Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-12-23
CHAPTER V.
The Captains Legacy.

When In my tender years I was
taken to the matinee, usually the most
thrilling feature of the spectacle to
me wns the scene depicted on the
drop-curtain. Directly / was seated
lin the body-and had had my hat
taken off and been told not to wrig-
gle, vaulted airily over the uncon-
scious audience, over an orchestra en-
gagged In tuning up, and was lost In
the marvellous landscape of the drop
curtain. The adventures which | had
there put to shame any which the
raising of the curtain permitted to
oe seen upon the stage.
had never hoped to recover in this
prosaic world my long-lost paradise
of the drop-curtain, but morning re-
vealed Ii to me here on Leeward
island. Here was the feathery foil
age, the gushing springs, the gor-
geous flowers of that enchanted land.
And here were the soft and intoxicat-
ing perfumes that l had imagined in
my curtain landscape.
Leeward island measures roughly
four miles across from east to west
by three from north to south. The
core of the island is the peak, rising
TO a height Of nearly three thousand
feet. AT its base on three sides lies
Il plateau, its edges gnawed away by
the sea to the underlying rocky skele-
ton. On the southeastern quarter the
peak drops by a series of great preci-
pices straight into the sea.
All the plateau and much of the
peak are clothed with woods. a beau
tifu bright green against the sap
phire of sea and sky. High above all
other growth wave the feathery tops
Of the cocoa-palms, which flourish here
Iuxuriantly.
The palms were nowhere more
abundant than In the hollow by the |
rove where our camp was made, and |
heir size and the regularity of their |
order spoke of cultivation. Guavas, |
and lemons grew here, too,
md many beautiful banana-palms.
At the side of the clearing toward |
he stream stood a hut. built of cocoa
palm logs. Its roof of palm-thatch /
lad been scattered by storms. Near
r the stream on bench were an old
washtub and a board.
'roken frying-pan and rusty ak
Iead lay In the grass.
In the hut itself were a rude bed
tead. a small table and a cupboard
made of boxes. ! was excited at first,
nd fancied we had come upon the
wellIng of marooned pirate. Witity
ut taking the trouble 10 combat this
pinion. Mr.. Shaw explained to Cuth-
ert vane that a copra gatherer had
nee lived here, and that the place
lust have yielded such a profit that
e was only surprised. to find II de-
erted now. Behind this cool. EN-
hattie speech ! sensed an ironic zest
the destruction OF my pirate.
After their thrilling experience OF
sing ferried from the Rufus Smith
the island my aunt and Miss
r0~ne had been easily persuaded TO
spose themselves for maps, 4
The boats OF the Rufus Smith had J
'parted from the island, and our -
lions with humanity were severed 4
be- thought of our Isolation awed and [
sclpated me as J saf medlfaiiyely
on kes Of nails watching The mir. }
'e " me froplc dawn The men =
'gf hard "a sod Win baies and y
Res. eFcepf AZ 1ubbs wh3 gave {
sice u mpsi hafe been valuable
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~ enough ~ make Wall aifeei slf u
epq inNf nollee nul a IA n fag q
! 1ou Nsll hiloei ~ ieeRem 4.
snd Af IpDhr luelfd sought II
nsr fllh We Az laAi pnd polulea II
ihe beapilm NJ flQhlNl Nv no II
y nep t'f fwppce " R0pfpnf I