The Opelousas courier., 1906-01-06

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him and his chiefs at a little bush viii
lage named Tagi' a Manono, at 8
o'clock that evening. At 1890 he at
tended service in the little mission
church on Vaisigago Creek, and an
hour after it was over he was strolling
down to Matefele-the German quart
er of the town-to lunch at the hotel
there, when a little native girl over
took and walked past him, and quietly
slipped a note into his hand.
Late that night he returned on board
the Venus, The captain was awaiting
him.
tWell7" inquired the worthy mar
liner, %anxiousfy.
/ "Oh@it' all right. Ma1ietoa has 49,
500 in English and American gold.
saw it and counted it. And he and his
chiefs have given me their signed bond
to pay the balance of $4,000 in twelve
months, whether they come out on top
or not" Then he turned in.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon he met
the consuls and several Of the leading
storekeepers, by appointment at the
British consulate, and at once pro-
ceeded to business.
Now, gentlemen, / have an offer to
make. I'll put it in as few words as
possible. You are all very hard up for
provisions, and / have a shipload: III
sell you the lot; or as much as you
want, at the usual so percent ON Sgd
ney invoice price instead of asking you
a hun~dred~~which I am pretty sure you
would pay rather than go for another
month or two without European food.
But I'll do this On one condition only"
What Is it7"
"That you gentlemen'-and he ~
ed at the consul-"will aIoaa GOVT:
land these COMPOUNDED &c. of +bon,
,nti1 7 ret,rn fr.m the northwest.
sasn rant t. have to cart them about
tha marty Pacific for three months or
NOR when t want every available inch
LOT space for slowing copra and pearl
shell. And 1 don't want to waste time
by calling here for them on my way
back; but our other vessel, the Susan
nah Booth, will be here in a few weeks,
and you can have them put on board
her, and she can take them back to
Sydney. Aid I'll pay 500 to the NUM-
cipal funds for storage, but not a cent
more.'
There was a brief consultation.
Every one, even Herr Weber, was in
favor Of the sugahstieHi and SO IN hour
later the cases of Winchestefs and
Sniders and the ammunition therefor
were sent on shore, and, after each
case had been duly sealed with the
British consulate seal, placed in the
building which was used as a barrack
for the i~ncorruptibla police, and also
as a Jail.
Then the good church-going super
cargo fulfilled his promise concerning
the sale Of the rest of his cargo, and
the Venus left Apis three days later,
an empty ship. In the supercargo's
cabih were many bags Of dollars and
gold, but there were none that he hand
led with such a pleased smile as those
which contained R7oe. which Had been
brought on board at night, after the
arms had been taken on shore and the
police guard had left the ship:
4
At daylight on the morning following
the day on which the Venus sailed it
was discovered that some time in the
dead of night a number of natives had
burglarized the Jail and carried off
not only every single case Of arms and
cartridges, but apparently the armed
police guard as well, for not one of
them could be found.
But In King Malietoa's lines there
was great rejoicing toward dawn, as a
hundred of his stalwart warriors, with
many women appeared, carrying the
heavy cases, which were quickly
broken open, and their longed-fer con-
tents taken out and distributed under
his Majesty's personal supervision
Louis. Beche, in the Pail Mall Gazette.