“It was stolen from the captain’s cabin, where it was locked for safe keeping, and presumably thrown overboard. At least, we didn’t find it.”
“I see you are consulting a book to refresh your memory. What is this book?”
“The ship’s log.”
“How does it happen to be in your possession?”
“The crew appointed me captain. As such, I kept the log-book. It contains a full account of the discovery of the bodies, witnessed by all the men.”
“Is it in your writing?”
“Yes; it is in my writing.”
“You read it to the men, and they signed it?”
“No; they read it themselves before they signed it.”
After a wrangle as to my having authority to make a record in the log-book, the prosecuting attorney succeeded in having the book admitted as evidence, and read to the jury the entry of August 13.