THE STORYTELLER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9919, 6 August 1910, Page 2

THE STORYTELLER.

THE'.FIGHT ON-THE PAPUAN QUEEN.

(By J .AMES FRANCIS DWYKtt.)

There is a guarantee behind this atory. You will read of it at the end," and the Amsterdam address of Herr Scheibel will be furnished on application. It is Scheibel's story, and bo told it one night in a little cafe ohan- ' taint at Port Kennedy, when the peculiar purple twilight of the tropics wjus wa-shing out the sharp outlines of the pearling boats in the harbour. Scheibel was a stooped German naturalist, and he had spent the greater part of his life in these ports of the outer fringe above which Dame Adventure still waves her .golden flag. He chattered in all the lingoes of the Archipelago, land K.yan and Kling, Orang Laut and Malay swore by his B , knowledge. In the nipapalm hut clusters between Banguey and Mabudauan he was always welcome, -and his knowledge of the lower creation was extensive. He was familiar with the habits of the green • water snake, and he understood the family relations of every other living creature between that reptil® and the Simia wurmbii, the big orang-outang of Borneo. Letters from his employers at Amsterdam followed, him up and down the islands, and he carried out the orders which those letters contained. Implicit obedience brought him a yearly salary of eight thousand marks. He gathered everything from the jumping mudfish to ; the human heads which the genial Kyaox tied up neatly with rattan 5 bre and smoked over his family / fireplace, and occasionally he shipped . his loads in bullnoaed tramps that ■went cargo-hunting up and down the tracks of the outer rim. Ddnard, once cajptain of a. 8.1. boat, who lost his certificate when he ran .the Prince of India aground in Sunda / Strait, speaking ,of the length ' of time-a. *man .could keep awake in the face of great danger, and; he was telling of a sleepless watch of six days and nights when the naturalist interrupted. s ••'Dot was noddings," he grunted. "Dot was what you call one easy ' stunt: But of course dor man you tell 1 of had nodding to keep him awake. I mean be had no big stake, no grade incentive, an' derefore we may call it - goodt. It is not a question of a man's strength-,: it is ,a question of what' he : • yill lose by going to sleep." " Well, ' this fallow would have lost .. his life," growled Pelnard. " His life?" repeated the German. "Of course jhe ■would 1 But what of dot? Poof! What does a man care- • Hr his life when he is very tired? ' Xoddinirs. It is somedings greater dan life dot makes hien do big deeds. But speaking of sleep I will tell you a story of a man. It is shust a leedle Btory, but it will show; w'hat I mean. " Dis man, we will call him Adolph, he was a naturalist, an' he loved his . work. He went after der big orang- , oittaugs. of Borneo, der wurmbii an' der, .satyrus, an' for a whole year he ti'ai>; deni on der Simujan River. It was der devil of a place. Der mist hang over der river like der fogs on de!r "German- Ocean, an', he drank quin- '. ins like I drink beer. He took it mit < each meal, an.' lie nip at it in between. Hell is shust one degree worse dan dot

river- But- dere were orang-outangs \dere, an' he trap, trap, trap for one , rear. He was .shust obeying orders. He was what you call it, one tall pri- * rate, eh?" A. high private," murmured Mer- . rin. i

I"Dot is it!' .He was sliust a high prorate. Der generals were over in Amsterdam. Dey got letters from all Her zoological beeple in der world tellwhat was wanted, an' den floy tell v Adolph '.ian' a hundred oddei ■ miisn* scattered all over der earth what > der zoological beeples ask for. Der generals didn't know of dot Simujan . River. Dey flidn't know about der fogj"f Dey didn't know dot Adolplrhaf to drink so much quinine, or ; dey did • aot know how he haf to wade droo der mud under der.'screw palms an' risk der' chance of losing his leg when he poked liis toe in der eye of a crocodile ... taking der mud batjh treatment. Dey (Vould not haf cared "if dey did know, jo he did not write about it in his . letters. Oh, no t Dey told him to get idmedings dot dey want, an' he got | Jem. His peezness was shust to do as ae was told." ! " But we were talking about sleep," . grumbled Delnard. - " Shust so, but I was spik to you first of der causes dot keep a man nwake. You talk of life. Do de men , dot get dere livings ;in der islands tink nf dere lives? No, friendt. But dis Adolph haf soraedings else. He tvas told to trap aUve ten of der finest ipecimends of der Simia wurmbii, an'' be did it. Dey were der very finest ipecimends. ' You never saw sucii orang-outangs as dose. No one ever did.' Gott in himmel 1 Nol Dey was grade hairy devils mit chests on dem like _ beer barrels. Dey was glorious ipecimends. _ .Adolph drink dere health sfery night in quinine, an' he was feel mighty'proud of himself. He had done what no one els© haf done. He shust sit an' talk to dose orang- : outangs; an' wish dot der boat would some along to take dem over to Singapore. "Der Papuan Queen was der first . boat to come along, an' Adolph was in »uch a hurry dot no makes an agree- , ment mit der captain to take dose * ?; orangs over to der Peninsula. Der ; Papuan Queen was shust one rotten ihip. , She haf all der Simai .wurmbii v . leasick der moment der China S.a get ' oilier > her and« gif .her, a bounce. Efery / one of der timbers cry oub an' groan, »n' der orangs chatter one to anodder »n' say dey was not in bretty safe place. Dey. was rather intelligent, ' mine friendt. Efery time one of dose big waves slapped himself over der »ide dey would yell an' scream just' like i der women, an' dot captain laugh an' tink it funny. Adolph ask him did his r ship always'rock, like dot, an' den he fall down mit laughing. ' She is chronio,_' he was say; 'we stop once for * year in Santande- in der Bay of Biscay an' she contract der habit!' " Adolph tried to tell der Simia wurmbii dot tings were not as bad as dey look, hut der orangs were not fools. Not much. Dey tink different. Der boat was huckshamping lako a mad broncho, an* dose grade, hairy devils watch her ari' say tings to each odderdot was not complimentary to der owners an' captain. " An' dose missing links was bretty right. Dot old sailing tub starts'* in to drink up der China Sea droo some cracks in her bottom on der second morning out from der Simujan, an' der • captain stopped laughing mighty sudden. Der Simla wurmbii listen to him yelling out orders an' dey guess he was afraid. Dey is bretty observant, dose hairy devils. Dey screamed an'chattered a lot when dey see how tings was going, an' der captain got mad. ' Keep it up you pigs,' he say to dem, ' if you do not scream now you will not get r anodder chance,' an' dey seem to- un- . ■ derstand. He was order out der boats an' dey guess at tings mighty quick. Den 'Adolph start to cry, an' dose orangs cry mit him all together." "Huh I grunted a greasy beach- ' comber, "What was he yelping about?" "Not from fear, mine friendt I" snapped the naturalist. " Tonnerre de dieu 1 No 1 I tell you he was one high private. WellP He had not ■ finished doing shust what he was told - to do. Dot was all. , See? He was told to get ten mias chappin, as der Malay* call dem, but instead of going to Singapore dey was going to der bottom of der China Sea. An' dere was ' never such specimends of the Simia wurmbii as he haf on de deck of dot rotten tub. • Dey was der kings of dere peoples, an' aey haf hair -hanging ; ' from der shoulders eighteen inches

SHORT AND SERIAL.

long. Never was der© such specimends in captivity. "Dor captain caught hold of Adolph when der boats were ready. ' Come on, you poor blubbering Dutchman/ he Bay, 'we was haf to leave der menagerie.' But Adolph cursed him an' got away. Den der captain shout out to der men. ' Der Dutchman is gone mad cause we won't take his monkeys,' ho says; 'lend a hand here.' Den some of der sailors grip hold of der naturalist an' dump him into der boat, an' der Simia wurmbii scream when dey see him go over der side. "Dot scream did somedings. Der Irish mate was der lagf; to come down der rope, an' dot scream of dose orangoutangs was touch his heart. He picked up der axe, an' he ran along in front of der cages an' smash off der looks, den he spring for der rope. ' I do not know if dey can swim,' he gasps, ' but, by jimmy 1 gif dem a chance.' " Shust at dot momentAdolph got away from der captain who was holding him in der bottom of der boat. I told you dot he was one high' private. Very goodt.' He grab der rope down which der Irish mate was swing himself, an' he went up it shust as der first orang got out of his cage an' look over der side of der ship to see how deep der water was. Der captain tink dot fellow was going to shurnp. He yells out to pull like der devil, an' aey did, an' dey leave Adolph clutching to der side of der Papuan Queen which was haf ten mias chappin walking round her deck." ' Served the blame fool right," growled Delnard. "Shust so! Served der blame fool right," echoed Scheibel. "But he could not help himself. His life he did not tink of. Achl No I He was tink of dose ten. Dey '-were der grandest specimends der world haf ever seen, an' lie haf written his employers to say dot he was ship dem from Singapore. Dot was why he come back on dot tub. Dose ten was so splendid dot he never tink the grade Gott would, take dem from him again after he trap dem, dot was all. An' he was born to do as he was told, an' dose men who are born eo do not tink of life."

'' Well ? What happened thenP" asked, Merrin, as the naturalist remained silent.

''Now I come to der sleep question," said Scheibel slowly. " Dere was .no chance of getting dose Simia wurinbii into der cages again. Dot Irish mate was a goodt man mit der axe. . Adolph did not know what to d,o shust for' a minute, but he do one ting dot was bretty lucky. He got der wheel, an' he keep der Papuan Queen before der wind, an' der wind was blowing to der west. Singapore was in der west. He know 1 dot an no more. He was not a sailor; he was study der lower creation. Der ship ( was bretty low in der water den, but she was still afloat, an' Adolph. haf been trained to hang on mit his teeth skins while dere was a change of somedings turning up.

"Dose Simia wurmbii was stand'an' look at him after doy see dot dere was lio land near dem. Dev not fools. Dey know dot Borneo was in der east, an' dey know dey was going in der wrong direction. Dey smell der Simujan River on der breeze dot was come across der_ ocean, an' dey talk a lot in monkey gibberish. Doy sniff der pandarius palms, an' der durians, an' dor mangosteens, an' dey was sad, mine friendts. Dey hold a consultation an' dey docite dot der leedle steering wheel dot Adolph was turning was der cause of all der trouble, an' a big hairy devil was make a suggestion. He was tell dem to take der leedle wheel an' break it up an 'drop *it over der side, an' dey ecrearn out an' clap him

*' Dot was quite a little shust den. Adolph was lash der wheel an' £0 to meet dem at der ladder. He was liaf a revolver but he did not want to shoot. Oh, no! Dey was der finest speoimends dot der world over see! He shust wanted to give dem a leedle bit of discouragement, an' he do it mit a bar of iron. He banged dem on der head an' der arms, an' dey clawed at him mit dere big arms an' bit ]pit dero teeth. But dey was haf no discipline. Dey was not, come together, but one after der odder an' dey get dot big crowbar on der head efery time. But it was quite a leedle fight. Dose missing links spend der rest of der day feeling der lumps upon-themselves, an' Adolpli was do a bit of doctoring on himself. One of dose orangs was tear his leg open mit his big hand, an' anodder had nearly knocked out his eye mit a piece of wood. Dey wanted dot wheel bretty bad. "Nov/ I was talk about sleep. Ach! I was talk it blenty now. Dose orangoutangs know dot Adolph was take a leedle snooze some time, an' dey wait. Der Papuan Queen she was lay down bretty low- in der water, but some timber in dei 1 hold keep her from sinking. Der Simia wurmbii pick der bib hairy devil as dere leader, an' dey rush on Adolph in der dark. He had been blanning for dot rush, an' dey got a surprise or two. He laid a leedle powder train in dere track, an' der fireworks upset dem mooch. But dey fought gam' 1 . He laid one senseless an' broke der l:r.nd of anodder mit a shot from his revolver. He cried when he see dot fellow mit der broken arm next morning, but he had to do it. Dey wanted der wheel, an' it was his peezness to see dot dey get it not. Dis is where I simplify my argument. Dis is where I show dot it requires somedings more dan love of life to keep awake for der very long time. An' Adolph haf dot somedmgs. He haf to get der ten finest of der Simia wurjibii to Singapore, an' he was trying to do it. Dot is why he was haf to keep awake. " Der Papuan Queen was shust a water-logged hulk der next day, but Adolph keep her nose to der west, an' der mias chappin cry when dey smell Bomeotoii der wind. A lot of dem haf wives au' children on der bank of der Simujan River, an' dey feel bretty bad rolling along der top of der China Sea. All der day dey prowl round der ship un' cry out at him an' make faces at him.

"Dot night dere was a devil of a fight. Dey would haf won if dey haf any system, but dey haf not. Adolph fought like der devil, an' when he haf dem on der run he chase dem down past der cook's galley* an' he grabbed some biscuits an' water before dey turn round. But day use him hrettv bad dot night. He was haf a wound in der chest dot was bleeding mooch, an' he links dey win in der end. " Der next day one of der mias, a grade ugly devil mit black teeth, climb up der mast mit haf der carwenter's gi.t in his hands. He fling der hammer at Adolph, an' Adolph dodge it. Be fling der saw, an' der end of it was take a leedle bit out of Adolph's ear. Der orang-outang grin, an' he cry out to his mates dot he was doing peeaness up on der mast. Den dose devils toss tim up everydings dey cound find, an' ho,bombard Adolpli mit der speed of a Gatling gun. Adolph was cry. He saw dot he could not engourage such tricks, an' he sacrificed der animal as a warning to der others. Dot stopped dot trick mit dem. Dey pull der dead orang up to der front of der ship an' dey ory over him an' make faces at Adolph, den dey dump him overboard." Scheibel stopped and puiied vigorously at his pipe. A Lascar yelled a boat song as he walked down towards the water, and the naturalist seemed to be listening.

"Do I want to tell you all dot happened on der Papuan Queen?" he asked, when the sound of the Lascar's song had died away. " Dose devils take turn an' turn about to watch Adolph to see dot he do not sleep. Do you tink he did? You was not know der Simia wurmbii if you tink so. Ach! No! Der man dot Delnard tell you of shust now he oould dose for der leedle while now an' don, but Adolph could not. Once he shut his eyes for one second, an' der axe go by his head like dot. It was fierce. An' it keep

up day an' night for How long do you tink?" * "Geel" gasped Del Hard, "I couldn't guess." " Fourteen days," murmured Scheibel. " Dot was' not Adolph's reckoning, mine friendt. Adolph did not reckon. cLer days mooch. He was too busy keeping dem devils away. But it was der difference in der date dot der skipper of der Papuan Queen gif as der day der old tub went down, an' der time der French steamer Montlucoa picked her up • near Chantabun in der Gulf of Sianr. Adolph was shust doing his ninedeenth fight mit der Simia wurmbii, an' he was shust one mass of blood and bruises. You can bisture dose odder fights dot I haf not told you of. Ninedeen dere was; Adolph haf cut der notches on der wheel. But he shipped nine of der finest specimends of der big orang from Singapore der week after, an' den he was go back to Borneo to trap anodder one to take der blace of der one who was too fresh mit der hammer an' der saw. Dot is what I mean by der cause dot keeps a man awake. His life? Poof I His life was ncdings gompared to dose specimends. No one efer saw der like of dem. Mein Gott! No!" Scheibel drained his glass and stood "P. " I was wish you all goodt night " he said, and then he turned to the door.

" Say!" cried Merrin. "If you ever meet your friend, Adolph, tell him that I think lie's a very -picturesque liar. Don't forget the word. Picturesque." The naturalist turned with a snort of fury. .-" Den you are a fool!" he screamed. "Seel" He tore the thin tropical shirt from his bosom and exposed a tremendous scar extending from the throat to the waist. He turned himself round to the light, and his eyes blazed. " Look here I An' here I An' dis I An' dis!"

He dragged up the legs of his moleskin trousers, and a cry of horror wont through the room. He had evidently bßen terribly mangled at some period of his life. "I am like dot all over I" he cried, as Merrin muttered an apology. "Do you want to see more? No. it is not nice. My middle name is Adolph. I saygoodt night again." He kicked the baize door open and passed out into the darkness.