Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-08-27
CAPTAIN JOE.
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.

Joe Duncan commanded the schooner
Dolphin. She was built for him, for he
had shown himself to be a seaman. a
native of Cape Cod, he had followed the
sea from boyhood, and was a worthy man
every way. lie had made many success
full voyages, and when he left port IN
January, 1769, for the West Indies and a
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 distillery. Martin was
also a native of Cape Cod, where he 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 prom
ised to love on and in time marry each
other. The Dolphin, owned by Metcalf,
Bowler and others, brought molasscs to
Thurston's distIlcry, and frequently
when she was expected, Nabby came
round in some coasting vessel, ostcnsbly
to see her father. When Joe sailed the
last time, she returned to Cape Cod tc
get ready for the wedding.
All went well with the Dolphin till she
neared her destination, when she was
taken by Spaniards, carried into Havana
and cor demned Almost Immediately
Capt. Joe was stricken with yellow fever
from which, strange to say, he recovered;
for without a friend at hand he could
have had but little attention, and, be-
sides, every on was tllen up with the
danger of a 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 off the harbor. The
demonstration against the city was draw
Ing to a head. Watson, the English
engineer, had said that he could breach
the walls Of Moro Castle in eight and
forty hours. There was evidence that
the attempt would be made, and al
though the Spaniards were sangulne
about holding out, they were nervous
and excited. In this stir, at night Joe
glded away in small boat Fearing
the sentinels high up on the Moro might
catch sight of his boat, he kept as nem
TO the opposite shore as he dared to 60,
and was rounding the Punta when there
came challenge and a shot from the
sentinel. Foolishly he discharged the
pistol he had secreted, more in defiance
than for anything else, when a heavy
thud on the shore and the rafting fall oI
a musket told that he had killed his man.
There was no time to lose now for as he
struck out there came the quick, heavy
stroke of guard boat near at hand
Joe was againa prisoner, and this time
in the hands of infuriatcd men, who
would have killed him upon the spot bu'
for the officer in command. He ordered
them to lift the dead sentinel into thC
prisoners boat, and lash the living and
the dead together, back to back. Thi:
done, they secured the boat to the shore,
intending to toe her in when they had
gone their rounds,
When the guard-b boat was gone and
all was still, Joe, thus hampered, with
almost superhuman strength, drew him
self and burden near enough to the bow
of the boat to reach and loose the painter,
which allowed her to drift away. So
tied, he could not have used an oar had
one been at hand; there is no tide OF any
moment in those waters, but the land
breeze swept him from the shore, and he
SltiAS W bA4C itifc tLldG 9biAlC Ouo "
ships or transports would pick him up
and relieve him from his dreadful posi-
ton. Just then heavy blow struck tne
boat another, and still another and n
moment he knew that he was surrounded
by sharks that had scented blood, and
were eager for their prey. For yards
around there was blaze Of phosphores-
cent light; here it bubbled up like ilery
cauldron; there it was a fiery serpent
as a shark rushed along, or fell N a
shower of fiery stars, as a monster s'TueN
the surface with his tail. The bail oi
the sentinel had pierced the bottom q
the boat, and the water, steadily gam
ing on her, sank her lower and io"er'
bringing the gunwale nearer to the sur
face of the sea-ne.rer to the swapping
jaws. 1t was too much for the poor ie'-
low, who saw before him terrible aea.u,
tsOn whiAa there was no escape, ana