The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-05-21

direction. and an extraordinary and
even an affrighting object became Wis.
ible. A caricature Of human head
was raised slightly above the level OF
the water 1t was crowned. by a shock
back from the brows by a fllet of
white feathers. An intensely black
face, crossed by two bars of red and
white pigment. reaching from ear to
ear and covering eyelids. nose and
lips, was upturned to the watchers
from the deck. The colors were vivid
enough Notwithstanding the sheets of
rain which blew in gusts against the
ships side, dimming the dull light of
storm proof lamp, to convey a most
uncanny effect. Nor did Courtenay re.
move either his eyes or the revolver
while he said to Christobal:
''Ask him who he is and what he
wants"
The answer was ineligible enough:
IL am miner from Argentina.
have been among these Indians five
years. When their attack failed
thought there was a chance Of escape
For PHYS sake, senor, help me instant.
ly or l shall die from the cold"
Have the Indians gomez asked
Christobal.
"Yes. They thought to surprise you.
When they come again it will be by
daylight, as they are afraid of the
dark. But be quick. l implore you. My
hands are numb"
There was no resisting the mans ap-
peal. A rope ladder was lowered. and
a Chilean sailor went down in obe-
dience to the captains order, though
he disliked the job and crossed him.
self before descending. He passed a
rope under the fugitive's armpits and
with aid from the deck hoisted him
aboard. The unfortunate miner gave
proof of his wretched state by prompt
ly collapsing in faint, with a sigh of
"Madre de Dios!"
His only garments were a species of
waistcoat and rough trousers Of un-
tanned guanaco hide The white skin
of his breast and legs, though darken-
ed by exposure, showed that he had
told the truth as to his descent, not
withstanding the amazing daubs on his
face. His hair, stiffened with black
grease, stood out all around his head,
and the same oily composition had
been used to blacken his forehead,
neck and hands.
Some brandy and hot water, COM
bined with the warmth of the salon.
soon revived him. He ate a quantity
Of bread with the eagerness of a man
suffering from starvation.
Christobal brought him to the chart
house, where most Of the others were
assembled, and there questioned him.
1t was most astonishing story
which Francisco Suarez. gold miner
and prOspector, laid before an exceed
fngly attentive audience. AS the man
spoke SO did he recover the freer usage
of civilized tongue. At first his
words had a hoarse, cultural sound.
but DR.. ChristobaPs questions seemed
to awaken dormant memories, and ev-
cry one noticed, not least those who
had small knowledge of Spanish, that
he had practically recovered command
of the language at the end of half an
hour.
And this was what he told them:
He, with three partners and few In
dians from the pampas. had set out on
gold prospecting expedition on the
headwaters of the Gallegos river.
They were disappointed in their search
until they crossed the cordillera and
sighted the gloomy shores Of Last
Hope inlet, leading into Smyth chan
nel There they found alluvial sand
anG gold bearing quartz. yielding but
poor results. Unfortunately some ma
tives assured them that the metal they
sought abounded in Hanover island.
They obtained canoes, voyaged down
the long inlet crossed the strait and
struck inland toward the unknown
mountains beyond the swamps Of El-
len bay.
After enduring all the hardships en-
tailed by life in such a wild country
they blundered into gully where a
brief analysis of the detritus gave a
result per ton which was not to be
measured by ounces, but by pounds.
White men and Indians alike caught
the fever They accumulated a use
less hoard, having no means to trans
port other than their own backs, and
then, all precautions being relaxed, the
nomad Indians, whom they despised,
rushed the camp when they were sleep
ing. They were nearly all killed by
stones shot from sings. Suarez was
only stunned, and he and Spaniard,
with two Indians, were reserved for
future slaughter.
1.-The others were eaten," he said,
"and their bones were used for max
ing fires. l saw my friend Giacomo
felled like bullock, and the Indians as
well. By chance l was the last !
had no hope of escape. l was too
downcast even to make a fight Of 1t
when, at the eleventh hour, the mad
idea seized me that l might please and
astonish my captors by performing a
few sleight Of hand tricks. Dios. how
they gaped! They had never seen the
like. All the tribe was summoned to
watch me-"
Then the poor fellow began to cry.
"Holy mother! Think Of me playing
the fool before those brutes! l be-
came their medicine man. fought