SHORT STORIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 90

SHORT STORIES.

A TALE OF ZANZIBAR.

By Miles Loxgthee. I was in Zanzibar soo:i aft-cr last trouble. The Sultan's pal.icp, tlu.t had fronted the liarbour cltve to the shoie, was a heap of luins after the recent bombardment, and the new one was in the course of construction just behind it. Barely a stone's-thiow from our moorings the peak of the old Glasgow showed above the surface with a lanlhoro lashed to it, » danger signal to jolly boat.-. She had been the Sultan's yacht and the entire Kanzibar navy, and in the latter capacity had paid for her temerity in tiring on the British gunboat. Close by was anchored the ever-ready British cruiser, watching £or the slave dhow that might slip away with her human freight for the Arabian coast. Maitland had contracted malaria fever at Mombasa, and for the first two or three days I kept hiir company, whilst the rest of the ship's officers explored the town. A port of such antiquity ivas worth a visit, and we arranged to go ashore together a day before the steamer sailed. Ir the meantime we sat on the poop each evening and waited for the Sultan's electric installation to flash out and light up his harem and giounds. Then the royal band played the National Anthem, very Wagnerian in composition, md ■We laughed loud and long. Maitland was well enough to accomp my me ashore. We visited the old slrve market together, and strolled through the town to the Recreatior Grounds or Gymkana, where we had been invited to witness a game of football between the local club and a bluejacket team. When the match was over we walked to the orange groves, just then laden with golden fruit. Here an incident happened that I am not likely to forget. We had been in the gioves barely five minutes when we met a tall Swahili girl rather picturesquely dressed in a gaudy striped print of blue and white. She was evidently a village belle, for her curly hail was arranged in neat parallel lines, and her bosom was covered with beads and trinkets. She had an orange in each hand, and as we approached ehe walked boldly up to Mait- - Jand and offered them to him. He was a bit embarrassed, for it is unusual for the women of daik-skinned races to notice a white man. "Take them," I said, laughing. "Sometimes a man has to accept a tribute to his good looks." He thanked her courteously, and she showed her pearly teeth in a gratified ■smile and darted amongst the trees. It was dark when we returned back to our steamer. Just as we pulled away from the shore I caught a glimpse of a blue »nd white print as a figure hastened past Sme of the few lamp-posts that illuminated t-hp usual landing-place. Next morning come lighters came alongside with cargo, and two coal boats. With them was a crowd of men and women under an Arab stevedore. They were all negroes, and they clambered up the gangway, joking and laughing, a merry crew. Amongst them I noticed tl.e Kwahili girl in the clue and white pi int. I saw her smile at Maitland and pass on, a coal basket on her head. She was a. conspicuous figure amidst the ragged, diity mob, and I felt a shade of regret that t'.e pretty print was to be subjected to spoliation. I think the Arab stevedore had seen her smile at Maitland, for he ordered foer forwaid in r rough voice that rather maddened 'ne. When I came up from the engine room <&t 4 o'clock the hatches were dow n, and the shore hands were jabbering and singing jn the empty lighters alongside. I looked for the blue and white print, but could not see it anywhere. I drew Maitland's attention to this. "She has been coal-trimming- in the tmnkers, and I expect the coal dust has converted it to one shade now. Poor 'beggar, she looked better in a background of orange trees than here. Somehov I can't make up my mind to eat her oranges." "They are poor keepsakes," I obseivcd ; and we went aft foi a bath. We left Zanzibar next morning, mr destination being the Seychelles Islands, where we were to pick up a t;ocd cargo of vanilla. Towards evening it blew up very rough, and «ye weie so severely buffeted for the eneuing two days that it was necessary to stand constantly by the throttle to keep the screw from racing. We had been coaled with Bengal dross at Zanzibar, and it took us all our time to ikeep up steam. On the third day the cyclone passed over us. ar.d we wallowed in the long swells of the Indian Ocean in the threes of the monsoon. The quality of the co.il had now made steaming a problem. We were dome: barely eight knot?. | At 8 o'clock that evening 1 went below to take ovei the watch from Maitl aid. I found everything in order, but the steam, instead of standing at 1701b, u-as below 100. This is not an economical pressure for a quadruple job. We usually cleaned Bres at the commencement of each watch, jmd for this purpose the steam is kept up tbs high as possible before hand. "What's the matter?" I inquired. "Is the coal getting worse?" "It's that or the stokers," Mhitland replied. "I've been swearing the whole of the watch. Something has gone wrong, J Jjut I can't understand what it is. I've | not learnt sufficient Bengali yet." We went into the stokehold. Maitland" s hands were standing together near the ash-hoist conferring with my men, Who had just come down. Two coal trim- j mere, youths of about seventeen cr eigh- ' teen, were standing - httle npart fiom Uhe re^t. '"Wi.it's v.TOTg?" I dt,. .I'^le'l angiily of

] the head tindal. "Why are yon not at- | tending to the fires? Can't you see hew the steam has dropped?" 'Theie's no more coal," the man reji'iecl. "There aie hundreds of tons in the biTikeio. Get to work at onte Shovel some down on the plates!" I shouted to the trimmer. The boy looked at me with a fearful expression, tears in his eyes. *" There's a devil in the bunkers, 'sahib, and I'm frightened. Send one of the men in with me, and I'll woik." 1 "What nonsense ie this?"' I inquired, looking around. "You have heard what the boy says" J one man replied. "We are ready to I shovel the coal in the furnaces if it is put out for us." " Give me a lamp," I sakl. One was handed to me, and I wriggled into the bunker. Maitland followed. Before me the talus of coal gleamed barely six feet back from the bulkhead. "There's a week^s. supply here without , touching the pockets." Maitland obseived "Now. where is the devil?" As he spoke a lump of coal rolled down • from the top, and clattered on the plates. 1 Then another followed. I raised my lamp i and searched the direction whence they came. " The coal is breaking away frof 'the top through the Vavy pitching," T'explained. Maitland received the remark in silence. We both listened intently, and then I heard a peculiar sound like a stifled hies. | " There's something up there, sure enough," Maitland said, breathing heavily. " A dog perhaps, ot something that the crew is trying to smuggle across. Let i us clamber up and settle the mystery." | We climbed up with difficulty, Maitland ( leading, while I came behind with the ! light. When Maitland got on top of the heap he leached for the lamp and held it above him. | "Good Heavens!" he ejaculated. "What if this'/ Hurry up and look. There's an animal or some creature almost buried' i in the coal, and struggling desperately [ to get fTee." I opened my clasp Tcnife before I approached nearer, and carefully stalked up. Mantland took the lamp, and crept up behind. The peculiar sounds became more frequent and distinct as I gained the corner whence they emanated. Here a terrible sight met our e^-es. A human being, lashed to the bulkhead and buried almost up to the neck, made vain efforts to articulate speech. A heavy cloth was tied across the mouth, and the ej-es rolled feverishly in the sockets. I called for a shovel, and one was handed up. In ten minutes the rescue was completed, and we weie -washing the dust from the face of the famished and delirious owner of the blue and wtaitd print. The Arab stevedore had been responsible for this barbarous example of cruelty because his victim had smiled at Maitland, and she had always treated his advances with contempt. Chloe — for this is what we named her — piogressed very well in a first-class cabin and under the doctor's treatment, and we landed her at Seychelles, respectably dressed in a white &heet and coloured counterpane. I don't think she has returned to Zanzibar.