Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-27

scrupulous civility, his occasional pet
ting Of the cat, and his stern orders Il
the crew, in my hearing, to let the
animal alone. .-
And so, having for the first time II
my life, free access to liquor-un.
rebuked by Edwards, whom assumed
was drinking his share-I gradual!
Increased my sleeping draught until 4
was twice the size Of an ordinary
drink, though I was religiously care
full not to touch the stuff as an "eye
opener" on turning out for my watch
on deck, Thus, it merely gave m'
sound sleep, producing no other ef'
fects upon me than continuance Of
the illogical mind state have spoker
of. But the time came-about hall
way across-when the trades gave
way to calms, head winds, snow
squalls and gales Of wind that racked
and ripped our old gear and canvas
I suffered so from worry and fatigue
that I took a drink whenever was
near enough to the bottle. Still 1t did
not affect my efficiency when on deck;
I navigated, kept the log, oversaw
the crew in patching and repairing
but would go soundly asleep the min
ute after stretching out-often while
automatically stroking the cat.
But Tom, with the ingratitude OF
cats, deserted me soon, and I often
saw him asleep in Edwards berth
which possibly was softer than mine
AS long as he was being kindly treat
ed it did not matter, and, indeed,
now had serious troubles; I dropped
my sextant, smashing the horizon
glass, and unable to take sights OF
the sun, was compelled to rely upon
dead reckoning alone. This involved
my being on deck a great deal in my
watch below, keeping track Of the
course, speed and drift Of the old
craft, for plotting down on the chart
Edwards, too. had trouble on his
mind, and while he did not confide In
me, it was plain that he was worry
ing about his expiring insurance.; the
month was nearly gone.
However, a fair wind came at last,
and before it we scudded due west,
while it rose to q gale that demanded
the shortening Of sail, and then to q
hurricane that tore our remaining
canvas to ribbons. Edwards and
took turns at the wheel-for none Of
the coolies could be trusted-and II
was fatiguing work steering the light,
ballasted vessel uunder bare poles. She
was tossed about like an egg shell as
the huge combers crept up astern,
passed us and went on; but though
we yawed two points each side Of our
course, fortunately we shipped nc
water, and as 1t was dry, winter
storm, there was no rain. Then we
made landfall.
1t was at midday. I had been
wrenching my muscles all the fore
noon at the wheel while Edwards
slept, and when he came up after din
ner I called his attention to the thin
line of blue on the horizon ahead.
Its the coast Of Honshu," I said,
"but I don't know what part. I sug-
gest that we round to under a tarpau-
lin and ride it out until this goes
down, and we can ask of some fisher
men,"
"Or until we drift ashore and go to
pieces" he answered, taking the
spokes. go down and enter up your
log book. Enter that land we see, and
make sure Of the date. This is the
fourteenth Of December. There's
only one day left on the insurance"
"This is the fifteenth, according to
the log" 1 said. I'VE jumped day
in crossing the hundredth and eight
ieth meridian. The insurance ex-
pired this noon."
Its the fourteenth" he rejoined,
angrily. "I've got a calendar. I can
count days II I can't navigate. Rig
your tarpaulin and I'll bring her up
Then get your dinner and get what
sleep you can. We may have to de-
pend on the anchors"
It was his first departure from the
customary cool civility, and I did not
care to correct his mistake. In cross
ing that meridian from the east to the
west we had jumped a day to get into
the time east from Greenwich, but
could not have made him understand
It was his vessel, his risk, and his
foolishness in insisting on the month
ly, instead of the thirty day, clause ir
the policy which would have given
him the day that he counted on. How.
ever, I obeyed him; rigged the tar
paulin-a square patch Of canvas
in the port main rigging, and when
he had put the wheel down the pres.
sure Of wind upon 1t not only steadied
the craft, but kept her nose slightly
up to the seas, so that she bobbed uI
and down, merely drifting sidewise
about three miles an hour. This &C.
complished, I went down, entered VI
the log-being careful Of the date, as
instructed-and before sitting dowr
to the wretched dinner waiting fol
me, took a generous swig Of his grog
When had finished and opened my
door to turn in, Tom, who had beer
lying in my berth, sprang out Of the
room and into Edwards, no doubt tc
escape the chill draught from the
open deadlight-now on the weather
side This angered me the more.
closed the headlight, and before wedg.
ing my door partly open for ventila'
tion, recklessly took another drink Of
the rum, then turned in.
It was the last drink have evel
taken.
I wakened-or rather came to 6
half consciousness-with the crash
ing of riven timbers in my ears, the
waning light Of the afternoon stream
ing through the closed headlight, and
the pungent, poisonous smell Of ga.
in my nostrils. 1 was not breathing
but, with the exercise of all my
strength, managed to roll out Of my
berth to the floor. There the air wa!
O triha swaeter and after half in.