The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-06-12

as We QRl, DuC OF course ne COuCtdieu ~
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
Heavenm We crowed too soon, however.
The breeze did not push us over five miles
before it tired out, and we were LETT 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. I was aroused,
however, to take the lookout, and took
nv seat on the heel of the bowsprlt 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 I had been on
duty an hour. The Josephine was rising
and falling on the CLASSY swclls, and
swinging her head to every point OF the
compass by turns, and I was scanning the
sea and the heavens in the most perfume
tory way, when an object suddenly came
into view. 1t was a black spot against
the darkness, and after rising to my feet
and watching it for few minutes Imade
out, as I 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 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 I 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
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.
It was then, at the suggestion of the
Captain, that we raised our voices in a
shout to see if anybody was aboard the
strange craft. We were answered almost
Immediately by the barking of dog, and
the Captain said:
'There are men there, and they may
be starving and suffering. Well, lower
a boat and pull out to her."
"Heavens! sir, but you wouldn't think
of it," whispered the mate. "She's being
towed by who knows what3 See! There
she moves again! And just listen to
that howling!"
It 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
bows9" asked the Captain of the mate as
he handed him the glass after long
look.
"Why, sir, there's the bowsprit, the
foretopmast, and a big tangle of ropes"
was the reply. "It 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. I
can see fecks of foam as he churns away,
and you can hear 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-
peated shouts.
"Nlen," said the Captain, as the wreck
began moving slowly away, sits our
plain duty to board that hulk. 1could
never forgive myself if left any one to
die of starvation. Iwon't order any one
to 90, but I'll call for volunteers.
Not sailor responded for a minute.
waited to give the men chance, and
as they hesitated I volunteered. Two
others then came forward, and their ac-
ton shamed the mate into saying:
every we'll, sir. I'll take Jones and
Harris and pull off and investigate"
Why he left me out I do not know,
but was quietly ignored, and the two
middlc-aged men whose names I 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 l
could hardly make her out. The mate