FEVER ON BOARD. Al

were in search of; but two weeks passed by, and
still a considerable number of our casks remained
unfilled. Fever too had broken out on board.
Three of our men were down with it, and day after
day others were added to the number. The two
first seized died, and we took them on shore to be
buried. This had a depressing effect on the rest.

When we returned on board we found that a
third was nearly at his last gasp. Poor fellow,
the look of despair and horror on his countenance
I can never forget. ‘Harry,’ he exclaimed, seiz-
ing my hand as I went to him with a cup of cool-
ing drink, ‘I am not fit to die, can no one do any
thing for me? I dare not die, can’t some of those
black fellows on shore try to bring me through—
they ought to know how to man handle this
fever.’

‘JT am afraid that they are but bad doctors, Bob,’
I answered, ‘however, take this cooling stuff it
may perhaps do you good.’ ‘A river of it wont
cool the burning within me,’ he gasped out. ‘Ob
Harry, and if I die now, that burning will last for
ever and ever. I would give all my wages, and
ten times as much, for a few days of life. Harry,
I once was taught to say my prayers, but I have