The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-07-18
CAPTAINS OF
ADVENTURE
by sHsriu Compa
By ROGER POCOCK


and was being rapidly filed with plum
der. / saw fat old Maori woman,
who was washerwoman. being dragged
along the ground by huge fellow who
was trying to tear from her grasp one
of my shirts, to which she chung with
perfect desperation. i perceived at
glance that the faithful old creature
would probably save sleeve.
IAN old man-of-war's man defend
ing his washing, called out, Hit our,
sir :. I. our mob will be here in FIVE
minutesv
'"The odds were terrible, but !.
at once fioored native who was rush.
ing by me. :. I then perceived that
he was one Of our own people
so. to balance things. knocked down
another and then felt myself seized
round the waist from behind.
1.-The old sailor was down now, but
fighting three men at once, while his
striped shirt and canvas trousers still
hung proudly on the fence.
Then came our mob to the rescue
and the assailants fled.
"Some time after this little incl
dent worth noting happened at my
friend Ms place. Our chief had for
some time back sort of dispute with
another magnate. The question
was at last brought to a fair hearing
at my friends house. The arguments
on both sides were very forcible; so
much so that in the course of the arbi-
tration our chief and thirty Of his
principal witnesses were shot dead in
a heap before my friends door, and
sixty others badly wounded, and my
friends house and store blown up and
burnt to ashes.
MY friend was, however, consoled
by hundreds of friends who came In
large parties to condole with him, and
who, as was quite correct in such
cases, shot and ate all his stock, sheep,
pigs, ducks, geese, fowls, etc., all N
high compliment to himself; he felt
proud. :. He did not, however, sur
vive these honors long,"
Mr.. Naming took this poor gentle
mans place as trader. and earnestly
studied native etiquette, on which his
comments are always deliciously fun
ny. Two young Australians were his
guests when there arrived one day
Maori desperate who wanted blankets;
and ''to explain his views more clearly
knocked both my friends down, threat
ened to kill them both with his toma-
hawk, then rushed into the bedroom,
dragged out all the bedclothes, and
burned them on the kitchen fire."
A few weeks later, Mr.. Naming be-
ing alone. and reading a year-old sgd
ney paper. the desperate called.
"a Friend said /, my advice to yen is
to be off,
"He made no answer but scowl of
defiance. I am thinking, friend, that
this is my house. said /, and, spring
ing upon him, placed my foot to his
shoulder, and gave him shove which
would have sent most people heels
over head. =. But, quick as lightning
-. he bounded from the ground, flung
his mat away over his head and struck
a furious blow at my head with his
tomahawk- I caught the tomahawk
in full descent; the edge grazed my
hand but my arm, stiffened like bar
of iron, arrested the blow. He made
one furious, but Intellectual attempt to
wrest the tomahawk from my grasp;
and then we seized one another round
the middle, and struggled like maniacs
in the endeavor to dash each other
against the boarded floor. Such a
battle 1t was that can hardly describe
It.
"We had another desperate wrestling
match. / lifted my friend high in my
arms, and dashed him, painting, furi-
Gus, foaming at the mouth-but beaten
against the ground. His god had
deserted him.
."He spoke for the first time.
Enough I am beaten; let me rise
81, incautiously, let go his left arm.
Quick as lightning he snatched at a
large carving fork :. which was lying
among the debris; his fingers touched
the handle and 1t rolled away out of
his reach; my life was saved. He then
struck me with all his remaining fire
on the side of the head, causing the
blood to flow out of my mouth. One
more short struggle and he was con-
quered
But now had at last got angry
:. must kill my man, or sooner or
later he would kill me . told him
to get up and die standing. l clutched
the tomahawk for the coup de grace.
At this instant laundering sound Of
feet "a whole tribe coming :. ;.
my friends T. He was dragged by
the heels, stamped on, kicked and
thrown half dead into his canoe.
"All the time we had been fighting.
little slave imp of boy belonging to
my antagonist had been loading the
canoe with my goods and chattels
:. These were now brought back"
In the sequel this desperate commit
red two more murders "and also
killed in fair fight, with his own hand,
the first man in native battle ;.
which I witnessed. =. At last, having
attempted to murder another native
he was shot through the heart :.
so there died"
Mr.. Naming was never again modest
ed and. making full allowance for their
foibIes. speaks with a very tender
love for that race of warriors.