Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-06-30
" LOG u
OF THE r. NJ. s.
TONBRIDGE
CASTLE
A By S. n. LAURENCE

II light days since the last glowiul
+, embers had gone, with a hissin.
and snarling voice, TO add the name o
the good ship Southern Cross 10 the lis
Of dereliets at anchor in the ancient por
Of Missing Ships. The sun blazed from
a white tropical sky on the oily surfac,
Of a fiat calm. From rim to rim th'
sea was dead level Of cleaning gray
broken only by the occasional fash of Z
flying fish or the dull black dorsal fins
Of the sharks.
Two parched and sun-baked figures
all that were left Of a crew Of 90 sal
staring at each other from opposite ends
Of a half-charred ships boat. their eyes
glowing with the fever Of madness and
their lips and tongues swollen and
blackened with the tortures Of thirst
The clothes hung in folds from their
wasted frames as they crouched, mum
bling and jibbering 10 themselves, in the
sweltering heat Of the calm.
Eight days Of the cursed sun and
not a sail to be seen! Where have all
the ships got tor"
For the hundredth time since dawn
the mate worked the horizon with his
glass in the vain hope Of seeing some
thing. Nothing broke the lonely mo-
notony Of that wide expanse Of silent
ocean beyond the equator.
Things are coming TO an end he
muttered, sinking back on the thwart
I've squeezed the last drop out Of
the breaker yesterday morning, and that
idiot for'ard spilled them, blast him.
Look at him. there, chewing his fin
gers. Why does he stare at me so? His
eyes are like red-hot gimlets; they seem
TO bore right through me He thinks
I'll go off my head, and then he'll kill
me as he would have done the last If
ia not choked him of. Said a lot about
the survival of the fittest and that the
weak should be given for the strong !
wonder who'll go next, he orI? We gave
the others to the sharks one by one at
night, poor boys, and tried not to see
And now. who'll help me with him, for
he's sure to go, he's got to 60. he's got
to get a move on him; won't have any
sodgering
Hi! there, you'll Yes, you for'ard
there! Who are you looking at? Get
on with your work! Do you think this
is a pleasure yacht, you flounder-footed
son Of deck-walloperl Come to sea
to get fat do you? I'll soon take some
Of that off you! None Of your back talk.
now! I'll have no sea-lawyers on this
shipl
There. there, this won't do! Keep a
grip on yourself. Mister Mate, If you
want 10 get out Of this messl I believe
was beginning to feel bit queer just
theni
Now, let me see. III try to think
bit and get my mind off this little picnic.
Where were we when the fire broke out?
Oh! know Wehad passed St. Helena.
and were beginning to make a little east
ing, so as TO pick up the sou'east trade.
Hang II all, he's looking at me again!
II had just gone eight bells at the end Of
the middle watch, and the old man had
been up in his pyjamas 10 look at the
card he was always poking about when
should have been asleep, so had the |
watch aft TO take pull at the braces to /
make all ship-shape before turning in,
when Forsyth came to me and said the
afr in his cabin was that thick he couldn't
Ileep. and wanted me to 20 down with
him and see what | could make Of II
he smelled smoke; said he was
so used to bad smells In the shin. he
couldn't be sure. Just then the second
came up to take over the watch. and we
went below. Talk about smells wbv :
the air was as thick as peasoup with
smoke, and the fuddle-headed old Sotch-
man couldn't smell It! Well. we reused
the old man out and turned the hands IN
and got the matches open. The place
was a merry hell down therel She was
a-fre fore and aft There wash = a Ghost
Of a chance Of saving her. although we
worked TIL the pitch dubbed nut Of the
deck. The old man svore We were
when We said we had had
enough. and wanted to get theboats out
Said he would shootthe first man who.
Get away. you yellow-headed Dutch |
man! II you come aft I'll maui the dad
slamed head of you with a stretcher.
you hog-backed mully-grubber!"
He ripped out a foot-rest. staggered "a
his feet, fell over athwart, and lay with
his face staring at the white sun over
head. A grin came over the silent one In
the bow. and his hand stole around to
The sheath knife at his hip. His ewes
glowed with the duli-red Ike those Of
a hungry wolf while the lips drew baci |
from the yellow fangs as he crawled to |
wards the PROSTATE man in the stern,