The Frontier, May 1926 — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

voice choked with rage. This, we saw at once, was having some effect, for now a score or more came out onto the sands, fitting arrows to their long bows. “Mr. Pellew,” said the captain, “try a shot at dem.” My uncle paused, and took careful aim. It was a long range for our pieces, something over three hundred yards, but Uncle George made due al- lowance for this, and luck was with us. As the gun roared, one of the enemy threw up his arms and fell to the ground with a cry that sent the chills racing up and down my spine. Our own allies, who had clapped their hands to their ears, now yelled with mingled fear, delight and aston- ishment ; while all but the enemy chief- tain turned and fled back behind the trees. Our allies were in ecstasies. They danced round us like children, touching the guns with fearful but loving ges- tures; they begged us anew to follow the enemy into the woods. Not until the captain let out a roar like the first blast of a typhoon did they give over. He pointed to the ship, shook his fist at it with palpable hatred, and made it plain to them, at last, that we intended attacking it, When this was under- stood, the savages at first showed great amazement, pointing to the can- oes, illustrating their comparative smallness by holding up their palms, close together, and flinging them wide while nodding at the ship; but, when the captain summoned them on with a jerk of his head, they made it patent on the instant that they would attack a fleet if we desired it. The tide was ebbing, and Wwe were forced to set to moving the heavy dug- outs down the sandy slope, one at a time. By the time the second proa was in the water the ship was standing in across the mouth of the cove, with Gentry on the poop holding a telescope in his hand. A moment later he hove to, put a boat over the side, picked up the demented savage swimming there in the water, and then, when he was hauled aboard, filled away and stood closer in on the port tack. We had by this time shoved three more canoes into the water; but we might as well have saved ourselves the labor, for we saw men busy at the guns, and their broadside was no sooner presented than they were training them upon us. “Down!” cried the captain, crouch- ing with the word. Flame and smoke burst from the THE DEVIL'S CALDRON side of the ship; the very sides of Ex- ecution Knob seemed to be shaking with the re-echoes of the report, and a roundshot screamed directly over- head and threw a fountain of sand up over the fire. The other three guns chimed in, one after the other, one lucky shot smashing in the side of a canoe, the second spanking up a great shower of water at our left, and the third, flying high, cutting down a palm tree beyond the fire. For my own part, the hair was bristling on the back of my neck, Our new friends, meantime, were on the verge of fleeing. Their eyes were pop- ping; all color had left their dusky features. Had one of us so much as taken a step, they undoubtedly would have run to the other end of the island. But none of us did more than crouch; and the captain, laughing out as though it were all a sort of game, held them in check, “Vell,” he said, standing erect after — the last shot, “no vun is hit, vich is our luck. But it’s blain ve can’t count on dese fellows against dem guns, yoost yet a vile. Dey got to get used to it first. Ve mofe back by der trees a vile.” Cautioning us to move slowly, lest the savages take fright and break, we started back, As it was, their eyes were still round with fear; they gazed backward over their shoulder at the ship and exclaimed in wonder over the hole dug in the sands by the first shot; and now and again they looked at us in utter bewilderment. “They can’t understand why We're not running yet,” said my uncle, with a dry chuckle. “If they could feel the chill along my spine, they’d laugh.” “Me, too,” said O'Donnell, “Ah, there they come about again. Now for the guns on the other side.” “Valk shteady!’ said the skipper. “Ve must holt dese fellows, I tell you.” Another gun roared in a minute or so later. We were then close to the trees. The shot went overhead, lop- ping off another palm, half-way up the trunk; at this, at least half of our savages broke and ran for the trees. “Shteady !” the skipper roared. This checked them, though they were trembling visibly. Then he increased his gait a little. Coming up to those who had run, he signified that they were to hand him their weapons. As they did so, he handed them over, one at a time, to their comrades who had walked steadily. Then he picked up little sticks and gave them to the dis- armed men. 31 ———— When the savages grasped the im- port of this, those who had not run cackled with glee, while the others, filled with shame, begged to have their weapons returned. But the captain solemnly shook his head. He clapped the valiant ones on the back, signify- ing that only the bravest were fit to bear weapons. Nor did he return their arms until Gentry fired again. This time the roundshot whistled close by my ear, judging from the sound. It ricochetted from a palm tree and went screaming up and away over the forest toward Execution Knob, with a wail at the last to chill one’s blood, but not a man stirred. Instead, one after another of the disarmed men thumped himself on the chesf, looked the skipper full in the eye and held out his hand for his weapons. “Ha!” said the captain. “I t’ink ve count on dem now.” “Too late for boarding, though,” said Uncle George, nodding at the Anthony Wayne. It was patent that Gentry now had no intention of anchoring opposite us. Instead, he fired one more shot, which did no damage, and then coming about, he steered for the western side of the cove. Heaving to at a point opposite the spot where the cannibals had disappeared, he then put a boat over, and, with six men at the oars, pulled in toward the shore. Within one hundred yards or so from the beach he stopped, and then he stood tip in the sheets and held out his open palms in token of peace. Not a man of us stirred; not a man spoke at first. Gentry’s intentions were obvious to all. We had been balked in our attempt to capture the canoes and had also made a new horde of en- emies; Gentry, fully cognizant of the situation, was now bent on making these enemies his allies. For a time there was no response from the green depths of the woods. Growing impatient at last, Gentry then turned his boat back toward the An- thony Wayne. In a brace of shakes the poor savage, whom they had cap- tured, was handed down into the gig. He was now tied hand and foot, and Gentry, pulling back to his former position, off the beach, stood up in the sheets and indicated his purpose with unmistakable gestures. He was plainly willing to give up the victim to his fiendish captors to gain their friendship and aid. This time the response was forth- coming. “Skull Face,” as the skipper had dubbed the cannibal chief, un- Gomicbooksacom