The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-09-27

ALI tiie DaSt uayS tnat the captain was
stricken with the disease OF the eyes.
"But tho suicldc-for the giving up
or Il captain Is like the giving up OF Il
ship-was such Il message of utter
despair TO them, with four or five al
ready stone blind in the forccastle, fed
ana helped by their mates who could
see, that some five or sly of the men,
with the bOatSwain ut their head, came
art, seeing the mate end me talking
together, and, after q deliberate, most
earnest stare round the sea line, step
ped up to us
Mr.. Fairmnn,' said the boatswain
respectfully, were for asking Of your
leave TO go away from this ship in
that there longboat while we've got
our sight
Its natmral--its NATURAL said the
chief mate with Il, sort OF generous
warmth. But consider, mcr you are
the main body of us who ca see. If
you go away in that longboat and
those you leave behind you turn blind,
what's to become of us if nothing
heavcs in sight to take us Off?
But we shall bc turning blind
along with the rest said the boat
swain, If we stay. It's only qucs-
tion of more OF less blind men washing
about in n ship
Gould we stop the disease by jet
tlsoning the cargo? said 1.
1t would be sending the men, an
swcred the mate. into the thickness Of
the poisonous steam itself-no.' Then,
working his hands with strange mo-
tions Of agitation. lie muttercd, My
lads, it's an awful situation
"'COme along with us, SIR said one
Of the men, you and Mr.. Tarbush.'
And leave those who are blind?
81 hate the thought Of 1t myself
shouted the boatswain, but If 1 go
blind my wife and children will starve,
and 1 must sit in the workhouse and
be led around RS If was an old village
idiot, and curse me IL that thought
ain't more frightful than the cruelty of
leaving ones mates TO perish
$50 said the mate, turning his.
back upon them. / followed, and to-
gether we slowly swept the ocean for
O sail.
''That same day Of the threat Of the
men to leave in the boat they went.
They proyisloned her handsomely, wa
tered her almost to the wash strake,
so careful were they.
II think 1t was about 2 o'clock when
they hoisted their lug and sailed away
from the ships side in silence that
seemed like the blindness thnt was in
and upon the ship.
II forget how many left the vessel In
her. but can recollect that when she
was gone all that were left with the
power OF vision remaining In their eye
balls were Mr. Fairman, myself and
three honest, stout hearted English
seamen, who said: cSlast them If they
was going to leave their mates to die
Of starvation through blindness. It
might come to them; be 1t so. It should
come a-inding Of 'cm doing Of their
dooty anyhow
II shook hands with those three men.
They were seamen to sail round tho
world with-princes OF their species.
don't cay they are growing fewer. I
do cay they were always scarce.
ut was very light. fine weather. We
Kept the chip under small oail ready
for shift, troubled as we were and
very short handed, and the lie comes
In here again and again" said the little
sailor. tapping his hear. where he had
slowed the newspaper, "when they
speak OF the vessel with all plain sail
get having been fnlIen in with.
1--WE tookturn and turn about 20 wait
upon the Uoor i.:;nd men in the FORE
castle snd we fsa them and LED them
about the decks. and we cut up tobacco
for their pipes.
"LOrd!" said he, cit was shocking
to watch them staring at you with
their eyes wide open, seeing nothing,
then to feel that you might be the
next!
'Lt was dresdsG! shock Go me- four
days after the longboat he'd left us,
when. at about i've bells in the first
watch. o quiet night and the ship
clothed In white stealing very softly
through the gloom, the mate came to
my cabin and said TO me In q low voice
OF horror:
'Tarbush. am getting the blind.
ness-i$ Is coming on meY
"'Oh, don't say itr cried. spring.
ing out OF my bunk.
81 turned up the lamp. Look at that,
fs It clearY
emo. 1t fs q wavering, blush fame.
We ought to have left the ship,' he
said. and taken the blind men with
u.s.
"He Quilted my cabin in the l:loping
way which was now familiar to ME,
and when had dressed myself went
out expecting to find him on deck: in
stead, behold the poor man sat with
his face lost In his arm upon the cudty
table.
II touched him and told him to cheer
up his heart.
"He never looked up. He just groan-
ed rs though he was dying Of q broken
heart and passed up the steps to look
after the vessel.
'.rhe hush Of the darkness was upon
the ship. and felt the blindness OF the
men in her, too, when I saw that the
helmSman had let 20 Of the wheel lnf-