19

Date 1912-01-04

From 19

HEROISM Perilous Adventures Totd by and of Living Persons z ENRY KENNEDY, who telis the follow- we ing story, is a world citizen, He is. at present in New York, but will leave, soon for Rio. Janeiro, which he considers his real home. ;Since the old rubber trading days he has cirgled the world five times., Daniel Jchn- ston died jn New Orleans five years.a o. So far as is known, Emil Isaacs left no friends nor . relatives. The adventure occurred in 1876. lt;Oomyrieh ara VPs tne edmparative* cool of the evening. lt; while Jouo Aracu, Johnston's Mundurucu ser- V kant, cleaied away the dimer things. +g) Pirdugh. tie vista of tower Ike: Crees we ould s e fhe silver streak which was, the Tapsjox owing incessantly by down to Santarem, the metrop- otis of our own little world there ju Brazil. phe talk-ran on rubber and the prospective income trom the season's crop, which had been gded. Good rubbet meant good money. und good money-meant.-, that Johiston would paddle down the Tapajos to + meet me in our headquarters dt Santarem and we would hurd a dingy, dirty tamp stearher. whiclr would in time bring us to the States, where there ix real living, All these things we talked of, and (ir hearts grew warm with hope and nerves tingled with auticipation. + ihen came Jono to interrupt our pleasant dream e auld, addressing Johnston, am troub) vi nin We both Itughed and Johnston invited the burden iblinself to sympath tie ears... he -tDing is not that you should laggh ak Moadnracu: To-dgy while Twas out with ty ? Dow.in the forest I saw many women Au affair of the heart, interrupted my friend. -Jouo did.not understand and continued: F A WEAKLIN IE Poor Pedler, Victim of Gibes of His Two White Companions, Became the Courier Who Dash Savages and Summoned Aid at the Cost of-attack, Isaacs we Iqnored, and we did not even cabin, The tassive body of the man toppled silently consult him in taking our urrangements Rifles Made Ready. Th rifles were exaulued and mau Plenty of ammunition was takeh fromthe chests, and we sat down to finish our smoke with no great fear that the savages would bother us. Tajk dr'fted into other channels again and soon the alr castles were building higher than before. Pye been durled here fong enough, said John ston. After this year's trading we'll go back tg-th States. Jtm'-can leave that boarding schoo and- ic shall take him fo live with me in a quiet place tithe. ready 1011. by the New Yory Herald Oo, . All risthtn reserved.) itenant-governor was hrralgned to pr charges grow nix weeks ago of * Tre worms ave fesulted from The women were of the Pararauates, who are bad people. They were taking down the hammocks which Jind been slung between the trees for sleeping and ihey-were packing them for travel, but the men were aot ther , so I knew they wert not going away. For long I watched them, apd then men began to come with food, which the en cooked, I do not know whether they have gonefbut they are bad savages and will abil woo : The Ceara bike wiope of bad repiite amomethe gt; natives and there really was cause'for uneaginess in the knowledge that they were-In the forest near our * station, Johnston was questioning the servant further : de, a dog of questionable origin, began tugging at the line which restraine alin arid pawing the alr withshls fore feet. We jumped np, thoroughlystartied. Our rifles were iar away aud We snatched them, peering into the Jungle in the direction of the riyer, Some person was moving through the trees, but he seemed alone and the vugte fittle glimpses We hud df him did not impress anc with fis formidability, eyertheless ve were-ready: for-trouble, until from the shadow of the forest emerged a little weazened sham; ghmost staggering under-the weight of a buxe * bag which was slung over: this back: A little closer 5 and we saw that he.was-a white mai, 2 :Setting down his pack, he temoved bis bAt and s: apologetically, with a slight accent: - + gt; SGentiomen, could 15tay here for the night? Tn. that desolate wiiderness.the company of any Sani witha pale-skin wrgciel ome and Johnston told Shitn tw nuke bhnsett at horie, The man apologetl yor How he hi sald that be would take, bis Guack into, the House. He was a Jewish pedier we Jearned, and all alone paddled up and down-the rivers ind tributaries of the country selling small- articles Gebich the traders, Uving In Isolatton;-could not eastly procure. After he bad cater and washed we invived hint to a ebitir, of which there were dust three, and -sifered aim elxars : ar Himil dsaacs, which was the man's name, accepted iaeco amd made a brave show. of smoking It. thongh it wax easy to see the weed Wits sickeninz him: He gave one-th Tinpression continually -that he wanted to upologize for belng,there. even for, liv- ng, wid, he struggled haed-to-act s be seeined to thin gentleman shy Th-was very. irritating at firs his apologetic Ese but soon we saw chance for Saome fui) and ide Git the utt of many a Jost. If 1 could mut those laughs we bad at his ex: ye ach that I possess. 4 you come at p for we expect an veally thanked us) and attack from mivages ti two white ni p and an Indian It looked as though our death was certain. e Tsthics yellow skin paled visibly and the Singers which hel the dead cigar trembled. He did not 7 apeakin oF 3 2 es Tania son may have saved us ftom being pinned out flat upon the ground and left to die of Starvation, for that Is what the Pararauntes: would Yaniacs. was greatly agitated. Can we Keep them if, do you think? he asked, . Well, said Johnston, perhaps, if yg can handle a rifle well - Ksaacs nctually reeled in bis seat-until T thought he would tumble from the, chair, 5 7 1 cannot use one at all, he said with a rising In- Section, endinggalmost in a wail. Ob, T wish Thad ntayed Inthe River inte country.. where people are Hivilized. : On, cheer up, Ttuld bln, We may pull through. Then Johnston and I seriously discussed the real grayencss of the situitlon, while Isaacs sat in almost a stupor of fear, . The Pararauates were a marand sng, fighting tribe of aborigines, who infested the country to the south and ast of us. They were at present being warred upon by a southern tribe of the Mundurucus, and the band Seen by Joao was probably 4 detachment which had b ewdriven down the Tapa- +- 4os into our country. been with Johnston in tight places before and we ouid eount on him In case to the ground and the dog crawled back to the door. Johnston bad Gred, but too late, On the Instant the woods were allve with yelling and swarming aay- ages, who dischatged thelr arrows und buried thetr spears at the cabin, Few entered the window, but they pattered against the walls and door so-that-it. soundedyto our imaginative ears lke ball, I ran to the door to let the dog enter. There was danger that . an arrow might fiud ts way In, but I had not the heart to leave the faithful friend out there amid that Aight of weapons. Crawling on his belly he dragged himself Into the of His Life Thursday, January a dull, vibrating twang, a hiss and a sharp stinging patwr-in my shoulder. 1 reeled backward and might have fallen had not Johnston caught me in bis arms. Joao hurried from the rear room, bearing the com- motion, and tugged the arrow from my shoulder. The wound was in the flesh and not serious. It gayeme considerable pain and the Ipss of blood weak- ened the, but I was still nt for the Betting. - While they were rudely dressing my wound we heard a scrambling In the rear, Joao and Johnston left me arid ran into the other part of the house. I followed, steadying myself by the door post. There, half way through the window, wriggling into the abit and lay whining spon the oor. While Jobn-hut, was a half naked, tattooed savage. Joao buried G IN THE FACE OF DEATH ed Through the Ranks of the Besieging. eae : T tore two strips of paper of unequal length and handed them to the pedler. Here, 1 sald, Brace up and hold these so that only the ends show. Whoever draws the long strip goes to Itaituba.for help. Isaacs long, boy fingers trembled as he took the two papers. EUs lips, almost aa pale as his floury face, trembled so that he seemed trying to speak, but unable to frame the words. : With alinost a sob he crumpled the paper strips in his twitohing Gngers and threw them to the floor. Gentlemen, he said huskily, I am going to tab tuba. A desire to-lsugh-selzed me, and Jobnston only stared. Isaacs stood there, a pleture of abject fear, his thin lips drawn tight. know what you're thinking, be jerked out un- evenly, You want to laugh. I'm afraid. You can see that, But that needn't keep me from going. 1 can do tt Jolmston continued to stare, and. I anld: No, old man, you can't do it. We appreciate It, but Why ? Interrupted the. pedier. Because I can t handle a rifle? What good would that, do me? It's paddling that s needed out there, and a few bullets won't check a hundred savages. oe There was reason in his arguinent and we were both silent, thinking very fast. Isahcs knees were shaking from terror and yet he had the courage to go. We could not doubt It. 1 appeal to you both. he uged. Each of you can see why the other should not go. One leaves a boy to the ways of the world, the other leaves a woman, - Rentlemen: -hnve- 20 relative In this world. There-fe-no. man whom 1.may call friend, If I am killed there is no harm done. The loss of a poor Jew poder will not ber five the world. There Is Hone to weep over my death. And, anyway, he added a little eagerly, T may come through aii right. There Isn't a chanve in ten thousand, sald Johm ston: If there was we would all go. he pedler winced. Where are the paddies? he asked. : Johnston handed them into bis trembling fingers. The feel of the wood seemed to steady Mint a sittle. There wiis a great choking sob stifled somewhere down in my throat. Johnston's voice trembled as he Instructed Isaacs how to creep through the grass to the canoe and told him how we would cover his es- cape from the roof ax best we could. Goodby, my friend, he sald*at last. Don t be- Heve that stuff about no one to weep over your grave. Don't believe that stiff about l aving ao frlends. The pedier choked back a little cry and lay dowp by the door ready to crawl out when we should signal him from the roof. Johnston and 1 climbed through trap to the top of the shack and crept to the very edge of. the roof. We banged lghtly-on the wall with the stocks of our rifles to signal Isaacs. Ever so slowly the door opened, and a poor looRing, gaunt form wriggled. snakelike over the sill and sneaked along through the grass to the left) in the di- rection of the river. The savages, were-In the woods to the right and in front qf the cabin. Isaacs was way to the canoe and we thought be was saze. It Jim wasstohnston s boy. Tite lad s mother was nd wy wife will certuiniy be glid to leave San- nd go tow ph bad it harder than fF lave, Dan, but there are some things out here better than teem. May spre will be glad fo leave that place. And so we Menton building our hopes and eitine ote, fanclek soa started it every tinie ty Sleep w ditt. breath af a sound. When, it. was brought Trinidade, the dog, Into the honse and Joao was to stagg7guaTd unl midny Isaacs woud n6t sleep, but sat with Joao, apparently afrald to close Hixexes. We had learwed that be was origi wand red dow Ad not know, but we remarked upon bewea man' charicteristien were bound ty show no, matter under wlint conditions he Was, In a busy street, oF evolate forest, yedier dnd: nothing more, 7 T think 1 gad. no more than gone to sleep: when I Kened and aw Joao. shaking Johnston by (he suoulders, He was awake In a secoud. Whispered Joao, the dogtrinidade, tiets wlly from New was bite the alr, Phe wax not a sound save what the Mog was making, our own even breathing dnd Tsanes panting. gt; Johnston pecred out of the teindow and. T, opening the door on a 1 ined inte the Wackness of the cloudy night. In a gentle breeze the great treex swayed comfortably and rustling thickets and clumps of small r growths cast.dancing, almos' writhing shadows, which one must Inspect twice to make sure they were not-men. : band when we W te bit. A low moun escaped Trom Isaace lips. Jobnston and I both Jumped at the suddenness und unexpected- ness of the sound. Confound: you snarled may friend. will you? TU showed tire tenston-we-were-under: So far as we could see our only caus for alarm was the sniffing and growting-of a mongrel that might fave waked from x. nightmare-to-grow at phantom terrors. Yet we did not feel like sleeping, and sat Keep still, The Natives Waded Into the Shallow Wat r aud Hurled Specrsand-Arrows at the Pedler. wherwshecan haye while Isaacs slunk in his ehatrand into Brazil we ger. sald Joa Johnston fairl A, knife in bis back and he dropped from the sill. There was a howl outside and a perfect shower of arrows scattered inte the room. Johnston and-the servant leaped to the side of the window and Wwithont being able to see fired Into the darkness. t was. a waste of-ammunition and Wwe soon put a.stop to If Retiring into the large room, we closed the door, all but crack through which we could watch for any other attempt to climb through ston and I were at, the-svindow firing when we had a chance Jono teuded fq the dog. There yas a great gash in his side, he (Old us, ay the weapon sgemed have cleaved thriugh /his-ttbs. , We ought to end his inisery. said Johnston, and E thought. there was a little cateh In bis voice. es, said I, we ought. But I was not so ready to do It A dusky body showed between the trees, and both jar rifles-interrupted onr talk. The savage leaped into thealf and fell with n'ery. 7 That -dog has beew a mighty good friend to me. saJ Johustoy. I can't bear to have bim suffer this way, and swear Tm not man enough to kill him. T fired and mtsseq. When the report was dver we could not hear the whining of the wourded dog: othe dog Trintlade, he ts dead, The rattling of the arrows and the spears against the walls: bad ceased, Tt was probate that the na- tives: were preparing for an attack on the cabin. ged Isanes fromthe corner and handed hina shotguns x Helplessness of Isaacs. . he sald, with a note of contempt in- his voice, you can t handle a rifle. The shot will scatter from this. Perhaps you emi do some good with It . Isanes bandied Gh weapon gingerly. We sent him to the window to *v what he could do with it, No sooner hnd he shown his head than.a sore of missiles tattled against the lat, a zing past his ear, Here, one, wh fell onthe tloor of the room., Isaacs tumbled to the floor. Whether he ypfled the trigger voluntarily ?or not L.do not know, but the sbotgun was d.:charged, and from the yell iy the woods jt mst have found mark. eee * After that we kept Isaacs loading rifles, whieh we were obliged to show him how to do. * Joao we sent to Tear todhy to watctr for an un- the window, and began again the waiting game. In a few minutes the pattering of the arrows, stopped, and Joao went back into the rear room. He had not been there five minutes when we heard a dull, / stiding thud. We knew in a flash what it meant. Joao's gone .cried Johnson, and-we ran-to-his: side. He was bleeding, wounded near the heart. We were afraid to remove the arrow, but even while we were consulting the Mundurneu stiffened In death. In the piteh dark room, unheedful of the winged deaths that were In the alr to claim us, we did yhat we could for Joao, and, when we knew. that p f was over, placed him-in the corner and covefed him with linen sheets. It was uncanny, handling the poor dead body that way In the dark, where-you could scarce see it. Then, with a roar.that sounded to us Ilke deafen- ing thunder; a rifle spoke from the woods. So rapidly did our minds work that we thought help had arrived; then with the ping of the bullet into the wooden wal of the but we knew that the Parariuates carried fire- arms, Why they hid Hot uxed-them before we could not guess, except that they must have been short of Ammunition. It ts probable that what.arms they ear tint were sid. faxblonedan -thut'they, knew thes could not nse them long, gt; The togs of the cabin were too thick for soft lead bullets. such ax the savages used, to-penetrate. and the tribesmen soiugave yy wasting their powder and ball. . However, whet-a bat was shown at a window. front vr rear, from the jungtefiritte would surely xpeak, and the markst je not bad. So It went for what 1 suppose muy-ave been two or three hours. 1 know of no term which would express he length of time tt-xeeme there I the little but to be killed. . A Dash for Help. Johnston paced: the. floor. theessantly to us wilting wall; ducking s-he passed the window Jett his corner. I wanted to stout from the sheer strains From time to-thne-a-heavy bang from the woods was followed by, the chug of a leaden ball against the out expected attack from that side. The room we were Side wall, or against the wall of the room In whieh In commanded the other three skles,. Everything wax so quiet, If only there would be some noise Even when the arrows were pattering about the-walls and on the roof It soured more like the scraping of light oF T r strained. so that 1 conld netually hear-the ticking of my watch in my pocket. Johnston was pacing back and forth across the Hoor, Where-he could not be seen (rq outside, His hands. were Jammed into his down to'walt. Joao hissed at the.dog.to be quiet, and. OM ee and his head was bent forward. His nervous he slunk Into a corner; only to sniff and grow more ferociously. + T went again to.look from the window. and just as Te was turning away noticed a dark shadow on the ground which did not flicker or move, For an in- stant It seemed to ereep forward bodily: then 3 Wax still, T made no sound, bit beckoned to Johnston, whe tiptoed to my side, Trinidade aas at the door, his hair bristling, inuscles rigld as steel wires. Joao was opening the door Just widely enough to put his-eye at the crack. His sicht was bettas than ours, and we stood ready to fire if jonld say so. Quick ay a flash there was a shor tleree Scrijuible, the ry ping of claws against wood, low, guttural bark, and Trinidade had forced open thy door and ieaped out Into the night. gt; Straight at the shadow we were watcbing he ran, There was a'yell of fury ns the himal grappled, with csomething in the dark, The great bulk of a man Teaped on tis feet and struck out with some weapon, there .was'a yelp-of pain and a terrifle report in the manner showed thit Be Was thinking, for IEnew he was not afrald. 3 Isaacs crouched, for the most part, in a corner. Even in the heat of the when ze were firing rapidly as we coull pull triggers and squint along the warm steel barrels, he did pot seem to-tse himself and feel the wild, almost Joyous enthusiasm of fight ing that buoyed ihe others of us. Sometimes he moaned, which was the only sound that broke the stillness if Johnston paused 1h bis pacing. An unconqueralle desite was npon tie to took through the window, fo see the enemy. Bending close to the floor, I slipred over to the aperture and raised my head slowly, crooking it'sideways Ko ax not to ex- pose the top of my head before I could see. In the Diuckiiess of the wight there was no sign of x hamap belng.nothiug bui the flickering, dancing shadows and the biscker pate of forest rising fike a wall. 1 began to feel tha there was no need for so much caution, when suddenly, without warring, there was we vere. If we ventured to the window to try a shot arrows swarmed at us, The natives were evi- dently not satisfied with the Fesnlts of their direct attacks and-wWere going to Beslege us until we starved -wereketted: st There is just one hope, said Johnston presently You mean help from the Mundurucus at Italtubs, -plied, and there is not a chance of St. Not unl ss Johnston faltered. Not unless one of us goes for It. It's just about certain death to go out among those devils. And It's six hoprs paddling down stream togthe first hut of the Maloca, sald Johnston, but I'm going You've got Jini-to cate for. It is I who should go. And how about May, If they get you? asked Johns ton. . Don't let s think about that side of tt, Dan, I argued. It will be hard enough for May, Wut it awoutt be Worse yet for Jim, poor little chap. Now look here. argded Johnston. Bt's my place to do this thing. Ma ng kind of fetlow to bring up Jim all alone. If they get you, that leaves May all alone in the world. If they get me, why you and May can take Jim. I know he'd be treated rignt We'll draw lots, L sald, and I meant'to sftck to it. We had forgotten langes, and. -vere vot reminded of his presence ymtit he pleked hhinself gp. from hts wrner and shanibled ta where we were filling. line of savages leaped . Isaacs: seemed that he was advancing by Inches. We wanted to shout to him to urge him forward. s Suddenly there was a vivid flash at the edge of the wood, and we knew he was discovered:A- band-of- natives rushed from. cover and charged down upon Isaacs, who leaped to his feet and ran with the fleet- ness of terror. Pumping our repeaters as fast as we could handle them, Johnston and I, from the roof, rolled over three of the leading savages. Several tripped over the writhing bodies and we fired into the bulk of them. The charge was checked for an in- stant, and the Pararauates paused to. return the fire. A few bullets and many arrows clattered against-the Walls ind the natives seemed to think we were Bring from the room. In the seconds that they stood there Wwe sent five plunging to the-turf. Others from the woods, directed their missiles against the cabin, and those in pursuft of Isaacs ran after him. 25 Paddting for His Life. fe gained the canoe and shoved off Into the stream with the arrows falling into the water about him. Far over toward the other shore he paddled, where he would be out of range. but the natives waded Into the'shallow water and hurled spears and arrows at the Pedler, When he bad rounded a bend a the stream we returned to the room. + Hours we waited and fought there in that little cabin, and aiways we thought of Isaacs. the man we had thought a coward, and whom we had gibed. I've got something more to live for now, Johnston. bis band. The sun came up and there was ay yet no help from Itattuba. A dozen times during the night: we had fought off the marauders. Once at the very windows. we nad fought them with knives. Ses At seven: o'clock Jobnstun tried to-snatch a Ittle sleep while I,stood guard. He bad-stept for perhaps four hours ahd there had not been a sound from the savages. I b gan-to hope that they had gone away. Dheir losses had been terrible. I held My hat to the Qt said E want to see that mar again and take window-on the end of a stick, and it wits plereed by an. arrow. 2 Just then far down the river I heard the reports of rifles, ge - Get up, I yelled at Johnston. They're coming. Ixancs got through, God blew bmi fee Johnston leaped :to his feet as though the entire night.. The rifles were sng) and nearer. The Mundurucus were better the Pararauates, and we bad no doubt: There was a yell from the direction.of. toward the little we ran to the rear /windows,- I first front of the hut and could see none of They had. gore to shelp their comradga riving force from Itaituba. On e more we-cbec the onrnsh of the aiatives, wa nto i the woods we sneaked out. guarded from the Suddenly from the charged us: We fired. once, which was bidden in some rushe discovered it we were as. good 0 arrows pattering on the. ground: into the reeds, and there, paddiss an Uttle crage: il, wis As Johnston shoved took one n shot at our pursuers. and the leader stumbled ell. Out in the stream we paddied madly round bend, and below us were thirty canoes. i: Qurucus toa great Humber Just forcing a Phe-Pararnuates-on shore were resisting stubbot td but-our friends were driving them baek. Shouting. we joined the Mundurucus, and with the additi our modern rifles the enemy. were soon driven (athe woods. A UIRIof the friendly natlvesdrove them all that day, killing many and capturing more. ae The first question we asked was. of Isaacs. The (ye leader of the Mundurucus sald: eS The little man is mueh-badly burt. The women are caring for him. Will be die? Wil he dle? asked Jotinstom, The Indian only shrugged bis shoulders. We stopped to bury Joao, md then went to Ttakuba, We were exhausted, but we could not walt to see: In a ide hut.we found btm, stretehed on some heavy blankets, an aged woman treating him With Herbs and potions. We knew tha she -would save him Jf he was to be saved, for the women of the forest are very wise In healing wounds, Isaa s smiled up at us as we leaned over him, was consefous, but very weak. 3 Goolby axiin, my friends. he Said, iingeting over the epithet. lam glad to see you both and to think. of the little boy, Jin, qhd the beautiful woman. Tf avas in the side they g t me with an arrow, Ald now- now I have.some one to cire. He never spoke again, and we burted him with ait the ceremony we- could. It was mostly Munduruca, for we were falrly ienormit wf the Christian gal and we knew nothing of the Jewish service, Bat whatever God was-prayed to, and.in whitever faith, 7 Oe MUPCIS BBE ewteed for the soul of Ksaaese He if

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Attribution Image 19 (1912-01-04), from microfilm reel 19, (CU1742660). Courtesy of Early Alberta Newspapers Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.