The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-11-16

phon in the South Seas.
6C& She was one of the finest
frigates then ahoat.
From Callao, twelve degrees south
latitude, we were ordered to proceed
TO San Bias, a port on the coast of
Mexico, in twenty-three and one-half
degrees north latitude. rhe distance
being about 24OO miles, the passage
through both trade winds as a rule
occupied three weeks, and for this the
Nenophon carried more than full
supply of water, so that it occurred to
no one to suppose We should run short
of the first necessary. of life. We left
CaIlao on February 16. and OH the
eleventh. day out the Galapagos group
was sighted, and we came to an ancnor
in Post Office Bay, Charles Island.
Here we hoped to replenish our water
tanks, bat 10 water could be obtained,
and We sailed without any further
supply, II was from this time that our
iu~luck began.
For sixteen days We remained be-
calmed within sight of land, drifting
10 and fro. crossing and recrossins the
equator with wearying irritation. On
the 'Scventeeth day we got slant of
wind. and. losing sight Of the islands,
hoped we were fairly off at last. But it
was not to be. In Two days The wind
dropped again. and We lay once more
becalmed. Thirty7siX days out. and
barely one-third of the distance done.
On March 20 the order was given to
stop all water for washing purposes.
1t was Il necessity, and as such it was
accepted, but when it was seen that
Captain Lordiing had no intention of
setting an example, and that his own
ablutions continued daily, it is not sur
ITislng that he became unpopular. An
other week passed, and still We lay at
Che mercy of the wearlsome calm, its
monotony broken only by an occasional
turtle hunt. IL was now the seventh
week out from Callao, but still our
aching eyes looked in vain for signs
of coming breeze. The sails were
furled, for they were only beating
themselves threadbare with the heave
of the ship in the oily sea as they
tapped against the masts and rigging.
Coming on deck and glancing at the
sailless yards made it seem mockery
of being at anchor in safe port. The
sun stared vertically at us from steel
blue sky. and under the double awnings
thu pitch ran liquid from the seams,
cloSging our feet as we walked the
deck.
/ And in the midst Of these surround
ings the order was given to reduce the
allowance of drinking water to one
pint day for each officer and man.
This allowance was served out i'll one
issue at noon, during the mems dinner
hour. The meal consisted Of salt junk
so long in brine and so hard that it
could take handsome polish IN skill
full hands. or of pork that shriveled
in the boiling to little more than hard
rind.
The result of such diet, Of course,
was that when their dinners were over
not drop of water remained to the
poor fellows for the next twenty-four
hours Of burning heat. The few who
tried to save some found it impossible,
for they had no place in which TO Sc
cure it from their improvident ship
mates. In this strait the men fell back
on vinegar, of which each mess had a
liberal allowance, but in their raging
thirst they were not satisfied merely
to noisten their mouths with the strong
acid; they mixed it with salt water and
drank il in large quantities, and the
terrible effect may be imagined as,
knocked over by this horrible mixture,
they rolled in agonies in the forecastle.
With tie officers, of course, it was
different. although thc allowance OF
water was the same. Their food was
not so thirst provoking; they could save
the precious pint, and even exc it out
with little wine or beer. Mine L
locked IN my sea chest, and had it been
The Noll-i-noo: I could scarcely have
valued it more highly.
But Captain Lordling for himself
reserved not only an unlimited supply
OF drinking water, but also an ample
sufficiency for washing purposes.
Every morning the steward used to
carry the dirty. soapy water down the
ladder OH the way to his sanctum. and
every day from the marines berth at
the foot of the ladder half dozen or
more stalwart Joeys were Oil the look
out for his appearance. The instant
he descended the vessel was dragged
from him and its contents eagerly di-
vided among, the thirsty crowd. The
steward CO. planned to the Captain, but
nothiLr !e Of it.
1t was cided to make for Yestapa.
o the Idst of Central America, an
aucuorage some 200 miles distant, and
we arrived there when sixty days out
from Callao. Who can describe our
relief when we reached that marvellous
TROPICAL coust. with its coral beach and
stately palms. backed by volcanic
, mountains. and saw between deep ra-
RINGS the downward plunge of stream
and torrent to the sea? We thought
our privations were ended, for, al
fhoush we could see no break in the
ahundcripg rcll of surf which the
mighty Pacific sent combing on the
beach, we learrcd from an English bris
which lly there shipping q cargo OF
j.. ~ ~ & .sI