The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-10-02

w i,
come a boat alongside. Hello, Dav-
ison.' says the cap'n. That you2'
"Tha's mel says the man in the
boat.
Scot a chicken?' says the capn.
ga good un,' says Dawson.
"'Here's for him then, says the
cap'n, an throws rope, which by an
by comes up q bag at the end of it,
an they dumps you out on deck,
which was the first I seen of you.
''Cap'n says to Dawson as how you
wasn't much to look at. Dawson he
held forth as how you was corker
when sensible, an finally you was all
paid for and Dawson went ashore.
In other words, young man, you was
'Shanghaied'
I began to understand The den
tist had drugged me, carried me to
the schooner and sold me for the
voyage. The practice called 'Shans-
hai-ing" waa not at all uncommon on
the western coast in those Years.
Five to ten dollars a man was the
usual commission, but captains.
whose crews were very shorthanded
and could not get men to sign, often
paid much more.
What had I better do2" asked.
sWell, boy, they amt no great
choice. You kin jump overheard or
you kin stay aboard. Overheard is
terrible cold water and cramps, most
likely, and blackish. Aboard there's
cap'n an hard work an mebbe pay an
mebbe not-cap'ns make their own
terms with Shanghais. Y see cap'n
viii kind O keep up the idea that you
come aboard to steal. Not as he
thinks any one believes it, ut,~jest
for forms sake like"
I thought the matter over. Aseal-
ing cruise to Alaska was not a
charming prospect, especially with a
brutal captain, who would probably
leave me in Alaska after getting the
utmost service out Of me at the seal
fisheries.
On the other hand, the water is
bitter cold in the straits of San Juan
de Fuca and my chances of reaching
shore alive would be very small.
Not that there was any danger from
the blackfsh alluded to, they are the
meekest Of creatures.
But for the toothache, which had
survived my adventures and had
gained strength through adversely, ]
should hardly have taken the step !
took that night. But the pain made
me desperate and reckless. So I
found a life preserver and in the
pitch dark night swung rope over
the rail and let myself down into the
water.
Nobody noticed, though 1 feared
the flashes Of phosphorescence, where
the water broke, would draw atten-
ton. But the schooner sped along,
leaving cleaning wake.
Twas alone in~the darkness, miles
from shore, with life preserver for
craft, a general idea Of direction
for chart and compass, a little hope
in my heart and a maddening pain
in my jaw.
The shore had been hidden all day
in the haze and smoke of forest fires,
so had no idea how far out I might
be. The wind was blowing from the
northwest, however, when I left the
ship and ought, if it-so continued, to
land me in time, dead or alive, some
where on the Washington. shore of
the straits near Squin bay,
The water was icy, and while my
head and shoulders were still campa
ratively warm and my arms had not
lost their strength all of me below
the life preserver had lost feeling
Ny sensation was Of being only a
head, shoulders and arms perched on
a life preserver.
Every little while q wave broke
over my head Ny arms grew cold
er, and the numbness began to creep
over me. But I still padded along
as well as I could while the life
preserver bobbed over the waves.
After a space, which was probably
about an hour and half and which
seemed an unusually long night, I
lost consciousness again.
How long drifted I cannot tell,
but opened my eyes on a bright sky
and felt the warmth of the sun de-,
lightfully.
NV limbs We're still numb and with
some pain revived Then I rose and
looked about. I was lying on the
beach where, hours before, the tide
had left me.
On one side were the green waters
of the straits, on the other the stately,
somber woods where one might look
through shade into deeper shade far
within. I could hear the sound of
running water, clearly distinguish
able from the wash Of the sea, the
welcome tinkle Of a stream among
the rocks under the trees.
The salt water which I had sWal-
lowed, and which had left a light
crust on my lips, and the long absti-
nence and fatigue had made me very
thirsty. On I staggered, guided by
sound, to the stream.
It seemed to be lodging about me
and laughing at my efforts to find 1t,
for my senses were dull with expos.
ure and WEAKNESS, and the woodland
echoes shifted the sound as I moved,
but at last I reached it and was
wonderfully refreshed.
There were trout in the clear wa
/ 1,aS ~ of rrh1 q