The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-03-17

faces turned toward Mecca, and, with
swayirg bodies and changing intona-
ton Of voice, invoked the Prophet,
courageous in the fc;ith. One cid man
in particular. a white-bearded patri-
archial parsonage, prolonged his de-
votions till late in the evening, first
reading half aloud from an ancient
copy of the Koran, illuminated with
characters in ColCrs and gold, then
praying, then amounting his loins with
oil, then lighting his bubble bubble,
or water pipe, aromatic of sandal and
rose water, and putting refectiyely for
81 interval, then finally praying again.
II was much like a protracted meeting.
Our cargo consisted mainly Of
horses--noble Arabian animals-for
Kurrachee and Bombay; and they near
ly monopolized the deck space. There
were, as it proved, eleven Arab horse
dealers in charge of the drove, to a
man admirable fellows physically, with
the 1lerces untamed look of tiger
when pressed to bay by the elephants.
A few Koords, dead-black Nubians,
dusky Hindoos and dignided Afghans,
an Armenian Immigrant or two, and a
motley contingent of natives from the
Persian interior brought the number
of deck passengers up to about twenty
five. These passengers lived entirely
on deck.
Besides the eight officers of the YES
sci l was the only English-speaking
person on board Among the deck pas.
sengers | had noted a handsome Arab
girl. | longed to put her face on paper
but l we'll know the stern antipathy
the Moslems cherish against having
their picture taken in any form. How
ever | ran the risk of resentment and
surreptiously made the sketch you are
looking at. 1t was Zuleika, daughter
Of Sheik Abdul, the chief of the horse
dealers.
81 had grown sleepy listening to the
third officers yarns, and in preference
to tossing away the night in "a super
heated stateroom l brought my mat
tress up on the windward side of the
promenade deck, where found the soft
eastern breeze delightfully."- cooling. 1t
was pleasant to be out where, when |
happened to be reused momentarily,
could see the stars shining overhead
and hear the soothing splash of the
water against the vessels side, the So
poriic, even pulsations of the engines,
and at intervals the bell on the bridge
giving the hour of the watch, repeated
by the lookout in the bows with an ac-
companying alls we'll
cat midnight the chief officer went
below, and the second officer, Mr. New
hall, took his place on the bridge. We
expected to make Linga shortly after
daybreak, and as we had already come
out of our course Captain Sargent be-
grudged any unnecessary delay and
left orders 10 have everything put in
readiness for a quick discharge of the
Linga consignment. To get at the car
go with a steam windlass it was neces-
sary to remove the forward hatch. This
had been appropriated as a choice po-
sition by the somewhat overbearing
Arab horse dealers, and it was covered
with their PROSTATE forms. One of the
watch unceremoniously Weakened the
sleepers, and with an imshi Cget out
of the Way ordered them off. They
resented being so rudely disturbed in
the middle of the night and refused to
oil II
len anger. Thereupon the second officer
called Captain Sargent, who promptly
came forward and proceeded to clear
the hatch by force. By this time the
Arabs were thoroughly enraged. The
sheik excitedly directed a few words
to his companions, and Selling winch
lever advanced fiercely on the captain
before the latter could lay hold of any
thing to defend himself with. The
whole party rose en- masse, and brand
ishing their Notwithstanding crooked
knives frantically in the air drove the
two officers before them into the sa-
loon and held them there in terror
Of their lives.
81 was awakened by the uproar, and
without knowing just what the matter
was rushed below in quest of my revol-
yer. But | found the way to my state
room cut off by two sturdy guards.
Suddenly it occurred to me that the
second engineer had shown me an an
Gent pistol taken from the French in
the Peninsular war. | slipped down
the .engine-room hatchway unseen and
found it was loaded and primed. With