Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-11-20
A Sea Episode.

"A htN ApHSO0Os
If somc magic pen could pick uE
and record the gallant deeds Of what
are called common sailors" and lay
In pain language before mankind the
noble narratives, the history of the
deeds of war would be but tame read
ing, ard the records of destruction
would seem ignoble.
I have been familiar with them all
my life, and they excite my admira
ton and surprise as much to- day as
ever. Eloquent pens have written OF
the facts and fictions of the sea, but
none ha G ever colored their scenes
too deeply, nor has romance ever
eoualed reality.
L will give you one picture, sadly
true, and unknown to any but the act
Ors in it.
might have been the Leopard Git was
not, but the name will do), sailed
from Boston with an assorted cargo,
bound from Guantanamo and Santa
go de Cuba, to leave the outward
freight at these ports and load at the
latter ones for Triest, at the head of
the Adriatic sea
The Leopard carried Captain Hall,
First Mate Brown, aged eighteen,
Second Mate Jones, twenty four, ST.
men Bal ings, cook and steward, and
six men before the mast,-ten in all.
A speedy and uneventful run
brought the Leopard to Guantanamo,
whence, after discharging part Of the
cargo, she ran down to Santiago and
dropped the rest. This port lies amid
hills, in natural ampitheatre of great
BEAUTY. The entrance is narrow and
very picturesque, but there is very
little tide and the water in the bay is
slug gish. The elements of that scourge
of the Antilles, yellow fever, are here,
and the inhabitants are seldom free
from the disease.
The first mate, ardent and ambi-
tiCus, worked his men early and late
He was first out in the morning be-
fore sunrise, while the dew was still
falling. Once, before day, his light
shirt was saturated by the falling
moisture, and the sun dried it with it's
burning heat. At nine o'clock he was
PROSTATE with a raging fever.
The captain was veteran in those
parts, and knew what to do as well as
any doctor. Heroic measures were
adopted, and the young mans life
was saved. Leaving his sick bed too
soon, a relapse came on, and it was
several days before he could again
do duty.
A popularity of the West India
ports is that while in harbor all the
crew of ship may be well, but as
soon as she puts to sea the disease
may develop, and one after another
viii be attacked.
Captain Hall knew this fact well,
and before sailing warned his officers
and crew of the symptoms of the dis
ease, and instructed them that if any
such were felt the patient should re-
port at once for treatment.
Early on fine morning light land
breeze waited the Leopard to sea, and
1T a short distance from the land the
breeze fell, and t1e usual morning
calm ensued. The ship rolled lazily
upon the long swells, and the sun
beat fiercely upon the unsheltered
decks.
Sailing day is always busy time on
ships, and so ali were at work in the
heat, getting ready for sea life and
the expected Incidents of the voyage.
About nine O'Clock, young man
was observed to swagger.on the deck,
ike one intoxicated. He was quickly
seized and taken to his berth in the
forward house. He was already de-
irious. With difficulty the usual
remedies were administered, but the
ever had him in its grasp, and he
essed about, raving wildly of home
nd friends. The other men were re-
moved from the narrow house, and
,iven quarters elsewhere. The first
nate and colored cook took charge
# the sick boy. Everything possible
vas done for him. For two days and
lights he moaned and talked, his life {
turning out at fearful rate. The {
bird morning he was quiet. Sudden