The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-12-14

cVAEA h44f0 ~ DE- OONhs
TT e was very sick white man.
He rode pickaback on a
woolly headed, black skinned
savage the lobes of whose
ears had been pierced and stretched
until one had torn out, while the other
carried circular block of carved wood
three inches In diameter. The torn
ear had been pierced again, but this
time not so ambitiously, for the whole
accommodated no more than a short
clay pipe. The man-horse was greasy
and dirty and naked save for an ex-
ceedingly narrow and dirty loin cloth.
but the white man chung to him close
ly and desperately. At times from
weakness his head dropped and rested
on the woolly pate. At ether times he
lifted his head and stared with swim
ming eyes at the cocoanut palms that
reeled and swung In the shimmering
heat. He was clad in a thin under
shirt and strip of cotton cloth that
wrapped about his waist and descend
ed to his knees. On his head was a
battered Stetson, known to the trade
as a 'Baden-P Powell" About his mid
die was strapped belt, which carried
large calibered automatic pistol and
several spare clips, loaded and ready
for quick work.
The rear was brought up by black
boy of fourteen or fifteen, who carried
medicine bottles, pail of hot water,
and various other hospital appurte-
nances. They passed out OF the COM
pound through a small wicker gate.
and went on under the blazing sun.
winding about among new planted CO
coanuts that threw no shade. There
was not a breath Of wind, and the
superheated, stagnant air was heavy
with pestilence. From the direction
they were going arose a wild clamor.
as of lost souls wailing and of men In
torment. A long, low shed showed
ahead, grass walled and grass
matched, and It was from here that
the noise proceeded. There were
shrieks and screams, some unmistak-
ably vi grief. others uiiss;..;;.::: ..sehiy Of
uncomfortable pain. AS the white man
drew closer he could hear low and
continuous moaning and grooming. He
shuddered at the thought Of entering,
and for moment was quite certain
that he was going to faint. For that
most dreaded of Solomon island
scourges. dysentery. had struck Ber-
ande plantation, and he was all alone
to cope with 1t. Also. he was afflicted
himself.
BY STOPPING close, still on hanback,.
he managed to pass through the low
doorway. He took a small bottle from
his follower and shifted strong am
monia to clear his senses for the
ordeal. Then he shouted shut upT'
and the clamor stilled. A raised plat
form Of forest slabs, six feet wide.
with slight pitch, extended the full
length of the shed. Alongside of 1t
was yard wide runway. Stretched
on the platform. side by side and
crowded close. lay score of blacks
That they were low in the order of
human life was apparent at glance
Ivy nCkC AtNnEdttio- uttt Ao't0
we're asymmetrical, bestial; their
bodies were ugly and apelike. They
wore nose rings Of clam shell and
turtle shell. and from the ends of then
noses. which were also pierced, pro-
Jected horns of beads strung on stir
wire. Their ears were pierced and
oistended to accommodate wooden
plugs and sticks, pipes. and all manner
OF Darbaric ornaments. Their faces
ana bodies were tattooed or Scared in
niaeous designs. In their 81 kaes
'nes wore no clothing. not even loin
eioats' though they retained their shell
armiets. their bead necklaces and their
irainer belts, between which aud ths
skin were thrust naked knives. The
oooies OF many were covered with hor-
Ho'e soreS Swhrns Of aies rose and