Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-07-22

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| awnings Of Shepheard's hotel. The
| next day found me on disreputabie
ocean tramp bound for the Ultima
Thule. That voyage had ended as
suddenly as II besan-with quick
curtain Of inconsistencies on tab
leau of violence. Mansfield, too,
dropped out of my life with more sud-
denness than he had entered 1t.
Now, presto! with the sudden trick
cries Of mounteback the spirit who
played with my destinies ushered in
another unprefaced era. Across an
invisible line stepped into days Of
luxury and prosperity
1t is told that the Inca god-kings
breakfasted each morning on fruits
fresh plucked from growing places
less land, relays Of runners, each
| dashing his appointed distance, saw
| to 1t that a perishable dainty outlived
| it's journey across mountain range.
This gives a key to my mode of ex-
| istence for several months following,
though my luxury was of a lesser
scale.
In these months I mastered some
vocabulary-and in so crude dla-
| iect vocabulary suflces. I lacked flu
cncy, of course, and had trouble with
| their consonant-locked syllables and
.gntturals. but in fashion could
talk. -
4 Day followed day with monotony
| Of easo. Il was no longer satisfied
with the .noisome flesh of disgusting
craba and the eggs OF gulls.
Delicacies of fish and flesh and hith.
erto unheard of fruits were served UP
to me to satiation. My tattered pa
pamas were replaced with garments
of coco fiber and feather fineryed for
ceremonial wear.
The necessity of entering into the
lives of the natives brought repulsivs
| revelations, which l endured as best
could since, If were to influence
them, must proceed with a nice d.
plomacy. My "fluttered folk and wild"
| could not be hurriedly herded in new
! folds.
Departing spirits, they believed, fol-
lowed the sun into the west. Gods
visited mortals, though usually in in
visible forms, and were fond of flesh
| of enemies slain in battle. Fetish and
| superstition took a hundred phases.
| Their gusty and savage minds were
childishly susceptible, and in their
quickly reused affections they were as
| demonstrative as collies.
l began shortly to look about for
| some simple miracle wherein the new
| goddess might manifest herself as a
deity of benefaction, as well as Of
| condign punishment. The opportuni-
| ty came in a fashion most unexpected,
and the result hardly made for re-
form enlightenment.
I was told that there dweIt In stilt-
| supported villages Of grass on the far
| side of the island a warlike tribe with
| whom my people were hostile.
My folk were bushmen and dreaded
| the sea, but these enemies were salt
| water men, who could with ak and adj
| scoop from the solid tree an outrig-
ger canoe, and who were terrible in
their strength. Their king was lord
| over several villages, and about his
house went-this they told me With
bated breath-a row of three hundred
round stones, and each stone stood for
an enemy slain and eaten.
For many seasons there had been
peace, but one day there arrived at
my plateau a delegation of grief-torn
warriors. A smah village had been
attacked and two heads taken to swell
| the row of stones around the canoe
house. They had now come to pro-
pitiate the deity bearing fruits and ex-
quisitely wrought spears. They be-
sought the forgiveness Of my gracious
lady, because they could offer no enc
mics fiesh-the most god-satisfying
of sacrifices.
This omission, however, they swore
to remedy, if victory were permitted
to hover over them in fight. Among
the most devout of the petitioners was
Ra Tuiki, the aged chief with white
hair. They urged me to accompany
them to their principal village and lay
the hand of blessing on their clubs
and spears.
Through dense tangles of palm and
fern and mangrovc and moss was
borne in rough hammock Of fiber.
Great soft-winged butterflies fioated
across the course of our march. Bril-
liant birds fiuttered off. tujttering and
screaming. I should have preferred
walking. but my position prohibited
1t. To oondesceAd meant to become
a mere man.
In their squaNd village Of grass
novels found the excitement OF war
like preparation. It was nay arSt Wow
Of their home Hfe-and my last.
/ was taken TO the house of the Sfied
| op suh-lrinp who lay mort Hy kYird M