Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-03-24
CHAPTER III.
Useless Regrets.

% Et.E.t
CHAPTER III.
Useless Regrets.
] must have lain long thus. On re-
covering, rose more stir and more
benumbed than ever. and with feeble
Steps assembled the companion ladder,
and then q cry Of despair escaped me.
The sky was clear and sunny, but
whether with the light Of a rising or q
setting sun, ] could not at first deter
mine. morning and evening on the
ocean being 10 much alike to an un-
practiced eye. Not a vestige Of land
was visible!
s Sea and sky were around me; not q
sail was in sight, and nothing living
Iwas near, save few petrels tripping
over the water, alongside Of the fatal
schooner. (:
Had slept all night. and was this
the dawn OF a new day? Had slept
iii day, and was this the approach Of
another night? | devoutly hoped not,
- i most dreaded night upon the
ocean; but the gradual sinking of the
sun. and the increasing redness Of the
eky, ere long informed me that the
time was evening. now knew the
vest. and turned my haggard eyes to
the south, for there the land and my
home lay; but still the envious wind,
though lighter now; seemed to blow
from that quarter.
Oh! how deeply and earnestly, by
thoughts unuttered. I prayed in my
heart that II would change and blow
toward the shore-any shore any
part Of the coast Of England, and
bring me so near that I might have a
chance Of escape Of life and preserva-
ton, by swimming-by putting to the
test that skill and those powers Of ac-
tiyity had acquired at Elton, In the
waters Of the Thames.
4 The sea was comparatively smooth,
but still the empty schooner rolled and
lurched fearfully;; the more SO that the
fore and aft foresail was hanging SO
loosely in the brails.
"A hundred years seemed to have
elapsed since I had heard the dear
voices and seen the loved faces Of those
I had left at home of my father, my
mother, of Dot and of Sybil; while the
events Of my early schoolboy days
seemed to have occurred but yesterday.
& All time was chaos and confusion!
4 In my sorrow and despair never
thought, unless with anger, Of Jan van
Zeervogel, the poor Dutch skipper,
whose interests were 50 much involved
with the loss or safety Of his little
with which the food tide had
made 30 free. I thought only Of my
own danger, and my mothers sorrow
for the mystery that would overhang
my fate.
Now hunger assailed me, creating a
new terror lest I should perish by want
Of food; and all I had read or heard of
wrecks. RATS and castaways crowded
on my memory to aggrayate the real
perils which surrounded me.
Once more sought the cabin, and
on finding an ak broke open what APP
peared to be press or locker. There
In were several cups, bottles and drink
Ing glasses. placed in perforated
shelves; but nothing eatable save sim
gle hard and moldy biscuit, which the
rats abandoned on. my approach, and
nothing drinkabfe save the remains of
the brandy in which the peaches had
been preserved and viewed the jar
With horror, as the primary cause Of all
my su6erings and dangers say the
1amains, fort had fallen from the Ia
81 md hsen broken to pieces: 90 moth
&g remained OF its contents, except
shout = gill In fragment, and the
which lay in the lee or lower
side Of the cabin.
What would !. not have given for
single drop OF pure cold water, to alle-
viate that choking thirst which Is ever
The sequel to sickness, excitement and
sorrow! But there was not q drop on
board. IS the scuttle-butt had broken
lts lashings In one Of the Iurches of the
schooner and fallen overheard to lee
ward. So / soaked the moldy biscuit
ii the brandy, ate II, and went on deck, !
10 time TO see the SUN set at the watery
horizon, from whence It cast long
Ind tremulous line Of yellow splendor
llong the dancing waves, TO where the
schooner Aoated in her loneliness.
4 NI0hf fnIloUnd anx ny,a hv t,na fhA /