The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-01
: < !. .s*. s.x .xs.. 4 < < !. /. !. .swE.TTs
Amputator to Ills Majesty
BY Jack Longnecker $

e ~ ~ " " ~ so ~ ~ ~ ~ " * y
| 1.-THE last they ever heard of Muir
| ply said Cautain Emmons, was the
mail advice received from Honolulu
| That was about five years ago. The
Borneo King was bound for the East
Indies. and Murphy took passage on
her, intending to join this ship, as we
were then working in the straits east
of Borneo. They must have struck
bad weather and gone to pieces. or
they would not be throwing bottle mes
sages overheard. Well, we'll go down
there and look around, but 1 don't be-
lieve we will ever find any traces of
him, or any of the crew of the Bomeo
King after this length of time"
And the Pequin steamed out OF the
harbor headed for San Christoval. Sew
eraI weeks were spent in searching the
inlets of the eastern end of the sus-
pected islands, and many side trips of
inspection were made to nearby isles.
but nothing was seen to indicate the
presence of the missing ichthyologist.
Nor did careful inquiry among the
natives bring any light upon the mys-
terry. After having rounded the point
of San Christoval, Emmons thought of
Kennel Island lying about sixty miles
to the west. and ordered the course
changed in that direction.
Kennel Island is one of the few of
the Solomon Islands where the natives
still cling to their savage customs, re-
fusing to absorb any of the ways of
civilization, and fighting most deter
minedly any attempt of foreigners to
invade their territory. While under
German control, the jurisdiction of the
Kaiser is merely nominal. The Rem
nellites run their island to suit them
selves and bid defiance to the world
at large. They raid other nearby is
lands. steal the women and feast upon
the men. Altogether, they are such a
ferocious, inhospitab1e tribe, that no
one ever visits their isle or cares to
have any intercourse with them. Short
~ after noon the lookout reported land
ahead.
"Rennel Island, I guess" remarked
the captain sid like to get even with
them for throwing spears at our men
when we tried to get into one Of their
bayous," and taking up his glasses he
went on the bridge.
Rapidly the shore line cleared up, the
dark blue resolved itself into palm
trees, and the booming breakers could
be seen spreading out over the white
beach Captain Emmons stood watch
ing the island.
well, I'll be dr. he suddenly
burst out. Lowering the glasses he
examined them carefully. wiped the
lenses gently with a piece of channels
skin, raised them to his eyes, and
again studied the beach-line intently.
"WelI, wouldn't that cork you. If
those niggers amt all one-legged I'll
eat my hat. Come here, Mr.. Wells.
and take a look at that beach-1ine."
Mr. Wells, junior officer, stepped up
ard took a look through his glasses.
Then he lowered them and took a look
without the glasses, and finally long
er look through the binoculars.
What do you see?" asked the cap
tain.
pie"
not know but that I was going crazy"
Meanwhile. other officers and binoc-
ulars had come upon the bridge. and
were eagerly gazing at the natives
along the shore.
I1OW tic dSF1I dO YOU SdppOSC a III
of one-legged people got on that is
land?' asked the captain.
Search me-" responded one Of the
officers. Maybe this is side issue
of Darwin's game of evolution. A race
of monopeds.''
"Or, possibly they are defendants Of
some land-locked mermaids."
Hello. there is one of them waving
a white flag"
''Where?' asked Captain Emmons.
cover there back of the crowd"
TELL the quartermaster to answer"
''Shan we send a boat ashore?'
'Wait awhile and see if they put off.
We had enough trouble with these fell
lows years ago, when they tried to
spear some of our men. If they feel
friendly let them make the advances"
The man who had been waving the
white flag had become the center of
a gestieulating crowd. Their parley
lasted few minutes when the signal
man and half dozen natives clam
hered into a large canoe and pulled
off for the Penguin. The officers in
tently watched the approach Of the
canoe. while members of the crew stood
ready with arms t'to repel boarders''
and resist attack which might be
offered