The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1897-08-15
PART III.

went 70 sas- q slight haze hurred the
hcTAzon. Outside tae barber the measure
less exIaanse of smooth water lay sparkling
like floor OF Jewels, aad as empty as tine
sky. Heading south, the Naroissus seemed
70 stand Fespirndent and still upon th. rest
less sea under ths moving sun. Flakes OF
foam swept past her sides; the water struck
her with FLASHING blows: the land gHded
away. slowly fading, a few birds screamed
on motionless wings over the sw ayin mast
heads. BUi sooa the land disappeared, the
birds weat away. and 60 the west the point
ed sail OF an Arab dhow running for Bonn
bay rose trian galar and upright above the
sharp edge OF the horizon, fingered and
vanished Ike an Illusion, then the ships
waite, long and straight, stretched itself
out through a day Of immense solitude. The
setting sun, burning on the level Of tae
water. famed crimson below the black
ness OF heavy rain clouds The sunset squaIl,
coming up iIom behind, dissolved itself
into the slioTt oelage of a kissing shower
IL left tx ship giisoeaing from trucks to
watel-iiEes and with Garkened sails She
Tan easily before a fair monsoon, with her
decks cleared for the night: and, rowing
along with beI. was heard the sustained
and monot0nOus swishing of the waves,
mingled with the low whispers of men mus
tered aft for the setting OF Watches the
short plant of some block aioft; or, now
and then. loud sigh Of wind
The passage had begun; and the ship.
fragment detached from the earsh, went
on lonely and swift like small planet
Round her the abysSes OF SKY and SEA net in
an unattainable frontier. A great Circular
solitude rHoTed with her, ever changing
and ever the same. always rsoBotonous
and always imposing. Now aad then an
other wandering white speck, burdened
with life. appeared far ff-disappeared:
intent Oh its OWE destiny. The sun looked
upon heI al day. and every morning rose
with a burning, round stare of undying
curiosity. She had her own future: she was
alive with the lives OF those beings who
tTod her decks. d he that earth which had
given her up 10 the SEA. she had an intoIer-
ableload o. regrets ana hopes On herliYed
timid truth and a2dacious lies: and, like
the earth, she was unconscious, fair 10 see
and condemned 10y men TO an ignobie fate
Tie august loneliness of her path lent dig
nifty 10 the sordid inspiration OF her pill
grimage. Tie days raced after one an
otjer, brilliant and quick ike the flashes
Of lighthouse, and the nights, eventfuI
and short. resembled fleeing dreams.
The men had shaken into their places,
and the half-hourly voice OF the bells
Iuled their life OF unceasing care Nigh:
and dag the head and shoulders Of d seaman
could be seen aft 10y the wheel. outlined
high against sunshine or starlight, very
steady above the stir Of revolving spokes
Capt. AliIstoun, grave, and with an old
red muffler round his throat, all dag long
pervaGed the poop. AT night. many times
he ross out Of the Darkness OF the com-
panion, much as q phantom above grave,
aud stood watchfui and mute under the
stars. his night shirt fluttering like a flag
then. without a word, sank down again
lie was BORN on the sllures of the Pent-
land Firth. Ia his youth he obtained the
rank Of harpooneT IN Peterllead whaIers.
When he spoke OF that time his restless blue
eyes became ssAH and cold. like the loon.
OF ice. AtterTard he went into the East
India trade for the sake OF the change. He
had commanded the NaTcisSas since SIZE
was built. He loved his ship and drove her
unnercfullY: for his secret ambition was
to make Ter accomplish s9ne day bril-
hantly quick passage which would be
mentioned ia nautical papers. His hair
was iron gray, his face hard and OF the
color Of pnnp leather lie shaved every
morning OF his life-at 6-but once fbeing
caught in hurricane eighty miles south
west OF Maaritiusi he had missed three con
sccuiiye Gays. lie feared nausht but an
unforgiying God, and wished TO end his
days IN d little house. with plot Of
ground, far in The country out OF sight uf
tie sea
He the ruler OF that minute world. sci
dom descended from the OIympian heights
OF his poop. Below him at his feet, SO to
speak common moTtals led their busy ard
insignificant lives. Along the main deck
NJ. Baker grHnted in manner blood
thilsty and inIOcuous; and kept all our
noses 70 the eEindstone, being-as he
once remarked paid fer doing that very
thing. The men working about the deck
were healthy and oontented AS most sea
men are when once well cut to saa.
L. the evening the cleared decks had
q reposafgl aspect like the autumn Of
the earth. The sun was sinking to rest,
wrapped in a mantleof warm Clouds For
ward, on the end OF the spare spars the
boatswain and the carpenter sat together
with crossed arms; tive men, friendly, pow
erfuls and dcep-chested. Beside them tn.
short, dampy Sailmaker who had been in
the Navy inverted, between the Ehiffs OF
this pipe, impossible stories about ad-
mirals. Couples tramped backward and
forward, keeping step and balance with
out effort IN d confined space. Pigs grunted
an the hg pi gstye. Belfast, leaning thought
fully Un his elbow, above the bars, COM
named with them through the silence OF
his meditation. Fellows with shirts open
wide on sunburnt breasts sat upon the
mooTine bats and ali up the steps of the
foTeoastle ladders
BY the foremast n few discussed in a
circle Ike CHARACTERISTICS Of a gentleman.
One said, ITS money as does it, An
other maintained, NO. it's the way they
speak, Lame Knowles stumped up with
az rnEashed fac &c he had the distinctionof
being the dirty man Of the forecastle) and,
showing few yellow fangs, in sbr@wd
smile, explained, craftily, that it was all
appearance 1t MAS" he said, "bluomiR'
easy To Ice gentleman when you had a
clean Job for life-''
They disputed endlessly, obstinate and
childish They were forgetting their toll:
they Were forgetting themselves. The
cook approached TO bear and stood Oy,
iea:oins with the inward Consciousness Of
his faith, like a conceiied saint unable 10
forget lis glorious reward. Dohkin, soli
tary and hTooding over his wrongs on the
furccasie head, moved closer 10 catch
the DRIFT Of the discussion below him.
he turned his s8iiow face to the sea, and
his tam :aostrils moved.sniffing the breeze.
rs he lounscd EeeligentIy by the rail. The
walking couples stood still suddenly, with