The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-10-25
Albaa1; Re9istrr.
FORTY DAYS j:
How 1 Sailed the skiing George In
BY NJ. QUAD.
OR

| was only sixteen tnen. we nau
made the voyage from London to
India in the King George" a fine
brig. and were returning well laden
with a valuable cargo.
We had called at the Cape of Good
Hope, of course, and during the three
days of our stay every one. except
ing myself, was drunk great share Of
the time. never had Il taste for
strong drink, and therefore did not
participate in the general carousal.
Captain Colchester was Il good sea-
man and every vessel which he sailed
was sure to make profitable voyages.
On shipboard he was sober and digni-
fed, but on shore he would take a
glass too much. What was true OF him
was also true of the mates. We had
seventeen men aboard, calling myself
one. We sailed away from the cape
with light hearts, as the voyage was
half over, and as the weather was all
that could be desired. 1t was about
the middle of August, ard | never felt
more steady breeze than that which
accompanied us up the coast for four
days.
We had taken considerable fruit
aboard at the cape, some of which was
not over ripe, and the men lad also
smuggled several gallons of whisky
aboard. 1t might not have been either
the fruit or the whisky, bnt something
caused dreadful scourge to break out
among the men who had drank heav-
lest and eaten most. The first man
had cramps and great pain, and did
not live three hours after being at
tackled. We had not buried him,
when a second man was taken and
died; and in less than six hours the
captain and one mate had followed.
We had a medicine chest aboard,
but it contained nothing which would
even delay the progress of the disease.
Men were suddenly taken with hcramps,
fell down in an unconscious state, and
in two or three hours were dead. The
sixth day out we had lost nine men,
including the last mate. and there was
not man in the ship that knew our
course. | had a pretty good idea of
the route we must keep, but | could
not make a reckoning. We We're Il
long way out from the African coast,
but proposed that We put about and
head for Waliish Bay.
The men were at first agreed, but
our ignorance as to the ex;lct course
We must take showed them that we
might miss our port and strike the
coast to become the victim of some
hostile tribe. 1t was believed that we
should speak ship within day or
two If we kept on, and SO we kept to
the old track.
On that same night two more men
died, and before morning another be-
came delirious and leaped overheard.
When daylight came there were but
six of us, and no one knew how long
that number would hold ont. Soon
after daylight. three of the nen went
aloft and took in most Of the sails. rs
we had not men enough now to work
half the canvass in a stiff breeze. |
had not yet felt any symptoms OF the
disease; OIL the contrary, felt better
than usual, although of course c0nsid-
erably frightened ard somewhat de-
pressed in spirits
The breeze had left us. and the brig
was wallowing along on the seventh
day at a two-nlile pace, hardly fast
enough to give her steerage-way. Up
to noon no one complained, but just
after partaking ofa light dinner, four
of the six were taken at once. never
saw human beings suffer more. Their
teeth Clencled. their eyes upturned,
their fingers grasplng at the planks.
they moaled and slrieked until death
Kindly came to relieve their agony.
Only Jack Bell and were left. To-
gether, We lifted up the bodies and
cast them over the rail, having no
means to give them a more regular
burial. When We had finished, we
went back to the wheel which was
lashed so that the brig kept a pretty
steady course. and we looked into
each Others eyes.
You ar goin' to be left alone,
Tom, = said Jack, his eyes filling with
tears. Il don't believe it will get
hold Of yen, hut it will take me of.
and then you'll be alone on the brig"
could make no reply because ofmy
emotion. Jack coighcd a lump out
of his throat and continued
''Ye can steer trocle at the wheel,
an ye can brace on yard. III 90
under, ye'd better keep her on this
course as long as you tan. for yen
sight ship sooner or later. We've
got most of the canvass Off now, and
she'll carry what's left even in a stiff
gale. | know shall foller the boys.
and ye'd better see to it an git pro-
visions handy"
Acting under his orders, | spent the
next four hours in cooking salt-hcrse
and other food which would keep, and
in SO arranging matters that i'll were
left alone could get something to eat
without leaving tire wheel too long at
time.
tatha aEtnr,oov, ,,,crn a ,va,r noI Tanl,