The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1911-09-07
A WRESTLING
MATCH
By EVERETT TWOMBLY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Once was owner Of a schooner that
i used for pearl diving, my divers be-
ing north African Bedouins.
My working ground was of the
coast Of Tripolitania. Pearl diving
is a hard life. and only those who are
desperate engage in it. The boss is
obliged to be very severe with his
workmen or they will take possession
of him, his ship and everything in 1t.
had one man named Hamed. little
muscular African, black as the ace of
spades. who undertook to master me.
There was trouble, after which l had
him arrested and taken into the town
Of Tripoli. and he received a full dose
Of bastinado.
1t was not long after this that one
night. the weather being very hot.
preferred to sleep on deck. l put
down a mattress. but l was cooler in
chair. All | had on was a pair of
thin pajamas and low shoes. l lay
few hours in sleep. awaking about
hC LhCh "CAS oS'NNP w
low, and l was alone on deck. For
an hour l caught cat maps from time
to time, not losing myself for more
than ten minutes at once. At one or
these intervals between sleep l saw
round black ball on the gunwale on
the port bow. 1 being starboard amid
ships.
/ hol 10 Cailornan n
black ball on the gunwale of his ship
Is a curious object. | wondered why
. 1t didn't roll along the incline. In
stead of doing so 1t rose, looking now
, like the round top Of fencepost,
spreading out below. By this time
was sufficiently awake to realize that
the object was a black head and
shoulders. blacker for full moon
that shone behind it.
From this point my faculties came to
r me like lightning l have often since
, wondered that what for want of a bet
ter name | will call an automatic rea-
soning should have made me prepare
for that which l had not thought out
t Had l taken the steps to lead up to
{ that preparation they would have been
? as follows: THAT is a Bedouin thief,
D who will kill me to enable him to car
~ of some trifle." In twinklinG my
t pajamas were lying on the deck.
= standing naked in my shoes. l knew
| that the thief would not be incum-
!. bered with clothing. and ! must not
t give him this advantage over me. |
d knew that he had swum to the ship;
D therefore 1t was not likely he would
have any firearms with him. The
o struggle would be muscular.
l should have cried out and aroused
those below. Strange to say. this did
r not occur to me as quickly as the other
a points. and when it did was too late.
g A black naked figure jumped over the
e gunwale and darted like lightning to-
q ward me- When he reached me the
moonlight flashed on a steel blade with
5 which he struck at me. ! caught bis
forearm with my fist; but. the arm be-
ing oiled. it slipped through my clutch
to the shoulder. l saved myself from
being stabbed by holding my enemy
, of from me with my hand under bis
arm at the shoulder. The man, wrig
Cling, was liable at any moment te
free himself With my other hand
" grasped his throat. 1t, too, was oiled
= but clinched It long enough 10 make
the man drop his knife.
At this moment the rascars face wal
to the moon, and l recognized Hamed
He had not come for plumber; he hat
!, come for revenge. My life now de
!, pended on my preventing his getting
the knife. I placed myself betweei
4, him and 1t and clinched with him. Hi
= BODY was oiled all over. and he sltppet
n through my arms like an eel and mad
70 a lunge for the knife by darting be
a tween my legs. caught an ankl
>. and held him extended to his full
"a length. his arms stretched and within
n a few inches Of the knife. He jerke'
20 his ankle so that. oiled as it was,
N could not count on holding 1t long an
m must do something else to thwart hi
purpose. With one hand I made
"a quick grasp for his shoulder, then wit
v the other let 60 his ankle and graspe
I'd the other shoulder. falling on him
n the same time.
at Here were two Of US reaching fo
a the knife. I slid over his oiled surfac
as and attempted to clutch the weapon
IS. but Just as l was getting my fingers
It he seized my wrist and knocked
farther away.
is I had the advantage of him, holdin
as him between me and the deck b
or could not easily slide on the latte
at having me on his back, but he was
IN slippery that l found 1t difficult
to maintain my position on him. Neve
to theless he endeavored to wriggle {
H. ward the knife. he gained some Inc
II. es and was about to grasp 1t when
IN. knocked 1t farther away.
In I now determined to risk all on OF
be quick move. Putting hand on ea'
his of his shoulders for leverage. ga
let a tremendous pull, shooting my he'
and shoulders beyond the glitteril
ed blade. Feeling 1t under my chest,
ed grasped it. and the victory was mine
lie In an instant my enemy slipped fro
er. under my legs, arose and ran Ike