Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-14
CHAPTER XI.-BECALMED.

After poor BuCklOW'S death, the fever
became more virulent than ever, and if
fewer died it was merely because fewer
were left to kill. The contagion spread
with portentous rapidity, the interval be-
tween the first seizure and the fatal close
being often frightfully short.
AT the end of the following week two
only were left-Bolsover and myself. OF
the forty-seven who had sailed from Liver
pool, little more than month previously,
we were the sole survivors. All the rest
slept their long sleep in the fathomless
depths of the wild Atlantic.
What my feelings were l can hardly re-
member, and do not care to recall. | was
stunned. overwhelmed, and, as it seemed,
almost paralyzed by the stupendous ma
ture of the calamity which had overtaken
me, and by bitter grief for those who were
gone. But for Bolsover | think l must
have gone mad. He too sorrOwed, in his
own fashion, for our lost comrades; yet his
grief seemed to sit lightly on him, and in
his manner there was ut times something
that looked very like eXultation, the cause
of which / was at first at a loss to divine.
But casual expression he let drop en-
hghtened me. He regarded his escape and
mine as proof that we were the destined
discoveries of the "Santa Anna"
Had | been less depressed. should have
been amused, probably have laughed at
him. As it was, | thought it best not to
answer him. You cannot argue with q
monomaniac.
But on every other point the boatswain,
as usual, was evidently sane and practical
"There is only you and me now, " he said,
sand we can neither handle the ship nor
There is no more sail on her than Will give
her steering way in light breeze, and if
it comes on to blow we shall may be not
take much harm. You can steer pretty
well now and we must take the wheel
turn and turn about"
'That is all very fine, but where shall we
make fOr?"
"Weu, / don't think as we can do better
than stick to the course we are on, and rs
Mr.. Bucklow last laid down-sou'- by
south-as far as the wind will let u.s."
''Will that bring us to MOnteyideof"
Il don't think it WILL exactly; but there
or Whereabouts, perhaps"
''Have you any idea where we aref"
''Not within a degree or two; but, from
the feel, we should not be far from the
line"
anything if that is what you mean. How
ever, about this steering. 1t can easily be
arranged as you suggest. While one steers
the other can cook, and sleep, and keep q
lookout. Our best chance of rescue is to
attract the attention of some passing ves-
sci. Can we do anything more than re-
verse the Union Jack?'
II don't know as we can; and keep our
number always flying"
"There is still one thing we have not
thought of. Suppose something happens
that some emergency arises that forces
me to quit the wheel while you are asleepf"
THO OuIy ching you can 90 IN Unat case
would be TO lash the wheel amidships. /
will show you how. But we must do our
sleeping in the captains cabin. We shall
always be within hail of each other. You
have only to whistle, and l will come"
Aren't you afraid of sleeping IN the
captains cabin?'
''Not bit 7 shall not take til.
II l could, / should have done so long
since"
'An the same. would not throw away
q chance, if l were you There is no tell
ing"
"Old Tom," as the sailors had called
him, smiled superciliously, as much as to
say that did not know what was talking
about.
Every we'll" said. go and turn in.
You had no sleep last night, and had.
will take the wheel"
''Thank you, sir. do feel a bit sleepy.
Wake me up when you feel tired. Keep
her off and by-as she is; that's all you have
TO DO"
And so was left in sole charge of the
"Diana"-a strange position for lands
man on MS first voyagei 4 captain with
out crew, a navigator innocent of nayiga-
ton, steering generally for the equator,
and with an uncertain hope of sooner or
later reaching the coast of South America,
somewhere between the Amazon and Cape
Horn, and the of chance of knocking
against the continent of Africa, or being
blown into the Pacificl
Not the sort of outlook to make man
merry, even though he has nothing partic-
ular on his mind; and on mine lay dark
memories of the valley of the shadow of
death through which 1 had just passed
But / was too busy to brood. / did not
steer so well that l could do it automati-
caly like an A. B. I had to give the wheel