The New York herald., 1877-09-20
AN OCEAN TRAMP. g.
MARX TWAIN SOLVES THE MYSTERY OF THE
BARK JONAS SMITH.

MARX TWAIN SOLVES THE MYSTERY OF THE
BARK JONAS SMITH.
HARTFORD. Conn.,. Sept. 49, 1877.
Mr. Clemens (hark Twainl in q letter TO the Hart
ford Couyant solves the mystery of the bark Jonas
Smith, reported spoken near Cape Fear recently. Ho
was on voyage from Bermuda May 25. 1877. on tho
steamship Bermuda. Tho bark Jonas Smith was
spoken, with signal oi distress flying She WAS ten
days out from Bermuda, having lett there Tor
New York with i've days provisions for
crew OF about iiteen coorcd men.
boat with three men came to the steamer aud 90, n
supply OF beef, potatoes and biscuit. The facts
about the vessels history and crew, told by Nr.
Clemens, arc iollows:- "One OF the three who
came to Us in the boat the captain and owner Of
the vessel We questioned him freely, and all that he
said was confirmed aitsrward by three OF passcn
gers, who knew all about the matter Tho
poor old tub had beon condemned officially
in Bermuda and sold ut auction; and qucery
enough, not AS whole, but piecemcal,
one may say; ior instance bought the top
mas,s and all tho sails, think; another bought an
anchor another such odds and ends as skyliyhs and
such things; aud Ihis coiorcd man bought what was
leuviz, the empty hulk and the stumps OF the iore
and main masts. He paid I42 for AIS bargain.
Then he bought three old rags, and made one
do duty spencer ON tho manniast,
another as jb and third as u sort OF hyGs jlb
bstaysail, whichever you please to call IT, These had
become rags indeed when saw them, and practi.
ocean tramp which the poor old outcast had been all
these months that have since dragged by. one OF our
passengers said that the new owner OF this
solemn properly offered q sulicicucy OF
ballast or his purposes for SIS, but he not
able 10 ailord II and wont To in all his perous
emptiness. His idea 10 take the creature 70
New YORK and sell hor ut profit, either rs q
coaster or to be broken up. We did not hear OF
any white man being on board, but, of course,
here may bave oeen one Il don't mean that
Portuguese but thero fifteen colored men
at first, II remcmle or rightly | asked Captain
Angrove lie could account for that extra
ordinary crew, wnen hve men would have been more
than enough. Ho SAID it was easily cx-
planned. II was great thing for those col
ored ISLANDERS 10 20 abroad and tho
world ana that without doubt their only pay their
pleasure excursion. SO this lour months horror Is u
pleasure excursion! Imagine that. | said / should
think that unless winds very favorable these
rags would enable the hulk overcome ocean
rcLs that when she struck tho Guf Stream she ght
be carried south; that tho provisions would
out again. and taking all things into
that the might be looked on doomed perhaps,
but Captain Angrove said that their man trouble
would be their danger OF getting of the track OF
vessels; II they could manage TO Keep Ia that they
could borrow iood and water and extend their cxcur
sion indefinitely
Mr. Cemons gives extract from his diary OF May
20 with Iull details OF meeting the ship leaving no
doubt that his Tramp Of the Sea has been iour
months out from Bermuda aud Ia now further from
her destination than when she started.