The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-04


myself, even if I died for ii"
And as Tom looked into her flashing
eyes he fully believed her.
CHAPTER XVI.
One gloriously bright morning, just
as the rising sun began to dispel the
f1eecy sea-mist, and the loud cro0i
croo! of the great-chested pigeons
sounded from the teak-tree forest, Den
iSon, Castles, Pohiri and one of the
NOroks men set out in Toms own boat
for three days cruise around the
coast, intending to go as far as town
named LAX, nearly thirty miles to the
eastward of Boudeuse Bay Its chief
was very old man, who was blood
relation of N0rok, and the latter as
sured Tom that he and his party
would be treated with the greatest
hospitality. The LAX people, he said,
were, like his own, at enmity with Va
rOgi, whose territory lay between, and
he warned Tom against keeping in too
close to the land when sailing past
that part of the coast belonging TO
Narogi.
The wind might fail YOU" he said,
land although you have rifles which
fire many shots quickly, Varogi's men
could shoot you all from the forest,
which is very thick, and which comes
right down to the waters edge. So
beware"
During the passage from Levuka,
Castles hSt China-rigged Toms boat,
/. e., fitted her mainsail with a dozen
of bamboo laths running all the way
across it, which had the effect Of so
f1attening the sail that the little craft
sailed much closer up into the wind.
and when going about she would spin
around on her heel like top.
The native, who was accompanying
them as pilot and interpreter was a
nephew of NorOk. He was a fine, stall
wart young fellow of about % years of
age, and had proudly informed Deni-
son that he had taken the heads of
seven of Varogis people, had three
wives, two slaves, and had made a
voyage in a New Bedford whaIer. He
insisted on bringing with him his own
arms-half d dozen slender spears
pointed with obsidian, a club and an
obsidian dagger, and observed in a
casual manner to Castles that on the
way back he intended to try and pur-
chase or abduct one of the LAX girls
for a fourth wife. If he failed at LAX,
no doubt Tamu Oenison) would let
him try his luck at some isolated vii
LACE elsewhere on the coast; perhaps
if he could not secure girl handsome
enough for a wife, he might capture
a boy for a s1ave-possibly, also, he
might be lucky enough to get the head
of a grown man.
Denison laughed as Castles trans
lated these remarks to him. What a
laundering rufffan he is, Jack. He'll
get US into trouble if we don't watch
him. If he wants to do any wife steal
ing, he can go in his own craft, ana
not lead US into any mess"
Pat as the wOuld-be abductOr, head
searcher and slave seeker was named,
looked disappointed when he was told
/ on q
stealing trip, and would avoid VarOgfs
villages. However, he soon frightened
up when Sina Ross presented him with
a new pipe, two sticks of tobacco and a
large box of wax matches.
why, Mr. Denison," she said, as she
/ leaned over the rail and looked down
at the boat your boat is little man.
| of-war-two rifles, two shOtguns and
| spears. a club and Pats glass dagger.
| Oh, I wish I had known you were go
/ ing-I am sure my husband would let
me come with you. I shall be dull until
| the boats come back.
why not take your gun and go
/ pigeon shooting up the mountain, Mrs
/ Ross? Pat says that now is the time,
/ too, for the manu- men tthe Red
/ Bird of SamOa) in the banana plan
/ tations. Come, get your gun, and we
will put you on shore on the other side
/ of the river"
"Ah. that is Just the thing" said the
/ lively Marquesan, and she tripped be-
/ low. returning in a few minutes with
/ her gun and game bag, and looking
very charming in her white blouse
short. blue skirt and white Panama hat,
which almost hid the dark oval face,
and black, glossy locks
! Descending the gangway ladder, Mrs
! Ross seated herself beside Tom, the
/ boat cast off and was soon gliding gent
| " over the smooth waters of the way
as vet only beginning to ripple TO the
/ first breaths of the trade wind. A
/ run of a quarter of an hour and she
was run on to a soft beach of yellow
! sand, fringed by the usual forest OF
/ cocoanut and areca palms, through
which a shady path led to Norok's ba-
mana and taro plantations. Some young
girls who were seated on the beach
making baskets ran to meet Mrs. Ross
/ and begged her to let them come with
/ her. for she was already a great favor
/ ire. especially with the women and
! children, and she and they soon dis
| appeared among the trees.
| Pushing off again, the boat was
! headed to the east and north, making g
short leg and a long one against the
now freshening breeze. In another
hour, just after rounding low, wooded
point, Ross pearling boats were sight
ed at work about a mile from the
shore. with Norok's big canoe, con-
/ tanning the covering party of armed
/ natives, standing by on guard
/ After spending an hour with Ross
and watching the diving, Denison bade
/ him goodbye and then once more the
smart little craft spun out TO sea, beat
/ ing to the eastward.
ITO be Continued)
! (Copyright i'm the United States OF
/ AmeTica-)