that the
beaeheombegs wanted the use Of the
Bertha Millncr TO triee MP lie dead
leyiathan while the oil ana whalcbone
We're extracted.
"rhat must be it, she said TO VII
bar. That's what they mean by poiat-
inc 70 our masis and tackle. You see.
they couldn't manage with that stick
OF theirs. and they Fay they'll give us
a third Of the loot. Wen do Sc. mate.
and III tell you why. The wind has
fallen. and they can tow Us ont. If lis
sperm whale they've found there
oughtto be thirty or forty barrels q
oil in him. let alone the biubber and
bone. Oil Is ct so n0fs, ard si555-
macefi viii always bring sio0 Wen
take it on. mate. but we'II keep our