Concanen rapidly recovering The child is a fine
boy: so, at least, the doctor says, though I confess I should have
thought it rather small. However, it seems able to cry lustily.

"Sept. 6th.--Sighted Ascension Island.

"Sept. 8th, 9th.--Wind dropping off and heat positively stifling.
A curious circumstance occurred today (the 9th), which shows that I
did well to be careful of my Journal. I was sitting on deck with the
Concanens, beneath an awning which the doctor has rigged up to
protect us from the heat, when our supply of tobacco ran short.
As I was descending for more I met Colliver coming out of my cabin.
He was rather disconcerted at seeing me, but invented some trivial
excuse about fetching a thermometer which Captain Holding had lent
me. I am confident now that he was on the look-out for my papers,
the more so as I had myself restored the thermometer to the captain's
cabin two days ago. It is lucky that I confided my papers to the
Concanens. As for Railton, the hangdog look on that man's face has
increased with his travels. He seems quite unable to meet my eye,
and returns short, surly answers if questioned. I cannot think his
dejection is solely due to poor Wilkins' death, for I noticed
something very like it on the outward voyage."

[Here follow a few jottings on weather and speed, which latter--with
the exception of five days during which the vessel lay becalmed--
seems to have been very satisfactory. On the 17th they caught a
light breeze from N.E., and on the 19th passed Cape Verde.
Soon after this the Journal becomes connected again, and so
continues.]

"Sept. 24th.--Just after daybreak, went on deck, and found Captain
Holding already there. This man seems positively to require no
sleep. Since Wilkins' death he has managed the navigation almost
entirely alone. He seemed unusually grave this morning, and told me
that four of the hands had been taken ill during the night with
violent attacks of vomiting, and were lying below in great danger.
He had not seen the doctor yet, but suspected that something was
wrong with the food. At this point the doctor joined us and took the
captain aside. They conversed earnestly for about three minutes, and
presently I heard the captain exclaiming in a louder tone, 'Well,
doctor, of course you know best, but I can't believe it for all
that.' Shortly after the doctor went below again to look after his
patients. He was very silent when we met again at dinne