the jacket (the star-rover)- 第51部分

indispositions　due　to　the　foreignness　of　the　food　to　my　stomach；

which　had　learned　to　prosper　on　seal　meat　and　on　nothing　but　seal

meat。



Of　that　one　whale　I　preserved　a　full　year's　supply　of　provision。

Also；　under　the　sun's　rays；　in　the　rock　hollows；　I　tried　out　much　of

the　oil；　which；　with　the　addition　of　salt；　was　a　welcome　thing　in

which　to　dip　my　strips　of　seal…meat　whilst　dining。　　Out　of　my

precious　rags　of　shirts　I　could　even　have　contrived　a　wick；　so　that；

with　the　harpoon　for　steel　and　rock　for　flint；　I　might　have　had　a

light　at　night。　　But　it　was　a　vain　thing；　and　I　speedily　forwent　the

thought　of　it。　　I　had　no　need　for　light　when　God's　darkness

descended；　for　I　had　schooled　myself　to　sleep　from　sundown　to

sunrise；　winter　and　summer。



I；　Darrell　Standing；　cannot　refrain　from　breaking　in　on　this　recital

of　an　earlier　existence　in　order　to　note　a　conclusion　of　my　own。

Since　human　personality　is　a　growth；　a　sum　of　all　previous

existences　added　together；　what　possibility　was　there　for　Warden

Atherton　to　break　down　my　spirit　in　the　inquisition　of　solitary？　　I

am　life　that　survived；　a　structure　builded　up　through　the　ages　of

the　pastand　such　a　past！　　What　were　ten　days　and　nights　in　the

jacket　to　me？to　me；　who　had　once　been　Daniel　Foss；　and　for　eight

years　learned　patience　in　that　school　of　rocks　in　the　far　South

Ocean？





At　the　end　of　my　eighth　year　on　the　island　in　the　month　of

September；　when　I　had　just　sketched　most　ambitious　plans　to　raise　my

pyramid　to　sixty　feet　above　the　summit　of　the　island；　I　awoke　one

morning　to　stare　out　upon　a　ship　with　topsails　aback　and　nearly

within　hail。　　That　I　might　be　discovered；　I　swung　my　oar　in　the　air；

jumped　from　rock　to　rock；　and　was　guilty　of　all　manner　of

livelinesses　of　action；　until　I　could　see　the　officers　on　the

quarter…deck　looking　at　me　through　their　spyglasses。　　They　answered

by　pointing　to　the　extreme　westerly　end　of　the　island；　whither　I

hastened　and　discovered　their　boat　manned　by　half　a　dozen　men。　　It

seems；　as　I　was　to　learn　afterward；　the　ship　had　been　attracted　by

my　pyramid　and　had　altered　its　course　to　make　closer　examination　of

so　strange　a　structure　that　was　greater　of　height　than　the　wild

island　on　which　it　stood。



But　the　surf　proved　to　be　too　great　to　permit　the　boat　to　land　on　my

inhospitable　shore。　　After　divers　unsuccessful　attempts　they

signalled　me　that　they　must　return　to　the　ship。　　Conceive　my　despair

at　thus　being　unable　to　quit　the　desolate　island。　　I　seized　my　oar

（which　I　had　long　since　determined　to　present　to　the　Philadelphia

Museum　if　ever　I　were　preserved）　and　with　it　plunged　headlong　into

the　foaming　surf。　　Such　was　my　good　fortune；　and　my　strength　and

agility；　that　I　gained　the　boat。



I　cannot　refrain　from　telling　here　a　curious　incident。　　The　ship　had

by　this　time　drifted　so　far　away；　that　we　were　all　of　an　hour　in

getting　aboard。　　During　this　time　I　yielded　to　my　propensities　that

had　been　baffled　for　eight　long　years；　and　begged　of　the　second

mate；　who　steered；　a　piece　of　tobacco　to　chew。　　This　granted；　the

second　mate　also　proffered　me　his　pipe；　filled　with　prime　Virginia

leaf。　　Scarce　had　ten　minutes　passed　when　I　was　taken　violently

sick。　　The　reason　for　this　was　clear。　　My　system　was　entirely　purged

of　tobacco；　and　what　I　now　suffered　was　tobacco　poisoning　such　as

afflicts　any　boy　at　the　time　of　his　first　smoke。　　Again　I　had　reason

to　be　grateful　to　God；　and　from　that　day　to　the　day　of　my　death；　I

neither　used　nor　desired　the　foul　weed。





I；　Darrell　Standing；　must　now　complete　the　amazingness　of　the

details　of　this　existence　which　I　relived　while　unconscious　in　the

strait…jacket　in　San　Quentin　prison。　　I　often　wondered　if　Daniel

Foss　had　been　true　in　his　resolve　and　deposited　the　carved　oar　in

the　Philadelphia　Museum。



It　is　a　difficult　matter　for　a　prisoner　in　solitary　to　communicate

with　the　outside　world。　　Once；　with　a　guard；　and　once　with　a　short…

timer　in　solitary；　I　entrusted；　by　memorization；　a　letter　of　inquiry

addressed　to　the　curator　of　the　Museum。　　Although　under　the　most

solemn　pledges；　both　these　men　failed　me。　　It　was　not　until　after　Ed

Morrell；　by　a　strange　whirl　of　fate；　was　released　from　solitary　and

appointed　head　trusty　of　the　entire　prison；　that　I　was　able　to　have

the　letter　sent。　　I　now　give　the　reply；　sent　me　by　the　curator　of

the　Philadelphia　Museum；　and　smuggled　to　me　by　Ed　Morrell：





〃It　is　true　there　is　such　an　oar　here　as　you　have　described。　　But

few　persons　can　know　of　it；　for　it　is　not　on　exhibition　in　the

public　rooms。　　In　fact；　and　I　have　held　this　position　for　eighteen

years；　I　was　unaware　of　its　existence　myself。



〃But　upon　consulting　our　old　records　I　found　that　such　an　oar　had

been　presented　by　one　Daniel　Foss；　of　Elkton；　Maryland；　in　the　year

1821。　　Not　until　after　a　long　search　did　we　find　the　oar　in　a

disused　attic　lumber…room　of　odds　and　ends。　　The　notches　and　the

legend　are　carved　on　the　oar　just　as　you　have　described。



〃We　have　also　on　file　a　pamphlet　presented　at　the　same　time；　written

by　the　said　Daniel　Foss；　and　published　in　Boston　by　the　firm　of　N。

Coverly；　Jr。；　in　the　year　1834。　　This　pamphlet　describes　eight　years

of　a　castaway's　life　on　a　desert　island。　　It　is　evident　that　this

mariner；　in　his　old　age　and　in　want；　hawked　this　pamphlet　about

among　the　charitable。



〃I　am　very　curious　to　learn　how　you　became　aware　of　this　oar；　of　the

existence　of　which　we　of　the　museum　were　ignorant。　　Am　I　correct　in

assuming　that　you　have　read　an　account　in　some　diary　published　later

by　this　Daniel　Foss？　　I　shall　be　glad　for　any　information　on　the

subject；　and　am　proceeding　at　once　to　have　the　oar　and　the　pamphlet

put　back　on　exhibition。



Very　truly　yours；

〃HOSEA　SALSBURTY。〃　｛1｝







CHAPTER　XX







The　time　came　when　I　humbled　Warden　Atherton　to　unconditional

surrender；　making　a　vain　and　empty　mouthing　of　his　ultimatum；

〃Dynamite　or　curtains。〃　　He　gave　me　up　as　one　who　could　not　be

killed　in　a　strait…jacket。　　He　had　had　men　die　after　several　hours

in　the　jacket。　　He　had　had　men　die　after　several　days　in　the　jacket；

although；　invariably；　they　were　unlaced　and　carted　into　hospital　ere

they　breathed　their　last　。　。　。　and　received　a　death　certificate　from

the　doctor　of　pneumonia；　or　Bright's　disease；　or　valvular　disease　of

the　heart。



But　me　Warden　Atherton　could　never　kill。　　Never　did　the　urgency

arise　of　carting　my　maltreated　and　perishing　carcass　to　the

hospital。　　Yet　I　will　say　that　Warden　Atherton　tried　his　best　and

dared　his　worst。　　There　was　the　time　when　he　double…jacketed　me。　　It

is　so　rich　an　incident　that　I　must　tell　it。



It　happened　that　one　of　the　San　Francisco　newspapers　（seeking；　as

every　newspaper　and　as　every　commercial　enterprise　seeks；　a　market

that　will　enable　it　to　realize　a　profit）　tried　to　interest　the

radical　portion　of　the　working　class　in　prison　reform。　　As　a　result；

union　labour　possessing　an　important　political　significance　at　the

time；　the　time…serving　politicians　at　Sacramento　appointed　a

senatorial　committee　of　investigation　of　the　state　prisons。



This　State　Senate　committee　INVESTIGATED　（pardon　my　italicized

sneer）　San　Quentin。　　Never　was　there　so　model　an　institution　of

detention。　　The　convicts　themselves　so　testified。　　Nor　can　one　blame

them。　　They　had　experienced　similar　investigations　in　the　past。

They　knew　on　which　side　their　bread　was　buttered。　　They　knew　that

all　their　sides　and　most　of　their　ribs　would　ache　very　quickly　after

the　taking　of　their　testimony　。　。　。　if　said　testimony　were　adverse

to　the　prison　administration。　　Oh；　believe　me；　my　reader；　it　is　a

very　ancient　story。　　It　was　ancient　in　old　Babylon；　many　a　thousand

years　ago；　as　I　well　remember　of　that　old　time　when　I　rotted　in

prison　while　palace　intrigues　shook　the　court。



As　I　have　said；　every　convict　testified　to　the　humaneness　of　Warden

Atherton's　administration。　　In　fact；　so　touching　were　their

testimonials　to　the　kindness　of　the　Warden；　to　the　good　and　varied

quality　of　the　food　and　the　cooking；　to　the　gentleness　of　the

guards；　and　to　the　general　decency　and　ease　and　comfort　of　the

prison　domicile；　that　the　opposition　newspapers　of　San　Francisco

raised　an　indignant　cry　for　more　rigour　in　the　management　of　our

prisons；　in　that；　otherwise；　honest　but　lazy　citizens　would　be

seduced　into　seeking　enrolment　as　prison　guests。



The　Senate　Committee　even　invaded　solitary；　where　the　three　of　us

had　little　to　lose　and　nothing　to　gain。　　Jake　Oppenheimer　spat　in

its　faces　and　told　its　members；　all　and　sundry；　to　go　to　hell。　　Ed

Morrell　told　them　what　a　noisome　stews　the　place　was；　insulted　the

Warden　to　his　face；　and　was　recommended　by　the　committee　to　be　given

a　taste　of　the　antiquated　and　obsolete　punishments　that；　after　all；

must　have　been　devised　by　previous　Wardens　out　of　necessity　for　the

right　handling　of　hard　characters　like　him。



I　was　careful　not　to　insult　the　Warden。　　I　testified　craftily；　and

as　a　scientist；　beginning　with　small　beginnings；　making　an　art　of　my

exposition；　step　by　step；　by　tiny　steps；　inveigling　my　senatorial

auditors　on　into　willingness　and　eagerness　to　listen　to　the　next

exposure；　the　whole　fabric　so　woven　that　there　was　no　natural

halting　place　at　which　to　drop　a　period　or　interpolate　a　query　。　。　。

in　this　fashion；　thus；　I　got　my　tale　across。



Alas！　no　whisper　of　what　I　divulged　ever　went　outside　the　prison

walls。　　The　Senate　Committee　gave　a　beautiful　whitewash　to　Warden

Atherton　and　San　Quentin。　　The　crusading　San　Francisco　newspaper

assured　its　working…class　readers　that　San　Quentin　was　whiter　than

snow；　and　further；　that　while　it　was　true　that　the　strait…jacket　was

still　a　recognized　legal　method　of　punishment　for　the　refractory；

that；　nevertheless；　at　the　present　time；　under　the　present　humane

and　spiritually　right…minded　Warden；　the　strait…jacket　was　ne