Year: 1874

| Iolilu securely tlen SllnSluS couple .
heavy shot to it, we put it overheard quiet
ly-feeling like murderers all the time.


But when it was done, | felt wonderfully
relieved in my mind AS for its being the
| cholera the man had died of, | wouldn'
| believe a word OF it. No; the man ha(
| been drinking heavily on shore, and haC
| died from the effects of his own folly. He
wasn't bit to be pitied and it wouC
have been monstrous if the whole ship:
crew had been made to suffer tor him. As
the thing was to happen, it had happened
very luckily.


As soon as it was daylight, we made uE
the river to Galatz, which is pleasant
town upon a steep hill. overlooking the
river Before we reached the port, how
ever, we Were boarded by health officer
a Greek in red fez cap and shabby
irock-coat, with a gilt sash round his
waist. lie made a great fuss because we
hadn't got pr0taqne at Sulina; but as we
had q clean bill of health, and there was
no sickness on board, he didn't seem in
clned to be hard upon us. A little conf
dental talk in my cabin, and | didn't
doubt but that all difficulties would vanish
SIN, there We're few formal questions to
answer; and as l was always a conscien-
tioua man, and hated living from the bot
sWer them. His cabin was on deck, op-
posite TO the house where the man had
died; and as he didn't answer me,
opened his door to see if he We're within,
the Greek just behind me-


He was lying there, with Just the same
pallid death-like tace as the poor Italian ~
his eyes staring wide, his forehead cover
ed with beads Of perspiration. breathing
slowly and painfully ! staggered back
horrorstruck The Greek ran hastily
across the deck, and descended into his
boat, which pushed away from our side,


and rowed rapidly ashore Meantime, we
We're forging slowly ahead, till we were
nearly opposite the town, when gun from
a battery that commanded the river warn
ed us to stop.


Then made up my mind that | would
carry out my first intenton-drop down
the river, and put out to sea but we drift
ed slowly doWnWards, another gun from
the opposite side rOared out at us | did
not take any notice; and seeing this, the
battery fired shot at US. which went over
our heads, and brought down some of our
running rigging As | saw they would
sink Us at the next shot, ! gave in at this,
and dropped anchor.


Presently the Greek came out again
with orders to me to follow his boat into
Il branch Of the river, which forks into two
or three channels below Galatz, and this
| was obliged to do. This seemed to be a
sort OF back water, that wound in and out
among islands and banks Of reeds and bull
rushes, a swampy, desolate country, that
made one wretched to look at. And here,
in a creek shat opened out OF the main
channel. | was forced to lay up my ship.


That night Sims died, and the engineer
and two Of the crew were seized with the
pestilence ] was up all night, doing the
best | could for them; when morning
broke | found that the rest of the crew had
deserted they knew the country, it seem
ed; and | didn't blame them for leaving
this pest-ship | never shall forget the
horrors of that dismal creek. There was
just the cabin boy to help me to look after
these sick men. and he was frightened out
Of his life and could hardly crawl about
The two foreigners soon succumbed to the
disease. but the engineer made a stout
fight for his life | think he might have
rEe,Vtrtu u44.t~- l. .sL'Iv IL CUM
stances; but the miasma Of that deathful
creek seemed to lower all the vital powers
and gave the poor fellow no chance OF re-
coyery At last, quite sensible and com
posed, after giving me his final advice as
to the care OF the engines during the en-
suing winter, and sending a few fond mes
sages to his wife and BARNS, III case
shoald have the good fortune to reach
home, he expired ...
During this time had made several at
temps to communicate with the town, and
obtain medical assistance and comforts tol
| the sick But all in vain. A picket OF
! soldiers was posted on the narrow PENN
sula that formed the only connection with
| the mainland, and a chain had been drawn
across the channel by which we had Ell
tered, to prevent our communicating with
the town by water If attempted to ap
! proach the sentries they menanced me
| ing their warnings, they blazed away al
me recklessly


| Thus thrown entirely upon my own re
sources, | was forced to dispose OF tho
bodies of my late comrades by throwing
them overheard into the river The cur
rent washed them slowly away from me


but for long afterwards l could see the
yultures lowering about the windings o
the stream, and quarreling for places or
their floating banquets. All this time
seemed to live charmed life. / wasnN
afraid of the cholera, although | expected
to share the fate OF my shipmates. lndeec
| was rather anXious to have an end made
to il all What | feared most was, that
should be left with no one to moisten my
lips in my last agony, OF to close my eyes
when | was dead


The cabin-boy was the only soul lett me
and he, I could see, was rapidly pining
away. He didn't take the cholera. but {
kind Of low fever and ague came upon
him, and he lost strength day by day, SC
that at last | could hardly get him out o
| his bunk.


Winter came on very early that yeal
along the Black Sea coast. Our creek wa,
frozen up with thick ice, and marshes
about became passable Snow fell, toe
and everything assumed a white, wan as
pect / did what | could to preserve the
ship against the weather. | batteneC
down the tore-hatch and engine hatch
after giving all the delicate parts of the
engine plenteous coating of oil, riggee
up my stove in my cabin with an iron pipe
through the poop-deck, and with kettle
of pitch, calked as well as | could the
seams OF the planks above me, But die
all these things in halt-hearted, mechan
ical way, not thinking that they could dc
any good to me or anybody else


Great hocks of birds now made their ap-
pearance-teal, widgeon and wild duck
and it occurred to me one day that woulc
ttke one of the ships muskets and try tc
shoot some. Perhaps, if | could get some
fresh meat for the boy, and make hin
some strong appetizing soup, be nigh
take turn and gain his strength again
! This exercise and the excitement OF the
sport aroused me little, and took me ou1
Of myself and my own mortal thoughts
| managed to bag couple Of snipe anc
three OF four wild ducks, and made my
way back to the ship feeling quite prouc
OF my success. | had told the lad to keeE
up a good fire in the stove, thinking tha
| mig hit have some luck, and that if so we
would have a bit OF a feast when ! re
| iuiHou'