The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-13

also. At about half-past six the cap
tain sang out to him:
"Guess you'd better let one of the
quartermasters get the lead ready,
Moreno"
Isl, senior. Do you think we are near
the posicion?"
Every close to it, now. Mr.. McPher-
son says we've been making IL knots
through the night. Just figure it up, i
will you, Diaz, and see what you make
it,
Isl, senior" Diaz disappeared,in the
wheelhouse, but came out again pres
emily, exclaiming: ''Por Dios, capitano,.
we are within three miles at this mo-
ment!"
CHATS what thought. Get your
leadsman out there right away,
Moreno. You'd better try sdipsey'
line at first, and see if you can strike
anything at a hundred. fathom. Be
all ready when give the word.''
In less than five minutes the leads
man was on his grating, outside the
starboard rail, with a 75-pound lead,and
800 fathoms of line. Halstead stood. by
the engine-room telephone, watch in
hand, and Diaz was perched in the fore
rigging, where he could watch the
sounding. In about ten minutes the
captain showed the lever over to the
signals, "Stop''-Half speed astern'.l
STOP" And when the foam from the |
screw was abreast of US, he sang out:
s'Let her go.''
There was a big splash, and the lead
disappeared, whipping coil after coil
of the line after it from the reel On the |
taffrail. Fifty fathoms, 100, 200, 300,
and no bottom. Slowly the two men at
the reel hauled in the line, and the cap
tain signaled: "Half speed ahead"
About mile further he stopped and
tried. it again, but with the same result.
Then he steered, successfully, due south
for three miles and north, six, taking
soundings at each limit. AT eight bells
Padre Sebastiano came on deck and be-
came so absorbed in the proceedings
that he actually forgot his breakfast.
| Each time the lead was hauled up he
would examine the tallow at the lower
| end to make sure that no sand or coral
fragments We're embedded in it, and as
sounding after sounding proved unsuc-
cessful at the full 3o0-fathom depth, he
couldn't keep the disappointment from
J showing in his face. Finally the cap
tain told him that further search was
useless, and when the steamer was
headed for Guajan he went below.
Halstead treated the matter as if it
possessed. but little interest for him,
yet when he glanced at me could see
that he was thoroughly discouraged.
The engines had just started at full
speed ahead, and we were preparing to
little bunch of cumulus cloud a, few
miles to the southeastward, and called
his attention to them.
"Well, what about them?" he said.
"They're just ordinary clouds, aren't
they?"
That's all, but I was thinking Of
what Maury says about atmospheric
). condensation in the neighborhood of
all these coral islands, even the lowest
atoll having tendency to collect va
por over it at times. Now, whether q
/ few fathoms of water over reef would
absolutely prevent such condensation
or not, don't know. should say
the chances were that it would; but
we'll, the atmosphere does queer things
sometimes. What do you think?"
Halstead watched the bunch of cloud
for second or two, noticed that there
was nothing else of the kind in that
direction, and then ordered the man
at the wheel to head southeast.
I. AZ II.
hopeless, but he was determined to
leave no chance untried. Diaz had gone
. down into the fore-hold with some OF
his men, to overhaul the last cases for
Agana and Moreno was below at
breakfast; so that no one but the helms
man noticed our again heading about.
and he was dreaming of Visaya girls in
Manila too deeply to domore than obey
orders in purely mechanical way.
Ittook less than half an hour TO reach
the position. Then Halstead himself
climbed out upon the sounding perch
with hand lead and 30 fathoms of line
He had stationed me at the telephones
on the bridge, hastily arranging g
series of signals, and, after watching
the waters surface closely for awhile
waved his hand for "half speed"
In about two minutes / saw hin
swing the lead forward, paying on
the line rapidly as it tautened under
his feet. Five times more he cast it
hauling in the entire length after eacl
one, them signaled: "Full speed
ahead" After which, mounting thu
bridge, he ordered the helnlsrnan t.
put her about and steer north by east
quarter cast. l noticed great beads o
perspiration upon his forehead, ant
was wondering if heaving lead wer'
, really violent exercise, when, beckon
Y ing me to the end Of the bridge as if II
4 point out the position of Guajan, b.
e whispered:
Get below, quick, and pay out tina
t patent log; took the box down mysel
g at four bells. Then eat your breakfas
e as if nothing had happened. and cha
= with the Seporita for awhile but b.