Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-24
RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH SATURDAY, NOVEMBER a. 1917


and we could only breathe by wrap
ping big handkcrchiefs around our
stantly blowing. and guano was even
| in our food.
We Break for Freedom.
Then. coming back, we touched Mt
Valparaiso. Chile. TO me. death seem
| cd easier than rhe homeward- bound
voyage. so ono night Bill and | slid
| down the anchor chain and swan to
"bu,nboat' lying near US. we gave
/ tho Chileno 81 to row us ashore. lie
| did SO. Dripping wet. we crnwled up
| onto tho stone quay and made tracks
| for the town We found that tho dock
was Enclosed by tall iron fence. At
the gate were two customs officers
who immediately put US under arrest.
| Bill and had $40 in gold between
us. and. as Is usual In South America.
1t was Il simple matter to brlbs tho
customs officials to let US through. This
cost US half OF our fortune. but we
did not care. Freedom was worth all
of It, We were well into the town
and feeling secure when we were held
up by Chilean gcndarme. who lools-
! cd like walking arsenal. This cost
us Sc more for our freedom. He left
us In n hurry and vert around tho
| block. We had walked about I've min
utes when. bang: another gnndarmc
| This cost US 81. After leaving him
wo were more cautious. hiding our re-
naming money in my shoe. Again we
were arrested. We said we had no
money. and were hailed into The pres
ence Of the "con,mandartc of police"
He had lis medals on his chest and
/ 1000 yards of gold braid OH his col
lar and cuffs. He had US searched, but
did not find the money. Very much
| disappointed. In broken English he IN
| formed US that our ship was to sail
| at o'clock The next morning. and
| that If he found us in Valparaiso we
would be sent to the mines.
Shivcring and trembling. we wendell
! our way back to the dock and hurried
around for a boatman. Bribing hir,
with our remaining money. he at last
| brought US alongside. just before the
ganEplank was lifted. The black SMOKE
wa* pouring from the single funnel
! OF the Cushko Then we went be-
| fore the captain. and he logged" us
ten pounds $500 each.
On our homeward- bound passage w.
went around the Horn and ran into
n gale. The bosn mutinied. Old One.
eyed Gibson" came behind him and laid
him low with 4 marlinspike. Then.
carrying him Rmidships. he chained
him to the iron steps leading 20 the
bridge. He remained this way for p
day and half. exposed 20 cold and
! icy wind Strict orders were passed
| through tho ship that no one VAS to
approach him. That night. under cove
of darkness. Bill and sneaked him
steaming pot Of stew and some hot
| coffee. II he had lived. we would.
through this one action, have gained
true friend for life. From exposure
| he contracted pneumonia and died. He
! was buried at sea. The carpenter sew
! ed him In a sack and tying m old
iron wheel to his feet. placed him on
! Il plank. and while the captain rend
rough burial service the plank was
tilted. and the body of the bos'n went
down to rest in Davy Joncs's locker.
| The first port we touched at, the
! consnl's flag was hosted at the fore
mast. and bleary-eyed. half-drunken
little old man came on board md WAS
| closeted with the captain for about an
hour. When he came out lie was stag
gering. and his eyes, II possible. were
more bleary. The captain lined the
crew up, and the consul, in thick
and suffering voice. asked the crew
| IL tho bos'n had died from natural
causes. Ninety per cent of the men
could not understand what he snid.
and silence prevailed. AT sea. silence
means consent. butted in and said
NO" | was standing next to the
mate. felt that goriiia-like hand OF
| his plnching the back of my neck. and
nearly tainted. Then the consul went
over the side into his boat. and was
soon pulling for the shore. We lifted
| anchor and tho port was left behind
| Out of Frcah Water.
Halfway up the coast we ran out
| of fresh water. and had TO drink con-
densed water from old squeaky
| condcnsing engine. 1t was brackish
and sickeninE. ] would have sold my
| soul for one drink OF clear, cold water.
| water.
Monday became tyrannical and un-
bcarnble. and 1t was up to Bill and. me
to devise some scheme to keep him in
| check.
Through listening to Mondays stories,
knew that he was very superstitious
and believed in magic. or "zobi." as
| he called it.
Bill told him that my father in
America was great medicine man
and that l was gifted with magic.
While loading guano at Lobas. the
fourth engineer had gone on shoot
ing "trip and killed several huge peli-
| cans. He skinned these and gave mo
| one OF the skins. Bill and l worked
scheme. That morning n little black
| bird fell on the deck. and j picked 1t
up and took it to my glory hole. 1t
was in dying condition. ! told Bill
that that night about 10 o'clock
| would go aft on the poop deck with the
peiican's skin down my back. and.
with my face smeared with black,
| would do mystic dance. lie was
10 take Monday and hide behind the
rentilator and while was doing my
Renew health