South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-04-30
THE PLAGUE SHIP.
BY JAMES D. M'cABE, JR.

popular vessels belonged. There was
one line, especially, that held its place
IN the public favor long after the steam
ers commenced 10 make such havoc in
the Old state Of affairs. The largest and
heetest of the vessels ofthis line was the
Sovereign of the Seas and sure am I
that finer ship never spread her canvas
to the breeze. Everything was fitted up
on scale of the utmost nagnifcence.
and nothing was left undone that could
IN the least contribute to the comfort of
the passengers
The captain, Bridges by name. was
an old sailor. lie had been born at sea,
and had passed all but twelve years of
his life on salt water. He loved the no.
BILE ship which he commanded, better
than he did himself, and her loss was the
hardest blow that ever fell upon him.
/ How this came about, it is the purpose
of these pages TO relate.
! The year IS is memorable for the
fury with which that dreadful scourge.
the cholera, swept through the busy po
| pulated cities of Europe and America.
There are many still living, who remem
Der with what terror people watched the
| progress of the pestilence through the
land, and how they suffered almost death
from their fears. 1t was season of
darkness and anguish, such as America
had never known before. God grant the
! fearful drama may not be repeated
1t was on bright July morning. in
this terrible year. that "rhe Sovereign
of the Seas sailed out Of the Mersey for
Philadelphia. She had thirty passengers
in the cabin, and three hundred in the
Storage. All were cheerful and happy,
and no one dreamed of the troubles that
/ were to beset their voyage They were
! leaving land in which the pestlence
was, just beginning TO appear, and seek
ing a new world, which as yet the scourge
| had left untouched. The fine weather
and the balmy breezes gave them great
cause for hope, and it would have been
strange had any one experienced fear
! for the future.
| Among the cabin passengers, was q
| young officer OF the American navy.
! Lieutenant Walter Fairfax. lie had
been stationed in the Mediterranean. but
his health had failed there, and he was
now going back to the States to recover
| it. lie was fine, handsome fellow, and
withal n genuine seaman. The captain
who was also an American. took fancy
to him from the first, and his friendship
seemed TO be fully returned by the lieu
tenant. He kept the captain company
in his watch, and frequently relieved him
Of his duties.
The Sovereign of the Seas" had now
been at sea six days. The weather had
been all that could be desired. and the
swirt-sailing craft had made excellent
time. The log showed that she was full
~ up to her usual speed, and the captain
declared there was no doubt that they
would reach Philadelphia quicker this
time, than on any previous voyage which
tie ship had made.
On the seventh day the weather grew
cooler, and n misty disagreeablc rain be-
gan to fall about twilight, which contin-
ued all night, and the next day. On the
eighth night, heavy fog settled down
over the ocean, completely shutting ont
everything. II was impossible TO see
across the deck, and the mist was close
and sitting. Very naturally. such nm
pleasant weather threw gloom over the
passengers. This time it even affected
the crew, used as they were TO such oc-
currences. The mate said 20 the cap
tain that he felt as if something dread
ful was about to happen, and could not
shake off the forcboding. The skipper
laughed ut the idea. but somehow the
laugh had not its usual hearty ring
The foe was not only unpleasant. il was
dangerous. The ship was right in the
track Of vessels TO and from Europe and
America, and il was not improbable that
in the impenetrable gloom a collision
might occur. This made the captain
anxious and uneasy, and kept him on
deck long after his watch was ended -
Lieutenant Fairfax. whose experience
made him fully alive to the danger bore
him company.
The two were standing by the cabin
door, and had rclnpscd into silence
suddenly The young man raised his head,
and pocrod auxiously into the mist.
What is the NATTER" asked Captain
Brvdgcs.
IF am confident" replied the lieutan-
ant, there is q large vessel near u.s.
You are an old sailor. captain, and You
must have felt that inexplicablc mystic
TiOus consciousness which often assures
men Of our profession Of the presence OF
n ship. even when we cannot see 10. -
lie was interrupted by sound like
the creaking Of cordage.
Keep her away cried the captain 10
the man at the wheel. Down with your
helm. Hard hard There's a vessel
of the port bow
ship ahoy =" came rottling across
the water through the fog, the voice hay-
ing that hoorsc brazcn sound which
trumpet imparts TO It. What ship is
that?"
"The Sovereign Of the Seas. eight
days ont from Liverpool; bound for Phil
adelphia," hailed the captain, promptly,
in reply. Nv hat ship is that?'
Tell them in America 90 watch for
me. / am on my way" said the strange
voice in n tone that rnadp the skinner