Year: 1868

WHILST DROWNING,
!, An Episode in a Seaman's Life.


For some days her m ajesty's ole
ifrigate, the Nonpareil, had been bat


tered about by one of those tremen
dous cyclones that are so frequent in
the Indian Ocean at the change Of
the Monsoon. However, by knowl


ledge Of the law of storms, we were


Enabled eventually to sail out of it,


and get once more into fine weather.


II was just at this time that the


man at the masthead reported 8


wreck in sight. Having made sail


and altered the course SO as to bear


down upon her, it was not long before


we were near enough to lower a boat


for the purpose of boarding her


For this purpose / was selected, and


q difficult matter it was.


The dismasted wreck, which ap-
peared to have been bark, was roll
ing frightfully by reason of her hav-
ing no sails to steady her. Conse.
quently, it was not without great
difficulty and much risk of being
swamped that we were enabled to
get on board of her at all. Once
there, it was q hard matter to keep
ones footing. 1t was q dismal sight.
Her decks had been swept by the
sea, her boats were gone, and she
had a desperate hole in her side,
made by the falling masts. Here
and there, still hanging to the tangled
wreck of rigging which yet encum-
bered the tempest tossed hull, fut-
tered long strips of strong canvas.
These strips, or shreds, many of them
lashed by the fury of the winds into
hard, incomprehensible knots, were
all that now remained of those good
stout sails of hers that had stood |
through many an Atlantic gale.


Towing in the sea from her star
board quarter was that which told q |
sadder tale. 1t was that which told |
a sadder tale. 1t was the bow of
boat, the rest stove in and battered |
to pieces. Possibly she had been |
crushed by some towering sea before,
with her living freight, she could get
clear of the ships side. At all events !
her destruction must have lessened |
the chances of escape left to the crew,
for merchantmen are never adequa-
tely supplied with boats.


The whole of the vessels bulwarks |
had been swept away, and every sea
now washed in at one side, across
the deck in torrents, and out az the
other, with each alternate roll.


She was leaking very much, and
the leak being just at the water line,
as she sank deeper in the water she
filled more and more rapidly. 1t was
evident that she was settling down
fast, and it was quite uncertain ut
what moment she might sink. Being
unwilling to risk the lives OF my men,
1 sent them back into their boat,
with orders to keep as near the vessel
as possible, while I continued the
search for any Of the passengers or
crew who might have been left on
board.


On entering the saloon l was
nearly overpOwered by the fumes
arising from headless cask Of rum
that stood in the doorway. From this
it was clear that the cowardly crew.
in their fierce despair, had broken
through all restraint, and, like so
many other undisciplined men in
similar situations, had sought cour-
age in drinking savagely.


But this was not the worst feature
in the case. At the end ofthe saloon
l observed an old man sitting appar-
emily fast asleep, his face buried in
his arms as they rested on the table.
/ hastened to awake him, and shook
him by the shoulder; but he gave no
signs of life / then lifted up his
head, cold to my touch, and turned
his face to the light. Heavens, what
a sight The blood-shot eyes met
mine with a dull CLASSY stare his
face, pale and wan, was fearfully
emaciateG, and from his mouth pro-
truded black, shrivelled-up tongue.
He was dead-stone dead.


His must have been fearful death,
caused by starvation and thirst. ~
Starvation? Was not the floor
strewn with biscuits and tins of pre-
served meats thrown here and there,
in the haste and confusion of stock
ing the boats prior to the hurried
abandonment Of the vessel2 On q
swinging tray, not two yards from
his head, there yet remained, un-
touched, clear glass jug of bright
cool water, and decanter full of red
wine. How, then, was thirst posi-
BILE? Yet nothing but the bitter
agony Of thirst could so have parch-
ed that tongue. Nought butts the
cruel pangs and cravings of untatis-
fed hunger could thus thus have
withered that once strong, handsome
face, and turned that thick young
hair to the snowy whiteness of age.


But how, how could these things
bs2


The mystery was soon solved
Looking down at his wrists, 1 per-
ceived from under the sleeves Of his
pilot-cloth jacket the bright steel
rims OF a pair Of handouts. The
short chain connecting them was
fastened down to the table by stout
iron staple driven through and
clenched on the other side. His
feet were similarly secured to the
deck.


This, then, was doubtless the


iendish work of his drunken and
mutinous crew; for, to all appear
ance. he was the captain. He prob. |