Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-07

near him) recognized all the signs OF the
dread disease in its incipient stage-the
shivering, the hot skin, the suffused eye
balls, the tlrunken-like aspect Of the eyes,
and the flushed zone that encircled them.
Poor fellow we could do nothing for
him; doubt whether the ablest physician
in England could have done anything for
him. He died deIirious on the second day.
In the meantime three of the crew had
fallen Ill, and they, too, died; and after
that there were several deaths every day;
within d week OF the outbreak of the fever,
the forty-six souls whom the Diana" had
on board when she sailed from Liverpool
were reduced TO twenty-five. Yet the
yirulence of the plague did not abate. 1t
seemed as if we should all perish, and DO
not think there were more than two men
aboard who believed they would escape.
These two were Bolsover and myself.
| had gone so much among the sick. expos
| ing myself continually TO tie risk of con-
tagion without suffering the least i'll eff
| feet, that I began to think my immunity
was real, after all and that I ran no more
| risk Of taking the fever than a man who
has been effectively vaccinated runs of
! taking smallpox.
| The boatswain was like Bonaparte-he
| believed in his star.
'I am not afraid, Mr. Erie" he said to
me one day; my time has not come yet.
am bound to see that treasure-ship before
die"
! 1t was about this time that Bucklow
! NOW first officer, his senior being among
| the dead) took me to the stern. and point
! ing to the water, said grimly-
There they are, waiting for US. They
have been following US these last three
| days"
| ''They" We're five or six huge sharks,
swimming in the wake of the ship.
| looked at them for awhile as if fascinated,
/ and then with shudder turned away. !
| never went near the taffrail that did not
| look, and they were always close under the
stern.
AS for Peyton, thought he was going
mad. He attended to his duties as dill
! gently as ever, looked after the sick as well
as he could, and kept the survivors of his
crew to their duties, took the days reckon
| ing, and recorded the days run; but he
hardly ever spoke, except to give necessary
orders.
| For hours together he would pace about
the quarterback, muttering-"It's my do
| ingl it's all my doing! We shall all diel
we shall all diel but my time has not come
yetl''
Once, when ventured to suggest that
he should cast the 'ELady Jane" off (at the
/ instance of some of the men, who had got
! it into their heads that so long as we had
the fever ship in tow the fever would never
leave us) he turned on me almost iercely.
"Nop' he exclaimed; 81 shall not cast her
! off. Why should I? What harm has she
| done? am doomed-we are all doomed
and the salvage will be provision for my
wife and family Don't you understand
/ A provision for my wife and family, that's
why. But it's useless to discuss the sub
ject or give my reasons. I absolutely re-
fuse to cast the ship off; let that suffice"
He was doomed, but not to die Of yellow
fever.
The very next morning, when l went on
deck, BucklOw told me, with significant
look, that the captain had been taken i'll
in the night, and seemed in a very bad way.
! went to him at once. BucklOw spoke
truly. The captain was, in truth, in very
bad way. He had all the symptoms which
now knew so well. Although the tenn
perature of his cabin was nearly eighty,
and his skin hot and dry, he shivered con-
tinually He had a terrible headache, too,
and, albeit still sensible, rambled at times
in his talk, and I doubted not would soon
become quite deliriOus.
yellow Jack has got hold of me now"
he said, trying to smile. 81 thought he
would; but not so soon, not so soon. Twas
quite well last night. What think you
now-is a man safer at sea or ashore? Are
these adventures to your taste, Erie? You
will have more, more, and pleasanter ones,
I hope. Sorry asked you to come with
me- Turned out badly, hasn't it? If had
known what would happen, you may be
sure would have given that brig a wide
berth. But now it is too late and the sal
wage, you know, will be a provision for the
wife and children. Poor wife! poor chill
dren! shall never see them again, Erie
never again! Give them my love when
you get home, and say I thought about
them to the last. | knew your father; he
was very good friend; yes, very good
friend. I was second officer of the Or.
ontes' when he and your mother were pas
sengers: you were passenger, tOo-a little
chap about two years old. l remember
YOU well; used to trot you about on my
shoulder How did they get to st. Thomas
That is where they came on board. Oh, /
lB p7GBId puB coed eq4 I9Ao lie uBI G7QL
lsp9IpunH is4Bd,, 'punoI GunJIB7J Su!
-EooI puR '90!oA STU Su!L9MOT-ss54qS!u qua
u! A,13s YuIq4 noG OPP 4BqM 'GBs I 'oq!BoB
-IBW moIJ Bq0uIBJ g UE-4! sBM 4BQ4 's7G
| :oq!B0BIPN WoIJ Bq0nTeJ g u!-L9qUI9W9I
leap-frog on my bed-they did-playeu CO..
leap-frog on my bed. And [ could neither
touch them nor call out. Ny arms were
fastened to my sides, and my tongue re-
fused to move. And what do you Think
But don't tell anybody. A great yellow
one-twice as big as any Of the others-a
great yellow one, with black whiskers, and
white teeth, and fierce red eyes, came and
sat on my chest and spat at me. 1t gave
me the fever, curse it! Get dogs and cats;
set traps; lay poison. Kill i'll kill It'll Kill
that cursed yellow rat, or you will all die.
A little more of that eGlL-de- Cologne,
please; on my eyebaIls this time. Thanks.
And now | will drink again. This thirst
is terrible I am very ILL., Erie"
remained with him al hour or more,
LAYING his head with edL-de- Cologne and
giving him some drink, and then, leaving
him with his boy for awhile, Invent outside
to get a breath of fresh air, the caDin be-
! ing both close and hot
Bucklow was still on deck.
Glow long will he last, do you Think"
| he asked
perhaps until tomorrow" I answered,
! gloomily. ''They have all gone on the
! second day, OR sooner, so far; and Peyton
| has it very badly. / am afraid he will be
wildly delirious. Somebody should be
with him continually"