The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-11-04

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score whom ]. could have pointed out,
habitually.
Another convict who evidently had
some power with his fellows was Lloyd,
Welsh sailor who had stabbed another
in . quarrel and narrowly escaped the
gallows. f -
But it was natural enough that an ex-
perienced sailor should obtain the hear
ing of landsmen during a voyage of
such length, and / never suspected him
Of striving to influence the others with
any sinister designs, as / certainly did
Williams.
But soon had no time for idle specu-
latipn. and suspicion; the sickness, q
fever, attended by symptoms which
were unfamiliar to me, increased. Soon
there were o score of convicts; several
seamen, and one of the marines down
with it. s095"
s A man died, was sown up in his ham,
mock, and launched from the gangway
with shot at his feet, MacNab reading
the service over him. During the cere-
mony one of those phenomena which
make sailors so superstitious occurred.
As the body touched the water the wind
sank, and in half an hour there was aper-
feet calm. In many minds calm at
sea is associated with allithat is peace
full and beautiful; in mine it is . horri-
BILE nightmare. = ~ =
For week we lay ON the broad,
smooth sheet, of glass, without a speck
In sight to break the monotony. Glass
Molten silver rather, for the hest was SO
fearful that ! sometimes imagined that
it would seethe. The sun seemed like a
mass of white-hot iron close above US,
and the pitch oozed and boiled between
the planks. Poor Phipps could not go
ON with his sketching, for the perspira-
ton dropping from his forehead blotted
his work, and even MacNab's ardor for
chess relaxed. But had little time to
play. with him--under such aggravating
conditions the fever ragged. Deaths
were oftaily, sometimes Of hourly oc-
currence we soon had to cast the bodies
overheard without ceremony.
| On the fourth day the captain and
one of his mates sickened, and the shat
tered constitution of the former caused
him to sink at once. Then Phipps took
the fever, and though it was mild at
tack, he was SO feeble as to be unfit fol
duty. asgii @a a
Such of the convicts as escaped the
fever began to hold their heads erect,
| and look you full in the eyes as they
passed, as though they felt that death
was bringing us all to an equality.
The sixth day was the most oppress.
i've Of all-it was literally difficult tt
draw breath, and though escaped the
fever, I was knocked up for the first
time To do my work among the dying
and the dead was physical impossible
ity for me; l threw myself down under
the awning on the quarterback, anG
lost all consciousness, probably remain
ing in state of torpor for hours. ,
| / was reused by the most tremendou.
crash have ever heard, and found my
self in darkness, but only for moment
the next, sea, sky, and ship were lit ny
by aviolet glare, while zigzag line o
fire, SO intense that the eyes ached at it
flashed, and left the gloom more in
tense than ever. And again came tina
awful thunder, compared with whicl
the loudest ever heard in Europe is I
whisper. That momen to fierce igh
revealed to me men in the rigging, tax
ing in the sail which had been spread t,
catch the slightest breeze; and spa
hanging awkwardly and all awry. Ais
| lMacNab and the mate who now acte.
as captain standing near me. ;l s.
| 1--WE shall never be able to manag
without help, we are so terribly under
handed, - said the latter. !,
/ "Weel, then," replied MacNab, "w
will pick half dozen Of the deevils, ma
more. One i ken has been sailor
and MI aE II A ta
j Another flash and deafening roar
which drowned his voice. ss &.
i "Eh, Mr.. Glover, Lad. = he said, whel
I the lull came, $ are ye thereP Ye ha,
lbetter Just 60 below. Your work, j
done, and ours is beginning. Their
will be breeze enow to blaw the feve
away presently, and ye will be in tn
i way" f,.a 3ss ..,T..a.f 4ss.
i. Thad often determined, if there was
storm, I would remain on deck and se
| it; the freshness Of the air too was de
| lightful to breathe; but fatigue over
). came all else,i and 1 was glad to TAX
MacNab's advice. Imagine what ha.
,igone through that week in such q eli
mate, with patients dying by dozens i
my Youthful hands, many Of whom
felt could have been saved with bette
| nursing, and you win not wonder at m
/ prostration. 3f'
As I reached the cabin stairs the raj
came down in sheets; there was boon
ing, roaring sound; the ship heele
i over and raced through the water as th
. storm came down up0n her. A flash 6