Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-06
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JULY s. 1913

ZlgZag track we had made, and OF which l
had kept account on two log states.
Before | was half through | stood back
and gasped. Then, carefully verifying my
work. finished the job, ruling down on the
chart the ships drift, and marking the turn
ing points, with the final position at the
last entry, at one o'clock of that morning.
And when | had conscientiously obeyed the
Captains injunction to be sure of the date, |
locked both log states and the logbook in
my trunk, and sat down upon it, smiling at
first. then laughing silently but joyously.
Then | turned in, and enjoyed about an
hour of sound sleep.
wanted chronometer sights for longitude
and meridian observation at noon for lati-
tude, and was glad that Captain Pritchard,
sound asleep in his berth, still left this work
to me- | had my own chronometer, and
brought it on deck waiting for the sun to
| show through the gradually breaking storm
clouds to the eastward. At last | got my
two observations and time of each, worked
out the longitude, and was equally lucky at
| midday. l secured good sight, and found
the latitude. Then pricked off the position
| on the chart, worked back to the last posi-
ton at one O'Clock, and was gratifed to find
that by dead reckoning alone had missed
by only few miles. This was satisfactory,
and | laughed again as locked up the chart
continued too heavy for bending canvas, Mr..
Breach was shaky and incompetent from
deprivation of his stimulant, and the Cap
tain still slept; SO it was eight o'clock that
evening before turned in for four hours of
sleep. With the exception of that one hour
i'll my berth had been awake for sixty-Seven
hours. But was happy.
"E bent canvas next day, and with a
fair and lessening wind stood away
on our course. Captain Pritchard still left
the navigation of the ship to me, and | was
satisfied, even though it cost me most of my
forenoon sleep. Only once-and it hap
pened at noon when / was writing up the
logbook from an old, cracked slate / had
substituted for the others-did he ask me
for the longitude. l cheerfully gave it to
him. and it lasted him until we picked up
Yangtze pilot and tug. Then navigation
ended. We towed up the broad muddy
river, through the cut at Wusung and up
to Shanghai, where, off the American quar-
ter, we dropped the anchor. This DONE l
dragged my1trunk, packed, locked, with the
logbook, log states, and chart within it, to
the deck, and hailed a sampan, which sculled
up to the gangway.
"What does this mean, Mr.. Starrett?"
asked the Captain, as lowered my trunk
down at the end of a rope. 3You are not
discharged. There is work to be done,-
canvas to unbend, cargo sings sent up,
matches to come off. You are not yet dis
charged
Twas discharged sometime ago, Captain"
| answered GAS for the work, do it your
self, or leave it to your other officers. / will
get my pay at the Consul's."
you'll get no pay! You are deserving"
Il have witness to my discharge, Sir"
He turned away, his face working, and
young Brand hurried up.
Cant go along, MIR. Starrett?" he asked.
mo, you stay here. I'll be back for YOU
As the second mate was now in his berth,
recuperating from his debauch, and the
third mate manifestly unacquainted with
cargo work, the Captain was forced to remain.
went to the Aston House with my trunk,
then to the American Consul with the chart
and logs. He was lawyer, he informed me,
and l had half hours conversation with
him, at the end of which l left the docu-
ments in his possession and returned to the
ship. AS reached the deck | found it de-
serted but for few men smoking near the
windlass. | climbed the poop steps and en-
tered my empty room. The second mate
was muttering in his berth opposite, and I
heard voices in the after cabin, the door of
which was open. One was the Captains,
mainly a chuckle; another was young