The Kidnapping of Peter Cray

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVIII. THE SCRAP OF NEWSPAPER. THE supply of young cocoanuts and ripe bananas left on board the Amy E. Cook by the natives was not very great in quantity, for the savages, finding that they were to get no "trade" in return, had left very little behind them; nevertheless, what they had considered too insignificant in value to throw back into their canoes or cast into the sea was sufficient in itself to serve the few hungry voyagers who remained on board until they should receive a fuller supply from Dick Morgan's store. When the whaleboat and its six occupants had left, Corton and Peter made a rapid survey of the ship's upper decks. Everything that they saw gave evidence of disorder and neglect. Eopes and tackle were left lying about untidy. The decks were greasy with trampled blubber, which provided food for the rats and monstrous cockroaches and flies. The harpoons were coated with rust, the brass work was unpolished, and the paint was blistered. Corton, with his seaman's training in order and discipline, went about swearing audibly at these signs of negligence. "Ye may weel use bad language, Chairlie," said Sinclair as he came upon him abaft the try-works, where five Kanaka seamen sat in a circle feasting on bananas and the milk of cocoanuts. "But you'll bear in mind that the barque has been at sea for three or four years. For the past six months she has been out of sight of land, cruising after sperm whale under the scorching sun of the Line. Go below and take a look round, and you'll find that there's not a scrap of food aboard but salt-horse and grubby sea-biscuit, nor a drop of water forbye what's in the bilge. When Greg Ford, as they call him, told you just now that his crew were ill with the measles he told you but half...