The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-07-02

chance to git all to rights and work the
rum ont Of all Of us chaps for'ard, SO that
when we did at last git breeze from the
north'ard we was in good condition tor to
begin our vyage. Along down to tho
Tortugas we kept our fair wind and made
a good run, but off that pint we took the
reg'lar trade wind from about casino TIL
east and 1t were so fresh that we had to
put reef In the topsails, carrying the
maintG' gallan' sail over that. Nothin' of
any particular account happened after
that. We worked her along to the east
ard, maxim the Double Headed Shots all
right, and in twenty-four hours more was
off Maternilla reef. Here we catched
stiffener from the north'ard and the old
man let her go to the BASTARD at once,
and did not try to follow the gulf
around. ..Ta her. .... ...4 .>..~ II
"The wind hung on to the north'ard,
perhaps little eastin' into it, and there
weren't anythin' for it but to keep her a
joggin' along onto the port tack and let
her fetch up where she would. The wind
continued fresh, and cotton loaded as we
was we could carry double reefs to it..
''It were I suppose about week arter
we had left the gulf when chap of the
name of Frank Patten, as was aloft a
mendin' the parcellin' on the foreto' gal
Ian riggin' in the wake of the to'gallan'
sheets, sings out, Sail on the lee bow
"'What do you make Of hcr?' says the
mate. !, t5t ...
m "Frank did not answer for spell and
the mate hailed ag'n. Foretopmast head
therer . IT,, . .~~ wv.
"'Hallo,' says Frank. ia -.
Whatever do you make of her?'
says the mate. -. ... -.
Il can't make her out, SIR says
Frank; Seems to be a ship under close
reefs, with course hauled up and a-takin'
Of it easy.' ......u
"Well, the mate jumps aloft onto the
fore-topsail yard with lookin' glass and
takes a good severe look at her. The old
man in the mean time had come up and
sings out to the mate, 'What do you
make of her sir?'
1.-THE mate he takes another look afore
answerin' and then says. 4 think & there's
somethin' wrong with her, sir; she's a
ship, but the only blessed rag she's got
set is her three topsails closed reef
Where away is she?' says the old
man.
"'About three points on tile bow, sir,
says the mate.
Let her go off, says the cid man to
the chap what was at the the wheel, and
then to the mate he says, Let me know
when we head for her.
"'Aye, aye, SIR says the mate; so,
steady just as you co.
STEADY says the old man; keep her
jist as she's a-headin'
"'Well, it weren't long afore we riz her
from the deck, and in the course of a
couple of hours we was nigh hand unto
her. She were evidently a big ship, with
three to: gallan' yards across and the sails
onto 'em snugly furled, as was the flynn
jib, jib and spanker. The courses was
hauled up snug and the three topsails
close-reefed.
"Runnin' clear under her lee quarter
the old man hailed, Ship, ahoy!'
'Hallo,' says the chap aboard of her,
and he, so far as we could see, seemed to
be the only person on board. ....
rs anythin' the matter with you!'
says the old man.
I'm ali alone here" says the man,
"and I'd like to have some help for to
work the ship"
."We'd ranged along out of hail by this
time, but the old man hauled up the
mainsail, backed the maiptopsail and
told the second mate for to go aboard
and see what the trouble was, and it so
happened as were one of the boats crew
We pulled right up under her lee, and
the chap aboard hove us line and all but
one of us scrambled aboard, and whoever
should the chap be that met us but Billy
Edwards, him as had, been shipped in my
place when were in the calaboose, and
his here. ship were the FAIRY Queen.
"Out If all that were on board of her
when she left New Orleans there was left
only Billy Edwards and young woman
named Mollle Hammond; all the rest had
died of yellow fever. The ship were in
good condition, and all that Billy wanted
were as many men as our old man could
spare him for to lend a hand for to work
the ship. Our mate wanted Billy for to
go on board of our ship with HIM and
spin his yarn to our old man, but Billy
were fly he were not goin' to abandon
his ship and have her took possession Of
as derelict, and SO be has Just told the
mate that If so be as we wanted for to
let him have some hands for to lend him
hand why we'll and good, we could
found claim IN that for salvage onto the
slip and cargo: but if we didn't we could
60 along about our business, and he'd
trust to getting help from someone else.
So our mate went back and reported to
the old man, who jumped in the boat and
ent aboard and had talk with Billy
who told him he could navigate the ship
and that all he wanted were some help
for to handle the sails. The old man he
wanted for to send one Of his officers,