The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-04-29
CHAPTER XII


subject. and said that he would be
obliged to rest for several days-that
. he had been working too hard upon
his book. But in some mysterious
way the story Of his night experience
leaked out. The disappearance of
MiguePs proa started the inquiries;
then another islander. who had him
self received bad scare, testified to
having been Weakened by blood-curd-
ling scream In time 10 see Padre Sc
Sastiano running before Mguel's
ghost, which subsequen tly embarkedin
his own boat and put to sea. This
yarn was ridiculed by Bartolomeo
until he investigated his fgure-cham-
Der and found the gruesome company
one apparition short; then he told Sc
bastiano about IT and partook of his
uncomfortable feelings. Their com
mon sense told them that wax fig-
ure couldn't transport itself without
help; malicious human help; but their
conviction that every door had been
locked, and Sebastlano's positive as
sertion that the thing had certainly
chased him OF its own accord and abb
solutely without assistance or visible
mechanism. simply couldn't be ex-
planned away. At first the churchmen
were at loss whether 10 feel com
plimented or alarmed by the various
and peculiar manifestations with
which they had been favored but the
more they failed to account for them
on natural or scientific grounds the
more they became impressed with
sense OF unworthiness. AS for Miguel,
the native who had been at such ex-
pense 10 import a suitable efiigy OF
himself, he thought his time had come.
But after rejecting upon his ghosts
departure from the island, which
could be interpreted in no other light
than as a solemn warning, he moved
hisentire family 10 Saipan, where, hav-
ing no barangay to live upon, they
were occasionally forced TO work.
Judging that IL would now be safe TO
leave Guajan for few days, told Dor
otea OF my intention. At first the at
tempt TO reach Zap in an open boat
seemed little snort OF madness TO her,
hut after explaining that | was able 10
find my position from the sun, as she
had seen officers do aboard ship, she re-
luctantly admitted that IL might be
done. We were beginning TO under
stand each Other pretty well by this
time. Making me look straight into
her beautiful eyes. she let me see why
the thought OF my possible danger tor
mented her.
Miguel's ghost had sailed away on
Tuesday morning. the 14th, and, ac-
cording 10 our previous calculations,
Halstead would arrive In Tomil bay
about daybreak of the following Sun
day. Figuring that, before the wind,
my proa would cover the 452 miles
between Guajan and Zap in % hours
at the outside, and not wishing 10 hang
about Tomil among strangers who
might ask dangerous questions con-
corning my strange appearance, post
soned the start until Saturday morn
.ng There was, of course, an element
Of risk in this-a possibility that
might fail TO reach the island on time;
but / had good deal of confidence
both In my ability as a navigator and
N the proa itself.
His nerves being completely upset,
the padre was resting in good earnest;
so. with Dorotea, made two more
trips TO the wreck. bringing back heavy
loads Of silver ingots, which we slowed
IA the assure. Then, early Saturday
morning, after telling the gobernador
" my intention TO sail among the ia
lands for a day or two and being most
Hospitality proyisioned for the cruise.
headed the proa out TO sea.
All day long the boat sailed like a
witch, holding beautifully TO her
course, and IL was not until after dark
that realization OF my position inn
pressed me. / had then made, accord
ing TO my log, over $50 miles, and was
consequently over 200 miles from the
nearest land--a mere pin-point upon
the open sea, with nothing but hol-
low tree-trunk and few sticks be-
tween me and eternity. IL was a pc
culnr feeling, yet there was nothing
OF fear in IL; the sense OF exhiaration
was too great for that. My chief dan
ger lay in the possibility OF falling
asleep. This | provided against by
drinking half n bottle OF wine and q
pint of cold, strong coffee; besides
which, | smoked incessantly; cigars
were good company about that time
and stimulated the imagination. Ny
eyelids were pretty heavy toward day
break, In spite OF these precautions;
but. lowering the sail for a few mo
ments, undressed and jumped over
board, rolling and floating in the COO
water until thoroughly refreshed.
Pretty soon II began TO get gray IN
the east, and when the sun poked ia
rim above the horizon | drew a greal
breath OF relief; for there, 20 miles q
the southwark. was the peak Of Zap
rising over a thousand feet from tn,
sea.leveL
But still another stroke OF good for
tune was In store for me that morn
ing. | had noticed a peculiar haze
across the sun when IL first came up
and. looking again after heading FOL
Tomil, | could plainly distinguish thu
smoke from steamers funnel; Their,