SAVED BIT A TATTOO MARK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1395, 1 November 1886, Page 3

SAVED BIT A TATTOO MARK.

Washington Post. Rev Thomas Needham, tbe Baptist evangelist, whose religious work in the city is now exciting considerable attention among the Baptists, has had, recording to his own story, a very remarkab'e and interesting history When he was but 10 years of age he went to sea on board »u English vessel bound for South America, The captain was a ve-y brutal man and often ill treated the lad, and the sailors, not slow to imUatithe example of their superior, also made the boy an ob eel of all manner of potty abase. One of the seamen, just before the a-tivai of the vessel at her destination, to k yonng Needham, and tying him to a mast proceeded to tattoo the boy's arms and a portion of his body, the crew regarding ilia matter in the light of a j die Arriving at South America Needham, was placed on shore and desevtrd in the midst of a in wling wilderness. Left to roam at will in the mid t of dangers, it was not long be fore the boy was captured by a band of Patagonia Indians, a tribe which, according- to the reverend i/ontl''imn’s statement, had a custom of serving up human fl;sh at state dinners. This would certainly have been his fste had not the Indians, on removing his clothes, discovoted the picture on his arm One of the figures was a cross. This emblem of the Christian religion-for these rude savages had, on one or two decisions, become intimately acquainted with missionaries—so touched their savage hearts that they instantly determined to spare his life. The scene most have been Vrfry Impressive for Mr Needham stiles that be saw tears coursing down the cheeks of his captors. After that the lad was taken care of by the Pa’agoniana—such good care, in fact, that for nine years, although his efforts we e ceaseless, he was uuable to escape from them “ They regarded me,” he says, “ as a god,” though perhaps they valued him as a work of arc. At any rate his sojourn among them was of long duration, and when, ha was finally able to return to civilisation It was as a man ready to serve his Creator for the protection afforded him amid such peril. '