The Martyr-Roll of Navigators

           ONthe31stofJanuary,fourdaysafterstarting,theMacquariehadnotdonetwo-thirdsofthedistancebetweenAustraliaandNewZealand.WillHalleytookverylittleheedtotheworkingoftheship;heletthingstaketheirchance.Heseldomshowedhimself,forwhichnoonewassorry.Noonewouldhavecomplainedifhehadpassedallhistimeinhiscabin,butforthefactthatthebrutalcaptainwaseverydayundertheinfluenceofginorbrandy.Hissailorswillinglyfollowedhisexample,andnoshipeversailedmoreentirelydependingonProvidencethantheMacquariedidfromTwofoldBay.

           ThisunpardonablecarelessnessobligedJohnManglestokeepawatchfuleyeeveropen.MulradyandWilsonmorethanoncebroughtroundthehelmwhensomecarelesssteeringthreatenedtothrowtheshiponherbeam-ends.OftenWillHalleywouldinterfereandabusethetwosailorswithavolleyofoaths.Thelatter,intheirimpatience,wouldhavelikednothingbetterthantobindthisdrunkencaptain,andlowerhimintothehold,fortherestofthevoyage.ButJohnManglessucceeded,aftersomepersuasion,incalmingtheirwell-groundedindignation.

           Still,thepositionofthingsfilledhimwithanxiety;but,forfearofalarmingGlenarvan,hespokeonlytoPaganelortheMajor.McNabbsrecommendedthesamecourseasMulradyandWilson.

           "Ifyouthinkitwouldbeforthegeneralgood,John,"saidMcNabbs,"youshouldnothesitatetotakethecommandofthevessel.

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