The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-05
Gtre9atelliQenter.
ULPLAY.
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BY oHAs. nEADE AND DION pouoIuAu1r

DAY broke, and the first sight IL re-
Vealed to them was a brig 10 wind
%a5d staggering along, and pitching
under close-reefed topsRils.
They started up and waved their
mats; and cried aloud. But the wind
carried their voices to leeward, and the
brig staggered on.
They ran up their little signal of dis
tress; but still the ship staggered on.
linen the miserable men shook hands
al round, and gave themselves up for
But at this moment, the brig hOisted
vivid flag all stripes and stars, and
altered her course point or two.
She crossed the boats track a mile
ahead, and her people looked over the
ouiwarks, and waved their hats to
encourage those tossed and desperate
men.
| Having thus given them the weather
gage the brig hoveto for them.
They ran down to her, and cEept
under her lee: down came ropes 10
them, held by friendly hands, and
\ friendly faces shone down at them;
eHger grasps seized each as he went up
the ships side, and SO In very short
time, they sent the woman up, and the
rest being all sailors, and clever as
cats, they were safe on board the whRl-
ing brig Marin, Captain Slocum, of
Nantucket, u. S.
Their log. compass, and instruments
were also saved.
The boat was cast adrift, and was
soon after seen bottom upwards on the
crest of a wave.
| The good Samaritan in command of
the Maria supplied them with dry
clothes out of the ships stores, good
food and medical attendance, which
was much needed, their legs and feet
being in deplorable condition, and
their own surgeon crippled.
A southeasterly gale induced the
American skipper to give Cape Horn a
wide berth, and the Maria soon found
herself three degrees south of that per-
ilous coast. There she encountered
field-ice. In this labyrinth they lodged
and worried for eighteen days, until a
sudden chop in the wind gave the cap
tain chance, of which he promptly
awaited himself; and in forty hours
they sighted Terra del Fuego. RI
During this time, the rescued crew
having recovered from the effects OF
their hardships, fell into the work OF
the ship, and took their turns with the
Yankee seamen. The brig was short
handed; but now trimmed and hand
led by a full crew and the Porserpine's
men, WHO were first-class seRmen, and
worked With a will, because work was
no longer duty, she exhibited speed
the captain had almost forgotten was
in-the craft. Now speed at sea means
economy, for every day added TO
voyage is so much off the profits. Slo-
cum was part owner of the vessel, and
shrewdly alive to the value of the sea.
men. When about three hundred
miles south of Buenos Ayres, Wylie
proposed that they should be landed
there, from whence they might be
trans-shipped 10 vessel bound for
home.
This was objected to by Slocum, on
ground u q Anwfu.
ton from his course, he must lose
three days, and The port7du es at Buenos
Ayres were heavy.
Wylie undertook that the ,honss of
Wardlaw and Son should indemnify the
brig for all expenses and losses in
CURED. -sL E9-4<
Still the American hesitated; at last
he honestly told Wylie he wished 10
keep the men; he liked them, they liked
him. He had sounded them, and they
had no objection to join his ship, and
sign articles for three years. whaling
voyage, provided they did not thereby
forfeit the wages to which they would
be entitled on reaching Liverpool. Wy
lie went forward and asked the men If
they would take service with the Yam
kee captain. All but three expressed
their desire to do sos these three had
families in England, and refused. The
mate gave the others a release and an
order on wardlaw & Co. for their full
wages for the voyage; then they signed
articles with Captain Slocum, and en-
tered the American Mercantile Navy.
Two days after this they sighted the
high lands at the mouth of The Rio de
Ia Plata at 10 p. ", and lay-to for pi-
lot. Alter three hours delay they were
boarded by n pilot boat, and then be-
gan to creep into the port. The night
was very dark, and thin whites fog
lay on the water.
wylie was sitting on the taffrail, and
conversing with Slocum, when the look
out forward sung out, "Sail ho!"
Another voice almost simultaneously
yelled out ofthe fog, Port your helm ~
Suddenly out ofth mist, and close
aboard the Maria, appeared the hull
and canvas OF q large ship. The brig
was crossing her course, and her great
bowspiTit barely missed the briggs
mainsafl. 1t stood for moment over
Wylie's head. He looked up, and
there was the figure-head of The ship
looming almost within his reach. 1t
was a colossal green woman; one arm
extended grasped n golden harp, the
other was pressed to her head in the
attitude of holding back her wild and
lowing hair. The face seemed TO glare
down upon the two men: in.another
moment the monster, gliding on, just
missing the brig, was lost In the fog
"That was a narrow squeak" said
Slocum.
Wylie made no answer, but looked
into the darkness after the vessel.
he had recognized, her figure head.
IL was the Shannon!