Adventure, June 1911 — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

Adventuring in Tiburon five dollars forthe trip. They say that they can make it in four days. As there is a strong wind blowing in from the Gulf, I think it will be wise to sail up as far as we can. Charlie seems morally encouraged at his nearness to a good doctor. One of the wounds is well. The other is continually suppurating, and his leg pains him all the time. He has had a hard time, with three rude but willing nurses. We are all cheer- ful and hoping the best for him. Feb. ro—We are now more than half way up to Yuma. get a doctor to meet'us at La Grulla. Ifhe comes, we will take him aboard and send his horse back by the Indian runner. The mosquitoes are very bad; our faces are bitten terribly. These naked Indians do not seem to mind them in the least and their skins are as tough as bull-hide. Our best relief from the mosquitoes is obtained by daubing our hands. and faces with a thick layer of soft river-mud. This seems either to fool them, or. their bills can not reach through to the skin. This towing up-stream is slow and irksome traveling. A little more patience! bu pieces of broken bone.in.the wound aad they must be removed. He thinks the leg will be saved, aithough Charlie will always have a slight limp. Charlie is pleased that he won’t lose the leg and says that a “‘Limpy is better than a Peg-leg.” Ahtt to-day licked one of the Cocopah bucks, because of a fancied disrespect to me. The Cocopah buck was grinning and making what Ahtd considered insulting gestures in my direction. Quick as a flash Ahtd was at him with a stick of driftwood, knocking him silly with a terrific blow. I stopped the row and, when explanations were made, it turned out that the Indian was describing a row he had had with another Cocopah some months before.. I scolded Ahtt for overzealousness, gave the Cocopah a dollar and so salved the broken peace. Feb. 13—Yuma at last! came down to greet the wanderers and lend a helping hand. Shaunnessy came in person and brought a felicitous quart, which, being “mountain dew,” lasted the crowd about as long as a puff of smoke: Charlie was, car- ried up to the hospital, and the many sympa- thizing friends were not thinned out by the ia Feb. rr—Doctor Heffernan is here! Ky He says that Charlie’s leg will have I sent a runner to Yuma to to be operated on. He has sand and. The boys all | 289 sight of the bags of gold-dust. We de- posited this at the express office and clean up for a restful loaf. Money isa great thi to tune the human heart to lively sympathy —with the possessor. This may sound like cynicism—yet I have ever noted that the sorrows of the unfortunate poor are a fall on dull ears. Ahtti and To-weé were the recipients “Of much. kindly curiosity, which, as I saw ‘it offended Ahti, I firmly put a stop to. He® To-weé and J are to live together in my old dobe shack, in easy reach of the hospital. The old Santa Maria was hauled up on the bank for a coat of paint and a general fixing up. She is a stanch boat and can stand many another trip down the river. Mar. ro—I went down this morning to see them off. The Sania Maria was loaded down to the guards with grub and presents for Tomas, Ma-hat-mi, Mrs. Ahtté and the rest of the Simangitos. Ahtti has refused food these last two days and has cut off his hair, in sign of mourning at leaving me! I have promised him that ‘‘some day” I will come and pay him another visit. To-weé has two new rifles and cartridges galore. He is all fuss and fine feathers—a perfect pea- cock of a dandy. He boasted to me that if ne ever fought again, he would “shoot kill many.” ‘The young fadies of the Simangi- tos may now prepare for the heartache, since this proud young savage is becoming a gay Lothario. Charlie is entirely well, save for a slight limp that he will always have to remind him of Tiburon. He said to me, “Jack, I now pretty soon been old. I never go back to Honolulu. Ma-hat-mia good vooman an’ I lak her plenty.” I am sorely tempted to drop all else and go with them—but I am of another race and another world of men. An occasional lapse back into primitive life is good for the soul, however, and “‘some day,” if God is wiliing, I will go to them for a time. The parting from Ahtd is a bitter thing forme. Sophists may assert that there can be no true love and sympathy between the Indian and the Anglo-Saxon. That this is untrue is proved by the great affection and perfect trust between this savage are and myself. Under the dark skin of this p tive man dwells a soul that is truth ‘itself, and between this soul and mine own there is a bond of love—strong as the Promise of God. May God go with them! COnmmiclbooks (C@