Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-01-19

When | order the quarternaster to
steer for Guajan go below as quickly
as you can and make your way aft, on
the lower deck, TO cable lockers at the
stern Take the rev log, in this box
here, and pay ii out through the bitt
port, say about 30 fathom, being
mighty careful you don't foul the
screw with it. You'll find a cross
brace Of angle iron, down there, that
Mac fixed athwayt the port 10 fasten
the register on. It's a taifrail log-not
like the one I've got astern now; you've
got to haul that one in to read it.
'Tain't likely that anyonell notice the
line, but you'll have to haul il in when
we get abreast of Cocos reef, SOS the
men won't notice il when they go be-
low to clear away the cable at Apra."
Before turning in. he took the log
from its box and showed me exactly
how il worked. making me repeat the
instructions until he felt sure ]
wouldn't botch the experiment. In fact,
my mind was so full of II all that |
slept badly. and dressed before sun
rise. Ifalstead was as anxious as my
self, but be had his nerves under per-
feet control and reserved his energies
until they were needed. Diaz, though
confident we would not reach the reef
before breakfast, had turned out at
five bells and was searching the hori-
zon with his glass, on the bridge,
Moreno taking an occasional squint
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"
"Si senor 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,
will you, Diaz, and see what you make
it,"
"Si, senor." Diaz disappeared in the
wheelhouse, but came out again pres
emily, exclaiming: "Por Dios, capitano,
we are within three miles at this mo-
ment!"
That's what l thought. Get your
leadsman out there right away,
Moreno. You'd better try Il 'dipsey'
line at first, and see if you can strike
anything at n 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
300 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"-IIalf speed astern"-
''Stop." And when the foam from the
screw was abreast of us, he sang out:
"Let her 60"
There was big splash, and the lead
disappeared, whipping coil after coil
of the line after il 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 Sebastlano 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 were embedded In it, and as
sounding after sounding proved unsuc-
cessful at the full 300-fathom depth, he
couldn't keep the disappointment from
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 II IL
possessed but little interest for him,
yet when he glanced at me 1 could see
that he was thoroughly discouraged.
The engines had just started at full
speed ahead, and we were preparing to
go below for breakfast, when / noticed
a little bunch of cumulus cloud n few
miles to the southeastward, and called |
his attention to them.
"Well, what about them?" he said. |
They're just ordinary clouds, aren't |
theyG
That's all, but l was thinking Of |
what Maury says about atmospheric !
condensation in the neighborhood OF |
all these coral islands, even the lowest |
atoll having n tendency to collect va
por over It at times. Now, whether |
few fathoms of water over reef would |
absolutely prevent such condensation
or not, | don't know. / should say |
the chances were that II would; but
well, the atmosphere does queer thinga
What do you think?'
Halstead watched the bunch Of cloud
for n second or two, noticed that there
was nothing else of the kind In that
and then ordered the man
at the wheel to head southeast. /
saw that he considered the search 1