A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 149: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

146 A QUEER RACE, best, and we can die but once. We cannot escape our destiny.” This answer, spoken with measured gravity, surprised me exceedingly. Never before had I heard Mab mention religion. I had thought her practically a pagan, though she did go to church sometimes. «‘Wecannot escape our destiny,” she repeated. ** Still, I like not to yield without a struggle. It is our duty to live as long as we can. Must we drift helplessly on? Can you think of no expedient? ‘There is surely an anchor?” 3 ‘‘Of course there is. What anass lam! Why didn’t I think of that before? But I told you I was no seaman. Yes, we will let go the anchor—il we can—and puta light in the mizzen-top, and then, when the boat comes, it may perhaps be seen, and ourselves rescued.” But the idea was much more easily conceived than Gar- ried out. <A light was indispensable, and after several unsuccessful attempts to obtain one from a match, we were compelled to go into the saloon, and there hght a lantern. Then, followed by Marian and Buttercup, we made our way forward with great difficulty, for the ship was rolling like a log, and the decks were wet and slip- pery with the whirling spray, which lashed our faces and impeded our progress. lt was an exciting moment; Mab clinging to the cap- stan and holding up the Jatern; Marian and the boy cow- ering behind a coil of ropes; myself, maul in hand, groping for the pin by which the chain is fastened to the ring of the anchor. After a good deal of hammering—for I made several bad shots—I succeeded, though more by good luck than address. ‘T'he anchor dropped into the sea, and the huge cable flew through the hawse-hole in a sheet of flame. What with the wind and tide, the ship had a good deal of way on her; and when the anchor took ground, she brought to with a shock that shook her like a leaf, dashed the lantern from Mab’s hand, and sent me sprawling into the scupper. We had to find our way aft in the dark—no easy task, for the force of the wind increased every minute, and the ship heaved and rolled viciously. ‘Can’ we do anything more?” asked Mab, when we ae! Eeom C JOO SH (E(O)