The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-04-08

mast, but had evidently been shipped
in order to give speedy access TO the
deck by climbing.
Then Courtenay caught sight of two
hands clinging to the stern Of the ca
noe. He swung the lantern in that
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
of coarse black knotted hair tied
back from the brows by a fillet 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
a storm proof lamp, to convey 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:
II am a miner from Argentina.
have been among these Indians five
years. When their attack failed
thought there was a chance of escape
For PHYS sake, senior, help me instant
II or shall die from the cold"
"Have the Indians gomez" asked
Christobal.
eyes. They thought to surprise you.
When they come again 1t will be by
daylight, as they are afraid of the
dark. But be quick, 1 implore you. My
hands are numb"
There was no resisting the mans ap-
peal. A rope ladder was lowered, and
Chilean sailor went down in ODE
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.
" collapsing in faint, with a sigh Of
"Madre de Dios!'
/
waistcoat and rough trousers of I'M
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 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.
ingly attentive audience. As the man
spoke so did he recover the freer usage
OF a civilized tongue. At first his
words had a hoarse, cultural sound
but DR.. Christobals questions seemed
to awaken dormant memories, and ey.
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 a few In
dams from the pampas. had set out on
a gold prospecting expedition on the
headwaters of the Gallegos river
They were disappointed in their search
until the. "rossed the cordillera and
sighted the gloomy shores of Las
Hope inlet, leading into Smyth chan
mel. There they found alluvial sand
and 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 a wild country
they, Numbered into gully where q
brief analysis of the detritus gave q
result per ton which was not to bc
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 otner than their own backs, anG
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 wa.
only stunned, and he and q Spaniard
with two Indians, were reserved fo
future slaughter.
THE others were eaten," he said
land their bones were used for max
ing fires. l saw my friend Giacom'
felled like bullock, and the Indians al
well. By chance l was the last