[1] Nothing is more certain.
CHAPTER IV
ELSIE GOES ON DECK
As a little yeast leavens much flour so does the presence of a few
stout-hearted men give strength and courage to a multitude. Although
the rumor soon went the rounds that the giant wave which pooped the
ship had carried away two of her six boats, there were no visible signs
of flurry in the measures taken to equip the remaining boats for use.
The men had confidence in their officers; every one worked smoothly and
well.
All told, there were eighty persons on board when the _Kansas_ left
Valparaiso. Of these, seventeen, including the officers, were of
European birth or lineage. The remaining sixty-three were men of mixed
nationalities, ranging from Spanish-speaking Chileans to negroes.
There were eight under-stewards, a cook and his assistants, and nearly
fifty sailors and firemen. Unfortunately, the explosion in the
stokehold had killed the chief engineer and one of his juniors, while
six stokers were dead and several injured.
It was discovered that, before he died, the chief had shut off steam,
and thus prevented the accident from assuming far more serious
proportions.
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