The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-11-28


early part of November, 1870. The good |
ship Morning Light was lying at an
ahor opposite large lumber mill on |
the Salwin River in British Burma
The work of loading the lakewood
logs had been discontinued for the day,
and the crew had just finished wash
ing down the decks, for the next day
vas a veritable day Of rest, and every
part of the ship must be clean and tidy
before knocking-off time.
Bloored alongside the vessel were
large RATS of lakewood ten logs TO
a raft. all we'll secured by ropes made
fast to the outer logs and hauled taut,
and hitched inboard to the pin-rail.
These RATS made convenient floating
stages for the crew to wash and battle
on, and on this particular afternoon
as soon as the men had finished work
they swarmed over the rails and hand
over hand down the mooring ropes,
and were soon deeply immersed in riv-
ar-water and soap-suds.
To the westward the sun was SLOW
y sinking behind a threatening bank
Of clouds that betokened a heavy rain
storm close at hand. On the river
bank the numbering, ungainly ele-
plants, the working corps of the saw
mill. were tramping slowly homeward
from their evening bath; and on deck
rwo tired, impatient youngsters were
6urriedly polishing the brass work
eager to complete their task and gel
20 their washing before the storm
came on One of these boys was TIT
writer. then on his first voyage; thu
other was Phil Daily, my chum and Eel
low victim to the tyranny Of the petit,
officers in whose berth-room we Wer
CHARTERED.
With a wipe and promise W
finished our brass-work, hurriedly dis
nOsed of some cold tea and hardtaci
and dropped down on the raft with on
bundles Of dirty clothes as the last
the men climbed over the rail inboar'
II was almost dark as we dipped II
first pieces of our washing, laid the
down we'll soaped on the outside 10
and proceeded to pound the dirt o.
gf them with a heavy stick in the n
tive fashion. Our only companion WI
ahe shippers dog, Rover, who, co
arary to all nautical etiquette hi
bounded down the captains side-la
der and joined us on the raft.
The heavy rain-clouds had by II
nine entirely overspread the sky, t
wind was whistling f1tfully through
Rigging, and now and again sh'
Etghtning cleaned brightly along
horizon. Silently and rapidly
Bounded and rinsed, rinsed and pour
ed, in our efforts to get back on dc
Before the rain fell.
But, swift as we we're, the eleme
we're swifter. With a deafening cri
and a binding glare that seemed
aoorch the eyeballs, the storm was
IN us. The rain descended in slant
sheets before the fierce squall,
Fash followed flash, and peal follo7
zeal. until the sky was one blazi
ehunderous chaos.
In the lull that followed the
burst of the storm l heard sh
startled cry from my companion
as the lightning again blazed TO
4 saw that the pals in which were
washed clothes, had slid from the
and we're floating off downstream.
ready they were carried far hey
our reach by the force of the "
Picking up boat-hook that lay
we ran to the rear raft.
Casting off the after mooring
re pushed with hands and boat-l
until that end Of the raft swung
~ the ships counter and almost
she track of the approaching buc
Then running across to the
/ Garner. we cast out our boat-hook
carefully hauled them in. But the
IF triumph had hardly left our
$ uben the forward mooring-rope
"a with the strain, the raft s.
wopnd broadside to the current
dropped astern, and the hull o.
uhip rapidly disappeared in the
4 ring gloom Of the storm