Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-22

0rilleQ Win tDe WInu duu sea Jul IN snS
night, nv own progress had been last
or. 1t was only little past sunrise when
l came up with her, and about that time
the wind shifted to the east and gave us
drift straight off the coast.
The brig seemed to be in terrible
state. The foremost had broken OF Just
above the deck. and the main mast at q
point sbont fifteen feet up In their fall
they had torn up the bulwarks in q bad
way, and now and then the waves ran
right over her. Some of the headgear
was trailing i'm the water around her
bows, but | was pleased to see that she
was clear of other ENHANCEMENT. This
went to show, you see, that her crew had
remained aboard long enough after she
was dismantled, 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 good many points
and knew that she was lumber loaded
long enough before | set foot on her
decks. II was hard job to get safely
aboard, but when had accomplished it |
felt myself saved. Her decks were
as tieh az ii drum, matches and all, and
from the feeling of things under my feet ]
did not believe she had made 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 | went aft TO the cabin. There
was a foot or more of water in it, and ali
the furniture was afoat. So it was IN the
pantry but in the lockers | discovered
bread and cold meat and other stuff, and
stood there in the water and ate until my
appetite was satisfied. When | came out
l took look into the staterooms and was
immensely relieved to find the spare
clothing of the captain and mates there.
This was proof to me that the brig had
been abandoned in 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 forecastle
was burden on me. | went on deck
and walked up and down fer awhile to
get my nerve. and 1 finally lifted the
scuttle and called out to know if anybody
was there. 1t was absurd to think there
could be, but shouted again and again.
Then descended the ladder far enough
to get view of the hunks. and after my
eyes had become accustomed to the gloom.
made careful survey without finding
anything to alarm me. The clothes
bags Of the men and all the bedding
had been left, and there was terrible
musty, mouldy smell to the place.
felt much better when realized that
there were no corpses aboard, and as |
left the forecastle | determined on 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 laden. The cargo was
not all afioat, as would have been the case
had she sprung leak, and made up my
mind that what water she had in her must
have come in some way from above.
When had replaced the hatch climbed
the broken mast for a look around A
careful survey gave me no encourage
ment. The sea appeared to be absolutely
deserted. When | came down began to
search for provisions. and at the end of
half an hour | had discovered sufficient
supplies to last five or six men for
month. The blankets and bedding were
not wet, but selected what would need
and brought Them on deck to air in the
sunshine. By this time it was noon, and
had begun to feel quite at home aboard.
The weather had cleared off as fine as you
please. and the hull was drifting high and
dry, without so much as damp spot on
her decks. The stove in the cuddv had
been upset and broken. so that must
forego cooked provisions, but to offset this
found many cans o. meat and fruit
among the cabin stores, and there was a
large amount of shipbread in good condi-
ton. Soon after noon, and again before
the sun went down, climbed the mast tor
a survey of the sea, but nothing was in
sight. made my bed on deck that night
and slept as soundly as you please, and it
was the bright sun shining in nv face
which finally awoke me.
The experience of that first day and
night was the experience of the following
five days and four nights. During all this
time had light winds and dry decks,
sometimes driving to the west and then
again to the north or east, but moving on
Iy few miles in the "a hours. made
practice of ascending the mast every two
hours during daylight, but not one single
time in all those days did catch the ST ht
of sail. no matter how distant. Just at
dusk on the evening of the fifth dav |
sighted steamer a long way off, but
headed for me, and as the night came on
| made flare. and the light attracted her
attention. She was British steam whaler
bearing up for Valparaiso, and after hear
ing my story the captain figured out that
had made drift Of over 100 miles. The
hulk was inspected, pumped clear, and
taken in tow, and the bit of salvage which
your humble servant came in tor some
time afterward, is put away in the bank
against the day when | shall leave the sea
and its terrors and mysteries, and settle
down in a snug cabin on solid pround