The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-05-19
WITHOUT MUCH CEREMONY.
BuriaIs at sea Are Not Marked by
Any Great Display of
Reverence.

had always conceived a burial at sea
to be very solemn and awe-inspIring
event, but was quickly disillusioned.
by this burial at any rate, says a writer
In The Sea Wolf one OF the hunters, a
little dark-eyed man whom his mates
called Smoke" was telling stories,
Literally intersprinkled with oath and
obscenities. and every minute or so the
group Of hunters gave mouth TO laugh
ter that sounded to me like chorus OF
wolves. The sailors trooped nolsily aft,
some Of the watch below rubbing the
sleep from their eyes. and talked In low
tones together. There was an ominous
and worried expression on their faces. II
was evident that they did not like the
outlook OF voyage under such a cap
tain and begun so inauspiciously From
time TO time they stole glances at Wolf
Larsen. and ] could see that they were
apprehehsiye of the man.
He stepped up the hatch cover and all
caps came OF. ran my eyes over them
10 men all told. % Including the man
a, the wheel and myself was par.
donably curious In my survey, for Il ap-
peared my fate 70 be pent up with them
on this miniature floating world for
knew not how many weeks or months.
The sailors in the main were English
and Scandinavian and their faces seemed
Of the heavy. stolid order The hunters.
on the other hand. had stronger ard
more diversified faces. with hard lines
and the marks OF the free play Of pas
sions. Strange 70 say. and ! noted II
at once. Wolf Larsen's features showed
no such evil stamp. There seemed moth
ing vicious IN them. True. there were
lines. but they were the lines Of decision
ard frmness Il seemed rather frank
and open countenance. which frankness
or openness was enhanced by the fact
that he was smooth shayen could
hardly believe, until the next incident
occurred. that Il was the face Of man
who could behave as be had behaved to
the cabin boy
At this moment. as he opened his
mouth to speak. pun after pun struck
the schooner and pressed her side under
The wind shrieked a wild song through
tae rigging Some OF the hunters
glanced anxlously aloft. The whole
lee rail-. where the dead man lay. was
buried in the sea. and as the schooner
lifted and riehted the water swept across
the deck. weit!ng us above our shoetops.
/ A shower Of rain Grove down upon US
each siiuging like a hailsione As l'
passed Wolf Larsen began 70 speak. the
barehsaded men swaying 10 unison 10
+ the heave and lunFe Of the deck.
7 only remember one part of the
+ service" he said ard that is and the
body shall be cast into the sea So cast
j Il In" lie ceased speaking The men
holding the hatch cover seemed per-
+ picked. puzzled. no doubt. by the brief
aess q the ceremony. lie burst upon
them IN a fury
Lift up that end there Whaf the
- the matter with your
They elevated the end og the hatch
soyer with piiiiul haste. and. like q dos
/ funR oversize the dead man slid feet
frst into the sea The coal at his feet
eragFed him down he vas gone.
"Johansen. Wolf Larren said hriskly
70 the uew mate. Keep slf hands on deck
nov they're here Oc' IN the fopsails
and outer iibr We're IN for son'-
EASIER Reef the SO and the usinsail,
too, while you're about r."