The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-03-21
By Vaughan Hester


naught to give them but the tepid
water from the river, which was
hlled with green slime at low tide,
ard bitter with the taste OF salt when
the tide was at it's full.
After the long days came the long
er nights, without breath OF wind. a
hot moon that looked like FURNISHED
copper In the heavens, the booming
or frogs from the swamps, the dron-
Ing OF insects, and above all the
groaning Of the sick In every corner
OF the fort. And then when the
morning broke there were the rounds
to be made, when we went from tent
to tent, from hut to hut. TO drag forth
for burial those who had died over
night. We buried them In one cor
ner OF the fort without marking the
graves, lest the savages might learn
the number Of those that had per-
ished. Ere things came TO this pass.
Captain Gosnold died, to the great
sorrow of"us all, and we buried him
honorably. having all our ordnance
fired Off, together with many volleys
Of small shot.
John Smith was sick all through
August. He might perhaps have re.
covered q measure Of his strength
more speedily had he taken greater
care OF himself; but each time he got
q little the mastery Of hts disorder
his great energy and the need there
was caused him to Join w ut our
work of grave digging and guard
duty. the only two labors We were
now able to perform, being 80 sadly
n - ~
later would send him back to his
quarters and under the surgeons
care; yet such was his spirit that he
kept his bed never more than a day
or two at time; indeed, I know not
how much blood Master Walton took
from him In those weeks, but he
owned himself It was enough to
have killed q well man.
have said I was not sick that ter
rible summer, but to say I was who'll
ly we'll would be wide OF the mark,
and as / dragged myself about the
fort / was conscious of q growing
rage for our president, who had
taken such good care of himself that
the fever had passed him by to strike
down better men. In spite Of the dire
necessity, he kept so close a watch
on his private stores that no sick
man of the company benefited by
them, for he would neither give nor
sell; only Captain Kendall and some
few others no better than he got
taste OF them. Yet, as John Smith
truly said, II was no small dishonor
to be counted Wingfeld's friend. For
consider, with men dying all about
him from sheer starvation, this pre-
cious knave with his boon companions
could be heard carousing night after
night; wonder now that for very
madness we did not cut their threats
for them!
This while I had been thrown much
with the tall fellow Marshall. for he
was one OF those who succumbed
neither to the river water nor the
starving: but for all we toiled side
BY side, I could not say that had
made any progress toward better
acquaintance; he desired, and would
admit Of no intimacy, holding reso-
lutely aloof from IT, ! speculated
much concerning him, for It was plain
he was far above the rank In which
he served the Company; that despite
the evil fortune which had brought
him to his present pass, he was a
gentleman born and bred.
But though the fever had spared
him through the very hottest days OF
July and August, he at last fell q
victim to II. One morning early in
September, as was going about the
fort. was stopped by our surgeon.
Marshall has taken to his bed"
said he. "And just as ] would have
sworn We had reached the end OF the
fever"
had thought this. too. for there
had not been death In almost
week, and many Of the sick were con-
"I will see II he wants for aught."
I said, and turned back from the
gate.
Marshall's hut was hard by the
presidents quarters, but had never
set foot inside II. The door stood
open now, and pausing before 1t
saw that Marshall was stretched out
on his bed. AS my shadow fell across
his threshold he rose to his elbow.
"Oh, it's you, Farraday," he said
as he dropped back.
do you stand In any need?"
asked. entering the place.
II thank you, no." he answered CIV
lily, but briefly.
| marvelled at the great neatncss
of that small interior. The dirt
floor was nicely swept, and Marshall
had fashioned a bed for himself by
planting stout post near the centre
OF his hut. this gave support to two
poles reaching to chinks In the logs.
and upon this rude frame was
stretched heavy canvas; there was
also a stool that he had made, and a
table OF clapboards, and opposite his
bed stood his chest.
"You are well housed" said, for
the neatness of the place made 1t
wonderfully pleasant after the foul
novels in which most men were con-
tent to live: aye. and to die, too, for
the matter OF that.
"This kennel viii do till a better
offers" he said quietly, then after a
- al x.I. Inv