Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-31

dams 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
mel. 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 FL
len bay.
After enduring all the hardships en-
tailed by life in such wild country
they Numbered into a 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 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 slings. Suarez was
only stunned, and he and Spaniard,
with two Indians. were reserved for
future slaughter.
1.-The others were eaten" he said.
land their bones were used for max
ing fires. l saw my friend Giacomo
felled like bullock. and the Indians as
well. BY chance I was the last. /
had no hope of escape. was too
downcast even to make a fight of 1t
when. at the eleventh hour. the mad
idea seized me that might please and
few sleight of hand tricks. Dios. how
they CAPPED! 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
then have doctored few Of the chief
men among them, SO they took me into
the tribe and always managed to pro-
cure me such food as / could eat
They gave me roots and dried meat
| when they themselves were living on
putrid blubber or worse, because they
kill all the old women as soon as fam
| inc threatens"
Courtenay broke In on the Span
iard's recital with question of direct
| interest.
ASK him, Christobal, why he said
those devils would come again by day
| light" =
Because they have guns and can
| use them," was the appalling answer
| given by SuareZ. "They secured the
| rifles belonging to my party, and one
of them who had often seen ships Off
GERS shooting wild geese understood
the method Of loading and aiming
They will not waste the cartridges on
game. but keep them for tribal war
fare. and they think a gun canno,
shoot in the dark. Tonight they only
attempted surprise and made off the
moment they were discovered. Tomor.
row or next day they will swarm round
the ship in hundreds and fire at us
with rifles, bows and sings. They dc
most harm with the sings and arrows
as they hold the gun away from the
shoulder, but they can cast heavy
/ pebble from a sling quite as far and
almost as straight as a revolver car
shoot"
How do they know the ship will no
sail at onceT demanded Courtenay.
Suarez laughed Historically with the
mirth which Is akin to tears when thu
query was explained to him. He look
ed bizarre enough under ordinary con
ditions, but laughter converted him In
to- fair semblance of one of. those
bloodcurdling demons which q Japa
nese artist loves to depict. Evidentl.
he depended on makeup to supplement
his powers as a conjurer.
1T Is as much as canoe can manage
In fine weather to reach the island GU
there. which they call Seal island" III
cried, pointing toward the locality Of
White Horse island. Even the In
dams were astonished to see SO big 6
ship anchored here safely. They have
watched plenty of wrecks outside, and
hardly anything comes ashore. At any
rate. they are quite sure you cannot e
back"
1t would be idle to deny that the
Spaniard's words sent a chill of ap
Iprehension down the spines of some Of
those present. but the captain said
quietly:
Where a ship is concerned, if sh
, can enter on the food she can go on
on the ebb. How came you to escap
; tonight!"
Tears stood again in Suarezs eye
as he replied:
. "When heard their plan imagine,
they would be driven of. provided
watch were kept. resolved to risk al
|, in the attempt to reach the compan
Of civilized men once more. l do no
care what the outcome may be. II
can help you to overcome them, / ar
ready to do SO; II not, will die b.
your side. Tonight followed in a ca
mo nnSoon yChon hoo ~ A.. cv,-ox