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

in the past days that the captain was
stricken with the disease Of the eyes.
But the suicidc-for the giving up
OF !, captain is like the giving up of
ship-was such q message Of utter
despair to them, with four or five al
ready stone bliu,l in the forecastle, fed
and helped by their mates who could
sec, that some five or six of the men,
with the boatswain 1t their head, came
aft. seeing the mate and me talking
together and after n deliberate, most
earnest stare round the sea line, step
ped up to us.
".Mr. Fairman,' said the boatswain
respectfully. we're FOR asking of your
leave to go away from this ship in
that. there longboat while we've got
our sight
"It's natural-its NATURAL said the
chief mate with 4. sort Of generous
warmth. But consider, men, you are
the main body Of us who can see. If
YOU go away in that longboat and
those you leave behind you turn blind,
what's to become Of us if nothing
heaves in sight to take us off?
"'But we shall be turning blind
along with the rest said the boat
swain, IF we stay. It's only Ques
ton of more or less blind men washing
about in ship
"tCould we stop the disease by jet
tisoning the cargo? said 1.
"It would be sending the men, an
swered the mate, into the thickness Of
the poisonous steam itself-no. Then,
working his hands with strange mo-
tions of agitation, he muttered, My
lads, it's an awful situation
".Comc along with us, SIR said one
of the men, you and Mr.. Tarbush.'
"sAnd leave those who are blind:'
"I hate the thought of it myself
shouted the boatswain, but If l go
blind my wife and children will starye,
and must sit in the workhouse and
be led around as If was an old village
idiot, and curse me If that thought
amt more frightful than the cruelty of
leaving ones mates to perish
".Go,' said the mate, turning his;
back upon them. I followed, and to-
gether we slowly swept the ocean for
sail.
'sThat same day Of the threat Of the
men to leave in the boat they went.
They proylsioned her handsomely, wa
tered her almost to the wash strake,
so careful were they.
81 think 1t was about 9 o'clock when
they hoisted their lug and sailed away
from the ships side in silence that
seemed like the blindness that was in
and upon the ship.
81 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 end
three honest, stout hearted English
sea,nen, who said: Blast them If they
was going to leave their mates to Gle
of starvation through blindness. It
might come to them; be 1t so, it should
come a-finding Of 'cm doing Of their
dooty anyhow.
81 shook hands with those three men.
They were seamen to sail round the
world with-princes OF their species. !
don't say they are growing fewer. I
do say they were always scarce.
ut was very light. fine weather. We
kept the ship under small sail 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 heart where he had
slowed the newspaper, when they
speak OF the vessel with all plain sail
set having been fallen in with
eve took turn and turn about to wait
upon the poor blind men in the fore
castle, and we fed them and led them
about the decks. and we cut up tobacco
for their pipes.
"Lordw said he, ut was shocking
to watch them staring at you with
their eyes wide open, seeing nothing,
then to feel that you might be the
next!
"It was a dreadful shock to me four
days after the longboat had left us,
when, Mt about five bells In the first
watch, a 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 low voice
Of horror:
Tarbush. I am getting the blind.
ness-it is coming on mel
"Oh. don't say 1t! I cried, spring
ing out Of my bunk.
81 turned up the lamp. Look at that,
is 1t clear?
"sNo. it Is 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 cropping
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 cudcy
table.
II touched him and told him to cheer
up his heart.
"He never looked up. He just groan-
ed as though he was dying Of broken
heart and passed up the steps to look
after the vessel.
'srhe hush Of the darkness was upon
the ship, and felt the blindness Of the
men in her, too, when I saw that the