Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-03
CHASED By SHARKS.
The Terrible Experience aud Fate
of Sailor Tied to n Corpse.
From, the Philadelphia Daiiy .Ne,c,.

of Sailor Tied to a Corpse.
From, the Philadelphia Daily Ne,cs.
Joe Duncan commanded the schooner
Dolphin. She was built for him, for he
had shown himself to be seaman. A
native of Cape Cod, ne had followed the
sea from boyhood, and was worthy man
every way. He had made many success
Iul voyages, and when he left port in Jan
uary, 1862, for the West Indies and a
ma ket, he expected to make Nabby Mar
tin his wife on his return. She was the
only daughter Of Capt. Ike Martin. fore
man OF Thurstoa's distillery. Martin was
also q native OF Cape Cod, where be had
his home, though his wife and daughter
spent much OF their time in Newport. 1t
was at Cape Cod that Joe and Nabby be-
came acquainted; in fact, they had grown
up together; and when Joe, who was much
the older. went to sea, they promised TO
love on and in time marry each other.
The Dolphin, owned by Metcalf, Bowler
and others, brought molasses to Thurs
toms dlstillery, and frequently, when she
was expected, Nabby came round in some
coasting vessel. ostensibly to see her
father. When Joe sailed the last time
she returned to Cape Cod TO get ready for
the wedding,
All went we'll with the Dolphin till she
neared her destination, when she was
taken by Spaniards, carried into Havana
and condemned. Almost immed ately
Capt. Joe was stricken with yellow fever,
from which, strange to say, he recovered !;
tor, without friend at hand he could
have had but little attention, and besides,
every one was taken MP with the danger
or bombardment, the English having
gathered their forces under Admirals PO-
cock aud Rodney FOR that purpose.
OHce able to be out Joe set his mind on
making his escape, hoping, under cover OF
night and the excitement that prevailed, to
get on board OF one ofthe frigates or trans
ports in the harbor. The demonstration
against the city was drawing To head
Watson, the English engineer. had said
that he could breach the walls Of MORO
Castle In fOrty-eight hours. There was
evidence that the attempt would be made
and, although the Spaniards were san
cune about holding out, they were nery-
Gus and excited. In this stir, at night
Joe gided away TO small boat. Fearing
the sentinels high up on the MORO might
catch sight OF his boat he kept as near to
the opposite shore as he dared TO 20, aud
was rounding the Punta when there came
challenge and "A shot from sentinel.
FOoishly he discharged the pistol he had
secroted, more in defiance than for any
thing else, when heavy thud on the shore
a
he had killed his man. There was no time
to lose now, for as be struck out there
came the quIcS, heavy stroke of a guard
boat near at hand. Joe was again pris-
oner, and this time in the hands Of infur-
ated men, who would have killed him on
the spot but for the officer IN command.
lie ordered them to lift the dead sentinel
into the prisoners boat and lash the liv-
Ing and the dead together. back to back.
This done, they secured the boat to the
shoro, intending 70 tow her IN when they
had gone their rounds.
When the guard boat was gone and all
was SUI, joe, thus hampered, with almost
superhuman strength, drew himself aud
MS burden near enough TO the bow OF the
boat to reach and loose the painter, which
allowed her to drift away. SO tied, be
could not have used an oar had one been
~ nand. There is no tide OF any moment
IN those waters, but the land breeze swept