The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-02-24

the crew we're privileged torn.
in. The captain aud mate retired
TO their staterooms, aud, as the
night was pleasant, The rest ef 1sf
held the deck. AsI slowed away
myself forward ford smoke and a8
think, one Of the white men came
over to me in a rather cautions
way, bunked down beside me, and
whispered;
"Come, comrade, the beltet face.
you pnt on the matter, the better
it will be for you, There's no.
question bnt they made you drunk
to get you of this voyage, and as.
for your signing articles, that's sA.
bosh."
"What sort Of "a voyage is itHa
"FOs what We Gun pick ppa
l.ssand what made SQs snilt
"Well, | was obliged " dodge
the Law for a scrape | got into a.
Mobile"
81 shall leave her at the FIRST.
chance
"That's your lay; but keep quiet.
The captain and mate are bad men,
and won't stop at murder to hush
your talk. II there is a chance for
u break depend upon me to 80 with
you"
Chow far to the north do we go2a
ave shall cruise among the is,
lands, and perhaps along the Ala.
bama coast Take my advice and
do duty and keep your eyes open. ("
When he left me, and after finish.
ing my pipe | slept until about 2
o'clock in the morning, when we
got a slant Of wind from the Gulf,
aud the mate called us to upanchor
and make sail. We crept along at
slow space, and abontsunrlse had
the Big Chandelier island under
our beam, During the afternoon
we ran down to the northern end
and came to anchor within a few
fathoms of a coasting schooner,
which was then lyinga wreck on
the rocks within u stones throw Of
the beach. Her masls were gone,
bulwarks stove, and the beach was
covered with wreckage, 1t was
plain that she had come ashore in
a gale, but in the tail end Of it, and
the sea had not broken her up.
Long enough before we came to
anchor, although l was at the.
wheel Of the Glance, saw man
on the wreck making Signals, 1t
seemed to me that the captain aud
mate placed tiiemsstyes
in my line Of vision, topreyent my.
seeing the man, aud we had not yet
begun to take in sail when the
mate took the wheel, and the cap
tain sent me into the hole to look
up some spare oars for the yawl. |
was rummaging around down there
for half an hour, the oars being on
ly Il pretence to keep me of the
deck, and when the captain finally
called me up the sails were down,
the anchor in the water, aud sever.
al of our men were aboard the
wreck, having taken our yawl to
convey themselves across the space.
| was not allowed to go aboard
the wreck, but was ordered to re.
main on the schooner to help 10
ceive cargo which the others broke
ont. The yawl presently made her
first trip, bringing a load of ropes,
chains and sails, and these trips
were continued at intervals all day,
When they came to break out cargo
the yawl brought us -four, hard
ware, groceries, and clothing, some
damaged aud some in good shape,
and the mate bore a hand to help
US on the schooner.
There was no knocking of for
dinner and from the way the men
rushed it was plain that the cap.
tain feared discovery aud was in n
hurry to get everything out of the
wreck and oe off. We had a bite
to eat as we worked, and at sunset
we we're piped for supper. This we
ate on our decks, and my friend Of
the night before, who gave me bis
name as Bill, planned to take a seat
near me. | had worked hard and
without grumbling, and captain
and mate no longer felt suspicious
Of me, or at least showed no signs
Of it, There was an opportunity
now for few words with the man
Bill, and | asked him il it was a
case of salvage.
"Wuss'n that" he whispered
back.
wasn't there a man-one Of the
crew-on the wreck when We first