Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-08-14
oar, what's that round lump ahead? Is

| w
it a turtle ?"
"Dade, sor, it is-aither that or a did
swile's back (seal )-or-or something OF
other, sor;;" answered the bow oar, in
his rich Corkagian brogue, as he rose
from his seat to get better view; but
as carefully non-commital as his country
men usually are.
"Sit down, then, and keep quiet till
we see Paddle softly, men-cox'n, get
you a running bowline ready, and stand
by to hook fiipper when he spreads.
So, lads-way enough-stand by to lay
hold and whip him over"
Stealthily as fox the sharp gig glided
up beside the sleeping innocent. At a
sign, the men laid their stalwart grip
upon the edge of his shell and whirled
him over on his back, while the cox'n
deftly slipped the moose over the nearest
fipper, and ere the sluggard was half
awakened he was safe in the bottom OF
the boat.
"Bedad, there's hape O beefsteaks," "
said Micky O'Gra, contemplatively,
"and salvation to the poor boys that's
down with the scurvy, Lord be praised ~
Ny heart indorsed Micky's devout
thanksgiving. This fresh meat would
be worth all the cocoa and palm
nuts that we could collect in a week.
Nevertheless l determined to keep on
and visit the island, now hardly twenty
minutes pull away, for the sake of Civ
ing all possible variety to the bill of fare.
Half the distance accomplished and the
bottom came in sight through the
crystal-clear waters. The nature of the
marine vegetation which covered it dis
tinguished it at once as coralline. Sea-
rod, sea-fan, radiated slender star sponge,
which is the only representative of its
genus found in these waters, grew in
dense, dark clumps, while endless varie-
ties of glittering, many-hued fish swan
back and forth across the intervening
spaces of white.
Couldn't us catch some O they little
chaps, Cap'n?" ventured little cockney,
with glance of irresistible eloquence; !;
"em looks lawful NICE" Scarcely"
was the reply. "They are rarely known
to bite in the daytime, though excellent
sport by moonlight; besides we've no
small hooks" Here the irrepressible
Micky set upa shout. In watching the
blade of his oar, as novices in rowing al
ways do, Micky had made another dis
covery. "Bedad, but that bates Ban
nagherw he exclaimed. cave there
isn't graat fiat shtone crawlin' over
the bottom, may the saints protect us"
| sheered the boats bow in the direction
indicated by Micky's lock without wait
ing for further remark. "Stop your
row, Mick; it's another turtle; not a
word, now." Yes sor-I name ay, ay,
sir" replied the docile Micky i'll Il
rumbling Irish whisper, not much louder
than the "cloudy groan of distant
thunder" The "graat fiat shtone " was
creeping toward the shore. The action
marked the sex-a female, heavy with
eggs-her errand to deposit them in the
hot sand of tie beach.
"Light strokes, men, and easy let her
keep well ahead. Micky, ship your oar,
and keep your eye on her." Nearer and
nearer came the island, shoaler and
shoaler grew the water, and soon we saw
the turtle emerge and hold her steady
course, without stop or stay, directly up
the beach. The next moment our keel
drove into her tracks. Out leaped the
men and raced after. In twinkling
our second prize was secured. She
weighed nearly four hundred pounds, as
we afterward ascertained by the ships
scales, and yielded | don't know how
many score of fresh and delicately
favored eggs.
Cocoanuls as well as palmnuts were
abundant, and within an hour we were
well stocked, but we sought in vain for
scurvy grass. Greens, however, we
gathered an abundance of, in the form of
tender young plantain leaves, and the
succulent, spike-shaved sheaves of
spouted cocoanuts. A small, clear run
of delicious water was also discovered,
from which we filled light cask, after
which, as the afternoon was wearing
apace. we lugged aboard our second tur-
tie and returned to the ship, abundantly
satisfied with our boat cruise among the
Mazilla Islands. Next day, with a
somewhat more favorable wind and re-
newed spirits, we proceeded on our
VOYAGE