CHAPTER XII 
DASTARDLY ATTACKS 
The year 1888 was a black one in my calendar. I 
left Yokohama for the usual season’s hunting on 
April 8. The next day my shipkeeper, a man who 
when in port was somewhat addicted to drink, but 
who was quite steady when at sea, commenced to 
suffer from his shore excesses, delirium tremens 
developing. He had been somewhat upset by a 
rather sharp earthquake shock when in Yokohama, 
and this apparently was uppermost in his mind in 
his delirium. Locked up in his room, he imagined 
he was imprisoned ashore, and that the motion of 
the vessel was an earthquake which might any 
minute cause the building to fall and crush him. 
He recovered in a week and went on duty. 
On the 16th, in a gale, we tried to enter Anama 
Bay, Shikotan, but had our jib blown away and 
lost an anchor in the attempt. Next day, how¬ 
ever, we got in, had some fishing and shooting, and 
took in a plentiful supply of wood and water. I 
had a diving-pump, dresses, and gear, on board, and 
a desire arising to see what diving was like, I donned 
a diving-dress, leaden-soled boots, extra weights, 
etc., and went down under the vessel’s bottom. 
Having no experience, the men at the pump were 
too energetic, causing me to float up in a very 
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