The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-10-03

heard OF, and 1t was at last concluded
that she had gone TO the bottom.
In the month of June, 1865, eleven
years later, passed through the Straits
of Sunda on the English ship Prince
John, bound for the port Of Melbourne.
We had scarcely cleared the Java cape
when it came ON to blow a gale from the
west, The gale increased to hurricane
after few hours, and, although we
kept the old ship ahoat, she was driven
long ways to the east We had ter
rife wind and sea for four days, and by
that time, our drift had carried us well
down to the eastern end of Java, One
morning, about 8 o'clock, just after had
heard the Captain say that the gale was
breaking, we were boarded by II sea
which swept the ship from stem to stern.
We were lying to, you understand, with
the usual watch on deck. Three of us
We're carried overheard by the wave, but
did not see either of the others. was
whirled end over end and buffetted about
until thought should drswn before
had seen the surface, but after time
was heaved up to daylight, and had no
sooner got my eyes clear than saw one
of our quarter boats close to me. 1t had
been torn loose by the same wave, and
was floating right side up, but full of
water, got hold of it, and after rest
ing bit pulled myself in and secured
myself by a lashing to one of the thwarts.
! The waves ran over me at brief intervals,
but the weight of the water held the
boat down until she drove like log, and
she could not therefore upset as she
turned broadside to the sea.
| 1t was, as said, about o'clock when
l went overheard At about in the af-
ternoon sighted land to the north, and
an hour later found myself driving be-
tween two islands. Half an hour later
current set me to the right, and drove
in for the land and brought up at the
head of bay or inlet half mile long
and not over two hundred feet wide.
Hard aground at the head of this bay,
with her bowsprit touching the trees on
the trees on the shore, was the old Ben
Hammond, the long-lost and almost-for-
gotten brig. / drove right in past her,
and was heaved on the sands by the
swell, and the first thing | did was to
sit down and wonder whether / was
really in my senses or had gone daft.
mere rested 'he ola prig On an even kee,,
mas's s'aholng as pump as ever ysros
braced as they were left years before, but
the sails rot.ed and blown away, and
many ropes oroheh anu irayeo anu s'ream-
ing III inc VIM ,ao iie''u Vi nei ioSs,
anu hao reao nen'oe story a. re,a'eu U!
the papers, ana l. took inc PUCK OUT Vi
me 10 hno her there, inueeu l was 80
awed ana overcome 'na' 1 o'u NOT uare
BOARD her lhat n'gh., ou' maui my peo
on the sands ana slept sounaiy VII morn
ing. had secured my yawl wnen 1
drove IN, ana as 1 came 10 examine IL
next morning found II almost Tree from
INJURY, whiie the mast ana SAIL ana uiler
were secure under the fhwarts. BY TINS
time the gale was over ana l was sur
pilsed 10 see now 1ar the water nao laiieh
away from the peach
My next move after inspecting the
yawl was to board the brig. This was
an easy matter, as the water at low tide
did not reach her foremast. | was des
perately afraid of facing skeleton as l
drew my head above the rail, and made
a lengthy survey before | dropped to the
deck. There was great deal of litter
about, and much of the exposed wood
work had begun to decay A more lone
some sight one could not find moved
slowly from stem to stern, and was re-
lleved when no ghostly relic OF the dead
presented itself Ihe brig mad the Old
fashioned 10 castle, ana noticed That
the slide over the opening was secured.
7 The cabin doors were also shut. , i
dreaded to make furtner investigation,
but hunger ana peace OF mnd com
PEELED me, and l linaliy entered the ca
bm' The medicine chest was upset IN
the mann CABIN or eating pom, and
the bottles scattered about fhe door,
There was spread on the rSD1 put 1t
was black with mould, and, after brief
look, l had to retire until the fresh air
could drive out the heavy odors. By
and by l returned, and when had
looked into the berths aud found no
Wondering skeletons, great load was
taken of my mind. l had, however, to
examine the TO castle yet. but, being en-
couraged by what had failed to find in
the cabin, l 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 | looked over
the stores in the pantry everything
smelled and tasted as wholesome
as if only week out of the ware.
house. Within an hour from the time ]
boarded her was eating breakfast pre
pared in the galley and was feeling quit,
~ bouo When hod oo+;sfod m, brnoa,