Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-24
self from the haunting dread of :

self from the haunting dread of 4
iinife-thrnst between the ribs.
Nothing of Importance occurred dur
ing the run from Kobe. and just after
mid night the Labuan swung round
Yokohama breakwater and, threading
her way through the shipping came TO
an anchor in the inner harbor. After
everything had been squared up all
hands, with the exception of the deck
Waterman and number two fireman,
turned in, as is the custom on board
tramp steamers when they arrive in
port late at night.
1t was a fine still night and as
everyone appeared TO he asleep EXCEPT
himself and the Lascar sailor on
watch. PAX Sing reflected that if he
waited 50 years he could not find = bet
ter opportunity for settling with his enc
my and his enemy $ friends in 4 gradniy
effectual style. So. after the custom
of his race, he decided 10 run amok.
No~ when n Malay has brooded over Il
grievance or nursed hatred until ne
has worked himself into IA frenzy. he
sometimes makes up his mind to run
amok. which is usually a disastrous
business, both for his neighbors and
himself because the orthodox mode Of
running amok is for the frenZied man
to seize n knife or kris and murder
ousiy attack not only his enemy. but
everyone else he meets. until he him.
self is either cut down or shot like &
mad dog.
This time honored and simple meth
ed of running amoll was. however, far
too crude for PAX Sing. who. having
lived in Honk Kong and served on
modern cargo steamers. was more mp
to-date than many Of his benighted
countrymen. lie therefore resolved To
run amok in an original and etfeetuai
manner.
He lost no time in getting 10 work.
First he screwed down the safety
valves; then lie raised the damners and
stirred up the furnace fire which had
been banked soon after the anchor
was dropped. Gradually the steam rose
and the pointer on the dial registered
more pressure every minute, as PAX
Sing worked at the fire asadeftly and
silently as possible.
The working pressure of the large
boiler was usually about 200 pounds,
although the dial was marked up 10
600 and. of course. any pressure over
the 900 pounds was considered unsafe.
PAX Sing waited until the painter
clicked against the stop beyond the 300
mark: then, shovelling on more coal
and stirring the fire afresh, he went up
on deck.
"Mistan Mcleod catch EN- plenty
steam by-em-by. | go fore side, catch
EN- fish, he remarked to the sleepy
Lasoar on watch, who Was doing on
the bunker hatch.
Now PAX Sing did not fear death at
all. In fact. he quite intended TO die.
vet all the same he did not mean to be
blown up with the others; even a
frenzied amoll running Malay can be
fastidious as to his own manner OF
committing suicide Kanagowa beach
was less than a mile distant, and the
Hood tide was setting that way. WHY
he did not jump overheard and SWIM
ashore is a mystery which some one
better versed in the ways of orientais
than myself might solve. But the TACT
remains that he did not, and this Is a
| true story.
The Lascar Waterman saw PAX Sing
carry a heavy fire-bar forward on ms
shoulder, and his curiosity being rous-
ed. he crouched in the shadow OF the
bulwarks and watched the Malay
proceedings. PAX Sing tied the heavy
fre-bar round his neck with a small
piece of line and climbed on the rail.
Then. facing aft he made a fierce gest-
ure Of menace in the direction of the
engineers cabins, and dropped over
board.
l M Il oft n stop
| him. Why should he? PAX Sing knew
his own business best, and if he WISH
| ed TO drown himself he had every f1sht
to do so from the Lascar's orientai
view of the matter But the l.ascar
knew that Western people maze az,
absurd fuss about cases of Suicide anu
as he was night Waterman he lei' -
his duty to report the matter to the en-
| CINE room department. SO he went ~. ~.
and Knocked loudly at mr.. Mcleod
| door.
| whats wrong?s shouted McLeoa'
who awoke instantly.
| Number two makee die fore side.
See" replied the sailor.
| "How's that? What for makee aie
| asked the startled Mcleod, Who IKE
| most ships officers in the Eastern
trade. addressed native seamen ~
| 'pidgn' English,
| mo sabby what for: tie 'em fire-oai
round neck. malxee drown ans"ere'
| the Waterman.
| Just as he spoke the sound o. burs'-
! ing gauge glass warned the expeileiic-
| ed engineer that all WAS not right WIZ
| the boilers. He sprang out OF hesf'
| and. Slipping on his shoes. was down
the stolSehold in no time. MS JAN
/ dropped when he saw the dial poiiite,
| damned over as far as IL could go, ana
] the fire roaring fiercely
Luckily for all on board. Mcleod was
! a smart man Of action, and a cnoi, en-
perienced engineer Knowing that the
/ ship might be blown to atoms before
he could get the pressure down, ne
worked like a demon. He started the
feed pump, lowered the hampers ana
I GA sed the safety-vaIves. Then shout
ing to the affrigated, IlasGaf''s wbo MAS
| peering down the stockhoid, to start
! all the deck winches, he began draw