Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-05-19

believing" and when recount the attack
made on my old hulk, how near l came to
lowering my colors, and the final voiley
which, through the agency above mentioned.
with Just cause for sincerity in my thankful
ness and belief. will also spin my yarn
anent my China cruise. and altogether, ex-
pect to entertain as well as be entertained
by you. With best wishes,
Sincerely yours,
Fear Admiral o. 5. Navy.
Hon. GEORGE WENDELL,
Sinclair Place, Boston.
An autunnal afternoon in the year 188-
found the taut flagship Nomad rounding
the treacherous and dangerous extremity OF
South America. And this day certainly in
tended to place itself on record with those OF
its predecessors marked stormy, Its nastl-
ness in wind and weather giving all hands
on board tho flagship their fill in hard work
and discomforts. The record of the Nondd
on this cruise, which she was now complet-
ing on her homeward bound passage to Bos-
ton, had been most disagreeable, when con-
sidered in the light of heavy weather work.
From Suez to Alden, then on to Bombay,
Point de Gale, Singapore, Hong Kong.
Shanghai, Nagasaki and Yokohama, the
balance sheet stood largely in favor of old
Neptun.'s rough characteristics, but with
remarkable evenness the health and original
roster of the ships company stood this day
as it did nearly three years ago-with one
exception. Throughout the diverse and
varied exposures incidental to cruising over
the Asiatic station, where cholera. fevers.
liver complaints, malaria, and colds of all
degrees reign in full force, none of the crew
mad suffered more than temporary incon-
venience, and thus it seemed very hard that
now. in the closing days OF the cruise, there
stood nine chances for, to one against, VIC
tory being at last scored for the destroying
angel Death. When the NomGd reached
Shanghai in the early portion of her cruise
ner admiral was the healthiest man aboard.
A grand specimen of manhood was he. Over
six feet in height, weighing two hundred
pounds, broad in chest and strong in limb,
be rightly claimed for himself full share Of
Natures blessings. While returning late one
night from a diplomatic reception at ths
Consulate at Shanghai, through overhead
ing and insufficient protection from the dan
gerous effects of the peculiar damp and
searching night air, he caught cold. "Only
cold" remarked the admiral to the doctors
of his ship, "and easy to cure" So though.
the medical officers, but with quiet though
insdious progression, this cold chung to the
admiral in spits of their best efforts to Grad
icate it, and when the time came for leaving
Yokohama, homeward bound, the admiral re-
allied that his lungs and throat were decid-
eddy out of order. The doctors advised re-
turning home by mail steamer to San Fran
cisco, so that greater means for curing this
persistent cough might be found in the
Naval Hospital there; but the admiral pre-
ferred to stick to his ship, still imagining
that his trouble would eventually be over
come by the doctors treatment.
No one who looked at the admiral even in
those days imagined that he would fall
victim to lung trouble. But it was the old
story again typifed in this case. Only
cold at first; and in spite of orthodox treat
ment the peculiar climatic effects of China
nursed it, and fastened the sure result Of
such adeep- seated trouble. Time passed after
leaving Yokohama for Boston, bringing
varying symptoms in the admiraps case. and
the doctors imagined that they held the dis
ease in check at least. But with the fornia-
ton of tubercles, night-sweats and the now
rapid consumption of lung tissues, which
had set in with alarming symptoms. the pa
tent realized that his cold had laid the seeds
of that fell agent of Death, consumption.
The hacking cough Of the admiral had in
itself been sufficient food for serious consid-
Grafton, and now, as in the warm autumn
days the flagship gallantly rode over the
blue waters Of the Pacific, bound for Cape
Horn, the doctors hoped much for success.
But this boisterous afternoon found the good
ship struggling with gigantic seas set OF
from the Cape by fierce northerly wind.
Leaden were the heavens and sad the
hearts of all aboard, for that morning the
usual bulletin of the medical officers had set
forth this intelligence: The admiral is in
same condition as reported last night.
burning fever has been slightly reduced,
while other symptoms are as heretofore an
nounced." All understood these words
without questioning. The beloved admiral
had during the past two weeks sunk very low.
The symptoms of blood-poisoning, torpid
Liver, intense pains throughout the body.
eyesight and mental faculties affected, appe-
IA - -
ulator-the liver. These were the means
which had reduced, the admiral from the
pinnacle of health to the valley and shadow Of
death. Consumption held full sway now,
and the ewell-known skill of naval doctors
was in this instance at least completely
foiled.
The admiral had issued orders for the flag
ship to touch at Montevideo for coal, and it
was the intention Of the doctors to land the
admiral there for treatment. But one man
in the ship was wrapped in the gloom of de-
spair, as standing by the weather rigging on
the poop deck he gazed absently over the
seething waste Of waters. This was the ad-
miral's son, q lieutenant, and attached to
his fathers stat. He feared that the wear
aud tear Of ship life wouldsap his fathers
strength beyond endurance. aud before the
ship could reach Montevideo. Among a
group Of sailors gathered around one Of the
great guns on the spar deck stood the captain
of the foretop, Brown, a slight but healthy
looking man. His companions were listen
ing to a recital of his suHerings from con-
sumption, which had developed while he was
attached TO the sloop- of-war Ranger, lying
in the harbor Of Yokohama year ago, this
yarn" having been started by discussion
about the admiral's condition. The menhI
just returned from some work around the
deck. an order for which hal interrupted
Browns story few moments previously.
"a year ago this day was hove 10 in tho
pill mans sick bay in the Ranger. then oil