The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-11

prey into the long, narrow and curved
cul-de-sac at the sea end of the weir
You have never killed a man yet,
Mr.. Denison." said Castles. as the boat
was brought to at the foot of a high,
densely-wooded bluff, where they rest
ed for a few minutes, and again filled
their pipes, ''and I hope you won't have
to make a beginning here; but, to tell
you the exact truth, / think we may
find ourselves in a tight place when
daylight comes. / don't see how we
can possibly get clear of this part of the
coast before sunrise. and get to the
country bossed by the old chief of LAX.
1t must be quite seven miles TO the
boundary. and we can't feel our way
along much further-the tide will be
dead low in a couple of hours. We
must try and find hiding place before
dawn-somewhere where we can hide
the boat, and lie low ourselves until 1t
is dark again. Then he spoke TO Pat
asking him question, and the native
made him an answer that was evident
ly satisfactory, for they cOnversed rap
idly for some mintes, and Denison sew
eral times heard the native use the
word baran-o (alligatcrs). and won
dered what alligators had. to do with
the situation; then Castles explained.
Il asked him if there was any place
along the shore where the tree branches
Overhung the water. so that we could
get the boat under them. He says no,
but that a mile or so away there is
creek running out through a belt of
mangroves. There is a bar of rocks
at the mouth, but even at dead-low tide
there is enough water on it to float the
boat. Once over the bar, he says we
shall be right as rain, for the creek
takes sharp turn to the left, and the
belt of mangroves outside quite hides
it from the sea. But he doesn't like the
idea of our going there, and says that
even Vagori's people always keep clear
of it, as it is full of alligators. and that
the mosquitoes will eat us alive.
Better to chance the baran-o and
the mosquitoes than run the risk of be-
ing cut off by some Of Varogis amiable
gentry"
Just So Let US push on, and get
there as soon as we can"
Once more they set out on their tedi-
Gus course, winding their way through
shallow. narrow channels. humping up
against coral mushrooms" dragging
the boat over the hated fish weirs, and
then suddenly dropping into deep wa
ter and clambering on board again,
Onlv to find a few minutes later their
progress barred by a sand bank or bed
of rotten coral left bare by the tide. At
last, however, the rain ceased, and they
were. able to make much more rapid
ton of satisfaction when the low dark
line of mangroves came in sight.
I'VE must not ct out of the boat
again now. il we can help ii" said
Castles Pat says that all about here
the place swarms with alligators-
short. ugly black devils like those on
Santa Anna in the SolOmOns. If 1t
were daytime we could see them lying
around on the mud banks, or swimming
a bO11t i'm the channels.
Clambering into the boat, they felt
their way along, polling her with the
oars, striking every now and then upon
a sand or mud bank, and having to
push off again.
AT last. however. after nearly three
hours exhausting toll, they succeeded
I'm crossing over the bar of rocks. enter
ing the creek, and mooring that boat to
a tree trunk, which stood up in the
black, evil-smelling water.
CHAPTER Xxx.
The long night wore out at last. and
at dawn the four Voyagers stood up
and stretched their weary. aching
limbs. In addition to the discomfort
of the cramped positions they had had
10 assume. all Of them had suffered
tortures from the myriads of mosque
toes which had assailed them through
ont the night, and which showed no
01SDOS1tlOn 10 dDdlc LuClA
fury with the coming of daylight.
I'VE can't stand any more of this,
Castles" said the leader, as he felt his
swollen face, and then looked at MS
hands. which had lost their deep tan,
and were now more of a purple hue;
well be blind in another hour.
Unmooring the boat, they went up
stream, using canoe paddles nlStedp OF
oars. for the creek was very narrow.
After. proceeding half a mile, and see
Ing nothing but the hideOus mud-coE-
cred forms of several alliGatOrs lying on
the banks. they came TO bar or rocks
or rather a cataract-abOve which the
water was fresh and clear, the tlde
ascending only as far as the bar. Here
the air was much cooler, ana the mos
ouitOes not at all troublesome, so the
boat was brought into the bank, and
they stepped out, wet, hungry and tired,
and before even thinking of breakfast,
Iaved their swolled faces in the sweet
cool water as il rippled over its gravel
" bed. to lose its purity in the foul;
nangrove banked, alligator haunted
pool below.
Although not daring TO light fire
to make coffee, they yet made an ex-
cel1ent breakfast of timed beef and
biscuit. with rum and water instead OF
tea or coffee. Castles urging his COM
panious not TO drink the water alone,
pure as IT looked.
seXVhen I was in the labor trade IN
the Solomon islands, our skipper would
NOT let us drink the river water" he
observed "You stand every chance OF
getting a dose of fever. that is why the
natives seldom drink ANYTHING but rain
water. caught in old canoes and cocoa
nuts. I daresay, if we have a look
about. we'll find a cocoanut grove
somewhere-once we get out or TINS
thick Jungle of heavy timber
The next few hours were spent IN
taking everything out of the boat, and
driving whatever had been wetted, the
arms examined, and the shortened mast
deftIy repaired by Pat, stepping the
broken end into a thick piece of green
bamboo. cut from a clump he had dis
covered growing a little further up
stream.
Then-aIthough Pat assured Denison
and Castles that there were no natives
anywhere in the immediate vicinity ex-
cent on the shore-and that the boat
was quite safe where she was, they
decided to take her back among the
mangroves and leave her there, TIL
nearly dark The country on the left