New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-18

The work OF the long. tropical day was beginning
on board the surveying ship Gulnare BY a. m or
thereabouts the necessary preliminaries had been
completed officers and crew had gone through the
form of breakfasting and a few conventional per-
sons had even washed. The gorge Of civilized man
rises disdainfully $50 a breakfast. yet 1t is
felt TO be wiser to breakfast at this hour than not
at ALL
The gunboat still at anchor OF an arid coast
but the cable was being shortened in by the
steam capstan. and the boats were already lowered
and manned. None had leisure to heed the rhyth-
mical "clink. clink'' of the caIstan pawls as the
muddy cable wound slowly board. nor to note
how rapidly the rising sun dispensing the morn
ing mist upon the frowning hills. The Gulnare's
crew had seen the sun rise much too often to
trouble their heads with the aesthetic merits of the
performance.
Two steam cutters and a couple of five cared
'whaers danced alongside the ship. awaiting their
respective commanders. The skipper pacing the
poop like a Gagged lion. calling upon the high
heavens to witness how precious minutes were
being wasted by his officers Now and again he
would pause in his restless walk to demand. irrita
bly,. when. II ever. Mr.. So-and-So would be ready
to shove off. to below order to the officer on
the foc'sle. One after another the neutenants
boats. They their oldest clothes and sun
helmets, and were much encountered by canvas
haversacks. field glasses and other impedmenta OF
their calling The last TO come up was Reggie
Pomphrey. the Junior lieutenant. He yawned in an
and the skipper resented it
angrily.
replied Pomphrey, cheerfully:
Don't argue. sir. but get into your boat" said
The young man saluted and crossed to the gang
Searched his o6 as and
What is it now?" demanded the skipper. VIII
my tobacco pouch, sir" He turned to one Of the
s sh SRe off 9as af OMEN ToaTed the sRpper
Yes: sir. I'm going" said Pomphrey, mildly
appeal to your humanity as a fellow smoker"
The skipper ran down the poop ladder as though
long habit of discipline checked him, and he re
Trained from the atsGk he Vented MS Pdpbpe1
with respectful interest. Still the tobacco was de-
aysf that he said Night ask
more question:
the skipper. What is It now"
There Is good reason to assume that # is there
or thereabouts." said the skipper You viii de-
At this point the tobacco pouch arrived and
Pomphrey. without further argument quilted the
anchors aweigh. sir cried the foGsle ofaceE,
without WsitIns for thu anchor to be Gated. the
long days sounding from the ship commenced The
tached for independent work were soon out Of
When the last ray OF twilight had faded the Gull
and one by one the boats returned and were hoist
e6 e9r WSae Soon we we're all assembled in the
chartroom discussing the days work At these
unless the survey had been retarded By bad
weather or plumbers. or Pomphrey's lack OF zeal-
IN all such philosophy deserted our irritable
chief. He would despair Of realizing his gnawins
ambition. viz. Of ultimately becoming Hydro
grapher and his small stock OF courtesy would
melt like butter in the tropics.
But on this evening the shippers cheerfulness
almost undgnih6d.
"A good days work" he was saying came
in. I'm especially pleased that Pomphrey has
succeeded in finding that rock said only yester-
day that he lacked zeal. but did him an in1us-
tice. II was q difficult rock to locate. and Pom
phrey deserves thanks. Quite serious danger
TO navigation for II lies fully mile 70 the north
east OF the headland.' -
well I'm very glad you're satisfied, sir said
Pomphrey. modestly and hope you'll set II on
against possible failures in the future Rocks are
rocks but can't always bs sure OF finding
them when wants to-
BAH" said the skipper. arrogantly, "a keen
surveyor almost smell rock, and the WORD
failure fatigues I felt certain the rock ex-
reports Of these merchant shippers regards bear
TT was your confidence. sir. that helped me to
find IT." said Pomphrey.
The compliment bordered upon servility. and We
all felt that Pomphrey was pandering unduly 20
the shippers arrogance II appears that we did
him injustice.
II was certain the rock existed repeated the
skipper but the credit Is entirely yours. for the
bearings were usual. incorrect"
We bent over Pomphreys sounding board. noting
that the rock lay three hundred yards from
the reputed position, and that II a dangerous
pinnacle rising from the deep surrounding water
We'll call it," said the skipper, The Pupil
Rock for the obvious reason that Pomphrey has
been my pupil"
II thought you were going 70 say Pomphrey's
Rock sir" said the paymaster. innocently