The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-10-30
THE LOST SHIP.

In the month of June, 1854, the Eng
lish brig Ben Hammond, Captain John
Z. Clark, passed through the Straits of
Sunda on her way into the Indian Ocean,
bound for Melbourne. The crew, all
told, numbered eleven people, and the
brig had micellaneous cargo. She sig
nailed Gan welr' when going through
the straits, and that was the last heard of
her for five months. Then a sailor named
Charles Renfoe arrived at Sydney, and
told very curious story.
About forty miles off the straits the
brig fell in with a small sandal wood
trader in sinking condition. She was
carrying a lot of natives from one of the
islands of SumGtra to some port in Java,
and had sprung a leak The brig had
either to stand by or take her people off,
and Captain Clark decided upon the
former course The brig had struck Il
log or some other floating obstruction
while sailing at fast rate, and had been
badly damaged about the bows. This
occurred in the early morning, and it was
just at sunset that the brig came up with
her. The injured craft had been creep
ing in for the Java coast, but AS wind
and current were against her she had
made very slow progress. Her pumps
were so small that they would not throw
out what quarter-inch hole would let
in, and crew and passengers were badly
ratified. II was a beautiful evening, with
every prospect of continued good weather,
and the first mate and five Of the men
went aboard of the trader to help him
make repairs In the course of four
hours they returned aboard with the
news that the small craft was now tight
and dry, and they brought with them
several bottles of wine and some dried
fruits as presents from her Captain.
Captain Clark was kind-hearted man,
and as the men returned aboard he dis
tributed one bottle of wine and share
of the fruit among the men. The brig
and trader had been slowly drifting of
before a light wind during the repairs,
but now each hauled back to her course
and they were soon separated. Renioe
had not been feeling well during the
day, aud he was the only man who did
not partake of the stuff sent aboard. 1t
was his watch below after midnight, and
he had been asleep about an hour when
he was aroused by confusion aboard,
Every man on watch below was suffering
with cramps and vomiting, and he went
on deck to find the same state of affairs
prevailing Captain and mates were
down, as well rs the men, and the man
at the wheel fell to the deck and began
rolling around Just as Renfoe came on
deck. While the brig had all plain sail
on her the breeze was light, and as the
wheel was made fast, she took care OF
| herself
TheIe was no doubt that the crew had
been poisoned by the wine or fruit,
though the trader must have been en-
hrely innocent Of any such intent after
the services they had rendered. Re
course was had to the medicine chest, but
nothing seemed TO act as AN antidote
! The agony of the men increased with
time, aud by three o'clock in the morn
lug four Of the foremost hands were
dead, while the others were without
hope. Renfoe was dazed and helpless,
and he could do nothing but pity the
poor fellows around him Half an houl
after sunrise he was the only living maI
aboard the brig, and as he saw one afte
another pass away his feelings wer'
wrought up To such pitch tha
he almost lost his mind, lie esulS