In Search of an Unknown Race — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

VAN, 15 think these a very fair average as sailors go nowadays. And in my way of thinking,” he added, lowering his voice a little, ‘‘ the good-looking chap is the worst-look- ing—there’s an evil spirit in his eye as big as the ship’s dog, to use a sailorism.” After a little further conversation Van went below for his first ‘‘ four hours in,” thus alternating with Captain Peterson through the twenty-four. Now this is not a sea story, the voyage of the Rattler being simply one of the links in the marvelous chain of experiences which Vance Briscoe was destined to meet. So it will be sufficient for me to say that with the usual alternations of storm and calm, fair winds and foul, the Rattler plowed steadily onward toward her destination. About ten o’clock in the evening of the twenty-ninth day out from Boston, the strong breeze which had followed the schooner for most of the voyage, suddenly | died out, leaving her becalmed almost exactly on the imaginary line known as the equator, some fifty miles from the mouth of the River Para. But the important events which transpired while the schooner lay thus motionless, must be left for another chapter. EOmicboo ‘S (G(0)