The San Francisco call., 1913-08-03


maybe, and nigh swamped. OF course,
we cant tell till he gets his senses
and lets us know"
Though this put the matter in new
light, 1t did not by any means relieve
my anxiety; and asked Macleod to
have a sharp watch kept on the fell
low. took care, too. to caution him
to make no mention Of the affair In
the presence of Cameron.
1t was not until after dinner that
evening that found opportunity again
to question the captain. | came upon
him in his stateroom, a comfortably
commodious cabin, far forward on the
upper deck. On his table was spread a
chart. over which he was bending
when | entered A briarwood was
gripped firmly between his teeth and
the grateful odor of clean pipe smoke
greeted me as l entered.
He's coming around, Mr.. Clyde he
informed me. "and I'm just trying to
check up some OF his statements by
means OF this chart here and our
weather record
And how do they check SO far?" !
asked, little obviously.
Quite to 4 dot. SIR was his an
swer. There's no breakdown any
where sosf far. According to his story.
he sailed out OF Gloucester harbor on
Monday morning. His names Peter
johnson, and he lives In East Glouces-
ter. He says the wind was strong from
the westward, and he made the banks
all right without mishap But about
noon the wind died. and thick fog
came in from the northeast, chill and
sopping sir. He kept moving about,
and finally in the thick of it lost his
bearings. 1t had clouded over and
after a little 1t began to rain. He made
4 try for Gloucester harbor. but must
have sailed southeast instead OF north
west. Then the night came down, and
the fog was like dozen blankets, he
says. His food was gone and most Of
his water, but he said he'd seen worse
than that many time, and just
prayed for the fog to lift and give him
q sight of the stars. And the next
thing that happened was what | sus-
pected, sir. He heard a steamers
whistle He had his sheet out and was
running before the wind and that
steamer coming upon him out Of the
fog caught his boom. ripped out his
mast and nearly capsized his dory
When she righted the steamers lights
were fading into the fog again. his
boat was half full of water and his
oars were washed away Well, sir, to
make a long story short, he must have
caught current that carried him we'll
out beyond Cape Cod, and then slowed
him around the souther'most end OF
Nantucket island. | questioned him
about lights and fog signals. and maxi
Ing due allowance for his condition.
his yarn works out pretty straight.
He'd been drifting about for three days
when we picked him up and was half
dead Of thirst and hunger. But he's
come around better than might be ex-
pected. and
And then I interrupted him.
Three days without water" ques-
tionef*.
And without food. Yes, SIR
When did he tell you this story
About o'clock. SIR
Gould a starving man recover that
quickly?"
..He might. sir" Macleod answered.
The average healthy man can 90 10
days without food or drink"
What have you done with him?"
Hes In the seaman's quarters,
for'ard. SIR"
"Ses that he's kept there. Mr.. Mac
Leod," | told him. I'D feel better II
you put watch on him tonight. To-
morrow we'll run In to Gloucester and
look up his people and friends.
Very good. SIR"
Thank you.'
| thought Of having look at Peter
Johnson myself. but on second thought
decided to wait until morning. 1t
seemed silly to suspect this seemingly
honest but unfortunate fisherman.
We had not been speeding SO we'll
during the afternoon. At 10 o'clock
that night, when the moon went down.
we were somewhere east Of Nam
tucket, and directly in the path OF the
transatlantic liners.
The night wss balmy as 3 night in
spring time, and Cameron and In
light oyercoats sat on the afterdeck.
watching the moon slide slowly below
the dark horizon line. Our chairs
we're close together. facing the lee
rail: his the farther astern. We talked
Of many things, remember. But the
subject which then interested me most,