Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-01-12

! don ship.
When it came to actually approach
| fnc the vicinity Of danger, the senor-
| ita's curiosity. with possibly an I'M
confessed anxiety for the captain, got
he better of her fears, and she fol-
| lowed me as far as the gratings over
the cylinders. No one else had the
temerity to accompany us, if, indeed,
they knew where the gangway led to.
From the depths under our feet we
could hear Mcpherson and the captain
| in earnest conversation, broken now
and then by dull tapping, as OF a
| hammer on hollow or fractured steel.
Occasionally enc of the Spanish as
| sistants would shout some order to the
oilers, at work upon the high-pressure
cross-head. Presently we heard Hal
stead say: Turn her over once or
twice, Mas, while keep my hand on
the shaft" and in moment one OF the
great oily pistons stretched itself up
to within foot OF Garcia's pretty
nose. as she leaned over the steel rail,
startling a subdued squeal of surprise
from the girl, who had no idea the
thing moved. Up and down, greasily,
insinuatingly, they slid, while we
could hear a little sharper tapping
from the shaft-alley; then, with a
slippery sough of content, they rested
again. Another period of consulta-
ton below, while the steam rolled in
the trough of the sea; Ter which we
heard the captain say: Well, keep
her at about 60 turns for half an hour
and see how she feels. Then report
to me-" In another moment we saw
him coming up.
He smiled reassuringly as he
reached the grating where we stood,
bat looked thoughtful. AS soon as he
stepped out on deck the passengers
crowded about with anxious ques-
tions; and he told them, briefly, that
there had been an accident to the
shaft, how serious one it was impos-
sible to say at present, but that the
ship was in no immediate danger, and
that they had better go below for
lunch. Then he called to the mate, on
the bridge: Pipe your men down, Mr..
Diaz. and come to my room as soon as
YOU are relieved" was very anxious
TO question him. but, by an almost i'm
perceptible motion, he signaled me 10
go below with the senorita.
When we reached the saloon every
one was talking eXcitedly about the
accident and specializing as to wheth-
er the steamer would be obliged TO lay
up for repairs at zap. The pulsation
Of the screw was noticeably slower;
and the second mate. after hastily fin
ishing his meal. hurried on deck to re-
lieve Diaz. so that he might consult
with the captain. The engineers chair
was empty; he did not put in an APP
pearance until dinner-time. About
the time we reached the dessert, the
screw stopped again. The stewards
continued to wait upon ms as if moth
ing had happened, and this alone kept
several from rushing on deck again.
When we did finally leave the table,
Mcpherson came down from the cap
taiu's quarters and assured Padre Sc
bastiano that the danger was not seri-
Gus. But as beil after bell struck
without the engines being started. a
vague uneasiness spread through the
ship. and every one talked in subdued
tones. Three OF the passengers went
below 10 make up small bundles OF
their vaIuables in case il should be
necessary to take 10 the boats.
Late in the afternoon, Halstead
came down from his room, followed
by the mate, and told those on deck
that, owing to he accident, he had de
cided To head for he island of Guajan
in he ladrone>. where he hoped to OBJ
tain spare machinery which would en-
able the steamer to make the remain
der of the voyage in safety. Then he
asked the senornta. Padre Sebastiano
aud me il we would like TO so down
into the engine-room and see the dam
aged shaft | fancy the padre would
have preferred remaining on deck,
but as il was against his principles 10
miss anything. we went, holding
punches OF cotton waste as a protec-
ton against grease on the hand-rails
and machinery The captain natural
is went first. and the senorita fol-
lowed. blushiug like . peouy at the
revelations for which the steepness Of
Down. down. grating after grating,
until we were II feet below the water
line and the cylinders lowered above
Us like grotesquc monsters; then
through i Tiny door into the long tun.
mel. or shaft-aIley, lighted at inter
walls by hanging incandeseents and ex-
tending clear 10 the .nhoard bearing
+ AZ the stern Of the ship. Four of the
assistants and oilers we're leaning
against the wall-p'atss. like nayyies
waiting for The ore car in coal mine;
/ while down at enc side. oastructine
/ ibc pass age was tile wreck 81 AIN iror
tank which had been dashed or brack
/ cts 10 hold luhricatine oh. and whicl
I evidently. fetching loose as the steam
or rolled, had FALLEN upon The shaft
+ with sufficient force 10 start she cracl
f that we could see distinctly rs Hal
stead swung e torch ever s. Their,
was quite 8 rerceptih.e cCHt vaer,
+ Tie taik had struck. ana. leading from
f- 9.