Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-18

| ks
were sIung. and these were promptly ST
tended to where practicable. When /
had done, MacNab challenged ms to a
game of chess, and fortunately We proved
| to be very evenly matched. He was
quite right in relying so much upon it as
a resource; how we should have got
through the weeks without it I cannot
imagine; We PLAYED at least six hours
| daily out of twenty four.
| When we got into the broad swell of
the Atlantic had weeks sea-sickness,
during which MacNab had the best of me
at chess, and after was we'll / began to
have some trouble with the convicts.
What schemers they were! Their one
great biect was to get glass of grog or
wine, which could only be done by my
o-der, and they regularly studied the
com plants for which l prescribed such
medical comforts, and either stimulated
them Or managed 10 produce them artih-
cially. G:eenhorn as / was, they i'm posed
upon me really at first, and just as was
| getting up to their lodges We passed
the equator, and there was good deal
of real sickness, which gave them the ad-
vantage again. AS time went on be-
came familiar with the rogues, and learn
/ ed to look upon them az fellow men who
| had gone wrong, rather than as wild
beasts. l talked to them freely, learned
| many of their histories-at least their
own version of hem-and took consider.
able III some of the narrators. Most
were ignorant, debased creatures, either
born or bred to prey on their fellow crea-
| lures, or recruited from the most neglect
ed ranks of society; but there were one
or two exceptions, notably, man who
passed under the nam9 of Williams, who
was gifted with rare abilities, and had
the manners and address of a gentleman
His face would have afforded an interest
ing study so physiognomist, the upper
part being highly intellectual, the lower
betokening u1bounded sensuality. His
crime was forgery of bank notes. This
man never condescended TO Try and trick
me, as the others did; neither did he
sulk, like some of the better-class con
victs, or protest his innocence, which
was almost the universal custom. He
was civil, somewhat subdued in manner.
and glad of my conversation. He had
| yielded to the temptation of trying
to make his fortune in too great hurry,
had failed, and was content to pay the
penalty, he said. Thong ''lifer," he by
no means des paired of his future. He
was Informed that by good conduct he
would soon be free man within the
limits of the colony, and had perfect con
| tidence in his ability TO earn a comfort
able livelihood if he had that chance.
And what did the country matter? Life
could be made as enjoyable in one place
as another. He would not GO back to
England to be cut by all his relations and
former friends if he could.
Plausibly as Williams always talked I
| mistrusted him. I noticed that he had
established a considerable influence over
the other oonvicts and constantly sur
prIsed him speaking earnestly in corners
to groups of five or six of them. On my
appearance these conferences broke up,
and in spite of all affectation of indiffer-
ence, was certain on more than one coca
sion that anxiety was felt lest I shoald
have caught some words in passing.
And I knew, without being able to prove
it, that secret signs were exchanged be-
tween Williams and at least score,
whom I could have pointed out, habitu-
ally.
Another convict who evidently had
some power with his fellows was Lloyd,
WEIGH sailor who had stabbed another
in quarrel, and narrowly escaped the
gallows.
But it was natural enough that an ex-
perIenced sailor should obtain the hear
ing of landsmen during voyage of such
length end [ never suspected him of
striving 80 influence the Others with any
sinister designs, rs l certainly did Viii
lians.
But soon / had no time for idle sgecu-
lation and sus picion; the sickness, fever
az cd ali
familiar to NE, increased. Soon there
were score of oOnvicts, several seamen,
and one of the marines down with it.
A man died, was sewn 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 a
perfect calm. In many minds calm at
sea is associated with all that is peaceful
and beautiful; in mine it is a horrible
mig htnare.
For week We lay on the broad, smooth
sheet of glass, without speck in sight
to break the monotony. Glass? Molten
silver, rather, for the heat was so fearful
that I sometimes imagined it would
seethe. The sun seemed like 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 perspiration
dropping from his forehead blotted his
work, aud even MacNab's ardor fo- chess
relaxed. But had little time to pleJ
with him-under such aggravating CON
a he he Of
daily, sometimes of hourly, occurrence:
We soon had to cast the bodies overheard
without ceremony.
On the fourth day the captain and one
of his mates sickened, and the shattered
constitution of the former caused him to
sink at once. Then Pnipps took the
fever. and though it was mild attack, he
WIS so feeble as to be unit for duty.
Such of the convicts as escaped the
fever began to hold their heads erect and
look you fall in the eyes as they passed,
as though they felt that death was bring
ing us all to an equality.
The sixth day was the most oppressive
of all-it was literally difficult to draw
breath, and though I escaped the fever, I
was knocked up for the first time. To do
my work amongst the dying aud the dead
was physlcal lmpossloulby Tor me;
threw myself down under the awning on
the quarter deck, and lost ell conscious
ness, probably remaining in state of
torpor for hours.
| was reused by the most tremendous
crash I ever heard, and found myself in
darkness, but only for moment; the
next. sea, sky, and ship were lit up by q
violent light, while zigzag line of fire, so