The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-18

>i>N 10 i'iAttiifth ott'i
long enough after she was dismasted to
cut away everything which would hold
them alongside. The hulk stood well
out Of water, her copper looked bright,
and | judged her to be of Spanish build.
| had time while floating down to her
to take in q good many points and |
knew that she was lumber loaded long
enough before l set foot on her decks.
1t was a hard job TO get safely aboard.
but when | had accomplished it | felt
myself saved. Her decks were as tight
as Il drum, matches, on all, and from the
feel of things under my feet l did not
believe she had made q great deal of
water.
The decks had been swept of every
movable thing except the water butt,
and | went to that to find it two-thirds
full OF good fresh water. When ! had
taken a long swig, l went aft to the
cabin. There was a foot or more of
water in it, and all the furniture was
atloat. SO it was in the pantry, but in
the lockers l discovered bread and cold
meat and other stuff, and l stood there
in the water and ate until my appetite
was satisfied. When | came out | took
a look into the staterooms and was i'm
mcnsely relieved to find the spare cloth
ing of Captain and mates there. This
was proof to me that the brig had been
abandoned in a hurry, and before there
was good reason for believing that she
would soon go down.
1t is but natural to associate dead
men with abandoned ships, and the
thought that / had yet to investigate
the forecastlc was a burden ON me. l
went on deck and walked up and down
for awhile to get my nerve, and l
finally lifted the scuttlc and called out
to know if anybody was there. 1t was
absurd to think there could be, but l
shouted again and again. Then l de-
scended the ladder far enough to get a
view of the hunks. and after my eyes
had become accustomed to the gloom l
made a careful survey without finding
anything to alarm me. The clothes
bags of the men and all the bedding
had been left, and there was q terrible
musty, mouldy smell to the place. l
felt much better when l realized that
there were no corpses aboard, and AS l
left the forecastle l determined on Il
look at the cargo. Owing to the shift
of wind the sea did not come aboard
now, and | pulled off the cover Of the
main hatch to find, as | had all along
suspected, that the brig was timber Ia
den. The cargo was not all aiioat, as
would have been the casc had she
sprung a leak and made up my mind
that what water she had in her must
have come in some way from above.
When l had replaced the hatch
climbed the broken mast for a look
around. A careful survey gave ME no
encouragement. The sea appeared
to be absolutely deserted. When ]
came down l began to search for pro,
visions, and at the end of half an hour
l had discovered sufficient supplies to
last five or six men for a month. The
blankets and bedding were not wet, but
l selected what l would need and
brought them on deck to air in the sun.
shine BY this time it was noon, and
had begun to feel quite athomc aboard.
The weather had cleared off as fine rs
you please, and the hull was drifting
high and dry, without so much rs /;
damp spot IN her decks. The stove il
the cuddy had been upset and-brokcn
so that | must forego cooked provisions
but to offset this l found many cans OF
meat and fruit among the cabin stores
and there was a large amount of ship
bread in good condition. Soon after
noon, and again before the sun wen
down. l climbed the mast for Il surve,
of the sea, but nothing was in sight.
made my bed on deck that night, ant
slept as ~soundly rs you please. and i
was the bright sun shining in my fac,
which finally awoke me.
The experience of that first day ant
night was the experience of the follow
ing five days and four nights. During
all this time I had light winds and dr.,
decks, sometimes driving to the ives
and then again to the north or east, bu
moving only 4 few miles in the twenty.
four hours. made a practice of as
cending the mast every I'VE hours dur
ing daylight. but not one single time il
all those days did l catch sight of
sail. no matter how distant. just a
dusk on the evening of the fifth day
sighted a steamer a long way of, bu
headed for me, and as the night cam
on I made n flare, and the light attract
ed her attention. She was a British
steam whaler bearing up for Valpa
raise, and after hearing my story tn
Captain figured out that had made
drift of over 100 miles. The hulk wa
inspected, pumped clear, and taken il
tow. and the bit of salvage which you
humble servant came in for some tim
afterward is put away in the ban
against the day when l shall leave til
, sea and its terrors and mysteries, an
settle down in a snug cabin on soli
ground.
} Larry Jerome and Senate
Hearst.
Senator Logan has n peculiar wa
| when introducing n wealthy man :
mention the number Of millions HI