Межзвёздный скиталец

           ThatiswhatIwas—neitherofficernorgentleman,butsea-cuny,hard-worked,hard-bitten,hard-enduring.

           IwasofvaluetoRaaKook,hencehisroyalprotection.Icouldworkiniron,andourwreckedshiphadbroughtthefirstirontoRaaKook’sland.Onoccasion,tenleaguestothenorth-west,wewentincanoestogetironfromthewreck.Thehullhadslippedoffthereefandlayinfifteenfathoms.Andinfifteenfathomswebroughtuptheiron.Wonderfuldiversandworkersunderwaterwerethesenatives.Ilearnedtodomyfifteenfathoms,butnevercouldIequalthemintheirfishyexploits.Ontheland,byvirtueofmyEnglishtrainingandmystrength,Icouldthrowanyofthem.Also,Itaughtthemquarter-staff,untilthegamebecameaverycontagionandbrokenheadsanythingbutnovelties.

           Broughtupfromthewreckwasajournal,sotornandmushedandpulpedbythesea-water,withinksorunabout,thatscarcelyanyofitwasdecipherable.However,inthehopethatsomeantiquarianscholarmaybeabletoplacemoredefinitelythedateoftheeventsIshalldescribe,Iheregiveanextract.Thepeculiarspellingmaygivetheclue.Notethatwhilethelettersisused,itmorecommonlyisreplacedbytheletterf.

           Thewindbeingfavourable,gaveusanopportunityofexamininganddryingsomeofourprovifion,particularly,fomeChinefehamsanddryfilh,whichconftitutedpartofourvictualling.Divineservicealfowasperformedondeck.