The San Francisco call., 1905-08-13
q LASCAR
SHERLOCK
HOLMES
NOVEL and successful way OF
detecting a thief was recently

| A NOVEL and successful way OF
/ ~ detecting a thief was recently
witnessed on board cargo
/ steamer on her voyage from Liverpool
to Natal One of the seacunnies (LaS-
car quartermasters) reported 70 the
captain that while he was on duty that
morning some one had gone to his berth
and stolen three soverelgns. two ru-
pees, and a half-penny, which he had
tied up in a piece of rag and sewn in
side his pillow for safety. As the
money represented over months pay
he was in great distress When asked
why he carried so much money with
him he said he was taking IL home to
show to his little girl. who had never
seen a sovereign, and afterward intend
! ed making them into an ornament for
her.
i There are so many places on board
/ large steamer in which the money could
be temporarily hidden and no means or
Identifying the particular sOvereignS
that the captain had very little hope OF
discovering the thief. but as a matter OF
form instituted an inquiry and had a
thorough search made, though without
any result.
Now nothing upSetS a seaman. be he
British or Indian, more than to have
a suspected thief on his ship, especially
thief who robs his mates. They will
broach cargo for food or drink at times.
or steal the cabin plum duff, without
qualm of conscience: but to steal
from shipmate is a crime they scorn
to commit. and so they would not rest
till the thief was discovered.
Although the captain had abandoned
the hunt, not so the men themselves.
and at sunset the serang (boatswain)
decided to put the whole of his men
through the ordeal OF eating rice"
which was as follows:
/ A dish of plain. uncooked rice was
\ washed In running water by the person
who had lost the money, and then placed
en- box in front of one of the crew.
who officiated as priest. The crew were
\ all mustered and gathered round: the
priest. in a monotone. read a few verses
| from the Koran. and. after blowing three
/ times upon the rice. prayed that Allah
might make it instrumental in discover
| ing the guilty one; that the throat OF the
/ thief might be made dry as the sands
/ o: the desert, so that the innocent might
| be freed from the suspicion that had
fallen upon them.
\ Each Lascar was then called In turn.
and. with one hand on their sacred book,
/ he, with the other. took a few grains
/ of the rice and proceeded TO eat them.
masticatIng them till they were thor
/ oughly moistened. when he either swaI-
/ lowed them OF spat them out. Nine pass
| ed the test successfully and were de-
clnred innocent, but the tenth seemed to
! have difficulty in doing so: this was at
once noticed by the others. who, closing
round. began to question him What
/ is the matter? Is your throat too dry?"
/ etc. This made him worse, and, after
/ Tying to go through the ordeal for a
lew moments longer, he gave in. and,
splitting out the rice perfectly dry, he
vert to the place where he had hidden
the money and, producing it, handed il
to the rightful owner.
The test which Is truly Oriental is
based on natural laws. The Lascars know
that when a person is in state OF fear.
/ or nervous excitement. his throat. and
/ r;ti tjcularly the roof OF his mouth, be-
coraes dry and parched, making IL diff
cult to masticate rice so as to thoroughly
moisten II.
/ The innocent man, being perfectly calm,
/ is able 10 go through the test. while the
/ miscreant, impressed by the religious
ceremony and knowing his guilt and that
every one Is watching him. gets fright
| ened, and his mouth becomes dry and
| parched. Thus he condemns himself. The
4 culprits life during the remainder OF the
voyage was far from pleasant.-Tit Bits.