The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-05-28
THE NATE OF TIE HENNEPIN.


q was mate Of the brig Honuepin"
said one Of q knot Of sailors Who were
emoking their strong pipes around the
table And we were seyeuty-five miles
% the northeast Of Porto Rico when this
adventure began. One Of our crew,
Charles Andrews by name, was 8 chap to
try a mates nerves While he would not
disobey an order he obeygd st in such q
way as TO make you ache 10 knock him
down. He was a grumblur and a fault
finder under his breath, and ne was sea
lawyer enough TO convince several others
of the crew that we were overloaded, IN
dermanned, and short Of the provisions
which the law provided for. One man
Ike Andrews aboard Of a ship win make
no end Of trouble for the officers, and il is
the usual thing 10 break him in as soon
a. he is found out. There are sailor men
who can be managed with klnI-wCrdS, and
there are others who need 70 be knocked
down every third day Of q voyage. Capt.
Davis Of our brig had been arrested the
year before for striking one OF his crow
and breaking his skull and this lad
frightened him into going as far the OLhcr
way. He not only permitted this man
Andrew to ride over him. Hut his orders
10 me were to get along 10 the smoothest
way possible. The men reasoned from this
that the brig was in some way auuuable to
the law and that we were afraid of them
"Andrews was In my watch, and We
were slipping along before a seven knot
breeze that night when / ordered pull
at the braces TO meet a slight shit Of the
wind The entire watch obeyel so lsisurly
and with such iupULeuCc manifest il
every movement that / boiled over and
struck the ring leader TO the deck. he
had scarcely fallen before I was seized by
strong hands hurried to the side and in
another moment was lifted Up and flung
IN Il Eaa.g. 90
little time that l did not realize what had
occurred until found myself IN the water.
do not remember that there was any
struggle on deek-nO loud wOrds-nOr d Id
I cry out when ! came 10 the surface and
saw the brig slipping away from me
Indeed she was quite ont Of sight before
fully realized the peril Of my situation
'Ny first thought ssilorike, was re-
gardiDg ny geographical position.
hgured Il down until Is ] told you, /
made out that ! was about seventy-ive
miles northwest Of Porto Rico. This put
me from twenty 70 thirty miles northeast
Of the windwRrd Islands or that portion
ofthem lying east Of Porto Rice. ] hadn't
the slightest hope that the brig would re
turn for me, for believed that the blow
struck at me was the first blow Of a mu
tiny There was no possible hope oi
reaching land by swimming, although
wind and current set that way. While ]
was doing my thinking and calculating
was floating on my back, and Just abou
the time had made up my mind that
had taken my last voyage, / felt myself
tangling up in rope, and turned over a
see that / was alongside OF a schooner
foremast. The mast had broken OF a few
feet above the Dc Ck, ana there was PEI
feet tanCle Of ropes and yards attached
II took me some sine TO make uysel
secure, bpt when this had been accom-
pltshed. was truly thankful man VII
come shark had not snapped me mp ] car
not tell for had not been ten minnie
on the mast before they were swimming
about me by the dozen. as the phosphOI
eecent flashes proved
The wind held steady throughout In
rest Of the night and when morning brUB
/ could make out & Mt blur on the s6
% the south which I -elisved was one {
the islands. And saw too, that / ha
company on and around the mast Ihel
were two bodies lashcd to - about twent
feet from pc snd their condition WI
oroof that the accident 70 the schOon,
must have taken place several days pr
vior.s Tsrsse bodice we're the bait Il
dravving @ hrin6-ed sha-ks after Us II
monsters seemed afraid 70 venture
emonG the trsinGg ropes and water-soa
ed sails, but they followed on and b.
? many a hard battle as each one strOve
first plRcs-
b 81 bad every reason to look for sh
OF the breezs st sEuTtSa aud such a sh
took place. Is was not altogether TO I
e DISADVANTAGE boweyer. IL came nc
z froul the north and Il l was right In I
reckoning, il would blow uIs ashore
night While l was IN 10 great dang
unless the wind kicked up a heavy 81
S the sun WAS scarcely above the water
:. fore felt intense thirst aUd great hung
{ It struck me AT the ;jme that imaEiuau
had q good deal 20 co with il, f0F 1 /
eaten heartily the night before, and
r taken a drink at the scuttle butt not
minutes before | went overheard. I'm,
great efPoTS to choke these feelt
= down, and discovered that the less I dv
s upon them the better IL was. At mid,
y wns quite sure that / could make
! tvo or three Of the islands, but they "
s-1lle q long way OIL When the sun y
; down I was truly suffering from hun
70 and thirst; and would have given all
In pay received for any voyage TO have b
able 60 get up and stretch my tired leg
nj 81 had been looking 20 see the V
lt haul to another quarter az suudOwu.
Just as the red face OF Old sol s
ey beneath the waves there came &
calm for ten minutes Then the br
puffed a. me from the west and bl
down as If 1 had been boy of 10 ms
Of q mate OF 80. Il would not only q