The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-01-07

Especially as the boat man made no
objection, for we always count his will
ingness to go as the most final assur-
ance of safety. The sea was like
glass. 1t sprinkled on US but the air
was so warm and balmy that We did
not mind. We had quantity of read
ing material and we occupied the af-
ternoon with that. There was not suf-
ficient wind to sail so the men roWed
all the way and we made fairly good
time. Gin Lai made US some fine COT
fee and concocted wonderful stew
which we enjoyed about $3.50. BY that
time the wind had come up so we were
making splendid progress. There is a
shallow place just at the entrance to
the bay where boats often have to an
Choir to wait for the incoming tide, but
we passed safely and thought we
would soon be at home. BY that time
it was raining quite hard, but We lay
down and covering up We're quite com
| fCrtable-at least we decided after
ward that we were, for there are GER
tainly degrees of discomfort. Per
haps we did not reach zero" that
night. but we certainly went lower in
the scale than had ever gone before.
All at once we We're struck by a ter
rife gale. 1t seemed the boat could
not possibly weather it. We tipped
and tipped till the boat was shipping
water. The waves dashed over until
we were drenched and the rain fell in
torrents. Though we were hardly con-
scious of anything but Singing with
might and main to the boat and to each
other. Then we had to tack. 1t
seemed bad enough when going
straight ahead toward land, but when
we had to turn and go out toward the
open sea it seemed dreary indeed. The
pilot certainly was skillful. He made
fine progress with every tack, and fin
ally we got opposite an island of white
sand. He seemed to think it possible
anchor there and he was willing. When
we were anchored and the immediate
danger was over we awoke to rcali-
cation of our true condition. We were
wet through and through and SILVER
ing until our teeth chartered. Our
first thought was to try to get on land,
no matter where, and try to find lit
tie shelter from the wind. but that
proved impracticable, SO we go down
into one of the compartments CT the
boat. about Axe feet in size. We had
our wet comforts ca under us, but
the luxury Of dry steamer rug over
us. After awhile got my head out
and braved the rain long enough to
find one of our lanterns, which lighted
and put under our rug gave us con-
once more comparatively comfortable,
but by and by the light went out and
we began to get cold again. Shortly
after midnight the tide had gone out
enough that we could effect landing
and we found that one could walk from
there to Tang Tan, distance Of four
miles, 1t was still raining, but we
thought we could keep warm walking
and we had no idea when the boat
might be able to go up as the wind
had not abated in the least.
| There were on our boat six or sew
en- men who had trans-shipped us in
mid channel. We were not at all
pleased when they did SO, but it turned
out that they were special prOvi-
dence to us. l must digress here to eX-
plain that our beautiful bay is not a
bay when the tide is out, but great
plain partly sand and partly mud.
When the tide is in it is dotted with
islands, which at low tide are but hills
rising above the level of the plain.
! When the tide is out one may go about
! ic1n hi Ity
means of roads used by the fisher
men in digging clans or gathe ring
oysters and other shell products. Al
ter walking about mile against the
wind which was proving eXhausting,
one of the men whose home was on
one of the islands, said there were two
sedan chairs in his village and that if
We would wait there in the shelter Of
a mass shoulders he would send the
chairs back for us. The rest of the
men were going to Tang Tan, so they
waited with us, as they did not know
the way in the dark and thought they
could follow our chairs. Well We
waited and waited and waited, but
neither man nor chairs ever turned
up. The men constituted themselves
q Sell dppOlllSu DOuy Sudlu duu uIu
everything in their power to make
us comfortable. Once l asked if it
would be possible to gather some
grass and build fire. One of the
men said, IF you want fire | will
plan it, He opened his knapsack
and drew out quantity of palm bark.
used in rope making. and sacrificed it
without moments hesitation. 1t
felt grateful, but it didn't last long.
They roasted" if you will pardon
the expression, the man who had gone
for the chairs "to finish" A man
who would leave six or seven people
there to perish with the cold, they
said, was vagabond and deserving
of nothing less than beating to death.
1t seemed morning would never come.
but it did at last. and off we started.
After one or two attempts we found
the fisherman's road. The water was
deep and the mud soft. but being tall,
managed quite easily. Miss Jones,
who is short and not good walker.
found it harder. We were both get
ting pretty tired when one Of the men
who had run ahead to the next stop