Democratic messenger., 1888-10-27
TWO SAILORS YARNS

tOi utt EtUEIdlffUS itsh. UItl tIlTtt w tUC
present generation have been reared in
avoca,ion You will therefore admit that
asa family, we may have met with some
strange adventures and seen some queer
sights Ny grandfather and great grand.
father were English scamcn, who cut the
waters long before streams was thought
Of. My grandfather had one particular
adventure which mys,iiicd nation. and
which have heard called up In the cabin
and fO' castle half n hundred times.
lie was mate oi a brig named the York.
which way chartered from Hull to one oi
the Shetland Islands with lumber and
general supplies The brig had total Of
seven men. and was new and siaunch
She left port with fair wind, and the
crew had made several voyages together
AMI were in harmony. Nothing ont Of
the routine occurred until the brig was
well up with the Orkncys. bu, To the east,
My grandfather then turned in one night,
at midnight with u smooth sca and every.
thing ship-shapc. lie had four hours OIL,
aud was not disturbed. lie should have
been called at 4 o'clock, but when he
awokc oi his own accord II was after O.
II was almost dead calm then, and the
brig had hut little motion. The mate was
filled with wonder that he had been per
mitied to sleep half his own watch away,
and he hurricdly dressed and rushed up.
an deck. There was not soul In sight.
and five minutes later he made the aston
isling discovery that he was the only per.
son aboard. The sails were set. and In
the light wind the brig was going TO suit
herself. There was not the least sign Of
confusion or Of struggle. All the boats
were in place. and not u thing in the
shape ofa personal property had been re-
moved. The six men were simply miss
ing-g0nc as shadows go. When he was
satisfied on this point the mute was terri.
bly, upset. was right and tight. the wheth-
or all that could be desired. and why
too. how did they get away, none Of the
boats having been taken? II they left in
panic, there would have been signs of
II. II not why had they failed 10 sum
mon him: II was u puzzlcr, as you may
prccciye, and the poor man was calf crazy
over Il In those days ships were few and
far between compared To these. and the
brig went driving 20 the North Sea IN
pericc, soliciiutlc
"All that day" said my grandfather,
II was In such "a state mind that gave
the brig hut ,;icu;icn,ion. The mystery
made such u coward nf mc that ] dared
not rcpca, my iirs, visit 'o the 10 castle
fearing tia, should see Il ghost went
ever the bric time and a.ain. looking
closely 'pr some -i.n Ia show how ;hc
men hal cerar,cd, and Why they Ind de-
serted Lcl, 5ui c"ul'l not l.rl nothing.
Towari ctcnim. / made nui the Shci
| ands 20 Us. w"s' "i NE, and also saw u
sail in the south. hit was helpless The
wind hal Eaulcd 10 III. south and incrcas.
c,l. and he hest could do was la keep
the irig before Il pnd let hci drive. The
breeze hell so steady that | lashrd the
helm and secured considerable sleep thni
might. bu, at ,layligh, mex; morning |
had my hands more than full The wind
drew 10 the west, kicking np nasty sea,
and II was only ly the usc 81 tho capsian,
and nilci great eXcrtion. that ! squared
the yards 10 meet The change Before =
o'clock was rushing along like race
horse. and !, required all my strength and
skill TO manage the helm.
Having passed the Shc,lands figured
that the only hope far me. unless the
wind made great change. was the Farce
Islands, lying a matter Of a hundred and
iiity miles 10 the northwest Indeed, that
was the only course could steer while
the wind held. had never been there.
knew nothing about the locality, and fell,
that would b. as apt TO beach the brig
an reef az 10 sail her into harbor. Dur
ing the day saw two ships at distance
had set signal for distress, but they
were too far away to observe. and by and
by night came down again. Luckily for
me the wind abated great deal, although
il soon hauled half way round the com.
pass. and could no longer lay my course
To the northwest, by this time my nerve
Ind come back, and | was surprised 10
find myself so hopeful and confident. BY
waichino t,,v ahonn.S I n,.na0o.l IA s,a, an
bite to eat now and then, and. as the
weather was mild, | got up some blankets
and caught many winks Of sleep during
the night. as the brig held steady with the
helm lashed. The general course during
the night was due north, although the
brig no doubt made many and devious
crooks and turns as dozed and noddei
When the morning came the breeze
frcshened and hauled 10 the southwest. I
was now sure that could not make the
Farce Islands, and that Twas driving out
into the Arctic Ocean. Therefore, as soon
as had secured bite To eat, went alofl
with my knife and cut away most Of the
cloths, leaving Only sufficient To give her
siccragc way ar Ia enable her to lie To In n
gale. then held her up the coast for Nor.
way. hut Ms had crippled her powers she
swashcd along like an old tub. making
only mile ar 50 an hour. ! was In hopes
Ia be able 10 strike Christiansand, know.
ing that II was tie only port below the
Arctic Circle aud II seemed that certain.
~ must fall in with some craft during the
day. Before noon sighlep two. hut they
were for 10 the east During the aflcr.
moon espied three others, but the near.
est one was eight OF ten miles away and
sailing another course got through the
day fairl; we'll heing much occupied in
figuring ny position and wondering where
should eventually bring up. Just nj
sund0wn the wind fell alm0s, flat, and I