Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-10-18

but hunger and peace of mind COM
PEELED me, and | finally entered the ca
bin. The medicine chest was upset in
the main cabin or eating room, and
the bottles scattered about the floor.
There was a spread on the table, but it
was black with mould, and, after a brief
look, [ had to retire until the fresh air
could drive out the heavy odors. By
and by I returned, and when [ had
looked into the berths and found no
Wondering skeletons. great load was
taken off my mind. / had, however, to
examine the fo'castIe vet, but, being en-
couraged by what / had failed to find in
the cabin, made short work of it. Not
a body had been left aboard. Renfoe
must have heaved the dead overheard
before he left the brig, although he had
no recollection of the act.
In the cooks galley found everything
in good order, and when I looked over
the stores in the pantry everything
smelled and tasted as wholesome
as if only a week out of the ware
house. Within an hour from the time [
boarded her l was eating a breakfast pre-
pared in the galley and was feeling quite
at home. When had satisfied my hunger
| opened up the matches and the cabin
skylight, and then turned to and cleared
the deck of much of its litter. When
things looked bit more trim [ went
down and got the chart showing the
Sunda Islands, and, after a little calcula-
ton, located myself as being on the
west side of Lolnbak Island. 1t was not
the main island, exactly, but one lying
so close to it that it went by the same
name, and was separated only by half
mile of shallow water. Lombak proper
was inhabited, but for many years past
the western end of the island had been
avoided on account of o plague starting
there and sweeping off hundreds of ma
tives. 1t seemed strange that some of
trading craft had not entered the strait
and caught sight of the BRIG, and stranger
vet how the craft got in there. The
chart made it palmer. A westerly gale
created strong current through the
straits, and one which made its influence
felt for several miles off the coast. In
ordinary weather, with ordinary depth
Of water, the channel was dangerous to
any craft, many lodges and bars being
shown. [ suppose the briggs sails helped
her along, and she got just the right
slant at the proper time to carry her into
the bay and beach herself. The spot was
sheltered by the trees, and one would
have had to be very close to see her.
[ got hold Of the manifest and also in
spected the hold, and found she had
valuable cargo, and one which had not
been damaged $40 worth. There were
four or five steam engines, great lot of
agricultural tools, furniture in the rough,
woodenware of all sorts, scores of cases
of boots and shoes and dry goods, and
enough, in fact, to make up a cargo
valued at S135, 900. The brig was as dry
as a bone, and after little ventilation
and disinfecting she smelled as sweet as a
peach [ was week aboard of her be-
fore I decided what to DO. The small
boat was in good condition, and [ took
on water and provisions, and one morning
ran down the straits to the north for the
Flores Seas, feeling quite sure of meeting
some British vessel before crossing to
Borneo. [ had scarcely left my island
behind when I saw II. NJ. S. the Dragon
bound to the East, and by midafternOon
was aboard of her After sending me
back with guard to hold the brig, she
returned to Surabaja, on the north coast
Of Java, and reported to the Consul, and
within month everything had been re-
moved from the old Ben Hammond and
she was left to decay. Her cargo insur-
ance had been paid, but everything was
recovered in such fine order that the loss
was trifiing. YORK; Sun.