The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-10-08

asu had signaled that she would no
wait. on Ne rushed TO the wharf
where a crowd was yelling and hus
ding and swarming about one o
Cocks great boats. already half fui
Of luggage and people, They woult
not let David accompany us to thu
steamer, aud We shook hands regret
mlY with the faithful fellow before W.
were almost tossed into our places il
the rocking craft,
IF there was another steamer in 8
week | would not let you go in dis
he said. c~hokingly.
A Perilous Passage.
We understood him pretty oon Six
teen out of 40 OF Cooks best boatmen
land there are no better a~nywherel
were told OF for this trip, the rough
est of the season. The beat of the surf
upon the rocks was deafening, and
there Is but one passage between the
jagged liues-scarcely wider than our
boat. We shot" il. as We would the
rapids, and were %plunging among the
biggest wav ! ever Jaw, the steamer
not daring TO come within a mile of
the shore. There were six Americans
or board. four French and one Eng
lishman. This last. ! may remark,
wGs Very airy in his ways and porcina
as to appetite. having helped himself
twice to every dish at table.
The passage was exciting. As eac1
wave approached us the boat arose al
most IN end to climb" ii, the boatmeG
rising upon their oars as she went
down into the trough and pulling like
mad things until another mountain
rolled in-with a chant in unison OF
Allah said! Allah said" tGod he'll
US! God help us!l which was eerls
beyond comparison.
The Excitable F%renchman.
The Americans sat calm and silent
there was but one American woman
besides myself, and one French. The
Epelishman was lordly until he be.
came desperately and actively seasick
and kneeled in the bottom OF the boat,
ab1ectly miserable. The French jail
oered like parrots. A young fellow |
next to me led the talk, r~eassuring hiy
wife n father and friend:
ii n a pas de danger. lie yous as.
sure, mes amis,."
fThere's no danger, / assure yot. mr.
'Voyes, la mer est plus transuille.
ma ntenant-beaucoup plus ~tranquille!
serons la, bientot. Pas de dan
LOOK, the sea is keeping quieter,
mitch quieter. Wen get there al;
light No danger.)
Then he began to hum an opera cir
| could see what he couId
lot-his back being toward her-the
almost upon MS, and the prem
made to receive us. II was
impossible to lower a gangway, so a
adder was let down parallel with the
ide' and inclined gently. At the bot
ON was a platform, perhaps a yard
quaTe, below was the naked hulk ris-
ns and sinking in the yeasty water
mad heard enough of Jaffa embarka.
IONS not to be frightened, and Cooks,
aen are phenomenal. but | could moi
eslSt the temptation to scare the little
'renchman. +.
Here Is he steamer, sir" l said, !,
lie turned just as a rope was fiung .
'oIa the vessel and seized by the boat !
len' three of whom leaped upon the !
idder' a fourth upon the platform
nile four others ranged themselves q
pom the gunwale to help us mounc- !
jump. /
The little man turned green. '
ne bougel-pas!' lido not moysD
e s%creeched, clutching his wife with
ne arm, his father with the other a
Ne bougez point! C'est une ~atrocIte, "
atrocite!' do not moye a b,ts u
is an atrocity!l r
Literally Tossed Aboard. Il
The natives %outyelled him. The first c
an seized was the Englishmap F
g yNdragged him out of the bottom a
the boat like a wet sack and actual II
seemed to pull him out like an opera
as he went up the ladder. nv N
n was the next, and a bound and q b
ala the work with him. Then
rec pairs of hands laid hold of me. r.
.lancing me on the seat until the YES e
! came down, and our boat went NJ, y,
pen they said: "Joomp! now!" and G.
'1oomped' upon the platform. 10 be :
ssed o n TO another of the trios
rched on the ladder.
American, Weighing go pounds
lame. but they got him IN with
e rest.
When all were on board Cooks agent p'
'uld NOT return with the boat, but al
mt on 10 Port Said. He had hocr u
ry pale and still all the way. remem. pi
ring. doubtless. the laundering ot 10
other boat but three hours before, q
The whole experience IL not ope 10
coveted by anyone, | was deeldedlY he
aKen, although I had not known boW al
'lted ! was until I went 10 my cabin he
d lay down, not 10 arise until tht Sc
1t morning when We touched at pol W,
Id. n,
.tcFi RIGGS. 49, By Jozspb n. Bovrs. M,