The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-10-21
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER AA111.
It was heard in tie office of the paper
which had secured my services that there
was to be held a special meeting, on an
evening early in October, Of the Royal
Geographical Society, in order to hear
paper read by a German traveller recent
" arrived in Europe, after a heightened
stay in the South Sea Islands.
At the hour Of eight the chairman en-
tered with his captive traveller. The
latter, certainly one of the tallest and
finest men I have ever beheld, took his
place in front of his maps, and began,
after the usual introduction, to read his
paper.
After this paper was read, the usual
irrepressible persons got up and began
to discuss. At this point l retired to add
few things to my article and hand it
in. 1 then repaired to the Savage Club,
which at II o'clock Legins to be cheer
full place. Here found, in fact, an ami
mated circle. and among them my friend
of the r. G.. S., the Baron Sergius Won
Holstein, who had been brought by one
Of the members.
1t is always interesting to meet with
men who have been on desert islands, or
lived among cannibals. 1t is enough for
some people only to gaze upon such q
man. For our part, at the Savage, we
found the baron not only an interesting
person, but also a singularly amusing
companion, and brimful of anecdotes and
stories of all kinds.
We talked till late. At about three In
the morning, when we had gone half
round the world with him, he told us a
very singular and surprising story.
He had not been the only European
on a certain island all the time, he said
For six months or so he had a companion
| in the shape of poor fellow-an Eng.
lishman-who had been washed ashore
upon a piece of timber. The natives
were going to spear this human jetsam,
when he interfered and saved him, and
continued to protect him until he was
able to get him off the island in vessel
which came blackbirding. This fel-
low" said the baron, twas the most in
tolerable creature in existence. Earlier
in his existence he had committed a
murder, and during the whole of his stay
on the island he was suffering agonies
of remorse; all day long he wept and
groaned, and was afraid to leave me for
fear Of being speared. At night he would
not sleep at distance of more than a
foot or so from me for fear. And he
was always visited every night by the
ghost of the respectable uncle whom he
had slain"
Did you see the ghost?'
mo, nor did hear it's voice. Yet
it spent the best part of the night in
abusing the poor man, and he in an
swering it with prayers and protesta-
lions. As for revenge, l suppose no 9th.
er murdered man ever took SO much out
of his murderer. Well, it was tedious.
At length my Englishman declared that
he desired nothing SO much as to get
away from the island, and give himself
up to justice. If he could only make his
way to Australia aud then get a passage
to England, he would give himself up
and confess the whole truth"
"A lively companion"
Eyes. But to look at him you would
think him a dull, heavy fellow, who
perate deed. Well. got him away at
length, and WIS left happy at last and
alone. Before he went, however. l wrote
down, at his request, statement of the
murder; confession, in fact. which he
and l witnessed. l warned him that I
should make any use of it that thought
fit. As yet / have done nothing with it;
and as I dare say he Is dead by this time,
I do not see why l should not tear it up.
Here it is. however, written in my old
note book"
(To be continued)