Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-08
CHAPTER I.

nomenal. even in the ATTITUDES where q
great calm reigns from month to month
1t is almost impossible to present tc
northern eyes this picture of a southern
sea cleaning beneath a sun which had
known no cloud for weeks; impossible to
portray the brilliant monotony of it al
with any degree of reality. The sun
rises day by day, week in and week out
unclouded from the straight horizon
sails right overhead, and at last sinks
westward undimmed by thinnest vapor.
Month after month, year after year, aye,
century after century, this days WORK
is performed. The scorching orb OF light
rises at the same monotonous hour and
sets, just as he did when this world was
one vast ocean, with but one ship SAIL
ing on it.
Firm the dark, mysterious depths of
the ocean, wavering ripples mounting
in radiation to the surface, broke at
times the blue uniformity Of its bosom.
Occasionally a delicate nautilus toa' ed
along before some unappreciable brea'n,
presently to fold its sails and disappear.
Long trailers Of seaweed floating idly
almost seemed to be endowed with a
sinuous life and movement.
No bird in the air, no fish in the sea
Nothing to break the awful silence! A
wreck might float and drift here or there
upon these aimless waters for years to-
gether and never be found.
But Chance, the tickle, ruled that two
vessels should break the monotony of
sea and sky on this particular afternoon.
One, a mighty structure, with tall taper
ing masts, perfect in itself, an ideal
merchantmen The other, small. of ex-
quisite yacht-Iike form, and with every
outward sign Of u great speed obtaina-
BILE
There was obviously something amiss
with the larger vessel. Instead of white
sails aloft on every spar. bare po.es
and slack ropes stood markedly against
the blue ether.
In contrast. the other carried every
foot Of canvas. Carried it literally; for
the white cloth hung mostly idle, only
Mt times tapping softly to a breath of
air that was not felt on deck. Since
dawn the smaller vessel had been stead
lily, though very slowly, decreasing the
distance between them, and now there
were signs of activity on her deck as
though n boat were about to be lowered,
Across the silent waters trilled the call
of boatswain's whistle. The vessel
was plainly 4 man-of-war. AS a matter
of fact. she was one of the quick sailing
schooncrs built and designed by the Brit
ish government for the suppression of
the slave trade on the west coast of AT
RIGA.
Every knob of brass cleaned in the
C cot 11,1yy -+Nr, Il
as white as milk Aloft no rome was
frayed. no Selling adrift. 1t was easy
to see that this trim vessel carried a
large crew under strict discipline.
And now the melodious song of sailors
hauling together foated through the
glittering sir TO the great vessel of the
dead. No answering cry was heard
no expectant faces peered over the
black bulv 'rks. The signal flags, "Do
you want 0elp?" hung unnoticed. The
scene was ,uggestive of that fable tell
ing of n use protfering aid to a lion;
the huge, Ill merchantmen could have
taken the slave catcher upon its broad
decks.
Presently a boat left the smaller YES
sci and skinned over the water. impell-
ed by sharp, regular strokes. The sound
of the oars alone broke the silence of
Nature
In the stern of the boat sat a square
shouldered little man, whose brown face
and glistening chestnut beard pleasant
~ suggestive of clearly refinement. com
bined with readiness of resource. His
pleasant eyes were scarcely hazel, and
yet could not be described as gray, be-
cause the two colors were mixed. AS
the boat approached the great mer-
chairman. this officer formed his two
hands into a circle and raised his prac-
ticed voice:
"Ahoy-there ~
There was no reply: and moment or
two later the small boat swung in be-
meath the high bulwarks. There was a
rope hanging almost to the water. and
with quick jerk the young fellow Scram-
bled up the ships side like monkey.
Three Of the boats crew prepared to fol-
low him.
lie sat for moment balanced on the
blistercd rail, and then leaped lightly on
to the deck. Between the plankS the pitch
had COED up and glstencd like jet. in
some places the seasoned wood had warp
ed. He stood for a moment alone amid
the tangled ropes and there were beads
of preparation on his brown forehead. 1t
is no pleasant duty to board a derelict
ship. for somewhere or other there will
probably be an unpleasant sight, such as
is remembered through the remainder of
the heaolder's life.
There was something crude and ha
in the entire picture. In the merciless
almost shadowleSs light of a midday sun
every detail stood out in hard outline
The perfect ship, with its forlorn. bedrag-
gled deck; the clean spars towering up
into the heavens, with their loose cord
age. their clumsily furled sails and upon
the moss grown deck this square-shoulder-
ed little oiiiccr-trim. seaman-like
prompt amid the universal slackness-
the sun cleaning on his white cap and
gilt buttons.
While he stood for a moment hesitat-
ing. he heard strange, unknown sound
1t was more like the rattle in a CHOKING
mans throat than anything else that he
could think of. He turned quickly, and
stood gazing upon the saddest sight he
had yet seen in all his life. Over the
tangled ropes the COUNT figure of a white
dog was creeping toward him. This poor
uushh btutS WAS luoSI plleOuS ana Deaft-
rending, for the very dumbness of its
tongue endowed its bloodShot. staring
eyes with Il heaven-born eloquence.
As it approached there came from its
throat a repetition of the sickenine
cracllc. The young officer stopped over
it with kindly word and caress. Then
and then only. did he realize that the
black and shrivelel object hanging from
its open lips was naught else but the
poor brutes tongue. This was more like
piece of dried-up leather than living
flesh
Water" said the officer quickly to tn,
man climbing over the rail behind him.
Some moments elapsed before the small
beaker was handed up from the boat, ant
during these the officer moistened his fin
ger at his own lips, touching the dog!
tongue tendcrly and Skillfully.
Look after the poor BRUTE" he sait
TO the man, who at length brought tn,
water, Don't give him TOO much a
first"
With a lighter step he walked aft, an,
climbed the brass bound companion lad