The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-08-19
CAPTAIN JOE.
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.

Joe Duncan commanded the schooner
Dolphin. She was built for him, for he
had shown himself to be seaman. A
native of Cape Cod, he had followed the
sea from boyhood, and was worthy man
every way. He had made many success
full voyages, and when he left port IN
January, 1862, for the West Indies and
market, he expected to make Nabby Mar
tin his wife on his return. She was the
only daughter of Capt Ike Martin, fore
man of Thurston's disti!lcry. Martin was
also native of Cape Cod, where he had
his homo, though his wife and daughter
spent much of their time III Newport. 1t
was at Cape Cod that Joe and Nabby be-
came acquaintcd-in fact they had grown
up together-and when Joe, who was
much the older, went to sea, they prom
ised to love on and in time marry each
other. The Dolphin, owned by Metcalf,
Bowler and others, brought molasscs to
Thurston's distillery, 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 cor dcmned. Almost Immediately
Capt. Joe was stricken with yellow fever,
from which, strange to say, he recovered ;
for without friend OF hand he could
have had but little attention, and, be-
sides, every on, was t ken up with the
danger of bombardmcnt, the English
having gathered their forces, under Ad'
mirals Pocock ard Rodney, for that pur'
pose.
Once 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 one of the
frigates or transports eff the harbor. The
demonstration against the city was draw
Ing to head. Watson, the English
engineer, had said that he could breacf
the walls of Moro Castle in eight ant
forty hours. There was evidence tina
the attempt would be made, and al
though the Spaniards were saneuin
about holding out, they were ncrvou
and excited. In this stir, at night, Jo
g,ided away in small boat. Fearing
the scntincls high up on the Moro nigh
catch sight of his boat, he kept as nea
to the oppos te shore as he dared to 60
and was rounding the Punta when ther
came a challenge and shot from til
scntine'. Fooishly he discharged tn
pistol he had sccreted, more in defianc
than for anything els,, when heav
thud on the shore and the rafting fall q
musket told that he had killed his man
There was no time to lose now, for as h
struck out there came the quick, heav
stroke of a guard-boat near at hand
Joe was againa prisoner, and this tim
in the hands of infuriated men, VIII
would have killed him upon the spot b,
for the officer in command. He ordere
them to lift the dead sentinel into til
prisoners boat, and lash the living an
the dead together, back to back. Th
done, they secured the boat to the shor
intending to toe her in when they ha
gone their rounds.
When the guard-boat was gone an
all was still, Joe, thus hampered, wit
almost superhuman strength, drew hin
self and burden near enough to the DO
of the boat to reach and loose the paintc
which allowed her to drift away. {
tied, he could not have used an oar ha
one been at hand; there is no tide of M
moment in those waters, but the lar
breeze swept him from the shore, and
clung to the hope that some one of Il
ships or transports would pick him ,
and relieve him from his dreadful po!
ton. Just then heavy blow struck Il
boat, another and still another, and in
moment he knew that he was surround
by sharks that had scented blood, al
were eager for their prey. For var
around there was blaze of phosphort
cent light; here it bubbled up like fie
cauldron; there it was a fiery serper
as shark rushed along, or fell in
shower of fiery stars, as monster stru
the surface with his tail. The bail
the sentinel had pierced the bottom
the boat, and the water, steadily gai
:. ing on her, sank her lower and low
u bringing the gunwalc nearer to the 81
face Of the sea--nearer to tie snappi
;. jaws. 1t was too much for the poor +
low, who saw before him terrible deal
from which there was no escape, q