Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-28

| valuable cargo, ana Chat Ii we t0WeQ her
into port the salvage would produce some
thing very handsome, of which every sea-
man on board would be entitled to share.
| With proper precautions he did not think
| there was any risk worth mentioning, and
he reckoned that they could easily reach
| Nassau in ten days. There was, however,
| one difficulty. If the Lady Jane" was
taken in tow, somebody would have to 60
on board to steer her. Two hands would
be enough They could take the wheel
turn and turn about. There was no deny
| ing that they would run a certain amount
| Of risk; but if they took their own water
| and provisions, and slept on deck, he felt
sure they would be quite safe. There was
/ no antidote for infection like sea air. At
/ the same time he would use neither COM
pulsion nor persuasion. If anybody chose
to volunteer, that would be another mat
ter; ard the two men who did so should
receive, over and above their share of the
salvage, fifty pounds apiece. Were any Of
them disposed to volunteer on these con-
| ditionsf"
The question was answered by shout,
and at least two-thirds Of the crew volun-
teered on the spot.
"Didn't tell your" said Peyton, turning
only want two; cannot spare more, and
| two will be quite enough. We must draw
| lots. Mr.. Bucklow, write down the name
of every man who is willing to undertake
the job on slip of paper, put the slips in
to hat, and then Mr.. Erie will perhaps
| oblige US by drawing two at random, and
the names on them will be those of the two
| lucky ones"
Lucky ones, indeedi
| The names were written. drew two
| slips, and announced, amid the breathless
attention of the crew, that the winners
were Harry Smithers and Jack Mexican.
Both threw up their caps with delight; the
others looked bitterly disappointed: and
| the curses they vented on their ill-luck
were loud and deep.
| After this a couple of hawsers were pass
ed from the stern of the ''Diana" to the
bows of the Lady Jane" the forlorn hope
| Every forlorn, I feared), amply provided
with water and provisions, went on board
the derelict, and the fever ship was taken
| in tow.
have already mentioned that the "Di-
ana" had an auxiliary screw. 1t was,
however, very small, and seldom used
only, in fact, when there was dead calm
/
| had not been used at all, and our coal sup
| ply being unusually low lowing to our
carrying full cargo of merchandise) Pey-
ton would probably not have put the ''Di-
ana" under steam at all had we not fallen
in with the fever ship. But as it is ex-
tIemely difficult for vessel under sail to
| tow another, he ordered the screw to be
slipped and steam to be got up. 1t was,
| hnUaVar haf nIJr
in any circumstances would be slow, and
that if gale of wind sprung up we should
| have to abandon our prize. Nobody knew
/ this better than Peyton.
''What will you do with the Lady jane
when you get her to Nassau" asked.
"Batten down the matches and fumigate
her with sulphur; then put a crew aboard,
bend fresh sails TO her, and send her home
under charge of Mr.. Bucklow. If tn ere
should be any fever-germs left-and Idon't
/ believe there will be-the cold will soon
! kill them"
Had l been unduly alarmed, after ALI
| There was no communication between the
| two ships; it was hardly possible for the
| infection to fly across the streak of water
| that separated them; and yellow fever be-
| ing generally confined to certain localities,
! the sea must necessarily be unfavorable to
| its development.
| When two days passed and nobody
| seemed any the wOrse-not even Bill
Bailey, who had handled the dead hody-I
| began to think that l had been unduly
| alarmed; my spirits revived, and albeit
none of us passengers (nor probably any of
| the crew particularly liked the proximity
of the fever ship, we soon ceased to trou
| BILE about her, and our lives went on as US
ual
In the meanwhile, the wind had fallen.
and though every stitch of canvas was
spread, we could not make more than four
knots an hour, even with the help of our
tiny screw, much to Peyton's annoyance
"At this rate,'' he said, 1--WE shall not
reach the Bermudas for two or three
weeks. However, it might be worse. If
it had come on to blow, we should have
had to cast the Lady Jane off; and if we
were quite becalmed, we should soon be
without CO |. wish Nassau was few
hundred miles nearer. 1t is good stretch
out of our way"
The responsibility he had incurred by
deviating from his course was evidently
preying on his mind. If all went on
smoothly, if he got safely to Nassau and
| disposed of the Lady jane to advantage,
or sent her home, good and well-his CO.
owners would be more than satisfied, and
praise his enterprise and pluck, and he
would put money in their pockets and his
own. But if, after prolonging his voyage
two or three weeks, he had to abandon his
prize, they would probably have something
to say that he might not quite like.
So far as was personally concerned, l
| had no objection in the world to make
call at the Bermudas. Not knowing when
if ever-I should be able to make another
long voyage, wanted to see all could.
One of my greatest pleasures was an
early walk round the ''Diana's" deck.
| There being none of the fair sex on board,
we had no need to study propriety; and 1
| generally rose with the sun, slipped on q
pair of pyjamas, and padded about the
| deck with naked feet. As often as not
appeared even without the pyjamas, and
| jumping overheard at the bows, swan to
the stern and climbed up the ships side by
| q rope.
Rather ttcklish operation; for IL you
! don't seize the rope at the right moment
| you may be left behind, and swimming af
ter the ship under sail is by no means easy
and may be dangerous. Before she could
be brought to and a boat lowered, you
might easily be drowned or gobbled up by
| q shark.
Captain Peyton several times warned me
OF the risk ran by this proceeding.
"You will be missing your tip one of
these days." he said, land then look out!
If the ship has much way on her, it may
be half an hour or more before you get
help"
But as never missed my tip, thought