The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-06-20


below me. After half minute it began
slowly to sink, but was not yet out of
sight when saw the shark seize t. As
he grabbed it he rushed away and we
saw him no more.
The tragedy upset us in more ways than
one. Eere we were, left without cook
at the beginning Of the voyage, and there
was something in his taking off which
aroused the superstition of the hands for
ward. | think the Captain felt it as much
as we did, but of course he concealed il
as much as possible. All that day we lay
roasting and motionless, and as the sun
went down and light breeze sprang up
every man uttered a heartfelt "Thank
Heavenw We crowed too soon, however.
The breeze did not push us over five miles
before il tired out, and we were left as
before, the sky full of stars and the sea
like mirror. was in the mates watch
and came on duty at midnight. Indeed,
we were all on duty for that matter, as
there was nothing whatever to do and we
were sleeping on deck. | was aroused,
however, 80 take the lookout, and | took
my seat on the heel of the bowsprit as a
! matter of form. As we were not moving,
no other sailing craft could move, and the
few steamers crossing on our line could
see our lights and avoid us. Something
happened, however, before had been on
duty an hour. The Josephine was rising
and falling ON the CLASSY swells, and
swinging her head to every point of the
compass by turns, and was scanning the
sea and the heavens in the most perfume
| tory way, when an object suddenly came
into view. 1t was black spot against
the darkness, and after rising to my feet
and watching il for few minutes ! made
out as thought, the dismasted hull Of a
small vessel. 1t was coming down to-
ward us, and when sure of this hailed
the mate. He came forward with the
glass, and after a long look he said:
"Well, that beats my time. 1t is the
| hull of "A dismasted schooner, and stands
up high and dry. There's lot of rattle
around her bows, and believe whale is
tangled up in it and towing the wreck"
He sent me to call the Captain, and in
few minutes all hands had caught the
excitement The wreck stopped for
while on our starboard bow, and not over
a quarter of mile away. Then it crossed
our bows and came down on our port
side to the quarter, where it lay so close
! that every man could see what it was.
1t was then, at the suggestion of the
Captain, that we raised our voices in
shout to see if anybody was aboard the
strange craft. We were answered almost
Immediately 10y the barking of dog, and
! the Captain said:
"There are men there, and they may
be starving and suffering. Well, lower
boat and pull out to her"
"Hoavensl sir, hut you wouldn't think
of y" whispered the mate. "Shc's being
towed by who knows whatl See! There
she moves again! And just listen to
! that howlingw
1t was true that the hulk was moving.
She moved across our stern at slow speed
and ranged up on the other quarter, and
the dog ceased his barking and sent forth
such mournful howls that every man was
upset. =
"What do you make out under her
bows" asked the Captain of the mate. as
he handed him the glass after long
look.
"Why, sir, there's the bowsprit, the
foretopmast, and big tangle of ropes"
was the reply. at looks TO me as if all
the foremast rattle had somehow slowed
around under her bows, and I'm certain
that whale is tangled up therein.
can see flecks of foam ms he churns away,
and you can hear a ripple along our side
from the sea he kicks up
The dog barked and howled by turns,
but we got no other answer to our re-
pcated shouts.
"Men,' said the Captain, as the wreck
began moving slowly away, "'it's our
plain duty TO board that hulk. could
never forgive myself if left any one to
die of starvation. won't order any one
to go, but I'll call for volunteers"
Not Il sailor responded for minute.
| waited to give the men a chance, and
as they hcsitated | volunteered. Two
others then came forward, and their ac-
tion shamed the mate into saying:
"'Very well, sir. I'll take Jones and
Harris and pull of and investigate"
Why he left me out do not know,
but was quietly ignored, and the two
middle-aged men whose names | have
given had the oars as the boat moved
away. The Captain called after the mate
to be sure TO board the hulk, and if he
found her in good condition to cut the
rattle loose and report. The wreck had
been moving away from us pretty steadily
for ten minutes, and as the yawl left us |
could hardly make her out. The mate
was to show light when he boarded
her, and for the next half hour we were
straining our eyes TO catch it. Then we
figured that he had missed the hulk and
was pulling back to us, and although we
had out our regular lights, which could
have been seen for two or three miles, we
sent up several skyrockets and burned
flare as further guides. But the hours
wore on and brought no tidings, and
daylight came we swept the sea in vain
| for sight of either hulk or boat.
A breeze came with the sun, and we
began search which lasted all the day
without result. The loss of three men
| reduced us To sad straits There were