The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-04
Adventure
A Romance Of
The South Seas
BY
JACK LONDON
cepvzistse. 1890. By Stress . snfth
COpsrisht. EeIl. by tAs MacmElan Compn

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ande plantation, ard he was an alone
to cope with it Also, he was afflicted
himself.
By STOPPING close, still on hanback,.
he managed to pass through the low
doorway. He took small bottle from
his follower and shifted strong am
monia to clear his senses for the
ordeal Then he shouted "Shut up!'
and the clamor stiIled. A raised plat
form OF forest slabs. six feet wide,
with q slight pitch. extended the full
length Of the shed. Alongside of It
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 a glance.
They were maneaters. Their faces
were asymmetrical. bestial: their
bodies were ugly and apeIfxe, 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
distended TO accommodate wooden
plugs and sticks, pipes. and all manner
OF barbaric ornaments. Their faces
and bodies were tattooed or SCARED in
hideous designs. In their sickness
they wore no clothing, not even loin
clouts, though they retained their shell
armlets, their bead necklaces and their
leather belts. between which and the
skin were thrust naked knives. The
bodies Of many were covered with hor,
Hble sores. Swarms Of flies rose and
settled, or few back and forth in
clouds.
The white man went down the Tine,
dosing each man with medicine. To
some he gave chlorodyne He was
forced to concentrate with all his viii
In order to remember which Of them
could stand ipecacuanha and which of
them were constitutionally unable to
retain that powerful drug. One who
lay dead he ordered to be carried out.
He spoke in the sharp, peremptory
manner OF q man who would take no
Ronsense, and the wen men who obey
ed his orders scowled Indignantly.
One muttered deep in his chest as he
took the corpse by the feet. The
white man exploded in speech and ac-
tion. It cost bin painful effort, but
his arm shot out, landing back hand
blow on the blacks mouth.
What name you, Angafa r. he shout
ed. what for talk long you. Ell?
knock seven bells cut of you, too
much, quickE'
With the automatic swiftness of a
Wild animal the black gathered him
self to spring. The anger of a wild
animal was in his eyes; but he saw
the white mans hand dropping to the
pistol In his belt. The spring was
never made. The tensed body relaxed,
and the black, stooping over the corpse,
helped carry It out This time there
was no muttering.
"Swiner' the white man gritted out
through his teeth at the whole breed
Of Solomon islanders.
He was very sick, this white man,
IS sick as the black men who lay help
less about him and whom hO attended
44C ASNCA AAASW OA$4 14A4C &G GAAtCA "a
the fostering shambles whether or not
he would be able to complete the
round. But he did know, in large
degree of certainty, that IL he ever
tainted there In the midst OF the blacks
those who were able would be at his
throat like ravening wolves.
Part way down the line a man was
dying. He gave orders for his removal
as soon as he had breathed his last A
black stuck his head inside the shed
door, saying:
-Four fella sick too much"
Fresh cases. still able to walk, they
clustered about the spokesman. The
white man singled out the weakest
and put him in the place just vacated
by the corpse. Also he indicated the
next weakest. telling him to wait for
place until the next man died. Then,
ordering one Of the well men to take
squad from the field force and build
lean-to addition to the hospital, he
continued along the runway. admins
tering medicine and cracking jokes In
beche-de-mer English to cheer the suf-
ferers- Now and again from the far