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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 never；
under any circumstance； used。
And while the poor asses of labourers read and believed； while the
Senate Committee dined and wined with the Warden at the expense of
the state and the tax payer； Ed Morrell； Jake Oppenheimer； and I
were lying in our jackets； laced just a trifle more tightly and more
vindictively than we had ever been laced before。
〃It is to laugh；〃 Ed Morrell tapped to me； with the edge of the sole
of his shoe。
〃I should worry；〃 tapped Jake。
And as for me； I too capped my bitter scorn and laughter； remembered
the prison houses of old Babylon； smiled to myself a huge cosmic
smile； and drifted off and away into the largeness of the little
death that made me heir of all the ages and the rider full…panoplied
and astride of time。
Yea； dear brother of the outside world； while the whitewash was
running off the press； while the august senators were wining and
dining； we three of the living dead； buried alive in solidarity；
were sweating our pain in the canvas torture。
And after the dinner； warm with wine； Warden Atherton himself came
to see how fared it with us。 Me； as usual； they found in coma。
Doctor Jackson for the first time must have been alarmed。 I was
brought back across the dark to consciousness with the bite of
ammonia in my nostrils。 I smiled into the faces bent over me。
〃Shamming；〃 snorted the Warden； and I knew by the flush on his face
and the thickness in his tongue that he had been drinking。
I licked my lips as a sign for water； for I desired to speak。
〃You are an ass；〃 I at last managed to say with cold distinctness。
〃You are an ass； a coward； a cur； a pitiful thing so low that
spittle would be wasted on your face。 In such matter Jake
Oppenheimer is over…generous with you。 As for me； without shame I
tell you the only reason I do not spit upon you is that I cannot
demean myself nor so degrade my spittle。〃
〃I've reached the limit of my patience！〃 he bellowed。 〃I will kill
you； Standing！〃
〃You've been drinking；〃 I retorted。 〃And I would advise you； if you
must say such things； not to take so many of your prison curs into
your confidence。 They will snitch on you some day； and you will
lose your job。〃
But the wine was up and master of him。
〃Put another jacket on him；〃 he commanded。 〃You are a dead man；
Standing。 But you'll not die in the jacket。 We'll bury you from
the hospital。〃
This time； over the previous jacket； the second jacket was put on
from behind and laced up in front。
〃Lord； Lord； Warden； it is bitter weather；〃 I sneered。 〃The frost
is sharp。 Wherefore I am indeed grateful for your giving me two
jackets。 I shall be almost comfortable。〃
〃Tighter！〃 he urged to Al Hutchins； who was drawing the lacing。
〃Throw your feet into the skunk。 Break his ribs。〃
I must admit that Hutchins did his best。
〃You WILL lie about me；〃 the Wa