it later on, since "luck never goes all the way" and
cyclones were reported to be about.

Here I must tell that after we were clear of Apia, it was discovered
that the Danish mate who was believed to be in his cabin unwell from
something he had eaten, was missing. The question arose whether we
should put back to find him, as we supposed that he had made a trip
inland and met with an accident, or been otherwise delayed. I was
in favour of doing so though the captain, thinking of the threatened
hurricane, shook his head and said that Jacobsen was a queer fellow who
might just as well have gone overboard as anywhere else, if he thought
he heard "the spirits, of whom he was so fond," calling him. While the
matter was still in suspense I happened to go into my own stateroom
and there, stuck in the looking-glass, saw an envelope in the Dane's
handwriting addressed to myself. On opening it I found another sealed
letter, unaddressed, also a note that ran as follows:

"Honoured Sir,

"You will think very badly of me for leaving you, but the enclosed which
I implore you not to open until you have seen the last of the Star of
the South, will explain my reason and I hope clear my reputation.
I thank you again and again for all your kindness and pray that the
Spirits who rule the world may bless and preserve you, also the Doctor
and Mr. Bastin."

This letter, which left the fate of Jacobsen quite unsolved, for it
might mean either that he had deserted or drowned himself, I put away
with the enclosure in my pocket. Of course there was no obligation on me
to refrain from opening the letter, but I shrank from doing so both from
some kind of sense of honour and, to tell the truth, for fear of what
it might contain. I felt that this would be disagreeable; also, although
there was nothing to connect them together, I bethought me of the scene
when Jacobsen had smashed the planchette.

On my return to the deck I said nothing whatsoever about the discovery
of the letter, but only remarked that on reflection I had changed my
mind and agreed with the captain that it would be unwise to attempt
to return in order to look for Jacobsen. So the boatswain, a capable
individual who had seen better days, was promoted to take his watches
and we went on as before. How curiously things come about in the world!
For nautical reasons that were explained to me, but which I will not
trouble to set down, if indeed I could remember them, I believe that