New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1905-11-11
81 JIG. PLUr1r1ER-
Copyright 1905 by Daily Story Pub. Coz

Seven days in an open boat on that
tropical sea. Seven days Of pitiless
sun, burning and charring our throats
until the miserable pittance Of water
we had allowed ourselves had irritated
rather than satisfied and now that was
gone. Seven days of biscuit soaked
with sea water, which made our ter
rible thirst more unbearable, and all
around us that peaceful sea. When
thought of the awful storm in which
the Iris had foundered and looked at
the calm ocean / thought OF my sister
of years ago. She like the sea would
have her storms of anger and cry
sleep with Just such smile on her
face as the sea wore then. 1t was an
odd thought for an old sea dog face to
face with death, but then l expect my
mind was wandering on account of the
thirst and heat. -Four of us had leaped
in the boat the night the bark went
down and there were only two now.
One had jumped overheard in delirium
and the other was curled up dead in
the thwarts one morning. Mr.. Pablo,
the mate, and I were left to die by
thirst If no other way.
1T looks cool down there" croaked
the mate, staring into the sea. mo
wonder Hans jumped into it."
For Gods sake, Mr.. Pablo, don't
get to thinking of that" l cried, for |
had a horror of dying alone in that
boat. Queer, isn't it, that man al
ways wants somebody around when he
is dying.
1--WE thought Of it many a time,
Bob" said he, "and when wasn't in a
these fifteen years"
He spoke in calm way, but l
thought he was losing HIS mind and
shuddered again at the idea Of being
alone in the boat.
"T've never spoken of it to mortal
before" he continued, looking down
into the water, land don't know why
I'm going to do it now unless a man
don't want too much ballast when he's
going to die. I'm a Tyne man and
sailed in the North Sea trade. That
was fifteen years ago, and l used to
look at small cottage near Newcastle
and dream about living there some
day with certain girl. You see yon
wave where it curls, what deep blue
It is? Well, her eyes were just like
that. and blame me il anyone could
look into them and lie to her. We
were not engaged, but when one night
I told her how / loved her and she
slipped her hand into mine and
looked into her eyes and didn't want
any other answer. God, what happy
night that was!
II stood well with the company and
had my mates certificate. SO it was
only wait for a vacancy and then I'd
be first ofhcer and we could marry.
"Just then q fellow named Jack
Bates, distant relative OF the family,
came to live with them, and he and
Bess became as thick as bees. They
seemed to have some secret together,
and would whisper and talk in way
which made me grit my teeth. OF
course I got huffy and stayed away for
awhile, but couldn't stand it and
came Sinking back like a whipped
dog to its owner, only to have another
dose of misery. Bess was pleasant to
me and civil, but when l began to
talk about Bates she'd laugh and be as
close as an oyster. She was very dear
to me, but many a night when paced
the bridge with a German ocean gale
battering nv face I cursed her and
Bates in my bitterness.
Things were in this bad shape
when just as came back from a voy-
age they sent for me from the COM
pany's ONCE and in a half hour was
mate of one of the tidiest steamboats,
that floated on the Tyne. Two months
ago I'd made q course for the open
country and shouted at the top Of my
voice to heave over the joy that was