The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, and Other Stories
day the sea has been very high, and it is a wonder that we are not
swamped. Heaven grant that it may go down this evening! Our
suspense and condition are getting terrible. I managed this
morning to crawl, more than step, to the forward end of the boat,
and was surprised to find that I was so weak, especially in the
legs and knees. The sun has been out again, and I have dried some
things, and hope for a better night.
June 4. Latitude 17 degrees 6 minutes, longitude 131 degrees 30
minutes. Shipped hardly any seas last night, and to-day the sea has
gone down somewhat, although it is still too high for comfort, as we
have an occasional reminder that water is wet. The sun has been out
all day, and so we have had a good drying. I have been trying for
the last ten or twelve days to get a pair of drawers dry enough to
put on, and to-day at last succeeded. I mention this to show the
state in which we have lived. If our chronometer is anywhere near
right, we ought to see the American Isles to-morrow or next day. If
there are not there, we have only the chance, for a few days, of a
stray ship, for we cannot eke out the provisions more than five or
six days longer, and our strength is failing very fast. I was much
surprised to-day to note how my legs have wasted away above my
knees: they are hardly thicker than my upper arm used to be. Still,
I trust in God's infinite mercy, and feel sure he will do what is
best for us. To survive, as we have done, thirty-two days in an
open boat, with only about ten days' fair provisions for thirty-one
men in the first place, and these divided twice subsequently, is
more than mere unassisted HUMAN art and strength could have
accomplished and endured.
Bread and raisins all gone.--Captain's Log.
Men growing dreadfully discontented, and awful grumbling and
unpleasant talk is arising. God save us from all strife of men; and
if we must die now, take us himself, and not embitter our bitter
death still more.--Henry's Log.
June 5. Quiet night and pretty comfortable day, though our sail
and block show signs of failing, and need taking down--which
latter is something of a job, as it requires the climbing of the
mast. We also had news from forward, there being discontent and
some threatening complaints of unfair allowances, etc., all as
unreasonable as foolish; still, these things bid us be on our
guard. I am getting miserably weak, but try to keep up the best I
can. If we cannot find those isles we can only try to make
north-west and get in the track of Sandwich Island-bound vessels,
living as best we can in the meantime. To-day we changed to one
meal, and that at about noon, with a small ration or water at 8 or
9 A.M., another at 12 A.M., and a third at 5 or 6 P.M.
Nothing left but a little piece of ham and a gill of water, all
around.--Captain's Log.
They are down to one meal a day now--such as it is--and fifteen hundred
miles to crawl yet! And now the horrors deepen, and, though they escaped
actual mutiny, the attitude of the men became alarming. Now we seem
to see why that curious incident happened, so long ago; I mean Cox's
return, after he had been far away and out of sight several days in the
chief mate's boat. If he had not come back the captain and the two
young passengers might have been slain, now, by these sailors, who were
becoming crazed through their sufferings.
NOTE SECRETLY PASSED BY HENRY TO HIS BROTHER:
Cox told me last night that there is getting to be a good deal of
ugly talk among the men against the captain and us aft. They say
that the captain is the cause of all; that he did not try to save
the ship at all, nor to get provisions, and that even would not let
the men put in some they had; and that partiality is shown us in
apportioning our rations aft.... asked Cox the other day if he
would starve first or eat human flesh. Cox answered he would
starve.... then told him he would only be killing himself. If we
do not find those islands we would do well to prepare for anything.
.... is the loudest of all.
REPLY:
We can depend on... I think, and... and Cox, can we not?
SECOND NOTE:
I guess so, and very likely on...; but there is no telling... and
Cox are certain. There is nothing definite said or hinted as yet,
as I understand Cox; but starving men are the same as maniacs. It
would be well to keep a watch on your pistol, so as to have it and
the cartridges safe from theft.
Henry's Log, June 5. Dreadful forebodings. God spare us from all
such horrors! Some of the men getting to talk a good deal. Nothing
to write down. Heart very sad.
Henry's Log, June 6. Passed some sea-weed and something that looked
like the trunk of an old tree, but no birds; beginning to be afraid
islands not there. To-day it was said to the captain, in the
hearing of all, that some of the men would not shrink, when a man
was dead, from using the flesh, though they would not kill.
Horrible! God give us all full use of our reason, and spare us from
such things! 'From plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and
murder, and from sudden death, good Lord, deliver us!'
June 6. Latitude 16 degrees 30 minutes, longitude (chron.) 134
degrees. Dry night and wind steady enough to require no change in
sail; but this A.M. an attempt to lower it proved abortive. First
the third mate tried and got up to the block, and fastened a
temporary arrangement to reeve the halyards through, but had to
come down, weak and almost fainting, before finishing; then Joe
tried, and after twice ascending, fixed it and brought down the
block; but it was very exhausting work, and afterward he was good
for nothing all day. The clue-iron which we are trying to make
serve for the broken block works, however, very indifferently, and
will, I am afraid, soon cut the rope. It is very necessary to get
everything connected with the sail in good easy running order
before we get too weak to do anything with it.
Only three meals left.--Captain's Log.
June 7. Latitude 16 degrees 35 minutes N., longitude 136 degrees
30 minutes W. Night wet and uncomfortable. To-day shows us pretty
conclusively that the American Isles are not there, though we have
had some signs that looked like them. At noon we decided to
abandon looking any farther for them, and to-night haul a little
more northerly, so as to get in the way of Sandwich Island
vessels, which fortunately come down pretty well this way--say to
latitude 19 degrees to 20 degrees to get the benefit of the
trade-winds. Of course all the westing we have made is gain, and I
hope the chronometer is wrong in our favour, for I do not see how
any such delicate instrument can keep good time with the constant
jarring and thumping we get from the sea. With the strong trade we
have, I hope that a week from Sunday will put us in sight of the
Sandwich Islands, if we are not safe by that time by being picked
up.
It is twelve hundred miles to the Sandwich Islands; the provisions are
virtually exhausted, but not the perishing diarist's pluck.
June 8. My cough troubled me a good deal last night, and therefore
I got hardly any sleep at all. Still, I make out pretty well, and
should not complain. Yesterday the third mate mended the block,
and this P.M. the sail, after some difficulty, was got down, and
Harry got to the top of the mast and rove the halyards through
after some hardship, so that it now works easy and well. This
getting up the mast is no easy matter at any time with the sea we
have, and is very exhausting in our present state. We could only
reward Harry by an extra ration of water. We have made good time
and course to-day. Heading her up, however, makes the boat ship
seas and keeps us all wet; however, it cannot be helped. Writing
is a rather precarious thing these times. Our meal to-day for the
fifteen consists of half a can of 'soup and boullie'; the other
half is reserved for to-morrow. Henry still keeps up grandly, and
is a great favourite. God grant he may be spared.
A better feeling prevails among the men.--Captain's Log.
June 9. Latitude 17 degrees 53 minutes. Finished to-day, I may
say, our whole stack of provisions.(2) We have only left a lower
end of a ham-bone, with some of the outer rind and skin on. In
regard to the water, however, I think we have got ten days' supply
at our present rate of allowance. This, with what nourishment we
can get from boot-legs and such chewable matter, we hope will
enable us to weather it out till we get to the Sandwich Islands,
or, sailing in the meantime in the track of vessels thither bound,
be picked up. My hope is in the latter, for in all human
probability I cannot stand the other. Still, we have been
marvellously protected, and God, I hope, will preserve us all in
His own good time and way. The men are getting weaker, but are
still quiet and orderly.
Sunday, June 10. Latitude 18 degrees 40 minutes, longitude 142
degrees 34 minutes. A pretty good night last night, with some
wettings, and again another beautiful Sunday. I cannot but think
how we should all enjoy it at home, and what a contrast is here!
How terrible their suspense must begin to be! God grant that it
may be relieved before very long, and He certainly seems to be
with us in everything we do, and has preserved this boat
miraculously; for since we left the ship we have sailed
considerably over three thousand miles, which, taking into
consideration our meagre stock of provisions, is almost
unprecedented. As yet I do not feel the stint of food so much as I
do that of water. Even Henry, who is naturally a good
water-drinker, can save half of his allowance from time to time,
when I cannot. My diseased throat may have something to do with
that, however.
Nothing is now left which by any flattery can be called food. But they
must manage somehow for five days more, for at noon they have still
eight hundred miles to go. It is a race for life now.
This is no time for comments or other interruptions from me--every
moment is valuable. I will take up the boy brother's diary at this
point, and clear the seas before it and let it fly.
HENRY FERGUSON'S LOG:
Sunday, June 10. Our ham-bone has given us a taste of food to-day,
and we have got left a little meat and the remainder of the bone for
tomorrow. Certainly, never was there such a sweet knuckle-one, or
one that was so thoroughly appreciated.... I do not know that I
feel any worse than I did last Sunday, notwithstanding the reduction
of diet; and I trust that we may all have strength given us to
sustain the sufferings and hardships of the coming week. We
estimate that we are within seven hundred miles of the Sandwich
Islands, and that our average, daily, is somewhat over a hundred
miles, so that our hopes have some foundation in reason. Heaven
send we may all live to see land!
June 11. Ate the meat and rind of our ham-bone, and have the bone
and the greasy cloth from around the ham left to eat to-morrow. God