Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-08-17
The Story Of a Wreck.
Thrilling and Romantic Account OF
q Mutiny at Sea.
BY w. CLARK RUSSELL.

WIFI place.
Il can help you to pump, Mr.. Royle,"
said Miss Robertson. s4rSNnsnss
The boatswain laughed. ESSs
"Lor' bless your dear art, miss,
what next P" he cried. mo, no; you
stand by here ready to knock this stew
ard down again if he shows hisself
anxious to swim arter the Roosian.
Wen see what water the ships
a-makin'; and if she shows herself
obstinate, as l rayther think she will,
why, Wen all turn to and leave her.
For you've got to deal with bad ship
as you would with a bad wife use
every gentcel persuasion fust; and if
that won't alter her, there's nothen for
it but to grease your boots, oil your
hair, and politely walk out. sspssa
CHAPTER XVIII. ss2sssS
There being but two of us now to
work the pumps, it was more than we
could do to keep them going. We
piled them, with brief spell between,
and then my arms fell to my side. and
told the boatswain l could pump no
more.
He sounded the we'll and made six
inches.
There's only two inches left that we
can get out of her." said he; land
they'll do no harm"
On which we quilted the main-deck
and came into the cuddy.
"Mr. Royle," he said, seating him
self on the edge of the table, 1--WE shall
have to leave this ship if we aren't
taken off her. l reckon it'll require
twelve feet O. water to sink her,
allowin' for there being a deal O wood
in the cargo; and maybe she won't go
down at that. However, We'll say
twelve feet, and supposin' we lets her
be, she'll give us, if you like, eight or
nine hours afore settlin'. I'm not say
ing as we ought to leave her; but L m
lookin' at you, sir, and see that you re
very nigh knocked up; Cornish is
about quarter O. the man he was; an
as to the bloomin' steward, he's as
good as drowned, no better and no
worse. We shall take one spell too
many at them pumps and fall down
under it an never get up agin. Wot
we had best do is to keep look all
around for vessels. get that there
quarter-boat ready for lowerin', and
sea calms. You know how Bermuda
bears, don't you, sir?'
"a can find out to night 1t is too
late to get sights now"
81 Think he returned, that our
lives IL be as safe in the boat as they
are on board this ship, an a tritie
safer. I've been watching this vessel
a good deal and my belief is that wos
another gale to strike her, she'd make
one O. her long plunges and 60 to
pieces like pack O. cards, when she
got to the bottom O. the valley O.
water. OF course if this sea don't
calm we must make shift to keep her
atloat until it do. You'll excuse NE
for talkin' as though | wos dictatin'.
I'm just givin' you the thoughts that
come into my head while we wos
pumpin'."
Il quite agree with YOU" 1 replied;
al am only thinking of the size of the
ter-boat-whether she isn't too
small for five personsP"
mot she! I'll get a bit of mast
rugged up in her and it II go hard if we
don't get four mile an hour out of her
somehows. How fur might the Ber-
muda Islands be Off"
l answered, after rejecting some
moments, that they would probably be
distant from the ship between two
hundred and fifty and three hundred
miles.
I'VE should get pretty near 'em in
three days" sad he, ''if the wind
blew that way. Will you go an tell
the young lady what we're thinkin' O.
doing, while 1 overhauls the boat an
see what's wantin' in her? One good
through the ships sinkin. all of a
heap
There's long warning given us
and nonbt holm thinkin that the
stormy weather's blown hisself out,
for the sky looks to me to have regu-
la-set fair blue in it. "
When went on deck found Miss
Robertson steering the ship while Cor
head pillowed on flag.
approached Miss Robertson and
asked her what was the matter with
Cornish. She said she noticed him
reeling at the wheel and told him to
lie down. She had been waiting to
see me in order that l might procure
him some brandy.
went to him and found him in a
convulsion. l spoke to him but he
paid no heed to my words. Believ-
ing him to be dying l called the boat
swain.
He came and with his help I tried
to put some brandy into his mouth.
His teeth were clenched and when we
pried them open with a knife blade
and introduced little of the liquid it
dubbed back. While we were thus
engaged Cornish threw up his arms
and stiffened out his body. So strong
was his dying action that he knocked
the glass of brandy out of my hand and
threw me backward some PAGES. The
pupils of his eyes rolled down and a
film came over them; he uttered some
thing in a hoarse whisper, and lay dead
on the boatswain's knee.
1 glanced az Miss Robertson. Her
lips were tightly compressed, other
wise the heroic girl showed no emo
ton.
The boatswain drew deep breath,
and let the dead mans head fall gently
on the flag.
." For Miss Robertson's sake"
whispered, "let us carry him for
ward"