The daily Alaskan., 1915-12-08
PENINJED
 IN
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

There is an infinite number of is- lands in the Pacific ocean, and there is a diversity of condition among the in- habitants of the different islands. Eff ty years ago knew more about them than l do now. When I was boy of eighteen I shipped on a small steam vessel running from San Francisco among these islands, trading by the way. The captain, Simpson, was then quite an old man and had sailed among them for a number of years. He knew the character of the people of the different islands aud told us that while most of them were ap- proachable, there were a few at which he would not care to touch unless with a numerous crew and with plenty of arms and ammunition.
 During one of our voyages we had had luck from the start. Our crew was a small one when we left San Francisco. Two men were taken Ill within a week after we left, and both died. Another fell down an open hatchway, and still another was wash ed overheard and lost,
 We had passed the Hawaiians and crossed the equator not far from the international date line when we struck A northeaster that drove us on to point directly north Of the Fijis. Dur ing the storm we shipped Q sea that drove one man headfOremost against tbe bulwarks and washed another one overheard. This left US the captain the mate and three seamen. Hardly had tbe storm blown itself out when something about the tirebox gave out and we were obliged to let the fires go down in order to find out what 1t was We had sail en. to Keep "'eel''s' way, but no more.
 Just before the captain gave the or der to put out the fires I noticed him looking intently at an island lying of orr hort bow and heard him tell the mate that he believed 1t to be one from which on previous voyage ne bod narrowly escaped with his life. Having found the natives bent on pun der and ready to strike any weak crew tbat came within their reach, he dld moi relish the idea of putting out the fires in that locality.
 However, there was no choice In the matter, and when the tireboX had cool ed down one of our number went Into if for an examination. Unfortunately the wind was blowing straight toward the island. Presently we saw mum her of canoes coming out from the shore. The captain looked grave. Un- der sail We couldn't make four knots, md We were too few to defend our selves against the swarm of dusky men who were coming for us. The mate suggested that they were only coming out for trade or to beg and wouldn't harm us. The captain said he knew better; they would murder us, take what they wanted and either get the ship to the shore or sink her.
 The only chance there seemed to be for Us was to hide. We all went down and got into the lrebON, where a man was working, and closed the door. The latch fell and could be opened only from the outside. But this didn't trou- ble us, for the man who had been at work had his tools, and when We want ed to get out It would be possible for him to bore a hole near the latch so that 1t could be lifted.
 The furnace room was pretty dark, and since we all packed ourselves in the far end of the frebOX We were not likely to be seen except by pair of first rate eyes. We waited in sus- pense till We heard men tramping about above. They must have been surprised to find the vessel deserted, but delighted as well, considering that