Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02

For another sUeek / chased Taahai
around the GtoH ring, and TGahai
chased MakOhahe and Makohahe chased
me.
TELL this story for what it is worth
4 and do not vouch for its truth in all de-
tails ! have written it down as nearly
as I can remember it, just as 1t was told
me by Capt Obed Higgins as we sat on
the old wharf at Salem
Capt Higgins Is now an aged man and time
may have confused some of his memories. I
have, in jotting down his words changed most
of his quaint seamans lingo into similar
phrases and have omitted entirely the hearty
round oaths with which he sprinkled his mar
rative. To put them all in would have made
the tale too long.
This was back before I was ever captain OF
the Ella H. (said Capt Higgins), or yet mate.
Common seaman was. on the schooner Bildad
Rogers out Of Salem. on South Sea cruise
trading from island to island.
Copra was what we were after-dried Co
conut meat the main product Of the islands,
valuable for the oil that could be pressed out
Of it-and We had about two-thirds cargo
we had picked up in the Marshall Islands, and
to I'LL up full Capt. Rogers headed for the
Gilberts, to the southeast
In those days was strapping big fellow,
:, two inches over six feet, with muscles on me
like an OK, and my age was a. man IKE
that eats, and he eats q lot, and II he don't get
his I'LL Of food. and food At to eat. he don't
like 1t. Our crew was mostly Kanakas and
satisfied with what they got to eat, but the
food got simmer and fouler, and I went to
Capt. Rogers about it.
well, Obed," he said when went to him,
and before could say a word: II guess
know what you've come about You've come
to complain about the food and don't know
that I blame you. It's bad. 1t amt 1T for
white man to eat"
NO." said, lit amt captain"
uDIGHT you are, Obed," said the captain.
~ And while we're on this subject. have
q remark to make. You know me- Obed; you
know how AMIN distressed and worried
unless everybody about me Is cheerful and
happy and contented. Sour faces make me
sad, Obed. want everybody about me on
shipboard to be merry and gay-singing joy
fully and skylarking at their work, and all that
sort of thing"
Eyes, captain" said, It know you do"
''Well, Obed, to speak out plain" the cap
tain said, your face gives me pain. You
go around looking like you'd lost your last
dollar. And it frets me, Obed can't sleep
right at nights thinking Of how gloomy you
look. I can't enjoy this voyage bit with your
face looking like that"
''What are you going to do about 1t then?"
asked him.
"Ill tell you what I'm going to do about It,
Obed," he said. I'm going to put you ashore
on the first island we come to. and leave you
there, and II Gods winds will that we come
back this way, I'll pick you up. II We don't
come back this trip, I'll pick you up the next
trip, or some other trip and if never pick
you up you contaminated bunch Of unnecessary
gloom, It will be good radiance Of bad rub
blsh, and I'll be glad Of I'll"
Captain" said, eff you put me ashore-as
I hope to Sally Ann Maria you do-you don't
ever need to pick me up, sir, and while know
my duty ard am speaking polite to you, have
o right to think my thoughts, and the thoughts
am thinking about you would make your hair
curl up into knots and snap of like bugs on
hot pam"
Along about an hour after sunrise the next
morning we sighted land, and the Bildad
Rogers ran for it.
fascinated automobile inner tubes laid on
the water, but solid and reaching all the way
down. Rings, as you might say, but some are
oval. Inside the ring is the lagoon, outside Is
the ocean. With some of the atolls the ocean
breaks through the ring, but this one was right
and tight, like doughnut that has not been
bit into.
couple of Kanakas came to where was
standing on the deck, with the captain herding
them, and they had my share Of the ships
grub, fair enough. The captain had rifle In
his hand, and q bag Of ammunition, and he
gave them to me.
My atoll-I was already calling 1t that to
myself-wss not as big as some. Some are
80 miles or more in length; this one was about
eight miles across from sea beach to sea beach.
ANYWAY you measured It, Say perfect circle
of "a miles. A ring, with the land nowhere
more than an eighth of a mile wide.
The Kanakas manned the gig and I was
rowed ashore and got out on the sandy beach
and the gig went back to the schooner and the
schooner swung around, her sails filed and
there was.
left my chest and food stores where they