The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-07-21
The Third
Derelict
A HairbreAdth Escape Prom Death
BY BRADFORD X. DANIELS
Copyright 1910, by American Press !
Association
BY BRADFORD X. DANIELS
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| the branches OF the biz trees that grew
( In a dense forest far out into the shai
/ low water Of the lagoon one steamer
was wedged In between great bolcs,
I the tops OF its masts showing oddly
above the overhanging greenery The
other lay well over upon it's side, Ike
some portly marine monster that had
taken shelter there from the tropic
sun, How any person not positive
idiot could have bundered into such
a place passed my comprehension
The repeated blasts from our whistle
had reused the owner OF the cocoanut
grove that was TO furnish Us our car
60, and presently the white drill suit
and pitb helmet which we always asso.
ciate with the white man in the trop
les appeared IN the stern OF boat
which glided out from under the trees
Before our gangplank was fairly low
cred "A tall rawboned young English
man, distinctly Of the gentleman
type, came over the ships side and
introduced himself as Shackleford, the
man with whom | had contracted 20
carry a load of nuts 10 Liverpool
mo, | haven't black on the place,
he explained IN response 10 an inquiry
of niue as we took our places In bis
fat bottomed boat, manned wholly by
Cinnamon, aud started for his bunga
low, whose corrugated roof bla2ed Ia
the intense sunlight through a rift In
the cocoanut grove 1T costs three
times as much for Chinese labor, but
for some reason | can't get a niger TO
come near the plantation"
That's strange"
Wait till tonight and you'll hear as
horrible row as you ever heard. Then
you'll know The mountains buck
there are alive with apes That is
why put up twenty-five foot high
barbed wire fence"
That evening we were sitting In the
bungalow, slipping whisky and soda
and swapping yarns about Penang
| when a voley of bafks, sharp as the
rattle Of musketry, made me spring up
in alarm.
Shackleford put down his glass and
haw-hawed ITS only those blasted
apes" he explained when he had man
aged TO control his mirth. Take down
that rife aud come along"
Armed with Wlnchesters we made
our way TO the edge of the grove near
est the spur of the mountain AS we
approached chorus of snarls greeted
us, and in The clear starlight / saw
a host Of infuriated apes hurting them
selves against the barbed wire fence
For time the brutes paid little heed
TO our fusillade. Then. under the lead
ership Of huge gray ape, they broke
and made for cover
The great grizzled brute was the last
to retire, and at the edge Of the jungle
II turned and gibbered at Us In way
that made my flesh creep II seemed
to voice the fatbomless hatred OF the
whole jungle world for the usurper
man.
The next morning on our way back
TO the steamer ! asked Shackleford
about the two wrecks
"Oh, ! fancy the fool captains could
not steer straight" he replied lightly.
"Longstreth- that's the chap | bought
the grove from said that both ships
were loaded With cocoanuts. lie would
not talk much about II. though too
sour 10 talk about anything
Later. to satisfy my curiosity, !
rowed over and had look al the
bulks, and as examined them noted
two facts that kept me Specializing for
days Before either steamer went into
its present position the boats had been
hastily sashed away, aud there wasn't
a single cocoanut to be seen In either
hold
That night I spent ashore again with
my ship the following morning ! found
II In an ominous state Of excitement
Usually the Chinese portion Of il oc
cupled the forward part of the main
deck eating and sleeping In fhe cor
ners among the steam winches The
lascars had always claimed the fore
castle head. where their tall. gaunt |
bodies and swathed heads seemed an
inseparable part of the ship Now how
ever, race and caste were forgotten |
and furbans and plgtails mingled pro
miscuously u groups that whispered /
eagerly IN dozen corners
Al sight Of me they quickly Dis |
persed but with those two rusty hulke |
looming up yonder as object lessons
took prompt measures 10 f0restaIl |
possible mutiny. summoning the FIRST 1
mate-a half caste from Calcutta that /
had picked 10 IN Penang when
MACPHERSON died Of choiera--l locked |
the door behind him. left my revolver /
on the table where he could mediate /
upon lis use as we talked and then I
asked him few pointed questions 4
He turned white under his dlnky skin I
but soon pulled himself together and 4
began 10 We 10 me ] knew II ~ the 4
way his eyelids nlckered The boy l
was too bot for even d chinaman 70
i've on the lagoon was fnll OF sharks
the typhoon season was coming an
these and a dozen other reasons for
leaving NJ once slipped from bis oily
tongue and left me more puzzled than
ever.
After that experience I spent no
more nights ashore bHf watched con
iinuaily for the slightest hint Of re
bellion Enry tie neat morning when
the cocoanuts began 70 arrive 90 the
big bambo0 RATS / noted with q grin
OF satisfaction that al hands set 70
work packing them Into the bold with
an aiacrity which they hsd never be.
fore manifested 10 my service
Taking On cargo oeeHpied q week