Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-06-12
Captain Barnacle's
TraUelogues
@
BY John H. wishar

There was ono time thny was Of
flcinlly burned 20 death. yet am
here 20 tell the tale" sid Captain
Barnecie. "But u was one Of the
closest calls that ever had In oil
my seafarlns experience. This hap.
pened on the southern end OF she lpl.
and Of sumaira. Al that time I was
master ~ the American bark Nellie
Williams, hound from Calcutta 10 san
Francisco with dse woods aud ran.
siikn We had made good run from
the liindoo city down abreast Of the
Island. which was Just In sight when
the wind went down and we lay there
for two DAYS becaimed.
The morning 81 the third day a
fleet 81 pirate sleeps shot out from
a secluded harbor aud IN a few hours
they were alongside. We fought des.
perateiy. a. All foreigners who fan
into the HANDS 81 these pirates are
either held a. slaves or they are kill
"a outright although Il h far
pleasanter fate 10 die AZ once than
60 remain in captivity among these
people. Well. despite our valor we
were all taken, two Of my men being
killed and several wounded. We Kill
ed about twenty pirates and for this
Il was decided that ! was Ia die They
We're very nice and polite about a..
like all ihosa eastern races They
asked me what kind Of death !
would prefer. ! could be either stab
bed or shot or drowned or burned
We'll, sir. it's not very pleasant 20
select the manner Of your death, 60.
pecinlly when Il Is 20 take place that
night. But I didn't let them see that
my knees were trembling thought
the matter over for a while, ana then
told them I would prefer being burn
ed TO death. AZ that they ell cnscr-
ed me az a brave man and y kindly
one. for Il afforded n better spcctar
( Gle TO the pirates when man was
burned alive. hut ] WIS not arxious
10 die watched with some uCpi
dalton the building Of the funeral
pyre. also saw the pirates hiring
bales OF silk and other goods from my
ship and pile Il on the shore. The
only favor I asked was 10 be permit
ted 10 arrange my own winding sheet
This they granted. 40 I wrapped my
self IN "A bolt Of cloth taken from one
Of the bundles and told them ! wH'
ready.
u was laid on the top Of the fun-
eral pyre and the match was lighted.
The flames shot up all AROUND me
Ieaped high in the sky. I was en-
veloped in fire. The heat was terri
tic. hut I managed 10 stand Il. How
did ! do lte why ! had wrapped
myself In half a dozen folds 81 patent
firaproof asbestos cloth and had alss
secreted bottle ~ water IN one OF
the folds ana this gave me air enough
TO keep from smoihcring'
The pirates watched the great tir'
and Kept piling wood on u Tor hal
en- hour. Then the flames graduaH'
died down until ! was lying on
mountain 81 glowing GOALS Then SUD
denly I assumed sitting posture ant
threw the asbestos covering from OF
my head. and glared M the crowd
We'll. cir. 81 an the scared pirates ina
ever existed. Il was those Malays
They took one look M the man wh'
had heen able 10 he In great hiaz'
for half an hour and suffer no In
Jury. then they turned and fled
guess they are running yet go
or that pyre pretty quick. collected
my men and we raided the pirates
camp. taking a vast quantity OF rnr'
goods and jewels We got hnci
aboard ship and the rest ct the voy
age was uneventful We mode enouRf
out of n TO more than pay me Tor ih'
half hours roasting