The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-09-26
Warned?
By RICHARD NlARkLEY

aailcr. | had no wireless apparatus:
Indeed, | didn't think needed one.
had been used to jogging across oceans
for many years without cnni,'Iim,"ut-
ing with any other ship or the land
and saw 10 reason to change my hah'
its.
There had been good deal OF sub,
| marine Work done in certain lO"aIlonS.
! but that had fallen Off very ccn&!drr'l
| bly,. Indeed. l took no t'"iElt Tor
| submarines, for they h" b2ru doing
| no damage on the route on which l
| proposed to sail So nftr" leaving New
|. York l settled down to my usual sea
| life, which has always been most to
my taste.
I took southern passage, Which
caused me to steer not far north OF
east for the grenter part Of my voy-
age. Being somewhat out of the line
Of vessels between the United States
| and England, | met only three o. four
ships going over, and they We're SO Tar
away that l did not speak to any OIL
| them. Had one come nearer or had
possessed a wireless apparatus l
should have learned what would have
put very different complexion on my
| voyage. Instead of taking things easy
| should have been in a condition OF
excruciating apprehension.
should have learned that the Ger
man government had laid down a zone
Of the ocean about the British isles
| into which If any ship sailed she would
be sent to the bottom by submarine.
All that was necessary was that the
submarine and the ship should come
within striking distance. Already a
large number of vessels had brevcd
, the danger, and many had been sunk.
Years ago l took with me a young
sailor, who remained with me as long
as he lived. Mark Stanford was his
name He was the most reliable man
in an emergency l ever knew. once
when the yards were covered with ice
and our safety depended on some one
going up to take in a sail called for
volunteer to do the job. Mark Stan
ford alone stepped to the front. There
were nine chances in ten that the
pitching and rolling of the vessel
would shake him off into the brine.
But he did the work and got down
safely.
From that time forward he was
privileged character aboard my ship.
He didn't think that lie had done any
thing very wonderful and couldn't un-
derstand why l was so grateful to
him. The consequence Of it all was
that he formed a very sincere attach
ment for me. l lost him in storm.
He was on the forecastle lowering
jib when we shipped All enormous sea.
1t took poor Mark overheard, and 1t
was impossible to save him.
One night on this trip l have been
telling about from New York 10 Liver
pool 1 woke up very suddenly, con-
scious of some appalling danger.
Now, I'm not going to say whether
l did wake up or was dreaming or
suffering from nightmare. What I'm
going to tell you is that l saw Mark
Stanford standing in my cabin. He
had the same raeness on him as When
I saw him in tn" water passing astern
the day he was carried over board.
Put her off to the BASTARD, cap
tain,' he said.
jumped out of my berth and reach
ed for my clothes, and wher l looked
again for Mark he wasn't there. ! sat
for a momenC on the edge or my berth
wondering Mark was dead. l rad
seen him in the water and knew thar
in such storm he couldn't he got OAt
OF the water. Moreover, il he had been
saved felt sure that he would hav"
surely rejoincd me. Nevertheless he
had appeared in my cabin and given
me what l felt sure was a warming
The feeling that we were in grave dam
ger held with me. and the warning l
had received remained nprermost III
my mind, observing everything else.
Stopping only to put on my trousers,
! ran on deck and, taking the wheel
out of the steersmun's hands. put the
ship Off to the eastward. The man
looked at me. wondering what had got
into me- And | couldn't explain II |
told him that dead man had appeared
in my cabin and given me warming l
would have been considered as having
lost my mind and unfit for command.
I told him that lie could go below and
| would take his place for the rest OF
the watch.
! kept on the changed course for
couple OF hours. VIXEN | resumed the
old one. BY this time day had dawn
ed. and l was hailed by traW'er that
ran close alongside and asked me IT /
had seen any Signs of Il submarine. /
said / hadn't. whereupoD he 'old me
that had had a lucky escape. 10:
there had been one not far from the
course was on when | vrcred TO he
east. Then learned for the first time
that had entered n prohibited war
zone. on which all ships were liable to
be tOrpcdocd by II submarine.
From this point | was given irStr'lc-
tinnS as to the safe course to take. and
until We made port l never left the
deck.
As to whether Mark Stanford came
back from the dead to warn me that
xvos Sniliuv oypr a course Oh which