The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-04
To7TRAT7DM@ OF TG5 Is 9E]AG3o
Nv CUCltEFE ftYNh.
1897, by Cutliffe Hyde


Me chief!'
That's what | said"
"Will you tell me if there's any chance
of that happening"
"i1very chance: with decent luck you
ouaht to be chief engineer of the Shah
by his day week
..isut how"
Ee cut me short with alaught. I'm
not going to talk" he said Here's the
offer ready packed up and waiting foI
YOU. take iii or don't
I'm coming with you. captain
Every we'll Wen go right now and
GET YOU signed ON, and then we'll be off
TO the ship. There's tender running
down to the quarantine station half an
hour from this. You don't want any adj
vance or you might be tempted to go on
tho spree again. You can FIJI mp your KIT
from the slop-chest when we get aboard
The Shah's got fine slop~chcst."
How do you know I've no kit, cap
tain?'
He laughed pleasantly Never YOU
mind how But you can take it from me
I do know. | know all about you: yes.
Stree. every blooming thing. or the pair
of us wouldn't be talking now here. And
| say, also. you'll find me a good ship
mate. Finish up you'll beer. Mac. and
lets be going. Here's good luck to
you"
We got down to the Shah that after.
noon. and must say she was Il vesse
that pleased the eye. She was q fine new
ship, built and engined on the Clyde. and
owned by Liverpool firm. She was
some 1.300 tons burden Her last skip
per had died Of yellow jack in Pensacola
Fla; Mr.. Knowles, the mate. had
brought her across to New Orleans. and
Capt Blake had been engaged by cable
from England He had to sal
in tow days from getting the
billet. and he certainly made
good use of bis time. for in those
two days he not only planned how to run
away with the Shah as she Stood but
bad also got together the men who were
necessary to help him. But about that
of course. | did not know till later.
Steam was ordered for daybreak, and
so l was pretty full up till then finding
my way about and getting the hang OF
the machines. The chief was a nervous
man, and he seemed to have small
opinion of my capabilities. l wondered
much what he would think if he got to
know / was to step into his shoes. OF
couse, though, | said nothing about that,
but just followed him about, and listened
with puckered face whilst he gave me
tips about his engines. Whilst they were
getting up steam he even thought good
to blow off a test can full of water and
show me how to use litmus paper on it,
At daybreak punctually we got under
way, with a Fort Edes pilot on the
bridge to take us out through the South
east pass. / was free after the watch
was set, and went out on deck for a
Whit of air. The river was smeared
with a threefoot layer of white mist;
you could hardly Sc the yellow water as
it scrubbed along the streams side, and
the trees ON the shore were cut off clean
by the whiteness halfway up their
trunks. There was a smell to the mist
Z like new-turned earth; it was just the
smell you get up the Congo and the west
| African rivers, and it as good as said to
me, MY lad, you take precautions, or
you'll have a dose of fever coming back
to you" So | went below to rout up
the cabin steward to get a dose OF
quinine out of the medicine chest, when
who should come in there but the old
man himself
"Quinine?" said he. Certainly, Mac,
my lad; wade in and help yourself. Say,
you'd better take couple Of Codys pills
to ram it home"
"Cody's?" said l. They're new to
me-"
BEST pill that was ever rolled" said
he. Your English pills make me tired.
guess a man might as well swallow
shot-corns for all the good they do. Now
Cody's are regular twisters; it doesn't
matter what man has the matter with
him, Cody's get right there, and let him
know they're attending TO business. Are
you interested in drugs, Mac"
mo man more so. I've been IN the
west coast trade, captain, and drugs just
kept me alive. / fairly lived ON them
and no expense spared
"Sit down right here said he, land
put that cigar in your face. We must
have more talk about this. need a
great deal of drugs myself, and what
l don't know about them isn't worth
knowing. Bear a hand and Wen pull out
the medicine chest and go through 1t
right now"
Well. I have got to tell good deal
against Can't. Blake later on, but L VIII
saw he was n nan who was splendldly
informed with regard to medicine. /
never met his equal 1t seems he al
ways read carefully all the papers winch
his bottles and pill boxes were wrapped
in, and that's thing many people omit,
and besides he'd book ON doctorlng that
he knew better by heart than he did
| his Norie's epitoane. He showed himself
quite a gentleman, too, in the way he left
the "Shab's, mAdicine chest to my dis
erection. "Wade in" he said, and help
yourself. Mac. I'd not give that leave
to everybody, hut you're man rna'
knows what he'sabout, equal 10 oocoor
in a hospital Ashore.
| 1t was while We were having this talk
that the propeller stopped He gave me
curious look. ard II reckon" said he,
''that means were ON the ground But
he didn't offer to move from his seat.
"Welr thought I, "the GIBBS making
fast, and if we don't get off quick, mere
We'll stay for another tide. But as II
was not my place to say anything, held
my tongue.
Dangerous things, those Mississippi
bars" said he. Every likely to get some
plates started over this game"
80, no." said /, there's no danger. Its
all soft mud underneath. Why, we
never felt her going on. There was no
shock whatever"
He leaned across and whispered IN my
ear: But I say there is danger, MI
McTodd. I tell you that this ship
Lnlx racniUnl SlI0b